Bruce Borgos

4.5+ ⭐️

A worthy addition to the author’s Porter Beck series, Shades of Mercy by Bruce Borgos is a thrilling novel!

Drug smugglers responsible for the supply of lethal fentanyl-laced drugs; a computer hacker who takes control of a military drone to wreak havoc on an affluent (and shady) rancher’s operations; a mysterious operative searching for Mercy Vaughn, a brilliant teenager with a criminal background who is being held in a juvenile detention facility, government agents with their own agendas and much more - Lincoln Country, Nevada Sheriff Porter Beck and his twelve member department have a lot on their plate. Though Porter is struggling with eyesight, he is determined not to let his limited night vision deter him from fulfilling his duties. He is joined in his efforts to protect Mercy by Detective Charlie Blue Horse from the Department of Public Safety. The narrative follows Porter, his team and Charlie as they try to unravel a complex web of crime, deception and secrets.

The plot is complex, but the author deftly weaves all the threads of the story together into a well-paced, suspenseful narrative that kept me hooked until the very last page. I enjoyed getting to know more about Porter and his family and loved that Brinley had a larger role to play in this installment. I hope future stories see the brother-sister duo teaming up again. Mercy Vaughn was a fascinating character and I’d love to see her pop up in future installments and of course, how can you not love Beck’s new partner, a fox-red English Lab named Frank Columbo, “Bo”? The intricate plot with plenty of twists and turns and a healthy dose of humor added to the mix, the vividly described setting and well-developed characters make for an absorbing read.

Overall, I found this to be a well-crafted crime thriller and I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Though this is the second book in the series, it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Press for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.… (mehr)

4.5⭐️

When a retired FBI Agent is found tortured to death in his home in Lincoln County Nevada, Sheriff Porter Beck finds himself roped in on an FBI investigation headed by Agent Sana Locke, into an information leak that may have triggered the current chain reaction of events. Beck is ex-Army, having served as a foreign area officer for a large part of his career, so he is well aware of the danger that is looming when evidence indicates a connection between the present-day murders and a 1950s covert operation linked to a nuclear testing site in the region. When the bodies begin to pile up, Porter and his department team up with Locke to find the killer. Complicating matters further is the disappearance of a teenage bride from a neighboring community. Are the cases connected?

The Bitter Past by Bruce Borgos is a riveting thriller that combines elements of murder mystery, crime procedural, and international espionage thriller. The novel is well-structured and consistently paced. The suspenseful narrative is presented in dual timelines – present-day and 1950s Nevada - both of which are well-developed. The present-day narrative is shared from the first-person POV of Porter and the past timeline is shared from the perspective of another character whose role is crucial to the plot. The novel does feature a large cast of characters, but at no point do the threads of the story become too convoluted or difficult to follow. Porter Beck is an interesting protagonist and I would love to see how the author continues his arc as the series continues.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and am eager to read the next book in the series.

I paired my reading with the audiobook narrated by James Babson, which made for an engaging immersion read.… (mehr)

Bruce Borgos has become one of my all-time favorite authors. Bitter Past, the first book featuring Nevada Sheriff Porter Beck, was absolutely outstanding and unforgettable. Shades of Mercy continues this trend of excellence.

When I finished Bitter Past last year I was eager for the next installment in the series and wanted Borgos to hurry up and write already, but as soon as I started reading this book, Shades of Mercy, I realized his pace is perfect and well worth the wait. Every word, every scene, every interaction must have been meticulously planned and crafted, worked over, corrected and changed until I ended up with this exquisite book in my hands, but all that talent and skill and hard work are invisible to the reader; the writing is not dry or dull or labored or forced or overly precise, but instead just rolls along smoothly. Every word selection is perfect. As before, the writing is strong, the plot well-crafted, perfectly paced and logical.

Author Borgos knows how to get a story going and keep it moving. There are no long flowery introductions to people and descriptions to set the scene. Instead, the action begins immediately and all you need to know about the people, the place and the level of danger is woven into the explosive beginning. You are hooked before you’ve finished the first paragraph.

Shades of Mercy is a mix of levity and frightening suspense. The newest member of the sheriff’s department is a dog named Frank Columbo, Bo for short. Initially we think Bo is a man and we learn Beck likes him partly because he has a cool name for a cop, is quiet, pays attention most of the time, and loves a good cup of coffee. Then we learn that Beck mostly likes him because he is a dog. And probably also because Bo helps him navigate in the dark and shadows as Beck tries to hide the progression of his retinitis pigmentosa that more and more affects his ability to do his job and will eventually take his sight. Beck is such an interesting man. He’s somehow sophisticated and folksy at the same time, almost a little too funny but also so intense. Living the small-town sheriff life his father lived for years, but also ex-military with friends or contacts in every government agency you can think of. He respects authority, as sheriff he is the authority, but he’s never afraid to push back. A loner, not a flirty ladies’ man but definitely a man of action when he’s interested.

But Borgos is a master at mixing that small-town comfort and routine with a sudden dose of danger, like a sudden epidemic of crime and drug overdoses, kidnapping, torture and murder, mixing in such a variety of people and government agencies that contain good, bad and worse members. Contrasting the usually quiet desert life with evil influence and consequence from within the town and outside the country. Borgos seamlessly switches from one scenario to the other, leaving you breathless trying to keep up.

The combination of such an interesting, complex main character and an action-packed, suspense filled, perfectly paced and satisfying plot is irresistible. Tell me you can’t hear Beck say, “And Al Pacino is not the brother of cappuccino. . . . Some things are obvious,” and not like this man. Or that you can’t help but wonder where that military drone came from, who is operating it and to what end, where the drugs are coming from? What even are they? What exactly is being smuggled? I could spend years learning more and more about Beck and enjoying being enveloped in such exciting stories. What will come next with his vision? Right now he’s a daylight man, and still sheriff. So smart, so intuitive, losing his sight is a really big deal. Is there another job waiting around the corner? What will that mean for his relationship with his family, especially his father who suffers from dementia?

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for providing an advance copy of Shades of Mercy via NetGalley. I was thrilled to receive it, thoroughly enjoyed it, and recommend it without hesitation. I am hoping for another book featuring Porter Beck, but author Bruce Borgos’s writing is so exquisite I will be happy with anything he writes. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.… (mehr)

Sheriff Porter has just discovered one of his childhood friends dead from an overdose. Another childhood friend was targeted by a high jacked military drone. Porter is wondering what the devil is going on in his county!

As Porter is investigating, he comes across a young, computer hacker named Mercy. She is only 16 years old but, she is old beyond her years. Porter knows she is lying, but he cannot figure out why. Porter soon discovers there is more to this case than he ever expected.

Because Mercy is so young, I found myself, mad, furious and wanting to cry all at the same time. She definitely had herself in a mess. But you talk about confident and smart. Mercy is all of the above. She is also a character I will not soon forget. Add in Porter Beck and his sister…and y’all! I want a Netflix show!

I, at first, had this as a 4 star read. But as I was writing this review, I changed it. The emotions this author created and the fast movement of this story…I am changing my rating to 5 stars.

This novel is constantly on the move. And I had no idea where it was going to end up! Fabulous characters and intensity…do not miss this one!

I read the first Porter Beck novel, The Bitter Past. I enjoyed that book as well. It is not necessary that you read it prior to this novel.

Need a thriller that will have your emotions all over the place…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.… (mehr)