The Merciful

A hit and run on a lonesome highway. A coastal town demanding justice. And a trial that forces everyone to question what they know.

The low-country town of Overlook is a sleepy tourist and retirement community known for its golf courses and laid-back lifestyle. But when 19-year-old Samantha James is killed in a hit and run one night while riding her bicycle home from work, the town sets out to crucify the alleged culprit, Daniel Hayward.

The headlines tell a compelling story, but everyone involved has their own version of what happened: the media, the prosecutor, the defense attorney, Daniel, and Samantha’s family.

As The Merciful examines these competing perspectives, the novel’s scope ranges from characters striving for an American success that's just out of reach, to questions of data analytics, brain emulations, and the very survival of humanity. Ultimately, it’s a morality play that asks tough questions about the nature of justice — and mercy.

What do you do when one moment, one accident, one decision changes the course of life forever?