{"id":2676,"date":"2024-12-09T21:29:25","date_gmt":"2024-12-09T20:29:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/minimal-kritikak.hu\/en\/?p=2676"},"modified":"2024-12-13T21:30:33","modified_gmt":"2024-12-13T20:30:33","slug":"no-mercy-by-joanna-schaffhausen-book-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/minimal-kritikak.hu\/en\/2024\/12\/09\/no-mercy-by-joanna-schaffhausen-book-review\/","title":{"rendered":"No Mercy by Joanna Schaffhausen \u2013 Book Review"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"No<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Ellery Hathaway, a police officer, shot a ruthless criminal under controversial circumstances, which got her put on mandatory leave. Now, the protagonist of No Mercy<\/em> is being required by her psychiatrist to join a group therapy program designed for victims of violent crimes. Ellery, who survived being abducted by a serial killer<\/strong> in her youth, still can\u2019t seem to escape her past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But once a cop, always a cop. Group therapy is an ideal place to stumble upon numerous unsolved or puzzling cases<\/strong>. A particularly brutal rapist? Smoldering tensions in an old arson case? Ellery dives into the investigation, sparing no one \u2013 least of all herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Distinctive Detective<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Joanna Schaffhausen begins No Mercy<\/em> in a way that\u2019s almost misleading. Recently, there\u2019s been a trend of books featuring slightly sociopathic anti-heroines, who takes down her own family or colleagues in a lighthearted way, or gets mistaken for a dangerous assassin. Well, the opening line of No Mercy<\/em> seems to channel this same genre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it only takes a few pages to realize you’re mistaken. Schaffhausen quickly builds a heavy atmosphere<\/strong>, and before you know it, you’re drawn in by Ellery Hathaway, a character who carries both physical and emotional scars \u2013 and your sympathy along with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

This isn\u2019t one of those Scandinavian-style crime stories where the detective wallows in their own misery. Ellery simply appears to have accepted her circumstances, recognizing that, for her, there is no way out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that’s what you just can\u2019t believe! You simply have to see No Mercy<\/em> through to the end!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No Mercy \u2013 For the Criminals!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ellery may be vulnerable and unable to form close bonds with others, but she certainly isn\u2019t lacking in determination. If Michael Connelly\u2019s justice-driven heroes come to mind, you wouldn\u2019t be far off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ellery is just as unstoppable, independent, and dismissive of the rules as jazz-loving Detective Bosch (see The Concrete Blonde) or even the exotic-looking Ren\u00e9e Ballard (see The Late Show). And Joanna Schaffhausen holds her own alongside Connelly in terms of authenticity.

The crimes in No Mercy<\/em> could almost be described as ordinary. A rape case barely causes anyone to bat an eye anymore, and the arson happened about 25 years ago. Yet Schaffhausen skillfully weaves these threads, ensuring that each case holds your attention on its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first case is straightforwardly thrilling, mainly because Ellery dares to get close to genuinely dangerous figures and even risks her own physical safety at times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for the fire, while there aren\u2019t any big twists, anyone who crosses paths with Ellery and her FBI sidekick, Agent Markham, ends up looking suspicious as hell!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the end, Schaffhausen proves that a story can have a powerful, satisfying conclusion<\/strong> without intense shootouts or action\u2014although \u201csatisfying\u201d may be a stretch here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No Mercy \u2013 But Maybe Some Hope<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Joanna Schaffhausen takes her time exploring the personal lives of her characters. These threads, which in other books might feel like filler, actually enhance No Mercy<\/em>. Ellery Hathaway naturally wins over the reader\u2019s heart<\/strong> right away, but Reed Markham also has his own appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agent Markham, freshly divorced and lonely, was the one who rescued Ellery from her kidnapper, and since then has felt responsible for her fate. However, this excessive sense of personal responsibility might not be the only reason he prioritizes Ellery over everything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most captivating parts of No Mercy<\/em> is how Reed slowly, hesitantly comes to terms with his feelings and tries cautiously to break through the self-imposed barriers of the emotionally withdrawn Ellery. He doesn\u2019t have an easy task, that\u2019s for sure \u2013 he\u2019ll likely need several more books<\/strong>\u2019 worth of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rating: 7.9\/10<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

No Mercy<\/em> (Ellery Hathaway #2) by Joanna Schaffhausen
307 pages, Hardcover
Published in 2019 by Minotaur Books<\/a>
—
You may also like:
The Last Move by Mary Burton<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ellery Hathaway, a police officer, shot a ruthless criminal under controversial circumstances, which got her put on mandatory leave. Now, the protagonist of No Mercy is being required by her psychiatrist to join a group therapy program designed for victims of violent crimes. Ellery, who survived being abducted by a serial killer in her youth, … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[194,25,180,90,100,55,114,32,83,39,241,187],"class_list":["post-2676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book","tag-character-driven","tag-crime","tag-dark-and-grim","tag-detective-novel","tag-female-protagonist","tag-mystery","tag-police-procedural","tag-psychological-thriller","tag-suspense","tag-thriller","tag-trauma","tag-vigilante-justice"],"yoast_head":"\nNo Mercy by Joanna Schaffhausen \u2013 Book Review - minimal-Critiques<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"No Mercy is a dark and gritty Nordic Noir\u2014set in Boston. 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