Fatal Frost by Nancy Mehl

This novel is the first in a new series from Mehl. It is not the best I've read from her.

Mercy is a deputy U.S. Marshal. She has issues with her father and her past boyfriend, also a Marshal. A drug cartel is trying to infiltrate and take over St. Louis. Mercy's father had been working undercover and is murdered. Mercy's boss knows there a mole in the department though he is unsure who it is. It might be Mercy or she might have some information the cartel wants. She and two other agents, including her old boyfriend, are sent out of town to check on a witness protection individual. They get stuck in a snow storm and suddenly their lives are in danger.

I felt the plot was a little far fetched to me. I felt the flow of the novel was uneven too. For example, Mercy and the other agents would have long conversations when there was imminent attack. The whole operation by the agents did not make sense to me. It was not well thought out and, of course, fell apart. I don't like it when there is suspense because of some one's stupidity and I saw that here. There is one point where Mercy walks by a handcuffed villain and he grabs her ankle and trips her. And she's supposed to be a trained agent? And Mark, her old boyfriend, figured out a villain (as did I) early on but did nothing about it. Of course, great suspense resulted from his lack of action.

I did not like Mercy's character or the way it was developed. There is much back ground history important to this plot. Although I did learn some, I kept feeling like I was reading the second book in a series. Her intense dislike of Christianity is a case in point. She lied to the other agents and they lied to her. The whole workings of the agents just did not sit well with me.

There is some romance and Mercy does come to grips with her relationship to God. The novel is a good effort but it is not Mehl's best.

My rating: 3/5 stars.

Nancy Mehl is the author of twenty two books and received the ACFW Mystery Book of Year Award in 2009. She has a background in social work and lives in Missouri with her husband. You can find out more at www.nancymehl.com.

Bethany House Publishers, 304 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.