Over the Edge

An innocent woman's life is threatened when she's captured by a renegade, out-of-control bounty hunter

Christian - Thriller
232 Pages
Reviewed on 02/05/2023
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Author Biography

MICHAEL GARRETT is a devout Christian and life-long resident of Alabama. His world revolves around God and his family. He has been published internationally and has worked in an editorial capacity with best-selling authors. Michael holds the distinction of having been Stephen King’s first editor and publisher. He has also taught highly acclaimed writing workshops at colleges and universities across the nation and was an Editorial Associate of the Writer’s Digest School.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Stephanie Lynn for Readers' Favorite

Over the Edge by Michael Garrett is an intense Christian thriller that introduces Larissa Baxter, a former Vegas showgirl on the run who has since given her life to Christ. Just when she starts to believe that it's finally safe to trust again, her life takes another unexpected twist. She finds herself on another wild cross-country trip that seems to only lead to trouble. When bounty hunter Clyde Hopkins signed up for his latest catch, he never expected it would unfold quite like this! Now that he has apprehended the infamous Baxter widow, he finds that tracking her down is far from the hardest part of this job. He is about to find out that the Baxters are not to be trifled with. Will Larissa be able to work out an escape plan, or will she be silenced for good this time?

Over the Edge by Michael Garrett is an interesting read! I wasn't sure what to expect when starting it but quickly found myself pulled into the story and wanting to know how it would all go down. I loved seeing Larissa's growing faith and quick thinking throughout the story. I also enjoyed seeing her learn to rely more on her faith in her decisions and relationships as she grew as a Christian in the story. I loved the twists and couldn't put this book down. I enjoyed the mystery and fast-paced thriller elements in this one. I also liked the shorter chapters at the beginning that helped get the story moving, then the gradual shift to longer chapters once the action and stakes picked up.

Julia Wilson

Over The Edge by Michael Garrett is a compulsive contemporary Christian suspense that completely took over my life for a few hours! This book will deprive you of sleep, it is completely absorbing!
Michael Garrett is a masterful storyteller whose comprehensives descriptions paint the scenes in glorious Technicolor for the reader.
Michael Garrett chooses his words with care enabling the reader to reach a state of heightened suspense and tension as the novel progresses towards its’ climax – I must admit I did not see that one coming!
The handprints of God are evidenced throughout. “He’d [God] led her through… her life even when she ignored Him.” God has His hands on our hearts even though we do not realise it. God walks beside us, longing for us to notice Him.
“God had believed in her before she believed in herself.” We see the importance of loving the skin we are in. We need to see ourselves as God sees us.
Faith is important. We need to own our faith and be responsible. “Skipped daily Bible readings had become more frequent, her prayers shorter… A weakening faith caused an empty feeling.” Inside each of us is a God-shaped hole that only He can fill. We need to stay connected to Him. Daily Bible reading and prayers are the building blocks of our faith. “Still nagging at the back of her mind… was the anxiety of feeling her faith slipping away.” If we feel ourselves moving away from God, we need to re-centre our lives.
Whatever we face in life, God is there beside us. “She felt the comfort of her heavenly Father still watching over her despite her doubts.” Life may feel out of control. We may even doubt God but our feelings are an unreliable gauge when determining the presence of God. God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. He will always be beside us whether we feel Him or not. God will give us an inner peace that passes all understanding despite outward circumstances. Life is not always good but God is always faithful.
There is the theme of forgiveness. Sometimes we need to forgive others. Sometimes we need to forgive ourselves. “Had she ever actually forgiven herself for her own sins.”
Names are important. A name change signifies a change in circumstances. When we come to Christ, He gives us a new name. He calls us Beloved.
The love of money and power is the root of all evil. When we are lured in by riches, our hearts are in the wrong place.
We witness the conflicting emotions of guilt and truth. Should she lie and stay safe? Or tell the truth and become the subject of a media frenzy that will also endanger her life? Michael Garrett reveals a conflicted soul through his words.
Using the literary device of pathetic fallacy, Michael Garrett shows how the weather mirrors the action as darkness becomes a cloak for under-handed activity.
The characters are wonderfully drawn and realistic. The leading lady, though small in stature is big in personality.
I absolutely adored Over The Edge. It was completely gripping. I was totally immersed in the action. Sleep took second place!
Over The Edge would translate perfectly into a Netflix movie – any producers out there please take note.
I cannot wait to read more by Michael Garrett. His stories entertain me as I ‘travel’ through the scenes.
Over The Edge is definitely suspense out of the top drawer.
I received a free copy. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.