Dangerous Mercy by Kathy Herman

Kathy Herman's Dangerous Mercy is the sequel to False Pretenses, the second novel in the Secrets of the Roux River Bayou series, published October 1, 2011, by David C. Cook. While the first novel was good, this one is better with more satisfying depth. I loved Adele Woodmore, an elderly lady who moved to Les Barbres, Louisiana, to be near the Broussards, characters from the first novel in the series. Noah and Murray are two men from a halfway house Adele befriends, thinking she's helping them get back on their feet. Five deaths occur in a week's time, and the murder is dubbed the Bathtub Killer. Adele thought the community would be peaceful and quiet, much safer than the Big Easy, as did tourists and guest to Langely Manor. Despite being warned about employing the two handymen, Adele continues to use them and has a private investigator complete background checks. My favorite character is Adele. While the ending was predictable, Herman has created believable, well-rounded characters in Adele and Murray. I loved the ending and depth of feeling and emotion in this story, and I look forward to the third novel in the series. Available as paperback or eBook at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com.