‘When Mercy Died’

Inspiration

(Note from Peter)

The inspiration for When Mercy Died came from a desire to explore the devastating aftermath of the most unthinkable tragedy. To weave such a loss into the narrative, I asked myself how the hero of my first novel, The Extraterrestrial, would react upon discovering that the woman he loves—along with her two children and her mother—had been brutally murdered in retaliation for his destruction of the criminal syndicate that ruled Los Angeles for more than a year.

The Extraterrestrial ends on a note of hope, with the hero and his beloved deciding to marry after reconciling their differences—she, a famous actress bound to the public eye, and he, an alien destined to remain an enigma. In stark contrast, When Mercy Died opens with the hero’s discovery of their deaths, plunging the story into grief and despair.

Portraying his anguish in a way that truly resonates with readers was one of my greatest challenges. I chose to have him endure what psychologists call “complicated grief disorder”—a prolonged and overwhelming mourning that prevents healing. His sorrow is unrelenting, his focus consumed by the loss, and in his search for solace, he withdraws from the world entirely.

But beyond this, I will say no more. Readers must discover for themselves how he confronts his suffering, rediscovers his purpose, and, ultimately, learns to open his heart to love again.