Without Mercy

A Body Farm Novel

By: Jefferson Bass

Narrated by: Tom Stechschulte

In the most suspenseful installment of the New York Times best-selling Body Farm series to date, forensic anthropologist Dr. Bill Brockton investigates a bizarre murder - and confronts a deadly enemy he thought he'd put behind bars for good.

Forensic anthropologist Bill Brockton has spent 25 years solving brutal murders - but none so horrific and merciless as his latest case: A ravaged set of skeletal remains is found scattered in the woods of nearby Cook County. They are all that is left of a victim who had been chained, hand and foot, to a tree on a remote mountainside. The bones tell Brockton and his longtime graduate assistant, Miranda, that the victim was a young male under the age of thirty. As they dig deeper to establish his identity, they uncover warning signs that long-simmering hatred is about to explode into violence, engulfing the region in chaos.

But the shocking case is only the beginning of Brockton's trials. In the middle of the troubling investigation, the unthinkable happens. The most frightening and deadliest criminal Brockton has ever foiled - the sadistic serial killer Nick Satterfield - escapes from prison, bent on wreaking vengeance. And he's had nearly 20 years to plan.

Simply killing Brockton isn't enough. Satterfield wants to make his nemesis suffer first, by destroying everything Brockton holds dear: his son, his daughter-in-law, and his grandsons and even Miranda, who's now on the verge of completing her PhD and launching a forensic career of her own.

Barraged by dangers striking from all directions, haunted by the ghosts of old cases, and desperate to save those he loves, Brockton finds himself slipping closer to the abyss. Pushed to the edge, he is forced to question the two pillars that have guided his life and his entire career - the justice system and the quality of mercy. Can the two truly coexist?

If he cannot reconcile these principles, which will Brockton choose in his ultimate moment of truth?

A harrowing, thoughtful, and provocative tale that explores what happens when one honorable, rational man is tested beyond all measure, Without Mercy is a powerful exploration that raises uneasy questions about justice and revenge, compassion and principle, the desire to kill and the will to survive.

©2016 Jefferson Bass, LLC (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

Needs an editor

This is a solid story with lots of technical detail and obviously rigorous research; however, there is just too much quaint dialogue / banter between all of the primary characters. And, skirting controversial political topics is rarely a good idea. You risk losing half of your audience for no practical “gain” for the story.

As good as the rest!

Loved this one! Hope there will be more! Pacing and storyline were awesome. One of my favorite series.

Tough and Tender

I love novels about areas of forensic science. As this novel and all of the Bill Brockton novels are written by an actual forensic anthropologist the knowledge gained is true. Well written, great characters and captive story. Keep writing guys.

Loose the political preaching

Could've been another Jefferson Bass home run but they chose to make it a lecture in liberal politics.

Entertaining, couldn't put it down

Good from beginning to the end. When it gets to a gruesome part you would always hate the bad guy. Also the book also bring mix feelings, happy, sad, tears, hate, and anger. I take my hat off to Jefferson Bass and I can't wait for the next book.

Good read

What did you like best about Without Mercy? What did you like least?

I always look forward to the body farm novels! Always an exciting and detailed storyline.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I was disappointed at the amount of political issues that the authors included in this book. It really took away from the exciting storylines and forensics that I love about the body farm novels. While it is commendable to write a story about social justice, I personally think that this would have been better left to another genre.

What does Tom Stechschulte bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I love his familiar, kind voice that is full of character.

Did Without Mercy inspire you to do anything?

no.

As always …

Terrific! I have met and seen Dr Bass aka Bill Brockton. The series is e a Glynn like the real thing!!!!

Excellent Book

Another excellent body farm novel. Cannot wait for the next one. Jefferson Bass is my favorite author and every book is better than the last.

i rarely cry when listening to books

This is the most recently written, and only my second, Body Farm book. i was surprised and moved to hear references to our country's most recent elections, and the surge of hate rhetoric and crime. But it was the death of Wayland and the Dr's emotion filled accounting of the mo.ents leading up to his last dying declaration of his love for his girl that opened the flood gates. The performance is astoundingly real..

Agree w/others..skip politics too distracting

This is my least favorite book of the series. This book made Dr. B seem meek and less confident than in previous books. I choose audio books to escape the cable news chaos yet…here it is. History is always a great way to weave a story but the way it was presented in this book was so distracting on top of a somewhat scattered storyline. Plus there were several rough edits. Also why Waylon? Boo!! Glad Decker and Dr. B got their guy!