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Max Freeman #4
A Killing Night
“Haunting and evocative. . . . [Max Freeman] may be the most thoughtful, well-read, and multi-layered private eye hero since Spenser.”—Booklist (starred review)
Max Freeman is at a crossroads. No longer content to live solely in his remote shack in the Everglades, he is looking to move beyond his self-imposed isolation. So when his onetime girlfriend, Detective Sherry Richards, asks for his help as a private investigator in nailing an ex-cop she suspects of killing several young women in South Florida, Max is ready to help her see justice done.
But there’s a problem. Sherry’s suspect is a former police officer from Philadelphia who served with Max—a brother-in-blue who once saved Max’s life. Matters are made worse when Max’s own aggressive investigation leads him to believe that Sherry’s crusade to protect these women is about to roll over a possibly innocent man.
Caught between his loyalty to Sherry and his debt to his fellow ex-cop, Max’s search for the truth will take him back to the streets of Philadelphia, where he will dig into his fellow officer’s troubled past . . . only to come face-to-face with his own. And while Max continues his quest, a controlling, cunning killer inexorably closes in on what could be his next victim. . . .
289 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
75 people are currently reading
290 people want to read
About the author
Jonathon King
14 books151 followersEdgar-award winning author Jonathon King is the creator of the Max Freeman crime series set in the Everglades and on the hard streets of urban South Florida. In his previous career as a journalist, he was a police and court reporter for 24 years with the Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale and the Philadelphia Daily News.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 18, 2010
Before buying this book, I checked the ratings first even though it's on sale. This is the first I've read from Jonathon King and his writing style was good. I only found out he's a former journalist after reading the story and it explained how he put attention to the details.
The story started with the suspect's activities then switched to first person (Max's). I put aside my reservations about reading series in order because this is the 4th in the Max Freeman series, and I'm glad I did because this could be read as a stand alone.
Mr King wrote a recap of characters, their traits, and he never failed to mention the background of how they met Max. The story had suspense all right, but it only worked for me when I was about 80% through with the book. The pacing was moderate, and it's obvious the author described the suspect perfectly with Colin O'Shea's profile.
The part I liked best is the presence of a Filipino character, and how Max and Billy spoke little of the language. I'm a Filipina so it's a given I have a bias, and the issues Mr King described here are truth-to-life about Filipinos around the world making a living to send money to their families back home - and not all are fortunate to have stress-free jobs, most of them are blue-collar workers who suffer discrimination and torture, just like Rodrigo.
I liked how the events were weaved together in the end, it was a quick kill (literally) and it was justified. I liked the plot, but sometimes the story dragged on that I didn't finish it quickly.
The story started with the suspect's activities then switched to first person (Max's). I put aside my reservations about reading series in order because this is the 4th in the Max Freeman series, and I'm glad I did because this could be read as a stand alone.
Mr King wrote a recap of characters, their traits, and he never failed to mention the background of how they met Max. The story had suspense all right, but it only worked for me when I was about 80% through with the book. The pacing was moderate, and it's obvious the author described the suspect perfectly with Colin O'Shea's profile.
The part I liked best is the presence of a Filipino character, and how Max and Billy spoke little of the language. I'm a Filipina so it's a given I have a bias, and the issues Mr King described here are truth-to-life about Filipinos around the world making a living to send money to their families back home - and not all are fortunate to have stress-free jobs, most of them are blue-collar workers who suffer discrimination and torture, just like Rodrigo.
I liked how the events were weaved together in the end, it was a quick kill (literally) and it was justified. I liked the plot, but sometimes the story dragged on that I didn't finish it quickly.
March 22, 2015
Another in the series about the ex Philly cop, this time Max is drawn into an investigation which implicates a fellow former home town cop and acquaintence in the murder of female bartenders.
The abuse of power,the perception of guilt and the pull of old relationships are strong themes in this interesting mystery.
The abuse of power,the perception of guilt and the pull of old relationships are strong themes in this interesting mystery.
September 29, 2011
If you have not found Jonathan King yet give his Max Freeman series a shot. A Killing Night is the fourth in the Max Freeman series and these just seem to get better as they go along. In this installment Max will get mixed up in the case of some missing woman who work at local bars. King is sure to delight mystery fans and Max Freeman fans alike. Enjoy the ride!
August 6, 2011
Great book and have to say this is my second author behind John Connoly very good and descriptive! Gave this author to another avid book reader as myself and he was impressed as well, this is my second book of his.
The author brings the glades to real life!
Keeps you coming back for more....
The author brings the glades to real life!
Keeps you coming back for more....
August 23, 2016
I sometimes sound like I am in a rut, but I sure do like these authors that have an interesting character to follow................and this book was no exception! And the story line was really good, too!
May 1, 2012
Another great read!! Jonathon King knows how to keep you turning those pages! I think he will rate right up there with Michael Connelly, Harlen Coben,Robert Crais and Robert Parker!! Love fighting crime with Max Freeman!!
August 24, 2009
Very Good; Continuing character: Max Freeman; someone in law enforcement is killing female bartenders and Freeman look to track him down
March 10, 2011
The first Max Freeman novel I've read. I enjoyed it, but had to read the synopsis to remember what it was about a week or so later. I did enjoy the Florida Everglades venue.
April 9, 2019
Three female bartenders in South Florida have gone missing and the finger of suspicion points at Colin O'Shea, a childhood friend of Max Freeman's, also a former cop that he worked with in Philadelphia. But Colin swears he is innocent and Max believes him.
So Max finds himself trying to work out if there is a serial killer on the loose, and at the same time he is trying to prove that it isn't Colin.
Max is also working for Billy Manchester, a black attorney that he also grew up with in Philadelphia. Billy is working on a case of cruise liner employees who are being threatened by stand over thugs,
I found the story a bit slow in the beginning. The author seemed to need to fill me in on some details that I already knew even though I have only read #1 in the series. This story has many strands and both Max and the serial killer speak in the first person, which initially takes a bit of careful reading,
So Max finds himself trying to work out if there is a serial killer on the loose, and at the same time he is trying to prove that it isn't Colin.
Max is also working for Billy Manchester, a black attorney that he also grew up with in Philadelphia. Billy is working on a case of cruise liner employees who are being threatened by stand over thugs,
I found the story a bit slow in the beginning. The author seemed to need to fill me in on some details that I already knew even though I have only read #1 in the series. This story has many strands and both Max and the serial killer speak in the first person, which initially takes a bit of careful reading,
October 29, 2022
Another Max Freeman book that I almost rated 5 stars. This is a very good series and each of the novels fell just short of the top rating. I love the voice that Jonathon King gives to Max Freeman. This one started with so much promise and the writing was terrific. There is plenty of action and suspense for mosty mystery-thriller fans.
The problem was when it was time for all the elements to line up, they just didn't. While I enjoyed reading every page, the ending was a bit of a disappointment. I thought the early elemnts were under utilized at the climax, especially Richards and O'Shea. They as well as Max just stood around for much of the final chapters.
The problem was when it was time for all the elements to line up, they just didn't. While I enjoyed reading every page, the ending was a bit of a disappointment. I thought the early elemnts were under utilized at the climax, especially Richards and O'Shea. They as well as Max just stood around for much of the final chapters.
December 11, 2019
Another Max Freeman mystery thriller that was very suspenseful and intriguing. This one was about trying to find a murderer of young women barmaids in Florida as well as young poor foreign men trying to make a living by working in very difficult and dangerous jobs. The plot and characters keeps the reading wanting more. Absolutely very much a must read.
August 3, 2024
Some female bartenders have disappeared. Were they killed or did they just move on? Max Freeman's former girlfriend, a police detective, suspects that they have been killed by a former policeman who was a colleague of Max in Philadelphia. Other complications come into the picture. Pages turn. The reader is satisfied, quite thankful that this is not a Maisie Dobbs novel. Recommended.
December 12, 2020
This was my least favorite in the series so far. Too much time was from the perspective of the psychopathic killer which I really didn't care that much about. I thought the ending was a bit of a cop out.
May 2, 2023
Really enjoyed this one.
Fourth in the Max Freeman series, this novel is the best so far. Written from both the killer’s and Max’s point of view, it’s the most believable. Looking forward to Book 5.
Fourth in the Max Freeman series, this novel is the best so far. Written from both the killer’s and Max’s point of view, it’s the most believable. Looking forward to Book 5.
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
March 23, 2021
This one was really good and I appreciated Billy’s stuttering being dialed back. It was so distracting in the previous book in this Freeman series. Good plot. I will check out #5 in the series.
May 12, 2021
Great story
Jonathan King is now one of our favorite authors. His Mac aGreement series is really good and I love the characters in His books.
Jonathan King is now one of our favorite authors. His Mac aGreement series is really good and I love the characters in His books.
September 19, 2025
Just really love this series. And the plots seem more realistic than at first.... Highly recommend all of them so far.
September 10, 2011
Something in A KILLING NIGHT bothered me. No, it wasn’t Jonathon King’s writing. I can’t put my finger on “it” that made me feel a little displeased with the story line. Perhaps it was Richards’ complete obsession with violence against women or her emotional distance from Max and Billy. Or maybe “it” was the triteness of the plotline?
Ex-cop Colin O’Shea had saved Max Freeman’s life in a Philadelphia dark alley and quit the force in disgrace among allegations of sexual improprieties of a mentally challenged young woman. She disappears and is thought dead. The I A D investigation “made” Freeman’s ex-wife. The same O’Shea is Detective Richards’ prime suspect in the mysterious disappearance and deaths of several Broward County bartenders. These girls are gone as in from the face of the Earth gone.
Max doesn’t buy his former girlfriend’s theory that O’Shea is guilty and agrees to speak to him. Max travels back to Philadelphia. Some of his ghosts disappear. And he becomes more convinced of his brother-in-blue’s innocence. But Max’s investigation puts both Billy and Billy’s Cruise line case in danger.
Though I liked that Max was living in a beachfront bungalow (Manchester’s) and Billy’s love life dramatically changed, something was just off in this fourth installment of a great series. King still delivers fast paced twists and turns in A KILLING NIGHT.
Ex-cop Colin O’Shea had saved Max Freeman’s life in a Philadelphia dark alley and quit the force in disgrace among allegations of sexual improprieties of a mentally challenged young woman. She disappears and is thought dead. The I A D investigation “made” Freeman’s ex-wife. The same O’Shea is Detective Richards’ prime suspect in the mysterious disappearance and deaths of several Broward County bartenders. These girls are gone as in from the face of the Earth gone.
Max doesn’t buy his former girlfriend’s theory that O’Shea is guilty and agrees to speak to him. Max travels back to Philadelphia. Some of his ghosts disappear. And he becomes more convinced of his brother-in-blue’s innocence. But Max’s investigation puts both Billy and Billy’s Cruise line case in danger.
Though I liked that Max was living in a beachfront bungalow (Manchester’s) and Billy’s love life dramatically changed, something was just off in this fourth installment of a great series. King still delivers fast paced twists and turns in A KILLING NIGHT.
August 14, 2007
A KILLING NIGHT (Suspense-Miami/Philadelphia-Cont) – VG
King, Jonathan – 4th book
Dutton, 2006- Hardcover
Former cop Max Freeman has been asked by his former girlfriend, Detective Sherry Richards, to investigate someone Max worked with on the Philadelphia police force. Richards suspects O’Shea in a case of young, female bartenders who are disappearing. While for his friend, attorney Billy Manchester, Max is trying to protect immigrant workers who severely injured working on a cruise ship.
*** Once again King has provided a page-turning, non-stop read. His character development is subtle but has a way of making me feel invested in his characters and I have learned more about them with each book. I particularly liked Marci, one of the bartenders. Although I missed the Everglades in this book, King knows how to create a sense of place and particularly contrasts; in this case, Miami and Philadelphia. But it’s the suspense and accompanying twists, in this book, that stayed with me long after I closed the book.
King, Jonathan – 4th book
Dutton, 2006- Hardcover
Former cop Max Freeman has been asked by his former girlfriend, Detective Sherry Richards, to investigate someone Max worked with on the Philadelphia police force. Richards suspects O’Shea in a case of young, female bartenders who are disappearing. While for his friend, attorney Billy Manchester, Max is trying to protect immigrant workers who severely injured working on a cruise ship.
*** Once again King has provided a page-turning, non-stop read. His character development is subtle but has a way of making me feel invested in his characters and I have learned more about them with each book. I particularly liked Marci, one of the bartenders. Although I missed the Everglades in this book, King knows how to create a sense of place and particularly contrasts; in this case, Miami and Philadelphia. But it’s the suspense and accompanying twists, in this book, that stayed with me long after I closed the book.
July 30, 2013
For me, this was my least favorite book of the series so far. The plot was interesting, and the twists were nice, but they weren't quite enough to hold the book together. In the previous books, there was a lot of action and worry that the main character, Max, wouldn't make it out alive. I felt no worry for his safety here.
Max spent a lot of time convincing us how clever he was. Just about everything he did he had to explain the reasoning for it. Maybe he did this in the other books as well, but once I started to notice it, it really stood out.
I do still like the old characters, as well as a few new ones that I hope stick around for the next book, and they were enough to get me to keep picking up the book.
Max spent a lot of time convincing us how clever he was. Just about everything he did he had to explain the reasoning for it. Maybe he did this in the other books as well, but once I started to notice it, it really stood out.
I do still like the old characters, as well as a few new ones that I hope stick around for the next book, and they were enough to get me to keep picking up the book.
February 21, 2008
This is the fourth of Mr. King's novels featuring Max Freeman. Max, now having been lured back into the world from his Florida Everglades hideout, goes on the trail of a barmaid killer. His ex-girlfriend, a policewoman in Fort Lauderdale, has been investigating without any assistance from the boys or girls in blue based on a hunch that missing barmaids have been killed. Her initial suspicion is on a former police officer from Philadelphia, known to Max from his time with the Philly PD. Were I to write any more it would spoil the book. It is a series I would highly recommend and this fourth installment also features simultaneous inquiry by Max into the dirty world of the cruise ship.
June 14, 2020
Max is working two cases - a worker comp for Billy where Philipinos are being intimidated into not pressing for damages and testimony after a boiler incident scalds several workers, and a case for Sherry, who is after a serial rapist and killer of female bartenders.
Her eyes are set on an ex cop from Philly, and Max returns "home" to face his ex wife and check the IAD files on him. He persuades Billy to take his case and they then set up a sting op on the real killer.
Not much time in the Everglades in this one but a fast read with interesting plot.
Her eyes are set on an ex cop from Philly, and Max returns "home" to face his ex wife and check the IAD files on him. He persuades Billy to take his case and they then set up a sting op on the real killer.
Not much time in the Everglades in this one but a fast read with interesting plot.
May 16, 2016
A good Max Freeman tale as he helps his ex-girlfriend discover who is killing female bartenders in the Miami area. He is also helping his friend Billy try to bring justice to some ship workers who are being strong armed. Well written, with plenty of action. Recommended.
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May 23, 2011Great book he is close to James Lee Burke.
September 15, 2011
How fun is it for a defense attorney to keep his office in his black Lincoln with a convicted person working off his jail time? Your client screams innocent and your gut tells you she did it.
June 25, 2016
Loved it...like all his books!
October 1, 2014
Pretty good story, but solution was too simple and ending was anti-climactic.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews