No Mercy, by John Gilstrap

Sharon Kennedy writes about Gilstrap's newest thriller "No Mercy." Quote: It grabs the reader from page one, and holds tightly right to the finish. Cleverly written, with engaging twists and turns, along with a smattering of humor, this is a novel you won't want to put down. The story begins quite simply with the kidnapping of a college student. But quickly, it turns into a good guy, bad guy intrigue. You'll be on the edge of your seat, and perhaps a little queasy at times, as you follow Jonathan Grave, along with his friend and employee "Big Guy" as they work through the murk that comes from pure greed. As the story develops, one looming question is who are the good guys. Is it Grave who's job can force him to kill? Or is it, Irene Rivers, the FBI Director who wants the "incident" to disappear? Perhaps it's Gail Bonneville, the Sheriff of Samson, Indiana. When she took office, she promised to fulfill her duties without fail. Can she ignore the fact that she knows who saved the college student from his kidnappers, and who now has blood on his hands? At first, it appears that the kidnapped boy's parents, Stephenson and Julie Hughes are good guys. As the story unravels, however, not only are they responsible for something terrible, but their actions endanger their lives and many others. As in real life, it's not always easy to discern good from evil, but by this book's end, the good guys will leave an indelible mark on the reader's mind.

Gilstrap did a masterful job with "No Mercy". Not only did he weave a story with amazing character development to capture, and hold, the reader's attention, but he also provided an ending to be applauded. Too often, reader's enjoy the journey of a story only to be disappointed by a sappy, or poorly written, conclusion. Not so with Gilstrap. The ending leaves the reader wanting more suspense, more intrigue, and more Jonathan Grave.