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40x40

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated No Mercy in Books

Mar 19, 2020  
No Mercy
No Mercy
Joanna Schaffhausen | 2020 | Crime
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Picking up after the harrowing events of book one, NO MERCY finds Officer Ellery Hathaway on leave. She's going to mandated therapy, attending a group for victims of violent crime. This isn't exactly Ellery's "cup of tea," as she's not one for sharing her feelings. In group, she meets Myra, a victim of a deadly fire years ago that killed her young son. Ellery quickly gets caught up in Myra's case and becomes convinced that the wrong man--who is up for parole--was convicted of the crime. Another group member, Wendy, was brutally raped, and she asks Ellery for help finding her rapist, who is still on the loose, leaving Wendy a shadow of her once vibrant self. Ellery turns to her friend, FBI agent Reed Markham, the man who rescued her so many years ago. Reed comes, of course; he can never say no to Ellery. But Reed is also in line for a big promotion, and his boss doesn't want him near Ellery. As the two start digging, they uncover secrets: lots of them.


"You kill one guy, one time, and suddenly everyone thinks you need therapy..."


I picked up this book immediately after reading book one, because I was so captivated by Reed and Ellery. They are an amazing duo, with wonderful chemistry, both for solving crimes and in the "will they, won't they" department. Schaffhausen writes in this steady, easy-to-read way that effortlessly brings her characters to life and makes it so easy to flip the pages. Just like the first book, I tore through this one in less than 24 hours.

There are plenty of twists and turns and lots of drama. But there's also a personal and touching element to these books. Ellery and Reed have such a connection. He supposedly rescued her all those years ago, pulling near-dead Ellery from the clutches of a serial killer. But, of course, that experience has formed and hardened her in so many ways. She's a tough cookie. And it's truly just Reed who can see past her outer shell. Ellery will only allow Reed to see little glimpses of her actual self.

The mystery in this book is exemplary. We go back in time to a series of fires in Boston. Even better, it has some ties to Reed's boss, McGreevy, who worked the Boston beat back in the day (see, everything is personal). The more present-day case, Wendy's rapist, fuels Ellery, who feels as if perhaps she is worthless, unable to affect change as a police officer. It's also personal, on a whole different level. Both are compelling. Each kept me guessing and while I had some inkling about the fires, nothing would stop me from frantically turning the pages!

In the end, this was an excellent book. I love the relationship between Ellery and Reed and how it's developing. Both cases were intriguing and kept me hooked from the beginning. I immediately turned to book three, and I'm so sad it's the last one (hopefully just for now)! 4 stars.
  
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ClareR (5784 KP) rated Bird Therapy in Books

Apr 17, 2020  
Bird Therapy
Bird Therapy
Joe Harkness | 2020 | Health & Fitness, Natural World
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Bird Therapy tells us how important nature is for our mental wellbeing. Joe Harkness has struggled with his own mental health for many years, and after reaching crisis point, he decided to get out into his own local natural environment. He began birdwatching, and soon realised that the combination of getting out in to the countryside and having a purpose to do so (birdwatching), helped him to find calm in an otherwise anxious and depressed mind.

This book not only looks at the medical evidence, proving the worth of getting out into our green spaces, but also looks at how birdwatching could work for the reader too. There are loads of helpful tips at the end of each chapter as well. For me though, the real beauty of this book is in the writing itself. The descriptions of the places where Joe goes to find birds, the times of year and the birds themselves are really inspirational. They make me want to go to these places and find these birds myself (I’m now obsessed with the idea of seeing a Shrike, after I googled it and found a picture of one sat on a fence, with what looks like a toad hanging out of its mouth!). I will enjoy my garden for now, in this time of Covid 19 isolation, but when we’re allowed back out, I’ll certainly be getting out into the countryside near where I live.

Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book, and to Joe Harkness for so actively participating in the process.