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Water's Edge

3.92 of 5 stars 3.92 · rating details · 294 ratings · 57 reviews

Sometimes small towns hold the biggest secrets.

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 a...more

Paperback, 405 pages

Published July 19th 2011 by Thomas Nelson

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Best Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Novels Of 2011

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Apr 26, 2012 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Whitlow combines his legal expertise with a Christian setting for a different kind of legal thriller. Tom Crane, a young attorney with a bright future loses his position in a mega-firm and loses his girlfriend the same day. Going home to Bethel, Ga., to close down his late father's law office, he is faced with the fact that his father might have been involved in some shaky financial manuevering, and may have either been murdered or involved in another man's death. Tom is faced with betrayal, bot...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Linda B rated it 4 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...more

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Aug 07, 2011 Jen Rothmeyer rated it 3 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 t...more 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.”(less)

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Aug 06, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've read all of Robert Whitlow's books and have enjoyed them all, including this one. Tom is a young lawyer with dreams of becoming a partner in a prestigious firm. In one day, he loses his job, his girlfriend, and his cat. Without direction, he moves back to the small town where his father worked as a lawyer before his recent death. Determined to tie up his father's loose ends and then get back to the big city, Tom overlooks some details in his father's cases, details that could jeopardize his...more

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Jul 27, 2011 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2011

Sometimes, the things that seem to make the most profound and impossible changes in our lives are the ones needed to move us forward. Tom Crane lives the perfect example of this. He has a great job in an impressive law office, thinks he will make partner, has a father who is also a lawyer, and then there is the beautiful girlfriend. But, as the story begins, disaster strikes taking all of this away from him. Tom returns home to Bethel to not only close his father's law practice, but to also take...more

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Jul 13, 2011 Renn Shearin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Water's Edge by Robert Whitlow is a legal thriller filled with suspense and surprise. In this novel Tom Crane, a young lawyer, is convinced that he is getting ready to receive a partnership from the law firm he works for. However, first he must close his recently deceased father's law practice in the small town of Bethel. Tom's father died in an unexpected and unexplained boating accident, leaving his son only a mess to clean up. Right before Tom leaves for Bethel, he finds himself laid off inst...more

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Nov 12, 2011 Mary Chrapliwy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-books

Whitlow describes the lay off of the main character in a way that makes me feel like the writer has experienced just such a moment, something I also share. People often look at layoff and scoff, but trust me, it hurts every bit as badly as if you are fired. Whitlow manages to convey the heart break of the layoff so well, that you immediately begin to feel for the main character, Tom Crane.

As the story opens, Tom Crane's father was killed in a boating accident and Tom needs to go home to close hi...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Cleffairy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed at: Library of Lights
Review date: 3 August 2011
Review link: http://mykindaland.com/?p=354

It’s been quite some time since I read a good legal thriller, and therefore, I was really excited when Water’s Edge by Robert Whitlow is up for review in Booksneeze. Water’s Edge is a very interesting legal thriller and the writing and plot development reminds me a little bit of John Grisham’s work.

This book is definitely a keeper and I love how the storyline keeps me on my toes and spook me a littl...more

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Aug 28, 2011 Tim Chavel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Robert Whitlow is one of my favorite authors. Water's Edge is an excellent book that challenged me to live my life pleasing to the Lord. Whitlow tells a good story but also has a gift of weaving God's Word into the story. Here are some of the scripture and a quote or two:

"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." Ephesians 5:11 (NKJV)

"My times are in Your hand. . ." Psalm 31:15 (NKJV)

"So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And...more

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Oct 10, 2011 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vine-program, read-in-2011

In a world packed with John Grisham imitators, Robert Whitlow has always stood out from the legal-thriller crowd with his authentic characters and situations, his compelling moral dilemmas and his welcoming writing style. His early legal thrillers are among some of my favorite books and after pushing his style in his last few offerings, Whitlow returns to form with his latest Water's Edge.

Tom Crane is an up and coming lawyer in Atlanta until he's let go by his firm and dumped by his girlfriend (...more In a world packed with John Grisham imitators, Robert Whitlow has always stood out from the legal-thriller crowd with his authentic characters and situations, his compelling moral dilemmas and his welcoming writing style. His early legal thrillers are among some of my favorite books and after pushing his style in his last few offerings, Whitlow returns to form with his latest Water's Edge.

Tom Crane is an up and coming lawyer in Atlanta until he's let go by his firm and dumped by his girlfriend (who also keeps his cat) all in the same dead. Heading home to close out his father's law business, Tom finds himself quickly finds himself caught up in a web of mysteries surrounding the town's biggest employer and economic savior, a mysterious trust account and the circumstances of his father's death. He's also having to fend off the advances of his old girlfriend who married his best friend as well as living with his elderly uncle, who thinks Tom has come home for other things besides closing up his father's shop.

Water's Edge is a return to the legal-thriller roots that put Whitlow on the map. And while there isn't quite the high drama that we saw with novels like The List, Water's Edge is easily the most compelling and page-turning Whitlow novel I've picked up in a long time. Part of that is Whitlow's comfort in his storytelling. But another part of it (and it's always been a big one for Whitlow) is his creation of authentic Christian characters within his story. With Tom, Whitlow shows us the journey Tom undergoes towards becoming a Christian, but unlike others in the contemporary Christian field, the journey never feels one-note or cliched. When Tom makes his decision, his life doesn't become instantly a bed of roses and his decision doesn't solve all his problems. Instead, Tom continues to struggle with things and has early doubts about things, people and situations.

Water's Edge is Whitlow at his best. It's among the best novels I've read this year--compelling, page-turning and it may even cause you to do a little thinking about something greater than just the drama unfolding on the page. (less)

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Sep 12, 2011 Orchid rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review taken from my blog, The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia.

First Sentence:

Chiseled deep into the rock face of Stone Mountain, Georgia, is a football field-sized carving of Jefferson Davis. Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson.

Water's Edge is a solidly written book that has left me wanting to slowly read it so that I could fully take in every little detail.
Sure, it has taken me about a week to read 400 pages, but I am not complaining or holding it against the book or Mr. Whitlow's writing, I'...more

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Jul 19, 2011 Liz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-review, christian-fiction, legal-thriller, favorites, favorites-2011

Attorney Tom Crane travels to his small hometown in Georgia to close down his deceased father's law practice. In the process of working to get his father's clients hooked up with other attorneys who can take their cases, he finds a large sum of money in a secret bank account and must investigate who the money belongs to. He runs into unexpected trouble, and what he believed would be a simple task, lands him in a web of mystery and uncertainty over who he can trust.

I loved this book. I think it t...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Stacia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: free-for-review, christian-fiction

Water's Edge is about a lawyer, Tom, who's father dies in a boating accident. He heads back to his hometown to close up his father's law office, but encounters a designated trust account with almost 2 million dollars in it, but witth no definite owner. Needing to return the funds to the correct owner Tom does some digging and ends up in over his head.

I didn't really like this book. I was excited about reading a mystery, but there was little of that in the book. I pegged the bad guy quickly and...more

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Jul 31, 2011 Julie Graves rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, christian

Tom Crane is working for a large Atlanta law firm hoping that he will make partner. His hopes are dashed though when he is "consolidated" instead. Finding himself without a job and girlfriendless(his girlfriend breaks up with him in a letter), Tom heads to his hometown to settle the affairs of his father who recently died in a drowning accident.

While Tom closes his father's law firm he stays with his uncle Elias. At first Tom doesn't want to hear anything from Elias about spiritual things. But w...more Tom Crane is working for a large Atlanta law firm hoping that he will make partner. His hopes are dashed though when he is "consolidated" instead. Finding himself without a job and girlfriendless(his girlfriend breaks up with him in a letter), Tom heads to his hometown to settle the affairs of his father who recently died in a drowning accident.

While Tom closes his father's law firm he stays with his uncle Elias. At first Tom doesn't want to hear anything from Elias about spiritual things. But when Tom has a spiritual encounter of his own in his father's law office he becomes more open and accepting of heavenly things.

Tom soon uncovers what looks to be an embezzlement scheme involving a client of his father's and an employee at the local Pelham company. Considering that he is best friends with Arthur Pelham's son Rick, Tom fully believes that his father's client was involved in the embezzlement.

When Rick's wife Tiffany starts flirting with Tom he is flattered and tries to rationalize his attraction to her. After all she assures him that their marriage is on the rocks and she is willing to leave it all behind to be with Tom. Tom soon realizes his rationalization as sin and repents of it. He soon becomes attracted to Rose Addington. Rose refuses to believe that her father was involved in any way in the embezzlement scheme. She challenges Tom to do further research into the events that led up to their fathers deaths.

That research soon lands both Tom and Rose in jail and in serious danger. With his life seeming to fall apart before his eyes, Tom has a hard time calling out to the God that he so recently trusted.

First off the positive: Water's Edge reminded me of reading one of John Grisham's novels, but add in a more spiritual content. I was engaged in the story and characters from the beginning through to the end. The writing flowed and the story remained fairly consistent.

The negative: For me the spiritual content was a bit too mystical mixed with charasmatic. When Rose talked about Tom's office being a "thin" place(a place where there is less separation between heaven and earth) I was thinking, "WHAT?!" Another time Tom asked his uncle if he was a mystic. He described a mystic as being "someone who withdraws from the world and spends time having weird spiritual experiences." Tom's whole relationship with the Lord was based on emotionalism and when the emotion wasn't there then he easily fell away into despair. At one point when everything seemed to come crashing down on him he contemplated suicide. To the point of getting the gun out and having it under his chin to do the job. I understand that we all have our mountaintop experiences, but to crash so low to want to end it all did not seem consistent with Tom's character.
(less)

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Jul 24, 2011 Pauline Creeden rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I was younger, my father and I used to play a game when we’d watch a movie or read a book together. From the beginning, we’d try to guess what would happen in the end, and then when it did happen one of us would cry out “coulda’ wrote it!” If a story line is too predictable, the game was no fun. If it wasn’t predictable at all and the watcher/reader had no way of knowing how it was going to end because there were no clues, we’d be dissatisfied.

BUT, if the case was that there were clues, but...more

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Sep 16, 2011 Casey rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was torn between 3.5 and 4 stars and finally decided on 4 stars for “Water’s Edge”, mainly because the ending was brought to a strong conclusion, but the rest of the book wasn’t quite what I was expecting.

From the cover and what I had heard about previous books, I was under the impression this would be a murder mystery and while murder played into the story, it wasn’t what the story was about and that took me about 100 pages to figure out.

However, I loved the faith element. The Tom’s character...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Bob rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian, crime-suspense

Very good story. This read more like a Grisham novel than Whitlow's other books. It's a story of a busy, money-driven attorney who suddenly finds himself "blessed" with the opportunity to reset his life in a slower, more personal track. The descriptions of the small town where Tom Crane grew up and from which he fled have a real feel (I know these towns since I've lived in them all my life). His indecision whether to stay or to go back to the fast life in the big city resonates with me and proba...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: suspense, christian-suspense

Water’s Edge
Robert Whitlow
Published by Thomas Nelson
Source: Review copy from Book Sneeze
Tom 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....more Water’s Edge
Robert Whitlow
Published by Thomas Nelson
Source: Review copy from Book Sneeze
Tom 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.
(less)

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Sep 09, 2011 Kathryn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

This book is terrific! The action is fast-paced and there are no lulls in the story. I plan to read it again someday - I liked it that much!

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Aug 28, 2011 Trinity Rose rated it 5 of 5 stars

Robert Whitlow writes another winning book about law, lawyers, lies and deceit, but also full of love, compassion and faith in God. The three main characters, Tom, Rose and Elias are such winsome and easy to love characters.
Tom just goes to his hometown to close up his father’s business after he surprising death. He believes it will just be a very easy, quiet transition, but boy is he wrong.
The book was coming to a really nice part all things were working at then more major disasters happen. It...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Bonnie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

I've grown very fond of Robert Whitlow over the past few years. Labeled "the Christian John Grisham", this description is pretty accurate. The stories are legal thrillers and are intriguing reads without being too intense or deep. Still, the spiritual themes make the stories a bit more in depth. In this novel, Tom Crane starts out with a day that must be a Friday the 13th it's so bad. He loses his job at a large Atlanta law firm when he was anticipating a partnership and his girlfriend breaks up...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Cheeyee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, fiction, christian-fiction, suspense, thrillers

Review At: I Read, I Think, I Share

Review Date: 7 Sept 2011

Review URL: http://littlemermybooks.blogspot.com/2011/09/waters-edge-by-robert-whitlow.html

Summary:

I found this book is very inspiring. Unlike his father, Tom was not a very religions person. It is very interesting to see how he gets closer to the God, and refer to bible for guidance and answers. From losing his job, eventually he got few good options what he would like to do after he had settled his father's business. Just as he thought...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Lenore Webb rated it 4 of 5 stars

And last in my stack (remember we always save the best for last) is Robert Whitlow's book Water's Edge. An accomplished author that weaves a mystery with amazing ease. You have heard when it rains it pours. Well poor Tom Crane life starts falling apart is when he finds that he has to find out what happened to his father's law practice. And where did the two million dollars that was stashed in a bank account come from? This was a wonderful modern day mystery. And I loved going over the reading gu...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Judy Knight rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a very enjoyable Christian fiction. Water's Edge was a suspense novel developed around a young lawyer's complicated life as he closed his deceased father's law practice in Bethel,Georgia. After reading a gory thriller about crime in New Orleans, this novel especially moved me to examine evil, death and other spiritual themes. Water's Edge could be used in group discussions because of the wider issues brought up throughout the plot. Comparing the New Orleans thriller and this novel was r...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Kristina rated it 5 of 5 stars

In the middle of this book I started to wonder about some of the events that were happening. I even started to question the author's intent, but it was all very deliberate on the author's part. The way it was written left you clueless as to how it was going to end- I was very surprised. I loved the main character Tom and his uncle Elias. Made me wish this was a series so I could spend some more time with both of them.

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Dec 25, 2012 Carolyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Once, again, Whitlow delivers a great mystery intermixed with Christian principles and references to God's word. I find his writing refreshing and rewarding as well as enjoyable.

Looking forward to reading another of his books.

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Sep 02, 2012 Stacy rated it 3 of 5 stars

It was a good, decent mystery. I would read another of his. I didn't LOVE it. Sometimes religious fiction can get a little corny, but I would take that any day over some of the smut out there.

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Jul 28, 2011 Kathy Chung rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reviewed at :: Mama Kucing Meow : Water's Edge By Robert Whitlow

A hint of John Grisham with a twist

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May 03, 2012 Rick rated it 3 of 5 stars

A decent read although just a tad predictable. I accurately foresaw many outcomes early on but there was still enough tension and subtle twists to avoid being trite. The scene on the Ocoee was of special interest to me.

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Mar 05, 2012 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Not as strangely controversial as the author's previous series, yet also not as interesting, more mystery than legal thriller, very weak in places but still a decent story.

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About Robert Whitlow

Robert Whitlow is the best-selling author of legal novels set in the South and winner of the prestigious Christy Award for Contemporary Fiction. A Furman University graduate, Whitlow received his J.D. with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law where he served on the staff of the Georgia Law Review. A practicing attorney, Whitlow and his wife, Kathy, have four children. They make thei...more

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