Edge of Truth

by Janice Cantore

One case almost destroyed her career. Now the past seems to have caught up with her. And as a high-stakes game of truth and lies unfolds, someone’s out for retribution at any cost.

As a detective in the Long Beach Police Department’s violent crimes division, Lainie Jensen is no stranger to hard-to-crack cases and unusual disappearances, but then her sister Evie vanishes on a trip to Hawaii. After traveling there to look for her, Lainie quickly realizes her brother-in-law Stan is telling law enforcement a story that doesn’t appear to add up.

FBI special agent Ben Isaacs has spent six months collecting evidence to take down a money laundering operation. While his fellow agent Efren Gomez goes undercover to infiltrate the ring, Ben investigates those connected to it, including Stan Moffitt, who Ben believes could help lead to the criminal kingpin. Then Stan’s wife goes missing just days after Ben contacted her seeking information, and he knows there’s more to this case, especially when he loses contact with Efren and law enforcement comes up short in their search for him.

When Ben’s and Lainie’s investigations converge, Lainie’s not eager to work alongside Ben given their complicated history, but she’s willing to do so if it means figuring out what Stan knows and locating Evie. Soon, Lainie can’t deny Ben’s dedication to finding the truth or her growing admiration for him. And the more the two examine the evidence, the more they suspect Evie’s disappearance is tied to a highly publicized criminal case from Lainie’s past . . . and someone is playing a perilous game aimed at personal revenge.

Great for fans of thrillers by Lynette Eason, Colleen Coble, and Allison BrennanPolice procedural featuring a detective and an FBI agent written by a former police officerClean, stand-alone romantic suspense novel filled with high stakes, edge-of-your-seat adventure, elements of mystery, and themes of fighting for justiceIncludes discussion questions for book clubs

Genres: Christian Fiction, Contemporary

352 pages, Paperback

Expected publication February 17, 2026

About the author

A former Long Beach, California, police officer of twenty-two years, Janice Cantore worked a variety of assignments, including patrol, administration, juvenile investigations, and training. She’s always enjoyed writing and published two short articles on faith at work for Cop and Christ and Today’s Christian Woman before tackling novels. Janice writes suspense novels designed to keep readers engrossed and leave them inspired. Her first series of novels is the Pacific Coast Justice series, featuring Carly Edwards in books Accused, Abducted and Avenged. Janice also authored the Brinna’s Heart series, which includes Critical Pursuit and Visible Threat. Another three book series is the Line of Duty series, featuring Crisis Shot, Lethal Target and Cold Aim. Additionally she has also penned five stand alone novels, Breach of Honor, Code of Courage, One Final Target, Every Deadly Suspicion and Edge of Truth.
www.janicecantore.com and connect with her on Facebook.

Reviews

[Alison (readinginazaleawoods) · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.25 stars rounded down)

Fans of Christian suspense are in for a high-stakes ride in Edge of Truth. Detective Lainie Jensen of the Long Beach Police Department’s violent crimes division finds herself on a collision course with FBI special agent Ben Isaacs when two separate investigations—her sister’s sudden disappearance and Ben’s pursuit of a money-laundering ring—intertwine. With their complicated history and a case that echoes painful chapters from Lainie’s past, the two must navigate a dangerous game of truth and lies where personal revenge could cost everything.

💭 MY THOUGHTS: From the very first page, I was hooked. I love that Cantore opens with a quote from J.C. Ryle: “Don’t let sin against you produce sin in you.” It perfectly sets the stage for Lainie’s faith journey. Once deeply rooted in the church, Lainie walked away after a devastating case shook her to the core. Fifteen years later, God providentially places people in her life who water those early seeds of faith and speak Truth in ways that remind her—even when God feels far away, He is always near.

Woven throughout are powerful threads of forgiveness and grace—not just for others, but for ourselves as well. The suspense is fast-paced, filled with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. And while this was my first Janice Cantore novel, it certainly won’t be my last. Her background as a former police officer adds depth and authenticity to both her characters and the investigative details, making the story all the more compelling.

Fans of Lynette Eason, Colleen Coble, and Dani Pettrey are sure to enjoy this thrilling ride.

✨ CONTENT TO CONSIDER: This is a clean Christian suspense, but violent crimes are mentioned, including rape, child kidnapping, and human trafficking. There is also a brief mention of flirting with a married man.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Edge of Truth" is a Christian romantic suspense. As a rookie, Lainie pulled over a drunk only to discover a murdered woman in the back of the car. The driver convinced a jury that there was no proof that he actually murdered the woman. Now he's a crime boss. When Lainie's brother-in-law calls claiming her sister died in a shark attack, she investigates only to discover that things don't add up. But where's her sister? Ben's been watching the car wash were her brother-in-law works unknowingly for the crime boss, and Ben's partner has gone missing. Lainie and Ben work together to find her sister, his partner, and the truth.

The suspense remained high due to the danger and uncertainty around the disappearances of the sister and partner. The characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Ben admired how Lainie took good advice and managed to save her career after a rocky start. Both were tenacious in discovering the truth and were good a spotting inconsistencies. Lainie and Ben supported each other and shared a passion for justice.

Lainie felt like God let her down and maybe didn't even listen to her prayers, but she started praying during this crisis and regained her trust that God's in control. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this engaging, suspenseful story.

I received a free ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enjoyable book! I raced to see what happened next, yet was a little sad to have the story come to an end! I enjoyed every moment of reading this book! What else would I expect with this wonderful author?!
Lainie is a hard-working detective in the Long Beach Police Department. But when her own sister disappears in Hawaii, according to her brother-in-law, Lainie thinks his story has holes, and she does all she can to locate her sibling. Meanwhile, FBI special agent Ben has been working on his own cases and finds that this missing person case may overlap with his search for money laundering thugs. How the story unravels, with a gentle ribbon of faith, makes this a story worth reading! The characters are very engaging, and you might find yourself rooting for them, too!
I very much appreciate reading this book, compliments of the publishers. The views expressed are my own personal opinions.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edge of Truth, by Janice Cantore,is a Christian suspense story that is well written and very easy to read and get caught up in the story. Lainie goes to Hawaii after her sister goes missing. Meanwhile, FBI agent, Ben is investigating her brother-in-law. The two have a past yet work together to try to find out what actually happened, who is behind the sister’s disappearance and why.

This is such a good story. It is fast paced and filled with action, suspense and mystery. There are several different aspects to the story that kept me reading just to find what would happen next. I like how strong Lainie is and how determined she is to find out what happened to her sister. I appreciate how faith is written into the story.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.

[Marilyn Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective Lainie Jensen must find her sister, who has gone missing in Hawaii. FBI Special Agent Ben Isaacs is searching for his missing undercover partner. When their cases begin to overlap, the two must work together to uncover who is responsible and what’s really going on.

I found this book to be an engaging read, full of twists and turns and plenty of action. There are quite a few characters introduced throughout the story, which made it a little confusing at times to keep track of who’s who. However, if this is the first in a series, it’s a strong start and a good way to introduce a broader cast for future books.

I am thankful to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for my ARC that allows me to give my honest opinion.

[Randi Sampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my goodness... talk about an exciting start to the story! This one grabbed my attention right from the very start... and didn't let go until the very end. This is definitely one of those stories that will keep you guessing right through to the very end. Just when you think you have it all figured out... here comes another twist to keep you questioning absolutely everything... and I was absolutely here for it! Throw in some romance and a beautiful message of faith and forgiveness and there really was a lot to enjoy in this story. If you enjoy Christian romantic suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this is certainly one to check out.

**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, there is action from the beginning to the end! Just when you think the answers are here and danger past, nope, there is more action.
This is Christian Suspense at its best. A read that I wanted answers, but didn't want to end so I could stay with these characters longer!
The author gives us missing people, presumed deceased, possible shark attacks, bodies, greed, and best a sweet romance.
People whom are above the law and will do anything to stay that way, and then those that have chosen a profession that vows to stop the evil ones!
You don't want to miss this one!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Tyndale House Publishers, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Thank you to Tyndale Publishing for this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest thoughts!**

This book was really clean, but I found it to be simply average. The characters and the plot were both fine. Less than a week later, I can barely remember the plot and the characters. The plot takes a little bit to pick up, and I think part of it was the writing style. It felt like every sentence was along the vein of "xyz happened. Character feels abc. Then, xyz happens..." Very tell and not show.

I was decently into it once the plot picked up, but I had to force myself to pick it up again after any time I stopped. If I hadn't gotten this as an ARC, I would have DNF'd it.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fast paced thriller from Cantore. I enjoyed this new story from Janice Cantore, the romance was very clean, language was clean, there was some violence and dark subject matter and I felt the characters could have been fleshed out a bit more. There were quite a few secondary characters that were hard to keep track of. but overall an enjoyable read. I would consider reading more from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishing house for this eARC in exchange for my honest review,

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Tyndale publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I have read all of Janice Cantore's books and in my opinion they just keep getting better. This was a fast paced thrilling story with two main characters who were dealing with their pasts and with present danger. Very well written.

[Ellen White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this plot was. action packed, from the beginning pages.
Lainie, her sister Evie is missing. Brother in law, Stan, stories don't add up.
A game or. was it revenge. I always enjoy reading this author. books.
I also recommend this book as well as others this author has written.

[Nora St Laurent · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author's over twenty years of law enforcement knowledge and experience is partly responsible for the believable climate, the dishonest individuals we meet and the trouble Laine has with FBI special agent Ben Isaacs.

Ben and Lanie both have a lot at stake; Ben is on the edge of shutting down a huge money laundering organization, while Lanie's issue is more personal, as she goes out of her way to debunk individuals who believe they are above the law. This police story was so intriguing it was none put downable. I enjoyed the romantic undertones as they searched for missing individuals, assumed dead as no bodies or body parts were found, they believe were attacked by sharks.

You don’t want to miss out on this page turning novel. This is so good you’ll want to add it to your book club voting list.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

[Amber Thiessen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This standalone novel delivered a gripping mix of suspense and heart. Lainie has been chasing the same crime boss since her first arrest as a rookie cop—an obsession that’s only grown since he slipped through the cracks of justice. But when her sister goes missing while on a trip with her brother-in-law, Lainie’s instincts go into overdrive.

Enter the FBI agent who once stole her case. Now he’s in Hawaii investigating what might be a disturbing connection between their two cases. The tension between them is immediate—but so is the shared urgency. What starts as a reluctant partnership slowly shifts into trust, and even the beginnings of friendship.

The suspense is well-paced, with twists that keep you invested, and the characters’ struggles with forgiveness and faith add depth to the action. A great read for fans of clean, character-driven romantic suspense.

*A big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC and for the opportunity to post an honest review