Review – Dangerous Mercy

Eighty-five year old Adele Woodmore moves to Les Barbes to be near the Broussards–and her namesake, their daughter–and she wants nothing more than a quiet, comfortable life. She employs homeless men to do odd jobs and landscaping and delights in the casual conversations she has with them, the fledgling friendships, and knowing she’s playing a part in helping them get back on their feet.

But a series of murders in Les Barbes has cast a pall over the town. One of the homeless working for Adele is a person of interest in the case. But Adele cares for these men, she knows them, and she continues to treat them kindly despite her friends’ concerns.

And then one day a murderer walks through Adele’s defenses…

Dangerous Mercy–now that is a title that grabs the attention! This is the second book in Ms. Herman’s Secrets of the Bayou series, but it easily stands alone. Ms. Herman is a best-selling author and very gifted in her ability to draw the reader into the story. The prologue is gripping and chilling at the same time and the tone doesn’t let up much through the course of the book.

I had to admire Adele for her kindness to the down-trodden and I hoped that none of the men she helped were guilty. I also hoped that Adele would be safe. I didn’t even try to guess the identity of the killer, though I did have some suspicions. If you like spine-chilling suspense, don’t miss Dangerous Mercy.