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Shelby Lake #1
The Deep, Deep Snow
In an intense, emotional mystery that spans a decade in the life of a small town, bestselling author Brian Freeman brings us an unforgettable heroine who discovers that the dead may sometimes be easier to rescue than the living.
Deputy Shelby Lake was abandoned as a baby, saved by a stranger who found her in the freezing cold. Now, years later, a young boy is missing—and Shelby is the one who must rescue a child. The only evidence of what happened to ten-year-old Jeremiah Sloan is a bicycle left behind on a lonely road.
After a desperate search fails to locate him, the close bonds of Shelby’s hometown begin to fray under the weight of accusations and suspicion. Everyone around her is keeping secrets. Her adoptive father, her best friend, her best friend’s young daughter—they all have something to hide. Even Shelby is concealing a mistake that could jeopardize her career and her future.
Unearthing the lies of the people in Jeremiah’s life doesn’t get the police and the FBI any closer to finding him. As time passes and the case grows cold, Shelby worries that the mystery will stay buried forever under the deep, deep snow.
But even the deepest snow melts in the spring. When a tantalizing clue finally comes to light, Shelby must confront the darkest lie of all. Exposing the truth about Jeremiah will leave no one’s life untouched—including her own.
Deputy Shelby Lake was abandoned as a baby, saved by a stranger who found her in the freezing cold. Now, years later, a young boy is missing—and Shelby is the one who must rescue a child. The only evidence of what happened to ten-year-old Jeremiah Sloan is a bicycle left behind on a lonely road.
After a desperate search fails to locate him, the close bonds of Shelby’s hometown begin to fray under the weight of accusations and suspicion. Everyone around her is keeping secrets. Her adoptive father, her best friend, her best friend’s young daughter—they all have something to hide. Even Shelby is concealing a mistake that could jeopardize her career and her future.
Unearthing the lies of the people in Jeremiah’s life doesn’t get the police and the FBI any closer to finding him. As time passes and the case grows cold, Shelby worries that the mystery will stay buried forever under the deep, deep snow.
But even the deepest snow melts in the spring. When a tantalizing clue finally comes to light, Shelby must confront the darkest lie of all. Exposing the truth about Jeremiah will leave no one’s life untouched—including her own.
Audible Audio
First published June 20, 2019
561 people are currently reading
6869 people want to read
About the author
Brian Freeman
74 books3,076 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).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,054 reviews
January 17, 2020
I took a chance after seeing positive reviews for this on both Audible and GR.
Shelby Lake is a deputy in a small town police department. Her adoptive father is the sheriff. Abandoned as a baby on her now father’s doorsteps, Shelby is a believer in signs. A ten year old boy has gone missing and it quickly becomes apparent that the townsfolk are keeping secrets. Even Shelby.
The narrative style is first personal and includes Shelby speaking directly to the reader. Normally, that might annoy me but here, it worked as I felt it drew me in further.
The author throws in several red herrings, one quite humorous one. He also makes the tale more meaningful as Shelby’s dad is suffering from early onset dementia while still trying to hold down his position as sheriff.
In addition to a well paced mystery that had me guessing for the entire story, the characters are rich and relatable. Freeman does a particularly good job handling the sheriff’s dementia and Shelby’s attempts to deal with it.
January LaVoy is the narrator and I was really pleased with her performance.
September 7, 2019
I bought this audible original after seeing some positive reviews on goodreads and audible. I was in the mood for a thriller and was not disappointed!
The Story
Shelby Lake is a police officer in a small town. The Sheriff, her adopted father, discovered her at his front door as a newborn baby and raised her as his own.
All is quiet in the town until one day, a 10-year-old boy goes missing and it is clear that everyone in the town is keeping secrets...
My Thoughts
Well, what a great audiobook! It was so well written.
The characters were rich and relatable. They all had flaws and it was a lot of fun trying to unravel their secrets.
There were so many twists and turns. I am generally really good at figuring out the mysteries in thrillers, but there were so many interwoven parts to this one that although I did suspect some of it, I was majorly surprised with the majority, and I LOVE that!
I only had a few issues with it, one of them trivial. The romance. Where was it? I just find it so hard to believe that Shelby is so dedicated to her father that she wouldn't let ANYONE in. But my major issue was one of the mysteries. Without spoiling it, one of the pivotal mysteries in the whole book gets a few teasers and then is left unsolved. It was so utterly frustrating and nearly ruined the whole experience for me.
What Did I Think of the Audio Version?
I loved the narrator. She was one of the best narrators I have heard do a thriller in a while! Anyone who has read my reviews of audio books know that I am not the biggest fan of female narrators when they are doing thrillers and portraying male characters. However, she was AMAZING! I could have listened to her forever.
Would I recommend The Deep Deep Snow?
Yes, despite the above, it was a really good who-done-it! I really enjoyed all the layers to the story and characters. I think if you are new to audiobooks and like thrillers, this is a great place to start! Highly recommended!
For more reviews check out my:
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The Story
Shelby Lake is a police officer in a small town. The Sheriff, her adopted father, discovered her at his front door as a newborn baby and raised her as his own.
All is quiet in the town until one day, a 10-year-old boy goes missing and it is clear that everyone in the town is keeping secrets...
My Thoughts
Well, what a great audiobook! It was so well written.
The characters were rich and relatable. They all had flaws and it was a lot of fun trying to unravel their secrets.
There were so many twists and turns. I am generally really good at figuring out the mysteries in thrillers, but there were so many interwoven parts to this one that although I did suspect some of it, I was majorly surprised with the majority, and I LOVE that!
I only had a few issues with it, one of them trivial. The romance. Where was it? I just find it so hard to believe that Shelby is so dedicated to her father that she wouldn't let ANYONE in. But my major issue was one of the mysteries. Without spoiling it, one of the pivotal mysteries in the whole book gets a few teasers and then is left unsolved. It was so utterly frustrating and nearly ruined the whole experience for me.
What Did I Think of the Audio Version?
I loved the narrator. She was one of the best narrators I have heard do a thriller in a while! Anyone who has read my reviews of audio books know that I am not the biggest fan of female narrators when they are doing thrillers and portraying male characters. However, she was AMAZING! I could have listened to her forever.
Would I recommend The Deep Deep Snow?
Yes, despite the above, it was a really good who-done-it! I really enjoyed all the layers to the story and characters. I think if you are new to audiobooks and like thrillers, this is a great place to start! Highly recommended!
For more reviews check out my:
Blog
April 7, 2020
Mr. Freeman, I wish you had revealed Shelby’s gender at the earliest possible moment. When you did reveal it, I was jolted that I had it wrong. I had to adjust and revise my mental image of Shelby. Then I wondered if I had some inner bias that made me think the way I did. I wondered if other readers made the same mistake. Then I thought, I don’t have time for psychological self-analysis. I’m DEALING WITH A PANDEMIC, YOU KNOW!
Sorry. Ahem.
Another point. Why did you choose Snowy Owls? Why not a Barred Owl or a Great Horned Owl, which are woodland owls, or even Screech-owl or Saw-whet? Were they not glamorous enough? I could accept your first Snowy Owl appearance near a lake in the winter, but the second appearance was in the summer. Now, you didn’t really specify the location for this story, and it’s apparent it’s set in a northern clime, but Snowy Owls in the summer are way up on the Arctic tundra breeding. I will admit to having a bias for Snowy Owls. I love them. They are beautiful and majestic. I have for years supported Project Snowstorm. So I guess I’m saying don’t throw science aside.
Anyway, I got over these two things and enjoyed the book.
Sorry. Ahem.
Another point. Why did you choose Snowy Owls? Why not a Barred Owl or a Great Horned Owl, which are woodland owls, or even Screech-owl or Saw-whet? Were they not glamorous enough? I could accept your first Snowy Owl appearance near a lake in the winter, but the second appearance was in the summer. Now, you didn’t really specify the location for this story, and it’s apparent it’s set in a northern clime, but Snowy Owls in the summer are way up on the Arctic tundra breeding. I will admit to having a bias for Snowy Owls. I love them. They are beautiful and majestic. I have for years supported Project Snowstorm. So I guess I’m saying don’t throw science aside.
Anyway, I got over these two things and enjoyed the book.
May 19, 2022
Shelby Lake was found abandoned as a baby in the cold by the local sheriff, who later adopted her and named her for the lake he’d been fishing on just before he came home to find her on his doorstep. Now an adult, Shelby works as a deputy in the same small town where her father is still sheriff—and is concealing his dementia. When a 10-year-old boy goes missing, the local police force and the FBI scramble to find him, but are unsuccessful. Is the town keeping secrets? Ten years later, new clues surface.
I really enjoyed this novel. The pacing was good. The reveal of new clues was well spaced out. I liked the characters and the way the book developed them across the decade of time that passed between the two sections of the book. The personal life stories that got in the way of the policing, such as Shelby and her father’s early onset dementia added a poignant touch. 5/5 stars.
I really enjoyed this novel. The pacing was good. The reveal of new clues was well spaced out. I liked the characters and the way the book developed them across the decade of time that passed between the two sections of the book. The personal life stories that got in the way of the policing, such as Shelby and her father’s early onset dementia added a poignant touch. 5/5 stars.
August 29, 2021
Glaciers move faster than this Deep, Deep. By the time action arrives it's too late, contrived and ineffectual. 0 of 10 stars
October 7, 2020
Set in small town Minnesota, this story is beautifully written but it is a very slow burn and it took me a few days to read, which is very unusual. 35 years ago the Sheriff Of Mittel County,Tom Ginn, returns from fishing to find a female baby on his doorstep. He names her after the lake he was fishing in, Shelby Lake, and later adopts her. She ends up working as a Deputy in the Mittel County Sheriff’s department with her dad.
Ten years ago 10 year old Jeremiah Sloan disappears. Around the same time Keith Whalan’s wife, Colleen, is shot dead. Keith is convicted of Colleen’s murder, Jeremiah is never found and some things changed forever in the town. Now, in the present, ten years after Jeremiah’s disappearance, evidence is discovered at an abandoned holiday camp that the boy had been there. Suddenly, old secrets are being unearthed and Deputy Shelby Lake starts to realise that she had everything wrong.
In the end the story came together very well in the skilled hands of Brian Freeman. It ended up being quite sad and oozing pathos. The characters were brilliant - realistic and vibrant. Unfortunately I struggled to engage with this one. It’s a case of “it’s not you, it’s me.” The book is wonderful but I can only give it 3.5 stars rounded up. This book will appeal to readers who enjoy a slow burn mystery with lots of feels.
Ten years ago 10 year old Jeremiah Sloan disappears. Around the same time Keith Whalan’s wife, Colleen, is shot dead. Keith is convicted of Colleen’s murder, Jeremiah is never found and some things changed forever in the town. Now, in the present, ten years after Jeremiah’s disappearance, evidence is discovered at an abandoned holiday camp that the boy had been there. Suddenly, old secrets are being unearthed and Deputy Shelby Lake starts to realise that she had everything wrong.
In the end the story came together very well in the skilled hands of Brian Freeman. It ended up being quite sad and oozing pathos. The characters were brilliant - realistic and vibrant. Unfortunately I struggled to engage with this one. It’s a case of “it’s not you, it’s me.” The book is wonderful but I can only give it 3.5 stars rounded up. This book will appeal to readers who enjoy a slow burn mystery with lots of feels.
November 1, 2021
Audio - 5 +++++ Stars
Story - 5 +++++ Stars
Story - 5 +++++ Stars
June 21, 2019
This book is an audiobook. I listen to about one book a day and very seldom give a 5 star rating. However, I enjoyed evered minute of it. Great characters who are rich and likable. The plot has plenty going on to keep you interested and guessing, yet it isn't so harsh that it will keep you up at night with nightmares. The Deep, Deep Snow is the first book I have read by this author and I look forward to reading more of his work.
October 29, 2020
Avery Weir is a small town. People who live there call it Everywhere. It’s in Mittel County, which means the town folks live in the Middle of Everywhere. According to the narrator, Deputy Shelby Lake, the truth is that they are “closer to the middle of nowhere.” Author Brian Freeman introduces a young woman, Shelby Lake, who got her name in an interesting way. Her adoptive father is the sheriff, and according to him, this little baby was on his doorstep when he returned home from fishing at Shelby Lake one night. There’s more to it than that, of course, but the beauty and mystery of Shelby’s origins is in the telling, so I’ll leave it at that.
That’s one of the kinder, gentler mysteries of The Deep, Deep Snow. Everywhere is a place where nothing bad seems to happen. That’s not true, of course. There are bar fights. Divorces. Car wrecks. There was a murder. That’s an unsolved part of the book that plays a big part in the main tragedy. One hot summer day, a 10-year-old boy disappears. At first, his family, friends, sheriff Tom and other law enforcement hope he just wandered off. As time passes, they fear the worst. Summer turns to fall; fall becomes winter. Seasons pass. Years pass. There is a mysterious monster known to the townsfolk as “Ursulina.” I looked up the meaning – it translates as “little she-bear.” Hmmm. That got me thinking, wondering. It’s just a story, isn’t it? Made up to scare children?
In the course of the investigation, secrets come to light. As with most crimes, someone – more than one person, possibly – has something to hide, and it may have nothing at all to do with the crime being investigated. It may be a marital indiscretion. It may be another crime, or even a mistake, an embarrassment. In Everywhere, no one, it seems, is exempt from past slips, blunders, events which, if given a chance, they would choose a mulligan. Not even those in the sheriff’s office. Freeman has created very human characters in this novel. Are some of them rather stereotypical and at times, predictable? Sure. But even the “bad” guys have some good in them, and the “good” guys can do wrong. That made for a lot of guessing and predicting and head scratching as the mystery progressed. I had theory after theory, and while I could make some of the pieces fit, nothing was a perfect fit.
Shelby narrates in first-person, and while this can sometimes be ineffective, in this case, I feel that it works. She knows the town’s residents and has been a part of law enforcement her whole life because her father has been sheriff for years. Now, as her father increasingly manifests signs of early-onset Alzheimer’s, Shelby realizes she faces tough decisions. As time passes, she has other responsibilities as well. Because she has grown up in this town, she knows the quirks and imperfections of her closest friends, and it breaks her heart to know when they are holding something back. When push comes to shove, can she be impartial? It works both ways – can she be impartial and look hard at someone she would never dream of suspecting? On the other hand, can she believe someone is innocent until proven guilty? The plot had my mind twisting and turning, and at times I wondered if even Brian Freeman knew where it was going...his final solution convinced me that he knew all along.
Shelby, called Shel by friends who played high school volleyball with her, always senses a change coming whenever an owl appears. The all-knowing owl symbolizes her very beginnings and foretells significant events. Shel knows she needs to pay attention.
I am so very curious about the name of the town, Avery Weir. Gregory Avery-Weir? A man who develops games? Is that right? Did Freeman just like the sound of it because it sounds like “Everywhere”? I do love the idea. We are all more alike than we are different. The Deep, Deep Snow is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. It’s about friendship and relationships. Love between parents and children. Devotion to friends and family. Small town camaraderie. Loyalty. Individual struggles that bring people together. The secrets that we protect for fear that others will fail to understand and love us.
And we know
We know
That spring will show
The thing we hid
Is down below
5 stars
That’s one of the kinder, gentler mysteries of The Deep, Deep Snow. Everywhere is a place where nothing bad seems to happen. That’s not true, of course. There are bar fights. Divorces. Car wrecks. There was a murder. That’s an unsolved part of the book that plays a big part in the main tragedy. One hot summer day, a 10-year-old boy disappears. At first, his family, friends, sheriff Tom and other law enforcement hope he just wandered off. As time passes, they fear the worst. Summer turns to fall; fall becomes winter. Seasons pass. Years pass. There is a mysterious monster known to the townsfolk as “Ursulina.” I looked up the meaning – it translates as “little she-bear.” Hmmm. That got me thinking, wondering. It’s just a story, isn’t it? Made up to scare children?
In the course of the investigation, secrets come to light. As with most crimes, someone – more than one person, possibly – has something to hide, and it may have nothing at all to do with the crime being investigated. It may be a marital indiscretion. It may be another crime, or even a mistake, an embarrassment. In Everywhere, no one, it seems, is exempt from past slips, blunders, events which, if given a chance, they would choose a mulligan. Not even those in the sheriff’s office. Freeman has created very human characters in this novel. Are some of them rather stereotypical and at times, predictable? Sure. But even the “bad” guys have some good in them, and the “good” guys can do wrong. That made for a lot of guessing and predicting and head scratching as the mystery progressed. I had theory after theory, and while I could make some of the pieces fit, nothing was a perfect fit.
Shelby narrates in first-person, and while this can sometimes be ineffective, in this case, I feel that it works. She knows the town’s residents and has been a part of law enforcement her whole life because her father has been sheriff for years. Now, as her father increasingly manifests signs of early-onset Alzheimer’s, Shelby realizes she faces tough decisions. As time passes, she has other responsibilities as well. Because she has grown up in this town, she knows the quirks and imperfections of her closest friends, and it breaks her heart to know when they are holding something back. When push comes to shove, can she be impartial? It works both ways – can she be impartial and look hard at someone she would never dream of suspecting? On the other hand, can she believe someone is innocent until proven guilty? The plot had my mind twisting and turning, and at times I wondered if even Brian Freeman knew where it was going...his final solution convinced me that he knew all along.
Shelby, called Shel by friends who played high school volleyball with her, always senses a change coming whenever an owl appears. The all-knowing owl symbolizes her very beginnings and foretells significant events. Shel knows she needs to pay attention.
I am so very curious about the name of the town, Avery Weir. Gregory Avery-Weir? A man who develops games? Is that right? Did Freeman just like the sound of it because it sounds like “Everywhere”? I do love the idea. We are all more alike than we are different. The Deep, Deep Snow is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. It’s about friendship and relationships. Love between parents and children. Devotion to friends and family. Small town camaraderie. Loyalty. Individual struggles that bring people together. The secrets that we protect for fear that others will fail to understand and love us.
And we know
We know
That spring will show
The thing we hid
Is down below
5 stars
June 7, 2022
Story 4.5 stars**
Audio 5 stars**
Narrator January LaVoy
**Thanks so much, querida Lyn for this rec looking forward to reading “The Ursulina”**
Audio 5 stars**
Narrator January LaVoy
**Thanks so much, querida Lyn for this rec looking forward to reading “The Ursulina”**
December 8, 2020
Set in a small rural town in the upper Midwest, Freeman's "The Deep, Deep Snow" offers us a beautiful woodsy setting where everyone knows each other's name and each other's business. He offers this mystery with a great narrative voice of Shelby Lake, little orphan girl raised by the town sheriff, now serving as his deputy and hoping he doesn't have early onset Alzheimer's. And, everyone in town is someone Shelby grew up with, rode bikes with, played volleyball with. Now, she's a young deputy in her father's office and a ten year old out riding his bike has disappeared. Of course, as the mystery slowly unravels like the layers of an onion, the idyllic town's secrets are revealed, the things people wish disappeared and forgotten. It's a disappearance that'll take a decade to unravel. All in all, a brilliantly plotted, fast-reading, enjoyable mystery.
August 20, 2019
Reading other's reviews I think I'll keep my opinions to myself on this one.
October 12, 2020
Ten years ago, a young boy went missing. The only thing left behind was his bike. Everyone was under suspicion.. the father, the mother, the ex-husband, the step-father, known trouble makers in the area, etc.
Deputy Shelby Lake investigates and finds that everyone has something to hide, secrets to keep, even Shelby herself.
Shelby has quite an interesting back story. Her father is the much beloved sheriff ... but his Alzheimer's is getting worse and it's evident he will need to be retiring soon. She is torn between her job and being able to take care of him. The secondary characters are credible, solidly drawn.
This was an excellent police procedural with plenty of twists and turns. Suspense starts on the very first page and rises steadily throughout until the final totally unexpected conclusion. It's intense and at times very emotional as this small town must come to terms with hidden secrets coming to the light of day.
Many thanks to the author / Blackstone Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Having read ALL this author's books, I have never been disappointed. Highly recommend this to anyone who likes crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
August 14, 2021
Wow!! What an incredibly intense and emotional journey. Solid mystery with subplots, with plenty of red herrings and twists that kept me engaged from beginning to end.
Brian Freeman continues to be one of my favorite mystery writers. Not only is this book so appealing for its mysterious but emotional storyline, Freeman has a surprisingly good grasp of the female psyche. The story’s pace is excellent - I literally devoured the entire Audiobook (10hr 7min) in one sitting, as I could not stop listening.
January Lavoy is the narrator, one of the best of the best, her voice and character reading is nothing but pure gold.
Note: NO sex, NO foul language, NO gore
Sensitivity: Mythical/Mystical signs or symbols.
5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Brian Freeman continues to be one of my favorite mystery writers. Not only is this book so appealing for its mysterious but emotional storyline, Freeman has a surprisingly good grasp of the female psyche. The story’s pace is excellent - I literally devoured the entire Audiobook (10hr 7min) in one sitting, as I could not stop listening.
January Lavoy is the narrator, one of the best of the best, her voice and character reading is nothing but pure gold.
Note: NO sex, NO foul language, NO gore
Sensitivity: Mythical/Mystical signs or symbols.
5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 23, 2019
I had no idea that this book existed until it showed up as my daily deal from audible, I napped it quick as I like this author.
This one really kept me guessing. I liked Shelby, liked that way she laid things out in the book, both in the past and the present. By the time we got to the end I felt sad, sad that so much was wasted over ego and stupidity, sad that a stupid kid's mistake got out of control, sad that there is an evil disease that can take a person away from you just as they are sitting beside you.
This one really kept me guessing. I liked Shelby, liked that way she laid things out in the book, both in the past and the present. By the time we got to the end I felt sad, sad that so much was wasted over ego and stupidity, sad that a stupid kid's mistake got out of control, sad that there is an evil disease that can take a person away from you just as they are sitting beside you.
November 2, 2023
Really enjoyed the two novels in this lil series (The Ursulina is the prequel). Great pace, compelling plot lines and clever twists compel the reader forward in this gripping whodunit. Mr Freeman fleshed out his strong lead female characters- in both books- quite completely and I can't wait till he revisits them and their sleepy powdered town once more.
Mas, please!!
4 Snowy Stars
Mas, please!!
4 Snowy Stars
September 21, 2024
Typical small town police procedural. Decent for the genre. Writing is solid, plotting decent, characters OK but nothing special. A nice “palate cleanser” after my previous, pretty intensive, read.
October 6, 2019
Every once in a while you come across a book that hits on all cylinders, this book was like that for me. Great writing, an amazing story and spot on narration by January LaVoy. This was more than a police procedural, each character was relatable, full bodied and had their own story. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end. Unputdownable and one of my favorites for this year. Highly recommend the audible version.
June 19, 2022
another page-turner. Read it in two days and was sorry when it finished. Always difficult when you want to know the ending but want the book to go on forever!
January 30, 2020
My first Brian Freeman book & I’m truly impressed. This is an Audible Original title, you won’t find a physical or ebook copy. If you want to know the story you have to let January LaVoy read it to you. Tbh that’s what made me hit play in the first place..because she’s just that good. This is definitely more of a mystery than a thriller, but the story never lagged for me even a little bit. If you’re looking for a well written page turner filled with secrets & lies, this one fits the bill nicely. If it’s already on your TBR, stop putting it off so you can read one of those new flashy thrillers & choose this completely fleshed out & satisfying read instead of being let down by another over-hyped POS. I honestly can’t wait to read another one of his titles.
February 4, 2021
This is more like a drama mystery. A 10-year-old boy has gone missing and deputy Shelby Lake is trying to find out what happened. But only 10 years later, a yellow shuttlecock that may have belonged to the boy turns up, so she is looking in again.
Thank you Netgalley for this book.
Thank you Netgalley for this book.
March 5, 2025
Sometimes the dead are easier to find than the living.
If you are looking for something that is physiological or intense...this is not it. However, if you want a good mystery and suspense read...this might be what you re looking for.
The story is told from the Point-of-view of Shelby Lake, who was left on the doorstep of the sheriff as a baby and has now grown up and is the sheriff’s deputy in a small Minnesota wilderness town. A woman has been murdered, and a little boy seems to have been kidnapped. These two events are rare occurrences in a town like this. Of course, we are led to believe that the two events are connected...maybe, maybe not. The residents thought they knew each other but soon learn that they may all have more secrets than everyone ever realized. What was considered to be a "safe town" is now shadowed in crime and distrust.
The book is also told in two parts. The first part happens when the abduction first occurs...the second part takes place 10-years later when new evidence is found to correct what was theorized and some-what carried out legally.
There was one thing happened that didn't seem to be realistic. I wondered, through the majority of the book, why the FBI would get involved so quickly after the child disappeared. For a small town and because of how recent the abduction was, it didn't have a ring of truth. I asked my husband who is a retired police officer, and he said that the FBI was usually called in after all resources and avenues had been exhausted by the local law officials. I guess it happened this quickly because the book can, after all, only be just so long... not to mention that this author has certainly written a greater number of books than I have, so I guess he can have his characters call whoever they want, whenever they want:)
The ending was a little disappointing, but not enough to lose any stars in the rating. It just felt like once you had the answers it didn't really feel like justice had been served. It was more on the side of sad rather than vindicating. In spite of the few little things, it's still an entertaining, well-written story that will keep you guessing. I hope you guess better than I did:)
If you are looking for something that is physiological or intense...this is not it. However, if you want a good mystery and suspense read...this might be what you re looking for.
The story is told from the Point-of-view of Shelby Lake, who was left on the doorstep of the sheriff as a baby and has now grown up and is the sheriff’s deputy in a small Minnesota wilderness town. A woman has been murdered, and a little boy seems to have been kidnapped. These two events are rare occurrences in a town like this. Of course, we are led to believe that the two events are connected...maybe, maybe not. The residents thought they knew each other but soon learn that they may all have more secrets than everyone ever realized. What was considered to be a "safe town" is now shadowed in crime and distrust.
The book is also told in two parts. The first part happens when the abduction first occurs...the second part takes place 10-years later when new evidence is found to correct what was theorized and some-what carried out legally.
There was one thing happened that didn't seem to be realistic. I wondered, through the majority of the book, why the FBI would get involved so quickly after the child disappeared. For a small town and because of how recent the abduction was, it didn't have a ring of truth. I asked my husband who is a retired police officer, and he said that the FBI was usually called in after all resources and avenues had been exhausted by the local law officials. I guess it happened this quickly because the book can, after all, only be just so long... not to mention that this author has certainly written a greater number of books than I have, so I guess he can have his characters call whoever they want, whenever they want:)
The ending was a little disappointing, but not enough to lose any stars in the rating. It just felt like once you had the answers it didn't really feel like justice had been served. It was more on the side of sad rather than vindicating. In spite of the few little things, it's still an entertaining, well-written story that will keep you guessing. I hope you guess better than I did:)
May 29, 2023
Will this start of a new investigator/series continue? Stay tuned. Here Freeman does all the Freemanly things. It's a character-driven novel in the sense that character secrets and trauma are important to understanding the full story. It's also plot-driven in the sense that Freeman is a master of the complicated, interlocking plot where seemingly unrelated events are in fact related and important. In typical Freeman style, he pushes the plot connections a little too hard, though this story is not as over-done as some of his work. For my personal taste, the most annoying trademark of the Freeman novel is that every character is deep in trauma. Like his overwrought plots, every character is dying of cancer, a meth addict, a former hooker, been to prison for pedophilia, an angry racist, suffering dementia, or still trying to use AOL. Because every character is suffering, there is no joy to be found in Freeman's books, only sorrow and regret. To riff on a 'Simpsons' episode: If I had to cover up a murder, I'd leave a Freeman novel close by so the cops would know it was suicide. To quote the excellent mystery writer Craig Johnson, 'Every character needs a distinct sense of humor.' Which I take to mean both the character HAS a sense of humor and the character EXPRESSES their sense of humor. Freeman does neither; and I've come to believe this is an important failing. His desperate, depressed, hopeless, traumatized characters earn my compassion, but halfway through I stop thinking of them as real and start thinking of them as contrived trauma zombies. Instead, Freeman hammers physical descriptions: we never meet a character, no matter how minor, without learning everything about their appearance, from their socks to nine details about their hair, jewelry, color and quality of clothing, size and shape of facial features, limbs, hands, fingers, as well as any accessories. Detail is good, but less truly is more. If every new character is seen with such intense detail, why is every character doing the seeing so obsessive? Because these details are presented neutrally (except for evidence of trauma, e.g. tired eyes, looking older than real age,) there is no character building accomplished (other than the character trait of ongoing trauma.) To make this marginally worse, we have to revisit these details in each new scene as the character will have changed their clothes, shoes, and combed their hair since last seen. Freeman also is a chronic over-writer. He loves the false drama of 'A thin man stepped out of the vehicle holding a shotgun. She watched him trudge through the snow, his head down as though lost in sorrow. When he reached the porch, he saw her and started. "Hi Dad," I said. "Are you ready for lunch?" He does this all time, where the narrator obviously knows the person, knows what's going on but deliberately keeps it from us for a prick of false tension. Freeman also abuses filters. Instead of 'the man stepped out of the vehicle,' he writes, 'I noticed a man step out of the vehicle.' I saw, I heard, I spotted, and on and on. Yes, it's always the narrator narrating so we know it's you who saw, heard, and noticed. Please stop saying so.
October 29, 2021
5 stars audio!
5 OMFG!!! Twisty twisty stars story!!! GOTDAMN!
5 OMFG!!! Twisty twisty stars story!!! GOTDAMN!
July 4, 2019
I am quite amazed so many people liked this. I listened to it on audiobook and found the writing awkward, almost pretentious, the main protagonist, among others, hard to believe in, full of hokey contrived superstition, and plot so full of holes that it was hard to swallow. There is one fellow whose life is basically ruined by two major female protagonists, and that, not to mention his fate after everything is revealed, is just left hanging in the air. One of the two female protagonists, who as a child actuallly killed someone with a gun, who becomes suicidal is tied up in the denoument with the ribbon and bow of "getting better with therapy," rather than any attempt at actually seeing her in medias res. Other characters are presented as eccentric, when in fact they appear addled, as with one who totes around an urn of her long dead dog's ashes everywhere she goes. But the worst and most preposterous element of the whole thing is that the actual perpetrator of the main crime, after ten years brings to light a clue, a soiled shuttle cock, for goodness sakes, oh ho, let's reopen the case, to everyone's attention. And why would this guy do that? Maybe the Snowy Owl or the Ursulina can tell you. This fellow is dispatched by suicide, even more slapdash than the upshot with the other perpetrator. I guess if one likes tv movies of the Hallmark or Lifetime channels this would be a decent mystery. But I must admit one thing, there is something about it that keeps one sort of interested; it is just so many of its flaws get in the way. The author had a good mystery at its heart, setting had a lot of potential, locals could have provided real flavor, evocation of the supernatural even a real possibility, but all these elements were executed by cliche. And that the whole thing hinged on the soiled shuttlecock found ten years after the fact, my goodness. It was the arrogant young deputy at the resort with the shuttlecock.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2022
Foot soldiers with submissive personalities irritate me to no end. That is all.
Oh wait, people getting away with murder and destroying lives with impunity irritate me, too.
In general, this is a decent enough small-town police procedural. One other thing going for it is that the requisite protective love-interest never makes an appearance. Don't think I'll continue with this series, but we'll see.
Oh wait, people getting away with murder and destroying lives with impunity irritate me, too.
In general, this is a decent enough small-town police procedural. One other thing going for it is that the requisite protective love-interest never makes an appearance. Don't think I'll continue with this series, but we'll see.
August 10, 2019
Mediocre
First the title does not fit the book. It's a good read if you just want to listen to a good narrator. There were moments in the book where you think the story is going to get really good, and then Blah!!! Don't have much more to say.
First the title does not fit the book. It's a good read if you just want to listen to a good narrator. There were moments in the book where you think the story is going to get really good, and then Blah!!! Don't have much more to say.
February 19, 2022
Rich, robust thriller set in a small town with a series of tragedies that remain unsolved for 10 years despite the involvement of the FBI. A fascinating page-turner.
Highly recommend!
Highly recommend!
June 24, 2019
This is an audio original book by the mystery writer Brian Freeman and I am not a huge mystery fan and I still found it a very interesting and enjoyable read/listen.
My problem with mysteries is that I get to the "big reveal," and I'm always like, "I have absolutely no clue whodunit." I suspect this is because I'm basically a moron, and/or too lazy to assemble all the "facts" of the case and try and figure out who the culprit was. I will say this, after reading it, Brian Freeman almost never wastes any facts/incidents. Everything means something, or so it seems after finishing the book.
As an example of how poorly I figure out mysteries, in this book the murderer is caught and jailed and I'm looking at the time left in the book, and there are like 3 more hours of listening. I'm thinking, "what could this guy possibly do with three more hours?!?"
Well, I will tell you, a lot! There are a lot of good plot twists and turns all the way to the very, or almost the very, last page, which is what made it such an enjoyable book to read.
Also, the book is very well narrated by January LaVoy. She does a lot of different voices and does them very well.
My problem with mysteries is that I get to the "big reveal," and I'm always like, "I have absolutely no clue whodunit." I suspect this is because I'm basically a moron, and/or too lazy to assemble all the "facts" of the case and try and figure out who the culprit was. I will say this, after reading it, Brian Freeman almost never wastes any facts/incidents. Everything means something, or so it seems after finishing the book.
As an example of how poorly I figure out mysteries, in this book the murderer is caught and jailed and I'm looking at the time left in the book, and there are like 3 more hours of listening. I'm thinking, "what could this guy possibly do with three more hours?!?"
Well, I will tell you, a lot! There are a lot of good plot twists and turns all the way to the very, or almost the very, last page, which is what made it such an enjoyable book to read.
Also, the book is very well narrated by January LaVoy. She does a lot of different voices and does them very well.
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