Mercy's Child: A Novel Hardcover – Deckle Edge, October 20, 2026

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Richard Paul Evans, synonymous with emotionally powerful Christmas storytelling, comes a new novel based on a historical figure, set in Gilded Age New York. One woman whose single act of courage ignites a movement to protect the most vulnerable.Based on a true story In 1874, Marietta “Etta” Wheeler left the small, upstate New York farm town she was raised in to follow her husband to the bustling metropolis of New York City. In her new world, she feels small and lost, and finds herself looking for purpose in her life. That purpose finds her in the tenements of Hell’s Kitchen, when she comes across a young girl living in brutal conditions no child should face. With a singular mission to save the girl, Etta finds herself tested by the highest levels of society and bureaucracy, and finding bravery that surprises even herself. What begins as a simple act of compassion unfolds into a journey that will not only change the course of both of their lives but will change the nation’s history. Read more