No Mercy (Mercy Gunderson Series) [Audiobook, CD, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Lori Armstrong (Author), Jennifer VanDyck (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 12, 2010 | Series: Mercy Gunderson Series (Book 1)

Mercy Gunderson is a straight shooter with a hard edge. On medical leave from the army, she returns home to South Dakota, which isn’t much safer for her than Iraq. Arriving just after the death of her father, it is up to Mercy to decide what to do with the family ranch and try to deal with her irresponsible sister and nephew. Feeling guilty that she didn’t make it home soon enough to see her father one last time, Mercy is suddenly pulled into the local community when the body of an Indian boy is found on her land. But nobody seems to be doing anything about it, especially not the local law enforcement. When tragedy strikes again, Mercy is ready to throw all her energy into her own investigation, and she’s out for revenge. As she digs up the truth behind the shocking crimes, Mercy uncovers dark and dangerous secrets and must race to stop a killer before everything she’s fought for is destroyed forever.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This compelling if prosaically plotted saga of dysfunctional family life, racial tension and liberated-woman romance, the first in a new series from Shamus-finalist Armstrong (Blood Ties), introduces Mercy Gunderson, a U.S. army sniper who's one-quarter Minneconjou Sioux. The discovery of a dead Indian boy on Mercy's late father's South Dakota ranch complicates her return home on medical leave. (Retinal detachment threatens her military career, while wet-work mission flashbacks disturb her sleep.) Then there's Sheriff Dawson, who, as Mercy admits after he snags her nephew for burglary, raised my hackles and my interest like no other man I'd crossed paths with in the last decade. Mercy is as tough as an old army boot, with a vocabulary and weapons proficiency to prove it, but she's always had it bad for cowboys. This soft spot, along with her racial identity crisis and a piled-on assortment of family-related guilt trips, leads to a contrived gee-whiz conclusion. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Well, technically there is Mercy: Mercy Gunderson, the star of this first installment of a projected new series. Mercy is an army sniper, currently on medical leave back home in South Dakota, where she is trying to figure out what to do with the family ranch, now that her father has died. But she is soon distracted by the death of a young boy—or, more accurately, she is distracted by the local police’s apparent lack of interest in solving the crime. And when Mercy’s own nephew is murdered, she determines to get to the bottom of things. Armstrong, author of the popular Julie Collins private-eye series, has created a grittier character in Mercy Gunderson, a combat veteran who brings her unique skills into her private life. Fans of the Collins mysteries should embrace this new novel with open arms, but the author could pick up some new readers, too, on the strength of this new heroine. --David Pitt --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio on CD Unabridged; Unabridged edition (January 12, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423377508
• ISBN-13: 978-1423377504
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,860,267 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lori Armstrong is a fourth generation South Dakotan. She left the firearms industry in 2000 to pursue her dream of writing crime/mystery fiction. The first book in the Julie Collins mystery series, BLOOD TIES was nominated for a 2005 Shamus Award for Best First Novel by Private Eye Writers of America. HALLOWED GROUND was nominated for a 2006 Shamus Award and won the 2007 WILLA Cather Literary Award. SHALLOW GRAVE was nominated for a 2008 High Plains Book Award and was a finalist for the 2008 WILLA Cather Literary Award. The 4th book in this series, SNOW BLIND, won the 2008 Shamus Award for Best Paperback Original.

The first book in the Mercy Gunderson mystery series, NO MERCY, recently won the 2010 Shamus for Best Hardcover Novel and was a finalist for the WILLA Cather Literary Award. MERCY KILL, was released 1-11-11 from Touchstone(Simon and Schuster)

Lori lives in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Welcome home, Mercy, January 7, 2010

By 

Terri Doughty (Lexington Park, MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: No Mercy: A Mystery (Hardcover)

Mercy Gunderson is one of the few female Army snipers. Officially, they don't exist but unofficially, women can get into some hot spot better than men. Mercy's been into more than she'd care to admit. Currently, she's on leave at her family's ranch in South Dakota. Her father recently died and she's the executor of his estate. Her remaining family is her sister, Holly and her nephew, Levi.

Bad things are happening in Mercy's little county though. A friend of Levi's is found dead on her ranch. Levi seems to be having problems. Holly has a new boyfriend that Mercy just doesn't feel right about. Rumors of some kind of club on the reservation have people concerned, as do the new people that bought the ranch nearby.

Mercy has her own problems though. Besides not being able to decide if she should sell the ranch, she has medical problems from her last mission. She has the time in the military to retire but she doesn't know if she wants to. If she stays in though, she'll never be able to do the job she's been doing. She'll be forced into a desk job or a training position.

Mason Dawson was appointed acting sheriff by Mercy's father before he died. He plans on running for sheriff but right now Mercy doesn't see what he's doing to investigate the death of Levi's friend. She's not too sure she trusts him either but he is good to look at!

You can't just ease into this story, it comes at you fast and hard with a teenage death in the first few pages. This hard punching story doesn't slow down or quit from start to finish. It's fast paced with lots going on giving the reader a lot to ponder as you try to figure out who's behind all the things happening.

Mercy is not a sweet bit of fluff or even a typical ranch girl. She's hard because she's had to be. She also has standards and a code she lives by. She cares deeply for her family so don't even think to hurt them or Mercy will go hunting. She's a complex character that has so many facets that it would take a lifetime to figure her out. The military left it's mark and that mark helps make up who Mercy will become.

One of the best assets of this book are the descriptions. Ms Armstrong does an outstanding job describing the characters but her descriptions of the land, buildings and community are exceptional. I've never been to South Dakota yet I could visualize the landscape as Mercy traveled along the county roads. Buildings weren't pristine; some needed paint, derelict or just barely together while others were well loved. With just a few words, this part of country came alive.

I didn't want to put this book down. Though I was fairly sure early on I knew who the murder was, I felt driven to see how Mercy would get him and what would happen next. Well, I should have known that an award winning author would have some twists and turns up her sleeve and the answer wouldn't be as easy as I thought. Her ending was much better than I could have ever imagined.

Now, that I've been introduced to Mercy, I want more. It looks to me like life is going to get interesting in that part of the world!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hold on tight, it's going to be a bumpy ride!, January 20, 2010

By 

Cathleen A. Cody (New England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: No Mercy: A Mystery (Hardcover)

This book is fantastic! I honestly didn't want to put it down--for anything! I've read Lori Armstrong books before, so I knew that I'd have to set aside a day with no interruptions for this book. I didn't realize I wouldn't want to eat, sleep, or go to the bathroom until I finished it.

From start to finish, my attention was held in Mercy's grip and long after I finished the book, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Now I can't wait for the next one to come out!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, January 31, 2010

By 

suzatm (PA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: No Mercy: A Mystery (Hardcover)

I have liked all of Lori Armstrong's books. I knew when I picked up No Mercy I would have a good read, but this book far exceeded my expectations. This book grabbed you from the beginning and didn't let go even after you read the last page. This author knows how to wring out every emotion there is to feel! The other reviewers have given a recap of the story line - but all I wanted to say is - don't miss this! Hopefully this is the start of another good series. If it's not - I will read and recommend anything this author writes. Excellent book!