Review: Beg For Mercy

(Trilogy #1)
By: Jami Alden
Publisher: Forever
Published: June 1, 2011
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: NetGalley
Format: eBook
Pages: 448
Rating: I really liked it

He lurks in the shadows, waiting and watching . . . And once he has you, all you can do is. . . BEG FOR MERCY

Megan Flynn thought she was falling in love. Cole Williams wasn't just handsome and passionate, he was one of the good guys. Or so she thought, until he arrested her brother - the only family she has left - for a murder she knows he couldn't have possibly committed. Now, with her heart broken and her brother's life hanging in the balance, Megan will risk everything to prove his innocence. Even if that means throwing herself into the path of a sadistic killer with a hauntingly familiar MO.

Seattle Detective Cole Williams had given up on making Megan see reason where her brother is concerned. But when she insinuates herself into the most shockingly brutal case Cole has ever worked, he can't stand idly by. Plunged into a secret world where the city's elite indulge their darkest desires, Cole will do whatever it takes to bring down a madman who has made Megan his most coveted prey.

My thoughts
I had never read any of Jami Alden's books before but when I saw the synopsis for this book, I had to read it. I usually don't go for the suspense type books but for some reason this book really grabbed my interest and I kept hold of it until the end.

The story follows Megan, Cole (Megan's ex-boyfriend), Sean (Megan's brother), Dev (one of Megan's child case's) and the killer. There was quite a few violent and graphic scenes when you dove in the mind of the killer as he raped and killed prostitutes. I think the parts that dealt with the killer were the most interesting of the story, just because you got to see why he is the way he is and what goes through his head at the time. Usually I am quick to figure out the mystery who the person is but it wasn't until I was past the halfway point that I started to piece it together.

There of course was sexual tension between Megan and Cole and there were also a few scenes where they took care of their sexual frustrations in some steamy sex scenes but the whole book wasn't about that, it was more about Megan trying to prove her brother's innocence before his time was up which was a handful of days away and her constant run in with danger while she tries to solve the mystery of who the real killer is.

My favorite quote
Okay by now, you have probably realized that I don't tend to like the "typical" parts/quotes of a book. I tend to like the oddball stuff so of course I didn't go with a gushy love scene but a random passing in conversation between Sean and Cole as Cole is trying to get Sean to go over the night he was arrested for murder and try to remember any details.
Cole: "Listen asshole, I'm here because I care about your sister and I'd rather cut off my left nut than see her hurt. The only thing that can make her happy right now, is for us to find some proof of your innocence so we can get you out of this shithole, so for her sake, fucking humor me, okay?" Sean's eyebrows rose and Cole saw a hint of grudging admiration in his eyes, "Just your left nut, eh? You telling me my sister's not worth the whole package?"