If you’re looking for books with non-stop action, you can’t go wrong with Andrew Welsh-Huggins’ Mercury Carter thrillers. He follows the successful book, The Mailman, with Merc’s latest adventures in The Delivery.
Carter was once a US Postal Inspection Services Agent with all the training of other federal law enforcement agents. Now, he’s an independent courier who delivers special items, whether they’re registered puppies, or in the case of his latest job, a baseball card signed by shortstop Lou Boudreau that’s going to a ninety-one-year-old man in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Merc always delivers. Sometimes, though, he has a few jobs to take care of along the way.
It’s a car accident that precipitates Carter’s latest distraction. He rounds a corner on a rainy night in Pawtucket and comes across a car almost split in two by a utility pole. The driver is unconscious, and Merc wants to help her. He’s getting a crowbar when another car stops, and a big man waves his gun around and demands that Carter stay away from the car. But, Carter has a white knight complex, particularly when it comes to women. He uses his training and skills to take down the man and save the woman’s life. But, he’s heading into trouble when he learns a frightened young woman gave the unconscious woman a ring and a business card with the word “HELP” on it. When the young woman’s parents hire Merc to find their daughter and return her ring, Carter is stuck. He feels for the parents, wants to help their daughter, and has a ring to deliver. Mercury Carter has never failed to make a delivery.
One violent character leads to another. Before he knows it, Carter is trying to put together pieces that include a missing young woman, a pimp, drug dealers, wannabe mobsters, and a couple working a scam that could lead to the biggest payday of their lives. If Carter has to injure a few bad guys in order to get answers and save a couple women, he will.
Admittedly, there are a few too many players involved in Carter’s latest adventures. It’s not easy to keep straight all the pimps and drug dealers and grifters. However, if you love white knight adventures with unexpected heroes, you’ll enjoy Mercury Carter’s exploits in The Delivery.
Andrew Welsh-Huggins’ website is https://www.andrewwelshhuggins.com/
The Delivery by Andrew Welsh-Huggins. Mysterious Press, 2026. 336p
FTC Full Disclosure – I received a copy from the publicist with no promise of a positive review.
I loved the short story and THE MAILMAN and I’ve been looking forward to this one ever since it was announced. The first one was just that – non-stop action start to finish.
This one is the same, Jeff. A little confusing with the various characters, but I enjoyed Mercury and his adventures.
Like both of you, I really enjoyed the pace of the first one.
This one is just as fast paced, Kim. I read it straight through.
Like Lisa, I enjoyed the first one a lot but found this one to be confusing with all the characters. It was still a good read though.
Exactly my opinion, Bev. A few too many characters, but as long as Mercury could keep them straight, I was okay. He wasn’t sure who he was dealing with either.