Ali Mercer Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Ali Mercer is an English author of general fiction books famously known for writing emotional family dramas about secrets, lies, and mysteries. She always wanted to be a writer right from childhood and wrote her first novel in primary school at a very young age. Mercer holds an English degree and has taken various journalism jobs, including as a reporter for the showbusiness newspaper The Stage. She began her professional writing career after marriage and relocating to Abingdon, a market town in Oxfordshire. Mercer has two children: a son who was diagnosed with autism at four years old and a beautiful daughter.

Ali Mercer’s novel, The Family I Lost, became very popular, reaching the top 30 on the UK Kindle bestseller list. The Marriage Lie also gained much attention, making it into the top 20 on the Kindle bestseller lists in the US and Australia and the top 30 in the UK.
His Secret Family was wildly successful, becoming a number one bestseller in the UK on the Kindle and Bookstat ebook charts and topping Amazon UK’s most-sold fiction chart. It also reached the top 20 in the US Kindle bestseller list. Her novels published by Bookouture have been a hit on Kindle Unlimited, with over 18.3 million pages read and over 274,000 copies sold.

Published in 2019, Lost Daughter is a heart-wrenching story that delves deep into the unimaginable pain of losing a child due to one’s own mistakes. It’s a tale that vividly captures the overwhelming mix of sorrow and guilt that such a loss can bring. The novel follows Rachel’s journey, a mother who finds herself alienated from her teenage daughter because of a single error in judgment.

The story utilizes multiple viewpoints and shifts between past and more recent events. It focuses on Rachel and introduces two other women, Leona and Viv. These characters, belonging to different generations, share the common thread of estrangement from their children, each grappling with guilt and loss.

Rachel and Viv are portrayed in a manner that makes it easy for readers to empathize. Their flaws add to their authenticity, making them relatable. On the other hand, Leona might be a bit harder to connect with, but her character is crafted with redeeming qualities that emerge as the story progresses. These women’s lives intertwine in unexpected ways, leading to surprising twists that enrich the narrative.

The plot is complex and fast-paced. Lost Daughter isn’t a light or thrilling read; it offers a profound exploration of a sensitive and often taboo subject. The characters are convincingly real, battling inner demons and societal judgments. The book provides insights into the painful realities of parental estrangement and the enduring impact of personal choices. It invites readers to contemplate human relationships’ intricacies and the paths to redemption and understanding.

In His Secret Family, we follow the life of Jenny, a single mom raising her two daughters, Ava and Ellie, in a small two-bedroom apartment. Their dad, Sean, left them over a decade ago, shortly after Ellie was born. Jenny has been their only parent since then. One day, a surprise arrives at their door: a beautiful bouquet of red roses, which Ellie receives for Jenny. This makes Ellie start thinking – maybe her mom has met a new person. But Ava, who is 16 and quite skeptical, doesn’t like this idea and shows her annoyance by storming into the room she shares with Ellie. When Jenny comes home and finds the roses, Ellie becomes convinced that her mom is seeing someone new because she notices a change in Jenny – she seems happier and more upbeat.

Soon after the Rose incident, Jenny introduces her daughters to a man named Mark. He tries hard to make a good impression and become friends with them. The younger sister, Ellie, seems to like Mark, but Ava, the older one, is not so easily won over. Ava notices that Mark is paying more attention to her than Ellie, even though Ellie tries to talk to him. Ava doesn’t like this and tells Mark he shouldn’t ignore Ellie.

Things change when Ava and Mark are alone in a bar. Looking at their reflections, Ava notices they have the same blonde hair, blue eyes, and complexion. It strikes her then – they look like they could be related. So, she confronts Mark, asking him directly if he is her father.
Ava’s discovery that Mark might be her dad changes everything. Jenny and Mark briefly connected years ago when she trained to be a hairdresser. They shared a meal and spent a night together, but then Mark returned to his wife and told Jenny not to contact him again. Later, Jenny found out she was pregnant. She tried to tell Mark, but a woman answered his phone, so she hung up. Feeling alone and overwhelmed, Jenny married Sean, her flatmate, who knew about Mark and willingly accepted Ava as his daughter because he loved Jenny. However, their marriage started to fall apart after Ellie was born, and Sean eventually left.

There’s also the story of Paula, Mark’s former wife. She desperately wanted a baby, but her efforts strained their marriage. They tried IVF without success, separated, but then decided to give it another go. Paula’s dream finally came true when she got pregnant. Mark was attentive and caring during the pregnancy, and they were both thrilled when Daisy was born. But soon, they realized Daisy wasn’t meeting typical developmental milestones. After tests, doctors diagnosed Daisy with autism spectrum disorder. Mark couldn’t accept this and felt embarrassed at a school event where Daisy didn’t perform as expected. This led to a major fallout, and Paula asked him to leave.

Now, Mark has reconnected with Jenny, but there are many questions. Is Mark being honest with Jenny? How do Paula and Daisy fit into his life now? Ellie senses something off about Mark, too. The story is told through the perspectives of Jenny, Ellie, Ava, and Paula, offering a peek into their lives and thoughts as secrets unfold. Mark comes across as self-centered and untrustworthy, always trying to present himself in the best light. The story, His Secret Family, explores themes of autism, infidelity, mental illness, and infertility with an honest and emotional narrative. It’s a complex story that keeps readers engaged and emotionally involved from start to finish.