A Mini Book Review of Edge of Dusk by Colleen Coble, A Romantic Suspense Novel
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review. Also, this blog post includes affiliate links. You can view my affiliate disclaimer here.
Nine-year-old Annie Pederson’s life changed the night her sister was kidnapped. The two had been outside playing on a dock, and Annie never forgave herself for her role in her sister’s disappearance. Twenty-four years later and now a law enforcement ranger, Annie is still searching for answers as she grieves a new loss: the death of her husband and parents in a boating accident.
But Annie and her eight-year-old daughter, Kylie, aren’t the only people in the town of Rock Harbor whose lives have been marred by tragedy. While managing the property around the Tremolo Resort and Marina she inherited, Annie discovers a dead body floating in the cold Superior surf and begins to work with the sheriff’s office to tie the death to a series of other mysterious reports in the area.
At the same time, her first love, Jon Dustan, returns after nine years away, reigniting the town’s memory of a cold case he’d been suspiciously linked to before he left to pursue his orthopedic residency. For the sake of her investigation and her heart, Annie tries to stay away. But avoiding Jon becomes impossible once Annie realizes she is being targeted by someone desperate to keep secrets from the past hidden.
In this new series, bestselling romantic-suspense author Colleen Coble returns to one of her most beloved towns, where familiar faces—and unsolved cases—await.
MY REVIEW: ★★★/5
As a long-time lover of Colleen Coble’s romantic suspense novels, I was excited to see her return with a new series set in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, along the shores of her fictional, small town of Rock Harbor. Several beloved characters from books past made an appearance in this novel and readers meet Annie Pederson, a single mom and law enforcement ranger who finds danger knocking at her doorstep.
Highlights:
Small town, Great Lakes life
Single mom with an outspoken daughter
Murder and a mysterious disappearance
Danger and heart-pounding suspense
Second-chance romance
The first book in a series
What I liked:
Coble captured my attention immediately with this novel, in her signature way of creating a past story that leads to modern day suspense. This novel read easily and flowed well with points of mild intensity and enough intrigue to keep me entertained. I enjoyed the small town setting, hint of romance and the way several mysteries played out simultaneously.
Related Post: Love Clean, Romantic Suspense? You Might Like Malicious Intent by Lynn Blackburn
Additional Thoughts:
Despite the creative plot, early on in this story I discovered it to be quite predictable. There were times the chemistry between the two main characters fell flat for me and I didn’t find the character development I wished for. Upon beginning this story, I had not realized it was part of a series, so near the conclusion I was expecting a happily-ever-after or conclusion to one of the mysteries and that was glossed over. I later found out that there will be more books in this series featuring Annie and her story.
Summary:
Overall, a good suspense read, especially if you keep in mind that this is part of series and have read Coble’s other series set in Rock Harbor. There’s a hint of romance and the story flows well. Be prepared for the ending to feel different than expected and be sure to look for answers in book two!
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Photo Credit: www.colleencoble.com
