Mercy
Mercy by Patricia Ward, published by HarperCollins Publishers in 2025, is a contemporary mystery that explores a small town’s supernatural curse through the eyes of a determined young girl. With 368 pages, this edition presents a gripping narrative centered on Mercy, who grapples with the Sorrowing—a multigenerational curse that has plagued her family and the community of Arbor Falls. As she navigates her reality, Mercy learns that the only way to escape the curse is to confront its dark history.
In this immersive tale, readers will find a blend of social issues and supernatural elements as Mercy seeks to uncover the secrets that bind her town. The arrival of the Bowens, another cursed family, ignites a series of events that threaten to unravel everything Mercy holds dear. As she delves into the past, the story raises questions about the hidden truths and responsibilities of current generations in addressing the wrongs of their predecessors. This edition of Mercy invites readers into a world where the past’s shadows loom large, and the fight against a haunting legacy becomes a matter of survival.
Official synopsis Publisher
Perfect for fans of Sawkill Girls, Bone Gap, and Dark and Shallow Lies, this suspenseful contemporary mystery delves into a small town’s supernatural, multigenerational curse–and the girl determined to break it.
Mercy was named for her mother’s hopes.
Mercy, in the hope that the Sorrowing–the curse that Mercy and her family had lived with for generations–might take pity on them.
But Mercy’s name never did her any good, and it certainly didn’t save her mother.
The Sorrowing ensures that Mercy, her family, and the core families in Arbor Falls aren’t able to grow, dream, or prosper. It makes sure they stay exactly as they are–mired in the mud. Mercy has learned to live with the truth: the only way to escape the Sorrowing is to accept it.
Until the Bowens move back to town.
The Bowens are a cursed family, too, and they should know better than to test the Sorrowing. Instead, their ignorance sets off a wave of fury that promises to destroy everything.
Now, Mercy will have to unearth the horrors that unfolded that terrible night the Sorrowing was born–to face the despicable secrets of her town and break the curse before it breaks everything she has left.
An immersive mystery laced with supernatural dread that’s perfect for fans of of Courtney Gould and Kyrie McCauley, Mercy slowly and relentlessly digs into the buried crimes of a small, insular town and provokes questions about the lies we silently allow and the duty current generations have in exposing the harms of the past.
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