Beg for Mercy by Jami Alden
(Trilogy, #1)
Genre: romantic suspense
Format: ebook from Stephanie @ Once Upon a Chapter
Read: 8/16/2012 — 8/17/2012
In Six Words: Revived my love of romantic suspense
Links
Jami Alden — Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter
Amazon — Paperback | Kindle
Add it to Goodreads
Book Order
1. Beg for Mercy
2. Hide from Evil
3. Run from Fear
Synopsis
He lurks in the shadows, waiting and watching . . . And once he has you, all you can do is. . .
Megan Flynn thought she was falling in love. Cole Williams wasn’t just handsome and passionate, he was one of the good guys. Or so she thought, until he arrested her brother-the only family she has left-for a murder she knows he couldn’t have possibly committed. Now, with her heart broken and her brother’s life hanging in the balance, Megan will risk everything to prove his innocence. Even if that means throwing herself into the path of a sadistic killer with a hauntingly familiar MO.
Seattle Detective Cole Williams had given up on making Megan see reason where her brother is concerned. But when she insinuates herself into the most shockingly brutal case Cole has ever worked, he can’t stand idly by. Plunged into a secret world where the city’s elite indulge their darkest desires, Cole will do whatever it takes to bring down a madman who has made Megan his most coveted prey.
-from Goodreads
Why I Started Reading This Book and Final Verdict
I honestly don’t even remember why this book landed on my wishlist. (If you were somehow instrumental in getting it there, please, PLEASE let me know.) But I do know that Stephanie @ Once Upon a Chapter gifted it to me as a July RAK. When I was trying to choose a romantic suspense for our Profiling Mysteries event, I decided on Beg for Mercy. Let’s just say that I was not disappointed.
My Thoughts
Beg for Mercy just pulled me in. I started this in the evening and lost track of all time. At about halfway in, I went to find out more about the second book (and spoiled myself for this book, boo) because I was THAT IN LOVE with it. I don’t know that the characters were all that memorable, but I loved Megan’s determination to save her brother, and I loved Cole’s slow spiral into realizing how much he truly cared for Megan. I love when the men fall and fall hard. Oh hey, that’s a pun. I like it.
Oh, this book. I love when an author crafts a crazy madman (redundant? sure. whatever. it’s my review, leave me alone) who chills you with his insanity. Not insanity like “that person is clearly fucked up,” but the kind of insanity that masquerades as sanity. Insanity you can cover up and disguise as sanity is so much scarier. That said, I think I would have liked to have gone a little bit longer not knowing who the madman was (yes, I spoiled myself, but I was already heading in that direction), just because I want to experience the shock right along with the main characters. It’s THAT PERSON?! (Yes. Yes, it is.) It’s revealed before the main character finds out, so… not quite as fun.
I think the only complaint I had was that some of the plot slowed in the second half of the book and I was actually able to set the book down (and, you know, go to bed). But otherwise, Beg for Mercy was the perfect balance of romance and suspense (and yes, mystery) with just enough extra that we can see room for more books. And since this is the beginning of a trilogy, it all worked perfectly. I will definitely be searching out the next book in this series.
Felicia August 21, 2012 at 7:11 am
YEAH! I have a few Jami Alden books on my shelves. I am really excited to hear that she rocks the casbah! :)
Amanda @ On a Book Bender August 21, 2012 at 9:34 am
YAY! :)
Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal August 21, 2012 at 4:23 pm
I love it when you get sucked into a book! “I…uhh, I’d help you with that but I CAN’T PUT MY BOOKS DOWN!”
<3 <3 <3
Amanda @ On a Book Bender August 22, 2012 at 9:45 am
lol. Yes. Though usually I get interrupted and then I either half pay attention or stare at my book until they get the hint and GO AWAY.
Mary @ Book Swarm August 21, 2012 at 5:46 pm
Oh, nice! It’s kind of like a magical book that appears in your hands because you wished upon a star. And then you got sucked in–woot!
Amanda @ On a Book Bender August 22, 2012 at 9:46 am
Ha. Yes! Exactly that! I wish more things happened like that.
Amy @bookgoonie August 21, 2012 at 8:02 pm
It must have been good to keep reading when you spoiled it for yourself.
Amanda @ On a Book Bender August 22, 2012 at 9:52 am
Well… I had already kind of begun to suspect who it was, and while the synopsis of the second didn’t name names, it was pretty clear (to me) who it was. And, of course, I had to read to make sure I was right.
Kristin @myparahangover August 22, 2012 at 8:51 pm
Awww, that sucks it got ruined by your curiosity! I did that to myself a long time ago with The Hollows and learned my lesson so I never read synopsis’ ahead (you can tell me how to plural that word later, LOL!). But it sounds like a cool romantic/mystery! Since I don’t usually do mysteries, I could see myself getting into this one!!
Amanda @ On a Book Bender August 23, 2012 at 10:02 am
lol. I just wanted to find out if the same main characters would be in the next book (no), but I ended up semi-spoiling myself. It wasn’t that big of a deal.
The plural of synopsis is synopses. :)