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Josie sees people’s secrets. Cal sees hers. He knows what she needs before she does.

A murder at the Black Hen, a guesthouse catering to adults with unconventional sexual appetites, brings the police asking questions.

Josie Cummins is already coping with the death of her mother. Now she is forced to protect the identities of those who patronize the family establishment. She steadfastly thwarts the efforts of an aggressive detective to dig into the Hen’s secrets, while using her psychic abilities to try to track the killer.

Heartbroken, Josie swings from one extreme to another. First, she craves the dominant shelter and protection her lover Cal Halsey offers. Then she pushes him away with a prickly wish for independence.

Finally, the will is read and the fate of her mother’s vast fortune rocks Josie’s world again. The police have more questions.

Unseen is the first book in the Without Mercy series. Each book contains an HEA for the main couple, but the murderer isn’t revealed until book three. The investigation continues in Unchosen and concludes in Untamed. This book contains sexual and erotic scenes including power exchanges. If such content is likely to offend you, please don't read this book.

170 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 14, 2022

20 people are currently reading
66 people want to read

About the author

Libby Campbell

38 books279 followers
Sign up here for Libby Campbell’s newsletter for news of free books: http://libbycampbell.com/subscribe-to...

Strong men and feisty women populate the books of Libby Campbell, USA Today bestselling author. Her fast-paced stories are full of challenges and setbacks. Each couple finds their joyful HEA only after major differences have been resolved with classic dom/sub discipline.

Some of these books span one hundred years or more, through the magic of time travel. Others take you on a fantasy ride to a faraway galaxy or into the life of a stern billionaire. Many of the romances are contemporary. Her Without Mercy series steps back in time to the roaring 20’s, 1920’s that is.

Libby loves to hear from her readers. You can email her at: libbycampbell@shaw.ca.

Stalk her everywhere: https://linktr.ee/LibbyC26

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Dennis.
961 reviews26 followers
January 23, 2022
excellent Romantic Suspense

This is Historical Romance with BDSM with a Murder Mystery that is central to the story. I really liked the various historical references and I liked the characters quite a lot there was some 🔥 and some BDSM and I really enjoyed it. The story is set In Canada during the Prohibition of Alcohol 🍷 in the USA and I quite liked the story because of this . Each story in the series features a different Daughter of the Murdered owner of The Hen a BDSM resort. I have pre-ordered the the other two books in the series and I can hardly wait until I find out who is responsible for the murder of Mercy the Elderly Owner of The Hen.
Profile Image for Angela.
3,701 reviews16 followers
December 26, 2021
Josie's gifts are put to the test when her mother, Mercy, is murdered and the suspicion falls on the family. What is known becomes suspect and what is revealed only deepens the mystery. Will Cal become the source of her strength? Will the murdered be revealed? Book one ends on a cliffhanger.
Profile Image for Jill Anna  Freeman.
549 reviews10 followers
April 6, 2022
” Unseen -Without Mercy- Book 1” By Libby Campbell Is A Tale Of One Josie Cummins...One Of Three Adopted Daughters Of Mercy Harris ...The Wealthy Owner Of The Black Hen ...A 20’s Guesthouse For Discrete Clientele ...Of Sexually Adventurous Couples With Very Unusual Tastes. The Book Opens With Mercy Having Been Murdered ...And Josie ..
Blessed With Psychic Abilities ...Desperately Trying To Uncover Who Murdered Her Mother ... While At The Same Time Desperately Trying To Cover Up The Irregular Delights Of The Black Hen & Protect It’s Distinguished & Private Patrons Identities From Outsiders & A Particularly Nosey Detective
Sutherland. With The Loving Assistance Of Her Friend & Lover ...The Handsomely Dominate Cal Halsey & Her Sisters Gloria Harris & Nellie Rosato...And Their Dominate Beaus... .( Whose Stories Are Told In Unchosen Book 2 & Untamed Book 3 Of The Without Mercy Trilogy) ...Josie Does Her Best To Further The Intricately Delicate Investigation....And Bring Closure To The Family & Justice For Her Mother ...Mercy....Unseen is Book 1 In The Without Mercy Series...Unbowed, The Prequel Is (Available For FREE At Amazon & Most Retailers) ...All Four Books Contain Sexual & Erotic Scenes ...Including Power Exchanges ...& Delightfully Naughty Behavior. The Entire Series Is An Extremely Well-Written Tale That Will Stay With The Reader Long After The Last Pages Are Turned. The First Three Books Drop Multiple Clues ...As Details Of Mercy’s Murder Unfold & Each End On A Cliffhanger...With The Reveal Of The Investigation Only In The Last Novel. DO Read The Entire Series ...For The Reveal Is Most Emotional & Extremely Creative. Tempted ...I Was!!! Read and see. Much Enjoyed and Most Highly Recommended.
Profile Image for ltfrombc - Lori.
573 reviews5 followers
January 3, 2022
Unseen: Without Mercy, Book 1 is a great start to a new series. The matriarch of the family has been murdered and it is up to her adult children to protect the patrons and secrets of the Black Hen as the murder is investigated. Suspicion falls on the daughters of Mercy and they must all work together to find Mercy's murderer while trying to stay under the radar of the police. This book focuses on Josie (who has the gift of advance sight) and Cal, her her beau for many years. Josie is strong, but she will still need the power exchange and love that only Cal can give her to get thru this difficult time. As their relationship grows, so does the mystery of who killed Mercy. I also have to say the era (1920s) in which this story takes place is quite enjoyable to read about.

While this book does have an HEA between Josie and Cal, the mystery of who killed Mercy will not yet be revealed in this book. I would also suggest that you read for the prequel to get some more background information on the characters in this series. While you can read the series starting with this one, I believe you will get added enjoyment by reading Unbowed (Without Mercy) first. This looks to be a great start to a very good series. I am eager to read the next book in this series.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.
Profile Image for Marybeth.
2,321 reviews22 followers
January 6, 2022
This is book one of the Without Mercy series. There is a prequel, Unbowed, that you can get for free from Amazon. I highly recommend that as this is a series that builds upon each subsequent book. Mercy has been murdered at the Black Hen, a place where men and women can come to enjoy discreet desires. The police are present, questioning everyone to find the murderer and Josie wants to keep the nature of the place secret. Josie has been given the gift of sight, but that doesn't help as she works to plan the funeral with her sisters and Mercy's unconventional friends. This is a complex book that you need to follow carefully so that you don't miss any of the nuances of all the characters.

I enjoyed reading about Cal and Josie and their unconventional relationship. Even though this is set in the 1920s, These women were all raised to be strong and independent. I'm looking forward to the next book with Gloria as the main character.

I received an advance copy of this book via Booksprout and this is my honest review.
177 reviews
January 8, 2022
Following the murder of her beloved adoptive mother, Josie finds herself floundering. The estate where her mother lived is swamped by police officers, trying to find the murderer and looking at Josie and her 2 sisters as potential suspects. Josie's long time beau, Cal, tries helping her to find her equilibrium, but she resists his efforts to dominant her, and later feels resentful that he isn't trying harder.
Because of her psycic abilities, Josie sees visions of the murder, but she still does not know who the murderer is and why her mother was killed.
We still do not know many details about the murder by the end of the book, but the mystery will continue in the next book that will tell Gloria's story. The book is very well written and compelling to read. I liked the historical aspect of it that portraits life in Canada between the wars (and trust me, being a woman or anything other than a white, heterosexual man was no fun at that time). Josie is an amazing strong character (and so was Mercy, but you will need to read the prequel to the series "Unbowed" to learn more about her). I liked this book and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Goddess of Chaos.
2,894 reviews12 followers
March 15, 2022
"Would anyone love any of them like Mercy had?"

Mercy was an unconventional woman who raised three girls who came to her in different ways at different ages. With Mercy's death comes the discovery that their adoptive mother kept more secrets than they knew.

Josie, the first girl Mercy took in, has the gift of sight, and she's determined to use it, and anything and everything else at her disposal to figure out how this amazing woman died of something other than natural causes.

This kindle unlimited book is the first in a trilogy, it sets the whodunit in motion, and is definitely a richer read having read the prequel.

Without Mercy explores the bonds of a chosen family, the strength of love in a family, and the complexity of love between couples, especially young love. It explores youthful mistakes, and the blessing of a mentor, or having someone who believes in us.

This book offers several viable suspects, and a compelling mystery, making it a particularly enjoyable whodunit.
Profile Image for CKD!.
576 reviews2 followers
January 9, 2022
This story begins with Josie getting a vision of a woman being a killer. She then finds out that her adoptive mother Mercy has died and the mystery begins to unfold. Cal reacts to marry Josie but she has resisted, but at a time when everything is spiraling out of control, she really needs his dominance.

This story is set in the 1920s and Libby has done a wonderful job of making the story historically accurate in regards to laws and actions. The backgrounds she has created for all of the adopted sisters and Cal are detailed and I look forward to seeing where each sister ends up. This is a HEA book for Cal & Josie but the murder mystery is still unsolved. I did not read the prequel but will be going back to check it out.
Profile Image for Devons book corner.
1,437 reviews40 followers
January 15, 2022
All I can say about this book is wow!! It starts out with a bang and doesn't end. I was so sad when I
reached the end. I cannot wait for the next book. Josie, who has a special gift, sees a woman being killed. Little does she know, it's actually her mother, Mercy. This all takes place at the Black Hen, a place that is unique in its own way. Many secrets are kept behind these doors, and now with a murder investigation taking place, these secrets must remain kept. Even though Josie was able to see somethings due to her special ability, it's still not enough to know who the murderer is. Will Cal, Josie's boyfriend, be her rock in this time of need, or will she face this nightmare on her own. There is a prequel to this book called Unbowed. Unbowed is about Mercy in the younger years, and how everything comes about with her and the Black Hen. Go check these books out. I promise you Unseen will leave you wanting more. It has a cliffhanger ending and I cannot wait for the next book to come out.
12k reviews49 followers
January 16, 2022
Keeps you glued to the pages

Unseen is the first book in the Without Mercy series and the first book I have read by Libby Campbell. I tend not to read much historical romance but the description for this book really intrigued me. I was hoping that it would be a good read and I was nicely rewarded with a well written and interesting story. There is mystery, drama, secrets, murder, family, business, and a lot more all woven together with well developed characters that are interesting. I quite enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next in the series.

I received a copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. My opinions are all my own.
5,943 reviews
January 31, 2022
So, I have purchased several books by Ms. Campbell, but they'd not made it to the top of the read list!

However, when I read the blurb for the prequel, and this first in series, I knew I had to read it!

This is a complex, murder mystery, with fantastic character builds!

Josie has the gift of sight, but, she doesn't see enough to solve the murder.

Cal, will he be Josie's rock!?!

This ends on a cliff-hanger and I for one, cannot wait for the next in the series!

Ms. Campbell's other books might sneak closer to the top of my list! Sshhhhh, don't tell my other books!
1,506 reviews10 followers
December 20, 2021
Wow, this story starts out with a bang and never slows down. A sensually powerful tale that takes the reader on a journey of discovery. A unique and creative story with supernatural aspects woven beautifully throughout. Mercy has been killed and her daughters are left trying to figure out who killed her and how to go on without their mother. Josie's gift of the sight shows her information about the murder but not enough to solve it. I loved how Cal stepped up to the plate to provide for Josie's needs. I cannot wait for the next book. I am so glad I don't have to wait very long. If you enjoy mysteries, smoking hot sexy times, and a story you won't want to put down this is the series for you.
Profile Image for Raya Whitehouse.
310 reviews2 followers
January 14, 2022
This was a Great Murder Mystery book, it really has you searching through the information for clues
throughout the book.

Josie's gifts are very interesting to read about and really put bring out her character. Her mom was murdered and she as well as her others sisters are possibly the prime suspects. This is a series you will be able to read from each sister's perspective where the end of the one will not fully show the who done it, but gives you clues to make you question everything.

I loved this and am looking forward to the next one.
Profile Image for Cheryl Shearer.
690 reviews18 followers
April 4, 2022
Intrigue and romance - a great combination

Great story - full of intrigue and secrets to decipher. Great storyline - backstories are well thought out and fit the characters perfectly. Josie and Cal, the lovers in this book, have a love that is growing ever stronger and the death of Josie’s believed mother brings them closer together. Glad I waited to read this till I had the second and third books on hand. I would have found the suspense of waiting for the next book too difficult.
1,394 reviews7 followers
December 17, 2021
Beware the scent of crabapple, as it forebodes imminent danger! Three independent sisters by adoption, end up completely different: a fortune teller, a pirate and an accountant. The murder of their mother brings their spouses to them as they try to unravel this mystery. Warning, the story continues in the next book.
Profile Image for Alicia.
2,139 reviews24 followers
January 17, 2022
Interesting, intricate and intriguing is how I would describe this book. The mystery around the murder of Mercy is the centre around which the action revolves,just as her body lies in the heart of the maze of their garden. And this book has no ordinary setting. Both the era and the business of the Black Hen add to overall ambience of this well written and highly readable tale. Josie's gift, the prominent place of the women in the story, both in terms of the core characters and other roles, all combine to create a feeling of balance and the imbalance impact of the act of violence which needs resolution. The relationship between Josie and Cal is both interesting and passionate. Their story receives its HEA here, but not the central mystery. I love that there is more to come!
Profile Image for Barbara.
19.4k reviews8 followers
January 16, 2022
Without Mercy, book one is well written with a good storyline that kept me turning pages. This is mainly Josie and Cal's romance and their HEA, but they will be dealing with the murder of Mercy Harris, Josie's Mother. The story was well worth reading and I want to read the next book. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Lori Hammons.
2,965 reviews30 followers
January 5, 2022
With Mercy gone, her girls are in shock and at a loss how to proceed. Sir Godfrey and Cal help them through a difficult time, and through the funeral. Josie has visions that may help the search for the killer. Amazing series.
121 reviews3 followers
April 7, 2022
Interesting

A modest book very well written. It was over too quickly and I look forward to reading the next episode of Without Mercy.
Profile Image for Becky.
502 reviews8 followers
February 1, 2022
I very much enjoyed this historical romance with a kinky twist. This does focus more on Cal and Josie’s relationship but all the gang is present in this book as they continue to come to terms with Mercy’s death. It’s well written and the cast of characters are delightful. I look forward to the next in the series.
Profile Image for Andrea Barth-Leidinger.
417 reviews4 followers
January 16, 2022
Captivating in more than one direction. Mystery as to the why and who, mystery as to the truth and lies, knowing how doesn’t bring peace…
I loved to read this first book about the daughters of Mercy. Everything is there for those who like their crime stories laced with love and spice. Bold ladies in a time that boldness could bring them behind bars, men allowed to bring down women with far less edges than theirs…
Law enforcement everywhere and false accusation quickly made. I hate cliffhangers, but the second book is right behind. If you don’t like themes of power exchange you shouldn’t try to solve this murder.
Enjoy your read!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
240 reviews2 followers
January 13, 2022
Don’t miss the free prequel, Without Mercy, that sets up the story for this series as the books that follow will be a richer experience if you have read the background and gotten to know Mercy.

Unseen follows Mercy’s three daughters, friends, business associates and employees as they deal with the loss of a one-of-a-kind woman. Josie and her sisters must come to terms with their loss, plan a service and assist the police, all while protecting the clients of the Black Hen and their private activities.

While moving the mystery forward, this book focuses on Mercy’s daughter Josie and her man, Cal. They have known each other since childhood with both experiencing tough beginnings. Cal has a good career and Josie supports herself as a fortune teller where she can utilize her gift of sight. This gift has provided insights into the murder but also can cause her great grief. Cal seems to understand the effects and is very supportive. But the sudden and devastating loss of Mercy has Josie battling within herself. She pushes Cal away and then desires his comfort and presence more than ever. During this time of great loss Josie questions her future with Cal. Cal is ready to prove not only his love but that he can handle Josie’s needs though she may not always appreciate his methods. I really loved watching a long time love blossom at this pivotal point in life and see this couple strive to move their relationship to a deeper level.

Once again, Ms. Campbell has done a fabulous job on the historical details and you experience the 1920s as if you were there. The use of the laws regarding women’s behavior at that time, and the explanation of those laws at the back of the book, were just that “chef’s kiss” of detail that goes above and beyond.

Don’t miss this fabulously written adult romance with a mystery at its heart!
2,898 reviews4 followers
January 20, 2022

Josie has a special ability that is called the sight. This book is in the 1920s and people don’t believe but she sees a woman being murdered. She then finds out it was her adopted mother Mercy. She was at an Inn that has things going on behind the closed doors and it has to be kept a secret. As she and her sisters plan the funeral her boyfriend Cal wants to be there for her if she will let him. Will they find the murderer? I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews