Over the Edge by Brandilyn Collins

This book was especially interesting to me because several years ago I read a much longer version of Brandilyn's testimony on her blog Forensics & Faith.  Her story is of courage and faith and prayer and wonderful friends.

This story, while all the Lyme symptoms are what she suffered, the storyline is definitely fictional. I urge you to read her testimony, it will certainly give your faith muscles a shot of energy.

In the novel, Janessa is purposely infected with Lyme in an insane and perverted attempt to coerce her husband to rethink his stance on the Lyme Wars. You are instantly glued to this slightly different heroine and cheer her on at each turn of the page. Collins has beautifully captured each character's quirks and personality into a few words of description. That is an invaluable, and appreciated talent for any author to have. There is much left to reader's imagination without minute details which inevitably plug up the story flow. That talent reminds me a great deal of B.J. Hoff.

I do not believe it is because she is writing from intimate experience with this novel that it surpasses most of her other works, I believe it is because Brandilyn Collins has climbed to a higher level of excellence.

The novel is riveting all the way to the end, but I have a problem with a plot tactic in the end that I've never seen Collins use before. It wasn't necessary, I believe, because the whole story was edge-of-seat good. However, trying out different plot tactics is a most estimable privilege of the author.

I highly recommend this book. It's a keeper and I give it 5 of 5 stars.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Over the Edge B&H Books (May 1, 2011) by Brandilyn Collins

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Brandilyn Collins is an award-winning and best-selling novelist known for her trademark Seatbelt Suspense®. These harrowing crime thrillers have earned her the tagline "Don't forget to b r e a t h e..."® Brandilyn's first book, A Question of Innocence, was a true crime published by Avon in 1995. Its promotion landed her on local and national TV and radio, including the Phil Donahue and Leeza talk shows. Brandilyn is also known for her distinctive book on fiction-writing techniques, Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors (John Wiley & Sons). She is now working on her 20th book.

In addition, Brandilyn’s other latest release is Final Touch, third in The Rayne Tour series—young adult suspense co-written with her daughter, Amberly. The Rayne Tour series features Shaley O’Connor, daughter of a rock star, who just may have it all—until murder crashes her world.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Torn from the front lines of medical debate and the author's own experience with Lyme Disease, Over the Edge is riveting fiction, full of twists and turns—and powerful truths about today's medical field.

Janessa McNeil’s husband, Dr. Brock McNeil, a researcher and professor at Stanford University's Department of Medicine, specializes in tick-borne diseases—especially Lyme. For years he has insisted that Chronic Lyme Disease doesn't exist. Even as patients across the country are getting sicker, the committee Brock chairs is about to announce its latest findings—which will further seal the door shut for Lyme treatment.

One embittered man sets out to prove Dr. McNeil wrong by giving him a close-up view of the very disease he denies. The man infects Janessa with Lyme, then states his demand: convince her husband to publicly reverse his stand on Lyme—or their young daughter will be next.

But Janessa's marriage is already rocky. She's so sick she can hardly move or think. And her husband denies she has Lyme at all.

Welcome to the Lyme wars, Janessa.

“A taut, heartbreaking thriller. Collins is a fine writer who knows how to both horrify readers and keep them turning pages.”

--Publishers Weekly

“Tense and dramatic. Holds its tension while following the protagonist in a withering battle.” –NY Journal of Books

“A frightening and all-too-real scenario. Very timely and meaningful book.” –RT Reviews

“If you know someone who suffers from Lyme, you need to read this compelling novel.” –Lydia Niederwerfer, founder of Lyme-Aware

If you would like to read the Prologue of Over the Edge, go HERE


Watch the book video: