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Mercy Watts Mysteries #8
Brain Trust
A quirky cozy mystery series from USA Today bestselling author A.W. Hartoin. For fans of Janet Evanovich, Tricia O'Malley, and Jana DeLeon... Coming home never felt so bad.Mercy Watts and her grandad, Ace, survived the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and are racing home ahead of a stalker whose plans for the Watts clan remain unknown. But they’re too slow and what Mercy finds at home spins her in a new and darker direction. Her mother has been attacked and figuring out what happened to Carolina will take Mercy back out to her least favorite place on Earth, Hunt Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Soon she’s sucking up to a serial killer and going toe-to-toe with a rogue rapist. Mercy wants to hand this case off to her father, Tommy Watts, but the great detective is missing in action, just when his family needs him most. So it’s up to Mercy and her nerd crew and they’re going to have to power through, battling the cops, the FBI, and a killer who has connections and no scruples.
- GenresCozy
428 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 3, 2017
131 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
A.W. Hartoin
47 books228 followersUSA Today bestselling author A.W. Hartoin grew up in rural Missouri, but her grandmother lived in the Central West End area of St. Louis. The CWE fascinated her with its enormous houses, every one unique. She was sure there was a story behind each ornate door. Going to Grandma’s house was a treat and an adventure. As the only grandchild around for many years, A.W. spent her visits exploring the many rooms with their many secrets. That’s how Mercy Watts and the fairies of Whipplethorn came to be.
As an adult, A.W. Hartoin decided she needed a whole lot more life experience if she was going to write good characters so she joined the Air Force. It was the best education she could’ve hoped for. She met her husband and traveled the world, living in Alaska, Italy, and Germany before settling in Colorado for nearly eleven years. Now A.W. has returned to Germany and lives in picturesque Waldenbuch with her family and two spoiled cats, who absolutely believe they should be allowed to escape and roam the village freely.
As an adult, A.W. Hartoin decided she needed a whole lot more life experience if she was going to write good characters so she joined the Air Force. It was the best education she could’ve hoped for. She met her husband and traveled the world, living in Alaska, Italy, and Germany before settling in Colorado for nearly eleven years. Now A.W. has returned to Germany and lives in picturesque Waldenbuch with her family and two spoiled cats, who absolutely believe they should be allowed to escape and roam the village freely.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 3, 2024
Such a clever writer
Ms. Hartoin manages to take the reader for a ride with mystery, history and snark. I love snark it make the conversations fly . What an incredible writer. She also has taught her readers about the Nazis and the death camps. Brilliant idea sad, story.
Ms. Hartoin manages to take the reader for a ride with mystery, history and snark. I love snark it make the conversations fly . What an incredible writer. She also has taught her readers about the Nazis and the death camps. Brilliant idea sad, story.
July 15, 2017
This might be the best of the whole series so far. I'm glad I stuck with it, because the first one made me so mad - mostly because of all the inaccuracies related to the University of Nebraska portions of the book.
Also, I need more Chuck.
Also, I need more Chuck.
July 18, 2017
Brain Trust by A. W. Hartoin is the eighth entry in the Mercy Watts Mysteries series. I just happened on the first Mercy book years ago, and I am so glad I did. A. W. Hartoin is a truly gifted author. I always say the latest book is the best book so far, and it’s always true. And I always say that I couldn’t put it down once I opened it and that’s also always true. What a treat a Mercy Watts story is. Too bad there isn’t a vending machine somewhere so that as soon as you finish the last one there is another one immediately available.
Believe me, you don’t want spoilers, so I’m going with the official description for Brain Trust to tell you what the story is about: Coming home never felt so bad. Mercy Watts and her grandad, Ace, survived the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and are racing home ahead of a stalker whose plans for the Watts clan remain unknown. But they’re too slow and what Mercy finds at home spins her in a new and darker direction, taking her back out to her least favorite place on Earth, Hunt Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Soon she’s sucking up to a serial killer and going toe-to-toe with a rogue rapist. Mercy wants to hand this case off to her father, Tommy Watts, but the great detective is missing in action, just when his family needs him most. So it’s up Mercy and her nerd crew and they’re going to have to power through, battling the cops, the FBI, and a killer who has connections and no scruples. Enough said to get your interest?
Remember, it’s Mercy, and what you see is what you get. And what you get is priceless, like when she goes to Hunt Hospital to see Blankenship and as the door closes on her way in she thinks to herself, “It’s fine. You’re not really crazy. They’ll let you out.” Or when someone overhears her talking on her phone and backs away and she thinks, “Some people. I get to shoot people in the face when they’re trying to stab me to death. Look it up, woman.” Or when she doesn’t want to be interrupted, “In a minute. I have diarrhea. That was all I could think of. A new low point in the life of Mercy Watts.” Priceless.
Brain Trust has all the elements of the previous Mercy stories – you laugh, you cry, you speed along trying to figure out the mystery – but this time the story is much darker and much more intense. And did I say the best one yet? You are going along trying to keep track of the clues to help Mercy and everyone around here get out of immediate danger, and then you do a head slap and realize that once again A. W. Hartoin has expertly woven the continuing threads of the Klinefeld Group and the Bleds into the current action. Everything ties together, more and more is revealed, but you still don’t have all the answers.
All of Mercy’s fabulous-but-odd crew is in attendance this time: Spidermonkey, Tiny, Morty and his girlfriend Nikki, Grandad, Aaron, Pete, The Girls, and of course Mercy’s boyfriend Chuck – with a repeat performance by Wallace the Wonder Dog, who makes you dig out the tissues a couple of times and whose superpower of peeing is put to good use, and the addition of a new favorite character: Fats.
Tommy isn’t around, so Mercy is left to figure things out on her own. She never feels like she is living up to her family’s expectations and this time is no different. When she recalls life with her parents as, “It’s never really been the three of us, just pairs switching out members.” you get a little insight into why she feels as she does.
Handsome, sexy Chuck is a little bit of an ass this time around, jealous, bossy and difficult. Aaron, on the other hand, is weird as ever but always there at the right time with just what Mercy needs, including feeding her and everyone in sight some mouth-watering food. When Nikki starts cooking too, you end up hungry throughout most of the book. I’m not quite ready to trade Chuck for Aaron – too, too weird – but Chuck needs to straighten up by the next book!
The mystery is well-developed, fast-paced, grabs you, and won’t let you go. The clues are there but we need Mercy to help us figure them out. Some of the scenes are downright creepy, and the danger feels real and like it’s just around every corner. The laugh-out-loud funny and the darkness are perfectly balanced so that the story has all of the humor and wit we are used to without trivializing the seriousness of the crimes.
Mercy, as always, is smart and sassy and droll and loyal and dedicated and stubborn. And really, really funny. And, as always, I completely forget that she is a Marilyn Monroe lookalike until people start having the usual reaction to it. Then the picture of her in my head is even better.
The mystery is satisfactorily resolved – but – like My Bad Grandad – Brain Trust ends with a cliffhanger about Mercy and her family’s history. And a little bit of redeeming makeup time with Chuck.
Note: I am part of the review team and was given an advance copy with a request to provide a fair and honest review. I also purchased a copy. I can’t wait to find out where Mercy’s story will go next, and neither should you.
Believe me, you don’t want spoilers, so I’m going with the official description for Brain Trust to tell you what the story is about: Coming home never felt so bad. Mercy Watts and her grandad, Ace, survived the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and are racing home ahead of a stalker whose plans for the Watts clan remain unknown. But they’re too slow and what Mercy finds at home spins her in a new and darker direction, taking her back out to her least favorite place on Earth, Hunt Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Soon she’s sucking up to a serial killer and going toe-to-toe with a rogue rapist. Mercy wants to hand this case off to her father, Tommy Watts, but the great detective is missing in action, just when his family needs him most. So it’s up Mercy and her nerd crew and they’re going to have to power through, battling the cops, the FBI, and a killer who has connections and no scruples. Enough said to get your interest?
Remember, it’s Mercy, and what you see is what you get. And what you get is priceless, like when she goes to Hunt Hospital to see Blankenship and as the door closes on her way in she thinks to herself, “It’s fine. You’re not really crazy. They’ll let you out.” Or when someone overhears her talking on her phone and backs away and she thinks, “Some people. I get to shoot people in the face when they’re trying to stab me to death. Look it up, woman.” Or when she doesn’t want to be interrupted, “In a minute. I have diarrhea. That was all I could think of. A new low point in the life of Mercy Watts.” Priceless.
Brain Trust has all the elements of the previous Mercy stories – you laugh, you cry, you speed along trying to figure out the mystery – but this time the story is much darker and much more intense. And did I say the best one yet? You are going along trying to keep track of the clues to help Mercy and everyone around here get out of immediate danger, and then you do a head slap and realize that once again A. W. Hartoin has expertly woven the continuing threads of the Klinefeld Group and the Bleds into the current action. Everything ties together, more and more is revealed, but you still don’t have all the answers.
All of Mercy’s fabulous-but-odd crew is in attendance this time: Spidermonkey, Tiny, Morty and his girlfriend Nikki, Grandad, Aaron, Pete, The Girls, and of course Mercy’s boyfriend Chuck – with a repeat performance by Wallace the Wonder Dog, who makes you dig out the tissues a couple of times and whose superpower of peeing is put to good use, and the addition of a new favorite character: Fats.
Tommy isn’t around, so Mercy is left to figure things out on her own. She never feels like she is living up to her family’s expectations and this time is no different. When she recalls life with her parents as, “It’s never really been the three of us, just pairs switching out members.” you get a little insight into why she feels as she does.
Handsome, sexy Chuck is a little bit of an ass this time around, jealous, bossy and difficult. Aaron, on the other hand, is weird as ever but always there at the right time with just what Mercy needs, including feeding her and everyone in sight some mouth-watering food. When Nikki starts cooking too, you end up hungry throughout most of the book. I’m not quite ready to trade Chuck for Aaron – too, too weird – but Chuck needs to straighten up by the next book!
The mystery is well-developed, fast-paced, grabs you, and won’t let you go. The clues are there but we need Mercy to help us figure them out. Some of the scenes are downright creepy, and the danger feels real and like it’s just around every corner. The laugh-out-loud funny and the darkness are perfectly balanced so that the story has all of the humor and wit we are used to without trivializing the seriousness of the crimes.
Mercy, as always, is smart and sassy and droll and loyal and dedicated and stubborn. And really, really funny. And, as always, I completely forget that she is a Marilyn Monroe lookalike until people start having the usual reaction to it. Then the picture of her in my head is even better.
The mystery is satisfactorily resolved – but – like My Bad Grandad – Brain Trust ends with a cliffhanger about Mercy and her family’s history. And a little bit of redeeming makeup time with Chuck.
Note: I am part of the review team and was given an advance copy with a request to provide a fair and honest review. I also purchased a copy. I can’t wait to find out where Mercy’s story will go next, and neither should you.
July 4, 2017
I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest review. I have read all previous Mercy Watts books and have enjoyed them all. I read this one in one sitting which speaks for itself. It kept me captivated and interested. When Mercy's mom gets attacked the writer handled that well with compassion and grace and I was moved at how scary this was for our main character. I don't like to give too much away in my reviews as I believe the reader should discover the joys of a book for themselves but I will say that I was not disappointed in this latest book at all. I have recommended it to my friends. I will say that I am glad that Wallace the pug is back home out of Mercy's feet because it was kinda getting annoying at times. I love all these characters and am absolutely dying to know what the connection to the Bleds is. I have my suspicions but I'm keeping my lips clamped shut! I really look forward to reading the Mercy books and I laugh out loud at some of the hijinx. I love her partner in crime solving Aaron who always comes with food. A little bit more of Chuck and I would be happier. Buy this book you'll love it x
July 3, 2017
Edge of your Seat Thriller!
Some books just grab you from the first page & hold on through the last. Hartoin's Mercy Watts series is that kind & her latest, Brain Trust, is the best one yet! It's a riveting thriller combining serial killers, the mob, the FBI, a secret conspiracy, & even a rock band, to create an edge-of-your seat intensity with characters that seep into your soul & a plot that does not quit. Love the addition of two new characters - Mary Elizabeth & her brother Rocco. Hope they stay around for a while. As the plot thickens & becomes more entangled Mercy continues plowing forward, following where her instincts & intuition lead her, no matter the risk involved. As always, laughs are provided by the eccentric chef savant, Aaron, who is constantly popping up with food & delicious hot chocolate whenever anyone needs it! This is an absolute stellar read, but not a stand alone. You must start at the beginning to understand all the nuances that drive Mercy to stop the evil that seems to attach itself to her & her family, especially the Bled legacy!
Some books just grab you from the first page & hold on through the last. Hartoin's Mercy Watts series is that kind & her latest, Brain Trust, is the best one yet! It's a riveting thriller combining serial killers, the mob, the FBI, a secret conspiracy, & even a rock band, to create an edge-of-your seat intensity with characters that seep into your soul & a plot that does not quit. Love the addition of two new characters - Mary Elizabeth & her brother Rocco. Hope they stay around for a while. As the plot thickens & becomes more entangled Mercy continues plowing forward, following where her instincts & intuition lead her, no matter the risk involved. As always, laughs are provided by the eccentric chef savant, Aaron, who is constantly popping up with food & delicious hot chocolate whenever anyone needs it! This is an absolute stellar read, but not a stand alone. You must start at the beginning to understand all the nuances that drive Mercy to stop the evil that seems to attach itself to her & her family, especially the Bled legacy!
July 8, 2017
Mercy’s Taking Names
I really loved this story! Mercy is pushed out of her comfort zone of depending on her Dad to be the ultimate fixer, and instead, she’s leading the pack. (“Clearly you have your priorities, you self-involved nut job!”) Yes!
Ok, Mercy and Grandad return from Sturgis and land immediately in a new series of problems. Mercy’s mom suffers a stroke, and part of the story is everyone working through that. Dealing with the aftermath of the stroke is so well handled that it blends seamlessly with the mystery and becomes one of the most interesting elements of the book.
This is not only about the Bled mystery, but includes a straight forward (well, sort of, you know?) set of murders, including betrayals, government coverups, families, and appearances by Blackie the Ghost Cat.
Seriously, this book is full out running at warp speed from the first page to the teaser at the end. I can’t wait to turn the page.
Yup, I received a copy for an honest review, but it was way too good not to buy it, too, so I did.
I really loved this story! Mercy is pushed out of her comfort zone of depending on her Dad to be the ultimate fixer, and instead, she’s leading the pack. (“Clearly you have your priorities, you self-involved nut job!”) Yes!
Ok, Mercy and Grandad return from Sturgis and land immediately in a new series of problems. Mercy’s mom suffers a stroke, and part of the story is everyone working through that. Dealing with the aftermath of the stroke is so well handled that it blends seamlessly with the mystery and becomes one of the most interesting elements of the book.
This is not only about the Bled mystery, but includes a straight forward (well, sort of, you know?) set of murders, including betrayals, government coverups, families, and appearances by Blackie the Ghost Cat.
Seriously, this book is full out running at warp speed from the first page to the teaser at the end. I can’t wait to turn the page.
Yup, I received a copy for an honest review, but it was way too good not to buy it, too, so I did.
August 5, 2017
I have loved every Mercy Watts story and Brain Trust is right up there such an emotional roller coaster, I wanted to shove a sock in Chucks pretty face more than once but I held off from actually killing him only because he really does love Mercy and he has done his whole life so he get's a bit of extra leeway when he is being a doofus butt head which he was a lot during this story lol...
There was a lot happening in Brain Trust and Mercy was just brilliant and figuring it all out along with her new sidekick/bodyguard Fats I just love her such an awesome new character.
This story was filled with twists, turns and roadblocks very entertaining.
There was a lot happening in Brain Trust and Mercy was just brilliant and figuring it all out along with her new sidekick/bodyguard Fats I just love her such an awesome new character.
This story was filled with twists, turns and roadblocks very entertaining.
August 13, 2017
This was a great sequel to My Bad Grandad so read it right afterwards to get the full effect. More characters in Mercy's life are revealed but I will not disclose. Mercy has lots of help or is it really
Hinderance in solving the crime against her mother. Is Mercy a Bled is not really answered but more info is given regarding this underlying puzzel to Mercy's life. There was lots of action and a few attempts on Mercy but she is smarter than her adversaries. The ending is really good and obviously the mystery regarding Stella's connection to Mercy's family continues. I wait patiently for the next book.
Hinderance in solving the crime against her mother. Is Mercy a Bled is not really answered but more info is given regarding this underlying puzzel to Mercy's life. There was lots of action and a few attempts on Mercy but she is smarter than her adversaries. The ending is really good and obviously the mystery regarding Stella's connection to Mercy's family continues. I wait patiently for the next book.
March 11, 2021
I love this series. This book and maybe the last one a little but this one for sure felt more like a serial than a series. So much had happened in the last two books that made a play on the story. The characters are delightful and quirky. I hope it wraps up the history element soon so we can move on. I don’t read these one after another so remembering them is hard. But I do like the books. I don’t think I have as many hours in my days as Mercy has in hers.
October 9, 2023
another fantastic Mercy Watts story
I do so love this series. Mercy returns from Sturgis to an empty house. After Blackie appears she finds her mother, a victim of a major stroke. The ensuing chaos is a story of determination, family loyalty, love. And in all this chaos, Mercy discovers a major mystery that explains so much about the attacks on her family. I could not put this book down!
I do so love this series. Mercy returns from Sturgis to an empty house. After Blackie appears she finds her mother, a victim of a major stroke. The ensuing chaos is a story of determination, family loyalty, love. And in all this chaos, Mercy discovers a major mystery that explains so much about the attacks on her family. I could not put this book down!
November 23, 2024
Page Turner
Once again, I've had little sleep due to the wonderful Mercy Watts.
It's a very long time since a series has kept me reading until the early hours of the morning but the last three nights I've been up until well past midnight.
Once again, I've had little sleep due to the wonderful Mercy Watts.
It's a very long time since a series has kept me reading until the early hours of the morning but the last three nights I've been up until well past midnight.
February 19, 2018
Wonder of the moment
This is fun, sad, loving. A best mystery with toes curling. The end is not, the future most ready to thrill.
This is fun, sad, loving. A best mystery with toes curling. The end is not, the future most ready to thrill.
March 21, 2020
The usual
I had a little trouble with this book keeping my attention. Probably due to my lack of concentration. The usual
Mercy book
I had a little trouble with this book keeping my attention. Probably due to my lack of concentration. The usual
Mercy book
May 2, 2023
Still good
While not as good as the first few this was a good read. They have been getting darker and the humor less frequent and less fun.
While not as good as the first few this was a good read. They have been getting darker and the humor less frequent and less fun.
July 16, 2023
Brain Trust
CrackIng good read, Mercy is a fast paced, amazing, underestimated woman, who really gets to the heart of the action. Can’t wait to read the next one
CrackIng good read, Mercy is a fast paced, amazing, underestimated woman, who really gets to the heart of the action. Can’t wait to read the next one
September 25, 2023
I really liked this book. I’m happy Carolina and Tiny are going to be ok. This was a fun read. Except for the Stella bled story lines. They are really boring.
June 30, 2020
A journey
As always Mercy and her family weave in and out of unforseen trouble and murder-but it all makes sense. The author is so adept at writing dialogue its funny, sad, every emotion and self deprecation makes Mercy a friend. Fats is a fun addition
As always Mercy and her family weave in and out of unforseen trouble and murder-but it all makes sense. The author is so adept at writing dialogue its funny, sad, every emotion and self deprecation makes Mercy a friend. Fats is a fun addition
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews