What do you think?
Rate this book
Jonathan Stride #3
Stalked
Brian Freeman won the International Thriller Writers' Best Hardcover Novel Award 2013 for SPILLED BLOOD.
Lieutenant Jonnny Stride knows his partner Maggie is in trouble when she reports a deadly crime on a bitter winter night. Maggie's obviously hiding a terrible secret, but she isn't the only one. A seductive young woman has disappeared, leaving behind a trail of lurid fantasies and a cryptic message. With his ex-cop girlfriend Serena, Stride uncovers a sordid web of violence and voyeurism someone is determined to keep secret. As they hunt for a killer, a predator with a vicious past is hunting them. Every step they take is bringing them closer to a showdown, amid howling winds and blinding snow - where survival is measured in seconds... and crimes can be buried for ever.
Lieutenant Jonnny Stride knows his partner Maggie is in trouble when she reports a deadly crime on a bitter winter night. Maggie's obviously hiding a terrible secret, but she isn't the only one. A seductive young woman has disappeared, leaving behind a trail of lurid fantasies and a cryptic message. With his ex-cop girlfriend Serena, Stride uncovers a sordid web of violence and voyeurism someone is determined to keep secret. As they hunt for a killer, a predator with a vicious past is hunting them. Every step they take is bringing them closer to a showdown, amid howling winds and blinding snow - where survival is measured in seconds... and crimes can be buried for ever.
516 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 6, 2007
236 people are currently reading
2072 people want to read
About the author
Brian Freeman
61 books3,093 followersBrian Freeman is a New York Times bestselling author of psychological thrillers, including the Jonathan Stride and Frost Easton series. His books have been sold in 46 countries and 22 languages. He is widely acclaimed for his "you are there" settings and his complex, engaging characters and twist-filled plots. Brian was also selected as the official author to continue Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne series, and his novel THE BOURNE EVOLUTION was named one of the Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2020 by Kirkus.
Brian's seventh novel SPILLED BLOOD won the award for Best Hardcover Novel in the annual Thriller Awards given out by the International Thriller Writers organization, and his fifth novel THE BURYING PLACE was a finalist for the same award. His novel THE DEEP, DEEP SNOW was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original.
His debut thriller, IMMORAL, won the Macavity Award for Best First Novel and was a nominee for the Edgar, Dagger, Anthony, and Barry Awards. IMMORAL was named an International Book of the Month, a distinction shared with authors such as Harlan Coben and Lisa Unger.
All of Brian's books are also available in audiobook editions. His novels THE BONE HOUSE and SEASON OF FEAR were both finalists for Best Audiobook of the Year in Thriller/Suspense.
For more information on Brian's books, visit his web site at bfreemanbooks.com or find him on Facebook at facebook.com/bfreemanfans or Twitter and Instagram (@bfreemanbooks).
Brian's seventh novel SPILLED BLOOD won the award for Best Hardcover Novel in the annual Thriller Awards given out by the International Thriller Writers organization, and his fifth novel THE BURYING PLACE was a finalist for the same award. His novel THE DEEP, DEEP SNOW was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original.
His debut thriller, IMMORAL, won the Macavity Award for Best First Novel and was a nominee for the Edgar, Dagger, Anthony, and Barry Awards. IMMORAL was named an International Book of the Month, a distinction shared with authors such as Harlan Coben and Lisa Unger.
All of Brian's books are also available in audiobook editions. His novels THE BONE HOUSE and SEASON OF FEAR were both finalists for Best Audiobook of the Year in Thriller/Suspense.
For more information on Brian's books, visit his web site at bfreemanbooks.com or find him on Facebook at facebook.com/bfreemanfans or Twitter and Instagram (@bfreemanbooks).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 365 reviews
October 11, 2017
The murderer being transported from one prison to the other didn’t expect to be able to escape – but he took the chance when it came. After ten years in prison, he had revenge to take – and he would if it was the last thing he did.
Detective Maggie Bei woke in the dead of night to a noise. She thought it must have been the remnants of her recurring nightmare as it had sounded like a gunshot. But it was real – and suddenly Maggie was in the middle of a crime scene where she was a strong suspect. Maggie’s partner, Detective Jonathan Stride was not allowed on the case, but he kept in close contact with the lead detective. He didn’t like what was happening; nor what he was hearing. When other bodies began turning up, Stride was sure they were connected; that there was more going on than met the eye. But would he be able to exonerate Maggie when the evidence was so compelling?
Stalked by Brian Freeman is the third in the Jonathan Stride series, but the first I have read by him. A tension-filled thriller, the pace is fast and the action full on. I enjoyed Stride’s character, and will search out more books in this series. Highly recommended.
Detective Maggie Bei woke in the dead of night to a noise. She thought it must have been the remnants of her recurring nightmare as it had sounded like a gunshot. But it was real – and suddenly Maggie was in the middle of a crime scene where she was a strong suspect. Maggie’s partner, Detective Jonathan Stride was not allowed on the case, but he kept in close contact with the lead detective. He didn’t like what was happening; nor what he was hearing. When other bodies began turning up, Stride was sure they were connected; that there was more going on than met the eye. But would he be able to exonerate Maggie when the evidence was so compelling?
Stalked by Brian Freeman is the third in the Jonathan Stride series, but the first I have read by him. A tension-filled thriller, the pace is fast and the action full on. I enjoyed Stride’s character, and will search out more books in this series. Highly recommended.
November 19, 2012
Chances are if you're reading this you've read Brian Freeman's previous two Jonathan Stride novels. If you haven't I just have to ask you, WHY NOT???
As with Immoral and Stripped, Freeman is a master of the page turning psychological thriller. As usual I won't go into plot too much because it's been recounted many times in other reviews.
Serena and Stride are back in John's native Minnesota. He did take the job to be head detective that was offered to him in the latter portion of Stripped. The best thing about the book taking place in Minnesota is we get a good dosage of Maggy Bei, Stride's old partner. I missed reading Maggie in stripped because she's a smart and funny chop-busting little fireplug of a character. Only things aren't going too well for her this time. She's off the force and married to a rich sporting goods business owner. The problem is, he ends up dead in their home..by her gun...things aren't so sunny for Maggy these days.
Serena, no longer a cop decides to start being a private eye. She takes a job for an old 'friend' of Stride's from Immoral. What's the job? Making a money drop for an eminent public official who's being blackmailed.
And that's only the half of it. Murder, betrayal, underground sex clubs. There's a lot going on in this book. It shows the seedy underbelly of Duluth and the people that live there.
Sex is a big portion of the plot in this book but Freeman excels at writing about adult subjects like that without making them seem tawdry or just a weak plot device.
Brian Freeman is quickly moving up my favorite authors list. This is about as consuming a read as you're likely to find with rich characters and great dialogue. He blends relationships, police work, fun to read characters and complex plots that keep you guessing up until the last page wonderfully.
I can't recommend this and his previous two novels enough. Grade A reading.
As with Immoral and Stripped, Freeman is a master of the page turning psychological thriller. As usual I won't go into plot too much because it's been recounted many times in other reviews.
Serena and Stride are back in John's native Minnesota. He did take the job to be head detective that was offered to him in the latter portion of Stripped. The best thing about the book taking place in Minnesota is we get a good dosage of Maggy Bei, Stride's old partner. I missed reading Maggie in stripped because she's a smart and funny chop-busting little fireplug of a character. Only things aren't going too well for her this time. She's off the force and married to a rich sporting goods business owner. The problem is, he ends up dead in their home..by her gun...things aren't so sunny for Maggy these days.
Serena, no longer a cop decides to start being a private eye. She takes a job for an old 'friend' of Stride's from Immoral. What's the job? Making a money drop for an eminent public official who's being blackmailed.
And that's only the half of it. Murder, betrayal, underground sex clubs. There's a lot going on in this book. It shows the seedy underbelly of Duluth and the people that live there.
Sex is a big portion of the plot in this book but Freeman excels at writing about adult subjects like that without making them seem tawdry or just a weak plot device.
Brian Freeman is quickly moving up my favorite authors list. This is about as consuming a read as you're likely to find with rich characters and great dialogue. He blends relationships, police work, fun to read characters and complex plots that keep you guessing up until the last page wonderfully.
I can't recommend this and his previous two novels enough. Grade A reading.
December 6, 2020
Cuarto libro que leo de este autor y sigue encandilándome, me gusta mucho su forma de contar las historias, así como los giros argumentales que les da sus libros. En este sigue manteniendo el nivel de los anteriores. Suspense de calidad.
January 7, 2009
STALKED (Susp/Pol. Prod.- Minnesota-Cont) - Okay
Freeman, Brian – 3rd in series
St. Martin’s Minotaur, 2009, US Hardcover – ISBN; 9780312363277
First Sentence: The prisoner squinted at the threatening ebony sky through the steel mesh that made u the cage in the rear of the patrol car.
Maggie Bell is awakened to find her husband dead of a gunshot wound and her gun on the floor in the middle of the room. Despite her protestations of innocence, all evidence points to her being the killer, particularly to Detective Abel Teitscher whose former partner had been convicted of a similar crime. Maggie’s partner, Lieutenant Jonathan Stride, believes her innocence and works behind the scenes to help prove her guilty.
If you like books with a strong sense of place, Freeman provides them. His writing is very descriptive and evocative allowing you to see, feel and sense the story. There was suspense and palpable excitement that kept me going.
I don’t have a problem with sex as part of a story, but I don’t like when it becomes pervasive, depicts woman negatively and has a prurient feel to it. Mr. Freeman’s female characters often fluctuate between sexual deviants and being too stupid to live.
While I did not anticipate one of the villains, the other was obvious from early on. It is three strikes and you’re out for Mr. Freeman.
Freeman, Brian – 3rd in series
St. Martin’s Minotaur, 2009, US Hardcover – ISBN; 9780312363277
First Sentence: The prisoner squinted at the threatening ebony sky through the steel mesh that made u the cage in the rear of the patrol car.
Maggie Bell is awakened to find her husband dead of a gunshot wound and her gun on the floor in the middle of the room. Despite her protestations of innocence, all evidence points to her being the killer, particularly to Detective Abel Teitscher whose former partner had been convicted of a similar crime. Maggie’s partner, Lieutenant Jonathan Stride, believes her innocence and works behind the scenes to help prove her guilty.
If you like books with a strong sense of place, Freeman provides them. His writing is very descriptive and evocative allowing you to see, feel and sense the story. There was suspense and palpable excitement that kept me going.
I don’t have a problem with sex as part of a story, but I don’t like when it becomes pervasive, depicts woman negatively and has a prurient feel to it. Mr. Freeman’s female characters often fluctuate between sexual deviants and being too stupid to live.
While I did not anticipate one of the villains, the other was obvious from early on. It is three strikes and you’re out for Mr. Freeman.
July 14, 2011
Freeman hit his stride (LOL! No pun intended!) in book 2: Stripped, and somehow managed to trip in book 3: Stalked. This is a bit long, but I don't think I give anything away.
My issues. These are items that pulled me out of the book - a phrase, a comment, whatever. I don't like to be pulled out of the plot, it makes me cranky and less likely to want to continue.
Dude. Don't be throwing crap in my lake. Not cool. It wasn't cool when Stride threw his cigarettes in the Canal in book one and it's not cool now with a glass wine bottle.
Duluth Courthouse and Federal buildings are grey. Not tan. I've checked. Several times. Still grey. I'm pretty certain the author called them tan in the book. Could be wrong. Hard to go back and check on an audiobook.
Really, a bugged house again? Did that in book two. This was also left unresolved.
I'm just guessing here (but an educated hypothesis), that a battery operated transmitter, placed outside a house in 0* weather, is not going to give you two miles of frequency in those temps. You will be lucky if it operates for a couple-three hours before it freezes up and stops working. Just guessing...because my handheld field grade GPS system doesn't last in temps like that.
If Stride and Maggie didn't want to be seen meeting together in Duluth, why not meet in Cloquet? Or Two Harbors? Central High School is not exactly a private meeting place....
The female protagonist - Serena - is at one point handcuffed and running for her life. She runs through the deep snow, down and embankment, through some brush and into a railyard. Where she is caught - we are lead to believe - unconscious. Later we find out that the antagonist somehow carried her back across the snowy railyard, through the brush, down and up the embankment, across another snowy expanse, to the waiting car. Carrying a unconscious person that far is...difficult, at best, during non-snow conditions. Through the snow? Implausible.
Why the fascination with rape? This applies to other authors too, that it seems to be "cool" to place a stong female protagonist in a position of utter helplessness and vulnerability. It is demeaning to women.
Ah. A blizzard in Northern MN on a lake. You are not going to be doing donuts in your vehicles. You will not be sliding around like a zamboni. Depending upon how much snow was already on the ground (and I think this was set in January/February-ish?), the lake is probably not going to be ice-skating rink clean. You will not be driving willy-nilly across it. There will be a plowed road to the ice village. Maybe two depending on how many access points on the lake there are. But to just bounce off and go driving across? Not. Gonna. Happen.
And I have my doubts about how fast a burning ice shack will melt into the ice.... I have my doubts about the whole burning ice shack scene.
Lastly, I totally get the giggles when a character in the book (any book really) shouts, "You Bastard!". It's a South Park thing...
I'm sure my fellow travelers on the highway were wondering why I was pounding my fists on my steering wheel. It could have been because of the lake in the blizzard scene. It could have been because of the burning ice shack scene. It could have been because of - again - endings upon endings upon endings. Yes, I was shouting at the story. You can do that when it's an audiobook.
Needless to say, I had a few issues with this book. Too much introspection and exposition by the characters, the 'chase and rescue' scene just went on forever (see note about beating fists against steering wheel), and way too many items yanked me out of the plot. I don't feel I can really expound on more without giving plot away, and I would prefer you to form your own opinion - if you decide to read it.
Recommendation - ahh, a maybe. If you've read the first two and still like Stride and Serena.
My issues. These are items that pulled me out of the book - a phrase, a comment, whatever. I don't like to be pulled out of the plot, it makes me cranky and less likely to want to continue.
Dude. Don't be throwing crap in my lake. Not cool. It wasn't cool when Stride threw his cigarettes in the Canal in book one and it's not cool now with a glass wine bottle.
Duluth Courthouse and Federal buildings are grey. Not tan. I've checked. Several times. Still grey. I'm pretty certain the author called them tan in the book. Could be wrong. Hard to go back and check on an audiobook.
Really, a bugged house again? Did that in book two. This was also left unresolved.
I'm just guessing here (but an educated hypothesis), that a battery operated transmitter, placed outside a house in 0* weather, is not going to give you two miles of frequency in those temps. You will be lucky if it operates for a couple-three hours before it freezes up and stops working. Just guessing...because my handheld field grade GPS system doesn't last in temps like that.
If Stride and Maggie didn't want to be seen meeting together in Duluth, why not meet in Cloquet? Or Two Harbors? Central High School is not exactly a private meeting place....
The female protagonist - Serena - is at one point handcuffed and running for her life. She runs through the deep snow, down and embankment, through some brush and into a railyard. Where she is caught - we are lead to believe - unconscious. Later we find out that the antagonist somehow carried her back across the snowy railyard, through the brush, down and up the embankment, across another snowy expanse, to the waiting car. Carrying a unconscious person that far is...difficult, at best, during non-snow conditions. Through the snow? Implausible.
Why the fascination with rape? This applies to other authors too, that it seems to be "cool" to place a stong female protagonist in a position of utter helplessness and vulnerability. It is demeaning to women.
Ah. A blizzard in Northern MN on a lake. You are not going to be doing donuts in your vehicles. You will not be sliding around like a zamboni. Depending upon how much snow was already on the ground (and I think this was set in January/February-ish?), the lake is probably not going to be ice-skating rink clean. You will not be driving willy-nilly across it. There will be a plowed road to the ice village. Maybe two depending on how many access points on the lake there are. But to just bounce off and go driving across? Not. Gonna. Happen.
And I have my doubts about how fast a burning ice shack will melt into the ice.... I have my doubts about the whole burning ice shack scene.
Lastly, I totally get the giggles when a character in the book (any book really) shouts, "You Bastard!". It's a South Park thing...
I'm sure my fellow travelers on the highway were wondering why I was pounding my fists on my steering wheel. It could have been because of the lake in the blizzard scene. It could have been because of the burning ice shack scene. It could have been because of - again - endings upon endings upon endings. Yes, I was shouting at the story. You can do that when it's an audiobook.
Needless to say, I had a few issues with this book. Too much introspection and exposition by the characters, the 'chase and rescue' scene just went on forever (see note about beating fists against steering wheel), and way too many items yanked me out of the plot. I don't feel I can really expound on more without giving plot away, and I would prefer you to form your own opinion - if you decide to read it.
Recommendation - ahh, a maybe. If you've read the first two and still like Stride and Serena.
August 6, 2022
La trama del libro comienza con el asesinato del marido de una agente de policia, la cual es considerada enseguida como sospechosa del mismo, solo Stride y Serena creen en su inocencia, y van desvelando los secretos que ésta esconde pero también descruben que no es la única que tiene secretos.
Stride y Serena regresan a Duluth después de su estancia en Las Vegas, ella ahora es investigadora privada y el teniente de la policia.
En este caso se entremezclan diversas tramas, secretos de ciudadanos respetados, crímenes, perversiones sexuales y chantaje de tal manera, que ya no sabrás quién está implicado y quién no.
La novela comienza muy bien con un ritmo ágil y una trama interesante que va cogiendo intensidad según avanzas en la lectura.
Me ha parecido que el autor ha mejorado bastante respecto a sus 2 libros anteriores. Los personajes perfectamente perfilados, la ambientación y descripciones justas para ponerte en situación, ...
Sólo le veo un pequeño fallo, para mi gusto el final es un poco rebuscado pero no desmerece para nada en mi valoración del libro. Seguiré con esta serie.
Stride y Serena regresan a Duluth después de su estancia en Las Vegas, ella ahora es investigadora privada y el teniente de la policia.
En este caso se entremezclan diversas tramas, secretos de ciudadanos respetados, crímenes, perversiones sexuales y chantaje de tal manera, que ya no sabrás quién está implicado y quién no.
La novela comienza muy bien con un ritmo ágil y una trama interesante que va cogiendo intensidad según avanzas en la lectura.
Me ha parecido que el autor ha mejorado bastante respecto a sus 2 libros anteriores. Los personajes perfectamente perfilados, la ambientación y descripciones justas para ponerte en situación, ...
Sólo le veo un pequeño fallo, para mi gusto el final es un poco rebuscado pero no desmerece para nada en mi valoración del libro. Seguiré con esta serie.
October 1, 2021
Another good one in the Stride series by Freeman. In this one, Stride has returned to Duluth, Minnesota, after his stint in Vegas as told in the prior book in the series, Stripped. He has his old job back on the force as police lieutenant and his girl friend, Serena, has joined him in Duluth working as a PI. The novel starts out when his partner, Maggie, finds her husband shot dead on a cold winter night and she is accused of his murder. But did she do it? The answers to this one come together after many twists and turns involving rape, murder, and a sex club in the city.
This was as usual a very intense thriller from Freeman. Very good character development throughout including Stride's fellow officers in the force and some very vile bad guys. And the ending contained a very surprising twist that I was not expecting. I have a couple more books in this series that I intend to read soon. Next up is In the Dark.
This was as usual a very intense thriller from Freeman. Very good character development throughout including Stride's fellow officers in the force and some very vile bad guys. And the ending contained a very surprising twist that I was not expecting. I have a couple more books in this series that I intend to read soon. Next up is In the Dark.
January 18, 2009
I like this book and have liked Freeman's others. There's only one thing that really bugged me and that's the necessity of the author to make the killer focus on Serena, Stride's transplanted love interest from Las Vegas. There seems to be a trend among authors to believe that in order to make their police procedurals more interesting there has to be a personal connection between the cop and the bad guy; the cop as victim. I think it's unnecessary and personally don;t think it adds anything. Makes the cops do stupid stuff, too. I'll never forget that seen in Silence of the Lambs where what's-her-name-the-neophyte-FBI-agent, contrary to all good sense and orders goes into the basement on her own. That's when I tuned out. Dumb shit. I hate it when heroes do dumb things because of some artificial personal involvement. Otherwise a great read (listen - I'm listening to the audio.)
This one has a good, complicated (perhaps overly so) mystery. A warning to the squeamish. This book has some very explicit violence.
This one has a good, complicated (perhaps overly so) mystery. A warning to the squeamish. This book has some very explicit violence.
June 19, 2016
This is the 3rd in the Jonathan Stride series... I was much better than the 2nd book, but not as good as the first. My main complaint is Stride's girlfriend Serena. I just don't 'see' them together, and I really get very tired when an author feels that he or she feels it is more interesting if there is a personal connection between the cop and the bad guy; the cop as victim. You then just know that the cop will do something really stupid and needs to be 'saved'. But, having said that - I will still continue to read this series for I do like the way Freeman writes and I do like the Stride character. Hard to really say more, for I will give spoilers away- if you haven't read this series- start with Immoral- now THAT was a great book !
April 3, 2021
excellent mystery series!
I have loved every book in this series. The characters and stories are well developed with exciting mysteries. The audible version is great with a wonderful narrator to enjoy.
I have loved every book in this series. The characters and stories are well developed with exciting mysteries. The audible version is great with a wonderful narrator to enjoy.
January 2, 2017
Every time I’ve read a Brian Freeman novel I vow not to do it again. This third try I made it half way through and then remembered the vow I made years ago. I sometimes regret reading on a tablet because throwing an idiotic read in book form across the room at a wall is such a cleansing act. Too expensive to do with a tablet.
This year I look at America and see a population who freely elected a buffoon as President and think the characters in a Freeman novel may not be so far off the mark.
But then the self-loathing, angst-ridden whining, self-doubting, woman hating, nature of the characters (and the author?) causes me to stop reading. Who cares, have an interesting four years.
This year I look at America and see a population who freely elected a buffoon as President and think the characters in a Freeman novel may not be so far off the mark.
But then the self-loathing, angst-ridden whining, self-doubting, woman hating, nature of the characters (and the author?) causes me to stop reading. Who cares, have an interesting four years.
Read
January 13, 2009The Chicago Tribune called STALKED "a perfect blend of psychological suspense and crime fiction." Write to me at brian@bfreemanbooks.com or visit my web site (www.bfreemanbooks.com) or Facebook page.
November 28, 2011
I rarely put down a book in the middle, let alone right in the beginning but this one was the exception. I found the level of sex to be more than gratuitous to the point where I could no longer find the plot of the book.
April 23, 2018
Book #3 in Jonathan Stride series. Brian Freeman is my type of author. Great characters. Fantastic plots. On the hunt for killers. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series. 5 stars.
December 2, 2023
I've read a few books in this series. I like this author's writing. He does so many things well when it comes to characters, dialogue, character development, and the way he unveils clues. I'm always pulled into his stories.
My only negative with this one was the audio narration. It wasn't my favorite. The narrator's idea of feminine voices was more man like. But other than that, I liked the story. So 3 stars.
My only negative with this one was the audio narration. It wasn't my favorite. The narrator's idea of feminine voices was more man like. But other than that, I liked the story. So 3 stars.
May 11, 2015
Lt. Jonathan Stride knows that his partner Maggie Bei is in
trouble when she reports a deadly crime on a bitter cold winter
night. She's hiding a secret and her silence only feeds suspicion.
Maggie isn't the only one keeping secrets in Duluth A young woman has disappeared leaving behind a stash of lurid fantasies and a message
I know who it is. Stride soon uncovers a web of violence and voyeurism
that someone is willing to kill to keep hidden. Stride isn't alone,
his lover Selena Dial a homicide detective turned private investigator
is chasing a blackmailer who knows all of the city's dirty secrets.
As Stride and Selena hunt for a killer a predator with a vicious past
is hunting them. Now every step is bringing them closer to a showdown.
All of this amid the winds of a bitter winter storm.This book is from
2005 and is number three in the Jonathan Stride series. It's full of
twists and turns and it will keep you turning pages.
trouble when she reports a deadly crime on a bitter cold winter
night. She's hiding a secret and her silence only feeds suspicion.
Maggie isn't the only one keeping secrets in Duluth A young woman has disappeared leaving behind a stash of lurid fantasies and a message
I know who it is. Stride soon uncovers a web of violence and voyeurism
that someone is willing to kill to keep hidden. Stride isn't alone,
his lover Selena Dial a homicide detective turned private investigator
is chasing a blackmailer who knows all of the city's dirty secrets.
As Stride and Selena hunt for a killer a predator with a vicious past
is hunting them. Now every step is bringing them closer to a showdown.
All of this amid the winds of a bitter winter storm.This book is from
2005 and is number three in the Jonathan Stride series. It's full of
twists and turns and it will keep you turning pages.
June 28, 2014
My second book in a row by Brian Freeman, and another book I really enjoyed.
Just a star below The Bone House.
Although I know not the first of the Jonathan Stride/Maggie/Serena books, I don't think it affected the story at all.
A multi-layered breath taking, gripping fast paced thriller, with a strong subject a sexual serial killer, murders, stalkers.
Are they being watched? Who is stalking who?
These questions keep you guessing, great three main characters, and filled with multi-plots and twists, and when you think the conclusion is close, you may be wrong!
Although maybe a little strong in parts and also a little far fetched at times, this kept the book as a four star instead of a five.
But I do enjoy Brian Freeman writing, how he builds the characters, and the many different plots.
Just a star below The Bone House.
Although I know not the first of the Jonathan Stride/Maggie/Serena books, I don't think it affected the story at all.
A multi-layered breath taking, gripping fast paced thriller, with a strong subject a sexual serial killer, murders, stalkers.
Are they being watched? Who is stalking who?
These questions keep you guessing, great three main characters, and filled with multi-plots and twists, and when you think the conclusion is close, you may be wrong!
Although maybe a little strong in parts and also a little far fetched at times, this kept the book as a four star instead of a five.
But I do enjoy Brian Freeman writing, how he builds the characters, and the many different plots.
March 15, 2020
Kudos to Brian Freeman for another spine tingling thriller in the Jonathan Stride series! I was so glad to see Maggie back but oh what secrets she will not divulge as she is accused of murder. I was so creeped out by the predator, I kept turning those pages though. Jonathan and Serena are back in Duluth, Jonathan as Lieutenant and Serena as a PI; as they investigate crimes and jobs, the suspense is unbelievable. I will be ordering the next one in the series, but I am also going to begin one of Freeman's other series books too, Bone House, a Cab Bolton series.
April 4, 2023
I like this series a lot. It’s dark, really dark, but I like the main characters and the author’s writing style. And there’s always something to guess that I usually get wrong. 😂
September 29, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stalked by Brian Freeman – A Humorous Head-Shake at the Naysayers
Oh, the pearl-clutching! Every time a thriller dares to step into the darker corners of human behaviour, you can count on a brigade of “I’m no prude, but…” reviewers ready to ride in on their high horses.
Dear friends, this is a crime thriller. It has sex, violence, betrayal, obsession, blackmail, murder and the occasional underground club. That’s not the author being “cool with it”; that’s the author being honest about what kinds of crimes detectives actually run into. If you want everyone sipping chamomile tea and solving mysteries with crosswords, may I recommend a cosy set in a tearoom?
As with Immoral and Stripped, Brian Freeman is a master of the page-turning psychological thriller. This isn’t titillation; it’s adult subject matter written for an adult audience. He doesn’t glorify assault or paint women as fools; he puts complex characters—male and female—into morally murky situations and lets us watch how they cope. Sometimes they’re brave, sometimes they’re flawed, sometimes they make bad choices. In other words, they’re human.
And in Stalked, the humans are fascinating. Stride and Serena return to Minnesota; Maggie Bei, my favourite smart-mouthed fireplug of a partner, is back—only now she’s in trouble, her husband is dead and her gun is missing. Serena takes on a blackmail job for a shady politician. Underground sex clubs, hidden cameras, whispered secrets, shifting loyalties—this book has more twists than a plate of fusilli.
Yes, sex is part of the plot. No, it isn’t prurient. Freeman handles it with restraint and uses it to drive the story, not to titillate. This is a book about power, secrecy and vulnerability, not a book about “cool” assault scenes. If anything, the violence here is shown as ugly and destructive—which is exactly how it should be shown.
And beyond the sensational plot, Freeman keeps doing what he does best: building believable characters with complicated relationships and throwing them into situations that test their limits. His dialogue snaps, his pacing never lets up and by the last page you’re as wrung out as the characters.
So yes: five stars. Not because the subject matter is “fun,” but because Freeman writes it well. Stalked is dark, twisty and consuming, and it earns its adult themes with intelligence and compassion. If you’re looking for a clean, chaste puzzle mystery, look elsewhere. If you want a thriller that will make you stay up too late muttering “just one more chapter” while you waggle your eyebrows at the haters…this one’s for you.
Oh, the pearl-clutching! Every time a thriller dares to step into the darker corners of human behaviour, you can count on a brigade of “I’m no prude, but…” reviewers ready to ride in on their high horses.
Dear friends, this is a crime thriller. It has sex, violence, betrayal, obsession, blackmail, murder and the occasional underground club. That’s not the author being “cool with it”; that’s the author being honest about what kinds of crimes detectives actually run into. If you want everyone sipping chamomile tea and solving mysteries with crosswords, may I recommend a cosy set in a tearoom?
As with Immoral and Stripped, Brian Freeman is a master of the page-turning psychological thriller. This isn’t titillation; it’s adult subject matter written for an adult audience. He doesn’t glorify assault or paint women as fools; he puts complex characters—male and female—into morally murky situations and lets us watch how they cope. Sometimes they’re brave, sometimes they’re flawed, sometimes they make bad choices. In other words, they’re human.
And in Stalked, the humans are fascinating. Stride and Serena return to Minnesota; Maggie Bei, my favourite smart-mouthed fireplug of a partner, is back—only now she’s in trouble, her husband is dead and her gun is missing. Serena takes on a blackmail job for a shady politician. Underground sex clubs, hidden cameras, whispered secrets, shifting loyalties—this book has more twists than a plate of fusilli.
Yes, sex is part of the plot. No, it isn’t prurient. Freeman handles it with restraint and uses it to drive the story, not to titillate. This is a book about power, secrecy and vulnerability, not a book about “cool” assault scenes. If anything, the violence here is shown as ugly and destructive—which is exactly how it should be shown.
And beyond the sensational plot, Freeman keeps doing what he does best: building believable characters with complicated relationships and throwing them into situations that test their limits. His dialogue snaps, his pacing never lets up and by the last page you’re as wrung out as the characters.
So yes: five stars. Not because the subject matter is “fun,” but because Freeman writes it well. Stalked is dark, twisty and consuming, and it earns its adult themes with intelligence and compassion. If you’re looking for a clean, chaste puzzle mystery, look elsewhere. If you want a thriller that will make you stay up too late muttering “just one more chapter” while you waggle your eyebrows at the haters…this one’s for you.
August 11, 2008
A friend of mine at the library recommended this (I didn't read his others, but she said it wouldn't matter).
So here's the scoop, I'm no prude. Really, I'm not. But, whoa nelly - this is one violent, masochistic book. Does this author like women? He seems to paint them in a rather vitriolic light...kept finding myself wondering what kind of woman to whom he is married!
Also, if your son or spouse does write a book like this - do you really want to be the subject of the dedication? Hmmm..."Gee honey, it was really sweet of you to devote your creepy book to me, but I'd settle for a Bounty Bar instead!"
I don't think I'm going to venture forth and read his others - still sleeping with the lamp on from reading the first!
So here's the scoop, I'm no prude. Really, I'm not. But, whoa nelly - this is one violent, masochistic book. Does this author like women? He seems to paint them in a rather vitriolic light...kept finding myself wondering what kind of woman to whom he is married!
Also, if your son or spouse does write a book like this - do you really want to be the subject of the dedication? Hmmm..."Gee honey, it was really sweet of you to devote your creepy book to me, but I'd settle for a Bounty Bar instead!"
I don't think I'm going to venture forth and read his others - still sleeping with the lamp on from reading the first!
July 6, 2014
É o segundo livro que leio deste fantástico escritor. E digo-vos que fiquei completamente estarrecida e deliciada.
Esta é um história com thriller psicológico muito bem delineado, e com o enredo muito bem estruturado e planificado. Esta narrativa debruça-se sobre o que é chamado na linguagem da Psicologia - stalkers.
É por isso, um livro muito pertinente pois aborda aspectos fulcrais e comuns no que concerne ao perfil dos stalkers.
A principal mensagem que retirei deste livro, é a de que por vezes as pessoas mais perigosas escondem-se sobre a máscara de vítimas, de indefesos demonstrando-se sempre muito prestáveis e muito solícitos.
Deixo-vos com esta frase para vossa reflexão: "Toda a gente usa máscaras." (Brian Freeman, 2009)
Esta é um história com thriller psicológico muito bem delineado, e com o enredo muito bem estruturado e planificado. Esta narrativa debruça-se sobre o que é chamado na linguagem da Psicologia - stalkers.
É por isso, um livro muito pertinente pois aborda aspectos fulcrais e comuns no que concerne ao perfil dos stalkers.
A principal mensagem que retirei deste livro, é a de que por vezes as pessoas mais perigosas escondem-se sobre a máscara de vítimas, de indefesos demonstrando-se sempre muito prestáveis e muito solícitos.
Deixo-vos com esta frase para vossa reflexão: "Toda a gente usa máscaras." (Brian Freeman, 2009)
May 22, 2018
I listened to the audible version of this book. So far the three Brian Freeman books I have read have been dark. This one is the darkest of the three by a long shot. About 3/4th through this book I was ready to give it three and a half stars, but the last quarter of the book was dynamite. It had some nice twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. Stride and Serena have moved back to Duluth, and it seems a much better fit than Vegas was. Stride has his old job back, and he is dealing with a string of rapes and murders that includes some of his closest allies. It Is good to see Stride back in his element in the North Country. I look forward to the next installment.
May 20, 2016
Mais um grande livro deste autor, jà sò tenho mais um, espero q a Presença edite mais :)
Uma historia mto bem construida com base em fastasmas do passado de algumas personagens. Como o tema central sao episodios de violaçao p livro tem algumas descriçoes de cariz sexual q podem chocar alguns leitores.
Confesso q o final me surpreendeu, n chegava lá...
5*
Uma historia mto bem construida com base em fastasmas do passado de algumas personagens. Como o tema central sao episodios de violaçao p livro tem algumas descriçoes de cariz sexual q podem chocar alguns leitores.
Confesso q o final me surpreendeu, n chegava lá...
5*
February 6, 2013
This story’s interesting plots are derailed by poor editing and long unnecessary interruptions of whiny dialogues. Author Freeman has some excellent ideas that get overwhelmed by his wordiness. This story begs for a good editor. 6 of 10 stars that could have been a 10 with 1/3 less volume.
March 23, 2022
2.5 stars. Very meh installment in this series. Really enjoyed the first two, but this one…not so much. At least 100 pages too long. Too gratuitous. Twist was pretty obvious to me. I hope the fourth book is better, or I might abandon Jonathan Stride.
August 29, 2024
I cannot believe I did not read another Freeman novel after reading Immoral in 2006. I would recommend him to anyone who loves complex characters and a good mystery. Kept me guessing to the end. One hell of a reading ride!!!
September 1, 2017
Mi aspettavo un altro Deaver....e invece, sinceramente, non so definire che tipo di romanzo mi sono ritrovata fra le mani. Anzi, a dire il vero, il mio giudizio su "La danza delle falene" mi lascia un po' divisa: ho apprezzato il ritmo, frenetico e scattante, che ben di addice a un romanzo di questo genere, e ho apprezzato la scrittura di Freeman, fluida, sciolta, che ben si presta a dialoghi e a momenti narrativi, ben dosati nel corso del romanzo stesso. Ma ciò che non ho digerito è proprio il contenuto, la materia, la storia che Freeman propone, una storia complicata da eccessivi intrighi tra i tanti (troppi) personaggi e continuamente infarcita da sottostorie, riferimenti, annedoti riguardanti il sesso più spicciolo e perverso che alla lunga, rendono il libro ridondante e disgustoso...oltre a "depersonalizzare" i personaggi, che appaiono tutti, con pochissime eccezioni, caduti in un vortice di depravazione senza schermo e senza pudore. Per non parlare delle figure femminili , alle quali Freeman mette spesso in bocca una volgarità a mio avviso poco plausibile: più volte mi sono sorpresa a chiedermi :"Possibile che più donne d'alta società se ne escano con queste espressioni?". Capisco il tentivo dell'autore di abbozzare un ambiente moralmente torbido e degradato, e capisco anche che un po' di sale possa piacere in qualsiasi storia, ma era davvero necessaria tutta questa matassa di intrecci intrisi di volgarità e di violenza per confezionare un bel thriller? A mio avviso no.
Manca poi buona parte degli elementi che dovrebbero caratterizzare un romanzo di questo genere: non c'è descrizione degli ambienti, non c'è un filo di suspense e paura che attraversa la storia, non c'è nemmeno un'indagine, una ricerca condita da arguzia e intelligenza, da parte dei protagonisti...tutto si risolve in una serie di dialoghi, infilati al punto giusto e al momento giusto, e, alla fine, in uno scoppio di azioni all'americana, tra esche tese, proiettili mancati e corse all'ultimo fiato. In sostanza, un libro che si lascia leggere ma che di Deaver e degli altri grandi maestri del thriller ha ben poco. Sono comunque certa che se Freeman si mettesse a parlare di altro verrebbero fuori ottimi lavori, e per questo sarei tentata di concedergli una seconda possibilità.
Manca poi buona parte degli elementi che dovrebbero caratterizzare un romanzo di questo genere: non c'è descrizione degli ambienti, non c'è un filo di suspense e paura che attraversa la storia, non c'è nemmeno un'indagine, una ricerca condita da arguzia e intelligenza, da parte dei protagonisti...tutto si risolve in una serie di dialoghi, infilati al punto giusto e al momento giusto, e, alla fine, in uno scoppio di azioni all'americana, tra esche tese, proiettili mancati e corse all'ultimo fiato. In sostanza, un libro che si lascia leggere ma che di Deaver e degli altri grandi maestri del thriller ha ben poco. Sono comunque certa che se Freeman si mettesse a parlare di altro verrebbero fuori ottimi lavori, e per questo sarei tentata di concedergli una seconda possibilità.
February 2, 2018
Un po’ pesantino, molto crudo, carnale e con molto sesso. Ma come al solito Freeman non delude nello studio di personaggi con una psicologia complicata. Plot molto ingarbugliato che lascia con il fiato sospeso fino all’ultima pagina 🤩
March 8, 2018
I’m still enjoying this series. I love the convoluted relationships between the three main characters. This book had some real strange elements. The main idea being that your past always comes back!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 365 reviews