Die Stimme in dir (Ein Frost-Easton-Thriller 2)

Frost Easton #2

by Brian Freeman, Peter Groth (Translator)

So düster wie die Nebelschwaden in San Francisco: ein intensiver Psychothriller über einen skrupellosen Serienkiller.

Sieben Frauen, grauenvoll ermordet, ohne jegliche Verbindung zueinander. Vor vier Jahren kam der Serienmörder Rudy Cutter dafür lebenslänglich hinter Gitter. Doch Mordkommissar Frost Easton von der San Francisco Police, dessen Schwester tragischerweise zu den Opfern gehört, ist gezwungen, eine fatale Lüge aufzudecken: Eine Kollegin hat Cutter ein falsches Beweismittel untergeschoben, um ihn dingfest zu machen. Cutter kommt frei, doch Easton setzt alles daran, ihn auf legalem Weg zu überführen, um weitere Morde zu verhindern.

In der Journalistin Eden Shay findet er eine Verbündete, denn sie hat sich für ihr Buchprojekt intensiv mit Cutter beschäftigt und weiß mehr über ihn als jeder andere. Doch die Zeit drängt. Vor allem da Cutter nach der Zeit im Gefängnis auf Rache sinnt ...

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

416 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 16, 2018

About the author

Brian Freeman is a New York Times bestselling author of psychological thrillers, including the Jonathan Stride series and multiple popular stand-alones. His books have been sold in 46 countries and 24 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 he has since published eight bestselling Bourne novels.

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

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Brian Freeman has written better. 4 of 10 stars

[Linda Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Homicide Detective Frost Eastman has to make a decision that will end one cop's career and put a serial killer of women, including Frost's own sister, back out on the streets free to kill again ...and again...and again.

Frost wants Rudy Cutter put away again ... only all the old evidence has been thrown out by the courts. It's like starting at the very beginning .. and Frost wants nothing more than to see this killer brought to justice..dead or alive.

Staying ahead of this brutal killer will not be easy, especially as Frost is still battling his own demons that have been present since his sister was killed. Shack seems to be the only one that can console him ... and he's a furry four-legged cat.

While the first book is this series, THE NIGHT BIRD, was outstanding, this one is even better. And even though it's not the first, it does well as a stand-alone, but as always, I recommend starting at the beginning.

One of the first things readers learn about Frost is that he is known as a boy scout within his law enforcement family. He will always choose to do the right thing, He is dedicated to his job and will always seek the truth to bring justice to the victims and their families.

The reader knows from the beginning who the killer is .. which doesn't take away at all from the high level of suspense these characters bring. All the characters are very well developed, from his family all the way to the killer. They come to life under this author's manipulations. The story premise is excellent. And the ending is explosive and totally unexpected.

Many, many thanks to the author / Thomas & Mercer / Netgalley for the advance digital copy of this extremely well-written book. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a voice inside of you
That whispers all day long,
"I feel this is right for me,
I know that this is wrong."
No teacher, preacher, parent, friend
Or wise man can decide
What's right for you--just listen to
The voice that speaks inside.” - Shel Silverstein

After having read nine of Brian Freeman’s Jonathan Stride thrillers, most of which are set in Duluth, Minnesota, it is quite an adjustment for me to switch to San Francisco and Inspector Frost Easton. The Voice Inside is the second of the series featuring this introverted bachelor cop who lives in a mansion that is technically owned by a cat. Yup, a tuxedo cat named Shack lived in the Russian Hill home with an elderly woman who died. She left the home to a person who could live there with the stipulation that Shack stayed. Frost and Shack have since bonded and have become quite a pair. In fact, Shack has a rather significant role in this book.
Four years after a serial killer was sentenced to prison for life, Easton receives a strange message. He learns that planted evidence was responsible for the arrest of the killer. Now he is faced with a choice: hide the truth or risk setting a killer free. What makes the dilemma excruciatingly difficult is that one of the victims was his sister.

Of course, Frost makes the right choice and must deal with the consequences – the disdain of the victims’ families and the pain and anger of his own relatives, his mother and brother in particular. The killer, a tormented man named Rudy Cutter, immediately taunts Easton, and the game of cat-and-mouse begins because they both know that Cutter will strike again.

Things get more complicated when a writer named Eden Shay enters the picture. She claims to have amassed copious amounts of information on Cutter and his victims and offers to share with Frost. It’s obvious that she wants more than just an exchange of information, however. She’s attractive and seductive. Will Frost cooperate?

We get to know Frost Easton much better in this second book. We learn how he got his name, Frost. We find that he is a man of principle. He is a good cop who seems to prefer to work alone. He is careful with his feelings and with others’ feelings as well. He loves his brother and his parents, and he misses his sister. He also values his privacy and his time with Shack. He wonders if there is a special “Jane Doe” out there for him. Perhaps there is, but does she belong to someone else?
As a cop, Easton works tirelessly to find the answers to put a killer back where he belongs and to protect those he cares about, and to honor the memory of those who are gone. There is one big twist. Oh, wow! Something felt off, but I didn’t realize how far off!

In the end, Frost proved to me that he is someone worth caring about. I’m looking forward to seeing what he does in the next book, The Crooked Street .

4.5 rounded to 5 stars

[Tulay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book.

Story started with the new evidence found that let the serial killer out of the prison. One cop's lie put him there. Frost Eaton's sister was killed by this evil person, but he had to testify about the planted evidence. Australian true crime writer wants his help, in turn she will help him to find the evidence to put serial killer back where he belongs! Frost Eaton is good about listening his inner voice most of the time. Ending was shocking, be careful you might scream. Loved the cat Shack.

[Cheryl James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder Mystery Thrillers are not really my choice of books to read but this was a powerful story that is so relevant in today's society. This book gave me a little insight of a killers thoughts and passion. I was proud of myself for actually identifying some of the clues and piecing together a part of the puzzle.

[Karl Jorgenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Freeman fills in scenes as well as anyone, with only a 20% helping of over-writing. He structures the story well, jumping from action to action, building the mystery and the investigation until things collide in a spectacular way. My objection to his Easton series is always related to foundation. Here, like the first book, the crazy-obsessed serial killer is as omniscient and all-powerful as any James Bond villain. It's not realistic and makes me lose interest. Piled on top of this, the premise for this book is that Frost Easton discovers the serial killer Rudy, who killed seven women, including Frost's sister, was convicted and sent to prison partially on false evidence. What does Frost do? He helps the serial killer get out of prison. Well, you know. We can't break rules. I absolutely can't accept this. As the serial killer resumes murdering, people keep telling Frost he did the right thing. What's the saying? Better ten innocent people should be murdered, than one rule of justice be broken? No, I don't think that's the saying. It's a ludicrous premise and didn't have to be there: the serial killer could have been released for other reasons, reasons not the result of Easton's actions.
Anyway, it's a taut mystery, well told, once you get past the unbelievable premise.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second book in the Frost Easton series is just plain excellent. I loved everything about it: the characters, the plot, the suspense, the pacing, some romance.

Frost is a great character. He’s introverted, haunted by his sister's murder, and does not enjoy being with people. He listens to the voice inside because he's an honest cop.

The premise of this book involves some new evidence that causes the court to release a serial killer after four years of incarceration. Rudy Cutter is a damaged individual, smart and determined not to go back inside, and dangerous.

Brian Freeman has a winner with this book, and I’m very eager for a third book!

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Voice Inside is book two in the Frost Easton series by Brian Freeman. Frost Easton was woken from sleep by a noise in the house and got out of bed to investigate. Frost Easton found a postcard with an address that was familiar to him attached to his front door by a knife with a message. Frost Easton decided to go for a drive to find out answers. However, what he found out would rock his world and everyone around him. The readers of The Voice Inside will continue to follow Frost Easton investigation to find out what happens.

The Voice Inside is another excellent book by Brian Freeman. I like the way, Brian Freeman, inserted the twists and turned in the story. Brian Freeman did a fantastic job of ensuring that I did not guess the ending of The Voice Inside. I love Brian Freeman portrayal of his characters and the way they intertwine with each other. The Voice Inside is well written and researched by Brian Freeman. I like Brian Freeman descriptions of his settings and how the settings enhance the plot of The Voice Inside.

The readers of The Voice Inside will see how law enforcement officers continuously investigate a cold case to find the killer. Also, the readers of The Voice Inside will learn the importance, and the role of crime victims support groups.

I recommend this book.

[Sam (Clues and Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It isn’t often that the sophomore book in a series keeps me as captivated as the first book. I always feel like it is hard for an author to keep their momentum, build up a character and provide enough back story to push the story forward into a third book. Generally, I dread moving on to book two because I know that I often am left disappointed. The Voice Inside, by Brian Freeman, is the second book in Frost Easton series (the first being The Night Bird- you can check out my review HERE). I was worried going into this novel since I LOVED The Night Bird and didn’t know if Brian Freeman could keep me as captivated throughout this novel.

Not only could he keep me captivated but I actually thought The Voice Inside was more amazing than the first book. Freeman truly outdid himself with Book 2 in this series.

Once again, we meet Frost Easton who finds himself facing a moral dilemma after he uncovers that one of his colleagues planted evidence to convict the serial killer responsible for the death of his sister. Forced to reveal the truth, his sister’s killer is once again on the street and Frost must make sure he ends up back behind bars.

I really love Frost Easton and I found that I was able to get to know him even better in this novel. Characterization is truly Freeman’s strong suit and Easton becomes a truly memorable character. I love his moral compass and his damaged nature. It truly makes for a complex and interesting protagonist.

The story itself was also incredibly intriguing. Filled with twists and turns, I was on the edge of my seat as Freeman weaved this tale. This one had me up late into the night trying to figure out where everything would go and how all the pieces to the puzzle would fit together. I am pleased to report that end shocked me; it came completely out of left field. I love when a book does that.

The novel ended in a way that left me feeling satisfied but also left it open for Freeman to continue. I really hope he does. I would love some more of this series.

Overall, if you like police procedural novels, the Frost Easton series is absolutely one that should be added to your TBR pile. You will not regret it.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great second book in the Frost Easton series. This book is definitely not a let down from the first book, The Night Bird, if anything it may even be better (and I thought The Night Bird was fantastic). Frost Easton carries some baggage, but he is a decent, honorable man. I think the reader gets more of an insight into understanding Frost in this book. He describes himself as an introvert, but oh what a loveable introvert he is.
This book has several surprises that literally had me on the edge of my seat. Brian Freeman has such an easy way of creating interesting, believable characters. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long for another Frost thriller.

[Alex Cantone · Rating 4 out of 5]

With each in-and-out rumble of the surf, (Frost) also heard Rudy Cutter’s voice in his head: Tick tock. It was like Cutter was throwing down a challenge at him to stop what came next. The time on the clock was already counting down to another murder…

In another stylish (and gruesome) psychological thriller, San Francisco detective Frost Easton is drawn into a bizarre cat and mouse game with the serial killer who killed his own sister, Katie, six years earlier. It opens with an intruder at Russian Hill home he shares with Shack the cat (Shack’s elderly owner was murdered and the house rented to Frost for a peppercorn rent in return for caring for the cat) – setting off clocks and alarms, leaving a taunt of would you live with a lie?

The killer’s modus operandi is to pick young women, seemingly at random, stalk and cut the throats, and place the previous victim’s watch on the wrist, the time set at 3:42. After the seventh victim, Frost’s superior Lieutenant Jess Salceda, made several unsuccessful searches of the suspect’s home for the victim's own watch - and outsmarts the killer by planting an exact copy. With the truth revealed, Jess is stood down and a civil liberties judge orders the man’s release from San Quentin, to start his murder spree afresh.

Over the years Jess had built up a sizable amount of evidence against the killer, to help Frost uncover a pattern to the killings, and prevent other women meeting the same fate, and he is approached by Australian writer Eden Shay, herself once a victim of violence, who has investigated the “Golden Gate Killings” with view to writing a true-crime book. But can she be trusted?

“She approached me a long time ago with the same proposal,” Jess told him. “We had just found Natasha Lubin, the third victim. Shay wanted to ‘embed’ with me. Be a silent observer of the whole investigation. A fly on the wall. In return, she’d give me copies of her research and interviews.”
“What did you say?”
“She’ll make your whole life an open book. You may not like what she writes.”

Wow! After a fairly slow start this one really takes off, the killer using his drunken brother as a foil to dodge police surveillance, and subterfuge to home in on his next victim. The story switches between killer (and the events that triggered his actions) and Frost, facing up to his own parents and relatives of the other victims as he seeks to find a link. As the story progresses the reader is willing the next victim to “answer your goddamned phone”.

This is the second in the series but works as a standalone as various relationships are sketched without getting bogged down in detail. Author Brian Freeman uses his knowledge of San Francisco to good effect, almost a character in itself.

Verdict: up there among the better thrillers I have read..

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Außergewöhnlich guter Thriller mit interessanten Charakteren und überraschenden Wendungen. Rasant, nervenaufreibend, mitreißend.

Rudy Cutter wurde wegen Mordes an sieben Frauen verhaftet, unter ihnen auch die Schwester des Polizisten Frost Easton. Und jetzt lässt er Frost wissen, dass Beweise manipuliert wurden. Weil Frost das tut was richtig ist, auch wenn er damit falsch liegt. Auch wenn er damit seine beste Freundin und Vorgesetzte Jess vernichtet und den Mörder seiner kleinen Schwester frei lässt und die Familien der Opfer gegen sich aufbringt. Auch Seine.

Er verbündet sich mit der Journalistin, die mehr über Cutter weiß als jeder Andere, um ihn legal zu überführen. Aber die hat eine seltsame Verbindung zu Cutter, der Rache will und ein perfides Spiel mit Frost spielt.

Man weiß von Beginn wer der Täter ist, bekommt Einblick in seine Psyche und seine Geschichte, begleitet seine Suche nach dem nächsten Opfer.
Das ist mal was Anderes und es gibt dabei so viele offene Fragen, dass es nach dem Gänsehaut-Start mitreißt und von Anfang bis Ende spannend zu lesen ist.

Die Einblicke in die Abgründe der menschlichen Psyche, die ständige Frage "Wie krank ist das denn", gute, unterhaltsame Dialoge und Wendungen, die man so nicht kommen sieht.
Dazu ist Frost ein wirklich guter Typ, der bei seiner Katze wohnt und dessen innerer Konflikt das Richtige zu tun ein großer Aspekt ist. Aber sein Geschmack bei Frauen ist furchtbar. Jess war mir schon nicht sympathisch, bei Eden war ich direkt misstrauisch und die Gute ist dann tabu.

Der zweite Teil der Reihe um Frost Easton begeistert mich genauso wie der Erste. Definitiv eine der Reihen, die mehr Aufmerksamkeit verdient hätte. Brian Freeman schreibt so, dass es Spaß macht zu lesen. Auch wenn er es mit Beziehungsdreiecken hat, was nicht jedes Mal sein müsste.

[LJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Sentence: Frost Easton felt a shiver in the house, which jolted him from a deep sleep. He assumed it was the beginning of an earthquake.

Rudy Cutter is serving a life sentence for the murders of several young women, including the sister of homicide detective Frost Easton. Now Easton learns his boss, and former lover, Jess, planted the evidence which got Cutter convicted. The original case is completely thrown out, Easton’s friend is fired, and Cutter back on the street to kill again. Frost is determined to stop Cutter and reporter-turned-writer Eden Shay wants to help.

This is the way to start a book. No prologue. The story begins on the very first page. The scene is created, and one knows exactly where it’s set. There is a suggestion of threat which grows quickly until even as a reader, you nearly jump from the sense of danger being revealed, and the knowledge that it is only the beginning.

Freeman knows how to create a strong sense of place—“Painted murals adorned the massive columns of the freeway overpass.., Behind a metal fence, he saw the concrete ramps of a skateboard park…”. For those who live, or spent time, in the San Francisco/Bay Area, the local references--"He parked his police Suburban in the empty lot where buses normally unloaded tourists to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. ... For tourists, this was the symbol of San Francisco. For the locals, it was just a bridge."--are a wonderful touch, but they don’t overwhelm or slow down the pace of the story.

Freeman also excels at the well-executed plot twist; the ones you feel you should have seen coming, but didn’t. He also created excellent “what would you do” scenarios.

The argument about--“the line." The line between going by the book and taking shortcut. It was a line that every cop faced sooner or later, when he had to decide if the end justified the means. Sometimes doing the right thing meant a criminal going free. Sometimes doing the wrong thing saved lives." It is a point which gives one something about which to seriously think. The title of the book is taken from the poem of the same name by Shel Silverstein.

The book’s plot is interesting in that there is no question as to the identity of the killer, and he is not a sympathetic character; no anti-hero here. But there is also more here than we expect.

Frost is a well-developed character; thought of as a “Boy Scout” by fellow cops. One thing that is rather questionable is the freedom he has. We never see him going into headquarters, rarely working with a team, or working more than one case. Frost is taken by his own good looks and ease of attracting women. Fortunately, at the end, we feel he may be maturing. His chef-brother, Duane, is a wonderful bit of lightness and his girl-friend Tabby, fits in the middle. We do so hope Freeman doesn’t take the stereotypical-relationship route with these characters, but it seems that may be avoided. Eden Shay, the writer, is a bit predictable but still steps outside that role. Comparing Easton’s former-lover Jess to a track of music is fascinating.

“The Voice Inside” is a step ahead in this series with an intense plot a dramatic climax and follow-on, and a well-done conclusion.

THE VOICE INSIDE (Pol Proc-Frost Easton-San Francisco, CA-Contemp) – VG+
Freeman, Brian – 2nd in series
Thomas & Mercer – January 2017

[Fanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one thrilling story, no doubt!

The Voice Inside is the second in series that centres around Frost Easton, though I didn’t find it any less as a standalone. The story does use the previous book’s plot as a pusher but that doesn’t stop it from exploring it’s own story. Years ago, Frost’s sister, Katie, had been killed by a serial killer who was later imprisoned for his crimes. But he’s stepping out of prison now and seeking revenge.

The book fairs well in terms of twists as they are perfectly paced and erupt at all the right places. A few do make the characters take a steep turn and excites me as a reader, but the ending one didn’t impress me much for the over-the-top revelation that it tried to build up. Of course, I’m trying to avoid spoilers here which is why I’m being so vague, apologies! Basically, it’s a chase between Cutter, the culprit, and Frost, the homicide inspector and all this while, there’s one question hanging in the —why was Katie murdered when she didn’t even fit the pattern of this serial killing?

In terms of thrilling, this was on-point! I can’t emphasise enough on how stirring the events are especially with the fast-paced narration it’s associated with. Right from the opening scene, there’s hard pounding on the door, a news that slips off the ground from under Frost’s feet, and alarms going off around his house with 3:42 a.m. scheduled on them all. Throughout this chase, there’s a rush that makes it a quick but thrilling ride. The only thing that kinda let me down was the character development—there was enough but nothing to make me remember them forever. This might be correlated to my lack of previous instalment's knowledge so that’s something I won’t go in-depth but for me, it might be the reason for deducting one star.

I would recommend this to all those who are looking for a thrilling, action-packed crime fiction that doesn’t let your adrenaline rush go down even a notch.

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this book via Netgalley but that in no way influences my rating and/or opinions about it. Thank you Thomas and Mercer and Brian Freeman!

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[Teresa Peters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time to move on

When does the Pope officially announces Frost as the newest saint? And then to have everyone pat him the back for "doing the right thing", what a farce. At no time does Frost get any serious blowback from anyone. Frost nor does anyone else acknowledges that he was partially responsible for three deaths. The ending became predictable about half through. I believe Frost and I have come to the proverbial fork in the road.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t like this as much as the first in the series. Good but not great.

[Petra · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Night Bird, book 1 in the Frost Easton series, was good. This sequel was excellent. Good character development. Frost, in particular, is such an interesting character and different from the standard book detectives. There were some exciting twists that I didn't see coming at all. Great suspense building and an original story line, and I loved the cat! I'm looking forward to book 3!

[Valleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this twisty-turny book! Homicide Detective Frost Eastman has to make a very tough choice: to keep what he has learned to himself and keep everyone safe, or do the right thing, end a friend's career, and set a killer free. The tension in this story is well developed from beginning to end. Cutter is a creepy, conniving, cruel killer. Frost is a real, conflicted hero. I think the only thing I struggled with was the fact that Frost kept sharing facts about the case with journalist Eden Shay, and even had her stay with him. It stretched plausibility a bit too far for me. I adored Frost's cat, Shack, as well as his street artist friend, Herb, and I'm eager to read #3 in the series!

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frost Easton lost his younger sister to a serial killer four years ago. Frost became a homicide inspector to fight foes like killer Rudy Cutter. But someone sneaks into Frost’s home to make him follow evidence that his best friend on the force, Jen, planted the piece of evidence that sent Cutter to jail. Frost struggles with the evidence: should he bury it or turn it in to his chief? When the truth is revealed Cutter is back on the streets and Jen is off the force.

Although the police try to follow Cutter he slips away and soon death stalks Frost and his friends. Frost gets help from author Eden Shay who suffered her own trauma as a young woman and is writing a true crime story about Cutter and his victims. Cutter seems to be one step ahead as Frost tries to find enough untainted evidence to put Cutter back behind bars.

The tension in this story is well developed from beginning to end. Cutter is a creepy, conniving, cruel killer. Frost is a real, conflicted hero and I liked his honest character as he tries to listen to the quiet voice inside. The writing is direct and moves along well. I enjoyed the twists in each chapter that keep it interesting all the way to the big twist at the end. I didn’t read the first book and this one read fine as a standalone. I may want to pick that title up. I recommend this to readers who like a well-written psychological thriller.

This is a very engaging detective mystery. I received this through NetGalley.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of The Voice Inside, the second novel to feature Inspector Frost Easton of the San Francisco Police.

Frost is an honourable man so when he is led to evidence that proves his boss and on/off lover, Jess Salcedo, planted the evidence that led to the conviction of Rudy Cutter, the serial killer who killed, among others, Frost's sister Katy he is conflicted but finally reports it. Not many people are happy with him as Cutter wins his freedom, not just to live life but to continue his "work".

I thoroughly enjoyed The Voice Inside. It is the first Frost Easton novel I have read although I have been reading the Jonathan Stride novels for years (so many books, so little time!). The novel grabbed me from the start with a creepy break-in at Frost's house and held me throughout. I love the premise of a guilty man, and there is no ambiguity in this, being freed on a technicality and the ensuing cat and mouse game as Frost tries to catch legally. The twists come thick and fast as Cutter goes about his business and Frost trails behind before finally catching up. I'm not sure about the final twist as, while it makes for great reading and is a real surprise, it seems a bit farfetched.

Throughout the novel there is the shadow of trauma with Cutter being a damaged individual. On the other hand Frost lost his sister and Eden Shay, who is writing a true crime novel on the case and helps him with her notes, was held captive and left for dead when younger. What makes one person a killer and the other uphold the law? It's not a question Mr Freeman explores in depth but it hovers in the background asking to be examined.

I like the linear timeline in the novel which moves along at a brisk pace, rarely pausing and always relevant. The third person narrative is mostly from Frost's point of view with the occasional foray into Rudy Cutter's thoughts and actions. I'm not always a big fan of this approach but it works well here, giving the reader an insight into Cutter's thought processes without over egging it.

The Voice Inside is a good, straightforward read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this was an okay thriller, it disappointed me for a few reasons. The first is that I'm a big fan of Brian Freeman's Jonathan Stride series. The Easton Frost series almost seems to be written by a different, sadly inferior, writer. That's not to say the Frost books are bad--they're just not up to the standard set by the Stride series. The latter books have great, very flawed characters, impressively detailed and gritty settings, and plotlines that are wildly inventive, edgy and suspenseful. This series comes off, by comparison, as mediocre. Frost, other than having a cat for landlord, is kind of blah--and too good to be true. In this book, he's almost too good for his own--and the world's good--his self-righteousness results in three deaths. Sometimes, the moral high road is not the best route to take on the way to doing what's right. Still, I give Freeman kudo for a provocative premise and making us think about good and evil. I also knocked stars off for a rather predictable plot and giving us characters that it was really hard to care about. If you're new to Brian Freeman, my advice: stick to his Jonathan Stride books, which are far superior.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5 star read by one of my favorite living American authors and my number one recommended author globally.

This series is one of the biggest reasons on why I love Amazon Publishing so much. Frost Easton has all the quality and content of Jonathan Stride without the Big 5 Publishing House prices attached. Once my crazy life allowed me to sit down and read, this book sucked me in and flew by until the final page. Brian Freeman has an uncanny knack to never let characters get stale and Frost Easton is definitely following the same path. Now, the withdrawal of knowing I have to wait a couple of months for the next Stride novel to hit.

When I look at the reason I started IndiePicks magazine, it was specifically for this type of situation.

[Enrico Tassinari · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have never thought to be disappointed by a Brian Freeman's novel. I love his Duluth serie, actually one of my favourite, and Freeman is an heck of a writer. But this SF serie (this is the 2nd book, and the first wasn't any better) is completely out of his standard. The main plot is unconceivable, the characters act in the most irrational ways, the clues are farfetched and some facts are inconsistent. Moreover the novel is full of cliches. In all this mess, Brian Freeman remains a great writer and makes you read the novel to its last line. But I would have never got myself in Duluth serie if I've read this serie first.

[knizny.semafor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pokračovanie série s detektívom Frostom Eastonom ma príjemne prekvapilo. V podstate som po prečítaní prvej časti Nočný vták nemala v pláne pokračovať, pretože až tak veľmi ma neoslovil a ani detektív a la Justin Timberlake ma veľmi neohúril. Ale osud chcel, aby som zmenila názor a ja ho pri tejto časti veľmi rada aj zmením k lepšiemu.

Tentokrát to bude osobné. Frost bude mať dočinenia s vrahom vlastnej sestry a veru nebude ho tento psychopat šetriť ani tentokrát. Lebo čo zastaví sériového vraha, ktorý stratil zmysel života a vraždí už len z chorej pomsty? Asi len guľka do čela (žiaden spoiler, len osobný názor).

Postavy mi v tomto prípade tiež celkovo viac sadli. Možno autor na ich psychológií lepšie zapracoval alebo som jednoducho len menej uhundraná, no neprekážalo mi ich správanie, dokonca ma autor v závere knihy prekvapil zvratom, ktorý som tam už nečakala.

Ak máte radi detektívky resp. americké trilery o sériových vrahoch, Vnútorný hlas je veľmi dobrá voľba, kde nejde o odhalenie identity páchateľa, skôr o jeho prefíkanosť a dokazovanie viny. Hoci, ako som už spomínala, záver vás možno nečakane prekvapí.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

With this book we really got to know Frost better, to learn the rigid moral code he lives by, which caused quite a bit of trouble. I was so torn at the start, not sure that I would have made the same choice Frost did when he learned of the planted evidence. It really made me admire Frost for the hard road he took, especially with this close personal connection to the man that was freed.

I hated the way that Rudy taunted Frost, that it seemed like he knew more that Frost did. Frost did a great job of keeping up, often time surprising Rudy with how close he was to him. I really hated the last bomb that Rudy managed to pull on Frost, but Frost was more than up to dealing with it.

There were times that Frost didn't make good choices with the women in his life, one very obvious, but it's the one at the very end that had possibilities to really cause damage and Frost will have no one to blame but himself.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second installment in Brian Freeman’s Frost Easton series and is a suspense filled thrill ride. The Golden Gate killer held the San Francisco area in terror for several years before he was finally caught and convicted. Now, several years later, Frost is given a watch belonging to one of the victims. The same watch had been “discovered “ in the killer’s home and was the key piece of evidence leading to his arrest. Frost is forced to turn it in and reveal that his former partner had planted it. As a result, the conviction is thrown out and the killer is released from jail. As horrifying as this is, it is extra painful for Frost whose younger sister, Katie, was one of the victims. His quest to reopen the investigation and catch the killer before he strikes again makes for a rollicking, exciting read!

[Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: THE VOICE INSIDE by Brian Freeman (Frost Easton #2)

A nonstop race, vividly in-your-face, police procedural plus mystery, THE VOICE INSIDE is also a meditation on ethics, morality, and integrity, and an excavation of the deepest of human emotions. The title reflects a Shel Silverstein title, but it also spotlights the obligation of each thinking human to recognize and adhere to her or his own ethics. This is the second in the series starring San Francisco native and homicide detective Frost Easton, but it can be read as is also.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drove me nuts with anger, but might just be the best Freeman's book I've read up to date.

[Barca L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opat vyborna kniha od tohto autora. Niekedy staci osudova udalost na to, aby sa z pohodoveho cloveka stal seriovy vrah.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the first book in the series better.

I had mentioned the first book lagged here and there and the same thing happened in this one at around the same turn in the plot so that was disappointing.

I’m on to read the third book in the series, so let’s see how that all goes.