Return to Mercy

Set in the Piney Woods of East Texas, Return to Mercy is the multi-generational story of a family's journey to redeem the anguish of the past through forbearance and compassion. A chance roadside reunion, the return of an estranged child, the arrival of a mysterious guest, and an ill-fated criminal enterprise collide in a series of events that test the bounds of forgiveness in a town called Mercy.

Matriarch widow Lillian Irwin's life is revitalized by the restoration of her long lost friendship with Weezie Wilkins, whose extended visit to Mercy alters her life as well. Lillian's son Roy is challenged to address the failure of his marriage to Carole, who is trapped in a loveless second marriage to the heir of a rival family's fortune. Desperation forges a criminal enterprise from which a victim of human trafficking escapes to ignite a chain of events connecting unlikely companions in fate. And despite repeated assurances that 'everything will be all right,' the confluence of events forges a conclusion that none could have predicted.

Return to Mercy is a reminder that in spite of our unintended efforts to sabotage destiny there is redemption, if we dare to embrace it.

STEVE MIMS
Return to Mercy is Steve Mims's first novel. Born in Laredo, Texas and a resident of Houston since 1960, Steve retired in 2013 from a career in executive search, preceded by a decade in the practice of law. He is an undergraduate of Tulane University and holds graduate degrees in both Economics and Law from Southern Methodist University.