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Have No Mercy

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Have No Mercy
by Bobby Ruble

Review by Joan Moore Lewis, author of southern fiction

Greed, deceit and murder are the three main ingredients in "Have No Mercy." There is more than one crime committed, however. Crimes without bodies, crimes against spouses, crimes within the law for which there are no penalties. Although it's not obvious in the beginning, all major characters seem to have an ulterior motive for most of their actions.

Ann thinks she has landed the perfect husband, one whose money and social position is exactly what she has always expected. David thinks he has the perfect wife, one who is brilliant, beautiful and loyal. Both are disappointed.

Todd needs money; Rennie needs a home and children. Theirs could be the ideal marriage, but their money and house do not make a home. They are childless, and not a single other need is fulfilled.

The way the four lives are intermingled is complicated. I could not finish the book in one night, but neither could I put it down. It's one of those "turn on the light at 3AM" books. The suspense is deafening.

Bobby Ruble, author of "Have No Mercy," retired from the Marines where he served ten years in the Criminal Investigation Division, and he is an FBI National Academy graduate. His achievements are too many to list, but it is obvious that he has the credentials to write this book.

I usually try to guess what is going to happen in a suspense novel. For those of you who think you can figure out what's going to happen before the end, you will be in for a surprise. Bobby Ruble has no mercy.

David and Todd were friends, best friends, or so David thought. Quiet and studious, David came from a comfortable, loving background and had everything he ever wanted. Todd was different, he had no permanent home, in and out of foster homes from an early age, he was jealous of David and of everything that David had. Especially the money. Todd was very fond of money.

David catches Todd trying to steal from him and almost kills Todd.

Fast forward to a few years later. David has a very comfortable living as a psychiatrist, has married the beautiful Ann, not because he loves her, but because he thinks she'd be a suitable wife. He doesn't know what has become of Todd, but he cares very much. He is filled with rage over Todd's betrayal of their friendship and he wants revenge. Badly.

He gets his chance when he has a new patient, Rennie Laine, the wife of Matt Laine. But once, Matt had another name, Todd Reams...

I would class this a suspense rather than a mystery, because you know everyone's motives from the outset. The first few chapters are filling in background on the characters, which I felt went into too much detail for too much time. I would have preferred perhaps Todd and David meeting again years later, without us knowing what had happened betwen them yet, just knowing that something did.

The first few chapters seemed to be setting the scene where you were waiting for something to happen, and happen it did. Once the plot got going, it was a corkscrew of twists and turns, secrets, betrayals and murder. The pace moved faster after that and it felt as if you were being washed away by a raging current and hardly had time to take a breath.

The ending has an excellent twist and if you like suspense, you'll love this.

Reviewed by Annette Gisby, author of Silent Screams

By TT reviewer Hattie Boyd

David Epstein grew up in Mt. Pride, Colorado; the only child of parents who loved and spoiled him. David was an introverted child growing up and only had one childhood friend, Todd Reams. He was a friend with Todd until he asked Todd to move into the house his parents left him when they relocated to Israel. He came home one day and Todd was stealing a necklace, the only thing David had belonging to his mother. He and Todd fought and he threw Todd out of the house. David's psychiatry practice located in his home grew and he became a multimillionaire. He had everything but a wife. He went looking for the perfect wife and he found her in Ann Roitstein. Ann was beautiful and intelligent with a job as a linguist with a government agency. Ann fell in love with David, but love was not on David's agenda. He had Ann sign a prenuptial agreement saying that if she divorced him, she would not be entitled to anything he had before he married her. When Ann discovered there would be no children, she became bored with staying at home. David decided to build them a house on property he bought in High Cliff Estates, using a design he contracted before the marriage. This would be the beginning of Ann's problems.

Rennie and Matt Lain met when Rennie visited a new coffee shop in Mt. Pride where Matt Lain was working. Rennie grew up in Mt. Pride, was the author of several children's books and was wealthy but lonely. Matt didn't think Rennie was good to look at, but since she had money and could give him his dream of his own business, Matt used his charms on her. Now they had a chain of coffeehouses across the country and a beautiful home in High Cliff Estates. Rennie became depressed and abused alcohol and cigarettes. She decided to consult a psychiatrist and chose David Epstein because he lived in the same neighborhood. Eventually Rennie began to think of David as her friend and when she found out Ann had the qualifications Matt was looking for in an assistant and was looking for a job, both Rennie and David thought Rennie should suggest Matt hire Ann.

HAVE NO MERCY is the twisted story of four people whose lives spin out of control because of the desire for revenge by one person. The four main characters, David, Ann, Rennie, and Matt are a lesson in how twisted the mind can become when you become consumed with revenge and jealousy. The only good character in this story besides the police is Rennie's friend and attorney Daniel Boone Riddle. The story is fast-paced and will keep you turning pages from beginning to end.

Bobby Ruble's first mystery novel, Have No Mercy is amazingly well developed. The characters are deep and fleshed out. The pacing is calculated and precise. From start to finish, Ruble lets the tension build and build and build until everything begins to unravel.

Filled with character history, we see two friends. David has it all. Todd has nothing, but wants it all. Todd's jealousy becomes overbearing and obvious. Since there was never truly a friendship to begin with, it's hard to say the friendship ended. Instead, their relationship demised.

Years later, David married to Ann, a woman he may not even love. Having her for a wife ...works. He is an established psychiatrist. He likes to stay home. From the beginning of his marriage he had been against his wife working. It wasn't her place. Eventually, however, after doing all he can to keep her entertained, like with building a new home, he decides to let her find a job.

Rennie is a wealthy woman. She inherited most of her wealth when her father died. Writing books for children, Rennie met and fell in love with Matt. Matt worked in a coffee shop as a manager, with dreams bigger than life, with no capitol to fund his ventures. No capitol, that is, until he met Rennie. When the two marry, Rennie quickly learns Matt's truth behind his claims to love her. He never loved her. He loved her money. Though she funded his dreams, her own unhappiness became overwhelming. Seeking the help of a psychiatrist, Rennie and David meet. As the doctor-patient relationship grows into something of a friendship, David winds up getting a job for his wife with Rennie's husband. But who, exactly, is this guy Matt...

A novel with twists and turns like an amusement park ride, Have No Mercy is an engrossing read. A plot filled with revenge, cons, lust and anger, Ruble glues the reader to the pages of his thriller and successfully delivers a wonderfully entertaining story, Have No Mercy

--Phillip Tomasso III, author of Johnny Blade & Third Ring

David Epstein was a shy, introverted child who liked books more than people. An only child, he was close to his Jewish parents, with his only friend being Todd Reaming. Todd had nothing. Not even a home. He was often shipped out to foster care when things got really bad at home. Todd wanted what David had. And he set out to become a part of David's family.

When David was a junior in college, his parents announced they were moving to Israel. David didn't want this. He felt that they would be abandoning him, especially now when he could show them that all of the work he had done would finally pay off. He would finally be graduating. His mother couldn't bring herself to leave just quite yet, but Todd talked her into going, and leaving their considerable fortune to David, including the home.

This completely devastated David. He felt that his parents had abandoned him, and so he cut all ties to his parents. After graduation money got tight. Even though the house was paid for, he opened up his psychiatric practice in the house to save money, and asked Todd to move in and share expenses.

Then Todd betrays David. David caught Todd trying to steal the only memory that he had kept of his mother, a very expensive broach. David throws Todd out of his house, and out of his life, promising himself that no one would ever get close enough to him again, to be able to hurt him.

David moves on with his solitary life building a very lucrative practice in psychiatry and hypnosis. One weekend at a convention of psychiatrists he meets a woman whom he thinks will make him the perfect wife. Over a period of a few months he courts her and finally asks her to marry him. She is in love with this wonderful man, and agrees to become his wife. David however is not going to allow her to profit in any way should the marriage not work. He sets up a prenuptial agreement that leaves Ann nothing in the case that the marriage falls apart.

Over the next few years, Ann finds that she has become just another possession of David's, and is very unhappy with her life. She has no friends, no outside interests, and since David convinced her to quit her job, she doesn't even have her work. David finally allows her to work with an architect to build, and decorate a huge mansion in which they will live. Although Ann thinks that this is her project alone, David orchestrates even that.

Then things take a deadly turn when Todd reenters David's life, again.

HAVE NO MERCY is a very cleverly written crime thriller. The story is fascinating. It is very real, and goes to show how a person can manipulate those around him to exact revenge upon a person he feels has wronged him. Bobby Ruble has written a fictional story with very real, and horrifying twists and turns. HAVE NO MERCY is a mind boggling trip into the mind of a very vindictive person, who has the ways and means to use people around him to gain the satisfaction of revenge. HAVE NO MERCY would make a terrific movie, one that would keep you on the edge of your seat. The story rates right up there with an Alfred Hitchcock thriller.

For a first time author, Bobby Ruble sure has come up with a winning story in HAVE NO MERCY. I do feel that Mr. Ruble could have done away with a lot of the detail, but this book is a great effort on the part of a first time author. I am looking forward to much more from a very promising author in the future.
------
Sue Hartigan

David Joseph Epstein and Todd Reams grew up together. When David's parents plan to spend their retirement years in Israel, David feels betrayed that they would abandon him. David does not know that Todd manipulated his parents into their departure so that he could move in as a roommate and begin his plan to steal items to fund his own goals.

When David catches Todd stealing, a nasty fight ends irretrievably ends their friendship. Both men go onto very successful lives, but neither forgets the events of the past. Indeed, the fires of hatred drive David to a complex plan for vengeance. By all appearances, David is a successful psychiatrist, blessed with wealth, a showcase home and a beautiful wife. Quietly, David orchestrates his revenge, revealing that he "has no mercy".

Author Bobby Ruble pens a tense psychological thriller in HAVE NO MERCY. Ruble understands the intricacies of the human psyche, drawing upon his background as a US Marine Criminal Investigator, a FBI Academy Graduate, and experience as Chief of Police in Kennesaw, Georgia. Ruble's first hand experience with the most dangerous elements of society and the intricacies of the law brings HAVE NO MERCY a chilling reality. Ruble's characters spring vividly to life, carefully concealing their hidden agendas, yet revealing devastating motivation. The juxtaposition of innocence and evil, as women trust and men betray, provides a haunting tale with surprising complexities readers will not want to put down. Add this one to your keeper shelf! HAVE NO MERCY comes very highly recommended.

This book begins with two young men, David who is jewish, and Todd who
is not. They are friends and when Todd learns that David's parents want

to go back to the old country to live, He encourages them to do so
behind Davids back. He promises to move in with David in the home they
will leave him and keep an eye on him. They also leave David some funds

and all the household goods and many personal possessions. He believes
he can sell some of their things to keep himself in finances and do it
without Davids knowledge. His first attempt goes awry when David
catches him stealing a valuable brooch and throws him out of his house.

Later, David is a well respected phychiatrist and hypnotist. Todd, on
the other hand spent his time trying to latch on to someone who could
bank roll him on his quest to become wealthy.

David meets Ann, a petite redhead and persuades her to marry him. He is

prosperous and so has a prenuptial agreement written up and Ann signs it

gladly. She loves him and not the money.
After their marriage David becomes a different person. He has his
office in part of their new home, and doesn't care if he never has to
leave the house. Ann grows tired of this way of life and indulges in
alcohol and an occasional fling.

Enter Renalda who prefers to be called Rennie. She is very plain with
dark hair and grubby clothes. She writes childrens books and has had
several published when she meets Matt Lain, the counter man at a local
coffee shop.This and that leads to an attraction Matt has for her money
and he sweeps her off her feet. Their coffee house business grows and
flourishes leading Matt to spend a lot of time on the road leaving
Rennie alone. She is very depressed and alcoholic and decides she might

see someone who could help her. Of course, she consults David and
becomes his patient. She also relies on the advice of her good friend
Dan, who is an attorney.

Have I lost you yet? Its easy to do as this book begins and ends with
so many twists and turns its hard to keep up unless you read it from the

beginning and know all the details surrounding these people. There are
affairs and mix ups as well as people not being who they seem to be, and

of course a murder meant to get two of these people together and that
also affords some twisting and angling. I could hardly bring myself to

put it down to fix a meal once into it. A very good read, and a review
cannot do it justice
Review by: Ginny Welding

My husband purchased this book for my birthday because he liked the title of it. Of course he was sorry he did because it took my full attention. The first chapter grabbed me! What a sensational surprise to have a good clean mystery on the market. Kudos to the author - well done. I highly recommned this book to everyone from age 18 on up. Entertaining enough to be an original Alfred Hitchcock production. New York Times, where are you?

As a youngster, David Epstein was a shy introverted person who liked books rather than people. An only child, he was close to his parents with his only friend being Todd Reaming. When he was a junior in college, his parents announced they were moving to Israel and leaving their considerable fortune to David. Hurt beyond measure David cuts all ties to his parents and when money gets tight, he asks Todd to move in to share expenses.

When Todd betrays him, David bloodies him before throwing him out of his house. David moves on with his life and becomes a prominent psychiatrist in his hometown of Mt. Pride, Colorado. He marries a beautiful woman and they build a very expensive mansion on the Exclusive High Cliff estates area of the town. David should be a very contented man but when Todd unexpectedly enters his life, the reasonable shrink starts planning his deadly revenge.

HAVE NO MERCY is a very cleverly written crime thriller where nothing is as it seems and everyone is suspect. The characters are well drawn and are portrayed in a realistic manner, but it is the electrifyingly fast-paced plot that keeps the reader mesmerized and glued to the pages. Bobby Ruble is an author who has a very clear and fresh voice.

Harriet Klausner

I just couldn't put the book down until I was finished. It kept me guessing and then surprised me at the end. This has all the elements that go into a great murder mystery story. This book would make a terrific movie!