Question E

[Jonetta]

In the middle of the Hartlage and Jorgensen family murder investigations, Truman is assaulted, abducted and held captive for almost a week. Talk about how you felt when he disappeared and was undiscovered for about two weeks. Did it change your feelings about the story at that moment? Was it a distraction?

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

This was a great part of this plot although I think we all guessed that Truman wasn't going to die. Apart from the plotline of the abduction it really highlighted and brought to light the feelings between Truman and Mercy as it swung between their thoughts at this time. Especially for Mercy who was letting insecurities come between them, nothing clarifies a relationship more when there is a threat of death for one of the them.

Having a few different threads throughout a mystery challenges the reader to be able to put them together to solve what is going on. So definitely not a distraction for me.

[Sharon]

I like that Mercy put everything aside to look for Truman. Previously, Truman came to Mercy's rescue, so to speak. This is a good twist. Mercy stayed focus on Truman, and refused to allow anyone to convince her to stop looking.

I worried a little when Ollie first came to free him. I loved seeing Mercy stay strong while she was looking for him. Mercy realized how important Truman is to her.

It wasn't a distraction for me. I thought it was going to work together some way. It added to the story for me.

It was interesting knowing that Truman got away alive, but Mercy didn't know.

[Robin]

I loved this portion of the story and couldn't put it down...or go to sleep until the situation was resolved and Mercy and Truman were back together. I liked how Mercy and the guys at the police station worked day and night to find leads on Truman's disappearance. Those guys were essentially the only "family" he had in town.

Ollie was a great addition to the book, though I too was wary of him when he first showed up to free Truman. I look forward to seeing more of him in this series.

[Jonetta]

Oh, this was a BIG distraction for me, in a good way. Up until that point (about 40% into the story), I was keenly interested in the book. When he was assaulted and disappeared without a trace, I became riveted. Like Robin, I couldn’t put it down.

While I was 99% certain Truman wouldn’t be killed off, there’s always that 1% (remember, she killed off Levi!). And, even if he made it out alive, the guy was being mercilessly (like that pun?) tortured. I had to know and couldn’t stop until he was rescued.

It was also a miserable time for Mercy. I can’t imagine being in her shoes. This whole episode took the story to a higher level.

[Sharon]

Oh Jonetta, I remembered Levi too. I talked myself out of Truman dying though. I felt like it would ruin the series at this point. I want Truman to help Mercy get her cabin back.

[Sandra]

Truman's abduction took the book to the next level for me. It upped the stakes and forced Mercy into having to face what her life without Truman would be like. I think this event sealed their relationship & future. One of those "life is short, better live it" moments. I suspected the identity of the kidnappers so no shock there. I just wasn't sure what shape Truman would be in when he got free. I loved Ollie, but at the moment he was freeing Truman, I wasn't sure how he fit into the story. I loved him & Truman together.

[Charlene]

I think the complexity of this book was one of its strengths for me as a reader. I too liked Ollie and hoped that both he and Truman made it out alive. Hoping to see him integrated into their family & friends group, that he gets that education he wants. What a whip-smart young man.

[Christina T]

I agree Truman's kidnapping and being help pushed this book to the next level. It's the main reason this book for me was 5 stars. The rest up to this point were really good but I wasn't as emotionally invested in them as I was this one. With that being said I did feel the plot involving Truman was a distraction to me. I couldn't care less about the killed families once Truman was in peril. I was hyper focused on his plot thread and couldn't stop listening until he was found.

[Jonetta]

Yep! That sounds familiar. I was obsessed with him being found.