Mercy Creek by M. E. Browning is a tense story about a girl who goes missing in a Colorado town. As detectives work to solve the case, things begin to get more and more complicated.
This is the second book in the Jo Wyatt Mystery Series. I had previously read the first book, Shadow Ridge, as part of a blog tour, so when book two was announced, I couldn’t wait to dive in! While you don’t necessarily have to read the first book in the series before this one, I would recommend doing so to get more information on each character.
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of these books in exchange for an honest review during this book tour via Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours. This did not affect my rating in any way.
Let’s dive in!
Book Details
Genre: Crime, Mystery
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: October 12th 2021
Snag a copy through your local indie or add to your lists: Bookshop | Amazon | Goodreads
Synopsis:
In an idyllic Colorado town, a young girl goes missing—and the trail leads into the heart and mind of a remorseless killer.
The late summer heat in Echo Valley, Colorado turns lush greenery into a tinder dry landscape. When a young girl mysteriously disappears, long buried grudges rekindle. Of the two Flores girls, Marisa was the one people pegged for trouble. Her younger sister, Lena, was the quiet daughter, dutiful and diligent—right until the moment she vanished.
Detective Jo Wyatt is convinced the eleven-year-old girl didn’t run away and that a more sinister reason lurks behind her disappearance. For Jo, the case is personal, reaching far back into her past. But as she mines Lena’s fractured family life, she unearths a cache of secrets and half-lies that paints a darker picture.
As the evidence mounts, so do the suspects, and when a witness steps forward with a shocking new revelation, Jo is forced to confront her doubts, and her worst fears. Now, it’s just a matter of time before the truth is revealed—or the killer makes another deadly move.
My Thoughts on Mercy Creek by M. E. Browning
When the investigation begins, Detective Jo Wyatt is faced with a lot…
Not only is she frustrated with the department not taking things as seriously as she thinks they should be, she also knows the parents of the missing child and they all have a tense history together. People are lying to her about their alibis. There’s a new chief in town that everyone is still adjusting to. And to top it all off, this new chief wants to promote Jo. However, it’s not in a way that the department usually follows; rather it’s a “quick win” that really just benefits him.
Even with all of that on her plate, Jo is able to keep a level head and dive fully into the investigation, determined to bring the girl home.
The start of this book shows readers a scene that will make us all imagine the worst. As the story plays out, my mind kept returning to that one scene. When everything is resolved at the end, I was shocked but also felt that the author did a great job dropping hints here and there to guide us to where we ended up.
My Favorite Passages from Mercy Creek
Plenty of young children worried about monsters under the bed or creatures in the closet, but those fears diminished with age. What caused fear in older children tended to be threats that emerged from the shadows, and often had a name.
It was a comforting fairy tale that monsters were easy to recognize and lived in lands far away. In reality, they preyed much closer to home.
My Final Thoughts on Mercy Creek
Jo Wyatt is a character that I definitely have my eye on. I loved seeing her really settle into herself in this book, and I can only imagine that things are going to get more interesting from here!
About M. E. Browning
M.E. Browning writes the Colorado Book Award-winning Jo Wyatt Mysteries and the Agatha-nominated and award-winning Mer Cavallo Mysteries (as Micki Browning). Micki also writes short stories and nonfiction. Her work has appeared in dive magazines, anthologies, mystery magazines, and textbooks. An FBI National Academy graduate, Micki worked in municipal law enforcement for more than two decades and retired as a captain before turning to a life of crime… fiction.
Catch Up With M.E. Browning:
MEBrowning.com
Goodreads
BookBub
Instagram – @mickibrowning
Twitter – @MickiBrowning
Facebook – @MickiBrowningAuthor
Enter to win!
This rafflecopter giveaway is hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for M.E. Browning.
There will be TWO winners:
- ONE winner will receive (1) Amazon.com Gift Card
- ONE winner will receive one (1) physical copy of Mercy Creek by M.E. Browning (U.S. addresses only).
The giveaway runs October 11 through November 7, 2021. Void where prohibited.
a Rafflecopter giveawaySnag a copy through Bookshop to help support local indie bookshops:
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about Jo and Mercy Creek with your readers! I’m so glad you enjoyed Mercy Creek!
Of course! Thank you so much for allowing your book to be part of the blog tour! I had so much fun and I can’t wait to see the other reviews!
Great review!
This book sounds so good. I may have to add it to my read list.
<3