Review: Shades of Mercy: A Porter Beck Mystery by Bruce Borgos

Shades of Mercy: A Porter Beck Mystery by Bruce Borgos is the second in the series that began with The Bitter Past: A Novel. This one might be better than the first. 

Among other things, massive wildfires are ripping through the Nevada countryside and adding to the long list of Sherriff Porter Beck’s worries. The government helicopter arriving to land near his house means even more trouble.

Aboard the helicopter is Special Agent Ed Maddox of the Office of Special Investigations. OSI is the equivalent of the Army’s Criminal Investigation Department. He wants Beck’s help in locating a piece that came off an aircraft last night. He has a general idea of where it went down and wants Beck to ride in the small unmarked chopper to go look.

Once onboard the helicopter, Maddox reveals the impact site is out at the Double J Ranch. Owned by a childhood friend who has moved back home, Beck coming along should help smooth the way. It might have if they were still close. They aren’t and a lot has changed at the ranch that has existed for decades.

It is also clear that the impact was not a piece of the aircraft. Maddox claim a fuel tank did it. There is no way. Beck is ex-military and knows missile debris when he sees it.

Maddox finally admits that they lost control of a Remotely Piloted Aircraft the night before. It was hijacked and flown way off course. It ultimately fired a missile at the prize bull at the ranch. Somebody targeted the bull of the owner who just happens to be a guy Beck grew up with a long time ago. Who would want Jesse Roy’s prize-winning bull exploded into pieces? What are they planning to do next? And the biggest question of all – how did they take control of the RPA?

Those three big questions and many others are answered in the incredibly entertaining, Shades of Mercy: A Porter Beck Mystery. This review only carefully scratches the surface as much is in play here and I am not going to spoil any of it for readers.

Additional character development, multiple complex story lines, and plenty of action make this second in the series a very good book.

For a more in-depth look at the very good read, make sure you read Lesa Holstine’s review. 

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3SFeNS7

 

My digital ARC reading copy came by way of the publisher, Minotaur Books, through NetGalley.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2024