KILL WITHOUT MERCY (ARES Security #1) by Alexandra Ivy-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 29, 2015

From the hellhole of a Taliban prison to sweet freedom, five brave military heroes have made it home—and they’re ready to take on the civilian missions no one else can. Individually they’re intimidating. Together they’re invincible. They’re the men of ARES Security.

Rafe Vargas is only in Newton, Iowa, to clear out his late grandfather’s small house. As the covert ops specialist for ARES Security, he’s eager to get back to his new life in Texas. But when he crosses paths with Annie White, a haunted beauty with skeletons in her closet, he can’t just walk away—not when she’s clearly in danger…

There’s a mysterious serial killer on the loose with a link to Annie’s dark past. And the closer he gets, the deeper Rafe’s instinct to protect kicks in. But even with his considerable skill, Annie’s courage, and his ARES buddies behind him, the slaying won’t stop. Now it’s only a matter of time before Annie’s next—unless they can unravel a history of deadly lies that won’t be buried.

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REVIEW: KILL WITHOUT MERCY is the first full length installment in Alexandra Ivy’s ARES Security romantic suspense series. There is an introductory novella –SWEET RAPTURE -found in the December 2015 anthology ALL HE WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS. This is ARES owner and security specialist Rafe Vargas, and Annie White’s storyline.

Told from several third person perspectives KILL WITHOUT MERCY follows Annie White as she returns to her home town of Newton, Iowa on the fifteen year anniversary of serial killer’s death-a killer with close ties to Annie-and a killer whose murder spree has begun anew. Enter security specialist Rafe Vargas whose visit to Newton finds our hero preparing to sell his grandfather’s home only to come face to face with a woman who calls to his heart-a woman whose past is as dark and dangerous as his own.

KILL WITHOUT MERCY focuses on Annie’s need to search for the latest group of missing women presumably killed by a man once long thought dead. There is a slight ‘paranormal’ feel to the storyline as our heroine ‘sees’ the women as they are being chased through a field before their final demise. Rafe Vargas is in town to close out his grandfather’s estate but a visit to a local diner finds Rafe oddly attracted to the broken woman whom everyone, including the town’s smarmy sheriff, believes is the catalyst to the latest group of missing women.

The relationship between Annie and Rafe is one of immediate attraction but both are in Newton for a specific reason-get in, get out, and make no mistakes. While Rafe continues to seduce Annie White, Annie continues to push away knowing that Rafe’s time in town in limited to just a few days. The $ex scenes are seductive; there is no over the top graphic sexual text or imagery.

We are introduced to Rafe’s ARES team of former US soldiers-Max Grayson (forensics specialist), Hauk Laurenson (sniper), Teagan Moore (computer specialist), Max-a man who uses scientific equations to solve a mystery, and helicopter pilot Lucas. There is a secondary storyline developing with regards to the team’s time in Afghanistan-mysterious messages and emails aimed at one of their own.

KILL WITHOUT MERCY is first and foremost a story of mystery and suspense-a copycat killer or someone new who picks up exactly fifteen years later as our heroine returns to the scene of the crime. The premise is engaging but familiar in both premise and series description; the characters are colorful although I would have liked some background history between Rafe and his men-perhaps future storylines will reveal something about their time in a Taliban prison, and each of their individual stories of pain and suffering. The romance and $ex scenes are limited as the storyline focuses on the hunt for a killer and the missing women.

KILL WITHOUT MERCY is a great start to a new series. I am looking forward to the next several installments.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy