Railing against what is for what could have been is a road to depression. We have to accept what life throws our way."
Colleen Coble has mastered the art of blending characters that are both relatable and likable with mysteries that are full of suspense, twists, and action. And, Edge of Dusk displays these skills perfectly. Edge of Dusk is the first book in the Annie Pederson series and she was such a strong, compassionate character. I really loved how devoted she was to helping her daughter, Kylie, adjust to her new diet after finding that she has Celiac disease. I, also, love the support network that Annie and Kylie have surrounded themselves with in their tiny town. I loved Jon and his father, as well. Really, all the characters were written well, even the bad guys. Coble did a wonderful job keeping up with details from both the past mystery involving the disappearance of Annie's little sister when they were children and the current investigation. There was so much suspense and so many twists and surprises. I really can't wait to read more of the series!

Edge of Dusk is the first book in the Annie Pederson series and it was such a good read! I was hooked from the first chapter on and struggled to put the book down. It was exactly what I needed after not feeling that way with the past few books I've picked up.

I loved getting more books set in this location and featuring Bree. So fun to get more stories with her! The mystery was really good. I did guess something pretty early on, but most of the reveal was surprising.

With danger, a hint of a second-chance romance, and great characters, I thoroughly enjoyed Edge of Dusk and recommend it to fans of romantic suspense. I plan on continuing this series ASAP.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

This is my first Colleen Coble book and unfortunately this book just was not for me. I struggled to engage with the characters and relate to the story. I did not feel that the story flowed and I did end up DNF'ing at 39%

This was my first Colleen Coble book and I am really glad that NetGalley gave me a free e-ARC to read it! I loved the first book in the Annie Pederson series, so I am hoping to get to book 2 very soon! The plot kept me engaged the entire time, and I loved all of the characters so my interest was high the entire time.

Annie is a law enforcement ranger who's dealt with a lot of loss recently. A dead body is discovered and that is the beginning of cold case investigations. I found it interesting that an old love interest of hers comes back to town and he's been implicated in one of the cold cases, but he wants to prove his innocence as well as rekindle his relationship with Annie.

I thoroughly enjoyed that this book is a Christian mystery/romance and is clean. I especially appreciated some of the faith-based elements without any of the book being "preachy."

Fast action leading to the end. Good plot twists. Unique setting and believable plot. Some questions still linger at the end and maybe answered in the sequel.

I listened to the audiobook and it was very well done!

I am new to Colleen Coble. I’ve never read a book set in Rock Harbor. I don’t know any of the characters in her past series. I enjoyed this one though! I came to care about Annie and her daughter Kylie more than I expected.

This follows Annie Pederson, a law enforcement ranger, who experiences trauma at a young age when her sister is abducted and assumed dead. Then 24 years later, she discovers a body of a girl and an investigation ensues.

Her first love, Jon, is back in town and ends up helping with the investigation as well.

I liked the characters the most, especially Jon. He was down to earth, stable, and level headed, which was a pleasure to read. I like that he wore his heart on his sleeve and his intentions towards Annie were clear.

Annie’s past was the most interesting to me. Her parents and husband were killed in a boating accident. Her sister was abducted. She’s been through a lot. There was a lot to unpack for her and I see that it continues in the following books. I definitely want to read the sequel!

The faith content was minimal but solid when it was there. I hope to see more in the next books.

I would recommend for romantic suspense or mystery lovers!

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.

I have an ebook copy of this novel, however, I actually ended up listening to the audio book version of the story and it was fantastic. I really enjoyed the narrator and the plot itself kept me on my toes.

Be prepared, as I was, going into this novel that one mystery will be solved by the end of the book, yet there will be some things left unanswered to be continued in the future books in the series. Since I knew this, I was ready for that to happen. If I had not known it before hand, I would have been very shocked when the story ended.

I loved the second chance at love aspect of the story. Jon and Annie were definitely still attracted to each other and it was clear that their hearts still longed for each other. Annie’s daughter, Kylie, frustrated me a lot. I know that she had been through a great deal of trauma in the last couple of years with losing her father and grandparents, yet she was allowed to be incredibly rude to Jon over and over again. I am hopeful that her behavior will improve in future stories.

The suspense and danger, along with the search for what really happened to the girls who were the focus of the cold case, was fascinating! Many nerve wracking moments in there! I am anxiously looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Solid, enjoyable romantic suspense from Colleen Coble as usual. It’s a pleasure to be able to visit Rock Harbor again & I really enjoyed reading this one!

Return to Rock Harbor with Annie Pederson, a woman haunted by the kidnapping of her little sister, she is now a single mom raising her daughter as a law enforcement ranger and manager of the Tremolo Resort and Marina.

A chilling return to Rock Harbor, full of familiar faces and second chances. Annie is a hardworking and compassionate woman trying her best to raise her daughter, while keeping her head above water with all of her responsibilities. But when bodies begin showing up on her resort, cold cases resurface.

Annie is a capable woman, strong and kind, she wants the best for her young daughter, and is thrown when former flame Jon comes back to town. I like how Jon takes things in stride taking time to understand Annie's side of things and how his action hurts her in the past. He is also very thoughtful and anticipates her needs. And is willing to be patient, especially with her daughter.

Overall, a fast paced read with many twists along the way, suspenseful, with likable characters. A great start to a new series!


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I finally got a chance to sit down and read/listen to Edge of Dusk. I truly think this is my favorite Colleen Coble book! I especially loved the setting since I am from the U.P. and the mystery and rekindling of a youthful romance was just perfect. I am now happily waiting for the next book in the Annie Pederson series, Dark of Night. which should be published mid January of 2023.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Published 12 July 2022.

The first in a series that was perfectly distracting during a busy time in my life!

Already a Colleen Coble fan before starting this one, it lived up to the hype I have created for her myself! Annie Pederson was nine years old when her sister was taken from her and she started the search to recover her. Now as an adult when this story begins, Annie is an adult and a parent herself, a single parent as her spouse and parents were tragically taken from her all at the same time and she is still searching.

There were many different mysteries going on in this one book and in my humble opinion maybe one too many! I loved the underlying search that Annie was looking for her sister while the addition of the murdered young girls was intriguing, there were more and more added as the story went on and keeping track of all the twists and turns took some work.

I am looking forward to book two arriving and continuing on with Annie Pederson.

Edge of Dusk is the first book in the new Annie Pederson series by Colleen Coble. It is a Christian romantic suspense story featuring a female ranger, Annie Pederson. The book is set in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, close to my neck of the woods. It is the same setting as a previous series, but you so not have to read that series to enjoy this book. Annie has had a lot of tragedy in her life. Her sister was kidnapped and Annie left for dead when she was only nine. Her sister, nor her body, were ever found. Annie feels responsible for her sister vanishing. A few months earlier, her husband and parents were killed in a boating accident so she is now a single mother, trying to run the Tremolo Resort and Marina that was left her by her parents, raise her daughter and work as a ranger. When a body is found in the lake, she works with the sheriff's office to help solve this crime, but also to see if it ties into the other murders and disappearances that happened in the past. With all this going on, her ex-boyfriend, Dr. Jon Dustan, returns after nine years away, bringing a nine year old crime back into the public eye. As they run into each other often, those old feelings bubble back to the surface. Can Annie solve the mystery surrounding the dead man as well as solve other cold cases before another victim turns up? Will she finally be able to cure Jon of wrongdoing?

This was a complex mystery with lots of loose ends, false leads, red herrings, plenty of suspects and danger. As Annie and Jon begin snooping around, you could feel the tenseness and heaviness develop. How did the disappearance of the two young women 9 years ago, connect to the recent death? This was a gripping read that kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next. I really liked how Colleen Coble developed the relationship between Annie and Jon, it built slowly, but the chemistry was definitely there. I was a little disappointed in the ending as it seemed a bit to perfect a way to wrap things up, but I enjoyed the story enough to read the next book in the series to see what Annie gets up to next.

I really enjoyed this story! Lots of suspense, great characters and storyline! Can't wait to read book 2!

Annie Pederson's life has been full of loss. When she inherited the Tremolo Resort and Marina she quickly finds herself in another mysterious death. When she teams up with the Sheriff and and old love the suspense and secrets puts her in danger and targeted. Mystery, suspense and a little romance... good stuff!
In requested a copy through NetGalley, my review and opinion are voluntary.

"... seeing her again had stirred embers he thought went out long ago."

Edge of Dusk (Thomas Nelson, 2022), a Christian romantic suspense, is first in the Annie Pederson series by Colleen Coble. It's a standalone contemporary novel set in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. I requested this book from NetGalley because even though I've been shying away from reading romantic suspense novels since the pandemic, I've never read a Colleen Coble book that I disliked. So, I decided to dip my toes in …and wasn't disappointed.

Rating: 5 stars

Is it clean/chaste? Yes
Other content issues: There is some discussion of difficult things that happened in the past, including kidnapping, teen pregnancy, and murder.

Christian elements: This is Christian fiction, published by a Christian publisher. There are a few Bible verses interwoven in the story for encouragement in an organic way. The English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible is used, one of two favorite translations.

The heroine: Annie Pederson, at 33, is a widowed mother raising her daughter Kylie on her own, while trying to keep the marina she inherited from her family afloat and maintaining her career as a law enforcement ranger. As if that isn't enough, she's also dealing with phantoms from the long-ago past, her daughter's health concerns, and… murder on national park lands.

The hero: Jon Dunstan, 34, was Annie's high school sweetheart. A doctor, he's temporarily back in town - after being away for nine years - to renovate his father's cabin for the market. "And just like that, he realized he'd been searching for an excuse to stay. To unwind here in this place that had meant so much to him growing up."

What I liked:

*The characters were real, relatable, and likable.

*Even though some things were gritty, I was able to handle it, and was not left with unpleasant images in my head. Kudos to the author for that.

*The setting was well-described, with real-life places I've never previously heard of, such as the Porcupine Mountains and the Keweenaw Peninsula.

What I didn’t like:

*While useful when browsing at a bookstore, there were too many positive reviews by other well-known authors at the beginning of the book. Even though many of the reviewers were names I recognized, I was a little impatient going through them, and my Kindle was at 2% by the time I got to the title page. So I thought that was a bit much.

Book recommendation: Seagrass Pier, another suspense I've reviewed by the same author

The bottom line: This was an enjoyable suspense with realistic characters in a small town setting, with modern-day crimes to contend with. I recommend this book to those who enjoy suspense, and can handle pushing a bit past the line of a cozy mystery.

If interested, the author wrote a nice guest blog post about this book on The Book Diva's Reads website.

I look forward to reading more by Colleen Coble.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of the book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

While I am not a fan of romance books, this one has enough suspense and action to balance that out for me. The characters are well developed and the plot has multiple layers that pulls you into the story. The twists and turns in the storyline will keep you invested. You will find yourself caring about the characters and what they and continue to endure. The author has done an excellent job of resolving some of the questions you have while leaving others open to be resolved in a future sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

It is always a treat to return to Rock Harbor! Now we have new residents to welcome to town - Annie Pederson and her daughter Kylie, and Jon Dustan. All have roots that have brought them back to Rock Harbor. The bonus was having Kade and Bree make an appearance in the story! The mystery aspect of this book was amazing - Colleen Coble never disappoints me. I look forward to more of Annie and Jon's story to come!

Edge of Dusk is another great, riveting book by Colleen Coble! Edge of Dusk is the first book in the Annie Pederson Series. Edge of Dusk reunites childhood friends and first loves, Annie and Jon. After a bad breakup, both Annie and Jon went the separate ways. Annie staying in the town where they grew up and getting married soon after Jon left and starting a family and Jon starting a life in the medical field. When Jon originally left, he left under the suspicion of harming 2 young girls who are missing. When Jon arrives back in town, the missing girls are found--on Annie's property. Edge of Dusk is full of twists and turn and has many different mysteries within the main mystery in the book. Annie has been struggling with her sister's disappearance since she was 9 and always keeps a lookout on her Law Enforcement job. Annie is now adjusting to life as a widow and raising a daughter, agrees to help Jon clear his name. As Jon and Annie are seeking the truth, they begin to get closer. I loved the edge-of-your seat action that was all through out the book. Ms. Coble's writing and suspense stories get better with each book! I cannot wait for the next book in the Annie Pederson Series! I highly recommend Edge of Dusk! Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book. My review is also on Goodreads,

Another amazing book from Colleen Coble. I always keep an eye out for new books from this author and she doesn’t disappoint You won’t want to miss this one.