This Dark Road to Mercy

Engaging from the get-go is my experience with Wiley Cash's new novel, This Dark Road to Mercy.

A blend of mystery, drama, and coming-of-age, the story has something to connect with for fans of many different genres. Set in 1990's North Carolina, the story centers on Easter and Ruby Quillby, young sisters now in foster care following the death of their mother. Easter resents her father, Wade Chesterfield, for having relinquished his parental rights. Now Wade has come back to reclaim his daughters. Trouble ensues when Wade kidnaps Easter and Ruby from foster care and hits the road with them. What he doesn't know is that a hit-man and the girls' court appointed guardian, an ex cop, are both after them as well. Who will find them first and what they discover about each other on the road make for a suspense-filled page-turner!

I enjoyed the baseball theme connecting the threads of the various stories throughout the novel. Cash does a nice job of weaving together a few sub-plots which add interest and character development to the novel. I was impressed that he was able to make such a variety of characters (six year old Ruby; middle-aged, divorced, ex-cop Brady; elderly Mrs. Chessman; and so many others) believable, especially in such a quickly paced (and not overly long) read. For me, the ending of the novel was perfect.