No Mercy (A Valerie Law FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 1)

Written by Blake Pierce

Narrated by Maria Cusick

From #1 bestselling mystery and suspense author Blake Pierce comes a gripping new series: when a serial killer escapes from a mental hospital, the FBI creates an elite unit to target criminally-insane killers. FBI Special Agent Valerie Law, a rising star, is the perfect candidate—but for Valerie, this case may just hit too close to home.

“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery.”
—Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)

With an insane killer on a spree, the clock is ticking for Valerie and her partner—and the brilliant psychiatrist on their team—to enter his mind and stop him before he strikes again. The twisted pathway to his psyche takes them down the dark road of the killer’s past, into orphanages, alienated family members, and shattered survivors.

It is a road that may be too dark for even Valerie—one of the best BAU agents—to head down. She has tried too hard to escape her own past to withstand much more on her psyche.

And when the killer sets his sights on her, it may just be her final undoing.

Is Valerie one step ahead of this killer?

Or has she walked right into a trap?

A page-turning crime thriller featuring a brilliant and haunted new female protagonist, the VALERIE LAW mystery series is packed with suspense and driven by a breakneck pace that will keep you turning pages late into the night.

NO MERCY is book #1, and books #2 and #3 in the series—NO PITY and NO FEAR—are now also available.

“An edge of your seat thriller in a new series that keeps you turning pages! ...So many twists, turns and red herrings… I can't wait to see what happens next.”
—Reader review (Her Last Wish)

“A strong, complex story about two FBI agents trying to stop a serial killer. If you want an author to capture your attention and have you guessing, yet trying to put the pieces together, Pierce is your author!”
—Reader review (Her Last Wish)

“A typical Blake Pierce twisting, turning, roller coaster ride suspense thriller. Will have you turning the pages to the last sentence of the last chapter!!!”
—Reader review (City of Prey)

“Right from the start we have an unusual protagonist that I haven't seen done in this genre before. The action is nonstop… A very atmospheric novel that will keep you turning pages well into the wee hours.”
—Reader review (City of Prey)

“Everything that I look for in a book… a great plot, interesting characters, and grabs your interest right away. The book moves along at a breakneck pace and stays that way until the end. Now on go I to book two!”
—Reader review (Girl, Alone)

“Exciting, heart pounding, edge of your seat book… a must read for mystery and suspense readers!”
—Reader review (Girl, Alone)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lukeman Literary Management
• Release date: Aug 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9781094324654

Blake Pierce

Blake Pierce is author of the #1 bestselling RILEY PAGE mystery series, which include the mystery suspense thrillers ONCE GONE (book #1), ONCE TAKEN (book #2) and ONCE CRAVED (#3). An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Blake loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.blakepierceauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

Reviews for No Mercy (A Valerie Law FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 1)

[Tracy pye · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I've got to chapter three and just can't listen any more... Firstly you have a weird British accent portraying an FBI Agent. And all the other characters who are supposed to be American are also English. Secondly the narrator obviously cannot read grammer very well as she breathes and pauses in all the wrong places making it sound jumpy and disjointed. Shame really because I would actually like to finish the book as it sounds like it has potential......I'm going to have to read it instead as listening is painful......

[Michelle D · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent storyline, if a little wild. Less than gifted narrator. Worth sticking it out for the storyline.

[RoseZapel · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was an interesting story that was really damaged by narration. Book is about FBI team but narrator is British. That was weird but narrator style was also overly dramatic and her breathy tone and style got in the way of the story. At least for me.

[Alexxa Schoeman · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I could not get past the narrator. Breathy, overly dramatic and just impossible to listen to. Sorry.

[Monique-Claire Joubert · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Interesting storyline, but listening was a chore. An American city, American characters, British narrator? And not even that great a narrator. Spoiled the experience.

[Teacher · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

The only way to tolerate the narrator’s weird pacing, overdramatic delivery (what FBI agents would sound so distraught at a crime scene?), and British accent for an entirely American cast of characters was to listen at 2.5x speed, and even then I couldn’t sit through it all. The leaps taken by the profilers are nonsensical, as is the killer himself. There’s no payoff when the seemingly brilliant psychopath from the beginning of the story ends up having mush for brains.

And surely the FBI does psych evals on agents? Can’t imagine them making someone with so much unaddressed trauma a profiler. Add in the clearly British writer publishing under the Blake Pierce umbrella (the language use gives it away), and this picture of silliness is complete.

[Joan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm not crazy about the narrator. The story is riveting. I'm going for the 2nd book.

[Cathy Davey · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Narrator not the right type for this novel to much like Thomas the tank engine

[Tracy Gould-Moonan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful I loved it!! Great story and ending was very good

[Brenda Thibault · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The narrator was the worst I’ve ever listened to! I think the book might have been good, but couldn’t get past chapter 3 with the horrendous narration.

[Shanbriel Woolridge · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really enjoyed this book! Definitely looking forward to the remaining books in the series.

[Cathy Cook · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I’ve read a lot of Blake Pierces’ novels. I enjoyed that finally this was more of a mystery that could be solved. Although I dislike guns and don’t want them used it seems that it would be OK for an agent to use them. this is the first one I have read where the FBI agents didn’t lose their guns every time they go to use them. They always lose them in her books.

[Susan Leipsner · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Once again, another Blake Pierce Series with a FAIl on narration. Please stop with the foreign accented narration of plots set in the USA, unless the characters are all foreign agents! Not only that but this breathy and over acted vocalization is extremely annoying. A great narration gives you a sense that you are on location. The narrator should not be part of the feel or characteristics of the story...they should be like a good clock..present and in time, but not an annoying reminder that they are there.

[Ian Hughes · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really likable characters, that wants you to read the next chapter. Brilliant story with lots of twists and turns. Definitely will read the next in the series

[NNEAMAKA PAYNE · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another story line with many more different characters with their victims but each madman has their own ways of tormenting to bring on the women they have taken.

FBI Special Agent Valerie Law has a seriously mentally disturbed escaped serial killer to find. Bent on revenging his past tormentor's brutal childhood treatment he received at their hands. Seemingly switching between his various personas, how is he functioning highly one moment, then childlike the next. Can Law and her team track and capture him before he succeeds? Parallels of her troubled childhood also raise their heads to test her own mental fortitude. Gripping storytelling from the outset. Great read.

[susan Bennett · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I think this was Ms Pierce’s best book yet! Can’t wait for another!

[Kerr Howell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoy Blake’s work. Not only do you get a good thriller, but you also get a lot of character development and connection to a lot of different characters in the story. Now time for the next book.