A New Adventure Is on the Horizon: Introducing The Mercer Files

June 18, 2026
S.F. Baumgartner

By S.F. Baumgartner

The Last Shift
The Last Shift, A Mercer Files Perquel

If you’ve been reading my books for a while, you know I enjoy stories filled with secrets, conspiracies, suspense, and investigations. Whether it’s the Mirror Estate series or the KC & Orlando Prime books, there’s usually a mystery waiting to be solved.

But sometimes it’s fun to take a slightly different path.

That’s exactly what inspired The Mercer Files, a new action-adventure novella series currently in development.

The first story, Black Gold Secret, is scheduled for release this July or August, with Books 2 and 3 expected to follow a few months apart. Unlike my longer novels, these stories are novellas, which means faster-paced adventures that can be enjoyed in a weekend or even a single evening.

While mystery and suspense are still part of the mix, The Mercer Files leans more heavily into action and adventure. Think hidden clues, dangerous discoveries, long-buried secrets, and high-stakes journeys across the globe. If you enjoy stories like Indiana Jones or the television series Blood & Treasure, you’ll have a good idea of the kind of adventure I’m aiming for.

The series follows a team drawn into mysteries that refuse to stay buried. What begins as a search for answers quickly becomes a race against powerful people who would rather keep the truth hidden.

If you’d like a preview of the world, be sure to check out The Last Shift, a free prequel story that introduces readers to the series and offers a glimpse of what’s ahead.

Writing The Mercer Files has been a refreshing change of pace, and I hope readers will enjoy stepping into this new adventure with me. While it may be different from my usual thrillers, it still contains the elements I love most: compelling characters, dangerous secrets, and the determination to uncover the truth.

I look forward to sharing more as the release of Black Gold Secret gets closer.

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