Edge of Dusk

by Colleen Coble

I am not a fan of thrillers as the intensity can negate the reading pleasure for me. I have made an exception for Colleen Coble’s suspense books. They are extremely fast-paced, the plots are complex, but they don’t leave me with nightmarish visions. The characters have depth and potential for growth—the protagonists anyway. Coble has previously set a series in Rock Harbor, Michigan, but Edge of Dusk starts a new series, the Annie Pederson novels, using the same setting which has already been proven popular with her readers. I like the main character Annie Pederson; she is a Law Enforcement Officer with the parks services. She has one child, and she recently lost her husband and both parents in an accident. She is trying to maintain the family business, a marina and cabin resort, while keeping her day job.

Annie lives with guilt because of the death of a little sister when they were both young. This novel involves repercussions from that tragedy and revives another cold case in which two teenage girls disappeared. On that backdrop there is a new murder of a camper and an attack on another one in remote areas of the lake. Annie’s life becomes more complicated with the return of her ex-fiancé, now a successful orthopedic surgeon. Their breakup nine years earlier was messy, sudden, and not handled well by either party. They now have to face the past and decide if they have a future together going forward.

The more Annie investigates the murders and disappearances, the more dangerous her life becomes with vandalism, arson, stalking, and other kinds of threats. She will do anything to keep her daughter safe. Fortunately, she has friends who gather round her as things become increasingly dangerous. Annie and her ex-fiancé use these difficulties as opportunities to grow in their faith.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery and Thriller, General Fiction

Notes: #1 in the new Annie Pederson Series

Publication: July 12, 2022—Thomas Nelson

Memorable Lines:

Memories pummeled her like a tsunami, and bile burned the back of her throat. That last night here had ruined everything—her purity, her self-respect, relationship with Jon and with her parents.

“I’m not going to sit in judgment over your mistakes. We all make them. That’s between you and God.” And she’d asked God many times to forgive her. She knew he had. The problem was she hadn’t been able to forgive herself, and this new wrinkle brought all her sins out into the light to be examined.

The lake was the embodiment of their relationship: turbulent and calming, exciting and steady. She could look at Lake Superior on a stormy day and remember that last violent argument. She could glide on its glassy surface on a calm morning and remember how his strength would calm her fears.