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Stephen Bentley

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Mercy: A Detective Matt Deal Thriller Introducing Wolfie Jules (Detective Matt Deal Thrillers Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Stephen Bentley (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.3 136 ratings

Book 1 of 5: Detective Matt Deal Thrillers

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His daughter was taken. He’ll never get her back.
Set in the near future, Matt Deal is a British businessman married into a wealthy Florida family.

Mercy, his fifteen-year-old daughter, is the glue in his rocky marriage to Lorey. His life is changed forever after Mercy is brutally sexually assaulted on a Destin beach leaving her in a persistent vegetative state.

Trusting the local detectives to bring the rapists to justice, mixed martial arts expert Deal concentrates in vain on his Florida gym business, only to have his world further explode on learning the men responsible for his daughter’s injuries may escape justice. Deal is isolated and at his wit's end after his rich father-in-law sends death threats blaming him for all these ills.

Who can he turn to? Where can he go? What will he do? Who can he trust?

Will he return to a post-Brexit Britain or ultimately will he seek revenge?

Fans of Jack Reacher, Barry Eisler, and any vigilante justice novel will love this book.

*** Trigger Warning ***

This book is for an adult audience. It contains an opening graphic scene of sexual violence essential to the theme of the story, and some scenes of explicit consensual adult sex. Do not read if likely to be offended!

From the Publisher

The Detective Matt Deal Thrillers


His daughter was taken. He’ll never get her back. "Stephen Bentley is not a writer who pulls his punches. His book opens with this brutal attack; his writing is pared back and unfussy, and you feel as if you are at that beach, helplessly watching the child being torn apart. It is brutal, but you can tell that you are in the hands of a masterful thriller writer. You can tell that the book in your hands will be unflinching and ferocious. You can tell that you're in for a 100-miles-an-hour ride. Strap in.' Editorial Review Readfree.ly discounted and free books website's Review of Book of the Month May 2020 and the same website's Runner-Up in the 'Best Book We've Read All Year' awards.	Don’t mess with Deal… Mayhem will follow At the funeral of two of his hit men, Mike Russo, capo of the New Jersey Mob puts out a contract on Detective Matt Deal for his part in the killings. At the same time another funeral is taking place in Florida. Deal will soon learn just how badly his world is broken… and it’s about to get worse. The long awaited sequel to Book One in the series – Mercy. Fans of Jack Ryan, or lethal killers like Reacher or Scot Harvath will devour this novel.	Mobocracy means mob rule, the opposite of democracy The series is set in the near future... Anarchy and mob rule are prevalent with law and order breaking down in the United States. Even Washington D.C. is under siege from lawless groups of rioters. In Florida, Matt Deal has now been appointed the chief of detectives reporting to newly elected Sheriff Fretwell, his old friend. A British stranger starts making inquiries about Deal. Who is he? Is he an additional threat to Deal and his family? Meanwhile Special Agent Steele recruits a disgraced cop to infiltrate the outlaw biker gang hired to kill Deal. What will Deal do? Fight or flee?

The Detective Matt Deal Thrillers Trilogy: Books 1 - 3

Binge Read All Three Books in Series in One Box Set

The Detective Matt Deal Thrillers Trilogy: Books 1 - 3 Box Set

By binge reading all three books you avoid cliffhangers, but just as importantly, you get to see Detective Matt Deal grow as a man and as a character. And he does grow. His character arc is deliberately spread over the series. Who he is, and what he does in Book One is not the same man that you get to know and root for in Book Three.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Advance Praise - 5* Goodreads Reviews

"The opening scene is gruesome and very descriptive but relevant to the whole story and its character building and the very purpose of Matt Deal and his justice that he needs to serve!

Matt Deal just doesn't seem to catch a break whether it be his wife and his overbearing father in law who blames him for everything that has happened. But the truth will be revealed and Matt Deal will seek bloody revenge on all who has done himself and his daughter wrong. They say revenge is a dish best served cold......but for Matt Deal it is a dish best served with justice. Anyway he can get it!

Great book written well. Intense and an emotional rollercoaster. Read it in one sitting and I think that says enough about how I view this book. Big fat 5 stars."

"Mercy is an awesome book. Detective Matt Deal has a lot to deal with between his wife, Lorey and his daughter, Mercy. This book will have you hooked right from the start.It's set in the near future and all the things happening could be actually happening now. The lengths dads will go to for their daughter/s is infinite. Matt and his partner, Wolfie, have a great partnership, can't wait to see where their story progresses throughout the series. It is a must read for anyone who loves a good thriller."

Readfree.ly discounted and free books website's Review of Book of the Month May 2020

Same website's Runner-Up in the 'Best Book We've Read All Year' awards.

"Stephen Bentley is not a writer who pulls his punches. His book opens with this brutal attack; his writing is pared back and unfussy, and you feel as if you are at that beach, helplessly watching the child being torn apart. It is brutal, but you can tell that you are in the hands of a masterful thriller writer. You can tell that the book in your hands will be unflinching and ferocious. You can tell that you're in for a 100-miles-an-hour ride. Strap in.

If you have read a Jack Reacher novel, or even seen either of the (not as good) Tom Cruise movies, then you know stories of this type. The violence is red, savage and instant. The bad guys fight dirty, and the good guys are even dirtier. .

Matt Deal is our Jack Reacher. He is a British businessman married into a wealthy Florida family. Mercy, the girl assaulted in the opening pages, is his daughter. And when he learns that she may never come out of her coma, his life is torn apart. He leaves justice to the cops, but when it never comes he knows that he has to take matters into his own hands.

Mercy is a book that never lets up. In Matt Deal we have a hero that we can root for - he's handsome, likeable - and, when he needs to be, extremely violent."

From the Back Cover

His daughter was taken. He'll never get her back. Matt Deal flees Florida after a brutal attack leaves his daughter in a coma. His wife blames him. His wealthy Mob-connected father-in-law threatens him with death. Deal returns to his native post-Brexit Britain as a Detective in the new police force until he's forced to go back seeking justice for his daughter.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07XFZSRWW
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hendry Publishing (November 30, 2019)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 30, 2019
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2267 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 318 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ B095LCNMKD

Best Sellers Rank: #1,549,814 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #2,339 in Vigilante Justice
- #3,519 in Noir Crime
- #5,386 in Assassination Thrillers (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.3 136 ratings

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Stephen Bentley

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Stephen Bentley is a former British police Detective Sergeant, pioneering Operation Julie undercover detective, and barrister. He now writes in the true crime and crime fiction genres and contributes occasionally to Huffington Post UK on undercover policing, and mental health issues.

He is possibly best known for his bestselling Operation Julie memoir and as co-author of Operation George: A Gripping True Crime Story of an Audacious Undercover Sting.

Stephen is a member of the UK's Society of Authors and the Crime Writers' Association. His website may be found at www.stephenbentley.info where you may subscribe to his newsletter.

Stephen, with Dominic Smith, also writes as part of a writing team in the Undercover Legends series under the pen name of David Le Courageux.

Now a multi-genre author, Stephen also writes cozy mysteries in the pen name of KJ Cornwall.

You can listen to Stephen talking about his Operation Julie undercover days on the BBC Radio 4 Life Changing programme/podcast.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5

136 global ratings

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Tony Parsons

crime thriller

Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2021

Verified Purchase

2024, Florida Panhandle. Navarre Beach. Mercy Deal (15, daughter) met Conor O’Rourke (20, Georgia Tech U, Kappa Alpha frat boy).
Then she took a drink that had a date-rape drug in it.
She was no longer a virgin.
Wolfie Jules had been prowling the beach.

Captain Mike Stevenson (Fort Walton Beach PD) was talking with Wolfie (30+, Hispanic) who had called 911.
Sacred Heart ER. Mercy was being looked at.
Detective Matt Deal (husband/father) rushed to hospital.
Dr. Destin (brain trauma surgeon) greeted & spoke with Detective Deal when they arrived.
Not good news at all.
Sandestin. Captain Stevenson & the PD busted down the condo door. The Kappa Alpha frat boys: Conor O’Rourke, Roland Fenney, Brett Angus, Paul Greenslade, & Tim Heath had been smoking MJ & drinking.

The 5 suspects were read their Miranda rights & hauled down to the station.
They had bailed out.
Court was held & they were all released.
6-months later, Mercy was still in a coma.
Wolfie Jules (computer genius) & Sheba (Wolfie’s German Shepherd) came to work for Detective Matt Deal (Homicide/Robbery) at the Big Deal’s Gym.
Detective Deal invited his ex-wife Lorey to the Napoli pizza parlor.
Emily Breen (NCA IA head) met with Detective Deal.
Detective Deal was still suspended 6 months after the death of Tommy Etchwell “Butcher of Brighton” Darker Productions owner.
Mercy was now in Tallahassee Memorial Hospital a specialist neurological trauma center PVS wing.
Jack Hughes (grandfather, wealthy) was picking up the tab.
The Crown versus Matthew Deal.
Not guilty.
Sheba Investigations. Mrs. Tina Gonsales (wife) came to see Matt Deal about Leo Gonsales (husband, construction foreman).
Mobile, AL. trailer park. Matt went to visit with Celia LeFevre (widow, wheelchair bound. Social Security) about here deceased husband Pierre LeFevre (aka Peter).
Jack Hughes (Matt’s ex-father-in-law, Hughes Realty Inc.) made an urgent call.

What were Andy Messina & Joe Caruso up to?

I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.

An awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very professionally written crime thriller book. It was quite easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a large description list of unique characters, settings, facts etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great crime thriller movie, or better yet a mini-TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author; Condor Publishing; BookFunnel; Amazon Digital Services LLC. Kindle Mobi; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

3 people found this helpful

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Marilyn Findlay

Not a bad story

Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2021

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Unusual time setting and international flavor. But I did find that the author seemed to run out of enthusiasm towards the end and rushed the finale. Also, I'm not a fan of the cliffhanger. So, only 4 of 5 stars.

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Kay Castaneda

Well-developed characters, plot and fast-paced story make this book an exciting read!

Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2019

Verified Purchase

Stephen Bentley's new book, Mercy, A Detective Matt Deal Thriller, is the first in this series. His partner Wolfie Jules, a tough, attractive biker, arrives on the scene early in the story as witness to the brutal attack of Matt's daughter Mercy. Wolfie becomes manager of Matt's martial arts studio when he must get away to deal with his anger and sadness. The weight of his daughter's assault, which lands her in a coma, is too much to bear. His ex-wife and father-in-law create added stress for this suffering father. Matt also struggles with worry that Mercy's attackers may get away with their crime. Set in the future in post-Brexit U.K., the well-developed characters, plot and fast-paced story make this book an exciting read. I liked the character of Matt Deal because he reminded me of a young Charles Bronson. There are some graphic descriptions of Mercy's assault plus sexual language and imagery. Author Stephen Bentley, a former undercover detective and trial attorney in the U.K., really knows how to write a realistic crime novel! For readers who love thriller detective stories, I highly recommend this book! I received an advanced copy of this book from Booksprout. 5 stars!

3 people found this helpful

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blueyed_cntry_girl

Hard hitting dad

Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2020

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After what happens to his daughter, Matt Deal goes back to the UK and becomes a hard hitting detective. A lot happens while he’s there and eventually comes back to the US. Having lived in the areas of Fort Walton Beach and Destin I liked the specific accurate details about the area. Now Matt has a partner in Wolfie and they become vigilantes to give justice for his daughter. This story brings you in and has you turning the pages til you’re done.

2 people found this helpful

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runread

Looking For Trouble

Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2023

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This story was a bit jumbled but got me interested as the plot unfolded. The characters shifted personas a bit too much, causing the story to be a little disjointed. But it all worked out in the end with a vengeance.

Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2021

Verified Purchase

Not for the easily offended because the violence and sex are quite graphic. True to life one can only imagine
what pain a parent must endure to know how brutally their child was treated. A strong protagonist, a lush for a wife, a controlling father-in-law and, finally, a good friend willing to help, make this first in a new series a must read. It's all here and waiting for you to enjoy. Highly Recommended.

2 people found this helpful

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F. B

Multiple stories weaved into one, with unexpected twists and turns.

Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2020

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The book starts with the violent attack on Mercy, and Matt's inaction and flight to London. At this time I actually thought of setting the book down and moving onto another author. I am glad I didn't as the book provided more insight into Matt, the different storylines it weaved into the book and Matt's character provided more information on how and why he had acted, and proceeded to make things right for the horrors Mercy suffered, and he brought peace and happiness back into his life. A multi-faceted detective, worth reading about.

3 people found this helpful

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Sara Montgomery

Mercy will have you hooked right from the start.

Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2019

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Mercy is an awesome book. Detective Matt Deal has a lot to deal with between his wife, Lorey and his daughter, Mercy. This book will have you hooked right from the start. It's set in the near future and all the things happening could be actually happening now. The lengths dads will go to for their daughter/s is infinite. Matt and his partner, Wolfie, have a great partnership, can't wait to see where their story progresses throughout the series. It is a must read for anyone who lives a good thriller.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I have also preordered a copy.

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Heather

A fabulous start to a new series!

Reviewed in Canada on December 1, 2019

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Mercy is a fabulous start to a new series by Stephen Bentley.

This story captured my attention from the first page and kept me on the edge of my seat until the end. The characters of Matt Deal and Wolfie Jules are well developed and the storyline is well written and a real page-turner. This story is a fast-paced, action-packed thriller filled with violence, vengeance and a vendetta against the men who escaped justice after destroying Matt Deal's daughter.

This book is a must-read for fans of vigilante justice.
I cannot wait for the next book in this gripping new series.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Sashadoo

Love and revenge

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 11, 2020

Verified Purchase

Matt Deal trusts in the forces of law and order when Mercy his teenage daughter is gang raped and left in a persistent vegetative state. Sadly, evidence goes missing and the perpetrators go free. In his grief, he escapes to his British homeland where he carves out a new career as a detective.

When circumstances conspire to place him at odds with the law, Matt turns to his friend Wolfie, who using her special skills, arranges his return to the USA where he finally discovers the truth about the night of his daughter's rape, and sets out to exact his own brand of revenge and retribution.

Thia is a whirlwind fast and easy read, one for lovers of films such as Taken, and you will find yourself willing Matt and Wolfie to succeed. Along the way, Matt finds love once again in the arms of Wolfie, though not without a few complications thrown in to the mix by his ex-wife, Lorey.
An excellent read, and I have no hesitation in awarding it 5 big stars.

One person found this helpful

Anna O'Duffy

Great read

Reviewed in Australia on September 24, 2021

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All action, gripping, some sex scenes, plenty of murder and mayhem.. cops, killers, revenge, it has it all. A real page turner.

U4ea

Enjoyable rad, and what a finish

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 25, 2020

Verified Purchase

This book is set in the near future and the action moves from the US to a dystopian England and back again. I liked the main character and his sidekick.

One person found this helpful

Seb Barrow

Cannot put this down!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 12, 2020

Verified Purchase

Once started,you will read to the end. A brilliantly contrived story bringing two great people together. Matt has a daughter with brain damage from a gang rape. He has a lush for a wife and a very unpleasant father in law.
Matt is forced to leave the U S A and join the police force in a post Brexit Britain. Not before putting a witness, Wolfie, in charge of his gym. Not to spoil anything but the action keeps coming and 7 years later, Matt is back in America and Wolfie is by his side. Time for revenge!!
I really enjoyed this novel and need to get to the second in the series, as and when. Definitely more please.

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Mercy: A Detective Matt Deal Thriller Introducing Wolfie Jules (Detective Matt Deal Thrillers Book 1) Kindle Edition

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From the Publisher

The Detective Matt Deal Thrillers

His daughter was taken. He’ll never get her back.

Don’t mess with Deal… Mayhem will follow

Mobocracy means mob rule, the opposite of democracy The series is set in the near future...

The Detective Matt Deal Thrillers Trilogy: Books 1 - 3

Binge Read All Three Books in Series in One Box Set

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About the Author

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Stephen Bentley

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