About Edges of Truth
Deb first heard the Mary Weaver story while riding down the road in New Zealand in December 2010. As Steve told Deb and her husband the story, Deb couldn’t escape the compelling nature of it. She believed the story needed to be told and that she could be involved in bringing the story to print. Deb interviewed both Mary and Steve while in the States. After a great deal of research she started close communication with Mary and Steve to craft a personal and in-depth retelling of their story. Mary trusted Deb with the personal details of her story and reviewed writing at various stages. Steve wrote most of the scenes from his viewpoint, gave advice on legal aspects of the book, and worked through the entire book with Deb who directed the writing process.
Mary Weaver
Steve Brennecke
Deb Brammer
What Our Readers Have to Say:
Readers everywhere will be both stunned by her trial of patience and inspired by her journey of faith in a sovereign God who alone could set her free. This riveting story about truth winning the victory in spite of nearly impossible odds will arrest readers from the first page and hold them captive until the stunning verdict. They'll want to stand up and cheer. This rare glimpse into the inner workings of a murder trial left me spellbound. I couldn’t put the book down. Highly recommended!
I had the opportunity to participate in some of the proceedings of this case, but few of the actual details were known to me until I read the book myself. The author's technique of looking forward and backward in time without revealing the outcome keeps the reader on the edge of their chair in anticipation of the outcome and the final verdict. This real-life story reads like a fictional adventure and is well worth the journey of reading from beginning to end.
The concept of Shaken Baby Syndrome has acquired a cult like following, especially among pediatricians. As more evidence came forth that the entity does not exist, the experts espousing this concept became more ardent and venomous. They invented the concepts that the last person to contact the individual was the perpetrator, that there was no lucid interval after injury and retinal hemorrhage absolutely guaranteed that the child was shaken. The Mary Weaver case is a horrible example of science recruited for vengeance and not for the objective interpretation of injuries.
The Mary Weaver Story is a good read. This is a story about never losing hope, of sorting through the complex reasons why the baby died, of family and friends developing deep and passionate support for a person they believed innocent. And a heroic fight by lawyers who overcame tremendous odds.
Deb and Steve have done an awesome job of telling Mary's story! What an encouragement for anyone who has been falsely accused. It is an intimate and courageously honest memoir about devastating loss, enduring trust, and finding the strength to carry on. What a journey Mary and I, and so many others experienced. It was definitely a faith walk!
"Lord, you’ve brought me here. I don’t believe it’s an accident. As long as I’m here, help me see the people around me with your eyes." This prayer from the heart of Mary Weaver, while she was imprisoned, serves as a reminder to each of us to keep our minds focused on Christ in the midst of trials. You will be encouraged and challenged, as I was, by her unwavering faith in God's sovereignty as you read her story!
Free Chapters, Sharable Quotes, and More!
Click on an image on the right to view the free chapters, share a quote, or relive memories from the Mary Weaver Support Group.
- Read the first chapter of Edges of Truth.
- Share great quote blocks.
- Relive memories of the Mary Weaver Support Group.
- Check out the first chapter of I Survived!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:
Deb, what part of Mary’s story convinced you that this story should be written?
A:
I was immediately impressed by the strong story elements and the amazing timing of events which brought about a big turnaround in the outcome of Mary’s story. But one thing clinched the decision for me. At one point in the story Mary was released from prison before her third trial. After this Steve asked her how she was doing and Mary complained that one thing was missing outside of prison. That astonishing answer in chapter 31 convinced me that this story would touch lives.
Q:
Deb, did writing Edges of Truth change you in any way?
A:
In a legal sense this story helped me understand the importance of the presumption of innocence, that no one should be considered guilty of a crime until that is proven. In a practical sense this story speaks to me constantly about the need to be thankful even in the toughest situations.
Q:
Why do you think God allowed Mary to go through the devastating events in this story?
A:
While we can see many positive things that happened as a result of this story, none of us knows precisely why God allowed these things to happen. Because Deb and her husband Art knew that this kind of story raises "why?" questions, they wrote a companion Bible study book that helps readers think through these issues as they study the lives of Bible characters.
Q:
Why is there so much mention of God in Edges of Truth?
A:
When Steve first contacted Mary about writing her story, Mary said she would be glad to help write it under one condition: God had to get the glory for what happened in her story. Mary, Steve, and Deb are all born-again Christians. We feel that God worked in amazing ways in Mary’s story and that the book would be incomplete without mention of his role in orchestrating this series of events. At the same time we believe those who don’t share our faith can still be moved by the compelling nature of the story.
Q:
Are innocent people still being charged with shaken baby syndrome (abusive head trauma) today?
A:
Shaken baby syndrome continues to be a very controversial topic in legal and medical circles. According to an article in the ABA Journal, “An estimated 1,200 to 1,400 children are injured each year by shaking, about one-quarter of them fatally, according to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, a nonprofit organization offering SBS prevention and training programs. . . . But a growing chorus of critics says the entire theory rests on an uncertain scientific footing that continues to erode under the weight of scientific scrutiny, raising the specter that hundreds if not thousands of innocent people–parents, grandparents, baby sitters, nannies, boy friends–have faced criminal charges and even been imprisoned in the past three decades for crimes they may not have committed.” (“Unsettling Science: Experts Are Still Debating Whether Shaken Baby Syndrome Exists,” ABA Journal, December 1, 2011)
Companion Bible Study
Perhaps you are wondering why God allowed Mary to experience the unfairness shown in the book Edges of Truth. Or maybe you’re facing your own spiritual crisis. Art and Deb Brammer wrote this book, I Survived! to help you think through issues like this.
Ever feel your life is spiraling out of control? Are the foundations of your faith shaking? Is unfairness raining on your parade? Has a spiritual disaster devastated your life?
You can survive!
I Survived! gives a personal, inside view of these five Bible characters who survived disaster: Jeremiah, Jonah, Joseph, Paul, and Job. These five people asked “why?” just like you do. They didn’t always get the answers they expected, but they survived, and thrived, and learned amazing lessons about God in the process.
These studies will help you think through questions like these:
- If God is in control, why is my world a disaster?
- If God hates unfairness, how should I respond to it?
- If God controls everything, why doesn’t life make more sense?
- If God wants me to succeed, why does he make life so hard?
- If God is good, why does he allow senseless suffering?
