Mercy Forsaken by E. H. Vick is a psychological thriller, the first book in the Meredeth Connelly Mind Hunt series. Meredeth Connelly is a super-profiler for the FBI and she’s on the hunt for a killer dubbed the .40 Caliber Killer. As she gathers evidence against him, he continues his murderous spree. If there is one thing Meredeth knows, it’s serial killers but never before has she come up against one who seems to know her, a man from her past. As she moves on through the investigation, a spark lights up inside her, a spark that might just lead her to the answer. If she can identify him, she can catch him but can she do it in time to stop him from killing again?

Mercy Forsaken by E. H. Vick is a fantastic psychological thriller that doesn’t just mess with our protagonist’s mind, it messes with yours too. The characters are extremely realistic, with flaws that shape their lives and the determination to get past them. This is a dark story, twisting and turning its way to the bitter, heart-stopping end. The plot is tinged with sadness as we learn more about Mercy’s back story and there are just enough red herrings to keep you intrigued and reading. The writing is tense but straightforward and this is not a difficult plot to follow. It will hook you from the first page, though, and it will keep your attention all the way through. Looking forward to the next in the series.

With flashes of her past clinging to her heels, Special Agent Meredeth Connelly is on the hunt for the .40 Caliber Killer. Mercy Forsaken is among the many installments of E.H. Vick’s psychological crime and suspense novels. In this case, we revisit old characters while chasing down the latest unsub before he gets to his next victim. This is easier said than done, especially since his time between kills has now accelerated, and the local media’s commentary on the case does not make Meredeth’s job any easier. When the killer tries to play mind games with her, she shows him what he’s dealing with. Readers, I hope you are ready!

Mercy Forsaken is the first psychological crime novel by E.H. Vick that I have read, and I can confidently say that he has gained a new fan in me! As a self-proclaimed detective, I loved every suspense-filled minute of solving this case alongside Meredeth, Bobby, and Kevin. There’s just something in Vick’s writing that takes the reader to the scene of the crime and bears witness to the events as they unfold. I also loved the aspect of realism in the novel which came in the form of the media coverage and news anchors. The panel kept on criticizing Meredeth’s ability and competency in the case, but if she were a man this would not be an issue. Although she’s fighting the demons of her past, she does not let them hinder her ability to catch the killer. With this one down, I’m on the hunt for the others! A whopping 5/5 stars!