When two cross-country cases collide, Bree Taggert and Mercy Kilpatrick join forces to catch a serial killer in an addictive novel of suspense by bestselling authors Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot.
During a vicious heat wave, a county maintenance worker stumbles upon two suspicious suitcases abandoned by the side of the road. Sheriff Bree Taggert responds to find two bodies stuffed inside the luggage. The press demands action. The community is on edge. Suddenly, Bree is at the center of a media firestorm.
In Oregon, a senator’s daughter goes missing. FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick agrees to keep the politically sensitive case on the down-low. When she finds a link between the disappearance and a double homicide three thousand miles away, Mercy takes the next plane out—and lands right in the middle of Bree’s double homicide investigation.
To save the missing girl, Bree and Mercy must work together to stop a killer who’s playing deadly games with the press and stirring up public rage. Hungry for notoriety, he dares Bree and Mercy to catch him before he kills again.
the setup… Sheriff Bree Taggert responds to a call from a county maintenance worker who discovered two suitcases by the side of Echo Road. Upon opening, Bree finds the bodies of two dead women inside. After details of the scene are leaked and reported by the press, FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick realizes there are disturbing connections to the case she’s investigating covertly, the missing daughter of a US Senator in Oregon. When Mercy arrives in Grey’s Hollow, New York, Bree agrees to let her in on the case and they combine forces to find what appears to be a serial killer.
the heart of the story… Bree Taggert and Mercy Kilpatrick teamed together? I got excited as soon as this book was announced. High expectations? You bet. These are two of my favorite series and characters and the story actually surpassed my expectations. They have different strengths but share similar instincts, values and determination. The case was highly perplexing and clues limited. Girls are being abducted by a sexual dominant preying on websites catering to those with BDSM preferences. The race is on.
the narration… I was in listening heaven because the narrators from both series delivered the points of view for their respective characters. I’m a fan of both Schnaubelt and Traister and they delivered seamless and great performances.
the bottom line… I’m normally leery of character crossovers but this one is brilliant. Bree and Mercy didn’t take long in assessing and trusting each other. No big egos here, just two highly intelligent and skilled investigators who teamed up to find this scumbag. The climax was as exciting as I’ve come to expect from both series. Leigh and Elliott are a formidable writing team and I hope to see these two characters paired again.
This was a really clever thriller. The tied in some really exciting storylines and it all makes sense but keeps you right on the edge of your seat!
This is a series but I listened as a standalone and it worked just fine!
I loved the fact the 2 lead law enforcement are women and work together without pee-pee measuring that usually goes on.
I really had no clue what was going on until I was supposed to know. I love books I can't figure out.
A girl seemlingly disappears but she was using a BDSM site to get herself a master. Shes not an adult so she is legally missing and you are left wondering if she is gone because she wants to be or because she was made to.
Ah, the cross-over I didn't know I needed but am thrilled is happening. I haven't read any books from the Mercy Kilpatrick series yet but I absolutely adore the Bree Taggert series! As usual, this one did not disappoint. I loved the addition of Mercy with the characters I already love from the Bree Taggert series. The plot held my attention from start to finish.
A fast-paced, action-packed, binge-worthy book. Solid 4 stars!
4.5⭐ This was such a great read. This author duo came together and came up with a fast paced, suspenseful plot. This police procedural follows Sheriff Bree Taggert and FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick. When two cases on opposite sides of the country collide, they join forces to save a missing girl, and find a serial killer that's playing games. This was such a compelling case and kept me guessing for most of it. It pulled me in pretty fast and I flew through it. There are many other books by both of these authors and I definitely want to read more of them after this. Excellent!!🙌🏼
Thank you to the publisher and @mbc_books for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I always knew this cross over would be epic! I was soooo right. It was OUTSTANDING. I will say I knew who it was and for a hot minute got annoyed at the dynamic duo for not figuring it out. But it wasn’t long before they were with me. 😉
I love these authors and when they write together it is combustible crime thrillers. Separate they are awesome, together…boom! I read this way too fast. I could not stay away long. I’m looking forward to more.
I love strong female leads and these authors know how to write them.
Full review to come. Thought this was a great matchup between Bree Taggert and Mercy. Will post longer review later.
Full review: I am not a big fan of tv crossovers so was reluctant to buy this, but the Bree Taggert series has become a comfort read to me. And man do I need some comfort right now. This book follows the events of "On Her Watch" the 8th book of the Bree Taggert series. Bree was dealing with a serial killer in that one, and in this newest cross-over, she's got another one on her hands. Bree is dealing with some of her force out and her family going away for a vacation (that includes Matt). When two young women are found dead in suitcases, Bree realizes things are getting dicey again. And when FBI agent, Mercy Kilpatrick arrives on the scene, Bree realizes that there's something bigger going on that Mercy won't reveal.
I honestly didn't know about the inclusion of Mercy at first. But I got used to the character and the rhythm of Kendra Elliott and Melinda Leigh's writing. I used to read their "Widow Island" novella series and had to give up because Elliott's writing started to grate on me. But now I am curious about the character of Mercy so there you go.
Both women characters are written very well. I thought we got to see a different softer and more vulnerable side to Bree. I really hope we do see more of them teaming up in the future since I really liked where things were left here.
“The first time I saw her, I knew I would kill her.”
Sheriff Bree Taggert is investigating remains that were found in two suitcases by the side of the road. FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick is looking for a missing teen, a senator’s daughter. The two women come together to track down a serial killer when it appears their cases may be connected.
ECHO ROAD is everything I love in a crime fiction police procedural. Forensics, an anonymous serial killer narrator, multiple POVs and strong well-adjusted FMCs who make SMART decisions…I’m here for it! The solidarity and mutual respect that develop between Bree and Mercy was a pleasure to witness. I enjoyed getting both of their perspectives on each other! The mystery itself kept me guessing. I knew who the suspect WASN’T, but I couldn’t pin down who it WAS.
A suspenseful game of cat and mouse with a depraved killer, ECHO ROAD had me thoroughly engaged from start to finish! Don’t even get me started on the pulse pounding action that had me grimacing and cringing. I had no idea each of these characters have their own series. Bringing them together was nothing short of brilliant and now I want to read ALL the books that feature these women. Bravo to Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh for creating such engaging women and having the foresight to throw them into a fast paced intense thriller, TOGETHER! I need book two please!
Thank you MBC Books & Amazon Publishing for the gifted finished copy. All opinions are mine.
Potential spoiler content warnings below.
⚠️Content Warnings: language, violence, gun violence, death, mention of drug use, suicide, domestic abuse, BDSM
#ad I received a gifted copy of this book - many thanks to @mbc_books #partner
This was a fast and enjoyable read. Despite the subject matter.
While I usually enjoy books that focus on the kidnapped girls and their experience, I quite enjoyed watching/reading the sheriff and FBI agent try and figure out who has killed these women and kidnapped another.
I loved the characters in this book. They are so well built that you can see them being real people. The story is captivating and holds your attention the entire time. This would make a great movie or limited series.
While we did get some chapters that focused on the kidnapped girl, these chapters were short and weren’t the main focus of the book. If you like detective mysteries then this is the book for you.
This was my first book in this series, so I’m not sure if you should read the others in the series first; but I will say that I had no issue reading this as a standalone.
Great writing! Separate thought: Would love to see a book from this duo that isn’t so much detective but more from the victims perspective. I would definitely read that. I bet they could come up with some awesome kidnapped stories. They also have a ton of other books so I’ll def be checking those out.
Echo Road is an addictive, all consuming, action packed, police procedural with two strong FMC's. I absolutely loved this book. It brought the characters from both of these series together PERFECTLY. It was so well done, it flowed amazingly, you couldn't tell this was written by 2 people. I've only read 1 book in the Bree Taggert series and adored it, I didn't find myself lost or missing anything even if I hadn't read others or any Mercy Kilpatrick books. Now I definitely will !
I adored the storyline in this one, the case was so compelling, I was so invested from start to end. Once I started I couldn't stop. These 2 FMC's were just amazing together, to see how weary they were of each other and then being there for one another it was great. I loved that we got Bree, Mercy, The Victim and The Kidnappers POV's. I thought it added so much to the story. The characters were so well crafted, they felt so real.
This was a fantastic read, I will definitely be reading more. I just loved everything about this book. Highly recommend if you love police procedurals, thrills and kicka** FMC’s.
🎧 The narration by Teri Schnaubelt & Christina Traister was so good. It felt like I was listening to a movie. Every emotion, tone, action was so well done and it truly enhanced my experience of this book. I highly recommend the audio !
✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @brilliancepublishing, @kendraelliot & @melindaleigh for my gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Very good collaboration by two best selling mystery writers. I have read all of Kendra Elliott's Mercy Kilpatrick novels and now I'll have to read Melinda Leigh's Bree Taggert series. Two terrific characters.
What a combination! The authors have brought together two of my favorite protagonists in one suspenseful novel, Echo Road. When a Randolph County, New York maintenance worker finds two suitcases abandoned by the side of the road, Sheriff Bree Taggert responds to the call. She finds a body in each piece of luggage. With the community once again on edge, political pressure mounting, and a contentious media, Bree is the center of attention.
Meanwhile, in Deschutes County, Oregon, a senator’s daughter has gone missing. FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick agrees to keep the politically sensitive case quiet. When she finds a link to Bree’s case, she flies out to New York. To save the missing girl, Mercy and Bree must learn to trust each other and work together to stop a killer in search of fame and notoriety.
Bree is smart, skilled, confident, honorable, and determined. She joined law enforcement to help people and that is what she intends to do. She is learning to navigate the politics, media, and paperwork associated with being a sheriff in a county with a limited budget. Mercy is intelligent, effective, intense, and projects confidence.
Told from multiple points of view, including the killer, the novel starts with a chilling first sentence that hooked me and kept me engaged throughout the book. The storyline is suspenseful and includes some intense scenes. While the investigations drive a lot of the story, relationships play a big role as well. Themes include murder, abduction, assault, loss of control, secrets, and much more.
Overall, this book has twists, tension, violence, relatable main and secondary characters, and an antagonist that is out of control. This novel is the ninth book in both the Bree Taggert and the Mercy Kilpatrick series. If you are expecting a solid series that will have mysteries, suspense, crime, action, and a little romance, then I recommend both series.
I purchased a copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date was July 2, 2024. ---------------------------------------- My 4.61 rounded to 5 stars review is coming soon.
When Senator Adam Holcroft's daughter goes missing, FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick is assigned to the case. Seventeen-year-old Paige Holcroft was last seen at her home two days ago. The security cameras at her home were covered. Her phone and laptop have been wiped clean and left in her bedroom. A neighbor's camera shows Paige riding in the passenger seat of a car. Did she go willingly?
Two bodies have been found in suitcases along a rural New York road. Randolph County Sheriff Bree Taggert is working on identifying the bodies. When news of these murders is splashed across the country, Mercy sees it and realizes there may be a connection between these cases. Mercy travels to New York to join forces with Bree Taggert to stop a killer.
What's better than a new book in one of your favorite series? How about a new book that is part of two of your favorite series! I am a big fan of both the Mercy Kilpatrick series by Kendra Elliot and the Bree Taggert series by Melinda Leigh. Both characters are skilled investigators who turn over every stone to solve the crime. Both authors share a similar writing style which makes the book flow smoothly. As usual with both series, there are lots of twists and turns as clues are uncovered. These women worked well together and backed each other up when it was needed. I wouldn't mind seeing more crossovers in these series. I highly recommend this book along with both series. My rating: 5 Stars.
This is a wonderful tale that connects Sherriff Bree Taggert (Melinda Leigh's character) and FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick (Kendra Elliot's character). It a tense, taunt and fast paced story about a kidnapper with a twisted personality and an agenda, and it flowed seamlessly. I was caught up in the story from page one and had a tough time setting it aside when I had to. Advise: find an afternoon, curl up with this book and enjoy.
Two coasts and murder connect them both. For Sherriff Bree Taggert and FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick, joining forces to solve a crime that encompasses East and West Coasts and will challenge these two women to use everything they have in their crime solving arsenal. The kidnapping of the Senator's daughter makes this even more important that they solve the case and fast.
Mercy and Bree are staring at a crime that spans East and West Coast, with a ton of twists I sure didn’t see coming. We start out with the double murder Bree Taggert is investigating while two weeks earlier Mercy Kilpatrick is trying to figure out the missing persons case of the daughter of a sitting Senator from Oregon. When Mercy notes something in Bree's cases, she hops a plane for upstate New York where both cases collide. Leaked information and a hostile news media keep things interesting. "The Master" is an evil manipulator and sends the case in ways that make it hard for both women try to figure out just is going on.
I was so excited for this book, I couldn't wait to see what these two authors could do together with two of my favourite characters.
Well, I was not disappointed! Bree Taggert and Mercy Kilpatrick make an awesome team when they come together to solve some very gruesome murders and find a missing girl. My only complaint is that it ended too soon.
Fingers crossed we get more of Bree and Mercy working together.
Being a huge fan of Melinda Leigh's Bree Taggert series and Kendra Elliot's Mercy Kirkpatrick series made this book a perfect pairing! A fantastic mystery to solve with so many possible suspects. Bree and Mercy end up together trying to solve the case and bring home a missing teenager. Will they find her before the killer leaves her body in a suitcase on the side of the road? You'll have to read Echo Road to find out!
If you love a mystery where the action builds and builds this is the book for you! I was flipping the pages so fast the last quarter of the book as I needed answers. I hope that Bree, Mercy, Melinda, and Kendra get together again so that this pairing can continue. Echo Road is a thrill ride that should not be missed! #EchoRoad
Not even gonna lie. I’m a huge fan. I have read all of the Mercy Kilpatrick Series and the Bree Taggert Series so this was a MUST read for me. To make it even better, the first sentence is, “The first time I saw her, I knew I would kill her.”
This is a fast paced police procedural non stop crime thriller where two amazing women bring down a bad guy. (No spoilers). While this could be a standalone there is no reason not to read the other books in each series. They are all amazing with BA women who work through their past to make the world a better place.
10/10 recommend. Would I run to meet these two amazing authors? Solid yes.
An action packed story filled with great twists and turns. The characters are well developed with all their flaws and strengths. The imagery is terrific. There are a few threads left untied, but overall a great read. NW
In upstate New York, human remains are found inside luggage dumped on the side of the road. The media and the community as a whole are demanding answers from Sheriff Bree Taggert. Meanwhile, in Oregon, a senator's daughter is missing and FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick is on the case. When she finds a link to a homicide case in New York, she gets on a plane and volunteers her insights and her resources to Bree's investigation. Now Mercy and Bree are working together to stop a killer before he strikes again.
I love that these two authors have teamed up and put two of their main characters together to work on a case. I've read a couple of other books by Melinda Leigh, but none in this series, so this was my first time meeting Bree and Mercy. I like them both as individuals and also how well they work together. While the two women are initially reserved with each other, they discover they have a lot in common personally and in the way they work when on the job. The book alternates between their points-of-view as well as some creepy chapters narrated by the killer.
This is a suspenseful, engaging story and the investigation kept my interest from the very beginning. The book is about a serial killer, so it's not surprising that some aspects of the story are disturbing. Things start to escalate leading to a dramatic, satisfying ending. If the authors collaborate on another book in the future, I would love to read it!
I received an advance copy of this book at no cost from Amazon Publishing and MBC Communications, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
A reading fan’s delight occurs when two of my favorite suspense authors decide to pool their talents and write a book bringing together two of their intrepid female detecting protagonists to solve a case together. What was it like having two of my favorite series crossing over for a big stakes serial killer case? In a word, fantastic!
Echo Road is the ninth entry in both the Mercy Kilpatrick and the Bree Taggert series by their respective authors. Neither series is good to read out of order because of all the personal and relationship developments going on throughout the series, but this one really would be tough since the reader is getting a merging of two series and writing styles.
Not surprisingly, Echo Road is an alternating narrative story: Bree, Mercy, the killer, and occasionally, one of his victims. The story opens in Upstate New York when Bree is called to a roadside body dump in the sweltering high heat of summer. Her investigation begins and almost from the start she is confronted by swarming reporters who know details that were not officially released and county politics when her boss puts the pressure on to close the case quickly because serial killers are bad for re-elections.
Meanwhile, across country in Oregon, Mercy gets called in with Evan Bolton to investigate the disappearance of a US Senator’s daughter. The senator wants to keep it from the press as long as possible. They are frustrated by a lack of strong evidence leading to the girl’s whereabouts until a news story about two female murder victims across country catch Mercy’s attention. She goes with her gut and gets on a plane to slip into Sheriff Bree Taggert’s investigation.
Two strong and dedicated law enforcement workers with Bree in her local county sheriff’s role and Mercy repping the FBI were fun to see meet and figure out how to work as a team while the arrogant killer is trying to lead them on a merry messed up case for some time. I had my suspicions and I eagerly read through all the twists and turns to see if I got it right. Some wonderful sharp twists and turns with a breath-stealing climax at the end.
The combining of the two different series characters and their backgrounds was seamless and went so well. I was just as into Echo Road as all the past books from both series. The setting is mostly Bree’s neck of the woods and a county investigation, but I was excited to see the author’s note that they would consider writing more crossovers between their series. They do so well partnering on series as they’ve done it in the past for other series. Those who enjoy romantic suspense and thrillers should definitely give both these series a go.
My full review will post at Caffeinated Reviewer 1.1.25.
This book brings together two of my favorite fictional characters - Mercy Kilpatrick and Bree Taggart. I did not see the ending coming, which is one of the reasons it earned 5 stars.
I am a huge fan of Kendra Elliot. I have read quite a few of her books (they satisfy the “Criminal Minds” fan in me). I loved how this book was written with author Melinda Leigh, who I’ve never read any of her works, and used one of her recurring main characters and teamed up with one of my favorite Kendra Elliot characters. The two were bad ass together, and I truly hope there will be more books to come.
Kendra Elliot (Mercy Kilpatrick Series) and Melinda Leigh (Bree Taggert Series) have collaborated and brought both characters (Mercy and Bree) together for one intense, gripping read. I love BOTH series and always eagerly anticipate a new book in each respective series. So, when I saw these talented authors brought Mercy and Bree together, I was thrilled. These characters are both such compelling, strong women in law enforcement and, oh boy, what an inspired decision this turned out to be! It worked beautifully! Each standalone series is just excellent, but bring these two together and you have a dynamite combination! Please, do this again! It was fabulous. :)
Really good book! I’ve really enjoyed the dual POV of the main leads, also the sneak peeks from the victim and the killer, Everything was fast paced full of action and it was quite addicting 🫣
When a county maintenance worker stumbles upon two suspicious suitcases abandoned by the side of the road. Sheriff Bree Taggert responds to find two bodies stuffed inside the luggage. Suddenly the press is calling for results as there is a serial killer in their midst and the police are keeping it under wraps. Meanwhile in Oregon, a senator’s daughter goes missing. FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick is called in and agrees to keep it quiet. While investigating, she finds a connection to the double homicide three thousand miles away. Mercy hops on the next plane and is now in the middle of Bree’s double homicide investigation. They must work together to save the teen before she ends up in another suitcase.
Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh have written a few series together, but bringing these two detectives together in one book was wonderful. They are two of my favourite crime thriller series and these women are badass investigators. This book moved quickly as they were racing against time. We get their POVs, as well as the teenager being held captive. The killer trolls BDSM message boards to find his victims and that was a very sad side to this story. This is so realistic and these young girls become victims of their own actions. The crimes were scary and dark and the book had me on the edge of my seat while they were chasing down the perpetrator. Bree and Mercy work so well together, that I knew they would catch him, but would it be in time. Although there were lots of clues, I couldn't quite figure out who the killer was. This was an exciting story, with a great investigation, wonderful characters and a plot that kept me riveted. The narration by Teri Schnaubelt and Christina Traister was excellent. Each of these narrators is the voice of one of the main characters in their series, so it worked well to bring them together here. This was a book that I really enjoyed listening to and recommend it all. If you do listen to audiobooks, I recommend you do so in this case.