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Help me! Please!”
With their jobs in the spy world on suspension, all Nate and Jar wanted was a little vacation time out of the city. But not even two days on the road, their plans are hijacked by a teen’s cry.
What starts out as helping the kid out of a tricky situation leads Nate and Jar into a dark world of fire and hate, of greed and corruption.
As much as they might want to continue on their way, neither would ever do so.
Because helping those who aren’t in a position to help themselves is Nate and Jar’s specialty.
With their jobs in the spy world on suspension, all Nate and Jar wanted was a little vacation time out of the city. But not even two days on the road, their plans are hijacked by a teen’s cry.
What starts out as helping the kid out of a tricky situation leads Nate and Jar into a dark world of fire and hate, of greed and corruption.
As much as they might want to continue on their way, neither would ever do so.
Because helping those who aren’t in a position to help themselves is Nate and Jar’s specialty.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 9, 2021
231 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Brett Battles
91 books1,066 followersBrett Battles is a NEW YORK TIMES bestselling and Barry Award-winning author of forty novels, including the Jonathan Quinn series and its Excoms spinoff, the Project Eden series, and the time bending Rewinder series. He’s also the coauthor, with Robert Gregory Browne, of the Alexandra Poe series. He is one of the founding members of Killer Year, and is a member of Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. He lives and writes in Ventura County, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
May 9, 2021
A sensational new book in the fantastic 'Night Man' series!! Nate and Jar are together...Well, kind of...If you know both of them you know how hard relationships can be...And are just trying to have a little vacation while their team is off-duty...But trouble tends to find them wherever they may be, as a teen's cries of 'Help Me' draw them in...And you know that no matter what comes they can NOT turn away!
What begins with helping a kid in a bad situation soon turns into finding themselves in a dark world of greed, hate and outrageous corruption...And though they wish they could just go about their way, neither could ever do so...It is Not in their life plan, their morality, to turn away from those who hurt others...Even when it gets bad for them...It is wonderful to see the relationship between Nate and Jar grow, even when faced with things so many others run from...
This author weaves a story that has you caring about what happens from page one, unable close the book as the suspense and high-stakes hold You hostage! Grab it Soon!!
What begins with helping a kid in a bad situation soon turns into finding themselves in a dark world of greed, hate and outrageous corruption...And though they wish they could just go about their way, neither could ever do so...It is Not in their life plan, their morality, to turn away from those who hurt others...Even when it gets bad for them...It is wonderful to see the relationship between Nate and Jar grow, even when faced with things so many others run from...
This author weaves a story that has you caring about what happens from page one, unable close the book as the suspense and high-stakes hold You hostage! Grab it Soon!!
February 11, 2025
My least favored Battles story to date and it is not close.
June 5, 2021
It's hard to take a vacation from a work yo are suspended from when your hobby is helping people in need. Mercy is the third book in the Night man series by Brett Battles. This time Nate is getting a little to much attention and he and Jar decides to rent an rv and go sightseeing. It goes all according to plan for two days until they see something that looks like childabuse and they decide to look into it. It turns out to be something completely different and rather sinister. Will they solve it? Will Nate and Jar ever kiss? If you haven't read this series yet, get started now. It is very entertaining.
June 7, 2021
If you are really into bad science and child abuse this book is for you
Disappointing effort by Battles. His hero interferes in the privacy of a Midwest family to learn their dark secrets. Oh its a bad secret. But like any lefty multicultural heros, in the process of saving the world, our heros commit more crimes and contributes more to the delinquency of minors than the antagonist of the story. If you want someone to preach to you about the virtues of wearing a mask to protect from viruses and magic vapors, this is the book for you. If you got enough propaganda just opening your Gmail account, you can let this one pass and read a good book instead.
Disappointing effort by Battles. His hero interferes in the privacy of a Midwest family to learn their dark secrets. Oh its a bad secret. But like any lefty multicultural heros, in the process of saving the world, our heros commit more crimes and contributes more to the delinquency of minors than the antagonist of the story. If you want someone to preach to you about the virtues of wearing a mask to protect from viruses and magic vapors, this is the book for you. If you got enough propaganda just opening your Gmail account, you can let this one pass and read a good book instead.
June 27, 2021
Great author great books normally
Read these books for the excellent stories not to hear about COVID. Seriously if the characters in this book were really this scared of COVID there is no way in hell they would do the work they do.
Love the author and characters but this just throws the stories out the window for no good reason, this is fantasy not push my views and political agenda.
Hopefully Brett will return to good stories and drop the other rubbish soon. If your worried about what people will think of you and your views say the book is based 3 years ago in the book land the pandemic doesn’t even have to exist.
People read books to escape the day to day and be transported somewhere else. Your bursting the bubble of the fantasy world that the books are based in.
Read these books for the excellent stories not to hear about COVID. Seriously if the characters in this book were really this scared of COVID there is no way in hell they would do the work they do.
Love the author and characters but this just throws the stories out the window for no good reason, this is fantasy not push my views and political agenda.
Hopefully Brett will return to good stories and drop the other rubbish soon. If your worried about what people will think of you and your views say the book is based 3 years ago in the book land the pandemic doesn’t even have to exist.
People read books to escape the day to day and be transported somewhere else. Your bursting the bubble of the fantasy world that the books are based in.
May 19, 2022
The subject matter of the book is a hard one to enjoy so it casts a dark shadow over the story. Overall the plot flowed as expected and this is written in the detailed way that Battles can fall into (and you would think with a drone and some tracking bugs anyone can be a spy!) And Battles felt the need to burden us with the pandemic which is mention everywhere in the book. Still, we see some great character development and there are some really touching parts of the story. 4.5 overall rounded to five because I am so nice.
May 20, 2021
Nate and Jar return. This time, the heat from their "hobby" is high so they decide to take a vacation. They rent an RV and go. At their stop at the Grand Canyon, Liz directs Nate to a teenage boy who has slipped off the edge of the rim and is hanging on for dear life. They get entangled in the life of the family and follow them home to Mercy, Colorado.
The storyline of Mercy is quite good as Nate and Jar try to protect Evan and begin to investigate a series of arsons. The action is good. The relationship between Nate and Jar continues to evolve. The arsons are a difficult mystery to unravel, and the circumstances surrounding Evan are unfortunately something that continues to be a problem.
The author, however, has made a couple of poor choices that really turned me off from the story. He includes some agenda items that made no difference to the story whatsoever. The biggest of these is setting this story during the unnamed pandemic. The Night Man Chronicles are a spinoff of the Jonathan Quinn novels. The author's most recent Jonathan Quinn tale was The Vanished was also set during the pandemic, but he used it as part of the story with the team that normally blends in with crowds trying to figure out how to go unnoticed when no one is on the streets. In Mercy, set early in the pandemic, he uses it to pontificate on what he thinks about people who didn't take it as seriously as he thought they should, constantly commenting on how stupid they are. However, in one scene, he goes out of his way to say the teenagers were the only ones wearing masks, and then details how bright their smiles are. Rather hard to see a smile under a mask. In another, he has Nate and Jar wearing masks over their ski masks. Last time I checked, ski masks cover up ears, making it difficult to wrap those elastic bands over them. (When he describes them putting on masks, it's always with them looping the bands over their ears.) The constant haranguing by Nate of the people in Mercy got old fast. I couldn't wait for the book to be over.
Not family friendly due to violence and adult themes.
The storyline of Mercy is quite good as Nate and Jar try to protect Evan and begin to investigate a series of arsons. The action is good. The relationship between Nate and Jar continues to evolve. The arsons are a difficult mystery to unravel, and the circumstances surrounding Evan are unfortunately something that continues to be a problem.
The author, however, has made a couple of poor choices that really turned me off from the story. He includes some agenda items that made no difference to the story whatsoever. The biggest of these is setting this story during the unnamed pandemic. The Night Man Chronicles are a spinoff of the Jonathan Quinn novels. The author's most recent Jonathan Quinn tale was The Vanished was also set during the pandemic, but he used it as part of the story with the team that normally blends in with crowds trying to figure out how to go unnoticed when no one is on the streets. In Mercy, set early in the pandemic, he uses it to pontificate on what he thinks about people who didn't take it as seriously as he thought they should, constantly commenting on how stupid they are. However, in one scene, he goes out of his way to say the teenagers were the only ones wearing masks, and then details how bright their smiles are. Rather hard to see a smile under a mask. In another, he has Nate and Jar wearing masks over their ski masks. Last time I checked, ski masks cover up ears, making it difficult to wrap those elastic bands over them. (When he describes them putting on masks, it's always with them looping the bands over their ears.) The constant haranguing by Nate of the people in Mercy got old fast. I couldn't wait for the book to be over.
Not family friendly due to violence and adult themes.
June 28, 2021
I was disappointed in this story. It appears that Mr. Battles is all in on government fear mongering as Nate and Jar seem terrified and judgmental about a rural country community who is not afraid of Covid, don’t wear masks, don’t abide by “social distancing” and continue to live in freedom. The “pandemic” had nothing to do with the story, but for some reason, it was brought up.
The basis for this story is to save a family from an abusive father. Luckily, Nate and Jar find that the abusive father is involved in criminal activity which helps them resolve the issue.
I thought the outcome was an easy way to avoid the difficult task of having the father face his family issues and the abuse he exhibited routinely.
It was a good read, but a disappointment all the same.
The basis for this story is to save a family from an abusive father. Luckily, Nate and Jar find that the abusive father is involved in criminal activity which helps them resolve the issue.
I thought the outcome was an easy way to avoid the difficult task of having the father face his family issues and the abuse he exhibited routinely.
It was a good read, but a disappointment all the same.
May 11, 2021
Brett Battles has done it to me again. I have two library books with long wait lists and fast approaching due dates, plus two other books I'm in the middle of, but I Could. Not. Put. This. Book. Down. I kept telling myself "One more chapter," which turned into three or four. Okay, five or six.
"Mercy" is another book about Nate and Jar who, while on their day jobs, are part of Jonathan Quinn's team. This is the third in the spin-off series, and it is a corker. Nate and Jar make a wonderful pair, both in their work and in their private lives. The story is told from Nate's POV, and I just like Jar and him so much as people.
This book takes place during the pandemic, and the whole issue is handled skillfully. I was very impressed by Battles' dealing with the topic, the issue of masks, social distancing, etc, fit organically in the story without being intrusive.
I am not going to give spoilers. I will only say that the plot is lively, and the prose fast moving. If you are looking for a book to pique and hold your interest, you could not do better than this one.
Thanks to the author for the ARC. The opinions are my own.
"Mercy" is another book about Nate and Jar who, while on their day jobs, are part of Jonathan Quinn's team. This is the third in the spin-off series, and it is a corker. Nate and Jar make a wonderful pair, both in their work and in their private lives. The story is told from Nate's POV, and I just like Jar and him so much as people.
This book takes place during the pandemic, and the whole issue is handled skillfully. I was very impressed by Battles' dealing with the topic, the issue of masks, social distancing, etc, fit organically in the story without being intrusive.
I am not going to give spoilers. I will only say that the plot is lively, and the prose fast moving. If you are looking for a book to pique and hold your interest, you could not do better than this one.
Thanks to the author for the ARC. The opinions are my own.
May 14, 2021
Another wow! I have read all of Brett Battles’ books and I am continually amazed with his creativity! The way he begins each story, grabs your interest with unexpected actions and as he introduces the main character I am always surprised by the way he enters into the story! This book is a great read and 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼on each page!
May 11, 2021
I’m staring at the review box just shaking my head trying to think of something vaguely intelligent to write as a review without sounding like a silly, fan girl. I’m a retired English teacher, a member of of Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society, and so on Blah blah blah. I love the way Mr. Battles writes thrillers.
He writes tight text, what’s necessary and descriptive to take you to his destination and keep you there, immersed in the story.
His characters are believable, and the good guys are likable. I’m so happy to find good guys I can root for!
He writes tight text, what’s necessary and descriptive to take you to his destination and keep you there, immersed in the story.
His characters are believable, and the good guys are likable. I’m so happy to find good guys I can root for!
June 1, 2021
Lectures
Always like this character and the stories, but to be lecture about the covid-19 pandemic and how the mask is something to wear, was this book written to get the propaganda machine pumping or what?
Always like this character and the stories, but to be lecture about the covid-19 pandemic and how the mask is something to wear, was this book written to get the propaganda machine pumping or what?
November 9, 2021
Oh, no...has the Night Man gone woke? He sure spends a lot of time aping Dem Party talking points in this outing. Most disappointing! I've purchased every Battles book to date (in both print and audiobook format), but is this the end of the road?
August 4, 2021
COVID HYSTERIA
Skip this book unless you want preached at about the Rona and mask wearing. Battles lost a faithful reader with such nonsense.
Skip this book unless you want preached at about the Rona and mask wearing. Battles lost a faithful reader with such nonsense.
May 12, 2021
This is another terrific effort by Brett Battles. It will be enjoyed by any new readers of his many books as well as all existing fans of the terrific Jonathan Quinn series….and, of course, by existing fans of Nate (The Night Man) and his companion/assistant/"friend"....Jar.
Brett Battles has never disappointed me with his writing, and his newest book, “Mercy”, is yet again another gem. “Mercy” is the third in a new series of books with Nate (The Night Man) - who is also Jonathan Quinn’s associate. Nate has been a constant in the Jonathan Quinn series of books almost from the very beginning, first as a protégé and then as a partner.
For existing fans of both Quinn and Nate, this is an opportunity to learn more about Nate, his unusual efforts as a self appointed "vigilante" and developments in trying to move on from the death of his girlfriend, Liz (Quinn’s sister), including Liz's frequent “visits to talk with him". We also learn more about Nate’s evolving relationship with his assistant, Jar, who is also one of the most intriguing characters that Brett Battles has ever brought to life in his books. In this new book Nate and Jar are on vacation and they run into a situation that they just cannot ignore.
Nate's way of taking time off from his regular work with Quinn is to do private vigilante work, helping people who are in difficult situations, largely at no fault of their own. Nate can be described as an extremely creative, intelligent, resourceful and very compassionate vigilante. Jar is learning how to follow in his footsteps.
In "Mercy", Nate and Jar find a young boy, Evan, in a precarious position at the edge of the Grand Canyon. After they rescue him they are led on a journey that reveals a sad and all too familiar dysfunctional family situation that cries out for their help. They uncover a nefarious illegal entanglement involving Evan's father and his father's business associates and friends in a small town. Anything further would be a spoiler. Needless to say, I found this book exciting and hard to put down.
I have enjoyed every one of Brett’s books, starting with the Jonathan Quinn series, and continuing thru the Project Eden series, the Excoms series and many, many others. I highly recommend every one of his more than 30 great books.
As a fan of science fiction in my teen years, I was very happy to see Brett create an intriguing series about time travel with his 3-book “Rewinder” series. Great stuff!
You cannot go wrong with any Brett Battles book. Trust me on this…
Brett Battles has never disappointed me with his writing, and his newest book, “Mercy”, is yet again another gem. “Mercy” is the third in a new series of books with Nate (The Night Man) - who is also Jonathan Quinn’s associate. Nate has been a constant in the Jonathan Quinn series of books almost from the very beginning, first as a protégé and then as a partner.
For existing fans of both Quinn and Nate, this is an opportunity to learn more about Nate, his unusual efforts as a self appointed "vigilante" and developments in trying to move on from the death of his girlfriend, Liz (Quinn’s sister), including Liz's frequent “visits to talk with him". We also learn more about Nate’s evolving relationship with his assistant, Jar, who is also one of the most intriguing characters that Brett Battles has ever brought to life in his books. In this new book Nate and Jar are on vacation and they run into a situation that they just cannot ignore.
Nate's way of taking time off from his regular work with Quinn is to do private vigilante work, helping people who are in difficult situations, largely at no fault of their own. Nate can be described as an extremely creative, intelligent, resourceful and very compassionate vigilante. Jar is learning how to follow in his footsteps.
In "Mercy", Nate and Jar find a young boy, Evan, in a precarious position at the edge of the Grand Canyon. After they rescue him they are led on a journey that reveals a sad and all too familiar dysfunctional family situation that cries out for their help. They uncover a nefarious illegal entanglement involving Evan's father and his father's business associates and friends in a small town. Anything further would be a spoiler. Needless to say, I found this book exciting and hard to put down.
I have enjoyed every one of Brett’s books, starting with the Jonathan Quinn series, and continuing thru the Project Eden series, the Excoms series and many, many others. I highly recommend every one of his more than 30 great books.
As a fan of science fiction in my teen years, I was very happy to see Brett create an intriguing series about time travel with his 3-book “Rewinder” series. Great stuff!
You cannot go wrong with any Brett Battles book. Trust me on this…
April 29, 2022
I'm really conflicted about this review. First of all, I want to say that I am a HUGE fan of several series by Mr. Battles. I have enjoyed the Jonathan Quinn series, which then led to this spin off. I will admit that the last Jonathan Quinn book was one of the first books that I had read that incorporated the 2020 Pandemic into the story. But, with that being said, it didn't seem to be too heavy handed. I could be remembering wrong, but what I remember was that there was mention of the streets being cleared (empty) and the fact that it was harder to sneak around when there wasn't anyone on the streets (I could be remembering wrong, but that is what comes to mind).
Unfortunately, this book went 180 degrees in the opposite direction. Honestly, it doesn't matter what your feelings are on masks or social distancing. What DOES matter was the fact that it was incorporated into the story in a way that did not make sense. It took the reader out of the story. It was mentioned non stop. For whatever reason, the author felt the need to mention and call out mask wearing when it was not something that made a difference. Heck, there was a scene where they were wearing ski masks and had a surgical mask on TOP of the ski mask. SERIOUSLY? It was so over the top that it made it really hard to continue to stay in the story.
Other than the NON STOP mentions of who was wearing a mask, who would not properly "social distance" and just the blatant comments about people being ignorant about Covid, I enjoyed the story. But, that is a big hurdle. Truly, I am hoping that the author has gotten all of his comments out of his system and can continue with his books in the manner which made them so successful.
I mentioned before, it doesn't matter what your views are on these things. We, as readers, read books to escape. Not to be ridiculed or lectured again by someone who wants a platform to give out his views. Other than that, I love Nate and am beginning to lean towards liking Jar more and more each book. I enjoyed the premise of this book and would like to continue on with this series.
Hopefully, Mr. Battles will give the readers cause to keep reading....
Unfortunately, this book went 180 degrees in the opposite direction. Honestly, it doesn't matter what your feelings are on masks or social distancing. What DOES matter was the fact that it was incorporated into the story in a way that did not make sense. It took the reader out of the story. It was mentioned non stop. For whatever reason, the author felt the need to mention and call out mask wearing when it was not something that made a difference. Heck, there was a scene where they were wearing ski masks and had a surgical mask on TOP of the ski mask. SERIOUSLY? It was so over the top that it made it really hard to continue to stay in the story.
Other than the NON STOP mentions of who was wearing a mask, who would not properly "social distance" and just the blatant comments about people being ignorant about Covid, I enjoyed the story. But, that is a big hurdle. Truly, I am hoping that the author has gotten all of his comments out of his system and can continue with his books in the manner which made them so successful.
I mentioned before, it doesn't matter what your views are on these things. We, as readers, read books to escape. Not to be ridiculed or lectured again by someone who wants a platform to give out his views. Other than that, I love Nate and am beginning to lean towards liking Jar more and more each book. I enjoyed the premise of this book and would like to continue on with this series.
Hopefully, Mr. Battles will give the readers cause to keep reading....
May 11, 2021
Having been suspended from their day job Nate & Jar take some me time and as Jar has not seen much of America decide to take a little camping trip so they rent a Winnebago and drive off into the sunset. Stopping for the night Nate who lost his girlfriend a while back still feels her presence and ofter hears her and she tells him where and what should be done, and Nate often wonders about whether Jar can sense her because she always seems to be on the same wavelength as Nate. Settling down for the night at a camping site Liz speaks to Nate and tell him to take a walk, and Jar says a good idea and off they go when they hear a desperate cry for help, and when they find the person he is really a child and has fallen over the cliff, and very lucky as if he had dropped any further down he would have been killed, and when they saved him he was clutching a soft toy and both of them thought that he was too old for that style of toy, but the lad quickly thanked them and fled the scene. On returning late to their Winnebago they realise their fire is now alight which if unattended could cause a major fire but Charles (Chuckie) is there waiting for them and with him is Luke, and he seems to have a new injury looks like a black eye but they say nothing, but when they had gone they both said they got bad vibes from Chuckie, he is master and everybody must obey him, and as they watched the family they realise he rules the roost with an iron fist. Nate and Jar have never been able to rest when people are in trouble and as they are on vacation they do some digging, but is it a hole they can get out of? These people are spies who can take care of themselves but disaster happens Liz lost her life, this is a fast-paced story and do things go wrong you bet they can. always loved this series and Brett Battles has done a fantastic job here.
May 11, 2021
From his Jonathan Quinn spin-off series, The Night Man Chronicles, Brett Battles brings us book 3 of the intense spy world from the perspective of Quinn’s partner Nate.
Taking a vacation in between jobs, Nate and his enigmatic friend/spy partner Jar head out on the open road. Unable to get a respite from their work, the duo is pulled into a situation of helping a teen they believe to be in trouble. Always ready to jump in to help those in need, Nate and Jar dive headfirst into a mystery they are intent on solving. And what a ride it is!
Nate and Jar are one of my all-time favorite fictional teams. As quirky as Jar is, you can relate to her instantly because of Battles’ intricate way of revealing her characteristics. The picture he paints of his characters is so vivid and well crafted. I absolutely love Jar and the fact that she makes no apologies for who she is, and Nate’s internal dialogues constantly leave me chuckling. The two of them together are absolute GOLD!
Battles brings excitement, humor and authenticity to each of his characters yet they’re all so unique. His books leave you on the edge and every single one of them is an intense page-turner right out of the gate. I find myself biting my nails at one point and then laughing out loud all in the same paragraph.
Mercy could be read as a stand-alone, but my advice would be to start with the first book of the series. You won’t be sorry. Nate and Jar are characters that deserve to be enjoyed from the beginning.
My last tip: Read everything and anything from Brett Battles that you can get your hands on. He has written so many different types of stories and series and they’re all amazing.
Taking a vacation in between jobs, Nate and his enigmatic friend/spy partner Jar head out on the open road. Unable to get a respite from their work, the duo is pulled into a situation of helping a teen they believe to be in trouble. Always ready to jump in to help those in need, Nate and Jar dive headfirst into a mystery they are intent on solving. And what a ride it is!
Nate and Jar are one of my all-time favorite fictional teams. As quirky as Jar is, you can relate to her instantly because of Battles’ intricate way of revealing her characteristics. The picture he paints of his characters is so vivid and well crafted. I absolutely love Jar and the fact that she makes no apologies for who she is, and Nate’s internal dialogues constantly leave me chuckling. The two of them together are absolute GOLD!
Battles brings excitement, humor and authenticity to each of his characters yet they’re all so unique. His books leave you on the edge and every single one of them is an intense page-turner right out of the gate. I find myself biting my nails at one point and then laughing out loud all in the same paragraph.
Mercy could be read as a stand-alone, but my advice would be to start with the first book of the series. You won’t be sorry. Nate and Jar are characters that deserve to be enjoyed from the beginning.
My last tip: Read everything and anything from Brett Battles that you can get your hands on. He has written so many different types of stories and series and they’re all amazing.
June 22, 2021
I received a review copy from the author at my request and this is my honest opinion. (Yes, I know I'm very late, but at least I'm following through on my promise.) I so enjoy this series. In the Quinn series, Nate and Jar are important, but secondary characters. Here, as the main characters, the reader is allowed a deeper look into who they are and how they reached that place. They are both believable, relatable, and authentic characters. It has been great to discover that Nate has true compassion for those around him who are in trouble and doesn't hesitate to step in whenever he feels he is needed. Because of Jar's childhood experiences and the fact that she is on the autism spectrum, her interactions with people are difficult and confusing. Watching Nate slowly bring her out of her shell and help her feel more comfortable with people is one of my favorite parts of this series. That, plus their slowly developing romantic relationship.
And just so you don't think this is a study in psychology; it isn't. There is plenty of suspense with Nate and Jar using their "day job" talents and skills to help whomever Nate has fixed his sights on. Sometimes there's shoot 'em up action, but usually, it's more of the "spy/intelligence" variety. So, in a nutshell, this series is a great group of mysteries, with terrific characters, natural-sounding dialogue, bad guys you love to hate, and, most importantly, a touch of heart. If you haven't read any of this series, you are missing out and you need to fix that quickly.
And just so you don't think this is a study in psychology; it isn't. There is plenty of suspense with Nate and Jar using their "day job" talents and skills to help whomever Nate has fixed his sights on. Sometimes there's shoot 'em up action, but usually, it's more of the "spy/intelligence" variety. So, in a nutshell, this series is a great group of mysteries, with terrific characters, natural-sounding dialogue, bad guys you love to hate, and, most importantly, a touch of heart. If you haven't read any of this series, you are missing out and you need to fix that quickly.
May 11, 2021
I was having so much fun reading this story, that I made an unusual decision for me. I slowed down my reading and thoroughly enjoyed reading for several days.
I admit that did not want to put it down! However, I really really wanted to savor the story like an extremely fantastic meal. Well done, my hats off to you.
Now if you noticed that my copy was an ARC , you will note that I normally try to read and get my reviews in as fast as possible, since some people follow my reviews and hopefully want to read book also.
I love watching Jar grow as a person. This is real fun for me because I have missed several of the books in this series and the other ones that she is in. That is one of the reasons why I read this author. Excellent writing.
I can honestly say that this story can be read as a standalone. Even though had some knowledge of the characters, there is enough information to follow and understand them, if this is your first venture into Battle's books.
I am not going to say more or anything else about story because I would like for you to get the same enjoyment from it as I did.
WELL DONE!!!
This is my honest and freely given review. I did recent ARC book.
I admit that did not want to put it down! However, I really really wanted to savor the story like an extremely fantastic meal. Well done, my hats off to you.
Now if you noticed that my copy was an ARC , you will note that I normally try to read and get my reviews in as fast as possible, since some people follow my reviews and hopefully want to read book also.
I love watching Jar grow as a person. This is real fun for me because I have missed several of the books in this series and the other ones that she is in. That is one of the reasons why I read this author. Excellent writing.
I can honestly say that this story can be read as a standalone. Even though had some knowledge of the characters, there is enough information to follow and understand them, if this is your first venture into Battle's books.
I am not going to say more or anything else about story because I would like for you to get the same enjoyment from it as I did.
WELL DONE!!!
This is my honest and freely given review. I did recent ARC book.
June 18, 2025
Pandemic book
This book was written around and came out during the world pandemic and Mr. Battles decided to include the topics in this and the Quinn book. In both cases, it was not a wise choice. We read to escape and having a world of spies deal with "Covid" during their adventures was meh. Now if he would have weaved Nate and Jonathan into the SICK universe, then this would have been a completely different story.
Anyhow.
Nate runs into an abusive father who mistreats his kids. Nate decided to rescue this family, but only way to do that was to build up a shaky foundation that the father is an arsonist. Battles does it, but the who, how, and why feels second place to the stories main them, that some families live a sh!tty life because there's and abusive member within it. I do not deny the situations in this book exists, but this book felt less of a Nate Winter Spy story and more of something Battles needed to say.
Overall book was OK. It's been a while since I read a book from Battles, and this was one. I believe there's a new-iah Excoms out there, let's see what that has to offer.
This book was written around and came out during the world pandemic and Mr. Battles decided to include the topics in this and the Quinn book. In both cases, it was not a wise choice. We read to escape and having a world of spies deal with "Covid" during their adventures was meh. Now if he would have weaved Nate and Jonathan into the SICK universe, then this would have been a completely different story.
Anyhow.
Nate runs into an abusive father who mistreats his kids. Nate decided to rescue this family, but only way to do that was to build up a shaky foundation that the father is an arsonist. Battles does it, but the who, how, and why feels second place to the stories main them, that some families live a sh!tty life because there's and abusive member within it. I do not deny the situations in this book exists, but this book felt less of a Nate Winter Spy story and more of something Battles needed to say.
Overall book was OK. It's been a while since I read a book from Battles, and this was one. I believe there's a new-iah Excoms out there, let's see what that has to offer.
May 11, 2021
I'm enjoying this spinoff series from the Jonathan Quinn series. In this series, Nate is the leading character, and he does "night jobs" or side jobs in his time off from his main work with Quinn. I loved that this book is set during the pandemic, so Nate and Jar wear their masks and have concerns about those who don't. Nate and Jar set off on a road trip and encounter a boy in need of help along the way. The boy's father's behavior sets off alarm bells, so Nate and Jar follow them home, using the best of their spycraft along the way. I won't say more than that about the plot so I don't give it away.
What I liked: Nate and Jar's continuing, deepening friendship and the possibility of more. Nate continues to be haunted. The creative ways the two characters get in and out of trouble. The well-drawn characters with real human needs and flaws. And the possibility that Nate and Jar will have a new apprentice at some point.
Mercy is a fun read, will draw you in and keep you turning pages.
What I liked: Nate and Jar's continuing, deepening friendship and the possibility of more. Nate continues to be haunted. The creative ways the two characters get in and out of trouble. The well-drawn characters with real human needs and flaws. And the possibility that Nate and Jar will have a new apprentice at some point.
Mercy is a fun read, will draw you in and keep you turning pages.
May 11, 2021
Once again, Brett Battles does not disappoint with the third installment of the Night Man Chronicles series. This book continues to give us insight into the character of Jar and, little by little, brings Nate and Jar closer without making it feel like a romance novel. The author has an uncanny way of developing his characters so that the reader not only gets to know them, but also cares about them from the very beginning. It was amusing to find Nate and Jar working, even though they were supposed to be on vacation, but of their own volition. Brett Battles writes in such a way that you can see and feel exactly what the characters are seeing and feeling as if you are right there with them. I will never tire of reading this author's books as they contain characters the reader is already familiar with (most times), but always in new and exciting adventures! Looking forward to the next book!
June 12, 2021
Another enjoyable “side adventure”…
This series is fun and easy reading, but keeps your attention at all times. The character development feels easy and not forced, the plot twists unpredictable.
Jar and “Nightman”aka “the masked vigilante” are on a break from their “day job” as an investigation is under way. On the side, there are just so many people who really need(and honestly deserve) help that will never come. Plenty of action and adventure, and being a Californian I appreciate the “hyper afraid of COVID” mentality. So afraid of a virus with a 99.8 percent survival rate, but every time they see someone without a mask or hand sanitizer they are more afraid than when confronted with people who have guns that want them dead. I’m not sure if the author is making fun of how overblown the pandemic response is, all the lies from the media or if he really buys into it, but it adds an entertainment value I’m not sure was intended…A good read!
This series is fun and easy reading, but keeps your attention at all times. The character development feels easy and not forced, the plot twists unpredictable.
Jar and “Nightman”aka “the masked vigilante” are on a break from their “day job” as an investigation is under way. On the side, there are just so many people who really need(and honestly deserve) help that will never come. Plenty of action and adventure, and being a Californian I appreciate the “hyper afraid of COVID” mentality. So afraid of a virus with a 99.8 percent survival rate, but every time they see someone without a mask or hand sanitizer they are more afraid than when confronted with people who have guns that want them dead. I’m not sure if the author is making fun of how overblown the pandemic response is, all the lies from the media or if he really buys into it, but it adds an entertainment value I’m not sure was intended…A good read!
August 18, 2021
Another great Night Man story
Great characters.Great themes. I will continue to follow this series. Mr Battles does an absolutely outstanding job illustrating the profile of a dysfunctional family unit. WHILE Chuckie is the alcoholic tyrant abused father figure, Mr Battles clearly shows the role the codependent wife plays. Yes the dad is a monster, but she is as sick as he is. The power to stop the abuse was always in her court. Codependent are often the sickest people in a dysfunctional family because they don't believe they are fully half of the problem. Well done Mr Battles for so clearly conveying through the medium of story what many of American families face in today's Opiod epidemic. It would help if codependent family members would come out of their victim thinking and start setting firm boundaries with their addicted family members. I know it works through personal experience. Difficult yes;but necessary.
Great characters.Great themes. I will continue to follow this series. Mr Battles does an absolutely outstanding job illustrating the profile of a dysfunctional family unit. WHILE Chuckie is the alcoholic tyrant abused father figure, Mr Battles clearly shows the role the codependent wife plays. Yes the dad is a monster, but she is as sick as he is. The power to stop the abuse was always in her court. Codependent are often the sickest people in a dysfunctional family because they don't believe they are fully half of the problem. Well done Mr Battles for so clearly conveying through the medium of story what many of American families face in today's Opiod epidemic. It would help if codependent family members would come out of their victim thinking and start setting firm boundaries with their addicted family members. I know it works through personal experience. Difficult yes;but necessary.
January 6, 2024
There are elements of this book that are well done. In particular, the details of the protagonist's scheme are fairly well handled.
But the overarching story is broken up into three main parts (leaving aside the vignette that starts the book), the second of which is entirely unneeded in the story. There is little suspense for the main characters, and their stakes are quite limited as well. And there are at least a couple of dozen complaints by the protagonist about people not following COVID protocols to his standards, which have no effect on the story (there is no real mention of disease other than in those complaints). These both anchor the story in a specific time unnecessarily and take the reader out of the flow of the narrative.
The story is set in "Mercy, Colorado", which is pretty clearly a fictionalized La Junta. There is little sense that the author has any real feel for that area. Battles is apparently not a fan, though.
Disappointing.
But the overarching story is broken up into three main parts (leaving aside the vignette that starts the book), the second of which is entirely unneeded in the story. There is little suspense for the main characters, and their stakes are quite limited as well. And there are at least a couple of dozen complaints by the protagonist about people not following COVID protocols to his standards, which have no effect on the story (there is no real mention of disease other than in those complaints). These both anchor the story in a specific time unnecessarily and take the reader out of the flow of the narrative.
The story is set in "Mercy, Colorado", which is pretty clearly a fictionalized La Junta. There is little sense that the author has any real feel for that area. Battles is apparently not a fan, though.
Disappointing.
March 7, 2023
Brett Battles is a favorite author of mine. I particularly like all the Jonathan Quinn books and the various spinoffs like "The Night Man Chronicles." These books focus on Nate who started as Quinn's intern and became his partner after he gained sufficient experience. The premise for this series is a vigilante-like effort on Nate urged on by a relationship with his dead girl friend (Quinn's sister) who died during one of Quinn's teams jobs. Nate is joined in these endeavors by another Quinn team member, Jar.
In this one Nate and Jar come across an abusive husband and father of two during a vacation camping trip and save the older son from a dangerous situation brought on by the abusive father. They follow the family back to their home town in an effort to ensure the family is protected from the abusive father. They use their expertise to do so which makes up the rest of the story.
In this one Nate and Jar come across an abusive husband and father of two during a vacation camping trip and save the older son from a dangerous situation brought on by the abusive father. They follow the family back to their home town in an effort to ensure the family is protected from the abusive father. They use their expertise to do so which makes up the rest of the story.
April 30, 2022
I have to agree with A LOT of reviewers on here and on audible about the mentioning of masks and Covid throughout the book. Mr. Battles might have overdone it this time. BUT besides just shaking my head and sighing I carried on and enjoyed the story immensely.
Nate and Jar did a great job in saving Evan and Sawyer from their creep-of-a-father, Chuckie (a name Nate gave to the father, Charles. LOL)
No romance. And no swearing (which is ridiculous, IMO.)
As for the narration: Spectacular! I have over 1500 books in my audible library and I can't think of a narrator that I like more than Zach Villa. I'd be ok if he narrated all my books. He's the main reason I can't wait for the next Night Man book to come out.
Nate and Jar did a great job in saving Evan and Sawyer from their creep-of-a-father, Chuckie (a name Nate gave to the father, Charles. LOL)
No romance. And no swearing (which is ridiculous, IMO.)
As for the narration: Spectacular! I have over 1500 books in my audible library and I can't think of a narrator that I like more than Zach Villa. I'd be ok if he narrated all my books. He's the main reason I can't wait for the next Night Man book to come out.
April 22, 2025
I really enjoyed the Quinn stories, and enjoyed the first two Night Man books, but I just couldn't get into this one. The first strike was that it was one of those "pandemic" books where Battles felt like he had to constantly talk about people wearing masks (and how crazy people don't wear them). No bearing on the plot. A lot of eye rolling there.
Second was kind of my fault. I read a portion of this as an ebook but listened to the majority of it as an audiobook. The narrator was so boring and there were so many times that it seemed he was whispering or turned his head from the mic or something. I found myself having to crank the volume and/or get my ears close to the speakers.
Anyway, not a terrible story, just not terribly exciting.
Second was kind of my fault. I read a portion of this as an ebook but listened to the majority of it as an audiobook. The narrator was so boring and there were so many times that it seemed he was whispering or turned his head from the mic or something. I found myself having to crank the volume and/or get my ears close to the speakers.
Anyway, not a terrible story, just not terribly exciting.
April 28, 2021
I was given an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
I have always enjoyed Brett Battles books and I think Nate and Jar are my favourite characters. They are the good guys fighting the bad guys. This story starts with the two of them going on a vacation. We all know that is not going to happen long term. They come across a boy who needs helps but won’t ask for it. While they are trying to figure out how they can help him, they uncover a bigger issue.
The book is well written and as per most of Brett’s books, are fast paced with lots of twists and turns.
This is another great book in the series.
I have always enjoyed Brett Battles books and I think Nate and Jar are my favourite characters. They are the good guys fighting the bad guys. This story starts with the two of them going on a vacation. We all know that is not going to happen long term. They come across a boy who needs helps but won’t ask for it. While they are trying to figure out how they can help him, they uncover a bigger issue.
The book is well written and as per most of Brett’s books, are fast paced with lots of twists and turns.
This is another great book in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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