Come Close

A Hannah Mercy FBI Suspense Thriller #1

by Rylie Dark

“A brilliant book. I couldn’t put it down and I never guessed who the murderer was!”
—Reader review for Only Murder
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When FBI Agent Hannah Mercy transfers back home to Lincoln, Nebraska to care for her ailing father, she expects a quiet life—but finds herself embroiled in solving mysteries from the past, and hunting down diabolical killers….

As indie musicians are gruesomely picked off with shattered dreams and broken strings, Hannah Mercy must tune into a killer's twisted melody. It's up to her to stop the music—and the murders—before the final note is played.

COME CLOSE is book #1 in a new series by #1 bestselling and critically acclaimed mystery and suspense author Rylie Dark, whose books have received over 2,000 five-star reviews and ratings.

The HANNAH MERCY series offers a captivating take on the mystery genre, filled with unexpected twists and intense suspense. Its cleverly-crafted lead character, a brilliant but flawed heroine, will win your affection and keep you turning pages long into the night. Fans of Robert Dugoni, Melinda Leigh, Lisa Gardner, and Teresa Driscoll are sure to fall in love.

Future books in the series are also available!

“I loved this thriller, read it in one sitting. Lots of twists and turns and I didn’t guess the
culprit at all… Already pre-ordered the second!”
—Reader review for Only Murder
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This book takes off with a bang… An excellent read, and I'm looking forward to the next book!”
—Reader review for SEE HER RUN
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Fantastic book! It was hard to put down. I can’t wait to see what happens next!”
—Reader review for SEE HER RUN
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“The twists and turns kept coming. Can't wait to read the next book!”
—Reader review for SEE HER RUN
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“A must-read if you enjoy action-packed stories with good plots!”
—Reader review for SEE HER RUN
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I really like this author and this series starts with a bang. It will keep you turning the pages till the end of the book and wanting more.”
—Reader review for SEE HER RUN
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I can't say enough about this author! How about ‘out of this world’! This author is going to go far!”
—Reader review for ONLY MURDER
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I really enjoyed this book… The characters were alive, and the twists and turns were great. It will keep you reading till the end and leave you wanting more.”
—Reader review for NO WAY OUT
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This is an author that I highly recommend. Her books will have you begging for more.”
—Reader review for NO WAY OUT
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Thriller, Mystery Thriller

166 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 20, 2025

About the author

Rylie Dark is author of the SADIE PRICE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); of the CARLY SEE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); of the MIA NORTH FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); of the MORGAN STARK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting); of the HAILEY ROCK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting),of the TARA STRONG MYSTERY series, comprising five books (and counting); and of the ALEX QUINN SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting).

Rylie loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.ryliedark.com to receive free ebooks, hear the latest news, and stay in touch.

BOOKS BY RYLIE DARK

ALEX QUINN SUSPENSE THRILLER

FIRST, MURDER (Book #1)

SECOND, DEATH (Book #2)

THIRD, ENVY (Book #3)

FOURTH, LUST (Book #4)

FIFTH, WRATH (Book #5)

HAILEY ROCK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

BEHIND YOU (Book #1)

BESIDE YOU (Book #2)

AFTER YOU (Book #3)

WATCHING YOU (Book #4)

JUDGING YOU (Book #5)

TARA STRONG MYSTERY

GIRL WITHOUT A CHANCE (Book #1)

GIRL WITHOUT A HOME (Book #2)

GIRL WITHOUT A TRACE (Book #3)

GIRL WITHOUT A NAME (Book #4)

GIRL WITHOUT A PRAYER (Book #5)

SADIE PRICE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

ONLY MURDER (Book #1)

ONLY RAGE (Book #2)

ONLY HIS (Book #3)

ONLY ONCE (Book #4)

ONLY SPITE (Book #5)

ONLY MADNESS (Book #6)

MIA NORTH FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

SEE HER RUN (Book #1)

SEE HER HIDE (Book #2)

SEE HER SCREAM (Book #3)

SEE HER VANISH (Book #4)

SEE HER GONE (Book #5)

SEE HER DEAD (Book #6)

CARLY SEE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

NO WAY OUT (Book #1)

NO WAY BACK (Book #2)

NO WAY HOME (Book #3)

NO WAY LEFT (Book #4)

NO WAY UP (Book #5)

NO WAY TO DIE (Book #6)

MORGAN STARK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

TOO LATE (Book #1)

TOO CLOSE (Book #2)

TOO FAR GONE (Book #3)

TOO LOST (Book #4)

TOO BROKEN (Book #5)

Reviews

[Kendra Chizek · Rating 1 out of 5]

Zero Plot

Just a spree of murders and no real plot! Never been so happy for a book to be over. The ending was also abysmal.

[Dave Primc · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess it is easy to churn out books when they have no plot depth. I generously gave it two two stars simply because I made it to the end hoping it would redeem itself. It didn't.

Plenty of reviews here state that they never guessed the killer. Of course you didn't. Nothing even hinted at who it was until he's just dropped into the story, interviewed by the FBI agents, then a few pages later, outed as a suspect.

After killing three people in a matter of days, then being visited by the FBI, the killer doesn't flee, but goes to work running sound for a concert that night, where the FBI finds him and he kills himself instead of being taken into custody.

If only police work were so simple.

The writing itself isn't horrible, but there are some clumsy descriptions that should have been fixed in editing. (If there was any.)

Hearing rain hitting the building outside while in a busy FBI office seems pretty implausible. And someone peeking through a threshold, not a door that's ajar both stood out. Of course, both of these were well past the point where I was out of the story and just trying to make it to the end and likely looking for flaws.

This is bad popcorn fiction at best. There is little that is believable in this story after the female protagonist moves to a new town in the opening few pages. A murder her first day is plausible. Two more in the next few days seems pretty unlikely. And catching the serial killer in that same time period even more unlikely.

The male FBI partner gets beat up and comes across as clumsy and inept, while the protagonist follows her gut and is flawless, finding the crucial clues to track down the killer in three or four days.

I was trying to stick with and be optimistic, but when two FBI agents corner a possible suspect in the back of a bus with guns drawn, and he manages to climb over the seats and escape, all sense of reality is out the window.

This book should be called a fantasy and not a suspense thriller. Maybe others have different definitions of suspense, but I did find anything here suspenseful.

Even the murder scenes were ridiculous. The killer knows where all the security cameras are but shows up to kill his third victim in as many days without a weapon or even a plan? Really?

If your looking for a mindless story that progresses in a rapid unbelievably linear line with little deviation, great. Anything more, you best search elsewhere.

[Cidney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, it moved along speedily like a train moving along a track, no hanging about with this pair of Federal agents! Hannah has left the FBI and come home to spend some time with her father who has been diagnosed with parkinson's, not that she spent that much time with him as she hadn't even settled into her little flat when a call came for her to attend a murder scene with her new partner Derek, also a Fed but working in an urban town police office.

When they arrive they find an out of work musician dead in the parking lot of a nearby "seen better days" entertainment venue with a guitar string around his neck. He had a little daughter who would now be parentless. Hannah and Derek hit the ground running and just as they were working with that murder another one came along the tracks, a woman singer had been pulled out of a 3rd story window by a man holding onto the drainpipe with one hand. Now, he must have been superman!

They are short of suspects and are frantically pulling out all the stops with any scrap of evidence they find along the way. The thing which united these two was that they had both been musicians who had left big bands and decided to go it alone but the first guy was failing miserably at it but the second, the woman, was faring better in that she was close to getting a recording contract. Then a third victim was found, a musician who was still a working musician with some other guys and as usual he was the one who locked up the building, but the killer got to him and decapitated him with a cymbal. Blimey. Then a fourth victim to be came into view with all their researching and they had to get to him before the killer did. This was an exciting moment and the ending was quite brutal and very tense! I enjoyed it! Which worryingly must say a lot about me then!

Good book, not sure a lot of others liked it but books are often different to others! In fact I enjoyed it so much that I've just bought the second in the series and am about to start it, well actually I might wait until morning as it's past my bedtime now, although I'm not at work tomorrow...

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the overall story and the characters in this one. Hannah Mercy is a solid lead, and I liked getting to know her strengths and vulnerabilities as the case unfolded. The pacing kept me engaged, and the suspense was steady enough to keep me turning the pages.

However, living in Nebraska, I got completely hung up on one detail. There is no subway in Lincoln. Every time it was mentioned, it pulled me right out of the story. When you know a setting well, little inaccuracies can feel loud, and this one was hard for me to ignore.

That aside, the plot itself was strong and the characters were compelling. With a bit more attention to setting details, this would have easily been a higher rating for me. Still a good read, just one that tripped over a local reality check.

[Tracy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Come Close is the first in a series by an author recommended to me. After finishing the novel, I don’t think I’ll be taking recommendations from this person again. The story felt too familiar, like something I’d read many times before, and didn’t offer enough to make it worth revisiting.

The plot is bare bones, relying heavily on well-worn FBI character tropes. The characters, including the protagonist Hannah Mercy, were largely forgettable. Unfortunately, Book 1 will be the only Rylie Dark novel I read.

[Hyman Hops · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to meeting a new mystery author but this book didn't impress me much. The character development was minimal and the story line followed an old formula. Female new agent with her own history meets her partner, with his own history and the head of the FBI branch, a tough cookie. The killer was finally identified but no clues about others that were meaningful. Just didn't get me excited about learning their identity. This is it. I will not go on to Book 2 in this series.

[Bethany C Hoffman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Silly

For FBI agents, these are some inept individuals. And what kind of place does the author think Lincoln, Nebraska is? A subway? A huge bus station? A music scene so big that a teenager would be listening to a local artist, but said artist also judges dive bar "battle of the bands" shows? Nah, none of it makes sense, and some of it not even from page to page. The continuity is bad, and the dialogue even worse. This is a series and an author that I won't be returning to.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story about an FBI agent whose mother was murdered years prior with no conviction of the perps. This turned her from music to law enforcement who was initiated with brutal killings of musicians or potential musicions. The perp din't like the fact that these individuals weren't true to their craft or calling. A very good read keeping the reader on the edge of their seat so to speak. I will read more of Rylie Dark's prose. Definite winner!!

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 I have mixed feelings about this book. It has two likable main characters. Hannah is a mini superwoman. Get punched in the stomach? No problem. Shake it off and keep going. Her partner has 10 years of experience in Lincoln, but she takes the lead. Small quibble, but not realistic. It is fast paced and a bit strange.

[Avid · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars

This felt like a fill-in the blank murder mystery. It was a boring read. I understand generating new content must be incredibly difficult, but this felt like plugging in basic info into AI and having it generate a typical cookie cutter murder mystery story.

Not recommended. Better books both from this author and plenty of others in this genre from others.

[Clement Natale · Rating 2 out of 5]

Repetious murder scenes

Like ground hog day. Murder scenes were the same actions only different victims. No suspense what so ever. Only saving grace was quick read after noting repeats.

[Atlanta Luxford-Earle · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ completely average. A little bit of suspense, not enough suspects to keep you wondering/guessing. Nothing shocking about the killer being revealed and the ending just felt rushed. But for just a standard FBI hunting a serial killer easy read, it was fine.

[G B D · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good mystery

I listen to a lot of books while doing chores around the house. Sometimes, because of this, I can get confused about this storyline. I did like this book. Never guessed who was the murderer. Think the epilogue was clever in making me want to read the next book.

[Garrett Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good and interesting story well told.

Hannah and her partner have their hands full trying go stop the killer before kills another musical person since he has already kill three people.

[Pamela Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come Close

Great plot and characters. New FBI agent has to fit in fast to her old hometown when a serial killer is on the loose. It’s up to her and he new partner to solve the murders.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehhh....so so book slow at times

Book was painfully slow at times and excellent at others, gave it a 3 but more like a 2.5. Probably won't read any more of this series because of that.

[Alex Benedek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad,Not good

I can't say it was a bad book it kept my interest, the characters were well developed and the story moved along. The problem was that the plot wasn't developed enough, it was shallow.. I guess I expected more.

[Faye Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

This was a completely unexpected read. Fast paced, well written, well rounded characters, strong storyline. I loved every page. There was enough suspense to keep you at the edge of your seat the entire time. Beautifully written book.

[Deborah Keating · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not great

Felt like a first novel, with little to make it interesting. The current trend with the FBI on TV makes the limited manpower and case depth unsettling. Can't imagine reading a second.

[John Roach, · Rating 5 out of 5]

very readable yarn

[Jody Weems · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book

A bit too much description IMHO, but compelling story. Hannah moves back to her home town to help her father, and solves a serial killer's spree.

[Diana L. Wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting

No glaring typos, no verbosity, just a smooth moving who done it. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Lindsay Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read any Rylie Dark books before but I certainly will now. Thoroughly enjoyed this one!

[carol dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the book in one day. Kept me wanting to find out what happens next. Very enjoyable read and definitely will purchase the next book in the series

[Liza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the mystery develops gradually, the identification of the killer is a 'Hey! Presto'. Nobody knows who they are until, suddenly, the Feds know.

[David R. DeJoseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

This was non stop suspense from page 1. Really different take on a murder, suspense mystery and I loved it.

[BLOOPY! · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. I expected something more from an author of so many books. Good premise but soft follow through.

[Barb Sedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book, easy to read.

[Andy Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good descriptions enabling you to picture the scenes in your mind

[Makayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do rate this a 3.5 ⭐️! This wasn’t a bad book at all. It reminded me a bit of criminal minds.