Paula Munier

Mercy Carr was an MP in Afghanistan until she was shot, her fiancé was killed and she inherited his depressed service dog Elvis. Mercy heads back home to Vermont where she and Elvis are trying to get over their various traumas by taking long walks in the woods. Mercy isn't interacting with anyone except her grandmother Patience who is a veterinarian.

When Mercy comes across an abandoned baby in the woods and an unmarked grave, her isolation needs to come to an end. She calls 911 and her show more call is answered by game warden Troy Warner and his Newfoundland Susie Bear. Mercy had had a crush on Troy when she was fourteen and he was one of the lifeguards where she swam. She hasn't seen him since but knows that he married the prettiest girl in town sometime after she left.

Troy's marriage is on the rocks and he's much happier out in the woods than dealing with people. But together the four of them - two two-legs and two four-legs - manage to work together to find and lose and find again the baby's mother, to solve the cold case murder, solve a couple of other murders, and discover what else is happening during a busy Fourth of July weekend.

I really loved Mercy's relationship with her dog Elvis and Troy's relationship with Susie Bear. I liked the growing relationship between Mercy and Troy too. It was great watching Mercy begin to interact with other people again without ever losing her memories of her deceased fiancé.

The mystery was intriguing. The setting was well-developed. And the characters were interesting and well-rounded people. I look forward to reading more in this series. I mainly listened to the audio version of this story narrated by Kathleen McInerney who did a fine job with the voices and pacing of this story. show less

I've quickly become hooked on mysteries featuring working dogs-- especially military or police dogs. I think it's because the bond between human and dog is so strong and because the dog's capabilities are extraordinary. When I learned of this first Mercy and Elvis mystery, I knew I had to read it, and the only thing I can say now is that I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

A Borrowing of Bones is fast-paced and well-plotted, with a mystery that keeps readers guessing. Munier show more also makes her Vermont setting come to life, so much so that I wanted to book the next flight there. Not only do you get a feel for the lifestyle of the people living there, you can also do a bit of fantasizing since the main characters have what would be to me dream homes. (Mercy and Elvis in a perfect cabin deep in the woods complete with a fireplace and a wall of books, and Troy and Susie Bear in a converted fire lookout tower.)

However, the characters of Mercy, Elvis, Troy, and Susie Bear are what really matter. Mercy has a lot of sharp edges and bad memories. With the special bond between Martinez and Elvis, she's always felt like an outsider, as though the man and his dog were a closed circuit. She's got a lot to work through, and Troy quickly discovers that it's going to be a challenge to get to know her. I also liked the fact that Elvis has canine PTSD since most people probably aren't aware that dogs can suffer from it. Yes, compared to Mercy and Elvis, Troy and Susie Bear are big softies, so this is a relationship that's going to be fun to watch develop.

If you like fast-paced, intriguing mysteries in vivid settings that are filled with multi-faceted characters and wonderful working dogs, I strongly recommend that you get in on the ground floor of the Mercy and Elvis series. A Borrowing of Bones is a winner. show less

One would think that being nine months pregnant would slow Mercy Carr down, but it's going to take more than that to keep her out of trouble. Approaching spring in Vermont means snow, rain, and mud. That won't keep her and her beloved dog, Elvis, from hiking in the woods to play Scrabble with her friend and semi-hermit Homer Grant. It also helps her avoid her mother's insistent questions about decorating her home on Grackle Tree Farm and planning a baby shower. When Mercy and Elvis reach show more Homer's cabin, they find a dead body on the floor, along with scattered pages of The Odyssey. A quick search outside turns up a badly injured Homer.

With the help of Elvis and Homer's dog, Argos, Mercy manages to get Homer to a place where she can call for help. At the hospital, they learn that Homer is the chief suspect in the murder. His head injury leaves him unable to recall the event. Mercy is determined to help clear her friend's name, much to her mother's dismay. Mercy's husband, Troy, and his tracker dog, Susie Bear, are called away on a search that leads to another dead body in the woods near a private game preserve. Are the deaths related? Mercy is determined to help prove Homer's innocence, but she does concede to allowing her young cousin, Tandie, to stay and help care for her.

Mercy's pursuit of clues puts her in the crosshairs of some dangerous people. With storms pummeling the area, a murderer on the loose, and a baby on the way, the stakes have never been higher for Mercy.

Paula Munier draws up another solid mystery with clues from her world and The Odyssey. Mercy's investigation leads her into sticky situations that provide thrills and frights. What stands out most is her warm and wonderfully drawn characters. Mercy, her family and friends, and especially those wonderful and amazing dogs, are a delight. This is a fine addition to an always interesting series.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publishers. show less

Home at Night is the fifth installment of the Mercy & Elvis series, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I haven't actually read the previous books in this series, but lack of previous knowledge of the characters and their goings-on didn't affect my enjoyment of this particular book. I do love it when authors go out of their way to give distinct personalities to animals in their books, and Elvis was no exception; I enjoyed learning about him and his previous life as a military dog, and this may be show more the reason why I pick up the first book in the series.

The book opens on a rather spooky note and at first, I wondered if I actually picked up a paranormal mystery instead of just a regular cozy mystery, but that was soon set straight. The mystery itself was quite enjoyable with cryptic notes found in secret hiding spots, codes to decipher in poems, hidden treasure, and so much more, leading to a mystery involving the previous owners of the house Mercy would like to purchase. There were a couple of surprising twists and turns and I always enjoy it when the author lulls you into feeling calm and then ups the tension level with something unexpected. The plot itself was rather complex, and being someone who enjoys cryptic codes found in letters and poems, this was right up my alley. I don't think I've ever outgrown the thrill of reading anything about treasure hunting.

That being said, there were a lot of coincidences in this book and I am not a fan of the use of them to propel a story forward. When a character just happens to be friends with someone in the past and has spent time with them in the past which helps solve one of the clues in the present, and this scenario is used in this book, I just get irritated. And Mercy seems to have that one family member who has done everything and been everywhere during the war who just seems to be able to come up with clues to whatever she needs.

The characters themselves were interesting and for the most part, I did enjoy learning more about them. Mercy was facing some major changes in her life and I liked the relationship she had with her husband. Mercy's inner monologue did irk me at times as she was constantly talking to herself about how she has to be careful and not do anything dangerous, and then goes ahead and does something dangerous and almost gets herself killed. And yes, I rolled my eyes, I couldn't help it. How many times does one visit the emergency room before you get the message?

Verdict
Home at Night delves into the themes of greed and betrayal, leading some to commit heinous acts for the pursuit of glory as well as financial bonanza; it shows how far people will go if they are desperate. I also like the secondary story line, even better than the original one, depicting the turtles and the poaching that is happening to our endangered species. While I did think the author only explored these themes on a superficial level, the overall story was still fun and engaging. show less