The Watcher

Jonathan Stride #4

by Brian Freeman

Lieutenant Jonathan Stride has never forgotten the case that made him decide to join the police force. Back in the 1970s, Laura - sister of Stride's girlfriend - was murdered. The obvious suspect was a vagrant, who slipped through the hands of the police, including Stride's detective hero Roy. Now, though, Stride's looking at the case in a new light. Tish Verdure, an old friend of Laura's, has come home, and she's certain that the killer was a local boy, now an attorney with connections at the highest level. Stride's soon convinced that there was a deliberate decision to direct the investigation towards a simple solution and away from Tish's suggested perpetrator, but he's also sure that Tish is hiding a secret about the past. A secret that could have shattering consequences - including a second murder...

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

356 pages, Hardcover

First published December 11, 2008

About the author

Brian 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).

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I see growth in Brian Freeman with this book. Well told story from Stride's past.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian Freeman has been climbing the ranks as one of my favorite authors over the past few years. His first three books really impressed me so I was eagerly anticipating IN THE DARK and had heard it was going to be the most emotional book of the Stride/Dial series. Often I find myself a bit disappointed after reading a long-awaited book because it just doesn't live up to the hype.

IN THE DARK was NOT one of these books.

Every Brian Freeman book has a "killer" prologue and this one screams chapter one as soon as you finish it. The book effectively builds multiple sub-plots at a good pace and mixes in razor-sharp psychological suspense, mystery, action, and twists. IN THE DARK challenged me to solve the multi-layered mystery then engaged an appreciation of how well all the pieces came together by the end of the book. It usually takes me about two weeks to read a novel but this gem was virtually pageless at 5.5 days.

Brian Freeman has developed an endearing base of characters through vivid, descriptive scenes of first rate quality. If I had to choose a single new release to read from any author right now...it would be one from Brian Freeman. His collective series of IMMORAL, STRIPPED, STALKED, and now IN THE DARK elevates him to my #1 favorite author to read...hands down.

I can't wait for the next one.....

[Maite Gil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hacía mucho tiempo que no leía nada de Brian Freeman y ha sido un placer reencontrarme con Serena y Stride.

El libro me ha gustado mucho y me ha mantenido enganchada durante toda la lectura. La trama tierne varios giros que ayudan a mantener la tensión.

Pronto leeré alguno más de esta serie.

**Próxima reseña en el blog**

[Nora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting back and forth on a decades-old cold case. Freeman writes a lot of abusive mom storylines, which are the most disturbing parts of these books. I think I need to slow down and space these out more, so that I'm not irritated with the major storm coinciding with main character critically injured formula at the peak of each book. (It's a bit Tom Cruise action movie-esque.) I think he could write a Duluth mystery with a little less bloodshed and still make it great - his multi-layered crime sprees are simply unrealistic in this town of 86K. I did love that Pat Burns is the new County Attorney this book.

[Brian Freeman]

My fourth novel, IN THE DARK, is due out on March 31, 2009. It may be my personal favorite among my books -- very emotionally intense along with its shocking twists. Write to me at brian@bfreemanbooks.com or visit my web site (www.bfreemanbooks.com) or Facebook page.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent book in the Jonathan Stride series. Brian Freeman is fast becoming a favorite author. Getting some background on the MC through a cold case makes the read love Stride even more. 4 stars

[L Cherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first Brian Freeman novel and I absolutely love the way he writes!!
This story is so enthralling I could not stop listening to the audible version. The Narrator was excellent and easy to listen to.
The story is packed with many emotions triggered by the horrific death of a key character. The journey to finding her killer took many years and lots of heartbreak along the way. Since this was my first for this author and it is #4 in the series I am just getting to know the detective Jonathan Stride. I like when the characters have normal imperfections and I feel like he may show that as the series continues. Really Loved this one!!

[Zai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro me ha gustado mucho, es el libro que más me ha gustado de la serie hasta el momento por varios motivos:
- Tiene una estructura muy particular, en este libro se intercalan extractos del libro que está escribiendo Tish, recuerdos de Jonathan Stride y la narración de cómo avanza la investigación en el momento actual.
- Sabemos más cosas sobre el pasado de Stride y eso nos ayuda a conocerlo mejor.
- Me ha gustado como está entrelazado este caso del pasado con el caso que está investigando Maggie Bei.
- Los personajes están perfectamente perfilados, algo que Brian Freeman hace a la perfección.

En resumen, es un libro que te engancha desde la primera página, de lectura rápida y que no da un respiro, con un final a la altura, que pone el broche de oro a un libro magnífico.

[Maureen DeLuca · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 4th in the Jonathan Stride series- I'd say this is 3.5 , but being that I was feeling generous....

You get to know more about Strides past, high school days and meeting his first wife. I have to say some of this book was a 'tad' bit over the top- but hey, aren't they all at some point or another? Another reason why I give this a 4 , because I really do like the Jonathan Stride character.

For those who never read any of these books- best bet is to start at book number 1 "Immoral" which was an outstanding book- and out of the 4 that I read- the best so far.

Having said that- I am so going to continue with this series-!!

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jonathan Stride's deceased wife's sister was savagely murdered 30 years ago and the case was never solved. A woman comes to town supposedly to write a book about that murder, the death of her best friend while Stride and Maggie are trying to catch someone who's been peeping in the windows of young blonde girls. There are secrets, too many to mention and Stride uncovers explosive events that led to that murder, he finds that the ripples of her death changed everyone's lives, including his own.
Nicely done.

[Geoff. Lamb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating. Twisted. Complicated. Love and deception. This may be the best Stride so far.

[Tgordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love these books! So who done it? I had no clue but I bet you will when you read!

[Kirby · Rating 1 out of 5]

As an avid fan of John Sanford, Patricia Cornwell, Robin Cook, etc, this book was actually quite a disappointment. My parents rave about them, but I found In the Dark to be the most sensationalized book I've ever read. Seemed as though Mr. Freeman didn't have enough material to write a compelling muder mystery. The solution appears to be cramming in every cliched, ridiculous "plot twist" imaginable. Pregnancy, incest, infidelity, homosexuality, struck by lightning? Death-defying tumbles off the Blatnik...after being hit by a car?

The one redeeming quality was the descriptions of Duluth. Spent half my life there and miss it every day. As far as entertainment goes, In the Dark suffices. I was entertained. Unfortunately, I think I was entertained by the amusement I found in the utterly ridiculous storylines.

[Ken Fredette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a crazy book that tells the now and also 30 years ago. John Stride is confronted with a 30 year old case that brings his first wife back to haunt him with her sisters (Laura's) death. Unknown to John was that Trish was his wife's sister by her father. There are many things that happen to Trish in that she's writing a book on Laura's death. Many things that happen to her such as being taken to the bridge between Duluth and Superior and facing death. Stride falls off this bridge which is a 120 foot drop. This book keeps going when you think it is the end it starts something else. You keep wondering who actually killed Laura. The book doesn't keep this from us but lets us in on it when it comes out. Stride actually figures it out. This book keeps going with action never ending. I liked it enough to actually recommend it.

[Reinaldo Lourenço · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mais um livro do Brian Freeman mais 5* atribuidas.
Um enredo bem construído, uma história cativante... os fantasmas do passado sao tramados :)
Deve ter sido dos raros livros em q adivinhei o assassino bem cedo.
No fim disto tudo tenho pena que nao existam mais livros deste autor editados em Portugues :( este é o 4° da saga, ja foram editados 7 mas a Presença ficou-se por aqui... pode ser q a TopSeller pegue neste autor ;)

[Diana Barbosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

adorei adorei adore!!! Fiquei fã do autor! Mas que livro cheio de surpresas! Sai nas livrarias amanhã dia 15 de Novembro - Editorial Presença - comprem e leiam :)

[Myriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Otra gran novela de esta fantástica colección, imposible no seguir con ella.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this Detective Jonathan Stride #4 book, someone from his past returns to open up the door to an unsolved case. Stride's wife Cindy died five years ago but apparently she kept in touch through the years with her best friend from high school. Tish is now determined to write a book about the murder of Cindy's sister Laura on July4, 1977. Stride and Cindy were near the park where Laura died on that night and he has always felt he knew who the killer was. Tish has some new information so they both begin asking questions. Several people know secrets about that night and someone else was in the woods.

The book also includes a current investigation of a Peeping Tom. The author uses excerpts from Tish's book to tell the story of that night. Tish writes from Cindy's perspective. The author also gives us false leads and I didn't know how it was going to turn out but I can trust Brian Freeman to write a complex story that all makes sense in the end. Twist after twist after twist to get to that ending. Another good one in this series!

[Jill Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In the Dark" focuses on the 30-year-old murder of Lt. Jonathan Strike's sister-in-law, Laura Starr. This unsolved crime was dredged up by Laura's friend, Tish, as part of a true crime book she's writing. Strike is initially unwilling to assist Tish with reopening the investigation, but she brings him new evidence that calls into question the assumption that the murderer was an itinerant. Suspects abound and new clues swirl around Strike and his team as he attempts to make sense of what he's learning. Freeman did an excellent job of creating mystery and intrigue and laying out a plot that's full of twists and turns. As the book progressed, several times I thought I knew exactly what was going on, only to find some new piece of information that pointed in a different direction. The ending was electrifying, in more ways than one. This is a terrific book!

[Mike Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Number for in the Jonathan Stride series. The book starts with a flashback to 1977 and the murder of a recently graduated high school senior. It turns out the murdered was the sister of Stride’s deceased wife Cindy. The victims best friend from high school is back in town writing a book about the murder, and Strideis put back on the case. Stride and Maggie are also dealing with a peeping tom that is terrorizing teenage girls across Duluth. As it seems with most Mr. Freeman’s novels while the two crimes are not initially thought to be related, as Stride digs into the case it seems they could be. Mr. Freeman’s Books are full of suspense, unforeseen twists, and action to keep you on the edge of your seat. A really fun read that keeps you guessing throughout the entire novel.

[Micky Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I have really enjoyed all of the books in the Jonathan Stride series, this one is an interesting and intriguing twist. While set in current day, it revisits the cold case that made Jonathan take the path into law enforcement in the first place, the murder of his wife's sister. It had interesting twists and while you think you know who the killer is the potential suspect list keeps growing as he delves into the past. After all these years, is it a case worth solving or better off left alone. Kudos to the author for not leaving it alone and writing this installment of the series. I can't wait to see where you take the cast of characters in the next book.

[Sandy Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told in alternating chapters between a murder that happened in 1977 and events of the present (30 years after), this was a good though accidental choice to begin the Jonathan Stride series.

[Marta Bruno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Também posso dizer que é um dos livros que mais gostei de ler, muito completo!! Amei

[Meredith Michaels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top shelf mystery!

[Amos · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars...

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

…” the parallel postulate. “
Rikke shrugged. “If two lines cross a third and form less than two right angles, then eventually the two lines will meet if extended far enough. Why on earth do you find that so interesting?”
“It’s something I find in most of my investigations,” Stride told her. “Sooner or later, the lines always intersect.”

I don’t remember much from my high school geometry class, but as I read In the Dark, the parallel postulate began to make sense. A peeper is terrifying teenage girls, and Maggie Bei is on the case. As she meets with her boss, Detective Jonathan Stride, and his lover, private investigator Serena Dial, to discuss the case, a woman appears from his past. His distant past. She claims to have been the best friend of his late wife’s murdered sister. Thirty years later, the case is still unsolved, and Laura Starr’s friend, Tish Verdure, wants Stride’s help as she tries to write a book about the decades old crime. How in the world does a cold case relate to a present-day voyeur?

Stride cannot revisit the past without experiencing the pain and loss of his wife Cindy, who died of cancer five years earlier. In addition, he risks hurting his Serena as he digs deeper into the past, stirring up memories of the love he shared with his first love. For me, that was one of the book’s strengths - that Stride must dust off his emotions and lay them out where he can deal with them. He does, and to Serena’s credit, she gives him the space that he needs to do so.

There are many plausible suspects who were ruled out by police in the original case. There are some persons of interest that I wanted to be guilty because they are just not likeable people. And they are guilty, but they are not murderers. Freeman does a good job of making each character seem like a logical choice for the top of the whodunit list, but Stride lacks proof. Meanwhile, it looks more and more like the peeper may be someone from Laura’s past as well. The lines draw closer.

If there is anything that may be a bit objectionable, it is that the story keeps flipping from one point of view to another, from Laura’s voice (as written by Tish for her book), to Finn to Clark (the father of a mentally challenged girl who dies because of the peeper), to Tish, to Maggie. I have read some reviews that found this particularly off-putting, but I found that I had no problem keeping the characters straight.

I did, however, find that some of the situations, as in Freeman’s previous book, Stalked, were a bit over-the-top. These came near the end, and these scenes read like a made for TV crime drama wanna-be. I am not complaining about that too much, because I felt that Brian Freeman crafted a strong, captivating tale about a girl – and her circle of friends – with too many secrets.

4/5 stars

[Magpie67 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading books with cold cases. I love the angles, the twists, and the clues that were never followed up on when the case was hot. A case that has detective Jonathan Stride reliving a past of family and a lost love. His wife, Cindy has passed on from cancer going on about 5 years now and before they were married, she lost her sister to a horrid crime in the woods, on July 4th. A special night that caused Cindy much grief... if only she had been there for her sister. A night that Jonny and Cindy remember as sweet and loving before chaos hit their world. So many secrets, Cindy's sister had and in a time when the truth was best left in the closet. Who murdered Cindy and why did it become a cold case? What are Tish Verdure's motives to bring it to light? True friendship or money? These are the questions being answered and the clues are leading the detectives down a path of horror. Not to mention a recent case is butting heads with the cold case. What was swept under the rug? Read the book and discover the web of lies and shame that secrets will cause, when those who stray or take bribes become part of the equation. Brilliantly written, emotionally driven from a past of un-trust and a time when bullies ruled more often than they should. Factor in the year and anything could become racially involved when the homeless are blamed. Death, suicide, murder, peeping toms, all boil down to who murdered Laura Starr.

"As she expected, the bridge was up. Hers was the fourth car in line. She parked, rolled down her window to let in a humid breeze, and picked up a paperback by Louise Penny. When you lived on the Point, you were always prepared for delays at the Bridge. Serena read several more pages of Still Life, until she saw the giant ship gliding under the bridge span."

I love that Brian involves other authors into his books. Last title I read mentioned John Sandford. Awesome sauce! I can't wait to grab the next title in this series.I can't get enough of Jonny, Serena and Maggie. Great character details with flawed, realistic life mixed with their jobs. I feel like I'm part of their lives, following their footsteps and viewing the crimes first hand.

[Pisces51 · Rating 5 out of 5]

IN THE DARK [2010] By Jonathan Freeman
My Review Five Stars*****

This novel is the author’s fourth installment of his popular Jonathan Stride series featuring the likable and incorruptible homicide lieutenant from Minnesota. The plot of Book 4 features the women in his life now, namely his lover the beautiful Serena Dial and his indelible diminutive partner Maggie Bei. Dial is recovering from the psychological impact and the physically disfiguring effects of her abduction by Blue Dog in the previous novel. Bei, meanwhile, has plans to buy a condo in the city, is a newly minted millionaire as a result of her rich hubby’s murder, and is still pondering the possibility and advisability of adopting a baby. However, in this atmospheric psychological thriller the author transports us back in time to the other women in Stride’s life, most significantly his beloved Cindy, but also her beautiful sister Laura.

A stranger named Trish Verdure arrives in town and approaches Stride, Serena, and Bei one day with a shocking bit of news. The stranger, who purports to be the murdered Laura’s BFF, but also a friend of Stride’s widow Cindy, informs the trio that she is writing a nonfiction novel about Laura’s unsolved murder thirty years ago. This is particularly shocking because Cindy never confided to Jon that she had any contact with Trish whatsoever. It is even more complicated because Stride never shared with Serena any information about Cindy’s sister Laura, or her brutal murder when he and Cindy were still teenagers. Things escalate even more when Tish announces her conviction that Peter Stanhope was the killer who escaped justice. This is an unwelcome shock because Serena is on the precipice of accepting full time employment with him. Peter Stanhope is an attorney from one of Duluth’s most influential families, but more importantly, he is one of Serena’s clients as a private investigator. Stride had been oppositional to the idea of her accepting the man’s job offer, but Serena had no clue why. Tish managed to shed a floodlight on the reason for Stride’s dislike for Peter, since as an arrogant privileged teenager he had been a prime suspect in Laura’s murder. The Stanhope fortune and political connections had shielded young Peter from scrutiny, corrupted the detective in charge of the murder investigation, and was ultimately responsible for the disappearance and destruction of physical forensic evidence in the case. Stride had never been able to forget the murder of his would-be sister-in-law, and never believed that the black drifter on the beach was culpable for the crime but rather a convenient scapegoat.

In the talented hands of Freeman this profound back story quickly assumes a life of its own with carefully insinuated time jumps and the author’s ability to smoothly insert past and present perspectives of multiple characters in the storyline using third person narration. The author’s talent for rich characterization is fully manifest and his atmospheric style of writing renders the shores of Lake Superior and the beautiful scenery surrounding Duluth, Minnesota using effective descriptive prose. The vivid imagery and the author’s talent for making the reader feel like they are “right there” delivers an engaging yet truly haunting tale of depravity, sexual perversion, rage, betrayal, lust, lost love and heartbreak.

Stride and his team (including Serena who is technically a PI) re-investigate the decades old murder of Laura who was brutally beaten to death on the lonely beach and whose violent death was never solved. Stride and Maggie are simultaneously tracking a “peeping tom” on the south side of the city. He is targeting blond teenage girls and there is the fear that his behavior may escalate. The here and now looms larger when an innocent teenager falls victim to the aggressive stalking actions by their peeping tom. The team zeroes in on their target only to learn that the man has ties to the past in addition to the present rash of peeping incidents. The cornered suspect attempts suicide following his interrogation by the police, and there was concern that he would succumb to his self-inflicted injuries and take any secrets or answers with him to the grave.

The multilayered complex plot is riveting due to the fleshed-out characters who populate the story line. It pulls the reader in from the first page and the increasing momentum with its mounting psychological tension manages to keep the reader transfixed until the last page. It is enjoyable to try to guess part of the puzzle pieces while simultaneously feeling that you really don’t want the story to end because it is such an intriguing and adrenaline infused experience. Like any good murder mystery there is a host of suspects for Stride to sift through in the brutal beating death of Laura. It gradually becomes obvious to Stride that his wife Cindy had kept many secrets from him during their relationship which fosters feelings of anger and betrayal of trust.

Freeman’s Jonathan Stride series is truly special in that it is just plain addicting. The writing is exceptional and the plots are complex and compelling. The atmospherics and the rich characterization cannot be praised enough in my opinion. In keeping with this series from its beginning, the sexual overtones and undercurrents are present and unapologetic. The sexual energy is palpable at times and this book series is clearly written for mature audiences. That is perhaps something that could be said of most crime fiction today I suppose. It is just a fact that sex is as much a character in the Jonathan Stride series as the atmospherics or the crimes that are being investigated. It is interwoven so intricately and realistically that it simply exists as an element of the plot. The one caveat is that Freeman doesn’t demonstrate any reluctance whatsoever in tackling some exceptionally dark and deviant sexual material which may turn off even the most open minded and enlightened readers of crime fiction. I considered for the first time that his Stride series may not be for the “faint of heart” which is a phrase usually reserved for explicit horrific and graphically depicted violence. In this case it refers to an especially sickening and despicable thread involving child abuse. That said, I was successful in guessing the identity of the murderer, but I was woefully naïve when ascribing the motive. It was far, far darker than I had even imagined. That was fine because the bread crumbs were there. However, while it is only a minor criticism the “final twist” that came at the end (which was not directly related to the murder mystery) was more disappointing to me than shocking, i.e., “Really? You had to go THERE?” versus “Well, I would NEVER have figured on that being the case!” I felt like it was one perverted twist too many, and it seemed like the novel was “over plotted” if that is possible.

Finally, Freeman cemented my loyalty as a fan before I even started the Stride series. In my opinion he is an outstanding and truly gifted author. Thus far, I love his books featuring Stride and the constellation of colorful characters that populate his universe. I think it was Gillian Flynn (“Gone Girl”) who first described Karin Slaughter’s style as “writing with a razor”. In respect to Brian Freeman’s Stride novels, he writes with a ball peen hammer and with this one it might be advantageous to have an anti-emetic at the ready.

[Matt Schiariti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian Freeman's Jonothan Stride novels are quickly becoming my favorite on going series. His deftness at writing engaging characters, broaching adult subjects without going overboard, and mixing wonderfully interesting plots with great twists and turns is really hard to beat.

Stride loved his late wife Cindy fiercely. Thirty years ago events happened in their lives that would change them both forever, especially Stride. As it happens, on the first night Stride and Cindy decide to take their relationship to the next level, something dreadful happens; the brutal murder of Cindy's older sister Laura. These are not only events that would decide Stride's career path, but would also come back to haunt him in his present life.

Turn the page to today and someone from Cindy and Laura's past comes back to town in the form of Laura's best high school friend, Tish. Tish is writing a book. 'Who really killed Laura Starr'. Tish's arrival in town after nearly three decades will make Stride question everything he thought about that fateful night when his would-be sister in law was murdered out in the cold woods as well as how well he thought he knew his late wife.

As if that weren't enough, a series of peeping tom incidents have occurred in their jurisdiction and none other than Maggie Bei lands the case.

This is a fantastic look into some of Strides earlier years and some of the events that shaped him into the character that he's become over these four novels. As with any Stride novel, just when you think you have the mystery solved and the culprit picked out, Freeman pulls the rug out from under you. The thing that makes it so satisfying though is that Freeman never makes it cheap or out of the blue. It always makes sense and is completely plausible.

I can't recommend In the Dark or Brian Freeman's body of work as a whole enough. Just Grade A fantastic writing. With another novel right around the corner, color me excited!

[Scott Rhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brian Freeman's fourth book to feature detectives Jonathon Stride and Serena Dial, "In the Dark", is another great suspenseful read. In this one, Stride must re-open old wounds about his late wife, Cindy, who died of cancer, when one of her high school friends comes back into town. Tish Verdure has returned to write a book about the murder of Cindy's older sister, Laura, who was murdered when Stride and Cindy were in high school. The case was never officially solved, although an African-American vagrant nicknamed Dada was considered by most townspeople (including the police) to be the main, and most convenient, suspect. Unfortunately, Dada disappeared soon after the murder. Stride and Dial begin to dig deeper, and what they find is a town full of secrets and cover-ups. As always, Freeman's story is strongly character-driven, with characters that are richly-conceived and extremely real. Freeman is excellent at giving his characters motives for everything they do. You almost feel sorry for some of the criminals and, at the very least, understand why they do what they do.