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Dangerous Mercy: A Novel (Secrets of Roux River Bayou)

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In this novel, the second in the Secrets of the Roux River Bayou series, eighty-five year old Adele Woodmore has moved to Les Barbes. She is a wealthy woman and has downsized to a much smaller home, having lost her husband some years before. She routinely hires men from Father Vince's half-way house nearby to do maintenance and repairs.
Then a series of murders rock the small community. Someone is murdering CEOs of companies who have had to lay off employees during the recent recession. Then the CEO of a bank noted for its foreclosures is murdered.
One of the men from the half-way house comes under suspicion. Adele is convinced he is innocent, continuing to believe even when her housekeeper and companion quits, believing Adele to be too naive in the midst of such evil.
But Adele has a heart of compassion. She knows she is exercising "dangerous mercy," helping those who are down and out. "Mercy is risky," Adele says. "I guess that's what makes it mercy. There's always a chance someone will abuse it." (254)
And abuse it someone does. The murder kidnaps Adele when it becomes clear the authorities are on to him. Yet Adele continues to have compassion for the man, sharing the gospel with him in the midst of her own pain. Will she be rescued before he murders her?

I like the way Herman writes, and this one did not disappoint. We learn who the murderer is about three quarters of the way through the novel so the last part is the tension of kidnapped Adele and the now reluctant murderer. This is a great story of trust, trusting humans and trusting God. Sometimes humans betray our trust, but God never does. It was through pain and deep hurt that Adele learned to trust God. Now she wants to share that with others God has put in her path.

Herman has added a great Afterword, reminding us that Adele never forgot God's mercy to her. She didn't hesitate to extend that mercy to those who needed it most. It was a dangerous mercy. How often, Herman asks, do we fail to extend God's mercy because of our own fear?

There is a discussion guide at the end of the book so this would make a fine choice for book groups. There would be much to discuss about trust, mercy, discernment, etc.

I received an egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

Kathy Herman's Dangerous Mercy is the sequel to False Pretenses, the second novel in the Secrets of the Roux River Bayou series, published October 1, 2011, by David C. Cook. While the first novel was good, this one is better with more satisfying depth. I loved Adele Woodmore, an elderly lady who moved to Les Barbres, Louisiana, to be near the Broussards, characters from the first novel in the series. Noah and Murray are two men from a halfway house Adele befriends, thinking she's helping them get back on their feet. Five deaths occur in a week's time, and the murder is dubbed the Bathtub Killer. Adele thought the community would be peaceful and quiet, much safer than the Big Easy, as did tourists and guest to Langely Manor. Despite being warned about employing the two handymen, Adele continues to use them and has a private investigator complete background checks. My favorite character is Adele. While the ending was predictable, Herman has created believable, well-rounded characters in Adele and Murray. I loved the ending and depth of feeling and emotion in this story, and I look forward to the third novel in the series. I also loved the play on words Dangerous Mercy.

Octogenarian Adele Woodmore left her large mansion to move to Les Barbes to be near her friends, the Broussard clan. She especially enjoys her time watching two years old Grace. Adele hires homeless patrons from Father Vince's halfway house to do handy work for her. She is satisfied with Noah who does her lawn and Murray who is renovating the inside of her new home. Only Flynn makes her uneasy but she knows God would want her to give him a second chance.

The serene Saint Catherine parish hamlet is shook when someone murders banker Darveau by drugging him before drowning him in his tub with him unable to move but alert to what was happening. He was # 1. Soon afterward CEO Gautier became the number 2 victim of The Bathtub Killer. Sheriff Prejean struggles with the case that lacks any concrete evidence but implies more homicides will follow; his assumption is the killer is on a vendetta connected to the recent economic downturn. The Broussard and other townsfolk suspect one of Father Vince's homeless is the killer with Noah being a person of interest. Fearing for her safety, her friends begs Adele to stop hiring Father Vince's homeless, but she refuses as she believes God wants her to help these men find their way to the Lord.

The second Secrets of Roux River Bayou (see False Pretenses) is an exciting serial killer thriller with the townsfolk in a panic, the sheriff and Police Chief Norman frantic, and Adele calmly doing the Lord's mission. Her warm tenderness in the midst of a raging deadly storm makes for a strong inspirational whodunit. Once again readers will appreciate visiting the Bayou with Ms. Herman as our guide.

Harriet Klausner

Eighty-six-year-old Adele Woodmore is enjoying her quiet life in her new hometown of Les Barbes, Louisiana. She has friends, is growing in her faith, and sees hiring residents of the local halfway house as a way to reach out. But when a serial killer appears to be targeting area CEO's, suspicion falls on some of Adele's handymen. She wants to demonstrate God's mercy--but is she putting herself in danger in the process?

This is the second book in the Secrets of Roux River Bayox series. You don't need to read the first book (False Pretenses: A Novel (Secrets of Roux River Bayou) in terms of plot, but Dangerous Mercy does assume some prior knowledge of characters. This made it a little difficult for me to get into at first; I just wasn't as emotionally connected to the characters as I would have been if I had read the first book. Once the plot picked up steam, though, it didn't matter. I was hooked.

One thing I really appreciated about this book was the seamless integration of faith issues into the plot. Throughout the book, Adele wrestles with the question of how she can mercifully reach out to others while still exercising wisdom and good judgment. The gospel is presented in a way that is both honest and true to the characters as written. It's a solid, suspenseful read, but also encourages thinking about the same issues that the characters wrestle with. That's the kind of thing I like to see in Christian fiction.

A discussion guide is included in the book, and I think this book would make great discussion material for a book club. Recommended to readers who enjoy Christian suspense.

Kathy Herman in her new book, "Dangerous Mercy" Book Two in the Secrets of Roux River Bayou series published by David C. Cook takes us back to the town of Les Barbes in Louisiana.

From the Back Cover: When eighty-five-year-old Adele Woodmore moves to Les Barbes to be near the Broussards--and her namesake, their daughter--she wants nothing more than a comfortable, quiet life. Employing men from Father Vince's halfway house for the homeless to do odd jobs and landscaping, she delights in the casual conversation she has with them, the fledgling friendships, and the idea that she is helping them get back on their feet.
A series of murders in Les Barbes has cast a pall over the town and, in fact, one of Adele's handymen becomes a person of interest to the police. But Adele cares for these young men, she knows them, and continues to show them kindness in spite of her friends' concern. And then one day a murderer walks through Adele's defenses, sits down at her kitchen table ... and they begin to talk ...

Get ready for a page-turning thriller. Set aside the chores, order take out for dinner, make yourself comfortable because once you get started reading "Dangerous Mercy" you are not going to want to stop until the pages run out--and even then. Kathy Herman has delivered a winner that will chill you as you follow the life of Adele Woodmore. "Dangerous Mercy" is a lot like an Alfred Hitchcock thriller as the story wraps itself around your nerves and just begins to squeeze and squeeze. Ms. Herman has done a great job in giving us a heroine that is eighty-six years old. I enjoyed this book a lot and am looking forward to the next one.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from Jeane Wynn at Wynn-Wynn Media for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

I've read many books by Kathy Herman (including 'False Pretenses') and I was pretty sure, before I even started 'Dangerous Mercy', that I would enjoy it!

Thankfully, I was right and 'Dangerous Mercy' was very enjoyable, held my attention, and was overall just a great mystery/suspense!

When I read the first book in this series ('False Pretenses'), Adele Woodmore was one of my favorite characters - mainly because she was so friendly, merciful, and forgiving. In 'Dangerous Mercy', though, that mercy may put her life in danger.

I was so excited to read more about the Broussard's - and learn what's been happening since 'False Pretenses' with them, the Langleys, and other characters we met in the first book.

I liked pretty much all of the characters in 'Dangerous Mercy'. Some of my favorites were Adele (as mentioned above), Zoe, Vanessa, Noah, and the guys from the restaurant - I loved how they interacted with Grace.

There was so much suspense and mystery in 'Dangerous Mercy' that I found it easy to read and now I'm patiently looking forward to reading 'Relentless Pursuit' when it releases.

I most definitely recommend 'Dangerous Mercy' if you enjoy mysteries, but I would suggest you read 'False Pretenses' first.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I have done.*