Merciless [Mass Market Paperback]

The saying "Never make a deal with a scorpion, it will sting you every time" proves to be very true for Angie Carlson. "First One" and "Other" target Angie for their diabolical scheme. They are merciless--a terrifying pair.

Angie, called the barracuda by some because of her tactics as a defense lawyer, pulls out all the stops to get her clients cleared of all charges. The idealism of her youth has faded but her dedication to her clients holds strong. However, she comes to question her wisdom in getting Dr. James Dixon set free as a new series of crimes start.

After Detectives Malcolm Kier and Deacon Garrison rescue her half-sister Eva from a tortuous death, Angie is more inclined to help them when the bones of young women start showing up for all to see. When one of the victims turns out to be one of her clients, Angie becomes totally involved in the search for the criminals.

Malcolm Kier is more cynical and brusque than his partner and makes no bones about hating Angie Carlson for getting Dr. Dixon set free. Some of the names he calls her are harsh but she `gives as good as she gets'. In time, Kiser's hate morphs into an entirely different emotion that subtly weaves its way into their shaky-truce relationship. They like to spar, talk, and make love, but a permanent relationship seems impossible. Their strong attraction to each other has to duck, dodge, and sometimes hide as the bone-chilling crimes create a dangerous, terrifying environment with suspects galore.

Many of the characters in Senseless along with additional characters from Angie and Eva's past ratchet up the terror, suspense, and horrifying happenings as every aspect of law enforcement in Alexandria, Virginia works around the clock to find who is killing young women and cleaning their bones to pristine condition then displaying them in a prominent place.

Other characters like baby David and his grandmother Vivian Sweet add a new dimension to this complex story. They give Angie a different perspective on life.

Mary Burton's writing style with its realism, strong sense of place, and diverse characters makes Merciless throb with life. The twists, turns, surprises, horrors, and vast range of emotions make this story breath-taking, heart-pounding, super reading.

Originally posted at The Long and Short of It Romance Reviews

If it's not bad enough finding a dead body, imagine how awful it would be to find a pile of bones, completely stripped of all skin, flesh and muscle, then bleached and piled neatly on a picnic table? A pair of sick and twisted killers is making their presence known in Alexandria. One of them hunts down a victim, has his perverted way with them, then leaves them for the Other to perform the ultimate kill, finishing with a ritual so sick it will leave even the veteran thriller-reader sick to their stomach. This time the victim is an actress who had been missing for days, who just happens to have a six-degrees-of-separation connection to attorney Angie Carlson. Just back from a weekend away, Detective Malcolm Kier and his partner, Deacon Garrison are assigned to hunt down this deranged killer.

Angie Carlson has made a name for herself as a no-nonsense, tough as nails defense attorney. Determined to do whatever it takes to get her client off, even if it means making enemies with the police. Angie got plastic surgeon, Dr. Dillon Dixon off on charges of raping a prostitute (see Senseless), having ripped the victim to shreds on the witness stand, after proving she lied about her drug use. As a favor to her sister Eva, the same prostitute now wants Angie to help her get her child back, swearing she is clean and no longer hooking. But when the client doesn't show up for her court appearance, something doesn't sit right with Angie. After more bones are found, and they are believed to be that of Angie's client, it doesn't take long for the pieces of the puzzle to fall into place. Adding in a slew of other prostitute murders and a 30-year-old murder, it becomes quite clear that there are three common denominators - Angie, Dr. Dillon Dixon, and once again, the Cross Family. Could Angie have helped get a madman back on the street to kill again? Or is Dr. Dixon just another pawn in this killer's sick game? Malcolm, fighting his attraction to Angie because of his involvement with another woman, knows he must do whatever it takes to protect Angie from this obviously incredibly bright killer before he takes her as his final prize. The question is, can he save her in time?

Merciless is the intense, on-the-edge-of-your-seat follow-up to Senseless. It can be read as a stand-alone book, as there are references to the previous book, but I think you will get more out of the story and the characters by reading Senseless first. I enjoyed how Ms. Burton switched viewpoints between Angie, Malcolm, and the killers. We get to see the same scenes from the eyes of the cop looking to play protector, the possible victim trying to save herself, and the devious minds of two sick, demented killers. It's nice to see that Malcolm and Angie don't rush into their relationship. They are each given the time they need to deal with issues in their lives that, when resolved, will make their explosive union even stronger. Merciless is a taut, action-packed thriller that will hook you in from word one and won't let you go until the final, mind-numbing, truly unbelievable, out-of-left-field ending.

Detective Malcolm Kier and defense attorney Angie Carlson have a tumultuous "relationship". Malcolm doesn't like Angie since she got Dr. James Dixon acquitted of the murder charges that Malcolm and his partner Garrison tried to convict him of. Now a killer has struck, leaving the victim's bones as clues. Angie is somehow at the center of it all and her life is soon in danger. Working together isn't easy, but it brings them close, and that closeness leads to something neither of them could have anticipated.

Twisted killers and an unlikely romance make Merciless a compelling and thoroughly engaging novel. The animosity between Malcolm and Angie doesn't feel contrived for the benefit of the story. The friction between them is solely based on their professions, but attraction always simmers just below the surface. Their dislike for each other in the beginning makes their romance that much sweeter. Angie carries the burden of her past around with her, making every day a struggle. Her cool, calm exterior is just that--a façade. As much as Malcolm and Angie are at odds at first, they're actually across-the-board perfect for each other. Senseless (the first in this series) and Merciless are very connected stories. I highly recommended reading them both, in order. Merciless is full of danger and excitement, is suspenseful and surprising, and has a wonderful, happy ending. Mary Burton is a must-read author for me, and Merciless is another reason why

Nannette
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

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