Mercy

by Peter Bradshaw, Joanna Scanlan (Narrator), Dempsey Bovell (Narrator)

Care comes at a cost.

On her final shift before forced retirement, nurse Allison is ready to tell her story. But this is no ordinary farewell. As the hospital clock ticks towards midnight, she unravels a web of compassion, calculation, and cold-blooded justice that will make you question everything you know about care, mercy, and survival.

Performed by BAFTA Award winner Joanna Scanlan and written by acclaimed film critic Peter Bradshaw, MERCY is a darkly comic thriller with a twist that gently questions the boundary between care and something else entirely.

Also featuring Dempsey Bovell, Jason Forbes, Lesley Hart, David Holt, Finbar Lynch and Carl Prekopp.

Available in Dolby Atmos on Audible.

Genres: Audiobook, Crime, Fiction

Audible Audio

Published January 15, 2026

About the author

Peter Bradshaw is a British writer and film critic. He was a pupil at the independent Haberdashers' Aske's school in Hertfordshire,[1] and studied Modern Languages at Cambridge University, where he was president of Footlights.
Bradshaw is the film critic for The Guardian. Before joining The Guardian, Bradshaw was employed by the Evening Standard for whom he wrote a series of parodic diary entries purporting to written by the Conservative MP and historian Alan Clark which he thought deceptive and were the subject of a court case resolved in January 1998. The court found in Clark's favour, granting an injunction, deciding that Bradshaw's articles were then being published in a form that "a substantial number of readers" would believe they were genuinely being written by Alan Clark.[2] Bradshaw found it "the most bizarre and surreal business of my professional life. I'm very flattered that Mr Clark should go to all this trouble and expense in suing me like this."[3]
Peter Bradshaw has written a novel, Dr Sweet and his Daughter, published in 2004. He also wrote and performed a BBC radio programme titled For One Horrible Moment, recorded 10 October 1998 and first broadcast 20 January 1999. The programme chronicled a young man's coming of age in 1970s Cambridgeshire. He also co-wrote and acted in David Baddiel's sitcom Baddiel's Syndrome.

Reviews

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 - was a bit rubbish but she was funny at times and enjoyed her delusion that she was always right

[Nikki Edmonds · Rating 1 out of 5]

0.75⭐️ I’ve got to learn to DNF books 😅

[Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started off really strong and was giving Dawn French pisstake vibes! But I do feel it peaked early and instead of saving best for last.. it served up the ace card for an entree.

It follows nurse Allison on her last shift pre forced retirement which sparks a little trip down memory lane with a little don’t try me. And there’s one reoccurring theme here.. and that’s care comes at a cost. Her storytelling unravels a web of turmoil to which she too often was the victim and it will leave the average Joe questioning everything they know about care giving.. as boundaries are clearly blurred by survival means trumping any form of mercy.

The audio version of this was entertaining and the voice over narrators did a fabulous job at bringing this to life. It felt like a stage skit at a dark comedy festival. The light heartedness that iced the heaviness of it all is the epitome that is nursing.. and that is laughing or else you cry. One minute it’s unwell bedside.. next minute it’s fancy watches and cars and a hospital betting scheme! You really had no idea what was coming next and even though it felt her career was in a repetitive loop.. it didn’t stop making me smile as it played along.

To all my nurses out there who ride on that other wave length separate to the rest of the world.. your sarcasm soul will eat this right up and the giggles will satiate any burn out energy. It’s a quick, one sitting listen that will cure any bad shift feels.

This was book 3 for 2026 and despite not loving the end it’s still a yes from me!

#reviewsshewrote #52booksin52weeks #myescape #whatcodyreadnext #lucyscore

[Jacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook narrated by Joanna Scanlon and others.
A short, darkly comic soliloquy from Allison, an elderly-care nurse on the cusp of requirement. She reflects on her life and nursing career, her previous partners and the gambling ring she ran in the hospital. And then there’s the analgesics… There’s a twist. Joanna Scanlon narrates, with other narrators doing voices.

[Emily Burns · Rating 1 out of 5]

I should of stopped while I was ahead. lol just idk. Bad.

[lucy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pointless

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

This Audible Original had an interesting premise and a very believable lead performance from Joanna Scanlan, but the story itself didn’t fully land for me. The concept was intriguing and the morally gray ethical tension was clear, yet the execution felt more okay than great. The character wasn’t portrayed as especially compassionate, which made the story lean more into uncomfortable moral territory than emotional connection. The full performance format worked really well and felt similar to a Graphic Audio style production, which I always enjoy because it pulls you into the scene quickly. The length also worked for what the story was trying to do — it was short, contained, and easy to finish in one sitting. Overall, it was a decent quick listen, but it’s not one I’ll think about again or actively recommend.

Who should listen: Listeners who enjoy morally gray character studies or short Audible Originals with a strong performance-driven format.

[Bodies in the Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

I downloaded this Audible Original to listen to while finishing some admin, and it delivered exactly what I was seeking.

Three stars from me means that it's well-written and I believe the author and performers have achieved their aims, and I would recommend it to others, even though I personally didn't all in love with it.

Main character Allison has had a bit of a sad life, really, but she keeps on going through, it seems, an extreme ability to delude herself. There are some good one-liners, and her total lack of self-pity makes it an entertaining listen despite the inevitably grim subject-matter, and the listener is left to decide for themselves whether or not mercy has been carried out.

[Catherine Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a tricky one for me to rate! So I’m going 2.5 ⭐️ rounded to 3 ⭐️ because it was a fun little free listen on audible +

I am always interested in a book about nurses/doctors/anything medical so when I saw dark comedy thriller that was a very short listen, I couldn’t say no!

I feel like it had so much potential to be a proper dark thriller if it was longer. There was enough oh my goodness moment that it was engaging, and myself as a nurse, was quite disturbed 😅
There were some funny and relatable moments, hence my rating.. but it was lacking something to give it that oomph it was aiming for!

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Performed by the brilliant Joanna Scanlan this short story full of bitter truths is dark in places and funny throughout!

Musings on care, death, deception and everything in between in super short chapters full of sarcastic, sassy observations about a range of situations that we can all (mostly!) relate to…
I chuckled all the way through this!

[MagicaCat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars because it was reasonably funny - but only two because the humour is sophomoric at best and I forwarded through a good chunk of it because constant raving about smoking and sex, and smoking and sex oh and sex and sex and smoking and sex got old REALLY fast.
Jfc, get a hobby.

[Sandra Leivesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella, which is free with Audible Plus, is a dark comedy, performed by the wonderful Joanna Scanlon and a supporting cast, which made me snigger out loud whilst out walking my dogs. My only complaint is that I wanted more!

[Karin Baxter · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not sure what the focus of this short story was supposed to be, nor do I think the author knew. While this was a quick read, and there were some, infrequent, laughs to be had, I found the whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth and made me upset at the state of the UK's health service.

[Autumn Telles · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little unhinged. Had a little bit of a hard time keeping up because the stories just kept going and going. But the drama and craziness is what made it.

[Tammy Horvath · Rating 4 out of 5]

A weird but enjoyable listen on Audible. I had several laughs and found this book very entertaining.

[Daniel Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and solid audiobook excellently performed and with an expected but fun twist towards the end.

[Regis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, dark, funny listen. Good narration.

[Trish · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Even for a very short story, it was a waste of my time. Nothing but smoking, sex and taking advantage of patients before killing them.

[Mahayana Dugast · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unhinged and funny.

[Sw33t_Nicci · Rating 4 out of 5]

very entertaining

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short audiobook

[Bailey Van Vlack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting little listen. Not sure it was my cup of tea, but it was okay

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bizarre. Not sure it was worth the listen!

[Melody Dugan · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was short but sweet. It was an interesting view of what a nurse could possibly have the opportunity to do. I wasn’t really impressed.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was not overly impressed with this...I hoped for a quick listen that would be gripping and intriguing but instead, I got a plot that lacked depth and characters who were predictable. A shame!

[Wendy Posten · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short Audible freebie. A perfect bedtime story! The narrator’s voice is diabolical yet motherly in the best way

[Patricia Quinlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to read this to get the m for my 2026 alphabet challange so it served its perpous it was fine short story but lacked something I cant fully put my finger on

[Noor 🎀 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m surprised the ratings are so low! It was an easy listen and allowed an insight into a different world.

[Macey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audible
Good potential for a fleshed out thriller.