“The Inn at Ocean’s Edge” by Colleen Coble

  The minute she steps inside the grand Inn at Ocean’s Edge, Claire Dellamare knows something terrible happened there. She feels it in her bones. Her ensuing panic attack causes a scene, upsetting her parents. Claire attempts to quiet her nerves with a walk on the beach, to no avail. She’s at too great a distance to make out details, but she believes she witnesses a murder on a nearby cliff. When local police find no evidence of foul play, they quickly write off the “nervous” woman’s testimony as less than credible.

But Luke Elwell, home on leave from the Coast Guard, has reason to believe Claire. Years ago when his mother went missing, Luke’s father suspected she’d been murdered. He died never having convinced the police to investigate. So when an employee of the grand hotel doesn’t show up for work, Luke steps in to help Claire track down the missing woman.

As Claire and Luke put together the pieces of a decades-old mystery, they discover that some family secrets refuse to stay buried. And some passions are worth killing for.

Colleen Coble has penned her best story ever!  The Inn at Ocean’s Edge will have you on the edge of your seat as you race to unravel each mystery in turn.  With a tightly written, multi-faceted plot, Coble will keep you guessing at each twist and turn. 

I loved the way that the historical mystery intertwined with it’s modern day consequences.  The action was high and the suspense throbbing as you couldn’t wait to find out what would happen to Claire next.  With a continuous series of accidents and flashbacks, she raced to find answers before she could be killed.

Claire Dellamare is a fantastic leading lady.  With a determined spirit, strong faith, and fierce courage, she didn’t let anything stop her – and it’s not for lack of trying.  With someone set on quieting her permanently, she had to be strong in order to survive, and that included the strength to make romantic decisions, too. 

The high action didn’t stop the drama, though, and I love the way that Coble included that into the mix.  With so much action, it’s possible to get caught up in the fast pace and forget the emotional toll that these events would have on a person, but Coble carefully includes that for each character. 

The setting is no less vivid than the action.  I’ve spent time on the coast of Maine, and even visited a fancy inn on one of it’s islands, and the scenery is beautiful – and yet it’s distinctly different from other Atlantic beaches or coastal areas.  Coble paints these pictures in stunning detail.  Having the rocky – not sandy – beaches and ferry rides described so accurately adds another layer of depth and awesomeness to this book.

I love Coble’s historical fiction, her drama, and her faith lessons, but the edgy Inn at Ocean’s Edge has it all.  I can’t wait to read it again – it’s that good – and it’s earned a permanent home on my bookshelves.  You’ll want it on yours, too.

USA Today bestselling author Colleen Coble has sold over 2 million novels worldwide. Her romantic suspense novels including Tidewater Inn, Rosemary Cottage, and the Mercy Falls, Lonestar, and Rock Harbor series. Visit her website at www.colleencoble.com Twitter: @colleencoble Facebook: colleencoblebooks

 

I received a free copy of The Inn at Ocean’s Edge from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

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