A Bad Day for Mercy

Bad Day #4

by Sophie Littlefield

A call from Stella's little sister brings the news that Stella's step-nephew, Chip, has been threatened with serious bodily harm if he doesn't settle his unpaid gambling debts. Stella makes the drive to Chip's home in Wisconsin, only to walk in on a wee-hours dismemberment. Chip and his Russian girlfriend, Natalya, insist the man was left, already dead, on their porch. Suspicious but compelled to help family, Stella tracks down other suspects, including the deceased's business partner, a purveyor of black-market Botox, and a jilted violist. Matters are complicated by the unexpected arrival of BJ Broderson, who has picked the worst possible time to pursue his amorous intentions toward Stella. Meanwhile, thoughts of Sheriff "Goat" Jones make Stella blush and wonder where, and with whom, she will spend her fifty-first birthday.

 

A Bad Day for Mercy is a terrific addition to this incredibly original and entertaining series. For those who haven't yet discovered the wonder of Sophie Littlefield, it's high time to join the fun!

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Chick Lit, Humor, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Action

272 pages, Hardcover

First published June 19, 2012

About the author

Called a “writing machine” by the New York Times and a “master storyteller” by the Midwest Book Review, Sophie Littlefield has written dozens of novels for adults and teens. She has won Anthony and RT Book Awards and been shortlisted for Edgar, Barry, Crimespree, Macavity, and Goodreads Choice Awards.

Sophie also writes under the pen name Sofia Grant.

Reviews

[Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is my favorite in the series so far. Except, I keep saying that in each subsequent Stella Hardesty book. I listened to the audio version of this book (again) and loved it. There are so many laugh out loud moments and brilliant "Stellaisms" and general world observations. Reading this book makes me realize that Sophie Littlefield must be such an amazing person, funny and a great mom. So in addition to be amusing and fun, the murder mystery is interesting and had me guessing. There are murder mysteries where I can guess who is the bad guy and what his motivation is at the beginning or the middle of the book. A Bad Day for Mercy is not one of those books. I was not sure who the murderer was and what their motivation was, there were so many delightfully good options for bad guys.

In this installment, Stella hits the road and the majority of the book takes place in central Wisconsin. Ms. Littlefield writes working class midwest culture and people so well. She nails it. She doesn't write it condescendingly and she doesn't write it as an outside observer looking inside. Ms. Littlefield captures working class midwest life perfectly, as a participant. She knows her characters and she writes them lovingly. Stella's characters say the best things, like this:

I'd have sold my car, my plasma, my sperm, whatever it took.

Or these:

"Let's get one thing straight here right now Chip...I am not about to have an ex-con gambler who I have known since you had braces and that unfortunate mullet passing judgment on me."

"What are you doing here? Don't your hoodlum pals have a date to smoke crack behind the Arco or something?" "We dun smoked it ... and we also knocked over Dumphrey liquors and all got blow jobs and burned us up a flag, so you can just hold on to your lecture Stella. Its too late for saving me.""

"I look out the window and there is the Sheriff’s cruiser pulling up in the shop parking lot." Stella’s heart did a little skip at the news. "Sheriff Jones?" "No! Sheriff Roscoe P. Coletrain from Hazard County. Who do you think Stella?"

Or this:

To Stella it beat a big box of candy and a truckload of roses. There was nothing that said I heart you like destroying evidence that could send a person to jail.

So Stella going on the road and doing her "work" in Wisconsin is just as fun as the stories that take place in Missouri. There is a little bit of romance in this book, some funny banter between Stella and Chrissie and Stella and Tucker. The characters continue to grow. Despite that this is the 4th book in the series, it is not getting old and continues to be fresh. I cannot wait for #5 in the Stella series. Badass recently interviewed Sophie Littlefield and I didn't ask her if she was going to be writing a new Stella Hardesty and when -- why didn't I ask her??? That just means I am going to have to invite her back for another interview. *grins*

Stella is the perfect heroine. She is seasoned and has had her hardships. She is not perfect, but flawed -- she likes her whiskey, she doesn't always want to work out and she can get to judging people. But in the end Stella is understanding of other people's position in life and she tries to help others. Like this one (and damn did Ms. Littlefield hit this observation right on the nose or what!?):

You ever think how much shit we could keep out of the landfills if we just fixed it now and then and kept on using it. Like for instance, used to be mom's. It was built in 1969 and it works fine. But you go on over to the Hope Depot and they got them $4,000 ranges all lined up and none of them with no more than a year or two warranty. Then when they break, they tell you it is going to be cheaper to get a new one then to fix the one you have. Does that make sense to you?

Manufacture bags to haul groceries around in as if every household in America didn't already have half a dozen gym bags, and sewing totes and advertising freebies lying around.

If you haven't yet discovered the fun of the Stella Hardesty books I strong suggest you pick one up and read it!

To read more reviews like this or this one, check out: www.badassbookreviews.com

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gotta LOVE Stella Hardesty and her unusual side job of dispensing "justice" in the name of beaten/downtrodden wives and girlfriends.

Except this time, Stella finds herself on the road in Wisconsin, embroiled in discovering who killed her step-nephew's girlfriend's husband. Yep, Stella's sister made a tearful plea for Stella to help out Chip, after she and her husband received an ear with a note demanding $30K for Chip's safe return. Since Stella's sister is in California and since Stella's in the "business" she's in, her sister figures Stella's the one to figure it all out.

Stella goes on the road in her maybe-boyfriend BJ's souped-up truck, since her Jeep's in the shop. Stella can't stop thinking about Sheriff "Goat" Jones, but BJ is the one who's been more available to her - the one hanging around, making out with her on the sofa, and being all-around sweet. Like loaning her his truck for her "errand". Unfortunately, her neighbor's teenage son, Todd, decided to hitch a ride in the truck bed. And when Stella arrives at Chip's house only to discover his ear is very much in place, but he and his Russian girlfriend are dismembering the dead body of her husband... yowsa! Then Todd is stolen from inside of BJ's truck and the window smashed.

Stella is in a real pickle, trying to get Todd back and trying to figure out who killed Natalya's husband - the guy who "bought" her as his Russian bride and paid for Natalya's teen aged son, Luka/Luke, to come over, too. Not to mention that Luka/Luke is dealing drugs on the street. Stella's sense of family kicks into high gear and then some!

It's a fun, wacky, wild ride full of Stella-isms and laughs. I was rolling over the Man-tees and plastic surgeons in training...

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just reread this by accident (thought it was the last installment - I was wrong (hey, it's been a few years, okay? ;-) - and reading it reminded me just how much I love Stella Hardesty and her pragmatic, bloodthirsty ways!
Besides her side gig bringing domestic miscreants to see the error of their ways (or, if they don't, the Light), she's keeping an eye on several young people (she's in her 50s, so 'young' is as young as 15 and .. well.. anything younger than she is), steering them towards a decent adulthood.

Stella is busy.
Stella is also... well.. Stella Has Needs.
And Sheriff Goat Jones is taking Too Damb Long.

Enter BJ, who's sort of been thinking about waiting in the wings, bless his heart.

I did mention that Stella is pragmatic, didn't I?
I love that about her.

But. Sweet as he is, BJ doesn't really stand a chance -Stella would eat him alive (and Goat's Stella's match in every way and she's super-hot for him; BJ, not quite so much and poor BJ, to constantly be compared to hotAF Goat in Stella's mind.....) - and now that I know there is a finale (Book 5) out there, I trust that Littleton will give Stella the Goat she deserves - and wants. C'mon Goat! Get with the program! And in the meantime she can kick some wife-beatin', support-dodgin' ass (with some hilarious - and effective- tools) while she's at it. I love that she's unrepentant about that gig, too! I would take that gig in a nanosecond, with my evil self.

The story(ies) are good, with a lot of humor (dismemberment can be funny! who knew?!!) and interesting twists but I confess I'm always more interested in the side gig because she is my bloodthirsty, vigilante soulmate!

#TeamStella #TeamGoat #TeamBeatdown

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I want to tip my hat to Littlefield for writing a strong 50+ female character, Stella in the midst of a youth-oriented climate. Since I'm in that age bracket, it's refreshing to read a series such as this. And, thank you to the publisher for taking a chance. The baby-boomers are being forgotten in the clothing industry, films and books. Most of the time, I feel invisible. Which, now that I'm used to it, isn't a completely bad thing. It's like using a cloaking device, being in stealth mode.

But back to Stella, who I love, she may turn some readers away with her um, sometimes squeamish methods used in her "side business". I was a little worried that I couldn't keep reading if Littlefield put in too much detail, but she doesn't, thankfully, at least for my sensitivities. Also, the humor at times can be on the dark side, which I like when in the mood. And then, there's the laugh-out-loud humor, which there is a LOT of, particularly in this installment. Perhaps, it was listening to the audio version that made it funnier and better. The narrator did a fantastic job. For those reason, I've rated this 5 stars. Listening to it made me laugh so much and brightened my days. Littlefield, you are one crazy lady. Please, please, please continue writing this series!

[Katrina Stonoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in less than two days, right on the heels of Bad Day #3, A Bad Day for Scandal. I have to say ... once again, Sophie Littlefield has not let me down.

I love that Stella Hardesty, Littlefield's protagonist who skirts the edge of the law (at least its letter), is still fighting for right and honor. But I love even more the added complications in her life. I love that Sophie has kept the connections Stella made in previous books (Goat, Chrissy and her daughter), but life just isn't that easy. Not for you or me, and not for Stella.

I'm on Stella's side. I'm on the side of the women (and others) she fights for -- disenfranchised citizens trying to rediscover their own personal power. And I'm on Sophie Littlefield's side. Somehow, she's kept this story going, kept up what was working (and working well!), and still not lost the freshness.

I was surprised. I was delighted. And I'm more a fan than ever.

[Gordon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting in that it was set in Wisconsin and Missouri and spoken in a Missouri accent.

The completely horrific crime was presented in such a matter of fact manner that I felt no emotional response. The solution was presented in a similar fashion so I felt no sense of climax. The characters with the possible exception of Natalya were quite forgettable.

[Roberta · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up at a library sale. I'm glad I paid only 20¢ for it and won't have to bother searching out any of the other books in the series.

Stella is called in when Chip's parents receive a box in the mail containing an ear and a demand for $30,000 to get their son back. Stella goes to Chip's house to investigate and finds Chip, both ears still attached to his head, cutting up a dead body on his kitchen table. And so on.

This is yet another mystery that uses the tired trope of a woman of a certain age being pursued by multiple men. This one is slightly more realistic since both men are also of a certain age and lumpy, which means there's nothing in it for us either.

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this book as much as 1-3 in the series. Sophie seemed to be wandering to far off of the main plot usually with lustful thoughts for Stella to wade through for the two love interests in her life, but with other things also. It really made the story drag and drag! Many times I just wanted to yell, "Stay on point Sophie, stay on point!!!! I will however read #5 and hope for the best!

[Susan Katz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, not great. A few too many characters, although if you had read other books in the series you might be familiar enough with the regulars that it wouldn't matter. There wasn't much foreshadowing, so the ending came as quite a bit of a surprise. Lots of loose ends, but perhaps the author plans to tie those up in a subsequent book in the series.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

The protagonist, Stella Hardesty, is a 50 year old quilt store owner who favorite pasttime is crime busting! Ms. Littlefield's wit and humor comes out of the characters so effortlessly. Stella is hilarous and is filled with funny similies. Reading this series is like curling up with a book and hot tea in front of a fireplace!

[Jenny K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the strongest book in the series. I am reading these because I live in MO, and this book mostly occurs elsewhere. Most of the other reoccurring characters are missing, Goat?!? And the ending is rushed, and questions that she had been pondering seem unresolved or at least unexplained.

[Louisa Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice, easy-going story. It went along at a nice speed until, pfft, it was over. Fizzled out like a bad firecracker.
I’m not saying it was a bad story. It was nice; just no bells and whistles.

[Neil · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice twist on the cozy genre, a little more violent, I'll call this a dirty cozy. The plot has some holes, but it's a fun little beach style read.

[Virginia Harrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still a fun series for me - engaging writing, good character development, challenging circumstances. The premise continues to be interesting.

[Mar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a lot of depth to this series, but I enjoy the imperfect nature of the characters. Not realistic crime fiction if that is what you're looking for, but an easy beach read.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun but it was shorter than expected. All of a sudden, i heard, "epilogue." Hahaha! Still like this series. It's fun.

[Lyn Soulia-Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Should be more women like Stella, she rocks!

[Amy Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok. It held my attention to finish it, but it was one that I could put down and just read when I had time. There was no feeling of “ I just need to keep reading.”

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts off with a gruesome scene, but then it turns into a comedy of errors. An interesting read!

[Sarah McKay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Family goes beyond blood

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I fell in love with _A Bad Day for Sorry_. Stella Hardesty is a great protagonist. How can you not love a woman in her fifties who has emerged from 30 years of abuse to become an advocate for other abused women? How can you not love a woman that handles abusers with handcuffs, needle-nose pliers, and such??

With a _Bad Day for Mercy_, the standards fell. Maybe all mysteries are formulaic, but this one was obviously so. Not enough heart in this one.

My chief problems are that a sort of God-son is kidnapped, and Stella does not immediately call the police, etc. Often in a mystery, you don't do the obvious thing, but this time, it seemed beyond my ability to suspend belief. A greater hue and cry, even in Stella's on search for him, would have seemed appropriate. The other thing is that during his kidnap, Todd is given an injection before his release. What was odd was that there was no concern or query about this.

Stella's ongoing romance with the Sheriff, Goat Jones is completely on the backburner. He only shows up by phone. BJ Broderson, on the other hand, is present and available.

I think the author may be going a bit dry in this vein. Maybe it's time for a new book or series with new characters.

[Minna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, Stella is just as charismatic and ballsy as ever. The dialogue is still hilarious, particularly between Stella and Todd, or Stella and Chrissy. The other characters were entertaining (Sophie Littlefield sure can write an accent, huh?!)

BUT. The plot was a little thin and insubstantial, and I didn't really care for the idea that Stella was "settling" for BJ. Wouldn't a ballbuster like Stella go after who she really wants? Is she really so desperate for some action that any man will do, even one she finds mildly unappealing (she frequently describes his touches and kisses negatively, and admits to thinking of Goat while kissing BJ).. I'm no experienced 51-year old woman but I'm pretty sure that's a bad idea. "A Bad Day for Lying To Oneself," as it were.

I will still be back for the next in hopes that things are looking up. Despite the thin plot I still laughed out loud during this installment, which says a lot of good about Ms. Littlefield's talents.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★½

After a frantic call from her sister, Stella heads to Wisconsin to rescue her nephew from gangsters. When she arrives, she finds Chip (the nephew) cutting up a body on the kitchen table, while his girlfriend, Natalya armed with a bottle of Spray & Wipe and a whole bunch of rags cleans up.

Things are never as they seem in Stella's world.

A Bad Day for Mercy rambles a bit, but it's good fun and easy to forgive the occasional lack of direction. Stella's on again / off again relationship with the Sheriff is once again "off". It used to annoy me, but now I just don't care. These books are all about Stella, a 50 something woman who makes abusive husbands / boyfriends leave town (or disappear) and making ex-husbands pay their maintenance.
She has an assortment of tools and zip ties in Tupperware containers in her trunk, as well as a couple of unlicensed firearms, which she uses to great effect in her business.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

not one of the best in the series - but I do like the series so I will read the next one - it got a bit stupid with the character's tirade against environmentalists...I mean why don't authors realize that that isn't what we want (regardless of which side you sit on...) in a silly cozy mystery? So it's ok for the character to spout her version of 'common sense' - doesn't the author realize that it just makes her character come of just as narrow minded? anyway - that just makes for boring reading and again makes the character look silly - I mean really - making the guy buy dockers? - just stupid.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sophie Littlefield's books are my 'bad books', as she writes a bit on the dark side. Stella, the protagonist, is a free-lance enforcer of sorts, for hire (very reasonable rates) to abused women, whom the law has failed. Stella's part-time romance with the local deputy sheriff adds a comic aspect to the stories. This book gave stronger hints as to just what Stella does to convince the men she works on to behave better, which almost turned me off from the book. If Littlefield gets any more graphic, I'll have to say good-bye to Stella, much as I hate to. I like her no-nonsense approach, her acerbic wit, and her concerns over the lacks of her middle-aged body. These books are funny.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had such high expectations because I loved the 3 earlier books in the series. So I was a little disappointed with A Bad Day for Mercy. It had most of the expected elements, so I can't quite pin-point what let me down. Perhaps it was the limited participation by the supporting characters I love (Goat, Chrissy), maybe because it didn't have as much of the edge-of-your-seat action that Stella has encountered in the past. But there still was enough of the laugh-out-loud humor for me to give it 4 stars.

[m_miriam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel pretty done with this series. The dialogue feels forced, the romance is contrived, and the mysteries aren't particularly interesting to me. In this particular iteration of the series there were some serious gaps in the logic of the story and the references to gang bangers and vegans was just annoying. I appreciate Stella and Christy as heroes and protagonists and I like seeing alternative models of justice, but in the context of rote crime novels, that just isn't enough to keep me invested.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stella’s latest outing once again finds her searching for clues and tracking down all sorts of ne’er do wells -- but this latest installment doesn't have the same charm as earlier books in the series. So if you haven’t met Stella Hardesty yet (and I highly recommend it), it's best to start with one of the earlier books.

Read the full review at http://www.nightsandweekends.com/arti...

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

[library ebook, plot summary elsewhere]

A fourth in this antic series depicting a middle west, middle aged,lower middle class, feminist domestic violence avenger. The schtick continues to be amusing. The characters are interesting. The deficits are a gristly corpse disposal, Stella's torturing an innocent man for information,and confusing exposition at the beginning.

I would read another.

[Magpie67 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the usual kick butt style as the prior titles and a just a bit descriptive of places I didn't care to know. Sheriff Goat wasn't in it as much, so that might be my downfall into the storyline and I don't really like BJ for boyfriend material. Chrissy wasn't around all that much either. A ho hum addition to the series, but I will read the next one...