"Fatal Frost" by Nancy Mehl

Fatal Frost (Nov. 1, 2016) by Nancy Mehl.*

Although her father was mostly absent during her growing up years, U.S. Marshal Mercy Brennan still followed in his law enforcement footsteps. Her father’s recent reappearance in St. Louis (STL) has put Mercy in the sights of STL’s most powerful gang, and this puts her in danger enough that could end her career. Or worse, her life. Because of these very valid concerns, Mercy’s boss assigns Deputy U.S. Marshal Mark St. Laurent – Mercy’s ex-boyfriend – and the St. Louis PD allows her best friend, Lieutenant Tally Williams, to provide protection for her. She does not know the true story, but when they are stranded in a remote, unknown location during a blizzard/ice storm, the seriousness of their situation becomes crystal clear. They have not reached their destination of Piedmont, MO, and they have no way to contact their bosses with communications down. Mother Nature and the potential enemy lurking nearby (maybe in that barn over there) puts everyone in significant danger. How do you find someone when you don’t know where they are?

            A remote location, danger in the storm and bad guys stir the pot to brew up this suspenseful, inspirational fiction caper. This story throws you right into the action from the first chapter and keeps going. I could do without the romantic plight, but that is trivial. The tension can be gripping, and you root for Mercy, the strong female lead who’s so good at hiding her emotions, but that you can also tell struggles, especially with her faith. Like all of us, she has room to grow, and Mehl displays that, while balancing Mercy’s obvious strength and independence. This romantic suspense series is one I wouldn’t mind following as this literary journey continues beyond this first story in her ‘Defenders of Justice’ series.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”