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Cab Bolton #1
The Bone House
Hilary and Mark Bradley are trapped in a web of suspicion. Last year, accusations of a torrid affair with a student cost Mark his teaching job and made the young couple into outcasts in their remote island town off the Lake Michigan coast. Now another teenage girl is found dead on a deserted beach. . . and once again, Mark faces a hostile town convinced of his guilt.
Hilary Bradley is determined to prove that Mark is innocent, but she’s on a lonely, dangerous quest. Even when she discovers that the murdered girl was witness to a horrific crime years earlier, the police are certain she’s throwing up a smoke screen to protect her husband. Only a quirky detective named Cab Bolton seems willing to believe Hilary’s story.
Hilary and Cab soon find that people in this community are willing to kill to keep their secrets hidden—and to make sure Mark doesn’t get away with murder. And with each shocking revelation, even Hilary begins to wonder whether her husband is truly innocent. Freeman’s first stand-alone thriller since his Stride novels is a knockout.
Hilary Bradley is determined to prove that Mark is innocent, but she’s on a lonely, dangerous quest. Even when she discovers that the murdered girl was witness to a horrific crime years earlier, the police are certain she’s throwing up a smoke screen to protect her husband. Only a quirky detective named Cab Bolton seems willing to believe Hilary’s story.
Hilary and Cab soon find that people in this community are willing to kill to keep their secrets hidden—and to make sure Mark doesn’t get away with murder. And with each shocking revelation, even Hilary begins to wonder whether her husband is truly innocent. Freeman’s first stand-alone thriller since his Stride novels is a knockout.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 29, 2011
309 people are currently reading
5085 people want to read
About the author
Brian Freeman
61 books3,093 followersBrian Freeman is a New York Times bestselling author of psychological thrillers, including the Jonathan Stride and Frost Easton series. His books have been sold in 46 countries and 22 languages. He is widely acclaimed for his "you are there" settings and his complex, engaging characters and twist-filled plots. Brian was also selected as the official author to continue Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne series, and his novel THE BOURNE EVOLUTION was named one of the Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2020 by Kirkus.
Brian's seventh novel SPILLED BLOOD won the award for Best Hardcover Novel in the annual Thriller Awards given out by the International Thriller Writers organization, and his fifth novel THE BURYING PLACE was a finalist for the same award. His novel THE DEEP, DEEP SNOW was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original.
His debut thriller, IMMORAL, won the Macavity Award for Best First Novel and was a nominee for the Edgar, Dagger, Anthony, and Barry Awards. IMMORAL was named an International Book of the Month, a distinction shared with authors such as Harlan Coben and Lisa Unger.
All of Brian's books are also available in audiobook editions. His novels THE BONE HOUSE and SEASON OF FEAR were both finalists for Best Audiobook of the Year in Thriller/Suspense.
For more information on Brian's books, visit his web site at bfreemanbooks.com or find him on Facebook at facebook.com/bfreemanfans or Twitter and Instagram (@bfreemanbooks).
Brian's seventh novel SPILLED BLOOD won the award for Best Hardcover Novel in the annual Thriller Awards given out by the International Thriller Writers organization, and his fifth novel THE BURYING PLACE was a finalist for the same award. His novel THE DEEP, DEEP SNOW was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original.
His debut thriller, IMMORAL, won the Macavity Award for Best First Novel and was a nominee for the Edgar, Dagger, Anthony, and Barry Awards. IMMORAL was named an International Book of the Month, a distinction shared with authors such as Harlan Coben and Lisa Unger.
All of Brian's books are also available in audiobook editions. His novels THE BONE HOUSE and SEASON OF FEAR were both finalists for Best Audiobook of the Year in Thriller/Suspense.
For more information on Brian's books, visit his web site at bfreemanbooks.com or find him on Facebook at facebook.com/bfreemanfans or Twitter and Instagram (@bfreemanbooks).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 632 reviews
November 1, 2024
Freeman is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. He sure knows how to develop characters and ace his stories!
How is a fatal house fire connected with a murdered girl on the beach years later? And what does this murdered girl have to do with a teacher accused of SA on the victim's sister? Detective Cab has to connect the dots before more people end up missing or worse case DEAD!
Solid 5 stars!!!!!
How is a fatal house fire connected with a murdered girl on the beach years later? And what does this murdered girl have to do with a teacher accused of SA on the victim's sister? Detective Cab has to connect the dots before more people end up missing or worse case DEAD!
Solid 5 stars!!!!!
July 31, 2014
This book had everything I like in a mystery. The characters were well developed and likable. Mark is a teacher that has lost his job due to accusations of an inappropriate affair with a student. His wife still teaches at the same small town school that Mark did. Being in a small Minnesota town myself and in the field of education, I can imagine the consequences of it. Although Mark is innocent, no one believes him.
When another student turns up dead everything goes from bad to worse. At times, the story felt a little like victim literature as the couple went from one bad scenario after another. The plot is page turning, however, and the twists and surprises must have been planned out in detail before the story began- the story reaches a point when they become relentless.
Each of the characters was round and had many facets to their actions and motivations. Not only did this engage me with them and hence the story itself more deeply, it made possible some of the effective twists and turns the plots takes. This depth of character makes possible the unpredictability of each character which in turn opens many avenues for the author to take in developing this story. A good writer flourishing in his or her craft seems to have a knack for this type of thing and this author does it well.
Often I find these types of stories trite or repetitive- the town with secrets and people willing to kill to keep them sort of thing. Not in this case, however. I really couldn't wait to see the end, and how an author ends a story is in large part a measure of their ability. Some writers write the ending first, or so I have heard.
This book slowly, yet quickly, builds to its climax, dividing the story between scenes and characters effectively. While this can be an annoying trait for a book to have, such is not the case here. It keeps the suspense building and interest high. Perhaps this is due to the shorter chapter length, or at least partially. One thing I often personally like are a shorter, focused chapters. When I want to stop reading I like to be able to do so at reasonable junctures (or when life unreasonably calls me away) and I often can read for only ten minutes at a time during some type of break in my day. Books that weight in at 40 or 50 pages per chapter invariably force me to stop in the middle of s scene and I find it difficult to begin without rereading at times.
This author understands not only how to build a story, he crafts it well, develops his characters and plot efficiently, and ends the story on a satisfactory note. I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
When another student turns up dead everything goes from bad to worse. At times, the story felt a little like victim literature as the couple went from one bad scenario after another. The plot is page turning, however, and the twists and surprises must have been planned out in detail before the story began- the story reaches a point when they become relentless.
Each of the characters was round and had many facets to their actions and motivations. Not only did this engage me with them and hence the story itself more deeply, it made possible some of the effective twists and turns the plots takes. This depth of character makes possible the unpredictability of each character which in turn opens many avenues for the author to take in developing this story. A good writer flourishing in his or her craft seems to have a knack for this type of thing and this author does it well.
Often I find these types of stories trite or repetitive- the town with secrets and people willing to kill to keep them sort of thing. Not in this case, however. I really couldn't wait to see the end, and how an author ends a story is in large part a measure of their ability. Some writers write the ending first, or so I have heard.
This book slowly, yet quickly, builds to its climax, dividing the story between scenes and characters effectively. While this can be an annoying trait for a book to have, such is not the case here. It keeps the suspense building and interest high. Perhaps this is due to the shorter chapter length, or at least partially. One thing I often personally like are a shorter, focused chapters. When I want to stop reading I like to be able to do so at reasonable junctures (or when life unreasonably calls me away) and I often can read for only ten minutes at a time during some type of break in my day. Books that weight in at 40 or 50 pages per chapter invariably force me to stop in the middle of s scene and I find it difficult to begin without rereading at times.
This author understands not only how to build a story, he crafts it well, develops his characters and plot efficiently, and ends the story on a satisfactory note. I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
September 26, 2025
3.5 Stars.
This was good, but not "Jonathan Stride" good. Even so, I am looking forward to seeing how everything wraps up for Cab in book two.
Narrator Joe Barrett always delivers. If his name listed as a performer for an audiobook I have no doubt it's going to be a great listen. Kudos.
Side note: The Bone House was originally published as a standalone in 2011. It wasn't until 2015 that one more edition A Season of Fear was added.
This was good, but not "Jonathan Stride" good. Even so, I am looking forward to seeing how everything wraps up for Cab in book two.
Narrator Joe Barrett always delivers. If his name listed as a performer for an audiobook I have no doubt it's going to be a great listen. Kudos.
Side note: The Bone House was originally published as a standalone in 2011. It wasn't until 2015 that one more edition A Season of Fear was added.
August 25, 2015
Great Book! The characters were very well developed and drove the story. I have to be honest, when I began the book, it sounded like your typical run-of-the-mill whodunit...not this book. It had many twists and turns. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, the storyline went another way. It was very hard to put the book down.
This is the first book of Mr. Freeman's I have read and it certainly won't be the last.
This is the first book of Mr. Freeman's I have read and it certainly won't be the last.
March 15, 2013
This book has so many people doing so many things that no one with a lick of common sense would do that it ruins the book for me. If you can suspend disbelief, the book is well written and could be enjoyed. However there are so many instances in the book where supposedly very bright and able people exhibit no common sense that it insults the reader's intelligence if they take the time to think about it. Big spoiler alert, but this major plot turn just blew my mind and spoiled the book.
This is one of the big plot twists, which comes as a huge shock because it makes absolutely no sense. A pathological killer that seems to be an innocent character calls Hillary to meet her to check out the big suspect, a sleazy coach. She says she's going in the house, and if she doesn't come out in 10 minutes, she needs help. It turns out that the coach is her henchman who's abducted her roommate that she and Hillary were going to save. WTF?? There is no way she would've ever done any of that. So yeah, it is a huge shock and mind blowing plot turn, but it's because it makes no f'ing sense. I hate books, shows, movies that if you watch them a second time you just shake your head and realize that there are so many things that happen that are totally implausible and illogical given what you know about the characters after finishing the story.
This is one of the big plot twists, which comes as a huge shock because it makes absolutely no sense. A pathological killer that seems to be an innocent character calls Hillary to meet her to check out the big suspect, a sleazy coach. She says she's going in the house, and if she doesn't come out in 10 minutes, she needs help. It turns out that the coach is her henchman who's abducted her roommate that she and Hillary were going to save. WTF?? There is no way she would've ever done any of that. So yeah, it is a huge shock and mind blowing plot turn, but it's because it makes no f'ing sense. I hate books, shows, movies that if you watch them a second time you just shake your head and realize that there are so many things that happen that are totally implausible and illogical given what you know about the characters after finishing the story.
September 29, 2023
Soy una gran fan de Brian Freeman, es un autor que nunca me defrauda y cómo en anteriores ocasiones esta novela suya me ha gustado, aunque me siguen gustando más cualquiera de sus novelas de la serie Jonathan Stride, que espero traduzcan pronto al español las que faltan, yo no pierdo la esperanza, jejeje.
La novela tiene un inicio interesante y potente, que cuando continuas leyendo no sabes que relación pueda tener con el resto de acontecimientos, cuando sigues avanzando la novela es bastante pausada, y hasta el 75% del libro no se precipitan los acontecimientos y ya no puedes parar de leer.
Los personajes están bastante bien perfilados, sobre todo los de Door County, destaco a Delia, Félix y Peter Hofmann, también destaco a Gary Jensen, Katie y Amy de Green Bay, y aunque Cab Bolton me ha gustado, me ha faltado algo para llegar a empatizar del todo con este protagonista.
Y respecto al final, hay varias cosillas cogida con pinzas que no me han terminado de convencer, eso en ningún momento imaginé quién era el responsable de los hechos en Door County y Florida.
La novela tiene un inicio interesante y potente, que cuando continuas leyendo no sabes que relación pueda tener con el resto de acontecimientos, cuando sigues avanzando la novela es bastante pausada, y hasta el 75% del libro no se precipitan los acontecimientos y ya no puedes parar de leer.
Los personajes están bastante bien perfilados, sobre todo los de Door County, destaco a Delia, Félix y Peter Hofmann, también destaco a Gary Jensen, Katie y Amy de Green Bay, y aunque Cab Bolton me ha gustado, me ha faltado algo para llegar a empatizar del todo con este protagonista.
Y respecto al final, hay varias cosillas cogida con pinzas que no me han terminado de convencer, eso en ningún momento imaginé quién era el responsable de los hechos en Door County y Florida.
October 26, 2016
A good mystery with many suspects. When a young girl is killed there is an automatic pointing of fingers at one man. Throughout the book he seems like a likable victim, or is he. I kept going back and forth. The flawed detective makes the story interesting and in the end, beyond anyone's expectations, does solve the crime. Maybe a fun series for a buddy read.
June 21, 2017
Uno de mis primeros descubrimientos ha sido encontrarme con Brian Freeman, autor estadounidense que escribe novelas policiacas. Ya Me he tronado la serie completa que tiene, "Jonathan Stride", le tengo gran cariño a esa serie, stride y serena dial son de mis favoritos en cuanto a personajes detectives policiales se refieren. Oh, y cómo olvidarme de Maggie... pero bueno, ése no es el punto.
Particularmente, esta novela también me pareció muy buena. Cada vez que leo uno de sus libros, siempre creo tener al asesino, pero este hombre siempre consigue darme una grata sorpresa. Y esa es la magia de sumergirte en sus obras. Aunque sentí que faltó un poco más en la historia del culpable, al cual no menciono para no dar spoilers... sentí que quedó un hueco a medio resolver respecto de los motivos que lo llevaron a cometer ese acto (incendio en la casa de los Bone), tan sólo se menciona que ya los tenía hartos o algo así, pero por encima. o a no ser que me haya despistado y me lo haya pasado por alto, pero según recuerdo, no lo detalla. bastante recomendable, ésta, o cualquier obra de él. Esperaría que alguien me hiciera caso algún día, tengo ganas de comentar estos libros con más personas, porque es uno de esos autores que se conocen poco y creo que merece que más gente lo lean.
Particularmente, esta novela también me pareció muy buena. Cada vez que leo uno de sus libros, siempre creo tener al asesino, pero este hombre siempre consigue darme una grata sorpresa. Y esa es la magia de sumergirte en sus obras. Aunque sentí que faltó un poco más en la historia del culpable, al cual no menciono para no dar spoilers... sentí que quedó un hueco a medio resolver respecto de los motivos que lo llevaron a cometer ese acto (incendio en la casa de los Bone), tan sólo se menciona que ya los tenía hartos o algo así, pero por encima. o a no ser que me haya despistado y me lo haya pasado por alto, pero según recuerdo, no lo detalla. bastante recomendable, ésta, o cualquier obra de él. Esperaría que alguien me hiciera caso algún día, tengo ganas de comentar estos libros con más personas, porque es uno de esos autores que se conocen poco y creo que merece que más gente lo lean.
August 16, 2015
I loved this first book in the Cab Bolton series. It was fast paced with short chapters, interesting characters and an ending I did not see coming.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
did-not-finish
December 28, 2018I'm not going to rate this & will probably try more books in the series, but this one is not for me. The situation is too real & shitty. A girl's fantasies in a journal on her computer are discovered by her mother & that leads to small town public condemnation of an excellent teacher. He's fired, never convicted, & things go downhill from there as another situation crops up.
Trial by the ignorant public just pisses me off to no end. There was a local guy who had his name plastered into the newsfeeds when he was brought in for questioning after being accused by a 15 year old girl for having sexual relations with her. I posted that I hoped she wasn't lying because he was already convicted publicly & that they shouldn't post his info until he was convicted. The hate filled comments that generated were incredible & sad. What happened to due process & innocent until proven guilty?
What happened in the local situation? No one knows for sure & there are no news reports, but it's a small area & I heard from a semi-reliable source (the local constable) the girl was a whack job who recanted. His house was also shot at several times, sprayed with graffiti, & his lawn was trashed by trucks doing donuts on it. None of it made the news.
Anyway, this story was just a little too well done & close to home. I was just getting mad listening to it. Cab seems like an interesting guy, quite bright & flawed. He should make a really good main character.
Trial by the ignorant public just pisses me off to no end. There was a local guy who had his name plastered into the newsfeeds when he was brought in for questioning after being accused by a 15 year old girl for having sexual relations with her. I posted that I hoped she wasn't lying because he was already convicted publicly & that they shouldn't post his info until he was convicted. The hate filled comments that generated were incredible & sad. What happened to due process & innocent until proven guilty?
What happened in the local situation? No one knows for sure & there are no news reports, but it's a small area & I heard from a semi-reliable source (the local constable) the girl was a whack job who recanted. His house was also shot at several times, sprayed with graffiti, & his lawn was trashed by trucks doing donuts on it. None of it made the news.
Anyway, this story was just a little too well done & close to home. I was just getting mad listening to it. Cab seems like an interesting guy, quite bright & flawed. He should make a really good main character.
March 1, 2015
There were a lot of people and events in this book. They were all nicely tangled until the end. I like it when a book keeps me guessing, makes me doubt certain characters, and pulls me into the story like I was there. Of course, if I had been there, I'd have yelled at some people for doing stupid things, yelled at others for not speaking up, and yelled at still others for jumping to wrong conclusions. How easy it is to ruin the lives of innocent people.
September 26, 2020
Muy bueno, Freeman es un valor seguro, no defrauda y ya me he leido unos cuantos. Ademas tiene un estilo que te sumerges en la historia, muy buen ritmo, en resumen muy recomendable.
April 5, 2011
"The Bone House" is the best mystery that Brian Freema has put together since his debut novel, "Immoral". Both stories have every element of a mystery/thriller that one could possiby imagine, and both will keep the reader guessin as to the outcome until the very end.
Mark Brady is a high school teacher in a small communty around Lake Michigan. He is accused having an affair with one of his students. Although nothing can be proven and the girl insists that nothing happened between them, he is released from his teaching position and is ostracized by the community. He is very fortunate that his wife, Hilary, believes in his innocence.
Mark's troubles continue when he and his wife attend a high school dance competition in Florida and he is again accused of not only having an affair with a young girl but also is accused of her murder. Again, nothing can be proven but everything points in Mark's direction, even his wife is now having second thoughts about his innocence.
A Florida Detective, Cab Bolton, following up on the investigation goes to their home town and starts to unravel some very dark secrets that have been hidden and festering in the community.
It seems that the murdered girl was a witness to a house fire that almost wiped out a family. The husband and father was accused of arson and murder. While he was being transported to jail he disappears. Is it possible that he has returned and is seeking vengance?
The high school Physical Education teacher may be suspect because of his relationship with the dead girl.
The local sheriff and his Vietnam buddy may be harboring the darkest secret of all.
"The Bone House" is one mystery you will not want to miss. It is high octane from start to finish and will severely test your ability as a crime solver.
Mark Brady is a high school teacher in a small communty around Lake Michigan. He is accused having an affair with one of his students. Although nothing can be proven and the girl insists that nothing happened between them, he is released from his teaching position and is ostracized by the community. He is very fortunate that his wife, Hilary, believes in his innocence.
Mark's troubles continue when he and his wife attend a high school dance competition in Florida and he is again accused of not only having an affair with a young girl but also is accused of her murder. Again, nothing can be proven but everything points in Mark's direction, even his wife is now having second thoughts about his innocence.
A Florida Detective, Cab Bolton, following up on the investigation goes to their home town and starts to unravel some very dark secrets that have been hidden and festering in the community.
It seems that the murdered girl was a witness to a house fire that almost wiped out a family. The husband and father was accused of arson and murder. While he was being transported to jail he disappears. Is it possible that he has returned and is seeking vengance?
The high school Physical Education teacher may be suspect because of his relationship with the dead girl.
The local sheriff and his Vietnam buddy may be harboring the darkest secret of all.
"The Bone House" is one mystery you will not want to miss. It is high octane from start to finish and will severely test your ability as a crime solver.
August 11, 2015
I was a little hesitant when I first picked this book up. I've followed Brian Freeman for several years and fell in love with his Jonathan Stride series. I just could not imagine a new series that would draw me in as quickly as the other. Boy! Was I wrong!
Cab Bolton is a terrific character. He's rich, thanks to his actress mother, which usually puts him at odds with his fellow detectives. He's got some personal issues with trust, and even though he's attracted to his partner, he keeps pushing her away. Difficult to work under those circumstances.
He's tall, blond, and handsome... a little bit sarcastic, but not arrogant with it. He's firmly dedicated to his job and loves bringing home the bad guy.
Mark Bradley was a high school teacher until a student wrote some mighty graphic descriptions of their love affair in her diary. No one believed her when she said she had made it all up. No charges were filed ... but he lost his job and the respect of the small community where he and his wife lives. His wife is his only saving grace.
Spending some time in Florida so his wife can root for a dance team that she has taught, things turn really ugly when a young girl is found strangled on the beach. The young girl is the sister to the student that caused Mark's down fall.
So.. did Mark kill the sister in anger? Was it an accident? Is he really guilty? Cab is on the case and is convinced that Mark is guilty.
There are lots of twist and turns to follow. Information surfaces about the young girl ... leading to a crime that was committed 10 years earlier.
Great storyline ... great characters .... I predict this is going to be a terrific new series.
Cab Bolton is a terrific character. He's rich, thanks to his actress mother, which usually puts him at odds with his fellow detectives. He's got some personal issues with trust, and even though he's attracted to his partner, he keeps pushing her away. Difficult to work under those circumstances.
He's tall, blond, and handsome... a little bit sarcastic, but not arrogant with it. He's firmly dedicated to his job and loves bringing home the bad guy.
Mark Bradley was a high school teacher until a student wrote some mighty graphic descriptions of their love affair in her diary. No one believed her when she said she had made it all up. No charges were filed ... but he lost his job and the respect of the small community where he and his wife lives. His wife is his only saving grace.
Spending some time in Florida so his wife can root for a dance team that she has taught, things turn really ugly when a young girl is found strangled on the beach. The young girl is the sister to the student that caused Mark's down fall.
So.. did Mark kill the sister in anger? Was it an accident? Is he really guilty? Cab is on the case and is convinced that Mark is guilty.
There are lots of twist and turns to follow. Information surfaces about the young girl ... leading to a crime that was committed 10 years earlier.
Great storyline ... great characters .... I predict this is going to be a terrific new series.
February 5, 2024
Este libro me ha tenido totalmente enganchada, vamos que hasta las 2 de la mañana leyendo...
No había leído nada de este autor y me ha sorprendido para bien. De hecho, me apetece leer más libros de este autor. A ver si sigue manteniendo el ritmo...
EL autor, en esta primera entrega, nos da a conocer a un detective - Cab Bolton, pero no es el protagonista de este novela, según mi criterio.
Mark Bradley y Hilarie viven en una península en el estado de Wisconsin. Una zona aislada, de pantanos, en los que son felices. Pero, un año antes, es acusado de mantener relaciones con una menor. Y ahora se ve envuelto en el asesinato de la hermana, Glory. Y ahí empieza la investigación, los enredos y los líos...
Al principio, me ha parecido un poco lento pero a medida que avanzaba su lectura no he podido parar.
Muy recomendable.
No había leído nada de este autor y me ha sorprendido para bien. De hecho, me apetece leer más libros de este autor. A ver si sigue manteniendo el ritmo...
EL autor, en esta primera entrega, nos da a conocer a un detective - Cab Bolton, pero no es el protagonista de este novela, según mi criterio.
Mark Bradley y Hilarie viven en una península en el estado de Wisconsin. Una zona aislada, de pantanos, en los que son felices. Pero, un año antes, es acusado de mantener relaciones con una menor. Y ahora se ve envuelto en el asesinato de la hermana, Glory. Y ahí empieza la investigación, los enredos y los líos...
Al principio, me ha parecido un poco lento pero a medida que avanzaba su lectura no he podido parar.
Muy recomendable.
August 26, 2014
Awesome book but I honestly don't get why Kate called Hilary to go with her to Jenson's house near the end it doesn't make sense or fit in really or more to the point it's like the author was trying to force the characters to fit.
October 24, 2011
I wanted to like this book ('read' it on audio). I really did. It started out strong; the plot pulls a person in...and then I completely lost interest in 2/3 of the characters. I couldn't empathize/care/give a shit about any of them. I got tired of the flashbacks. I grew annoyed with the chronic stupidity - it was a lot like watching the proverbial horror flick and shouting at the screen "NO! Don't open THAT door!".
So, on one hand, Freeman does a very good job of hooking your emotions and pulling you into a very tumultuous story line. We have a dashing high school teacher who has been accused of taking advantage of an underage girl who had befriended him and his wife. We have an insular community hiding dark secrets and feeling that The Outsider is to blame for all of their woes. The community's Little Darling - who can do no wrong - is murdered on an empty nighttime beach in Florida. It's good. Seriously good.
On the other hand, I kept getting yanked out of the plot by little things, little implausibilies, in my humble opinion. A community who doesn't seem to believe the girl with no mention ever of a medical exam. Uh huh. After all, a young person simply cannot write anything that realistic. Bullshit. We have a dead girl floating in the water; the sea has seemingly destroyed any evidence of sexual activity, but not the skin under the fingers? The action of the hand in the sand in the water didn't act as a nail cleaner? Riiigght. What was this 16 year old doing in Florida without a parent anyway? Who in the hell lets their 16 year old drive to Florida from Wisconsin with their boyfriend? We have a community who has judged, tried and condemned to death an individual and his wife all because they - the community - deemed themselves judge, jury and executioner. A sheriff who's duty is to protect the innocent - until proven guilty - who's as bad as the rest of them. Trite and annoying. An out of town inspector who is trying to get to the bottom and never questions why an entire community keeps pointing him at one individual. I'm no detective, but if I were, I'd be digging into that towns past because it screams "cover-up".
I have no idea where Disk 6 compares to in the physical book. But that's where I said to hell with it. I'll try and find some spoilers or check out the book from the library, read the last couple of chapters and call it finished. Maybe. Might still say to hell with it.
So, on one hand, Freeman does a very good job of hooking your emotions and pulling you into a very tumultuous story line. We have a dashing high school teacher who has been accused of taking advantage of an underage girl who had befriended him and his wife. We have an insular community hiding dark secrets and feeling that The Outsider is to blame for all of their woes. The community's Little Darling - who can do no wrong - is murdered on an empty nighttime beach in Florida. It's good. Seriously good.
On the other hand, I kept getting yanked out of the plot by little things, little implausibilies, in my humble opinion. A community who doesn't seem to believe the girl with no mention ever of a medical exam. Uh huh. After all, a young person simply cannot write anything that realistic. Bullshit. We have a dead girl floating in the water; the sea has seemingly destroyed any evidence of sexual activity, but not the skin under the fingers? The action of the hand in the sand in the water didn't act as a nail cleaner? Riiigght. What was this 16 year old doing in Florida without a parent anyway? Who in the hell lets their 16 year old drive to Florida from Wisconsin with their boyfriend? We have a community who has judged, tried and condemned to death an individual and his wife all because they - the community - deemed themselves judge, jury and executioner. A sheriff who's duty is to protect the innocent - until proven guilty - who's as bad as the rest of them. Trite and annoying. An out of town inspector who is trying to get to the bottom and never questions why an entire community keeps pointing him at one individual. I'm no detective, but if I were, I'd be digging into that towns past because it screams "cover-up".
I have no idea where Disk 6 compares to in the physical book. But that's where I said to hell with it. I'll try and find some spoilers or check out the book from the library, read the last couple of chapters and call it finished. Maybe. Might still say to hell with it.
July 1, 2011
Here's a psychological thriller done by someone who knows how to write one. While basically a story of a man and wife, the plot bleeds out to include a detective and and CSI analyst, some troubled teenagers, and a terrible tragedy from the past. The tragedy, portrayed in the breathtaking prologue, reaches lethal tentacles into the future and threatens almost everyone involved.
Mark Bradley is having a tough time. He and his wife, Hillary, moved to an idyllic island in rural Door County, northern Wisconsin, from a Chicago suburb to live on their salaries as teachers and raise a happy family. Mark, however, was accused of sexual harassment when the mother of shy teenaged student, Tresa, read the torrid accounts of an inappropriate affair in Tresa's diary. Tresa insisted her writings were all fantasy, but Mark was fired anyway and has been out of a job for a year. His wife, Hillary is still a dance coach at the high school, but her reception by the locals has become increasingly chilly.
Mark accompanies his wife and her dance students to Florida for a competition. It's supposed to be a relaxing getaway, but Mark is accosted on the beach by Tresa's younger sister, Glory. When Glory is found dead, a witness is found that saw Mark kissing Glory very late at night. He insists they didn't kiss, and that he didn't kill the girl. Hillary wants to believe him, but she's exhausted from standing by him during the ordeal of the past year. And she's not quite sure he's telling the truth.
Cab (Born In One) Bolton, the unusual detective assigned to the case, fights against his attraction to the lovely CSI analyst, Lala. Like Hillary, he doesn't know who to believe. But he's Mark's only hope. And he carries a horrific secret of his own from the past.
Reviewed by Kaye George, Author of “CHOKE: An Imogene Duckworthy Mystery” for Suspense Magazine
Mark Bradley is having a tough time. He and his wife, Hillary, moved to an idyllic island in rural Door County, northern Wisconsin, from a Chicago suburb to live on their salaries as teachers and raise a happy family. Mark, however, was accused of sexual harassment when the mother of shy teenaged student, Tresa, read the torrid accounts of an inappropriate affair in Tresa's diary. Tresa insisted her writings were all fantasy, but Mark was fired anyway and has been out of a job for a year. His wife, Hillary is still a dance coach at the high school, but her reception by the locals has become increasingly chilly.
Mark accompanies his wife and her dance students to Florida for a competition. It's supposed to be a relaxing getaway, but Mark is accosted on the beach by Tresa's younger sister, Glory. When Glory is found dead, a witness is found that saw Mark kissing Glory very late at night. He insists they didn't kiss, and that he didn't kill the girl. Hillary wants to believe him, but she's exhausted from standing by him during the ordeal of the past year. And she's not quite sure he's telling the truth.
Cab (Born In One) Bolton, the unusual detective assigned to the case, fights against his attraction to the lovely CSI analyst, Lala. Like Hillary, he doesn't know who to believe. But he's Mark's only hope. And he carries a horrific secret of his own from the past.
Reviewed by Kaye George, Author of “CHOKE: An Imogene Duckworthy Mystery” for Suspense Magazine
May 19, 2016
First, let me say I'm a big Freeman fan. Second, that there are a whole lot of people who obviously loved this book, giving it outstanding ratings. I just wasn't one of them.
The premise of this story revolves around a murder mystery with a cast of characters that include a husband and wife who happened to be at the location where the murder took place. Add to it the fact that the husband lost his job because of a scandal with that girl's sister at school (he's a teacher) and you've got your prime suspect for the story.
One of the biggest issues I had with this novel was the fact that we see things through the husband's perspective so KNOW that he A) didn't commit adultery with the girl in question and B) didn't kill her sister.
... And we wave goodbye to any amount of suspense the story could have held.
This could have been such a tighter novel if we revolved only around his wife, the kids and the detectives perspective instead. The doubt the wife feels would have been intensified, as would her resolve to back her husband up. It would have caused the reader to constantly question what really happened.
Instead I felt like I was eating ice cream that consisted of ice, hold the cream. The novel was bland, many of the metaphors continually throwing me out of the story. There were some good ideas in here and some characters I enjoyed, hence the 3 stars, but this felt like it could have used one last major rewrite to put this into the "amazing" category rather than the "just another thriller" where it ended up.
I'm still a fan and will continue to read more of Freeman's work, but if you're unfamiliar with him, start with another novel.
The premise of this story revolves around a murder mystery with a cast of characters that include a husband and wife who happened to be at the location where the murder took place. Add to it the fact that the husband lost his job because of a scandal with that girl's sister at school (he's a teacher) and you've got your prime suspect for the story.
One of the biggest issues I had with this novel was the fact that we see things through the husband's perspective so KNOW that he A) didn't commit adultery with the girl in question and B) didn't kill her sister.
... And we wave goodbye to any amount of suspense the story could have held.
This could have been such a tighter novel if we revolved only around his wife, the kids and the detectives perspective instead. The doubt the wife feels would have been intensified, as would her resolve to back her husband up. It would have caused the reader to constantly question what really happened.
Instead I felt like I was eating ice cream that consisted of ice, hold the cream. The novel was bland, many of the metaphors continually throwing me out of the story. There were some good ideas in here and some characters I enjoyed, hence the 3 stars, but this felt like it could have used one last major rewrite to put this into the "amazing" category rather than the "just another thriller" where it ended up.
I'm still a fan and will continue to read more of Freeman's work, but if you're unfamiliar with him, start with another novel.
August 6, 2014
The best thriller I've read in a long time. The pacing's great-each chapter ends in a cliff hanger with the suspense building. As we slowly get to know the characters, the good guys show cracks, some bad ones become sympathetic-like real life we find complexity in people. The ferry served island with its idiosyncratic people and culture really resonated with me.
April 27, 2012
The main plot of this book interested me and that is why I picked it up. Only a few pages into it I realized my mistake. The characters were predictable and stereotypical. Every twist and turn I saw coming 50 pages ahead. I will not be reading another one of Brian Freeman's books.
August 6, 2020
3,5/5
Bastante entretenido
Bastante entretenido
July 12, 2020
I like this author. I've read a few of his books. He does mystery well. I'm always sucked in by his story lines and characters. Many times I'm on the edge of my seat. The mystery in this one had plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing up until the end.
One issue I have to mention (okay, maybe two): This is the second book that I've read recently that had the same "back country hick" running the show by railroading a suspect and also by vigilante justice. That really isn't my favorite story line. It's been done so many times. Thankfully this had some other things going for it like a great MC who had some interesting complications in life. Secondly, the last twist at the end was too hard to believe. But other than that, I enjoyed this one. So 4 stars.
One issue I have to mention (okay, maybe two): This is the second book that I've read recently that had the same "back country hick" running the show by railroading a suspect and also by vigilante justice. That really isn't my favorite story line. It's been done so many times. Thankfully this had some other things going for it like a great MC who had some interesting complications in life. Secondly, the last twist at the end was too hard to believe. But other than that, I enjoyed this one. So 4 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2024
Decent page turner with a few too many overly complicated and unrealistic plot twists. Found myself holding my breath through some passages. The writing: too many self conscious metaphors and unnecessary character descriptions added in. I liked it. I’ll read more of this author’s books. He’s a good storyteller.
February 23, 2016
A classic Shakespearean tragedy. What if Glory was never at the scene of the fire, and Harris got help for his family? A snowball of sin and deception packed with revenge and mental illness. Throw in a couple not from the area and an innocent event... transfers evil and a path of no return. Small town people with suspicious minds, a creepy pedophile and a corrupt good ol boy sheriff. Secrets have a way of catching up even if they are hidden away with a key or the trauma of the mind.
Can't wait to see more of Cab and his partner in Florida. I love the way Brian Freeman writes!
Can't wait to see more of Cab and his partner in Florida. I love the way Brian Freeman writes!
July 27, 2024
A great kick off to a series introducing Cab Bolton (rich, wandering, police detective) A death at a dance competition sets off a chain of events dating back six years. A small town death, a missing murderer, and a teacher accused of inappropriate behavior with a student is all mixed in this mystery. Lots of layers and intrigue with a dash of mistrust. A study on how far people will go to protect secrets, lies, and murders in a tight knit community where outsiders aren't welcome.
July 16, 2022
My first Brian Freeman book, but it won’t may be my last. It is a good mystery with a varied cast of characters which Freeman develops well. I got a little tired of the young woman that continually threw herself at Mark Bradley, but I appreciated the love between Hilary and Mark Bradley. I was kept guessing till the end. Looking forward to more of Freeman’s books.
March 13, 2020
Last year, accusations of a affair with a student cost Mark Bradley his teaching job. Hilary Bradley also a teacher takes her unemployed husband Mark to Florida where the sister of the younger sister of the teenage girl that was the subject of the affair is found dead on the beach. . . and once again, Mark becomes a suspect.
Florida detective named Cab Bolton is not ready to arrest Mark until he checks out the
the people who were staying at the Hotel looking for a witness.
Hilary and Mark return to upper Michigan peninsula where the community believe Mark is guilty. Cab follows to find out the truth one way or another. My 8th read book by Brian Freeman
Florida detective named Cab Bolton is not ready to arrest Mark until he checks out the
the people who were staying at the Hotel looking for a witness.
Hilary and Mark return to upper Michigan peninsula where the community believe Mark is guilty. Cab follows to find out the truth one way or another. My 8th read book by Brian Freeman
February 15, 2025
This book has so many twists and turns, I think this has been the only book that I couldn’t assume (and be right) what was going to happen. I liked the feeling of not knowing what was next at any turn. Super enjoyable.
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