The Mailman
Andrew Welsh-Huggins
(Author)
21,000+ Reviews
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Description
Mercury Carter is a deliveryman and he takes his job very seriously. When a parcel is under his care, he will stop at nothing to deliver it directly to its intended recipient. Not even, as in the current case, when he finds a crew of violent men at the indicated address that threaten his life and take the woman who lives there hostage. That's because Carter has special skills from his former life as a federal agent with the postal inspection service, skills that make him particularly useful for delivering items in circumstances as dangerous as these.
After Carter dispatches the goons sent to kill him, he enters a home besieged by criminals--but the leader of the gang escapes with attorney Rachel Stanfield before the mailman can complete his assignment. With Rachel's husband Glenn in tow, Carter takes off in pursuit of the kidnapper and his quarry, hunting them across Indiana, up to Chicago, and into small-town Illinois. Along the way, he slowly picks off members of the crew and uncovers a far-reaching conspiracy and a powerful crime syndicate, all in service of his main objective: to hand the package over to Rachel. Carter has never missed a delivery and isn't about to start now.
Introducing a new lone-wolf protagonist to rival Lee Child's Jack Reacher, Steve Hamilton's Nick Mason, and Gregg Hurwitz's Evan Smoak, The Mailman is a pulse-pounding series opener with captivating action and enough thrills to leave readers anxiously awaiting the next installment.
After Carter dispatches the goons sent to kill him, he enters a home besieged by criminals--but the leader of the gang escapes with attorney Rachel Stanfield before the mailman can complete his assignment. With Rachel's husband Glenn in tow, Carter takes off in pursuit of the kidnapper and his quarry, hunting them across Indiana, up to Chicago, and into small-town Illinois. Along the way, he slowly picks off members of the crew and uncovers a far-reaching conspiracy and a powerful crime syndicate, all in service of his main objective: to hand the package over to Rachel. Carter has never missed a delivery and isn't about to start now.
Introducing a new lone-wolf protagonist to rival Lee Child's Jack Reacher, Steve Hamilton's Nick Mason, and Gregg Hurwitz's Evan Smoak, The Mailman is a pulse-pounding series opener with captivating action and enough thrills to leave readers anxiously awaiting the next installment.
Product Details
| Publisher | Mysterious Press |
| Publish Date | January 28, 2025 |
| Pages | 360 |
| Language | English |
| Type |  Hardback |
| EAN/UPC | 9781613166109 |
| Dimensions | 9.2 X 6.4 X 1.3 inches | 1.5 pounds |
BISAC Categories: Mystery, Thrillers & Crime, Mystery, Thrillers & Crime
About the Author
Andrew Welsh-Huggins, of Columbus, Ohio, writes the critically acclaimed Mercury Carter thriller series and the Shamus Award-nominated Andy Hayes private eye series. Andrew's short mystery stories have appeared in multiple magazines and anthologies, including The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2021, 2024, and 2025.
Reviews
This exciting thriller had me turning the pages, desperate to see what would happen next as the plot raced from one twist to the next. Action-packed and clever, this is a nimble mystery for the 21st century, with an unforgettable hero who's my newest favorite fictional character.-- "Criminal Element" (4/21/2025 12:00:00 AM)
Carter's ingenuity is the meat of this rousing sequel-worthy thriller.-- "Akron Beacon Journal" (4/13/2025 12:00:00 AM)
The Mailman is an auspicious series debut. Mercury Carter is a terrific addition to the solitary, quick thinking, resourceful contemporary knight in white.-- "Crimespree Magazine" (3/7/2025 12:00:00 AM)
Welsh-Huggins's sharp plotting is propulsive, and The Mailman's high-adrenaline pace never lets up. . . . Merc has much in common with Jack Reacher and Colter Shaw, but Welsh-Huggins makes him a distinct character.-- "Shelf Awareness"
The Mailman provides zero opportunity to catch your breath from start to finish, and Mercury Carter is one of the most confounding yet satisfying characters I have read in any thriller.-- "BookReporter"
Because of my Reacher fandom, I'm always on the lookout for a Reacher-like hero who can fill the gaps without being an outright Reacher clone or diluted version of the original. I was pleased to find a promising new candidate in the character of Mercury Carter in Andrew Welsh-Huggins' The Mailman.-- "Chicago Tribune" (1/25/2025 12:00:00 AM)
The series kickoff by the prolific author of the Andy Hayes mysteries spools out like a fast-paced treasure hunt. . . . A brisk and busy chase thriller.-- "Kirkus" (11/23/2024 12:00:00 AM)
In Mercury Carter, Huggins does an outstanding job of creating a character that rivals the top action heroes of today. This first book in a new series will leave fans on edge waiting for the next installment. When you pit a determined character with an impossible plot, you get a thriller that keeps readers turning the page.-- "Suspense Magazine"
The author of The End of the Road introduces a determined, innovative courier in the vein of Lee Child's Jack Reacher or James Byrne's Dez Limerick. Appearances are deceiving in this fast-paced thriller, and the characters are introduced gradually so as not to overwhelm the outstanding series debut.-- "Library Journal STARRED REVIEW" (11/6/2024 12:00:00 AM)
In this high-octane series launch, Welsh-Huggins introduces scrappy freelance courier Mercury Carter. . . . With full-throttle pacing from start to finish, this will have Jack Reacher fans hoping Carter is back in action soon.-- "Publishers Weekly" (10/31/2024 12:00:00 AM)
Combining action with old school detective work, The Mailman is a memorable read with exciting twists and turns that will make you want to read more of Mercury Carter even before you've finished with this book. It's fresh, fun, and an excellent addition to the armada of action heroes in thrillers.-- "BestThrillerBooks.com"
The Mailman is a top-notch thriller that opens strong and fast with a home invasion and kidnapping and never relents until the very last page. Andrew Welsh-Huggins creates an eccentric, resourceful, single-minded protagonist--Mercury Carter--surrounds him with a rich cast of allies and adversaries, and propels them all on a cat-and-mouse chase filled with expertly drawn action and stunning reversals. This is a book you won't want to miss.--Harry Dolan, author of Don't Turn Around
I dare you to read the first chapter of The Mailman and not be completely hooked. This is the best kind of thriller, where nobody is who you think they are and every twist in the story is a bigger surprise than you ever could have imagined. There's no author in the business who can keep you off-balance quite like Andrew Welsh-Huggins . . . The Mailman is his best yet.--Steve Hamilton, two-time Edgar Award-winning author of The Honorable Assassin
Welsh-Huggins' The Mailman delivers heart-pounding action and twists from start to finish. If you like smart, fast-paced writing, and an edge of your seat plot, this is your kind of book.--Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author of Blind to Midnight
Carter's ingenuity is the meat of this rousing sequel-worthy thriller.-- "Akron Beacon Journal" (4/13/2025 12:00:00 AM)
The Mailman is an auspicious series debut. Mercury Carter is a terrific addition to the solitary, quick thinking, resourceful contemporary knight in white.-- "Crimespree Magazine" (3/7/2025 12:00:00 AM)
Welsh-Huggins's sharp plotting is propulsive, and The Mailman's high-adrenaline pace never lets up. . . . Merc has much in common with Jack Reacher and Colter Shaw, but Welsh-Huggins makes him a distinct character.-- "Shelf Awareness"
The Mailman provides zero opportunity to catch your breath from start to finish, and Mercury Carter is one of the most confounding yet satisfying characters I have read in any thriller.-- "BookReporter"
Because of my Reacher fandom, I'm always on the lookout for a Reacher-like hero who can fill the gaps without being an outright Reacher clone or diluted version of the original. I was pleased to find a promising new candidate in the character of Mercury Carter in Andrew Welsh-Huggins' The Mailman.-- "Chicago Tribune" (1/25/2025 12:00:00 AM)
The series kickoff by the prolific author of the Andy Hayes mysteries spools out like a fast-paced treasure hunt. . . . A brisk and busy chase thriller.-- "Kirkus" (11/23/2024 12:00:00 AM)
In Mercury Carter, Huggins does an outstanding job of creating a character that rivals the top action heroes of today. This first book in a new series will leave fans on edge waiting for the next installment. When you pit a determined character with an impossible plot, you get a thriller that keeps readers turning the page.-- "Suspense Magazine"
The author of The End of the Road introduces a determined, innovative courier in the vein of Lee Child's Jack Reacher or James Byrne's Dez Limerick. Appearances are deceiving in this fast-paced thriller, and the characters are introduced gradually so as not to overwhelm the outstanding series debut.-- "Library Journal STARRED REVIEW" (11/6/2024 12:00:00 AM)
In this high-octane series launch, Welsh-Huggins introduces scrappy freelance courier Mercury Carter. . . . With full-throttle pacing from start to finish, this will have Jack Reacher fans hoping Carter is back in action soon.-- "Publishers Weekly" (10/31/2024 12:00:00 AM)
Combining action with old school detective work, The Mailman is a memorable read with exciting twists and turns that will make you want to read more of Mercury Carter even before you've finished with this book. It's fresh, fun, and an excellent addition to the armada of action heroes in thrillers.-- "BestThrillerBooks.com"
The Mailman is a top-notch thriller that opens strong and fast with a home invasion and kidnapping and never relents until the very last page. Andrew Welsh-Huggins creates an eccentric, resourceful, single-minded protagonist--Mercury Carter--surrounds him with a rich cast of allies and adversaries, and propels them all on a cat-and-mouse chase filled with expertly drawn action and stunning reversals. This is a book you won't want to miss.--Harry Dolan, author of Don't Turn Around
I dare you to read the first chapter of The Mailman and not be completely hooked. This is the best kind of thriller, where nobody is who you think they are and every twist in the story is a bigger surprise than you ever could have imagined. There's no author in the business who can keep you off-balance quite like Andrew Welsh-Huggins . . . The Mailman is his best yet.--Steve Hamilton, two-time Edgar Award-winning author of The Honorable Assassin
Welsh-Huggins' The Mailman delivers heart-pounding action and twists from start to finish. If you like smart, fast-paced writing, and an edge of your seat plot, this is your kind of book.--Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author of Blind to Midnight
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