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Terminal Treatment

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For fans of Karin Slaughter and Michael Connelly—justice has a cost, and someone’s willing to kill to keep the truth buried.

Officer Eden Mercer never backs down. With her loyal K-9 partner Shadow by her side, she patrols the fog-shrouded streets of Nightfall, Oregon—where danger hides in the most unexpected places.

When a young woman turns up dead at the base of a hiking trail, what looks like a tragic accident quickly unravels into something far more sinister. The victim had no history of drug use—so why was her blood full of methadone?

Eden’s search for answers pulls her deep into the shadows of Coastal Serenity, an exclusive rehab center with gleaming hallways and dark secrets. Beneath the glossy surface lies a web of corruption, insurance fraud, and calculated murder.

As Eden goes undercover, she finds herself drawn to a teenage patient caught in the same trap she once fought to escape—isolated, silenced, and dangerously alone. Eden knows exactly what it’s like to be a girl with no way out.

But someone inside the facility is watching her. And as her cover slips and the walls close in, Eden must risk everything to expose the truth—before another girl disappears, and the cycle begins again.

405 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2025

729 people are currently reading
61 people want to read

About the author

Paige Black

6 books36 followers
Paige Black lives in Portland, OR, where the fog and rain form a perfect backdrop to her love of all things mysterious and thrilling. Often found exploring the misty, dark forests of the Oregon Coast, Paige draws inspiration from the shadowy corners of the world and the secrets they hide.

An escape room enthusiast and true crime aficionado, Paige devours documentaries and loves the challenge of solving puzzles and mysteries. In her free time, she’s on a mission to befriend the crows in her neighborhood via gifts of peanuts. It’s a work in progress, but she’s convinced they’ll come around eventually.

Join Paige for gripping tales of twisted cults, cunning serial killers, and the dedicated law enforcement officers who bring them to justice.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
Profile Image for Julie Howard.
Author 2 books31 followers
April 19, 2025
“Yeah, and maybe consider a less dangerous career? Like, I don’t know, alligator wrestling or bomb disposal?”

Oh wow! This seemed a long book but once I started reading I couldn't put it down and wished it had been longer, although not so sure my nerves would have coped. Shadow, Eden's K-9 partner wasn't in this book as much as he has been in previous books but that is because the rookie police officer goes under cover and he does play his part in a gripping ending. The story start from where the last book left off with Eden, Shadow and her partner Hanks trying to get close to the cult and family members Eden left behind years ago. So while it helps having read the previous books, as you have a better understanding of Eden's background it's not necessary because they are soon called back to investigate a suspicious death. The story is mostly told by Eden as she goes undercover on her own in a mysterious and often dangerous circumstances but occasionally you are given other characters perspectives. This helps build up the drama and tension in a highly volatile situation that will have you questioning who she should trust. I can't wait for the audio book version because I for one will be getting it.

Eden and Hanks have finally found a way that might get them closer to Eden's lost family but before they can make a move they are called back for a suspicious death. A young admin worker at a rehab clinic is found dead at the bottom of a cliff, from an apparent drug over dose. Two things have Officer Eden Mercer and her partner Detective Hanks questioning the circumstances. First nobody who knew her believes she would take drugs and second the injuries to her dog. The more they investigate for more they believe her death was connected to her place of work but with everybody at the facility brushing them off they have no choice but to send Eden in under cover. Eden is an inexperienced officer and she will be doing the same job that might have gotten there victim killed. Can Eden keep her cover and find out what really happened? Or will the death get written off as just another overdose?
I was given this free review copy book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Profile Image for Andrea.
812 reviews1 follower
May 30, 2025
Series goes from strength to strength

Another nail-biter in the Eden Mercer series. This time, a hiker’s suspicious death leads Eden to go undercover at a rehab facility, where addicts from wealthy families are sent to get clean. The hiker, Mira, worked at the facility, and when Eden gets hired to replace her as receptionist, she learns that a lot of things are not as they should be there, with a deranged patient allowed to intimidate both staff and other patients, ridiculous overcharges for routine lab work, and a cult-like devotion to the head of the facility. Soon, Eden is in big trouble as her cover is blown, and in a very suspenseful scene, nearly dies. Meanwhile,her search for the real cult controlling her mother and siblings heats up. Lots of danger and excitement (for readers) in every book. Looking forward to the next in this series.
2,996 reviews43 followers
June 2, 2025
This is book six of the Edden Mercer K-9 Mystery Thriller and the storyline starts with Eden and her mentor, Detective Gordon Hanks, doing a bit of observation on her father’s new cult location. She had backed off going through with the visit to her father, the cult leader, last time, but her wits allowed her to plant a ug and find his current location. He had tried to enhance her to go along with his followers, by telling her that her mother was seriously ill and that it might be her last chance to see her. They have been watching the location for days, hoping to see her mother and siblings, maybe even pass a message on to one of them. She sees her father and some of the men leave for a trip to the local town and they follow them. There she spots her younger brother Daniel, who had only been four the last time she saw him. Her and Hanks had already prepared a drop package, and Hanks goes into the store where they are and leaves it for Daniel to pick up, whispering to him in passing that it is from her sister Eden! Before they could see if he picked it up without being seen, their chief calls them back to Nightfall Police Department for a new case. A young woman has been found dead at the base of a small cliff, on a hiking trail, with her dog found at the top with some unexpected injuries. The young woman is called Mira Joshi and has a high level of methadone in her system, but everyone they talk to says she would never touch drugs! She had been working as an admin at Coastal Serenity Recovery Center, for the last year, and there are just too many questions about the young woman’s death that don’t jell with her.

When they meet up with fellow detectives from the surrounding area, including Ramirez and Wilder, to discuss their current cases, the name of the rehab center gets their attention. Ramirez ad Wilder have been investigating the place for months as part of a case with a state insurance fraud investigator, Rebecca Blackwood, looking at suspicious patterns in several rehab facilities along the coast. They decide that Eden should go undercover at the rehab center, with a fake id as an administrator, and she ends up hired on the spot. When they meet up a few days later, Eden finds something familiar about Rebecca Blackwood, who is there at their next meeting and siding up snugly with Detective Dean Wilder, which makes her feel jealous considering she had thought there was a connection that had been growing been her and Wilder! The Coastal Serenity center is the top-of-the-line rehab facility and must mean those patients it holds, have large insurance coverage to enable them to stay there. Ramirez and Wilder have found that there are lots of transfers between different rehab centres, seemingly with someone making a lot of money from this. Eden, masquerading as Liv (Olivia) Bennett, sees a lot that raises questions about how some of the staff and patients behave, one in particular seems to be very privileged and threatening to staff and other patients alike. He can seemingly get away with anything! Hanks and Mercer’s case goes from a possible stalker in Mira’s hiking club, to this dangerous patient, James, who was supposedly high and locked up in solitary. How he had gotten drugs inside a supposedly secure location, brings up even more questions.

Eden’s cover is not as tight as she had hoped, with her getting caught a few times looking at files she shouldn’t by the nurse, Marcy, who had been covering the front desk since Mira’s death. Someone else seems to know her true identity and she finds the director, Dr Harrow, and one of the counsellors, Ellis, mixed up in questionable practices. The head psychiatrist, Dr Nash, is particularly observant and leaves Eden worried about being found out, before she can find enough evidence about who killed Mira and to help find more evidence about the fraud case Ramirez and Wilder had been working on for some nine months! The centre is within an old mansion, with lots of secret passages where servants used to travel to and fro to serve the inhabitants, and she finds it almost like a maze. She doesn’t know where the secret passages are and lots of the doors elsewhere, are locked with digital codes that her id badge doesn’t allow her into. One young female patient, Noelle, draws Eden in, reminding her of her sister Hope and her missing siblings, as she waits to see if Daniel will manage to get in contact with her or not. Their murder case is far more involved than Hanks or Mercer could have thought, with Mira having figured out a lot of what was going on at the centre and trying to alert someone, but unfortunately, the wrong person! Eden is headstrong and always puts herself out there, no matter the danger she might face, but this time she doesn’t have her K-9 partner Shadow with her. Hanks is always worried about her when she goes off on her own, but this time it is a text that makes him wonder about her safety and just in time thankfully! Another exciting adventure and a dangerous case for Hanks, Mercer and Shadow, with a slight hint at a possible romance hurt by broken trust, but at last a chance of contact with one of her missing siblings. I can’t wait to see how she will navigate the cult and saving her mother and siblings from her father and the other Elders.

I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout, and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Profile Image for Lisa.
97 reviews1 follower
April 21, 2025
This is book six in the Eden Mercer and her K-9 partner series and honestly I think they just keep getting better.

Mercer and Hanks are out of the state when a young woman seemingly falls to her death on a hike through the woods, her small dog left hurt and frantic to get to their owner. Recalled and thrown directly into what rapidly becomes a suspicious death investigation, they set about to find out what this woman’s life was like and who could possibly have motive to hurt her.

Several promising leads develop but only when Eden risks everything to go undercover does the truth start to become apparent.

An absolute page-turner which just carries on building. My heart was in my mouth by the time we reached the climax and I couldn’t put it down (thankfully I remembered not to start this one so late as to still be awake in the wee hours again!!) Reading previous books will shed light on the start, but if you want to read it standalone, you will still enjoy it.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
52 reviews2 followers
May 4, 2025
Recommended and rated this book
1 star2 stars3 stars4 stars5 stars
Terminal Treatment is the seventh in the Eden Mercer series. All of this series deals with very serious subjects. This time Eden and the Nightfall police are tying to solve another murder, but this time a rehabilitation center for drug addicts is somehow involved. No spoilers, but Eden goes undercover for the first time in her career, so her faithful K-9 companion, Shadow, cannot accompany her. With all the rehab facilities around the country, the nefarious actions and practices that occur in this story make you question how valid some of these centers are. There is a lot of intrigue and suspense involved in finding the killer, or is there more than one. The book is a good page turner that you will enjoy. Although there is part towards the end that I thought was a little over the top, but Terminal Treatment is well worth the read. The ending definitely sets the stage for further adventures for Eden, Shadow and detective Hank.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review
Profile Image for Linda Smock.
23 reviews
May 28, 2025
Paige Black has outdone herself with her 6th book in her series. I could not put this book down. Her characters are authentic The interaction between Eden, Hank, Wilder and her German Shepherd are true to life. They draw you in with the storyline. Her descriptions and settings realistic to none. Since I have been reading her books I have not missed one day or evening where I did not look forward to reading any of her novels. But this one really topped the cake! If you want a mystery thriller do not overlook Paige's Books but especially this one. Each book leads into a storyline to the next but they are also independent of each other. I am still looking forward to her next book and when she will finally rescue her family from the cult. Oh and also when will she and that handsome detective finally get together. I would not rule out her books for a TV Mystery Series!!
Profile Image for VDKeck.
545 reviews68 followers
May 1, 2025
Officer Eden Mercer is a tough-as-nails cop with a haunted past, a loyal K-9 named Shadow, and zero patience for shady rehab centers hiding bodies behind polished doors. When a girl turns up dead with methadone in her system and no history of drug use, Eden dives deep—and what she finds is corruption, manipulation, and a whole mess of secrets.

The writing? Sharp as a scalpel. The vibe? Foggy, tense, and deliciously creepy. Eden’s past colliding with a vulnerable teen patient adds emotional weight that hit me right in the feels. And Shadow? Deserves treats and his own spin-off.

Fast-paced and full of bite, this one’s for readers who like their thrillers with grit, heart, and a side of danger. 4.5 ⭐️s

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Selah.
1,302 reviews
April 21, 2025
I rarely give a 5 star review to a mystery (with the exception of Agatha Christie). Terminal Treatment came extremely close though—easily 4.5 stars.
I was a little concerned with the medical office administration angle, as I am currently earning my AAS in that field. It stretched my credulity a bit, but I don’t think that will be an issue for most readers. I did like the admin appreciation.
I was suspicious of a particular character but couldn’t figure out how they were connected to the crime. The reveal was excellent!
I thoroughly enjoy this series and I love being on the ARC / ALC team.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
134 reviews3 followers
July 2, 2025
Good one - one of the best so far

This book covers a really hot button topic - addiction. I mean it’s a thriller, not proselytizing about the subject, but it could be a trigger for some.

I think this is definitely one of the best of the series and some parts are definitely plausible in today’s society. Eden shows some real growth as a character in standing up for her feelings without making her interactions move too fast into I’m cured! Something I think her trauma precludes realistically.

Some of the situations are unlikely in the real world but it is a thriller/ mystery so you shouldn’t expect a fully true to real life experience. Definitely worth the read.
Profile Image for Robert Foland.
470 reviews8 followers
May 10, 2025
"Terminal Treatment: Book 6 of the Eden Mercer K-9 Thriller Series" is an exceptional addition to this remarkable series. Paige Black once again crafts an intricate and compelling mystery, immersing her talented detective, Eden Mercer, in a believable and engaging narrative. A charming ensemble of characters complements Miss Mercer, while the mystery itself is masterfully executed This book is yet another thoroughly enjoyable read.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,652 reviews11 followers
April 27, 2025
When it appears that the suspicious death that Eden and Hanks are investigating is possibly related to a case that Wilder and Ramirez are working, Eden agrees to go undercover and ends up in more danger than expected. In addition there are some tension between Eden, Wilder and the State investigator. Added to that there is a surprising development in Eden's search for her family. All in all this is an exciting story with lots of twists but is certainly not boring. Very enjoyable.

411 reviews5 followers
May 9, 2025
Wow! I loved the book! It kept me on the edge of my seat and had me biting my nails. Reading it felt like watching a movie. I was entertained from page one and couldn't stop turning the pages. In the last couple of chapters, I nearly had a heart attack because of the danger Eden was in, and I genuinely feared for Shadow's life. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something truly worth reading.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Julie Juhl.
1,619 reviews12 followers
May 11, 2025
Terminal Treatment by Paige Black is the sixth book in the Eden Mercer K-9 Mystery Thriller Series. This was. an excellent thriller mystery. It is the first I have read from the author and I loved it. Once I started reading it, I couldn't stop. If you are looking for a great thriller, add Terminal Treatment to your Kindle.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Becca.
3,211 reviews47 followers
May 29, 2025
I swear I think each book gets better and better. Man this was so good. Not going to lie. I teared up at the ending. With Sanya & Noelle...then Daniel. I've really been hoping that issue would finally get resolved. Hopefully in the next one things will get better there. This was so intense. Such great characters and everything.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
14 reviews
July 16, 2025
Great read!!



This entire series has been outstanding. The character building by the author provides an exceptional pathway for the reader to connect both emotionally and intellectually. The reader connects with Eve like a long lost friend and with Wilder like a mentor guiding you through life's tribulations. Looking forward to the final installment of Shadow and Eve. Keep up the good work!! I whole heartedly recommend your books to family and friends! Thank you!!!!!!
Profile Image for Nati.
2,938 reviews16 followers
May 3, 2025
Another gripping Eden Mercer’s book. A suspicious rehab center, a young employee dead in a hiking trail after an overdose. And an ongoing investigation of insurance fraud put officer Mercer in the middle of the danger. Will she be able to uncover the truth or this time the danger will be too much?.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1 review
May 10, 2025
Fantastic!

I have enjoyed reading about Eden and Shadow, very much!!! I cannot wait for the next one to be available!!!
The characters are engaging and the situations they get into are interesting to the point of nailbiting. Definitely a great read for anyone looking for a new series to take on, and as a screenwriter, they would make excellent films.
814 reviews9 followers
May 15, 2025
Someone is willing to kill to keep the truth from coming out. Officer Eden Mercer and her K-9 partner Shadow have another horrifying case to solve. A young woman is found dead and the start of a hiking trail. It seems like an accident but turns out to be far far worse. Eden goes undercover to try to solve the case and winds up in danger.
1 review
June 7, 2025
Enjoyable, and Intriguing Series

It is captivating book. I really enjoyed Paige Black’s series “Eden Mercer K-9 Mystery Thriller series. I have read six books so far in the series and the writing, storyline, and characters kept me engrossed in the books until the end of each book. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Profile Image for Paula Huot.
77 reviews1 follower
May 4, 2025
Another exciting adventure

Eden, Hanks and Shadow along with a few friends take on a corrupt group, while investigating, Eden goes undercover and has a hard time coming to the surface.






1,954 reviews6 followers
May 15, 2025
Terminal Treatment Book 6 of Eden Mercer K-9 Mystery Thriller by Paige Black is another great page turner, with engaging characters and storyline!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
102 reviews
May 18, 2025
This is a heart breaking story about exploitation of mentally ill people in recovery programs.

The main character will always champion people are marginalized by society. She goes undercover in an exclusive drug recovery program to find evidence of murder and exploitation.
1 review
October 12, 2025
Fantastic series. Just finished book6 and ready for the next one! I love Eden and Shadow!

Love the characters. Paige makes them so real I feel like best friends and can't put the book down. I love the dog!
678 reviews3 followers
October 18, 2025
Corruption

Eden and Banks have been tracking the cult that many of Eden' family as cult members. Only thing is Jameson needs them back to work the case of a woman who death is suspicious. Well written story about corruption in facilities who help starve addicted persons.
Profile Image for Cindy.
778 reviews1 follower
November 9, 2025
Good series

Eden goes undercover to try to find out what is going on at a residential drug treatment center. She replaces a receptionist who was murdered, but it was made to look like an accident. There is also a continuing plot as Eden tries to rescue her mother and siblings from the cult she and Hope escaped from 15 years ago.
497 reviews2 followers
December 18, 2025
Very enjoyable series

I'm amazed that this author can write so many fantastic novels, I hope that she never stops writing. Her books are some of the best Entertainment  I have read and worth the time to read them. Thank you for a very fun entertaining read.
Profile Image for Tonya Peterson.
1,596 reviews3 followers
May 5, 2025
Almost dead

Eden almost dies as she once again goes against the warning her partner gives. I was on the edge of my seat, almost in tears thinking the worse.
Profile Image for Rachel B.
5 reviews
May 8, 2025
This book is definitely a page turner. The characters are almost like family now, and I love to read about what happens next. Can’t wait for the next one.
1,693 reviews1 follower
May 11, 2025
I love a good mystery like everyone else, and this is one of the. I was hooked right from the start. I couldn't put it down. So good. Happy reading.

Profile Image for E.
1,875 reviews
May 13, 2025
more than 5 stars!

This book and series are awesome. The characters and stories keep you turning the pages fast to see what happens next. I can’t wait to read the next one.
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