Update, Feb. 2016: Rereading (via audiobook) in anticipation of book #9! Because there's no such thing as too much Mercy. 
 March 2014: You know how some series outstay their welcome? Well, as far as I'm concerned, Mercy Thompson can stay as long as she wants! In Patricia Briggs's inventive and engrossing urban fantasy series, Mercy Thompson is the heroine extraordinaire. She fixes cars, kicks butt, bakes amazing chocolate chip cookies, and shifts into coyote form at will. Being married to the Alpha of the local werewolf pack means life is never boring, and she manages to hold her own among all the big, bad (but with hearts-of-gold) wolves, as well as with all the various and sundry supernatural beings that populate the Washington Tri-Cities area. 
 In Night Broken, the 8th in the series, Mercy faces a truly scary adversary: her husband's ex-wife. Christy is a human who has perfected the art of manipulating everyone around her by eliciting sympathy for poor little her, and when she acquires a psycho stalker, of course she comes to the pack for protection. Mercy grits her teeth and tries to stay calm, but between Christy's attempts to take over her home and the dangerous creature that threatens all their lives, it's no wonder she's feeling a wee bit tense. 
 Night Broken continues the author's winning streak, providing a mix of exciting action and danger while also showcasing Mercy's emotional side and her struggles and challenges. Having come so far with her, it's lovely to see Mercy making her way in the pack and enjoying her rare private moments with her oh-so-sexy husband Adam and her stepdaughter Jesse. 
 I truly loved this newest addition to one of my favorite series -- my only complaint being that I read it within two days of its publication, and now I have to wait again! 
 Obviously, anyone who hasn't read a Mercy book yet should start at the beginning. If you enjoy urban fantasy with tough, smart women at the lead, this is a series not to be missed!