Cry Mercy

By Toni Andrews

I just want a normal life…even if I'm not entirely sure I'm human.

My name is Mercy Hollings and I'm a successful hypnotherapist in Balboa, California. The problem is, my good fortune is dependent on a dark secret. I can make people do whatever I want using telepathy, a power I call "the press." And that ability has hurt some people I never wanted to hurt, so I try to keep it under wraps. I also try to keep people at a distance…at least, I used to.

Recently a group of fearless characters broke through my self-imposed walls and became my friends: Sukey, my receptionist-turned-P.I. Tino, a Chicano gang leader Hilda, a wealthy society widow Grant, a retired millionaire–and Sam, my sexy-as-hell ex-boyfriend. But with friends comes drama.

Tino has inadvertently led me into the dark world of gang violence, and Sukey has pushed me into searching for my biological parents, the only people who can finally tell me who–or what–I really am.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Nov 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781408954690

Toni Andrews

Toni Lea Andrews was born in Hartford, Connecticut. The child of older parents, she became a "snow bird" when they retired while she was still in first grade. She graduated from high school near their retirement community in Stuart, Florida and then spent a year in Kentucky before returning to finish college in Connecticut. While working as a traveling salesperson a few years later, Toni fell in love with the beach-front town of Balboa, California and quit her job in order to move there. She stayed for fifteen years before her career as a business analyst took her to Miami. Now writing full time, Toni is back in New England, living in the tiny lakeside cottage where she spent summers as a child. She returns to Balboa whenever she can and has been delighted to find the town still retains its unique character and charm.

Reviews for Cry Mercy

[tldegray-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Mercy's friend Tino needs her help to negotiate his way out of gang leadership. Her friend Sukey is pushing her to speak to the foster parents that gave her up. Mercy herself is still interested in finding more about the only other person she's met who can do what she does.

Big, huge secrets come out in this book. I'm longing for another because I really want to know what happens to Mercy next.

[lizard_698959 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

"For her first trick Mercy takes down a drug dealer pretty much on her own. Then for the second she takes down a ring of child porn film makers. Ok wasn't happy about that one but oh well. Then for the thrid Mercy book she helps Tino get out of the gang and yet again kills another person. I'm not sure what I would expect mercy to do next or that I will be tuning in to find out although I am kind of curious what exactly she is."

[pacey1927 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have really enjoyed this series from the get go. In this volume, our favorite hypnotist with powers has several things to deal with on the table. She meets her ex boyfriend Sam's father who is suffereing from Altzheimers, she continues the search into her mysterious birth and adoption and she finds herself right in the middle of her friend Tino's inner gang war. Tino wants to leave the gang and wants safe passage for himself and his younger brother. That Mercy just may be able to help is a bonus. This series isn't great because of Mercy's powers or even the action that intermingles through the stories. This series is great because of the amazing cast of supporting characters Mercy has around her. Hilda the sociatlite, Tino the gang leader, Grant, a millionaire, and Sukey, the best friend with telepathic powers herself. Add in Cupcake the dog and we have one of the most well rounded, character driven series on the market today. The only reason for a four rather than five star rating is because Tino's story takes up the majority of this book, and I didn't think it was nearly as interesting as the subplots. I did find Tino's mother and brother interesting characters in their own right. I am very excited to read future volumes in this series.

[jjmachshev_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I like Toni Andrews 'Mercy' series and her latest "Cry Mercy" had me glued to the pages. This isn't really a romance, per se; there are romantic elements, but this is essentially the story of a woman with unusual abilities living her life. Her differences and the reactions of people in her past have caused her to close herself off. Recent experiences though, have brought her into contact with people-some with special talents, some without-and she's learning that EVERYONE is different in some way. So although this series so far has centered on her growing talents and her struggle to use them without abusing herself or others, for me it's just a fascinating series of stories about someone struggling to be themself and be happy...and find love of course.Mercy works as a hypnotherapist, very convenient since she has the ability to 'push' her wishes on others. Her work gives her the opportunity to use those talents to help others and keep the talent from escaping her control. Recently, she's noticed some changes in her talent and that's not necessarily a good thing. She's also become involved with a group of 'friends', very different for the loner Mercy's always tried to be. But now having friends means trying to help them, and somehow Mercy has become involved in trying to save a friend and his younger brother from continued life in a gang, but to do that she'll have to use her 'push' in ways she's never tried before. Mercy also delves into her past; trying to discover more about her birth parents and prove, once and for all, if she's really human...or something more.If you've not read any of the Mercy books, I wouldn't suggest beginning here--you'll miss alot of the changes in Mercy's life that make each book so engrossing. Toni Andrews' style of writing works well as Mercy tells her story in the first person and let's us peer inside her mind and her struggles in using her ability without crossing the moral boundaries she's set for herself. That personal touch of being inside Mercy's head is part of what makes this such an 'unputdownable' series. Like I said, not exactly your normal romance. More of a fantasy with light romantic elements, mystery, and some action. Or maybe just the story of an unusual woman...or you could always read it and decide for yourself!

[frykitty · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In this third installment of the excellent Mercy Hollings series, Mercy, a psychic who can “push” people to do her will, faces her 30th birthday, a startling revelation about her ruined childhood, and dangerous confrontations with street gangs.Tino, leader of a powerful local gang, has been trying to go straight with the help of some of Mercy’s friends. To finally release himself from the Hombres Locos, he must negotiate a delicate deal with not only his own gang, but the leaders of several other gangs in the region. He recruits Mercy to help him “hypnotize” the other leaders into agreeing to his terms that will free not only him, but his reluctant little brother.Andrews is a master of teasing out little bits of information on the long arc (Mercy’s origins), and giving us a great story for the immediate arc. None of her characters are dull, and Tino is one of the best. In Cry Mercy, we learn about Tino and his family, meeting some interesting new faces along the way.Mercy’s integration into “normal” life–a life with friends–continues, as she reluctantly accepts a 30th birthday party from Sukey, and quietly deals with Sam’s continued presence in her life. She has been forced to trust some, and is learning to trust others.I continue to be absolutely taken with this series, and cannot recommend it highly enough.