Sometimes after a first book, the second isn't as good. That's NOT the case with 'Shades of Mercy'. It's as good, if not better than the first 'The Bitter Past.'. Beck's corner of the world is not so quiet anymore. Like all the country, fentanyl is taking over, and they are trying to get a hold on it. There's drones that are being highjacked by someone and doing scary things. There's a girl that's not as sweet and innocent as she seems.