Water's Edge

Written by Robert Whitlow

Narrated by Liz Hill

A tangled web of lies, theft, and betrayal—one lawyer must determine if that is all his late father left him.

Ambitious young attorney Tom Crane is about to become a partner in a high-profile Atlanta law firm. But first he must clear one final matter from his docket: the closing of his deceased father’s law practice in his hometown of Bethel, Georgia. Killed in a mysterious boating accident, John Crane didn’t appear to leave his son anything except the hassle of wrapping up loose ends.

But instead of celebrating his promotion, Tom finds himself packing up his office, having suddenly been “consolidated.” To add insult to injury, that same night his girlfriend breaks up with him . . . by letter.

Returning to Bethel with no sense of his future and no faith to fall back on, Tom just wants to settle his father’s affairs and get back to Atlanta. But then he runs into an unexpected roadblock—two million dollars of unclaimed money stashed in a secret bank account. And evidence that his father’s death may not have been accidental. Worse still, a trail of data suggests his father played a role in an international fraud operation.

Along the way, he meets a woman who is as beguiling as she is beautiful. And her interest in the outcome of the case is just as high as his. She challenges Tom’s assumptions . . . and his faith. Now he must decide whom he can trust—and how far a father’s love can reach.

• A stand-alone legal drama
• Full-length Christian fiction novel set in the small-town South
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: Jun 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9780785242048

Robert Whitlow

Robert Whitlow is the bestselling author of legal novels set in the South and winner of the Christy Award for Contemporary Fiction. He received his JD with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law where he served on the staff of the Georgia Law Review. Website: robertwhitlow.com; X: @whitlowwriter; Facebook: @robertwhitlowbooks.

Reviews for Water's Edge

[Leslie Wolf · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love Robert Whitlow’s books he is a great writer! I highly recommend it!

[Eddie Hegel · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic, exciting, a powerful page turner packed with spiritual hope

[redheadish · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great inspirational book with just enough suspence and mystery to keep the pages flipping to the end!

[nvellis01 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had not read Robert Whitlow previously but I found the plot summary for Water's Edge intriguing. I discovered in reading this interesting novel in one sitting an author to whom I will return again.

Atlanta attorney Tom Crane seems to have lost everything. His father has died unexpectedly in a fishing accident, he has lost his job just as he expected to be promoted and his girlfriend has left him taking his cat with her. As he works to closed down his father's small town law practice Tom becomes embroiled in mystery, embezzlement, murder and a search for faith.

As I followed this intriguing mystery with its many well drawn characters and abundant twists and turns I also became involved in Tom's spiritual journey. I did not expect this from a thriller/mystery and found I was challenged to look at my own spiritual and devotional life.

This s a well written story with clues around every bend, the flavor of a small southern town and just a touch of romance. As Tom unravels layers upon layer of intrigue he receives guidance from scripture and his uncle who encourages his spiritual awakening. When his new found faith is sorely tested Tom turns despair into revelation.

Water's Edge is well worth the read and I look forward to picking up another Robert Whitlow novel soon.

[tmtrvlr · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As Tom Crane's life spirals out of control, he is called home to close out his recently deceased father's legal office. When he arrives in small town Bethel, GA, he finds his father's death and good character is in question.Water's Edge by Robert Whitlow is a well-written Christian mystery that is heavy on Christian and light on mystery. I enjoyed reading about the type of legal practice Tom's father had and how he tried to work out the problems of Christians scripturally, without bringing it to court. I also liked his uncle's testimony and the effect it had on Tom's spiritual awakening. Potential readers should know that there is quite a bit of focus on the character's spiritual awakening, scripture, and his uncle's ritualistic Christian practices. The mystery of who killed Tom's father and another man is more of a back story.Unfortunately, I liked everyone but the character of Tom. Even though he seemed to be trying to be as upright as his father, he continually did things that I though was unprofessional and dishonest. It was the one part of his life he did not seem to even acknowledge. For example, I would have no respect for anyone who would have a video conference, claim it to be a confidential conversation, but have someone hiding off camera listening in to what was going on. In spite of this, I did enjoy the book and I plan on reading more by this author. Thank you to Thomas Nelson Publishing for a review copy of this book.

[melanieski · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Water’s EdgeRobert WhitlowPublished by Thomas NelsonSource: Review copy from Book SneezeTom Crane is an up and coming lawyer in Atlanta. His father is killed in a boating accident and Tom needs to return to Georgia to close up his father’s law office. Prior to his leaving for Georgia, Tom is released from his position at the law firm without much explanation and his girlfriend breaks up with him. With no job and no girl to hold him back Tom leaves for Georgia to stay with his great uncle Elias. Back in his hometown Tom sees best friend Rick and his wife (Tom’s ex-girlfriend) Tiffany, along with Rick’s Dad Arthur who owns a large financial company. They all encourage Tom to stay and reopen his father’s law practice. Tom gets an offer from a company in Georgia as well and is conflicted in what option he may take. While cleaning out his father’s office he finds an empty folder and some clues that lead him on a trail to Mr. Addington, the man who was in the boating accident with his father. Rose Addington is settling her father’s estate and Tom confides in her the suspicions he has found on an off shore banking account with a large sum of money in it. Suspicions range from Mr. Addington and the Sr Mr. Crane as being conspirators to a fraud operation. Neither Rose nor Tom believes that could be as both of their fathers were Christian men and lived their lives accordingly. The trail of deceit runs back and forth between Tom’s father and Mr. Addington, to corporate people involved Pelham Financial, to the head owners at Pelham, to Tom and Rose being in on it. The novel weaves a web of twists and turns in conflicts and resolutions, the very best resolution being Tom accepting Christ as his savior and that transforming Tom into a different man. Robert Whitlow is one of my favorite authors, having read many of his novels, I did enjoy this suspenseful legal story. It isn’t my favorite of his works, but it is still top notch!I received a copy of this novel from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.

[emsundotorg · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Here, Mr. Whitlow deftly writes an engaging story that incorporates a mystery with a man’s salvation. The true focus of this novel is on Joshua Thomas Crane’s (Tom’s) transformation from a non-believer to a man of God. The book starts out as Tom goes up to his boss’s office to discuss Tom’s need to close out his recently deceased father’s law practice. Tom works for a big-time important law company and enjoys his status and prestige. He is currently angling for a partnership and is working his tail off. He’s a little nervous about going up to the office, but confident in his abilities. However, within the next twenty-four hours, he learns he’s been laid off from this important position, his girlfriend of more than eight months leaves him without warning, and his girlfriend even wants to take his cat with her. Tom goes back home and discovers a tangled mystery surrounding the death of his father and one of his father’s clients. However, Tom isn’t really even sure this man was a client of his father’s – and he’s not sure where this mysterious nearly two million dollar bank account came from.The daughter of the possible client is also seeking answers and she’s determined. She’s is not going to let it go. Her path intersects Tom’s as they bump together over and over in an awkward and unproductive way at what seems to be complete cross-purposes. Finally, their paths begin to coincide. Add in the weird relationships from lifelong family friends and a few good doses of heart-wrenching betrayal and you have quite the mix for a good story.I feel torn on Water’s Edge. I tend to enjoy stories that have no religious agendas or only slight tones of religion. Water’s Edge smacks you in the face with it. I did enjoy Mr. Whitlow’s skill at crafting the story and I think it would be highly enjoyed by anyone who is seeking literature about the journey to becoming a Christian. The book is studded with Bible passages and Tom’s interpretations and actions on those passages. The moral seems to be about doing the just and right thing. The conclusion is most satisfactory and overall I did enjoy this story.Thank you Mr. Whitlow.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received Water’s Edge by Robert Whitlow free from Thomas Nelson through the Booksneeze review program. I was not required to write a positive review and did not receive any other compensation. The opinions I have expressed are my own and no one else’s. 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.”