The Edge of the Light

Whidbey Island Saga #4

by Elizabeth George

The climactic final installment of New York Times bestseller Elizabeth George's award-winning saga.

Seth Darrow is a straightforward guy, and he likes life to be simple.  Lately, it’s been anything but.
 
Since his beloved grandfather’s stroke, Seth has been focused on getting Grand home again, before his aunt can take advantage of the situation to get her hands on Grand’s valuable real estate. Seth would also like to get his relationship with Prynne on solid ground. He loves her, but can he believe she has her drug use under control? 
 
Meanwhile, things are complicated for the other Whidbey Island friends. Derric has found Rejoice, the sister he left behind in Uganda, but no one – including Rejoice – knows she is his sister. Jenn is discovering feelings for her teammate Cynthia, feelings her born-again Christian mother would never find acceptable. And Becca, hiding under a false identity since her arrival on the island, is concealing the biggest secret of all.
 
In the final book of the Whidbey Island saga, events build to an astonishing climax as secrets are revealed, hearts are broken, and lives are changed forever.

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery Thriller, Romance

342 pages, Paperback

First published August 16, 2016

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Susan Elizabeth George is an American author of mystery novels set in Great Britain. Eleven of her novels, featuring her character Inspector Lynley, have been adapted for television by the BBC as The Inspector Lynley Mysteries.

She was born in Warren, Ohio, but moved to the San Francisco Bay Area when she was eighteen months old. She was a student of English, receiving a teaching certificate. While teaching English in the public school system, she completed an advanced degree in psychology.

Her first published novel was A Great Deliverance in 1988, featuring Thomas Lynley, Lord Asherton, a Scotland Yard inspector of noble birth; Barbara Havers, Lynley's assistant, from a very working-class background; Lady Helen Clyde, Lynley's girlfriend and later wife, of noble birth as well; and Lynley's friends Simon and Deborah St. James.

This Elizabeth George is distinct from the other author named Elizabeth George (Christian author).

Series:
* Inspector Lynley

Reviews

[Debi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book, thinking that it was the last one in the series...but clearly, it's NOT. When I got to the last page and the main character's life was still up in the air with none of her issues having come to any sort of satisfying conclusion...well, I was just mad. I'm not pumped about the idea of waiting another year or more for the next installment. I feel cheated and frustrated.

Yes, some of the side stories are either resolved or well on their way to a decent resolution but then again, some of them are still hanging, unsettled, too.

Reading this series is becoming an exercise in irritation.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This site says the book is 448 pages but the copy I've got is only 398 pages. It seems as if my book is incomplete. If this is the end of the Widbey Island saga you may well feel shortchanged too. There is no real conclusion to Becca King's story. Seth's story is inconclusive too. In fact they all see to be inconclusive. Surely a writer as accomplished as Ms. George is realizes that she has left many readers hanging. I hope there is another book to come. Her readers deserve it.

[Bettye · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book does not resolve a major component of the story. I don't understand how this can be the climatic final installment when so many questions are left unanswered.

[lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I am going along, enjoying the adventures of this tale. A girl who can read people's thoughts and tries to make sense of their outward and inward utterings. She attempts to solve their problems without letting them know how much she actually is learning. At the same time, she is struggling to stay safe and protect her real identity and background until her mother returns. This is, allegedly, the final book in the series and as it nears its conclusions, many of the loose ends are being tied. Unfortunately, some of the main strings of the story remained unresolved. A big surprise and disappointment! Not the typical Elizabeth George ending!

[Susan Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree! Disappointing ending!

I really enjoyed this series - it was different from the Inspector Lynley books that I have followed from the beginning. But I just finished this 4th, supposedly final, book in the series. What a disappointing non-ending! Many critical plot points left unresolved. There are either missing
chapters from the kindle edition or there needs to be a 5th book - please!

[Anne-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually wanted to give it 2 stars only because I am so disappointed. There is absolutely NO conclusion for the main character and the whole hype about the book is misleading. Hopefully Elizabeth George will write the real final soon

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have given this 3 stars, but I took off one star because the lack of an actual conclusion pissed me off.

[Maisy_Day23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like the ending was skimpy. It didn't really end the book and include any conclusion for the obstacles in the plot which really disappointed me. I was really looking forward to seeing what really happened with her dad's business partner and if Derrick and Becca ever get back together and if she ever would find her mom and would Becca leave the island to do this.

Like:
Why did her dad's business partner run off to Canada? What was the purpose of that?, Where is her mom at? What happened to her?

I just feel like there's so many questions still needing to be answered, but all I get is a whopping dead end! This really disappointed me, I mean, it was still over all a great book, but I DO NOT like left hanging in the air! That is why I think this book should be accompanied by yet another book to conclude the real ending for Becca King. Maybe even calling it The Edge of the Cliff or The Edge of the Journey or The Edge of the Road or SOMETHING that stands for the ACTUALLY end to her story, but The Edge of the Light surely has not done it justice.

But because this was still an awesome book to read i'll give it a 3.5 stars ONLY looking at it as a fourth to last book in the series

[Nan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is this the end?

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

And then the book ended abruptly. And the series as well. Or perhaps there really will be another book. Certainly the most important thread in the books was not even marginally resolved. As per Jess's storyline, I really don't have a way to judge it. It probably covers someone's life experience but I don't know how to typical it might be. It reads well, but there might be some wish fulfillment there. As for Seth's storyline, it is a little to cut and dry though it was easy to root for Seth. And for her grandpa. Marginally less dark elements. But the abrupt ending was my biggest issue. 3.5 of 5.

[Bethany Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

It doesn't resolve the main conflict. There should be a fifth book. It did not feel like a conclusion.

[Liz Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Edge of the Light"is the fourth (and supposedly final) book in this series, but once again the ending was an exercise in frustration, so George must either have another installment planned or she doesn't care to resolve the central conundrum. I read these four books pretty close together, but now I'll have to wait at least a year for the next one. I think each book in a series--even a YA series--should stand on its own two feet, and the Whidbey Island series would have been much more satisfying as a single volume. And someone needs to tell George that teenagers don't use the word "whatever" (emphasis on the second syllable) nearly as frequently as she thinks they do.

[Venessa Stella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly... I just don't know what to say. I've been waiting for ages until they would translate this book into German- they never did.
Now I'm reading it in English, the final book on this series. And you're telling me this is how it ends??? I'm furious!!!

The whole book feels like the story is heading towards the end. The closer I got to the end, the more sceptical I became that it would have a good ending. I was right. There is no ending. I just want to know how Beccas story is ending...

[Theresa Booth · Rating 1 out of 5]

False, misleading book info

The book claimed to be the climactic instalment of the series. No conclusion on where Becca A yes Becca is what she had become. Derricks walking away, no mother, no explanation of the dog lady and no explanation oh Jenn's true feelings.

Very weak and very disappointing. Not well done George.

[Leanne Neilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I "finished" the series but feel it is far from finished. So many story lines up in the air and leaving me wanting to know what happens next. I do hope there will be another, I love Becca and Seth and want to know how things turn out. Disappointed.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be the end, not quite a satisfying end. Open ending, even a bit weird. A bit sad that I read the entire saga to end with.. nothing actually.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 sterren voor het laatste boek in deze serie. Het vierde deel leest net als de rest van de boeken lekker door, maar desondanks moest ik wel even inkomen. De vorige delen had ik een paar jaar terug gelezen, maar toch vond ik pas vrij laat in het boek de informatie die ik een beetje vergeten was. Eenmaal alles weer opgehelderd leest het boek lekker door.
Na het einde van dit boek twijfel ik wel of dit wel echt het laatste deel is: naar mijn idee is de serie nog niet af. Becca wordt namelijk wel gevonden door een journalist en ze besluit mee te werken, maar hoe zit het met haar moeder, vinden ze haar nog of blijft het bij dit einde?

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wat was dit? Ik heb de eerste 3 delen van deze serie met veel plezier gelezen. Ik kon ook niet wachten op dit laatste deel (in 2016) toen ik deel 3 uitlas, maar toen was dit deel nog niet uit en daarna ben ik het een beetje vergeten. Toen ik een lijstje ging maken met boeken die ik dit jaar écht gelezen moest hebben, besloot ik dit boek er dan ook gauw bij op te plaatsen. Meer kans dat ik het ook werkelijk zou doen. En zo geschiedde.

Ik verwachtte een klapper van een boek, want dit is nu eenmaal een laatste deel van een goede serie.
Helaas was dat echt niet het geval. Een groot deel van de mysteries is namelijk helemaal niet opgelost! Nu weet ik dus nog net niks. Ik had dit boek dan ook net zo goed niet kunnen lezen, want ik weet nu nog net zo veel. Het verhaal zelf vond ik ook niet bijster bijzonder, de andere delen waren veel interessanter. De schrijfstijl vind ik wel leuk en het hele mysterieuze van dit eiland blijf ik tof vinden, maar ik kan er nog steeds niet bij dat dit het afsluitende deel is. Erg jammer!

[Sarina Morrhaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

En de saga gaat verder. Enorm veel persoonlijke ontwikkelingen in dit deel, en dat werkt enorm positief voor het verhaal. Leest vlot. Maar verdikke... nu weten we het nog niet. De zoektocht naar Becca's mama gaat verder.... en komt het nog goed tussen haar en Derrick. kickt Prynne af???? Dus weer wachten op het vijfde deel 😉

[Gea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Een echte afknapper en een diepe teleurstelling vond ik dit boek. Toen ik op de achterkant las dat dit "Het spannende slot van de Fluistereiland-saga" was, had ik mij er erg op verheugd om te lezen hoe het allemaal goed af ging lopen met Becca King. Nou niets is minder waar. Een compleet open eind en er is helemaal niets afgelopen met Becca. Ik hoop echt dat er nog een deel komt die verder gaat met waar het werkelijk om ging namelijk Becca King en haar gave.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read, until the end where it just seems to stop without resolving everything

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read! The story continues. This book is geared towards teenagers, but I enjoy reading about the problems, ideas and personalities. The author has such a good sense of what the kids are thinking, at least this high school teacher thinks so!

[Anna Bubolz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review
The ending was terrible! This is the last book of the series so I would assume that it would have a proper ending that wrapped everything up. I was dead wrong. The book ended super abrupt and there was still more questions that needed to be answered. I aslo hated that Jen had to become a lesbian character.
Plot
Sam's dad just had a stroke so he needs full time care and physical therapy. Prynne, Sam's girlfriend, moves in to help/work for his grandfather but she has a serious drug problem. Becca found out that she smokes heroin but her past dealer wouldn't get the stuff for her anymore. Becca found Derric's sister and they reunited which means Derric no longer has any secrets, Becca on the other hand has so many. Eventually Derric finds out Becca isn't even Becca so that ends them. Becca's best friend Jen is having problems with her mom and the church so she moves out and suddenly because a lesbian. The book ends with Becca wanting to find her mom .
Recommendations
I would recommend this book to high school students because unfortunately there is some lesbian action going on in the book. I also think this is more of a girl book because there is dating involved in the story.

[Kristi Lamont · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first reaction was: It can't all end like that! My second reaction was: Oh, of course it won't end like that, there will be a fifth book, and maybe more. Yay! My third reaction? Oh, no! Is Elizabeth George going back and forth between the Lynley books and the Whidbey Island saga? I want her to be able to write both of them at the same time, I need more of both, now! Don't make me pick! What, you wanted me to say something about the book itself? OK, then, here: All storylines are progressing, mostly in the way one might think. Also, I'm glad I've never done heroin.

[Wellington · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

There is great character development in this book for Becca as well as her friends. I like how the author is bringing along all of the characters and how the story is building. I hope we don't have to wait long for the next book.

[Patricia Torregrossa · Rating 1 out of 5]

What the HECK!!! Is there going to be a final book? I thought this was the last one. Left me feeling very disappointed. I usually love Elizabeth George's books, especially Inspector Lynley. Maybe I'm not a Young Adult and don't get the idea.

[Martha MacIntosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Please tell me this is not the end

I have seen nothing about a 5th book and this one has left way too much hanging for it to be the last. There has to be another one. I'm starting my research now.

[Camille · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume's plot was my favorite, more mature, I had stronger emotions than with the previous ones. But in the end... there is no end? What about Becca? So many questions without answers.
I do hope there will be a fifth one in the future so I will be able to add a fourth star to my rating.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit of a disappointing end to the series. If the book jacket hadn't told me this was the last book, then I would have expected more. It seems to just stop, rather than end. If it wasn't for that, I would say it was as good as the others in the series.

[Denise Loveless · Rating 3 out of 5]

The way the author choice to end this book was unexpected and surprising. Hopefully their will be #5.