Ashlyn Forsyth believes she and her husband Craig have come to idyllic St. Simons Island to restore romance to their flagging marriage. Then, without warning, Craig hands Ashlyn, divorce papers. In shock, Ashlyn watches him drive off with a female colleague from his office. She soon discovers he is being pursued by the Russian mafia and investigated by the FBI for money-laundering.
Abandoned on St. Simons Island, Ashlyn faces not only emotional turmoil but financial ruin, the shipwreck of her career, harassment by the FBI, and pursuit by the Russian mafia. Even as her ordered life plunges into chaos, she finds herself increasingly attracted to Remy Jeandeau, a shrimp boat captain.
Will she find the spiritual resources needed to overcome adversity? Will attraction blossom into romance?
Eric E. Wright grew up in the west-end of Toronto, studied forestry at the University of Toronto then transferred to Columbia International University in South Carolina to receive training in overseas ministry. There he met and married Mary Helen, a nurse from SC.
Together they served in Pakistan for 16 years where Eric was the co-founder of the Open Theological Seminary, which now serves over 2000 students. While in Pakistan he wrote five self-teaching textbooks for this extension school.
Upon their return to Canada he pastored a church in Toronto for nine years until the passion to write became too strong to deny. From 1991 to the present he has written and published ten books.
Through a Country Window � Inspiring stories from out where the sky springs free, published in 2001, tells the story of Eric & Mary Helen’s move from the city to a country property. In a whimsical and often humorous style it draws readers into their story with a view to helping them celebrate country life.
The Lightning File, published in 2007, follows the story of a journalist who discovers a terrorist plot targeting US interests from Canada. In Captives of Minara, this journalist goes to Pakistan to write about an archaeological discovery but stumbles on a gang engaged in human trafficking and the smuggling of drugs, guns and antiquities. Both these suspense novels won best novel in the Word Guild contest in the year they were published.
Eric & Mary Helen have three married children and nine grandchildren. Eric is a member of the Writers� Union of Canada and The Word Guild.
St Simons is a quiet coastal island close off Georgia USA, a place where life is quiet and simple. Ashlyn and Craig Forsyth have taken a beach house for two weeks intending to rekindle the romance of their 20+ year-old marriage. Suddenly, Ashlyn’s life is turned upside down and all hell breaks loose leaving her fighting for her very life and for those of her two children.
Back in New York, Ashlyn is a normal wife and mother. She is a professional counselor to couples seeking to mend rips in their marital fabric. She leads weekend retreats at her local church. Craig is a financial consultant, a church Deacon and solid pillar of the community. Their daughter is in business school, their son in Australia enjoying a gap year. Ashlyn and Craig are a success on all fronts and doing good and constructive things with their lives.
Suddenly Ashlyn’s in the midst of a hurricane with no relief in sight.
It starts ‘out of the blue� with Craig handing Ashlyn divorce papers as they leave Sunday service at St Simons. Ashlyn sees the back of Craig’s head as he is driven off by a triumphant younger female colleague.
This is Ashlyn’s story and she tells it well. She finds her credit cards have been cancelled, her bank account frozen and that their house in New York has become the scene of an FBI money-laundering investigation.
The story builds dramatically and swiftly around Ashlyn’s valiant attempts to grasp the seemingly inexplicable situation.
Initially, Ashlyn copes well. She takes a waitressing job at the local restaurant for survival, but when two FBI agents appear, searching for Craig and then a couple of Russian thugs turn up whose interrogation methods are more brutal than those of the FBI, Ashlyn is in desperate need of support.
The skipper of a shrimp boat, Remy Jendeau, appears willing and able to provide assistance. He is kind, virtuous, knows the island well and can offer the protection that Ashlyn, now thoroughly vulnerable, so desperately needs. Or can he?
Riptide is as fast-moving as it is unpredictable, and as wholesome as it is thrilling. You will love the ride as much as I did.
This is the first book of Wright that I have reviewed but not the first I have read. He writes in a combination of thriller, organized crime, love story and faith life story, all with a forty-something civilian female protagonist. The story begins with our protagonist, Ashlyn, at church on St. Simons Island where she and her husband hoped to reinvigorate their marriage. As the last hymn begins, Ashlyn’s husband hands her a large envelope and runs out of the church. From here on, her life goes downhill rapidly and deeply.
Her husband was a financial advisor regarding overseas investments. The envelope contains a suit for divorce; Ashley left the church in time to see him disappearing with a younger blonde who worked at his agency. As the story unfolds, he appears to have accidently done business for the Russian mafia; the Russians lost $10,000,000 in the 2008 financial collapse and they are after blood. The Russian transactions appear to be money laundering. Consequently, the FBI has frozen all his assets including bank accounts and credit cards as well as seizing assets including the home and property, contents, and cars. They also seized all his business assets, then turned around and seized her businesses and assets. The only positive is that her husband had pre-paid their adult children who are in university or travelling.
To add to Ashlyn’s woes, the FBI come looking for her too. She is viewed as a co-conspirator simply because of the relationship. The FBI inform our protagonist that the Russian mafia are after her too. They too assume she is complicit or at least knowledgeable and want to milk or torture her for information on her husband, his clients, assets and especially location. Her worst fears occur when the FBI gives them a photo of what the mafia have done to one of their captives while trying to unearth information.
There is of course a knight in shining armour. Besides helping to move the plot along, this allows Ashlyn to pray to God for help in refraining from a relationship, at least while she remains married. The climax is an outstanding piece of work. Numerous moves and countermoves are made which take almost until the very end to resolve her situation with both the Russians and the FBI. At that, she is not helped much by the local police.
I am surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. This is a good, fast paced thriller, that opens the possibility for other heroes to act on their conscience, not just on orders or training. Four Stars
Although this is the first time I've ever read a book by Eric E. Wright, this won't be the last! I was hooked from the first page. This book is written in the first person point of view, which I love. It is a very fast paced, suspenseful novel.
The story starts out with Craig and Ashlyn vacationing at their beach house. They are hoping to rekindle their marriage, but things don't go as planned. The whole story and relationship between these two take a turn that I didn't see coming. Things get more and more complicated as the story goes on.
I would definitely recommend this book if you like good, clean, fast-paced, suspenseful novels. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
I received this book from Net Galley and the publisher for my honest opinion.
Riptide is a fast-paced Christian suspense novel written by author Eric E. Wright. Thanks to NetGalley and the Pelican Book Group for the complimentary copy.
Vacationing on St. Simon's Island to revive their marriage, Ashlyn and her husband, Craig, are in church when he hands her an envelope of divorce papers and walks out of her life. Betrayed and bewildered, Ashlynn soon finds out it's worse than she thinks. The FBI has frozen her and Craig's assets and seized their house in an investigation into Craig's alleged money-laundering.
Ashlynn is a respected marriage counsellor. How can she face her clients? Craig is a deacon in their church. How could he have an affair, let alone commit a crime like this?
She can't even ask him, because he's disappeared with his attractive female co-worker. Leaving Ashlynn to fend off FBI agents and the Russian Mafia, who claim Craig lost their money. Naturally, they want it back.
Riptide is an engaging story of one woman who discovers inner strength and deeper empathy for the people in situations she's only addressed professionally in the past. She also learns to trust good friends instead of relying solely on herself. Most of these friends are new, people who reach out to her in her pain on the island: Remy, captain of a shrimp boat; Lottie-Jean from the restaurant where Ashlynn takes temporary work; Valerie from the local church.
The counsellor part of Ashlynn observes her reactions to Craig's desertion. If she goes back to her clients, she'll have a greater insight into their pain.
Remy, who fancies himself a "knight in blue jeans" appoints himself her protector—from car repossessors and from the Mafia goons when they find her. Ashlynn can't trust her feelings toward him. Even though Craig won't consider reconciling, shouldn't she keep trying? And is she really drawn to Remy, or is she just rebounding from Craig?
Riptide is a suspense novel, but the danger isn't overt until far into the story. Until it escalates, readers develop a strong sympathy for Ashlynn as she spars with the FBI agents and dives into a busy waitressing job with no experience.
Eric Wright brings St. Simons Island to life and gives us a look at shrimp fishing and storms at sea. Once the action starts for Ashlynn, it doesn't stop. Don't plan to put the book down unfinished.
is the author of suspense novels, non-fiction books about country life, and books on theology. Visit him at The Country Window to learn more about the author and his work, and follow this link to .
This is a very well-written book and keeps you glued to the pages to the very end. I really enjoyed it and literally could not put it down I needed to finish all at once. This is the first time reading a novel by this author but not the last and I'm looking to read more. Riptide hits the ground running and never lets up. The novel begins in the middle of a scene of great tension, wasting no time getting the reader into the center of the action. Ashlyn thought she and her husband Craig have arrived on St. Simon's Island for a romantic getaway to repair their failing marriage. But her lowdown and dirty husband(Craig) leaves her standing alone in church with an envelope holding divorce papers and seven hundred dollars. Craig cancel all of their credit cards and closed their joint bank account, only to leave the country with his business partner(Marlee).She soon finds herself unwittingly embroiled in Craig's involvement with the Russian Mafia by swindling their money in bad investment. She also learned because of her husband money laundering, the FBI have seize her house, Ìýcar and frozen her personal bank account and company credit cards. Craig lefted her stranded on an island paradise and no way to get back home or get the help she needs. Ashlyn was running out of money and therefore decided to take temporary waitress job. She meets new friends especially Remy, captain of a shrimp boat and refers to himself as a "knight in blue jeans" appoints himself her protector...The story takes turn for the worst as the Russian Mafia find her as want answers she doesn't have. The FBI and her new friends become involved in protecting Ashlyn from the mob. Riptide hits the ground running and never lets up but ends abruptly. Overall, an exhilarating reading!!!!
Riptide by Canadian author Eric E. Wright is a page turner right from the very first page.
Ashlyn Forsyth believes she and her husband Craig have arrived on St. Simon's Island for a romantic getaway to help their failing marriage. But her callous husband leaves her standing alone in church with an envelope holding divorce papers. Worse, while she runs outside to catch him she seems him get into a car with another woman - Marlee - who works with Craig at his investment firm.
If things look bad for Ashlyn they are about to get much worse. She soon finds herself unwittingly embroiled in Craig's involvement with the Russian Mafia. On top of that, when Craig disappears and no one knows where he is, Ashlyn has to convince the FBI she has no idea what is going on. But they seize her house, her car and freeze her bank account and credit cards. Now she is alone, stranded on an island paradise and no way to get back home or get the help she desperately needs.
But God is watching over her and sends her a brawny shrimp-boat captain named Remy Jendeau. Will romance blossom or will Remy regret the day he met her?
This is a very well-written book and keeps you glued to the pages to the very end. I really enjoyed it and that is saying a lot for me because I prefer historical romances. Go figure! Eric Wright has a new fan in me! 5/5 stars!