 Mercy Ridge: Book 1
Publication Date: August 4, 2026
A deathbed confession. A decades-old secret. A mountain that holds the answers–and danger closing in.
When intelligence analyst Sarah Ellison learns of her grandfather’s deathbed confession connected to her brother’s murder, she’s determined to protect her remaining family. After further investigation, she discovers the disclosed information points to a decades-old government secret buried deep in the Cascade Mountains. With this knowledge, she looks for a guide who knows the terrain like the back of their hand.
After his father’s death in a tragic mountain accident, former Navy SEAL Ryder Goodwin no longer guides for the family business. At first, Ryder refuses to help Sarah, but he sees the trouble chasing her and can’t stand by while someone brings danger to his small-town mountain community.
Ryder and Sarah gear up to climb the mountain in a race against time and a looming storm. When the danger escalates, their search for answers shifts to a survival mission. Their only chance to make it through involves trusting each other and confronting the truth no one wants them to find.
This gripping romantic-suspense thriller set in the Pacific Northwest from USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard is a series opener that will sweep you away in a rush of adrenaline.
The picturesque Cascade Mountains prove to be a formidable keeper of secrets.
Author Elizabeth Goddard introduces readers to When the Silence Breaks, the first installment of the Mercy Ridge series.
At the center is Sarah Ellison, an intelligence analyst seeking answers about her brother’s murder while investigating a dangerous government secret hidden within the terrain.
She seeks help from a reluctant former Navy SEAL, Ryder Goodwin. His knowledge of the mountains is extensive, making him the ideal partner for Sarah. As the danger mounts, both from Mother Nature and the two-legged version, Ryder steps in.
Solid suspense binds the story together as the main characters deal with an ultimatum, along with a betrayal.
When the Silence Breaks highlights the importance of trust in the midst of a dangerous mission for the truth.
Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of more than sixty-five novels. She is a Carol Award winner, a two-time Reader’s Choice Award winner, and a Daphne du Maurier Award and HOLT Medallion finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry.
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