John Burley’s The Absence of Mercy is a harrowing story of suspense involving a brutal murder and dark secrets that lie under the surface of a placid, tight-knit Midwestern town.

Whenever a brutally murdered teenager is discovered in the woods surrounding a small Ohio city, Dr. Ben Stevenson-the town’s medical examiner-must determine if he’s willing to place his family’s lifestyle in danger to uncover the truth. Acquiring himself drawn deeper into an investigation with devastating effects, he discovers shocking info that will shatter his calm community, and force him to confront a haunting truth.

With its eerie portrait of suburban life and nerve-fraying plot twists, The Lack of Mercy is domestic drama at its best for fans of Harlan Coben, Laura Lippman, Jennifer McMahon, and Lisa Gardner.