MERCY STREET
Mariah Stewart
Ballatine
ISBN: 0-345-49226-5
May 2008
Romantic Suspense

Mariah Stewart kicks off an intriguing new series with MERCY STREET. When two teenagers are found murdered in a local park, police immediately suspect two other teenagers last seen with the victims. With two missing suspects and an apparent motive, the case appears to be on the verge of being closed, but the grandmother of one of the suspects is willing to seek out help from any quarter. Hired by a mysterious millionaire on behalf of the boyʼs grandmother, Mallory Russo is glad for the opportunity to apply her detective skills. Having left the police department as persona non grata, Mallory has few friends in her new career as a private investigator, but a new detective has finally been hired to fill the position she left behind at the police department. Charlie Wanamaker has returned home to stabilize his family, and he is not looking for additional stress in his life. A relationship of any type with Mallory is not likely to help him make friends with the police department, but he is immediately drawn to Malloryʼs skills as a detective. Working together, Mallory and Charlie are determined to find and help the missing teenagers before the real murderer locates them.

Told in a brisk, fast-paced tone, MERCY STREET has several plotlines flowing through a central one. Readerʼs will be just as interested in the supporting characters as they are in the primary characters, and Ms. Stewart makes it very clear that we will be meeting all the characters again soon. Readers will be left surprised by the ending of the novel, as well as impatient for the next book in the series to be published. With interesting characters, a completely new take on romantic suspense, and a moral message that will resonate with readers, MERCY STREET is sure to be a hit.

Reviewed by Angela Etheridge
Rating: 4 ½