“It’s a choice, you know. To live in the light or suffer in darkness.”

I think this one is the best of the series so far!

I can always count on Tracy Clark to give me the full setting. Her books are filled with tension within the department, anxious thoughts of the detective, the push and pull between dirty/clean cops, the battle between jurisdictions regarding pulling evidence for cases, and the elimination process detectives work through in coming to a working hypothesis. This time, I was very aware of Harri’s escalating desperation, of officers pulling rank, the toll a community death takes on officers, how off-duty cops are never really ‘off duty’, and the hopelessness of the drug war.

I enjoyed an exploration of how a party drug affected not only the consumer, but also family members and the community. I also appreciated the reminder that there’s no shame in asking for help and that sometimes the greater good needs to be considered. It was good to get to know Detective Harriet Foster a little better and see how she’s coping with her trauma. I’m already eagerly awaiting the next installment.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Unfortunately I have decided to DNF this one, it wasn't for me.
I will continue to check for future books from this author as I like to give author's a second chance and I won't be put off from DNF this one for my future reads.

Detective Harriet Foster is out for a walk when she sees two bodies lying on the ground. She is able to save one and that starts her and her partner Vera on a quest to find drug dealers who are causing deaths all over the city. Harri is also is struggling with the death of her son and friend. I like this series and can’t wait for more

I've read every book by Tracy Clark and this is my favorite.

Detective Harriet Foster is out for a walk on her day off. She sees 2 people who appear to be in distress so she climbs a fence to investigate. One is dead, the other turns out to be the niece of one of her fellow detectives. It's a drug overdose. Later a young mother is found dead. Then 3 men at a poker game. The race is on to get these bad drugs off the street.

Most importantly, Harriet has finally come to the realization that she cannot no longer go on living her life the way she has been living. Her boss sends her to therapy. Her therapist is a former cop which I think makes all the difference in the world. Cassandra Raines (from Ms. Clark's other series) makes a few appearances. I love seeing Harriet come back to life and anxiously await the next book.

There is not much I love more than a thriller/mystery/police procedural book with a strong but flawed female lead character and the Harriet Foster books by Tracy Clark fit the bill perfectly. I've read and really enjoyed the first three books in this series and book number four is no different.

Detective Harriet Foster is stuck in a devastating loop of grief and guilt over the loss of her son 6 years ago as well as the murder of her former police partner. This book has her finally attempting to deal with her past traumas and move forward while also trying to find out who is distributing drugs that are killing seemingly unrelated people in Chicago. A great story with a satisfying ending!

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

While off duty, Harriet Foster happens upon two young people immobile in the middle of a desolate area. One is dead, and she manages to render first aid and save the other, who turns out to be the niece of one of her colleagues. Thus begins her investigation into what turns out to be the first of several similar deaths and into a new synthetic opioid. Meanwhile, Harri continues to struggle with grief over the deaths of her son and of her partner on the force. She continues with her little rituals—the marbles, the paper clips. Her mystifyingly mind-reading partner, Vera, helps to keep her sane, as does the understanding but tough boss. Harri's epiphany after about 5 seconds of therapy is a little too magical, especially given the trope of the person ordered kicking and screaming into a session only to discover that the therapist is unexpectedly spunky and awesome. It’s easy to let this slide because while giving us a strong and satisfying police procedural, the author writes so convincingly about life on the force, the camaraderie of the team, and the intensity of loss. Tracy Clark gives the impression of what feels like hard-earned wisdom. On every page, we are left thinking that this writer has Seen. Some. Things. Meanwhile, the story is something of a crossover episode, with guest appearances by the author’s other series character, private investigator Cassie Raines. Note to self: read that series ASAP.


Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for a digital advance review copy.

So I loved the first half of this book. It opens on detective Harriet Foster coming across a young woman who has OD'd and is barely alive. Foster struggles to keep her alive long enough for EMTs to arrive, talking to this unconscious girl and begging her not to die. I was truly impressed with Clark's ability to invest the reader in this young woman's fate when we're given no backstory and the woman is given no dialogue whatsoever. Later, a second character also OD's, and again, though she has no dialogue or voice in the novel, it's still manages to be heart-wrenching and poignant.

However, about halfway through the book, the writing started to fall flat for me. Suddenly there were italicies everywhere, as of Clark doesn't trust us to emphasize the sentences correctly on our own without her guidance. The writing felt rushed and campy. In places that felt like she was trying to get to a specific word count. Some of my least favorite lines:

Three police officers about to be involved in a shoot out: "They all realized their sticky situation had just gotten a lot stickier." Who is narrating that? The guy from Dukes of Hazard?

And again: "They needed an easy takedown with no one harmed. Would they get it?" Who are you talking to? Who is that sentence for?

So from feeling extremely invested in the characters to finding them to be more caricatures than real, by the end I just didn't care about these people anymore.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

EDGE: A Detective Harriet Foster Thriller is the latest read in an excellent police procedural series that began in January 2023 with HIDE. This series by Tracy Clark is one that builds off of the previous books as characters evolve over time. This is not a static series as characters are affected by cases as well as personal life events. As a result, it is strongly recommended to have read the previous books in order before embarking on this complex and very enjoyable read.


It is spring in Chicago and the season of renewal and yet the rain and the cold make it clear otherwise for Detective Harriet Foster. Known to all as “Harri, she is on a path at the lakefront thinking about the past, her dead, and scores that have not been settled. The justice she has sought these many months over past events has not happened nor has her ability to deal with those traumas really improved. Her mind is full of turmoil as she walks, putting one foot forward, as she does every day at work, the best she can.

That is until she sees the prone figures in some sort of concrete bowl in the local skate park. The weather has been horrible so partying is not happening. They aren’t moving either and don’t seem to hear her or to be able to respond from where they are behind the locked chain link fence. A fence that somebody from the city should have unlocked hours earlier.

Detective Harriet Foster has no choice. She has to get over the fence and check on the people lying motionless. It takes some time to get over that fence and get to them. It is pretty clear that they had been drinking. It is also clear that they each took something and things went very bad. The young man is dead. The young woman snuggled against him is alive, barely, and Detective Foster summons help. She does everything she can to keep her amongst the living during an agonizing long wait for assistance.

The young woman who almost died from the drugs as well as hypothermia thanks to the rain, wind, and the cold, is Ella Louise Byrne. A sophomore at the University of Chicago, she also has a business card for Detective Matt Kelley. The same Detective Matt Kelley who is on her team.

The same Detective Matt Kelly who is engaged at what happened to his niece. He is willing to burn down his career and the city itself to find those responsible. That means it is up to Detective Harriet Foster and the rest of the team to not only find and arrest those responsible, but to make sure a good cop doesn’t go totally rogue and do something stupid that will ruin his career and maybe his life.

Seeking justice has long been a theme throughout this series. It is front and center here in EDGE: A Detective Harriet Foster Thriller by Tracy Clark. If you have not read these excellent police procedurals, you are really missing out.

Strongly recommended.

My reading copy from the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, though NetGalley, months ago with no expectation of a positive review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025

Welcome to Edge, #4 in the Detective Harriet Foster series. I love what a strong character Harri is! She's tough and smart as she works the mean streets of the Windy City. I still love Vera, as well! She and Harri make a fabulous team. However, keeping her eyes squarely on the prize proves harder for Harri than expected.

Harri is still dealing with the repercussions of her previous case, which has left her career under suspicion. (There is nothing quite like feeling as though one's every move is being examined under a microscope!)

Chicago's finest are scouring the city for a new and tainted opioid making the rounds, but they're coming up empty. With five people already dead: A college kid, a new mother, and three poker players. All they know is that the drug is called Edge. I hope Ms. Clark keeps this series going for a long time, and that Cassi Raine and her friends keep showing up!

#StrongFemaleProtagonist #BlackDetective #Friendship #Suspense #TracyClark

Thank you, #ThomasAndMercer, for providing this book for review and consideration via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. <i>Edge</i> has an expected publication date of December 2, 2025.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I very much enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the characters were well developed. I hope to read more from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Edge by Tracy Clark

This is the first book I’ve read by Tracy Clark, but it definitely won’t be the last — I’ve already downloaded the first in the Detective Harriet Foster series as I enjoyed Edge so much. The plot gripped me from the start and kept the tension tight throughout.

Even without reading the previous books, I had no trouble diving into the storyline. The characters are rich with detail and complexity, and I loved the interplay between Faith’s fresh start and Vanessa’s troubled past. There are so many strong female leads in this novel, a real highlight for me. Harri is a relatable and layered detective, still carrying the weight of personal loss, and Cassi Raine is absolutely fantastic. I’ll definitely be checking out her series next.

A tightly plotted and emotionally intelligent thriller that delivers both suspense and heart. Bring it on!

Started this series literally 3 days ago and I’m already stressing on another book! I love a good police procedural and I think this one has endless possibilities! I love Harriet’s story and I hope we get a prequel for her son and previous partner!

Chicago’s finest are scouring the city for a tainted new opioid making the rounds, but they’re coming up empty. With five people already dead a college kid, a new mother, and three poker players all they really know is the drug’s name: Edge. Where it’s coming from is still anyone’s guess. Detective Harriet Foster doesn’t have time for guessing games. She needs answers. And when the next overdose hits Homicide where it hurts most, Harri is determined to get what she wants. But keeping her eyes squarely on the prize proves harder than expected! Great book and series! This book had thrilling suspense, mystery, murders, intriguing, and a few jaw dropping moments! The storyline was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Edge by Tracy Clark, published by Thomas & Mercer is a crime thriller and book four in the Detective Harriet Foster Series.
Harri just closed her last case two month ago, is still suffering the death of her partner Glynn. She's tired when she finds a young couple. One of them dead, the other one not far off.
This is a fast paced, complex, tearkerking thriller. Twisty and with turns that I never saw coming around the corner.
A great read, but I recommend the to read the books in order. The previous books are Hide; Fall; Echo.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read Edge by Tracy Clark. Ms. Clark is, in my opinion, one of the best crime fiction authors writing today. Edge shows her at the top of her game. More, please!