GUEST POST : PETER J. RYAN AUTHOR OF EDGE OF THE SAWTOOTH

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading in Guest Post / 0 Comments

Today I have the pleasure of hosting Peter J. Ryan, author of Edge of  the Sawtooth. 

Title: Edge of Sawtooth
Author: Peter J. Ryan
Published: May 28, 2017
Publisher: Blackhawk Press
Genres: Mystery/Thriller
Purchase: Amazon

CHLOE MORRAND HAD TURNED HER LIFE AROUND.
Sheโ€™d been taking her meds. Sheโ€™d kicked her drug abuse. And she loved her new job at Yellowstone National Park. Life was looking up…
Her father, Rick Morrandโ€”local attorneyโ€”is hopeful that Chloe is finally on the right track. But on the morning she fails to show up at his house to pick up her nine-year-old daughter, Abby, alarms ring in his head.
His greatest fear becomes reality when Chloeโ€™s body is found at the base of the Sawtooth in Montanaโ€™s rugged backcountry. Authorities assume suicideโ€” for good reason. But Rick doesnโ€™t buy it.

For good reason.
First, former law partner Reiff Metcalf arrives in town to warn Rick about a disgruntled client headed to Montana in search of revenge. Then thereโ€™s Draper Townsend, fresh out of prison and eager to settle an old score. Rick also sets his sights on Chloeโ€™s meth-head ex-boyfriend, Chase Rettick, who violently argued with her the day before she disappeared. And he canโ€™t rule out Chloeโ€™s supervisor at Yellowstone, who clearly was more than just her boss.

Local sheriff Caleb Tidwell brushes off Rickโ€™s concerns, but as events unfold in a dark and menacing manner, Rick is certain Chloe was murdered. And it seems as if the murderer is now after him โ€ฆ.

Set in the spectacular backdrop of rural Montana, Edge of the Sawtooth takes us on a gripping journey through the torment of mental illness and addiction, the trials of parenthood, and the anguish of broken relationships and personal loss.

Suspense abounds in this entertaining mystery, which is filled with engaging characters and unexpected twists. Clear your schedule when you read this thriller โ€“ once you pick it up, you wonโ€™t want to put it down.


Guest Post
Twenty-five years ago, mental illness came crashing through the front doorway of my life.
The arrival wasnโ€™t completely unannounced. My oldest brother, Larry, had been diagnosed with manic depressionโ€”as bipolar disorder was then calledโ€”well over a decade earlier. Family members knew he was suffering, but due to a lack of understanding of mental illness, we felt powerless to help him. This was especially frustrating to me since I had been best man at Larryโ€™s wedding, I felt extremely close to him, and I greatly admired him.
In June of 1992, Larry took his own life, changing my life forever. Little did I know, mental illness wasnโ€™t done with me yet.
I have four children. Two of them have been diagnosed with mental illness. Is there a genetic component? Certainly. Somehow, I dodged the bullet.
But if I was to be of any assistance to my children, I realised I would need to acquaint myself with all aspects of the disease.  At first, I was motivated by fear. As time went on, I sought to do my small part in defusing stereotypes and helping others understand the daily hardships faced by the mentally ill.
Edge of the Sawooth is the fictional story of Chloe Morrand, a twenty-something single mom who has suffered from both drug addiction and mental illness. At first glance, it appears that Chloe has turned her life around.  Sheโ€™d been taking her meds. Sheโ€™d kicked her drug abuse. She loved her new job at Yellowstone National Park. Life was looking up. 
Her father, Rick Morrandโ€”local attorneyโ€”is hopeful that Chloe was finally on the right track. But on the morning she fails to show up at his house to pick up her nine-year-old daughter, Abby, alarms ring in his head. 
His greatest fear becomes reality when Chloeโ€™s body is found at the base of the Sawtooth in Montanaโ€™s backcountry. Authorities assume suicideโ€” for good reason. But Rick doesnโ€™t buy it. 
For good reason. 
First, former law partner Reiff Metcalf arrives in town to warn Rick about a disgruntled client headed to Montana in search of revenge. Then thereโ€™s Draper Townsend, fresh out of prison and eager to settle an old score. Rick also sets his sights on Chloeโ€™s meth-head ex-boyfriend, Chase Rettick, who violently argued with her the day before she disappeared. And he canโ€™t rule out Chloeโ€™s supervisor at Yellowstone, who clearly was more than just her boss.
Local sheriff Caleb Tidwell brushes off Rickโ€™s concerns, but as events unfold in a dark and sinister manner, Rick is certain Chloe was murdered. And it seems as if the murderer is now after him.
Edge of the Sawtooth offers a close-up view of the perils faced by a woman with bipolar disorder, as well as the intense fears, frustrations and feelings of futility experienced by those family members and friends who bear witness to the destructive behavior caused by mental illness.
As the story progresses, we first root for Chloe, and then for her father. We want her to find the peace and redemption that every human being so richly deserves.
In a similar fashion, perhaps we can provide the mentally ill with the empathy and dignity they so richly deserve as well. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Peter J. Ryan spent years as a journalist before venturing into the wilds of fiction writing. 
Edge of the Sawtooth is his first novel. 
A tireless backcountry hiker and overall outdoor enthusiast, Ryan splits time between Huntington Beach, California, and Paradise Valley, Montana. 
He is married with four grown children and three grandchildren. 

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