No Mercy

Lori Armstrong has written another engaging book, another strong, complex heroine. I especially enjoyed that the book is written in the first person. You don't get to know what everyone else is thinking, feeling, planning...you have to wait to see it unfold as Mercy does. I also appreciated that though this story came to an end, the author leaves threads open that can evolve into new storylines. Bring 'em on!!

I had never even heard of Lori Andrews until I picked up this book. All I can is WOW! The plot is fairly straight forward. There have been two murders on the Gunderson ranch, one a family member. Mercy Gunderson is newly returned soldier. She returns to the ranch shortly after her father dies. She is the executor of his will. So she has to decided what to do with the ranch, and how to handle her troubled younger sister. And since the sheriff doesn't seem to be to interested in solving the murders, Mercy decides to do it herself The best part of the book is the character of Mercy Gunderson. Andrews has done a fantastic job developing her into a three dimensional character. She is incredibly tough, very troubled and underneath very volunerable. Anyway, this is a fantastic thriller!

I have liked all of Lori Armstrong's books. I knew when I picked up No Mercy I would have a good read, but this book far exceeded my expectations. This book grabbed you from the beginning and didn't let go even after you read the last page. This author knows how to wring out every emotion there is to feel! The other reviewers have given a recap of the story line - but all I wanted to say is - don't miss this! Hopefully this is the start of another good series. If it's not - I will read and recommend anything this author writes. Excellent book!

This book is fantastic! I honestly didn't want to put it down--for anything! I've read Lori Armstrong books before, so I knew that I'd have to set aside a day with no interruptions for this book. I didn't realize I wouldn't want to eat, sleep, or go to the bathroom until I finished it. From start to finish, my attention was held in Mercy's grip and long after I finished the book, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Now I can't wait for the next one to come out!

Mercy Gunderson is one of the few female Army snipers. Officially, they don't exist but unofficially, women can get into some hot spot better than men. Mercy's been into more than she'd care to admit. Currently, she's on leave at her family's ranch in South Dakota. Her father recently died and she's the executor of his estate. Her remaining family is her sister, Holly and her nephew, Levi. Bad things are happening in Mercy's little county though. A friend of Levi's is found dead on her ranch. Levi seems to be having problems. Holly has a new boyfriend that Mercy just doesn't feel right about. Rumors of some kind of club on the reservation have people concerned, as do the new people that bought the ranch nearby. Mercy has her own problems though. Besides not being able to decide if she should sell the ranch, she has medical problems from her last mission. She has the time in the military to retire but she doesn't know if she wants to. If she stays in though, she'll never be able to do the job she's been doing. She'll be forced into a desk job or a training position. Mason Dawson was appointed acting sheriff by Mercy's father before he died. He plans on running for sheriff but right now Mercy doesn't see what he's doing to investigate the death of Levi's friend. She's not too sure she trusts him either but he is good to look at! You can't just ease into this story, it comes at you fast and hard with a teenage death in the first few pages. This hard punching story doesn't slow down or quit from start to finish. It's fast paced with lots going on giving the reader a lot to ponder as you try to figure out who's behind all the things happening. Mercy is not a sweet bit of fluff or even a typical ranch girl. She's hard because she's had to be. She also has standards and a code she lives by. She cares deeply for her family so don't even think to hurt them or Mercy will go hunting. She's a complex character that has so many facets that it would take a lifetime to figure her out. The military left it's mark and that mark helps make up who Mercy will become. One of the best assets of this book are the descriptions. Ms Armstrong does an outstanding job describing the characters but her descriptions of the land, buildings and community are exceptional. I've never been to South Dakota yet I could visualize the landscape as Mercy traveled along the county roads. Buildings weren't pristine; some needed paint, derelict or just barely together while others were well loved. With just a few words, this part of country came alive. I didn't want to put this book down. Though I was fairly sure early on I knew who the murder was, I felt driven to see how Mercy would get him and what would happen next. Well, I should have known that an award winning author would have some twists and turns up her sleeve and the answer wouldn't be as easy as I thought. Her ending was much better than I could have ever imagined. Now, that I've been