Absent Pity

Amber Young #1

by Blake Pierce

When Amber Young, a quiet, brilliant newspaper puzzle editor, detects a hidden cypher, she realizes a serial killer is leaving clues hidden in plain sight. The FBI’s BAU unit needs Amber’s unique genius to help them decode the mystery and catch a killer before it’s too late, and in this page-turning, cat and mouse thriller, it’s a battle of clues, riddles, twists—and genius.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Fiction

162 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 9, 2022

About the author

Blake Pierce is author of the bestselling RILEY PAGE mystery series, which includes seven books (and counting). Blake Pierce is also the author of the MACKENZIE WHITE mystery series, comprising four books (and counting); of the AVERY BLACK mystery series, comprising four books (and counting); and of the new KERI LOCKE mystery series.

An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Blake loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.blakepierceauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

Reviews

[Patty Teeter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Language

Reported to be an American story . With the FBI agents. And DC PD.
But it was narrated in British language felt out of place.

[Emma Dreher · Rating 2 out of 5]

EDIT: I can see how this review my come off as pretentious. So, I have edited a few parts as I do want to give this book a fair critique and not come off as a rant (but my opinion does slip in at times).

Here is a list of constructive criticisms (so you can skip the hassle of reading):
- Needs more varied vocabulary
- Simon and Amber are both flat characters, and require more depth
- Cliché and common analogies are overused
- Nondescriptive physical characteristics of the world seem to be intangible
- Has many coincidental plot devices

Disclaimer: This will be a long review, so beware!

After 295 highlights in this book, I can confidently say that this book is a good 2 stars, and I will explain more. I got this book for free in Apple Books. The previous book I had read by this author was called Her Last Wish. That book was much better.

This book is about Amber Young, a puzzles editor for Washington News. She creates puzzles; her whole life is puzzles, chess, board games, etc. I highlighted every single time the word "puzzle", "puzzles", or "puzzler" was said: roughly 250 times. I repeat, 250 times. The book is almost 200 pages. I'm not that good at math, but that means the word "puzzle" was featured at least 1.25 times a page. You know, there is a thing called synonyms.

Despite the fact that I had to read the word "puzzle" over and over again, this is a recurring theme in this book. Words get repeated like the word "killer" which was said roughly 146 times. Never mind that the serial killer's name (granted by the press) was quite original: The Puzzle Killer. I would have never thought of that!

This book critique may sound harsh, but it must be done for the good of reading. While the twist did catch me off guard, suggesting the author has a knack for surprising the reader, some of the plot devices felt too convenient and coincidental, which undermined the story’s overall impact. This is a common issue in many mass-marketed thrillers.

Example 1: the entire character of Simon, the FBI agent.

Simon is boring. We have no backstory about him, and I couldn't name one interaction in which he has a little personality. Want me to name some characteristics about him? Sure, I'll try.

1. Repeats back the same question after Amber Young says something
2. Constantly nags Amber to solve the puzzles
3. Only arrives to crime scenes alone (with no backup) -- how realistic!
4. Arrests the first person he sees
5. Takes everyone's word for what it is

The reason Simon is the perfect plot device is because he's the one providing the stress and resources to take down the serial killer. But the only thing he does is sit around until Amber can solve it. Never even mentions the thought, "Hey, we should check if there were any cameras in the area!" Nope. He leaves that all on Detective Kale, the local detective in charge of the case, who of course acts like the most uptight person ever (for good reason).

Example 2: the seemingly convenient Puzzle App

To solve the puzzles and catch the killer, Amber uses an app that is apparently popular among the puzzling community. This app spits out coordinates in Washington based on 3 or more words put in. Wow, how convenient... Looks like this author doesn't know what Google Maps and an address is!

Example 3: Henry, Amber's boss at Washington News

Henry is another one of those characters that moves the plot along. He is constantly nagging Amber to come back to work, despite the fact that she is working alongside the FBI. The only reason he exists is to make Amber self-conscious and scared.

Example 4: the mysterious poison and antidote

I hope I am not spoiling too much of this, but at each crime scene a victim is injected with a mysterious poison. The only symptoms we know of this "poison" is that it makes the victim's throats close up, if not injected with antidote fast enough, and lethargic. That's it. What could it be? Rat poison for all I know!

This book has aggravated me to no end. No one talks to each other like this. My favorite character is the literal serial killer. He has motive and seems to be like a nice guy caught in a nervous breakdown. I get to hear more about his backstory and can literally provide a better synopsis on his character than any other one.

Amber Young has to be the dumbest person ever. The book is constantly explaining (in dialogue) why the characters are doing what they are doing. In short, the answers are up front. People who read this book probably already know the answer to some of these problems. Like why they should rush someone to a hospital, which Simon claims is something an FBI agent would think of (it's not).

When Amber is chasing down a suspect, she says she runs every day and is fast. Okay... but like we never see her run ever. Like at all in the entire book? How convenient... Even the descriptions of buildings and places is so vague, that if you asked me to draw one of the many abandoned buildings and houses, they go to, I would draw a box with a roof. Literally Amber describes one of them by saying, "The building was large and blocky". So, are we in Minecraft now?

Amber is, also, the quirkiest girl you will ever meet! She is constantly saying how many puzzles she does. She eats, sleeps, and breathes puzzles. She's stressed? She does a crossword! She has some down time. She does a chess game! It's endless, and I am so tired of the laziness in writing that this author has achieved.

Last but not least, the entire character list falls short of hitting home. You can't connect to any of these characters. You have no defining characteristics, and the story is flat at its surface. Please do not read this book if you have the choice. And if you do read it, just know that it's free for a reason.

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion, this series is among the best ones that Blake Pierce has written in the last 12 months. Amber has all normal feelings and preoccupations as the readers do: to have a job, to have money to pay bills, to love what she does, and for that reason, accept all the wrongdoings she gets from her boss. She is a bright lady who although afraid goes after what she believes is the right thing to do and she found in an FBI agent a friend who may turn her life upside down. Great story and great entertainment!
I thank the author for the ARC.

[Isabelle Parent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Une belle surprise littéraire!! J’ai bien aimé et la plume de l’auteur est excellente. ❤️

[Klare · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled with this one. Wanted to like it but it was a bit flat and simple.

[Jenifer Mihalakis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice quick read for me. I liked it. Curious to see where she goes from here now that she is joining the FBI. Will definitely be continuing the series.

[Cathy Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

New and Interesting... Absent Pity... Amber Young Suspense

This turned out to be a very new and Interesting premise for an FBI profiler. I loved the fact that Agent Simon Phelps is a young good looking agent and Amber is a young lady stuck in a dead end job and her boss treats her like dirt. This is the case where Amber was able to help because she could solve puzzles, all types and in the end it could of been her demise. This was a good read 👍🏾.

[Michelle Patton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m still on the fence about this series, but the way the character stood up for herself at the end really pulled me in. I’m curious to see how she handles her new role with the FBI—it could make for an interesting turn in the story.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A different angle but not sure just how this would work in real life

[Vonda Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyable read

A well written suspense that kept you guessing to the end. The only thing I didn’t like was her repetitively downing herself. But that was easily skimmed over

[Christine Antosca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping Suspense with a Flawed Heroine

Blake Pierce’s *Absent Pity* immediately seizes attention with a thrilling start, drawing readers into the intricate world of Amber Young, a puzzle editor with a penchant for solving mysteries. The author masterfully paints a vivid picture of Amber’s life, making her both relatable and intriguing. However, Amber's constant internal debate about prioritizing her puzzle editor job over assisting the FBI can get a bit grating at times. Despite this minor annoyance, the book excels at keeping readers on their toes, constantly guessing the identity of the killer until the very end.

[Cassandra Doon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book: Absent Pity
Read By: Ebook and Audio
Author: Blake Pierce
Narrator: Katie Silverthorne
Genre: Mystery, Crime
Main Characters: Amber and Simon
Recommend: Yes
Spice: 🌶️️
Age recommendation: 18-30+ Years
My feelings:


This book follows Amber, a young puzzle editor at the Washington times. Amber manages to solve a puzzle from a serial killer and save the life of a young women.

“Like I said, I’m a puzzle editor. There’s a cipher in the note. It reads ‘the woman you seek is in boat maker’s rest.’”

The FBI end up using her to solve the next couple of puzzle until the killer captures Amber to halt there attempts at saving the women. The FBI agent manages to solve the puzzle and save her. They then offer her a job at the FBI.

“Among these dark satanic mills, my brother works until he’s spent in grime and filth. Where does he work?”

I really enjoyed this book. I love solving puzzles and found this book super intriguing and interesting.

“Do not go gentle into that good night was chalked on the left branch, while on the right were the words Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day.”

Its only 162 pages long so it's a nice quick read. A lot of people had an issue with the narrator being British and not American but honestly it didn't bother me one bit. I enjoyed the book and the narration.

“Idea is a person,” Amber explained. “It’s the pen name of the puzzle editor for the Gazette, Raymond Johns. But it can’t be. I know him.”

[S. J. McGarry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read. Amber Young's character was endearing, and fun to follow her growth within her beginning character's lack of self-confidence regarding social interaction with others, despite being a genius in her world of puzzle designers. I found this world of those developing puzzles interesting and didn't realize what went on within this particular field. Amber eventually faces her fears and finds herself ending up being recruited by the FBI, who praise her skills in solving codes and patterns and saving two women's lives from a serial killer. She still has to pass the FBI's strict physical requirements as she tries to overcome her additional fears of passing the weapons class and accuracy in the use of legal force. Pierce is an outstanding author and keeps the readers glued to the very last page in book one and looking forward to going forward with the series.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually enjoy Blake Pierce's books - I have read 15 of his books! Absent Pity was good. The main two characters could have been fleshed out more - Amber could have been more self-confident, if only about her work. My mind for the most part was into the story, though a few errors kept me from giving this book a higher rating (see below). It's a good story, with several persons of interest for the murderer and a different way of doing the murders via teasing the victims.

That said, there were errors an editor/proofreader really should have caught. Most errors were very minor (enough to make me notice a particular punctuation missing or a contraction used instead of the correct word [i.e., "we're" instead of "were"], etc.). The biggest error (for me) was a one-time name switcheroo ... after providing a character the last name of "Johns", a few pages later, Mr. Pierce had the character addressed as "Mr. Phelps", Phelps being the FBI agent's last name, not the suspect's. Minor error, but big enough it broke my concentration and I had to go back and check the suspect's name.

Also, the words "puzzles" and "quizzes" were exhaustingly overused in this book. Unlike another reader, I didn't count how many times these words were used in Absent Pity - there were just WAY too many instances! Yes, a few were appropriately used. However, most instances felt either Mr Pierce thought the reader was incapable of remembering Amber worked as puzzle creator in her career or Mr. Pierce just added the words 'puzzles and quizzes' frequently just to get his word count up. (I lean towards the latter option.)

These issues aside, I did enjoy the Absent Pity storyline and will read more Blake Pierce books.

[Cidney · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the storyline was sound, I mean how often do you come across crime books where the puzzle writer is the one helping the FBI agent solve the murders of young women with her help, as the murderer is obviously a puzzle writer himself? So an original story I think. But, Simon is never fleshed out, the FBI man, he uses hard persuasion for Amber (the puzzle writer) to work with him, or rather for him. He dashes off to the area which Amber has highlighted from the cryptic puzzle clues and takes her along with him. No bulletproof vests, no stab vests (which would be standard issue here in Blighty) and leaves her unprotected at each crime scene. Since when do members of the public wander around a crime scene, hasn't the FBI heard of "protecting" the crime scene? And where were all the police officers which should be there with Simon, and Amber actually. Hang on now I am thinking here maybe this is standard practice in america, surely not, no that can't be right, grief I'm rambling on with my own thoughts here.

So the crux of this write up is that although the storyline could have been made much more sound and rounded off, the two main characters need a lot more padding, so teenage writers bear this in mind when you come to pen your fantastic ideas! Not that I'm suggesting that the writer is a teenager, just a memo for any young intending crime writers to bear in mind!!

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find Blake's books to be pretty hit and miss. Sometimes I get dragged into them straight away and cannot put them down and other times I feel they drag on and are boring and repetitive from the first page and i cannot get past the first chapter. This book fell into the former for me.

In this book we follow the murders of young women all poisoned and chained up with the antidote nearby. The killer sends a series of puzzles to the fbi that will lead them to the victim. Puzzle genius and editor of the puzzle page of a newspaper, Amber young, solves one of the puzzles and phones it into the tipline and fbi agent simon asks her to help him on the case.

I thoroughly enjoyed the puzzle solving aspect of this book, as well as the police investigation as a whole. The twists and turns along the way and just when you think its going to be solved there another twist. I also like that the killer ended up being someone you would never really think of as we never heard much about them before the reveal.

Like most of Blake's books this did kind of come across as a bit of a cheesy lifetime movie but since they are pretty hit and miss also and some of them can be really good I still gave it a fair 3 stars. I recommend to anyone looking for a quick paced, exciting and cosy murder mystery book. Kind of like a slightly cheesy criminal minds.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 I just finished the audiobook and it was a mixed bag for me.

Cons- British narrator. American setting with American characters. The British narrator has a pleasant voice, but a British narrator and a book set in America stuck an incongruent note, particularly when she attempted an American accent.

The FBI agent and unofficial consultant solve the crime essentially single handedly. I'm an avid reader of cozy mysteries, so I'm no stranger to an amateur sleuth teaming up with the Police to solve a crime, but an FBI agent with copious resources at his disposal, including the local police force, takes a brilliant puzzle page editor out into the field searching crime scenes, chasing and questioning suspects and relying on her for things exceeding her expertise as a puzzle writer.

The choice of "Simon" for the name as the second main character (especially in the Audiobook).. Hearing the phrase "Simon said" over and over gave me flashbacks to games in Kindergarten.

Pros- it was an interesting premise - using puzzles and ciphers to catch a killer

The explanations of how to solve puzzles in general and the puzzles that were used in the book were intriguing.

There were some nail biting scenes and the book kept me guessing to the end.

[Denise Zendel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amber Young, a brilliant, introverted newspaper puzzle editor, figures out a serial killer is leaving clues to hist identity in plain sight. The FBI agent in charge of the case recognizes her value and brings her in as a civilian consultant. Can Amber outsmart the killer, or will she become one of his victims?

While I found some aspects of this far-fetched (like a real FBI agent would willingly bring a civilian into a complicated case, randomly share inside information, and allow her to put herself in harm’s way), the plot still held my interest. I enjoyed watching Amber use her puzzle-creating skills in a new way, and I liked that she did things that scared her because they were the right thing to do. I even liked the relationship between her and the FBI agent – he never poo-poohed her interest in crime, and he actually acknowledged needing her help to solve the crime. I also liked watching Amber grow in confidence, and even cheered when she stood up to her weenie boss at the end. I liked this book enough to buy book 2 in the series.

[Maryann Hornbaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book

Amber, the puzzle creator for a newspaper, is a wiz at creating and solving all types of puzzles. It’s a lonely job and really not appreciated by her boss, the editor. Her few friends are fellow puzzle experts but one works from home so she rarely if ever sees hum. Another is an arrogant guy whom she doesn’t like.
When two murders occur in her town, she discovers the murderer left a puzzle describing where his victim was. She’s dying from a slow moving poison. Amber takes it upon herself to jump in and help the FBI.
Then the race is on to save the next woman. Amber is determined to help free these women. No matter the consequences.
As the cases builds the murderer gets angry that Amber can solve his puzzle and he takes steps to stop her.
I think your going to enjoy this book as much as I did. Give it a GO!

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is sort of tough to review. While it was pretty fast-paced and kept my interest most of the time, I had to get over the reader first (I listened to this as an audio book). The whole book is set in Washington, D.C., but the woman who read the book was British and absolutely awful at accents. No one sounded American when she read their dialog and some of tne characters came across with really bad Australian accents.

Also, the plot holes were ridiculous. The main protagonist, Amber, is helping the FBI solve puzzles to find women who are chained up, poisoned, and about to die. The D.C. police don't seem to be doing ANY research to figure out who the killer is like finding out what all the women might have in common, tracing clues, nothing. Lots more not very realistic stuff, but, as I said, the book did keep me interested enough to finish it.

[Tiffeny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is seriously so bad. I gave it 3 stars because the story was decent, but the writing was not. It's one of those books that I think, how in the world did a publisher pick it up? Repetitive phrasing, flat characters, unrealistic scenarios. I'm pretty sure an FBI agent wouldn't stand in a building and argue about whether the civilian with him could go first or not as they search for a body. In fact, she wouldn't be there at all. They also wouldn't have arrest someone with NO EVIDENCE, except the fact that they didn't have an alibi. It all just drove me crazy. A 3 rating was super generous.

And it may have had nothing to do with the author, but the audio book was read by someone with an English accent. So it's set in Washington DC and all the characters had either a Birish accent, Irish accent, or just a really bad, stereotypical American accent. It was painful.

[Sheryl Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never given much thought to the person(s) behind the puzzles section of the newspaper, but here she is in all her nerdy glory. I like how she is portrayed as quiet and unassuming, not one to speak her mind or even speak up. Her transition happens before our eyes, but in such a way that we could miss it if we aren't looking. Then we would end up wondering how she got from there to here. So keep your eyes open readers!

The murders, the killer, the investigation are all well-done without any one part taking over, unless it is the focus on puzzles. They are talked about quite a bit and most of it is interesting. I learned a lot about puzzle making, something I don't think I'd be very good at even though I do like solving them.

The end is a little abrupt, but also puts the seal on our puzzler's transformation leaving us feeling complete, yet open for the next book.

[Katie Rhea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amber Young, a puzzles editor for a newspaper, believes she has solved a puzzle a serial killer has created and becomes a key aspect in helping the FBI catch this serial killer.

I've read the Ella Dark FBI series by Blake Pierce and absolutely love it so I decided to try another series. I gave this book two stars because it felt rushed and loosely put together at times. Why didn't Simon question Amber more before letting her join him on catching this killer? Why wasn't he more wary of her?

I enjoyed the storyline overall, but I contemplated DNFing this book a few times. This is the first book in the series, so maybe it'll be different later on, but I won't read the second book for a bit.

[Kim Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young woman employed at a newspaper as the puzzle editor sees the nightly news report that shows the note left by a serial killer. The note is a puzzle - something she can't resist - and immediately sets to solving it. The help line to the police takes her call, and a grateful FBI agent receives the answer and ends up drawing her into law enforcement's attempts to solve puzzle after puzzle to stop the killer.

This story was quick paced and the characters likable and interesting. The underlying message from the book is a good one: we're all capable of becoming more than what and who we are if we are willing to take that first step away from our own misconceptions of ourselves.

[Keith Withers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not so puzzling after all

When a deranged killer starts to kill individual young women, indescrimitely, suddenly Amber Young, puzzle editor for a major newspaper, becomes involved with the FBI investigation to find the killer. The killer starts to send puzzles to the FBI with the clue to where his latest victim is being held. Amber is drawn in to the case to try and solve the problems set. Solving a few saves the lives of some of the victims but the biggest puzzle is not the puzzles themselves but who is responsible for thinking them up. Will Amber be able to solve this, the greatest puzzle of all?

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good little read, it's set in America but was heavily British with its narration, which didn't bother me as I am British, but I can see why it is pointed out since it's set in America.

I found Simon to be very boring and only serves as a way for Amber to work on the case in an official capacity and then end up seeking a job in the FBI. It was a short and quick read, that I could envision as an episode on something like Criminal Minds or the like, in fact, I would be surprised if it hasn't already been done. I don't think I will be picking up the next one, but I enjoyed this first book as a standalone and will leave it at that.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love the main character, Amber Young, who is a puzzle maker for a newspaper. I admire people that can think in abstract ways and outside the box! When the police put a clue in the paper that a serial killer has given them Amber comes up with the solution right away. The FBI is involved by then and asks Amber to come with them as they race to see if her "solve" can find the person before they become a victim. They fail to get to the person in time but Amber hooked on helping the FBI when the killer send his next clue even when it means she may lose her job at the newspaper.
Good enough to read the second one- Absent Remorse

[Avid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast. Enjoyable.

This reminded me of the Zodiac Killer and the encrypted puzzles sent to the police with everyone scrambling to solve them. To this day people are still attempting to solve what was sent in. Puzzle makers are a different breed. Their minds are multilayered and their creations can involve multiple intricate steps.

This story revolves around a killer who uses his puzzle-making skills to taunt police with the beginning of a kill spree. As the race to save women begins, a different puzzle-maker steps up to help crack open the answers and the race speeds up.

Recommended 👍
📚📚📚📚

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying the way Blake Pierce writes these FBI thriller mystery novels. I also love that from the two series that I have started so far, the women are strong female characters in their chosen fields, not letting men take over. This was a little different from the Fiona Red series, as in Amber Young is increasingly smart when it comes to figuring out puzzles. She gives me Spencer Reid vibes from criminal minds. I can't wait to see where this story goes, seeing as those she goes to work for the FBI and not alongside them!

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book started like any stereotypical mystery novel. Or cozy mystery novel would be more precise. Special protagonist, super smart and always with the photographic or similar level of memory

I was not crazy about the protagonist but she grew on me and despite the shortness of the book the author did a reasonable job of moving past the pitfalls .

It was a quick and easy read. Enjoyable enough for me to pick up the second book. It’s not a solid 4 starts but unfortunately either I’m to inept or I really can’t rate it 3.5.