Book Reviews by Mae Clair: The Edge of Fear by Maura Beth Brennan #domesticthriller @maurabeth2014

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Striped kitten lying on open book, eyeglasses resting on pages. Book and kitten on white blanket

It’s pool weather, which means I’ve been doing a lot of reading. It won’t happen often, but, yes this is my third book review post this week. My husband and I are traveling this weekend, leaving Friday to attend a family wedding. I won’t be visible after tomorrow until some time next week, so decided to share this today.

I always love when I discover the work of an author I haven’t read before and it resonates strongly with me. Today, I have the pleasure of sharing my review for The Edge of Fear by Maura Beth Brennan. Not only is this a fabulous story, but the character relationships alone kept me flipping pages!

BOOK BLURB:

When you have everything you always wanted, you have everything to lose. 

After years of struggling to overcome her tragic childhood, Hattie has the life of her dreams—a husband, a baby daughter, a beautiful home, and more money than she ever dreamed possible. But lately, a feeling nags at her, a sense of something not-quite-right. Is this just her imagination? Hattie’s family, and her best friend, Celine, keep telling her that it is. 

Meanwhile, Frank, Hattie’s ex-husband, has not fared so well himself. He wants everything, but feels he ended up with nothing. A thought has taken hold in his mind—something that could involve Hattie. How can he make her good fortune pay off for himself? He comes up with a plan—one that will shatter Hattie’s life and bring about her worst nightmare. When the unthinkable happens, Hattie does everything the police advise her to do. But as time passes and her life crumbles around her, it seems everyone fails her—law enforcement, a private detective, even her husband. So Hattie decides to take matters into her own hands. Desperate but determined, and aided by her best friend, Celine, she sets out to take back what is hers.

MY REVIEW:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Hattie is happily married to Eli with a beautiful three-year-old daughter, Lily. But fifteen years ago, she was the wife of Frank, an abusive thug with ties to the mob. Hattie has since fallen into a sizeable inheritance that makes her—and Lily—a target for Frank who needs a payday for a quick escape after crossing a lethal mob boss. Frank abducts Lily from her home in Maine hoping for a million-dollar pay out for her safe return, but circumstances take a turn that has him on the run with Lily, and a co-conspirator, Sharon.

Months past with police investigations going nowhere. Hattie undertakes to devise a plan to get her daughter back safely. With her friend, Celine, she sets out on Frank’s trail, determined to rescue her daughter.

Wow! This is the second book in a series, but it stands fine as a standalone. I didn’t read the first novel, but had no problem following the character relationships and the edge-of-the-seat plot in this one. Hattie is such a relatable character. Her love for Lily shines through in every risky move she undertakes. I also loved her friendship with Celine, and the willingness of both ladies to always be there for each other no matter the circumstance.

The first half of the book is set-up for Lily’s abduction, the second half a nail-biting race with Hattie, Celine, and others tracing Frank’s path with Lily. That course involves a cross-state manhunt, a venture into a remote New Jersey area which the Jersey Devil is said to haunt and underworld figures possibly tied to illegal adoptions or sex trafficking.

This is a clean but high suspense mystery with characters to cheer for. The danger, adventure, and the way puzzle pieces fall into place keep you flipping pages. Even secondary characters get moments to shine. I especially loved Sharon’s stepmother, Rhonda. The ending delivers everything I would hope for, and the writing is polished with an easy flow. Thank you to the author who provided me with a gift copy for an honest review. An easy five stars!

88 thoughts on “Book Reviews by Mae Clair: The Edge of Fear by Maura Beth Brennan #domesticthriller @maurabeth2014”

  2. Great review, Mae:) I have read books by this author and enjoyed them, so I rushed out to add this to my TBR list after your recommendation.

    Liked by 3 people

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  7. Mae, I have been a fan of your reviews and your blogs for a while now, and I’m thrilled to see my book featured here today! Thank you so much for your excellent review and for including me in your blog!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

    • It’s my pleasure to share my review of your excellent book, Maura Beth. You kept me entertained and flipping pages, racing to the end. I’m also delighted to hear you follow my blog and book reviews. Thanks so much. I hope many new readers discover your work today!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  23. How exciting to see Maura Beth featured here today! I read the first book, “Edge of Memory,” but have not yet read this one. It sounds awesome and I will be adding it to my TBR list! Thank you for sharing, Mae, and congrats to Maura Beth!

    Liked by 1 person

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