Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

PBriggs-Night BrokenWhat can I say about Patricia Briggs or her Mercy Thompson series that hasn’t already been said? Is the writing beautiful, the story captivating, the characters imaginative? Well duh. All of this has been said and it still remains true. Night Broken is just another example of how fabulous Briggs is as a writer. Long time fans know that when they pick up Mercy, they are in for an intense, action packed, emotional story that just devours time like jelly beans. Seriously. I picked up Night Broken and was instantly entranced for the next five hours.

An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from a stalker. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need—and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the feeling that something about the situation isn’t right. Soon, her suspicions are confirmed when she learns that Christy has the farthest thing from good intentions. She wants Adam back and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen, including turning Adam’s pack against Mercy. Mercy isn’t about to step down without a fight, but there’s a more dangerous threat circling. Christy’s stalker is more than a bad man—in fact, he may not be human at all. As the bodies start piling up, Mercy must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart.

One of the reasons I love Mercy’s world is because these fabulous, strong, flawed characters exist and they never back down from whatever is thrown in their path. And when I say anything, I literally mean it. Briggs brings out even more mythological folktales with Night Broken‘s villain and can I just say that, yet again, Briggs brings the unique and twists it into something seriously fantastic. I’m not going to say what or who the villain is, but let’s just say that Mercy really jumps into the frying pan this time. Even then, this new monster isn’t the biggest villain Mercy is up against. Adam’s ex-wife is in the house, and while she’s not worried about Adam or their relationship, Mercy knows that there is more going on that she needs to worry about. Christy is LIKED by more pack members than Mercy is, and that means Mercy really has to think on how she responds to Christy.

Speaking of Christy, she’s not the only new character to join the world in Night Broken. To help face this new threat, Mercy is told to find another shifter, and through him, she learns far more about Coyote. He’s definitely a character, and while I think he wasn’t meant to be on the page for long, his character is not one to be ignored. In addition to this new shifter, There’s also a new wolf in town, and while he isn’t focused on too much, I have a feeling we’ll be getting more of his story later. Right now, Mercy is just happy he’s in her city because his presence will do more to help her and the pack, than it will harm it.

As is typical with a Briggs story, the action knows no bounds. When trouble finds Mercy, it comes as an avalanche and quickly encases her. *grin* Not only does Mercy have to deal with this new Big Bad and Christy, but the Fae are knocking on her door and Stefan makes a brief, but very important, visit as well. Night Broken is well paced, so even though the action may be nonstop, there are brief periods of time where Mercy and the rest of the gang are not succumbing to exhaustion. Quit honestly, I loved how the story flowed and it not only kept me engaged, but even with sporadic interruptions, I was able to easily dive right back into the action without missing a beat.

In Night Broken, yet again, we see why Patricia Briggs is a master storyteller with a plot that showcases all of her characters talents and keeps the reader glued to the page. We get a glimpse into the life Mercy has now, but we’re also given the beginning threads of a new story arc that will have more of an impact on Mercy than previous novels. For any Briggs/Mercy fans, Night Broken isn’t a novel to be missed, for what may seem inconsequential now, will not be so later. Of this I’m almost certain.

Read Order:
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned
Night Broken
Fire Touched
Silence Fallen
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.