If this book sounds familiar to you, it was first published under the title The Safe Word, back in 2014. I do like this title better, but it’s new one, Cry For Mercy, still fits in well with the theme of the story. This is the first book in the series, featuring DI Eleanor Raven and it is a ripper!

The first chapter was eye opening and not what I expected at all. It is not everyday you read a book where the main protagonist has a secret life that is so far removed from her day job and it is this, that makes this book a standout for me above other female lead police procedurals.

Eleanor Raven is a very interesting character, but I have to admit that I did struggle to connect with her. I can’t fault the way she has been written and it is only book one, so I am hoping that this will change in future books as I get to know her more. I did enjoy the supporting cast, who play out their roles well.

This is the first book I have read from Karen Long and I enjoyed her style. She was able to draw me in and hold my attention and it’s intriguing storyline with it’s cat and mouse approach, makes for an entertaining read. The subject matter won’t be to everyone’s taste, but it is not too graphic or overdone in any way.

Cry For Mercy is a gripping series opener, that will have you flicking the pages well into the night. It is dark, twisted, well written and will take you on one chilling roller coaster ride! I look forward to seeing where the second instalment will take DI Eleanor Raven next.

Thank you to Karen Long, Bookouture and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Cry For Mercy, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Cry For Mercy was originally published under the title The Safe Word.  Although I had not read The Safe Word I have read the two books which followed so I had some knowledge of Eleanor Raven’s world before starting Cry For Mercy.  This previous reading wasn’t really a spoiler – more an advert for Cry For Mercy as I knew before I started reading that I was in for a treat. Karen Long delivers tension packed thrills with the dark edge that I love in my books.

Cry For Mercy opens in a way you just wouldn’t expect – Karen Long revealing more about Raven than readers may have expected but it lets you understand how she is driven, prepared, cautious and (on some things) secretive. It also prepares readers for one of the background threads of the story…fulfilment of desires.

Raven is one of the best detectives in her division but she has just lost her long-standing partner who has been sidelined by health issues.  We enter Raven’s world as a murder victim has been found in an abandoned building – strung up and wrapped in plastic sheeting. A grisly murder scene and one which does not seem to give the cops much to work on.

Raven gets to work the case but she is saddled with a new partner, one that is keen to learn but knows Raven will be a tough taskmaster. He also brings some baggage in the form of an unruly dog which has been dumped on him at short notice by his ex as she swans off on vacation with her new beau.  The dog (Monster) brings some of the lighter moments in the story – always welcome in the darker takes – and he is a joyous addition to the cast.

Poor Raven; saddled with a rookie partner, his bombshell dog and coping with the absence of her trusted friend and colleague. On top of this chaotic mix is a brilliantly plotted murder story with a killer who has a plan they want to play out.  His victims will be carefully selected and the reader can see him closing in on his prey.  Tensions mount further when he realises that Raven is aware of his “work” and steps must be taken to ensure his plans can reach their climax.  For Raven this will have more severe implications than she could have anticipated.

Cry For Mercy is a brilliant murder story but definitely not one for readers who favour a cozy crime read.  This is the fantastic first book in the Eleanor Raven series and you need to get reading it immediately.

Cry for Mercy is a fast paced police procedural. A taut storyline that deals with some issues that are generally not written about in thrillers.

DI Eleanor Raven has secrets that could be detrimental to her career. But she is a no nonsense cop when it comes finding the killer. Two bodies set up as a 'work of art' and the world of BDSM sets this story apart giving the lead character of this new series an almost human feel. The violence was a bit too much for my liking.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Cry for Mercy’ by Karen Long in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first in a series of police procedurals set in Toronto featuring D.I. Eleanor Raven. It was originally published in 2014 under the title ‘The Safe Word’ and received good reviews. This and its two sequels are now being republished by Bookouture.

Detectives in police procedurals often are dealing with troubled pasts and/or have secrets. Here we learn from the opening chapter that in her private life Eleanor Raven is into BDSM, something that if revealed could end her career in law enforcement.

Later the same night Detective Inspector Eleanor Raven is called to a crime scene at a derelict power where the body of a young woman has been found posed with cherry lipstick painted across her face.

Eleanor is determined to uncover the murderer and she and her team are quickly on the case. Then another woman is found, again posed ritualistically with the same red lipstick used. It comes to light that both victims are linked to a cold case as well as being involved in the same subculture as Raven. Following the clues now risks her secrets being exposed.

I found this a highly engaging police procedural and quickly took to Eleanor Raven as a main character. Following her long time partner being on medical leave, she’s not happy to be assigned a new partner in the form of former doctor, Detective Laurence Whitefoot. 

There is no doubt that this was a disturbing case and there were some very clever twists. I was glued to my settee as events played out. As a result I read it in a single sitting and certainly will be looking forward to reading its sequel come January.

WOW! What an opening to a book. The first chapter immediately grips you. 

Our main character is Eleanor Raven. Eleanor is very clever, she is straight talking and doesn't take any sh*t. Eleanor is who she is and no one is going to change that! I liked that about her. She is sure of who she is and what she wants. I feel there is a back story behind Eleanor and I can't wait to learn more about her in the coming books. 

Eleanor has a new partner, Laurence Whitefoot. Now she's not particularly happy about this. Her previous partner was her mentor and this new one is a bit of a rookie and quite frankly she doesn't have time for rookies. They have quite a rocky relationship in this book and aren't quite at the I've got your back stage. I like Laurence and I can't wait to see more of him.

One character I felt sorry for was poor Monster.  That dog just needs a bit of TLC and some training. I really hope that Laurence puts him through the K9 training. I think he would make an excellent police dog. 

The case was very interesting and very disturbing. There were quite a few twists in the story which kept you on the edge of your seat. The pace was good. I never felt like the book was lagging. I was so invested I just whizzed through most of it. 

I love the cover for this book and it’s one of the reasons I wanted to read it but once you have read the book it becomes even more terrifying! 

I really enjoyed my time with Detective Eleanor and I can’t wait to read the second book in the series. 

Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour.

A gritty tale that soon pulled me into the depths of illicit pleasures and games. Cry for Mercy by Karen Long had one of the most shocking first chapter I have read in a long time. And the pages too flew fast.

DI Eleanor Raven had a secret life, but that didn’t stop her from rushing headlong into the investigation of the kidnapping and murder of women who were posed post their deaths in a gruesome manner. With a new partner Laurence, it was up to her to scan all the pleasure points of the city to find out who was playing the most dangerous game.

The writing had a darkness imbibed in it, somehow it felt that the words took on the intentions of the author and reflected the claustrophobic atmosphere she wanted to create in the book. It was distinctly eerie and left me with a sense of disquiet.

I was no stranger to blood and gore in books; I usually read them during breakfast. But this gave me the intense feel of being in a dark tunnel with only Eleanor pulling me on. Some of the pathways were distinctly uncomfortable. And Eleanor too was not very likable. I hoped she’d settle down in the next book.

The book had a darker than normal plotline, but all the cops worked cohesively where each pulled his weight. There was a careful weaving of the scenes, orchestrated seamlessly by the author. The killer was always one step ahead, and Eleanor had to scramble to catch up with him. That made it a race to the dungeons. Literally.

A book I could finish in one sitting, a great entertainer.

This is the first book in DI Eleanor Raven series. For a first book it is very well written with believable characters and storylines.
She is not your typical homicide detective as she has a secret life outside the police, a dangerous life.
She and her team set out to find a serial killer whose crimes are escalating., starting with the cruel death of a young woman. She is found suspended by a chain from the ceiling of an old power station.
Eleanor’s partner Artie is off sick following a heart attack and she is forced by her boss Marty Sanderson to pair up Laurence Whitefoot, an ex doctor.
Eleanor’s private  live becomes entangled in the current murders and she discovers a link between them and a cold case. 
Eleanor is quite a cold character and her relationship with her colleagues is tense. I expect her relationship with Laurence will evolve in future books.
4 Stars ⭐️ from me. A good police procedural with enough  interesting characters, storyline , twists and turns to keep the reader hooked.
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.
Highly Recommended.

BOOKWORMS REVIEW:
Another author to add to the list! This is the first in the Det. Eleanor Raven series and it was a cracker. 
A start I was not expecting and loved it.(the shock of it not the actual acts)

The opening scene is a BDSM sequence where a woman having engaged in bondage etc has several missed calls from her job...her job as a Detective! What a secret. One that could ruin her if it ever came to light. 

Shes called to a crime scene whereby a woman has been killed and posed hanging by a hook,with lipstick and a plastic bag over her head. 
Eleanor Raven will stop at nothing to catch this deranged psychopath..even putting herself in harms way if needs be. 

Her newly appointed partner Det. Laurence Whitefoot, and his trusty German Shepard 'Monster'(a character in himself)are on the case..and while she doesn't think a whole pile of her sidekick theres always potential for romance in the future books perhaps..but hes dependable at least. 

The forensics are plentiful and bang on. Its gory in places but tolerable and good for the story. Not all loose ends are tied up and answered in this so I look forward to all of Eleanors future exploits. She's one to be reckoned with. Great job Karen Long!
  
With special thanks to Karen,Netgalley and her publishers Bookouture for this ARC in return of an honest review.

My Rating: 📕📕📕📕📕

The job of a detective is to understand the killer, and catch it before it kills again, but what happens if the curiosity is mutual and the detective is targeted by the killer? Then the race against the clock will begin, the lives of innocents are at the stage and no one except Detective Inspector Eleanor Raven can save them. Ready?
This had been a quick read, easy to enter the story and follow the detectives steps to catch the killer. Expect a thriller told between different voices, the killer included, making the story more complete and realistic; detectives are good at their job and sadly a killer with an only objective in their mind, killing.
I have to say that I really enjoyed this book, it was so easy to enter the plot, believing the detectives and hoping that they will discover the truth before the killer strikes again!
Eleanor’s character is not easy to like, she only has one objective in her mind, to catch the killer and there’s nothing that will stop her at doing so, that will make her too bossy and difficult. But she does her job pretty well, and when your secrets are threatened to be revealed, I don’t think anyone would be objective and patient, don’t you think?
If you are looking for an addictive read and a good case to investigate, this has to be your next read!
I really can’t wait to read the new Detective Eleanor Raven! Ready for “Cry for Mercy”?

Cry For Mercy is the first book in the DI Eleanor Raven series and was originally published in 2014 under a different title The Safe Word. The story follows Eleanor and her colleagues try to capture a sadistic killer who is murder women. 

The use of third person narration provided me with a deeper connection to multiple characters. I think that the characters were excellently written especially Eleanor who is extremely complex.

I love Eleanor because she is independent, strong and believes that nobody should be judged. She uses masochistic sexual acts in order to atone for the sins that she carries from her childhood. 

I really hated Detective Laurence Whitefoot because he is arrogant, judgmental and I don’t like the way he treated Monster the dog.  I did like him a little bit more by the end of the book. 

I thought that this was a good book because it had twists and turns that kept me guessing. 

I recieved an advanced copy for free, and this is my honest opinion.

A gripping and addictive story from another new to me author. 

It drew me into it from the first chapter and I had to read it all in one sitting because the twist and turns didn’t stop at all. 

I found the storyline very interesting because it’s not very often when an author takes a chance into certain taboo topics and all the mysterious characters and the way they solved the crimes made up for a great few hours of reading. 

Eleanor was a great female character that has many secrets on her own and many times, keeping secrets is not a good thing because everything can blow up and destroy the life you know. Catching the killer is definitely not an effortless task, but the author added so many layers to unveil into the story that is making this novel a must-read.

Police procedural details series that I’m sure many lovers of the genre will enjoy.

Arc provided by the publisher through NetGalley

Eleanor closed her eyes tightly against the image in front of her. Another innocent life taken, another family left grieving.

When DI Eleanor Raven is called out to a murder scene she is not prepared for what faces her, the body of a young woman has been found, but this is no regular murder, the body has been posed, almost like a work of art, with cherry red lipstick painted across her mouth. Eleanor and her team set to work to determine who the killer is and bring them to justice. Then another woman is discovered with the same MO, could these be ritual killings or a very sadistic serial killer? The team are struggling to find the motivation behind the murders until Eleanor discovers something that links this to a cold case, but could this link ultimately put Eleanor at risk, because she has a secret that nobody else knows except, unbeknown to her, the killer! Could she be his next victim?

Cry for Mercy is a debut novel and the first in this series for Karen Long, it was originally published back in 2014 as The Safe Word. It's a dark crime thriller with a very macabre concept, the story is quite drawn out but ramps up a notch in the last third, with an explosive ending. Definitely worth a read. 

I'd like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

3.5 stars
This is a good read but had something missing for me to make it a great read. 
The book begins with DI Eleanor Raven taking part in a BDSM session, then she’s called straight away to a murder scene. 
A woman has been hung in a plastic bag and the killer has put red lipstick on her face. 
Her fiancé thought she was taking part in a kidnapping ‘game’ but didn’t expect her to be murdered. 
It seems people pay to be kidnapped as some kind of turn on but someone is taking it too far. 
Soon another woman is found, again with the red lipstick. 
Raven has a new partner to get used to and he gets left his ex’s dog to look after, and it seems Monster is a bit of a character. 
This is a good crime thriller that I did enjoy but I’m not sure if it tempted me enough to read any more in the series. 
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Cry For Mercy

Cry For Mercy was undoubtedly not what I was expecting, but in the best way possible! I just finished it moments ago and couldn't wait to type up my review! This expertly written piece of writing was even better than my wildest expectations. Karen Long is now on my list of one-click authors, and after having read this first book in the series, I can't wait for book two!

Straight from the first chapter, we’re thrown deep, deep into DI Eleanor Raven’s psyche, her lifestyle, and career, and I believe we've only just scratched the surface! 

Cry For Mercy takes us on a journey to uncover one serial killer’s twisted motives for murdering women, opening up many lines of questioning most books daren't touch. When women begin popping up dead, dolled up, and left out ceremoniously displayed for all to see, Detective Raven knows she has her work cut out for her. Author Karen Long has done a phenomenal job bringing her characters alive, from her internally strong, driven female protagonist Eleanor Raven right down to Monster and his K9 ways! I quickly lost track of time racing through these pages. 

I don't want to give too much away as this is one of those best going in blind situations! The book’s description gives us quite a bit, yet there's so much more beneath the surface of this utterly fascinating must-read of 2020! Do yourself a favor and set up a blind date between the pages of Cry For Mercy!

I'd recommend this read to every thriller fan, everywhere, as long as you don't mind a little BDSM! Many thanks to NetGalley, the author Karen Long, and the publishers at Bookouture for my advanced copy of this ebook and my spot on this Books-On-Tour event! I have honestly and voluntarily reviewed this title.

This was a very good thriller with a ruthless killer and some very unlikeable characters. I failed to connect with Eleanor and her squad but I did enjoy the rollercoaster ride of the story. I liked the Toronto setting and the writing was good but would have benefited from some editing. A good start to a new partnership of Raven and Whitefoot and the promise of a new series. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

In the beginning I expected that the first female character, who is into bondage, would be the victim. A very different start to the story when her identity was revealed. Detective Inspector Eleanor Raven is called to the scene of a bizarre murder. A young woman, who has been tortured, is found hanging from the ceiling. Eleanor and her team begin their investigation without her partner who is recovering from a heart attack. She is not thrilled when her new, hopefully temporary partner shows up. Detective Laurence Whitefoot is new to homicide and is hoping to learn from veteran detective Eleanor. When another woman is found murdered in the same manner, Eleanor worries that the murders may have some connection to her past. An interesting murder mystery, but a little too graphic for me. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

DI Eleanor Raven has a secret, one she is at pains to keep from her colleagues, especially her new partner who she isn’t at all thrilled about working with. Her new case however, isn’t at all straightforward and is gradually leading her towards the very heart of her own shadowy desires and the understanding of a killer who could easily destroy her too. 

Although this is a good read I struggled with it at times. I liked Raven's new partner far more than she did and found her to be unsympathetic at times. This is a reissue of a book previously entitled The Safe Word which was one of a trio of novels. I will be on the look out for their reincarnation as well as I would like to see how things evolve for both main protagonists. 

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions are my own.  This is an enjoyable read but is maybe not for the squeamish.

Book Review for Cry for Mercy by Karen Long
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

What an absolute cracker of a book this was! I stayed up well into the early hours of the morning to finish this. Someone pass me the matchsticks please. 

I absolutely love the characters that were involved in this story. 

Eleanor Raven is a badass that won't go down without a fight, which was proven all the way to the end of the last page! 

Her new partner and friend, Laurence Whitefoot, is a heart on his sleeve kind of guy. For someone that stopped being a doctor and joined the police force he certainly found his calling. 

This book, of gruesome crime and murders was just outstanding to me. The descriptions depicted by the author where second to none and made it feel very real. The process that the team followed were meticulous and they followed every lead with a fine tooth comb. 

I can see myself falling in love with this team and I cant wait to see what is thrown at them next! Absolutely fantastic!

Shocking beginning of this book that I didn't expect, very gritty and intense.   Later, you get some insight  for this behavior of the main character, Eleanor (who is the detective leading this police procedural) Enjoyed the storyline,  the other characters & of coarse Monster, the German Shepard.  I would definitely read another book  in  this series.  Thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for a complimentary copy of  this  ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.