Edge of Darkness: A Novel [Mass Market Paperback]

Long ago, there was a secret society of wizards whose sole purpose was to protect the innocent from evil at any cost. They were forced to hide themselves. Soon, normal people forgot about wizards and stopped believing in magic. Today, the three Edge brothers (Gabriel, Caleb, and Duncan) carry on the legacy. They are special operatives with the secret paranormal branch of T-FLAC. This is Duncan's story.

Serena Campbell is a powerful wizard. Her specialty is with water. Last year she became the wealthy widow of Ian Campbell who owned the Campbell Foundation. Other than being a humanitarian, no one could figure out why a gorgeous woman would marry a man fifty years her senior. Most believed it was for the money, greed being the number one reason. However, in truth, Serena and Ian really did love each other. Ian has two sons, both in their mid-fifties, who want nothing more than to contest Ian's will and get more money than the million left to each of them. Ian, knowing his sons, left the Foundation and the rest of his assets to Serena who is continuing their humanitarian work. In between court times and visiting her godfather, Henry Morgan, in a German hospital, Serena teleports to the Arctic Circle where her team is currently designing and testing a giant "heating blanket" that would eradicate world hunger! Serena knows that the Russian Mafia, the Red Mantis, and one or two others were in the area, but pay-offs are the norm for that area and Serena pays them all to leave her group alone. Since the Foundation is not interested in oil, there is no problem. But then "Hot Edge" comes back into her life.

Duncan Edge, Trey Culver, and Serena basically grew up together. The three were always competing against each other. Duncan suspects Serena is being unwittingly used by terrorists somehow and her godfather, Henry, keeps sending him mental distress calls to help her. Duncan sends men to find out what she doing and to keep an eye on her, but Serena just sends them back to Duncan...in embarrassing ways. Duncan is forced to deal with Serena personally. But then Duncan, Trey, and Serena find themselves in the Council Chambers. With Henry in a coma, the three will compete in dangerous tests to determine which of them would be granted the position of Head of Wizard Council.

***** The third Edge brother's story has finally arrived and it was worth the wait! All three tales are happening simultaneously. At the end of this one, all three brothers have their stories merge into a climatic ending. Author Cherry Adair writes some of today's best supernatural and romantic stories around. I cannot help but feel pity for anyone who misses this outstanding trilogy. Fantastic! Enough said. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I read with relish the first two books of this series by Cherry Adair. I waited with much anticipation the final book, Edge of Darkness. So much so, that the folks at Books a Million were tired of me walking in and going straight to the section that contains these books. After finishing the book in three days(it took me that long to get into it!) I was very disappointed.

This book had the potential to be very good. The time that Ms. Adair took to re-tell the story of the first two books seemed to be the first half of EOD. There was potential for the brothers to interact with each other, and their new loves. No dice. The love scenes in the first two books were very good. These were like an old married couple- boring and predictable.

The next time Ms. Adair decides to write a trilogy, she might consider the stories, and not release a book a month. Believe me, we readers would rather wait a while for a great book than get a book a month and a hurried, not-so-spectacular conclusion.

This third and final book in the trilogy about the Edge brothers, Gabriel, Caleb and Duncan who are wizards, work for the psi-section of T-FLAC, an private anti-terrorist organization and are under a 500 year old curse, truly wrapped up the story in very exciting ways!

Duncan or "Hot Edge" as Lark (his T-FLAC boss and a wizard in her own right) calls him loves being a wizard and was happy to agree with his brothers that none of them should marry and thus the Curse would end with them. The Curse says the brothers haven chosen "duty o'er love" 500 years ago, will now be denied love in that if they find their true "Lifemate", she will die. So all the brothers have avoided romantic entanglements all their lives and now in the early thirties each of them as the previous two novels cover, are finding a Lifemate!!

Duncan has received several mental "shouts" from Henry, current Head of the Council of Wizards and Duncan's teacher and mentor that say "Help her!" They sound frantic so Duncan tries to reach Henry but voice mail, email, etc. receive no reply. Duncan assumes that the "her" Henry wants him to help is Henry's former ward and Duncan's former schoolmate, Serena Brightman Campbell. Serena is also a wizard who controls water. She is famous for her temper which can cause all kinds of havoc. Duncan sends some "Halves" -- part human/part wizard to keep an eye on her where she is in the desert doing work for the Campbell Foundation that she runs. Her late husband, Ian Campbell died just over a year ago and left the Foundation to her.

As Duncan begins a meeting with fellow members of the psi section of T-FLAC, one at a time his 3 operatives who were "watching" over Serena are sent back -- dripping wet!! Duncan gets a kick out of her temper but in the meantime, a couple of wizards -- full level ones, twos -- have been killed so there is serious business and trouble. Once back at his place, Duncan decides to bring Serena to him to see what she is up to and what Henry is so concerned about. He teleports her to his apartment while she is finishing up a shower so she arrives wet and naked. You begin to sense her temper as items in Duncan's kitchen start flying around and you also sense both Duncan's amusement and attraction to her.

As Duncan begins following Serena to Siberia where her Foundation is developing a thermal blanket to help produce crops in frigid areas, the two of them plus another old classmate (and former boyfriend of Serena's) Trey Culver are summoned before the Wizard Council and told the three will be in competition to be the new Head of the Council. This is a coveted position as the Head wears a medallion that contains the powers of all wizards who have lived since it was created. There are 4 Tests total and the first candidate to pass 2 Tests is the new Head.

Mysteries and danger abound as Duncan and Serena are shot at, more wizards are killed, Serena's assistant Joanne has a full wizard lover and Duncan's brothers also fight their own battles!!

I loved this as it not only wrapped up Duncan and Serena's story but also Gabriel and Caleb's stories plus the story of Nairne's Curse!!

A very satisfying read!