Name: On the Edge
Author: Kate Horan

On the Edge by Kate Horan is a cold case mystery in an atmospheric small-town setting coupled with contemporary psychological suspense and domestic drama. Read my full review.

On the Edge Book Review. Author Kate Horan.

Publication: HarperCollins December 2025

Genre: Mystery, Crime & Detective, Thriller, Drama

On the Edge Publisher Synopsis

A homecoming will shake this small town to its very foundations. The taut new mystery from the bestselling author of The Inheritance, perfect for readers of Sally Hepworth and Liane Moriarty.

Desperate people do desperate things…

Sixteen years ago, teenage Maddie Marshall’s body was found on a desolate beach near her hometown, Carrinya. Vibrant, feisty Maddie was the only daughter of a high-profile politician. The case was the talk of the town but was ultimately never solved.

Nel Foley, daughter of the town doctor and Maddie’s best friend, was the last known person to see her alive, and the Carrinya rumour mill was vicious. Nel fled the town and has never been back. Until now.

Now a 32-year-old city GP, Nel returns after her father’s sudden death, determined to get in and out as quickly as possible. Begrudgingly, she agrees to run his clinic for a few weeks, but during that time she meets local mum Sophie Warner and that changes everything.

Sophie’s husband Ryan, a prominent local real estate agent, was Maddie’s boyfriend and Nel is certain he played a role in her death. When Nel discovers that Ryan is not the loving husband and father that he seems, she decides she must prove what he did all those years ago. But as she starts to unravel the past, she discovers the truth is far more complex than she could have imagined.

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My Review

Honestly, there’s nothing especially innovative about On the Edge‘s synopsis. But, this new release combination of a small-town setting, unresolved crime mystery, teen trauma, adult grief and family drama intrigued me enough to give it a go. And, I am very glad I did, because it proved to be a real page-turner.

These days it’s very rare for me to read a 384 page novel in a single day, but that’s what happened here.

The most significant days of our lives, the pivotal ones that change our trajectory, start just like any other day.

From this relatively unassuming, yet intimate and engaging opening line, I found protagonist Nel’s narrative perspective, shaped by early-life trauma, compelling. The dynamic and interactions between Nel and her family members in On the Edge just felt highly plausible and authentic. She in turn was effortlessly likeable.

The second narrative perspective, Sophie’s, injects a different, more immediate sense of tension, consequence and suspicion. By judiciously alternating these perspectives Horan skilfully weaves together mystery storylines past and present while gradually ratcheting up suspense.

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After On the Edge‘s final page, I realised two key things on reflection.

Firstly, the large number of wholly innocent characters I’d suspected of wrongdoing throughout this story, even if only fleetingly, was genuinely impressive. Horan cultivates these suspicions by judiciously exposing the reader to understated, nuanced character interactions, rather than throwing in cheap red herrings and performative character actions.

And secondly, just how tautly plotted this twisty mystery was, while feeling understated and effortless to read.

So, if I had to pinpoint what was key to On the Edge‘s appeal for me, I’d say:

Kate Horan’s not done anything new… She’s just executed several familiar mystery suspense tropes far better than most do.