The Absence of Mercy

I really wanted to like this book but I struggled my way through it. The writing was awkward and didn’t always visit the characters and the plot was full of holes I won’t point out to avoid spoiling the mystery. The pacing was slow and there was some over explaining the medical details (and I unders......more

I read this book in one day, and it was all right. I enjoyed the references to Pittsburgh, being a native Pittsburgher, and Ben was an interesting character. Beyond that, I can't get past several major obstacles...beginning with the error in continuity in the very first chapter. How does an editor o......more

I won a copy on Goodreads Firstreads. This was an uncorrected proof copy. This is a suspenseful psychological thriller. Ben Stevenson became the county medical examiner because he didn't want to go to bed every night listening to sirens. Also the slower pace would give him more chances to spend time......more

I thought that The Absence of Mercy was a pretty good mystery. The story flowed pretty easily and was well written. The book is told through the points of view of Ben, his wife and the teens in the town. There is a killer loose in the town and it has everyone scared. It was interesting to see how th......more

[URL not allowed] THE ABSENCE OF MERCY by John Burley: I could subtitle this review “I was so bored.” The premise was enchanting; the execution, not so much. Dr. Ben Stevenson, pathologist, is a small-town medical examiner, a very undemanding job until the first victim of a ser......more