Sweet Mercy

March 25, 2013
In this coming-of-age novel, Christy winner Tatlock (All the Way Home) manages to offer readers an eclectic mixture of suspense and romance combined with deeply rooted historical elements. After her father is laid off from automotive giant Ford Motor Company in 1931, in the early years of the Great Depression, Eve Marryat is elated to move to Mercy, Ohio, from St. Paul, Minn., where she witnessed a gangland murder related to a bootlegging operation. The 17-year-old Eve considers Mercy her promised land and her chance to leave behind the St. Paul gangsters and forget about “that murder” forever. Cyrus, Eve’s paternal uncle, offers the family an opportunity to live and work at his business, the Marryat Island Ballroom and Lodge. Once settled, Eve and her dad Andrew quickly find out that Mercy has secrets, and Eve’s safe haven turns into a crime scene right under her nose. Tatlock presents endearing but flawed characters who prompt readers to explore their own bases for judgment and ethical criticism.