Book Review: Traces of Mercy

Traces of Mercy

By Michael Landon Jr and Cindy Kelley

Publisher: David C Cook

Publishing Date: Oct 1, 2013

ISBN: 9780781408691

Amazon Synopsis:

From Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley, authors of The Silent Gift and creators of the hit television film Love Comes Softly, comes an exciting historical romance set in post-Civil War, and filled with suspense and faith-building values.

At the war’s end, a young woman suffers an accident that leaves her unconscious and alone. Waking with amnesia, she takes the name Mercy and wants more than anything to find out the truth of her past. But then a handsome stranger arrives, who may hold the key to everything she has forgotten. What he knows could devastate her future, and even end her life.

Written by two proven storytellers, Traces of Mercy is perfect for anyone who loves historical fiction, prairie-based tales, or just a good romance.

My Thoughts:

Traces of Mercy is the first book in the Mercy Medallion Trilogy. I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The book grabs you right from the start. It is part mystery, clean romance and historical fiction.

This book has some subtle Christian overtones to it (it has been classified as part of the Christian genre) but is a story that non-Christians will still enjoy. It is by no means a “religious” novel.

Mercy seems to be a sweet young woman who wouldn’t knowingly hurt anyone, and who doesn’t know anything about her past. However, we are aware that she was a sniper for the confederate army, but she does not discover this until later in the book. Why she was a sniper remains a mystery. The character with amnesia we see being developed does not seem like the kind of person that would kill over a hundred people as a sniper. I was very surprised that she was contemplating (and almost carried out) a murder. It isn’t very clear the reasons why she attempts this crime other than to say that she needed to complete her mission. The only problem with that is, she does not actually remember being a sniper but because she was told she was one. The personality change after she is told this portion of her past is confusing, as she almost seems to have two different personalities. I think in part it is because of the amnesia, and the person she was before the amnesia may very well be very different from the person she became after the amnesia.

We don’t find out who Mercy is by the end of the novel, and to top it off, she had disappeared from her companions….the perfect starting place for the sequel.

I am looking forward to the second book in this series. I gave the book 3 stars.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. A free product does not influence my review. All thoughts are my own.