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Jonathan Stride #5
The Burying Place
One cold night. Two shocking mysteries.
In the quiet town of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, a baby vanishes from her bedroom in an opulent lakeside home. Was she abducted -- or does her father have a terrible secret to hide?
That same night, a young policewoman gets lost in the fog and stumbles into the middle of a horrific crime. Now a sadistic killer wants her to play his deadly game.
Lieutenant Jonathan Stride and his team need to move fast to save a child and stop a vicious killing spree. As fear grips the frozen winter farm lands, Stride knows that every snow-covered field may be the next burying place.
Each twist in the investigation takes Stride into an elaborate web of deceit and desire. But his biggest obstacles may be the very people he's trying to help. With everything at risk and time running out, Stride worries how far a desperate mother will go to rescue her baby -- and how far a desperate cop will go to save herself.
In the quiet town of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, a baby vanishes from her bedroom in an opulent lakeside home. Was she abducted -- or does her father have a terrible secret to hide?
That same night, a young policewoman gets lost in the fog and stumbles into the middle of a horrific crime. Now a sadistic killer wants her to play his deadly game.
Lieutenant Jonathan Stride and his team need to move fast to save a child and stop a vicious killing spree. As fear grips the frozen winter farm lands, Stride knows that every snow-covered field may be the next burying place.
Each twist in the investigation takes Stride into an elaborate web of deceit and desire. But his biggest obstacles may be the very people he's trying to help. With everything at risk and time running out, Stride worries how far a desperate mother will go to rescue her baby -- and how far a desperate cop will go to save herself.
416 pages, Paperback
First published April 13, 2010
248 people are currently reading
2281 people want to read
About the author
Brian Freemantle
110 books68 followersAka John Maxwell, Jonathan Evans, Jack Winchester, Harry Asher and Richard Gant.
Brian Freemantle [b. 1936] is one of Britain's most acclaimed authors of spy fiction. His novels have sold over ten million copies worldwide. Born in Southampton, Freemantle entered his career as a journalist, and began writing espionage thrillers in the late 1960s. Charlie M (1977) introduced the world to Charlie Muffin and won Freemantle international recognition—he would go on to publish fourteen titles in the series.
Freemantle has written dozens of other novels, including two featuring Sebastian Holmes, an illegitimate son of Sherlock Holmes, and the Cowley and Danilov series, about an American FBI agent and a Russian militia detective who work together to comabt organized crime in the post-Cold War world. Freemantle lives and works in London, Englad.
Brian Freemantle [b. 1936] is one of Britain's most acclaimed authors of spy fiction. His novels have sold over ten million copies worldwide. Born in Southampton, Freemantle entered his career as a journalist, and began writing espionage thrillers in the late 1960s. Charlie M (1977) introduced the world to Charlie Muffin and won Freemantle international recognition—he would go on to publish fourteen titles in the series.
Freemantle has written dozens of other novels, including two featuring Sebastian Holmes, an illegitimate son of Sherlock Holmes, and the Cowley and Danilov series, about an American FBI agent and a Russian militia detective who work together to comabt organized crime in the post-Cold War world. Freemantle lives and works in London, Englad.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 396 reviews
May 5, 2019
I really enjoy Brian Freeman's books, and this one is no exception. In The Burying Place a baby goes missing from her bed with no signs of forced entry. In a separate incident a young policewoman stumbles across a heinous crime while lost in a fog. Along with three other missing women, Jonathan Stride has his work cut out for him. He's still recovering from a brutal fall from which he's suffering from panic attacks. He and Serena are drifting apart, with neither of them seemingly able to fix their relationship. We have a psychopathic killer, a cold-hearted doctor, an anguished mother and a terrified policewoman. The chilling story winds around their lives until it all comes together and the shocking truth is revealed.
September 15, 2014
The Burying Place, Brian Freeman’s fifth thriller in the Jonathan Stride series, seemed to me his darkest and perhaps his best yet. It gave me the creeps, the chills – you name it, I got it. I believe that’s what Freeman intended, and he was quite successful in creating the sense of fear and foreboding on every page. The opening scene is aptly set in thick fog; the mood throughout the novel is gloomy, sad, and uneasy.
The baby of a successful surgeon and his beautiful wife is missing in the town of Grand Rapids, and Jonathan Stride is called in while on hiatus from his job as a Duluth police detective to assist with the case. His girlfriend, Serena Dial, is there to collaborate with him as well.
Meanwhile, his long time police associate, Maggie Bei, is on a mission to apprehend a killer of women in a rural farm area near Duluth. It is on this case that we become acquainted with a young cop, Kasey Kennedy, who becomes involved when she is lost in the fog and stumbles upon one of the killer’s victims as she runs for her life. Kasey follows, takes a chance, and takes a shot. The man flees, and the woman is later found dead, her throat sliced with a garrote.
No one is happy in this book. Stride is taking time off to recover from injuries suffered in his last case and is tormented by flashbacks. Serena is concerned and upset because Jonny won’t talk about what’s really bothering him. Dr. Marcus Glenn and his wife Valerie, on the surface a quintessential couple, are anything but perfect, and the disappearance of their young daughter brings all the defects to light.
As the story progresses, we see more of Valerie’s sister Denise and her husband Tom, Kasey Kennedy, babysitter Micki, and the mystery man who is killing women in Duluth. All have flaws and secrets.
The two cases run parallel, and as in the case of other Freeman thrillers, the story lines intersect. Once again we wonder, how are they related? Freeman does a masterful job of misdirecting our suspicions. Perhaps we want to believe it is any one of several characters simply because there are a number of them who are just plain not likable. Or they had a good motive. But I was surprised, not once, but twice.
I have to think that in some way this was a difficult book for Brian Freeman to write. He puts his main characters at a crossroad and forces them to choose and move on. That made me incredibly sad, and though it is probably the most realistic circumstance at this phase of the series, readers become attached to characters and to the status quo, and I imagine that writers find sometimes find it painful to make changes that impact the lives of their characters. That’s all I can say without spoiling the story.
I think this was probably the best of the Freeman’s books. I didn’t finish The Burying Place with a feeling of “Yes! That was a great book!” Rather, it evoked the feelings that I believe he wanted his readers to feel, and it was a very well told story. The only criticism I have is that I felt that some of his characters, particularly Dr. Glenn and Regan Conrad, are one-dimensional and stereotypical. That is a minor weakness, however, in a superbly written suspense thriller. Having recently met Brian Freeman at a library event and found him to be a very nice, courteous man, I am even more amazed at his ability to write such twisted suspense fiction novels.
I look forward to reading more Jonathan Stride.
5/5 stars
The baby of a successful surgeon and his beautiful wife is missing in the town of Grand Rapids, and Jonathan Stride is called in while on hiatus from his job as a Duluth police detective to assist with the case. His girlfriend, Serena Dial, is there to collaborate with him as well.
Meanwhile, his long time police associate, Maggie Bei, is on a mission to apprehend a killer of women in a rural farm area near Duluth. It is on this case that we become acquainted with a young cop, Kasey Kennedy, who becomes involved when she is lost in the fog and stumbles upon one of the killer’s victims as she runs for her life. Kasey follows, takes a chance, and takes a shot. The man flees, and the woman is later found dead, her throat sliced with a garrote.
No one is happy in this book. Stride is taking time off to recover from injuries suffered in his last case and is tormented by flashbacks. Serena is concerned and upset because Jonny won’t talk about what’s really bothering him. Dr. Marcus Glenn and his wife Valerie, on the surface a quintessential couple, are anything but perfect, and the disappearance of their young daughter brings all the defects to light.
As the story progresses, we see more of Valerie’s sister Denise and her husband Tom, Kasey Kennedy, babysitter Micki, and the mystery man who is killing women in Duluth. All have flaws and secrets.
The two cases run parallel, and as in the case of other Freeman thrillers, the story lines intersect. Once again we wonder, how are they related? Freeman does a masterful job of misdirecting our suspicions. Perhaps we want to believe it is any one of several characters simply because there are a number of them who are just plain not likable. Or they had a good motive. But I was surprised, not once, but twice.
I have to think that in some way this was a difficult book for Brian Freeman to write. He puts his main characters at a crossroad and forces them to choose and move on. That made me incredibly sad, and though it is probably the most realistic circumstance at this phase of the series, readers become attached to characters and to the status quo, and I imagine that writers find sometimes find it painful to make changes that impact the lives of their characters. That’s all I can say without spoiling the story.
I think this was probably the best of the Freeman’s books. I didn’t finish The Burying Place with a feeling of “Yes! That was a great book!” Rather, it evoked the feelings that I believe he wanted his readers to feel, and it was a very well told story. The only criticism I have is that I felt that some of his characters, particularly Dr. Glenn and Regan Conrad, are one-dimensional and stereotypical. That is a minor weakness, however, in a superbly written suspense thriller. Having recently met Brian Freeman at a library event and found him to be a very nice, courteous man, I am even more amazed at his ability to write such twisted suspense fiction novels.
I look forward to reading more Jonathan Stride.
5/5 stars
May 10, 2021
Great pacing and a crafty (yet totally honest) twist that I never saw coming made The Burying Place a thriller of a 3 1/2 star experience.
¡Salute!
¡Salute!
November 19, 2012
at the risk of sounding like a broken record, Brian Freeman is a master..love love LOVE his novels...Burying Place is no exception. He's not afraid to put his protagonists through hell and he's just so good at making you feel for his characters.
Burying place picks up shortly after In The Dark. Stride is on 'vacation', dealing with the trials of the last case he worked on in the previous novel. As always, his love Serena Dial is with him, but they're not without his issues. Stride is coming to terms dealing with his near death at the end of the novel. It's not a 'happily ever after' situation.
During all this two cases happen concurrently. 1) a child of a wealthy power couple goes near where Stride and Serena have been taking some time away from the world and 2) a series of brutal murders of women has been taking place closer to home in Duluth. Maggie Bei is back of course and she draws the serial killer case. Stride is brought on by an old friend from the force for the child abduction and she's got her own personal reasons for doing so.
In the midst of all this, Kacey Kennedy, a relatively green cop on the force actually encounters the man who's been butchering Duluth women while she gets lost while driving home in a horrible fog. Getting lost changes the course of her life forever.
I don't want to give too much away about the book. That would be spoiling it for anybody who hasn't read it yet. Freeman's great at tackling multiple mysteries while still being able to handle drama on a personal level as well. Stride is collapsing more and more in on himself in teh wake of his near death experience and both his lover Serena and his long time partner and woman who harbors a love interest for him Maggie Bei, are both struggling to deal with it and help him out. If you read Stride by now you know he's not one to burden other people with his problems and taking it all upon himself may prove to be his undoing.
As usual, Freeman points the reader in all kinds of directions. Was it the narcistic surgeon who disappeared the child? The lonely wife? Who's been killing women in the north farmlands for sport? Is Maggie really over her feelings for Stride?
I will say that there were a couple of instances in the book that weren't that much of a surprise, but the ending was a BIG surprise. At first. Freeman's great as leaving clues, and subtle ones at that. When all is revealed at the end it's quite a surprise and a great twist but you'll realize that all the framework is there.
The ending is satisfying but still leaves the door open for more which is fine by me. I enjoy all of his characters to a great extent and as long as he keeps writing them , I'll keep reading them!
Burying place picks up shortly after In The Dark. Stride is on 'vacation', dealing with the trials of the last case he worked on in the previous novel. As always, his love Serena Dial is with him, but they're not without his issues. Stride is coming to terms dealing with his near death at the end of the novel. It's not a 'happily ever after' situation.
During all this two cases happen concurrently. 1) a child of a wealthy power couple goes near where Stride and Serena have been taking some time away from the world and 2) a series of brutal murders of women has been taking place closer to home in Duluth. Maggie Bei is back of course and she draws the serial killer case. Stride is brought on by an old friend from the force for the child abduction and she's got her own personal reasons for doing so.
In the midst of all this, Kacey Kennedy, a relatively green cop on the force actually encounters the man who's been butchering Duluth women while she gets lost while driving home in a horrible fog. Getting lost changes the course of her life forever.
I don't want to give too much away about the book. That would be spoiling it for anybody who hasn't read it yet. Freeman's great at tackling multiple mysteries while still being able to handle drama on a personal level as well. Stride is collapsing more and more in on himself in teh wake of his near death experience and both his lover Serena and his long time partner and woman who harbors a love interest for him Maggie Bei, are both struggling to deal with it and help him out. If you read Stride by now you know he's not one to burden other people with his problems and taking it all upon himself may prove to be his undoing.
As usual, Freeman points the reader in all kinds of directions. Was it the narcistic surgeon who disappeared the child? The lonely wife? Who's been killing women in the north farmlands for sport? Is Maggie really over her feelings for Stride?
I will say that there were a couple of instances in the book that weren't that much of a surprise, but the ending was a BIG surprise. At first. Freeman's great as leaving clues, and subtle ones at that. When all is revealed at the end it's quite a surprise and a great twist but you'll realize that all the framework is there.
The ending is satisfying but still leaves the door open for more which is fine by me. I enjoy all of his characters to a great extent and as long as he keeps writing them , I'll keep reading them!
October 20, 2017
Number 5 in the Jonathan Stride series- and I'm still loving it!! Best to start this from the beginning of the series- for as you read the books- the characters are all developing - some for the good, some for the bad- I'll say it again- I'm NOT a fan of SERENA and I hope she goes away - sooner rather than later- having said that - so far all the books are very good - keeps your interest- and fast reading !!
August 14, 2025
4,5/5
Esta novela comienza con la policía Kasey Kennedy que perdida en la niebla cerca de Duluth va a toparse con el secuestrador que lleva meses acechando la zona, este caso lo lleva Maggie Bei ya que Stride aún esta de baja por las secuelas que le dejó su caso anterior.
Por otra, en el pueblecito de Grand Rapids desaparace Callie, el bebé de 11 meses del cirujano Marcus Glenn en mitad de la noche, de manera inexpicable.
Por la parte personal, Serena y Jonathan no están en su mejor momento, los problemas se han instaurado en su relación que parece que hace aguas.
Me encanta como escribe Brian Freeman, es un gran escritor, siempre consigue engancharme a sus historias desde las primeras páginas. Otra cosa que me gusta de este autor, es que según voy avanzando en esta seie cada libro es mejor que el anterior.
Adoro el personaje de Jonathan Stride , un personaje que aunque cometa errores se lo perdonas todo, porque es tan carismático y bueno que es imposible no hacerlo.
La trama me ha gustado mucho, según avanza la investigación de la desaparición de Callie, como en todo pueblo pequeño van saliendo a la luz todos los secretos de matrimonio Glenn y cada vez parece más posible que Marcus esté implicado en su desaparición.
Y al final, Brian Freeman, nos da una vuelta tremenda, un giro inesperado de los acontecimientos que nos dejará con la boca abierta, al saber como se conecta todo.
Esta novela comienza con la policía Kasey Kennedy que perdida en la niebla cerca de Duluth va a toparse con el secuestrador que lleva meses acechando la zona, este caso lo lleva Maggie Bei ya que Stride aún esta de baja por las secuelas que le dejó su caso anterior.
Por otra, en el pueblecito de Grand Rapids desaparace Callie, el bebé de 11 meses del cirujano Marcus Glenn en mitad de la noche, de manera inexpicable.
Por la parte personal, Serena y Jonathan no están en su mejor momento, los problemas se han instaurado en su relación que parece que hace aguas.
Me encanta como escribe Brian Freeman, es un gran escritor, siempre consigue engancharme a sus historias desde las primeras páginas. Otra cosa que me gusta de este autor, es que según voy avanzando en esta seie cada libro es mejor que el anterior.
Adoro el personaje de Jonathan Stride , un personaje que aunque cometa errores se lo perdonas todo, porque es tan carismático y bueno que es imposible no hacerlo.
La trama me ha gustado mucho, según avanza la investigación de la desaparición de Callie, como en todo pueblo pequeño van saliendo a la luz todos los secretos de matrimonio Glenn y cada vez parece más posible que Marcus esté implicado en su desaparición.
Y al final, Brian Freeman, nos da una vuelta tremenda, un giro inesperado de los acontecimientos que nos dejará con la boca abierta, al saber como se conecta todo.
February 22, 2020
Jonathan Stride and his partner Serena Dial get involved in the case of baby Cassie Glenn, who has disappeared from her home. The prime suspect seems to be her arrogant surgeon father, Marcus Glenn. On the same night, young cop Kasey Kennedy gets lost in the fog and stumbles across a woman on the run from a serial killer. Despite her attempts to save the woman and catch the killer, the victim winds up dead and the killer still on the run...and now he wants Kasey to be his next victim!
Great thriller maintains its suspense from start to finish! The characters are well-developed and the dialogue is down-to-earth and realistic. These all felt like real people. There are plenty of exciting moments, particularly as the killer stalks Kasey. The plot delivers some good twists, a couple that I didn't spot coming at all! My only real complaint is in regards to Stride's post-traumatic stress relating to events in the previous book. I've read the previous book, but that was close to a decade ago and I can't remember a thing about it. No real details about what happened are given here, so it was hard to get my head around exactly what was so traumatic, and it meant Stride sometimes came across as a bit of an ineffective sadsack.
Otherwise, this is a terrific thriller, perfectly paced, reminiscent of a time before every other book in the genre centered around a silly, paranoid, unreliable female narrator.
Great thriller maintains its suspense from start to finish! The characters are well-developed and the dialogue is down-to-earth and realistic. These all felt like real people. There are plenty of exciting moments, particularly as the killer stalks Kasey. The plot delivers some good twists, a couple that I didn't spot coming at all! My only real complaint is in regards to Stride's post-traumatic stress relating to events in the previous book. I've read the previous book, but that was close to a decade ago and I can't remember a thing about it. No real details about what happened are given here, so it was hard to get my head around exactly what was so traumatic, and it meant Stride sometimes came across as a bit of an ineffective sadsack.
Otherwise, this is a terrific thriller, perfectly paced, reminiscent of a time before every other book in the genre centered around a silly, paranoid, unreliable female narrator.
February 9, 2021
Loving this series!
The detective Jonthan Stride is quickly becoming my favorite investigator. The series is exciting and has a great complex puzzle with each novel. I have enjoyed this series on audible and I am very happy with the Narrator and stories.
The detective Jonthan Stride is quickly becoming my favorite investigator. The series is exciting and has a great complex puzzle with each novel. I have enjoyed this series on audible and I am very happy with the Narrator and stories.
June 2, 2021
No me ha gustado tanto como los demás de la serie. A veces me ha parecido aburrido y predecible.
La verdad que el cuarto libro me gusto bastante (el que más hasta ahora) y este tenía un nivel muy alto que superar y no ha podido ser.
La verdad que el cuarto libro me gusto bastante (el que más hasta ahora) y este tenía un nivel muy alto que superar y no ha podido ser.
August 30, 2023
I like this author. His stories are well crafted and I've come to expect this when I pick up one of his books.
I liked this one. There was a lot going on. And there were a couple of well placed twists that kept the pace rolling along.
This one was between 3 and 4 stars. The set up seemed a bit slow but the ending certainly made up for that. So 3 stars for this one.
I liked this one. There was a lot going on. And there were a couple of well placed twists that kept the pace rolling along.
This one was between 3 and 4 stars. The set up seemed a bit slow but the ending certainly made up for that. So 3 stars for this one.
October 12, 2014
I think this is the first book where I am disappointed in Stride and hate Maggie a little, they both made a decision that has grave consequences.
When this book starts we see Stride is in a bad place, still dealing with fall from the bridge that almost killed him in the last book. He seems to pull back into himself causing him and Serena to become strangers to each others. Serena can see this happening and doesn't know what to do other than just be there, but every day things become more and more awkward.
The kidnapping of a child draws both of them back to work giving them something else to concentrate on. As the investigate they learn that these parents are not the picture perfect people their image projects. I find these parents to be selfish and am surprised that they can handle having a child around at all. There are times when each of them get the verbal slap down from various people and in each case they deserve it.
In Duluth, Maggie is running things while Stride is gone. She runs across a serial killer. The turns that her case takes is surprising.
I am not sure if this is the last book in the series or not. But I am sad with the direction that Serena took at the end, she really got the shaft.
When this book starts we see Stride is in a bad place, still dealing with fall from the bridge that almost killed him in the last book. He seems to pull back into himself causing him and Serena to become strangers to each others. Serena can see this happening and doesn't know what to do other than just be there, but every day things become more and more awkward.
The kidnapping of a child draws both of them back to work giving them something else to concentrate on. As the investigate they learn that these parents are not the picture perfect people their image projects. I find these parents to be selfish and am surprised that they can handle having a child around at all. There are times when each of them get the verbal slap down from various people and in each case they deserve it.
In Duluth, Maggie is running things while Stride is gone. She runs across a serial killer. The turns that her case takes is surprising.
I am not sure if this is the last book in the series or not. But I am sad with the direction that Serena took at the end, she really got the shaft.
January 20, 2015
This was a very good book that continued the Stride-Serena-Maggie saga. Brian Freeman puts his characters into dark places and then has them figure out where to go from there. I loved their interactions and look forward to the next book. I have to admit Serena is not my favorite. Oh, and yes, there were crimes to be solved. They were scary, emotional, and resolved with a twist.
June 16, 2017
Stride is still recovering from his injuries when he, Serena and Maggie are pulled into service in a small Minnesota town. An infant is missing and 3 women have been murdered. The suspense is palpable and what actually occurred will blow your mind.
June 21, 2023
4.5⭐️
An oldie but good one! Exciting, psychological thriller! Left me with chills!
An oldie but good one! Exciting, psychological thriller! Left me with chills!
June 8, 2016
From the ratings given by other readers, I expected more from this book. I like to try out new mystery/thriller authors, and it appears this one doesn’t live up to my expectations, I’m sorry to say.
Both plots, on one side the kidnapped baby, and on the other side the farmland killer, were drawn out without much progress in the investigation. It felt like the investigators were more preoccupied by their personal lives than their current caseload. I don’t know any of these characters, and I don’t know the lead the detective, Stride, having never read the previous books, but personally, I thought he behaved like an empty shell - all the time, almost like a cardboard persona, and that's not because he cheated so callously on his girlfriend. It's because the author didn't give him any colors or personality. So yes, I was disappointed, and not only by the behavior of the protagonists (perpetrators and investigators alike) but by the story-telling as well.
All these broken people remind me a bit of the Trent books by Karin Slaughter, but at least in Slaughter's books, you experience more authenticity & gravitas and ultimately that's more satisfying.
Both plots, on one side the kidnapped baby, and on the other side the farmland killer, were drawn out without much progress in the investigation. It felt like the investigators were more preoccupied by their personal lives than their current caseload. I don’t know any of these characters, and I don’t know the lead the detective, Stride, having never read the previous books, but personally, I thought he behaved like an empty shell - all the time, almost like a cardboard persona, and that's not because he cheated so callously on his girlfriend. It's because the author didn't give him any colors or personality. So yes, I was disappointed, and not only by the behavior of the protagonists (perpetrators and investigators alike) but by the story-telling as well.
All these broken people remind me a bit of the Trent books by Karin Slaughter, but at least in Slaughter's books, you experience more authenticity & gravitas and ultimately that's more satisfying.
September 25, 2014
Wow! ! What a page turner! It definitely was not who I thought it was!!
September 7, 2016
Good read, fast paced. Love that it was set in small town Minnesota. Will read more of this series.
August 8, 2012
The Burying Place
Brian Freeman
Kasey Kennedy is cop working for the Duluth Police Department and winds up coming face to face with a sadistic serial killer. Finding herself in danger as a result of trying to help another woman, Kasey might be sorry she ever stopped and listened to this woman’s rants. But, as a cop what could she do? The killer is haunting the visions of this woman and when they both come face to face with him what happens will envelop her in his deadly game. But, what really happens when she is dared and takes that final shot still remains to be seen?
Jonathan Stride and Maggie Bei handle Major Crimes for the same police department yet neither would know Kasey. Kasey’s mob is to monitor reports of car parked in the woods, broken windows and other similar crimes. But traveling along at night in the cold Minnesota Winter she sees a woman come up to her screaming at the top of her lungs. Fearful, acting strange almost paranoid, Kasey tries to calm her when she relates she is a cop but what happens next you won’t believe and the killer taunts them both but what will the end result be?
Our main character Jonathan Stride is recuperating from a major accident or fall. Plagued with panic attacks, reoccurring dreams about the fall he hides the truth about these attacks not only from his partner but also from his live in girlfriend Serena Dial. Remembering the fall, the horrific pain he relives the impact and much more. But, these attacks are hampering him from getting back to work until he is summoned by his partner and someone else to get involved in the case of a mission infant and four missing women. Three women disappeared from their homes in Duluth without a trace. Violent deaths and now a fourth has been discovered. But, there is much more as Denise Sheridan the Deputy Sheriff requests his help in finding the young infant who just happens to be her niece. Sleeping soundly in her crib in her bedroom how did this child disappear with her father home, checking on her and no sign of a break-in. Learning from Denise something about the father would send up red flags and make Stride look into his past, his actions that night and much more. Never leaving her daughter alone with her husband whose life was inconvenienced when his daughter was born, Valerie his wife usually hires a sitter. What happened that she did not? Delving more into the personality of Marcus Glenn we learn he is an orthopedic surgeon, self center, focused on his career and classifies people according to their economic stations or his own form of the caste system. As Stride talks to him he notices one bit of evidence that might shed some light or cast a definite shadow on the father as a suspect. Fearful and afraid of what might have happened to her niece, Denise hands the case over to Stride and his partner hoping they can find Callie. One man whose primary concern is himself and his career and one man when described reminds you of Dorian Grey.
As Serena looks into the disappearance of Callie, goes through the scene, along the property of her home Maggie is dealing with victim four Susan Krauss and her death. But, this time there is a body and maybe with the help of Kasey Kennedy that might catch a killer. When questioned about the incident Kasey relates what she remembers but one specific action and one splatter might help identify him even though he managed to get away. So, why does she want to get involved in the case and why risk the wrath of the killer? Why would a young rookie cop want to deal with a homicidal killer?
But, Jonathan meets the babysitter, questions her and learns that there is a definitely snag in Marcus’s story about that night and between Serena and questioning Micki the sitter they learn a a lot about Marcus and his relationship with his wife, his affairs and much more. Interviewing Valerie Glenn Serena hears first hand about their marriage, their relationship and you begin to wonder why she even stays. A crime so well orchestrated and well planned that no signs were left within the house or anywhere else as the author brilliantly leads us to the cemetery and we hear the voice of the person who took Callie and where she is now.
Forward to Kasey Kennedy and the second case of the missing women and you wonder if both cases are not related. Blair Rowe a reporter tries to blackmail Jonathan into telling her more than she is entitled to know. Gun hoe to make a name for herself she is relentless when asking her questions and going after what she wants. As we meet a new player in this investigation she is a news reporter for the Herald named Blair Rowe who is gun hoe to make a name for herself at any cost. This reporter thinks Micki Vega the sitter and Marcus Glenn committed the crime to make poor Callie disappear. Meet Ellen Warner at nurse at St. Mary’s who enlightens Jonathan even more about the affairs that the doctor had. What she reveals you need to read for yourself and you begin to wonder just what kind of a hold does he have on his staff, would they lie for him, why are so many defending him and would he really take the life of his own child to free himself of the burden of taking care of her? Just who kidnapped this child and why?
When Kasey arrives home she is startled and realizes her privacy and home have been violated. The message she receives would change her life and her encounter with him would haunt her forever. As Serena meets with Regan Conrad one of the women the doctor had an affair with and yet when described you would wonder why.
Nick Garaldo enjoyed exploring a cave that he had all to himself but what he finds and what happens brings us closer to finding three bodies and the killer made sure he would be number four. Added into the mix is information shared by Regan Conrad with Serena about Micki that would shed more suspicion on her and her relationship with Marcus.
Author Brian Freeman once again has penned a novel that will make you think the next time you hire a sitter, decide to explore a cave, marry a doctor for convenience or status and have a relationship with a cop like Stride whose personality changes all too often and whose needs do not seem to always remain the same. But, things change as one report named Blair Rowe continues her hot pursuit of what really happened to Callie and is taking as many prisoners as possible on her own. Learning about Marcus’s past, present and affairs, more about Regan Conrad the nurse who seems to know more than she should about his life and who tempts Valerie with some information she would rather forget and Micki who lost a child and is somehow connected to all of this but how? As the plot begins to get more tangled and we meet Tom Sheridan married to Denise, learn more about Marcus and begin to see his cold and mean side even more we learn that Valerie is no shrinking violet but where is Callie?
Kasey has agreed to help with the investigation to find the killer who seems fixated on her and is taunting her with messages and invading her life. Able to leave messages, seen yet not caught could it be someone that is hiding in plain sight? Just who has Callie? Who is buried in the woods? What did Nick see and who killed him and why? Are both cases connected?
A killer so smart, clever and elusive you will never figure out who is behind the murders and who kidnapped Callie and why. When the spotlight shines on Marcus and the truth about Valerie comes out will their marriage hold together or will they fall apart? What happens when Serena learns the truth about Jonathan and will Maggie be the wedge that comes between them? Just how this all plays out you will have to read for yourself as the climatic ending will send chills all over you and the final outcome will make you wonder just who is hiding in plain sight in front of you and who are your real friends and who is creating a burying place for those he/she does not want found.
An old school, an old armory, two cops caught in the crossfire, many lies, betrayals, deceits and distrust in a town where everyone knows everyone even the killer. Who lives? Who dies and who remains buried forever only author Brian Freeman can answer these questions and he prefers that you read the book and find out for yourself.
Fran Lewis: reviewer
Brian Freeman
Kasey Kennedy is cop working for the Duluth Police Department and winds up coming face to face with a sadistic serial killer. Finding herself in danger as a result of trying to help another woman, Kasey might be sorry she ever stopped and listened to this woman’s rants. But, as a cop what could she do? The killer is haunting the visions of this woman and when they both come face to face with him what happens will envelop her in his deadly game. But, what really happens when she is dared and takes that final shot still remains to be seen?
Jonathan Stride and Maggie Bei handle Major Crimes for the same police department yet neither would know Kasey. Kasey’s mob is to monitor reports of car parked in the woods, broken windows and other similar crimes. But traveling along at night in the cold Minnesota Winter she sees a woman come up to her screaming at the top of her lungs. Fearful, acting strange almost paranoid, Kasey tries to calm her when she relates she is a cop but what happens next you won’t believe and the killer taunts them both but what will the end result be?
Our main character Jonathan Stride is recuperating from a major accident or fall. Plagued with panic attacks, reoccurring dreams about the fall he hides the truth about these attacks not only from his partner but also from his live in girlfriend Serena Dial. Remembering the fall, the horrific pain he relives the impact and much more. But, these attacks are hampering him from getting back to work until he is summoned by his partner and someone else to get involved in the case of a mission infant and four missing women. Three women disappeared from their homes in Duluth without a trace. Violent deaths and now a fourth has been discovered. But, there is much more as Denise Sheridan the Deputy Sheriff requests his help in finding the young infant who just happens to be her niece. Sleeping soundly in her crib in her bedroom how did this child disappear with her father home, checking on her and no sign of a break-in. Learning from Denise something about the father would send up red flags and make Stride look into his past, his actions that night and much more. Never leaving her daughter alone with her husband whose life was inconvenienced when his daughter was born, Valerie his wife usually hires a sitter. What happened that she did not? Delving more into the personality of Marcus Glenn we learn he is an orthopedic surgeon, self center, focused on his career and classifies people according to their economic stations or his own form of the caste system. As Stride talks to him he notices one bit of evidence that might shed some light or cast a definite shadow on the father as a suspect. Fearful and afraid of what might have happened to her niece, Denise hands the case over to Stride and his partner hoping they can find Callie. One man whose primary concern is himself and his career and one man when described reminds you of Dorian Grey.
As Serena looks into the disappearance of Callie, goes through the scene, along the property of her home Maggie is dealing with victim four Susan Krauss and her death. But, this time there is a body and maybe with the help of Kasey Kennedy that might catch a killer. When questioned about the incident Kasey relates what she remembers but one specific action and one splatter might help identify him even though he managed to get away. So, why does she want to get involved in the case and why risk the wrath of the killer? Why would a young rookie cop want to deal with a homicidal killer?
But, Jonathan meets the babysitter, questions her and learns that there is a definitely snag in Marcus’s story about that night and between Serena and questioning Micki the sitter they learn a a lot about Marcus and his relationship with his wife, his affairs and much more. Interviewing Valerie Glenn Serena hears first hand about their marriage, their relationship and you begin to wonder why she even stays. A crime so well orchestrated and well planned that no signs were left within the house or anywhere else as the author brilliantly leads us to the cemetery and we hear the voice of the person who took Callie and where she is now.
Forward to Kasey Kennedy and the second case of the missing women and you wonder if both cases are not related. Blair Rowe a reporter tries to blackmail Jonathan into telling her more than she is entitled to know. Gun hoe to make a name for herself she is relentless when asking her questions and going after what she wants. As we meet a new player in this investigation she is a news reporter for the Herald named Blair Rowe who is gun hoe to make a name for herself at any cost. This reporter thinks Micki Vega the sitter and Marcus Glenn committed the crime to make poor Callie disappear. Meet Ellen Warner at nurse at St. Mary’s who enlightens Jonathan even more about the affairs that the doctor had. What she reveals you need to read for yourself and you begin to wonder just what kind of a hold does he have on his staff, would they lie for him, why are so many defending him and would he really take the life of his own child to free himself of the burden of taking care of her? Just who kidnapped this child and why?
When Kasey arrives home she is startled and realizes her privacy and home have been violated. The message she receives would change her life and her encounter with him would haunt her forever. As Serena meets with Regan Conrad one of the women the doctor had an affair with and yet when described you would wonder why.
Nick Garaldo enjoyed exploring a cave that he had all to himself but what he finds and what happens brings us closer to finding three bodies and the killer made sure he would be number four. Added into the mix is information shared by Regan Conrad with Serena about Micki that would shed more suspicion on her and her relationship with Marcus.
Author Brian Freeman once again has penned a novel that will make you think the next time you hire a sitter, decide to explore a cave, marry a doctor for convenience or status and have a relationship with a cop like Stride whose personality changes all too often and whose needs do not seem to always remain the same. But, things change as one report named Blair Rowe continues her hot pursuit of what really happened to Callie and is taking as many prisoners as possible on her own. Learning about Marcus’s past, present and affairs, more about Regan Conrad the nurse who seems to know more than she should about his life and who tempts Valerie with some information she would rather forget and Micki who lost a child and is somehow connected to all of this but how? As the plot begins to get more tangled and we meet Tom Sheridan married to Denise, learn more about Marcus and begin to see his cold and mean side even more we learn that Valerie is no shrinking violet but where is Callie?
Kasey has agreed to help with the investigation to find the killer who seems fixated on her and is taunting her with messages and invading her life. Able to leave messages, seen yet not caught could it be someone that is hiding in plain sight? Just who has Callie? Who is buried in the woods? What did Nick see and who killed him and why? Are both cases connected?
A killer so smart, clever and elusive you will never figure out who is behind the murders and who kidnapped Callie and why. When the spotlight shines on Marcus and the truth about Valerie comes out will their marriage hold together or will they fall apart? What happens when Serena learns the truth about Jonathan and will Maggie be the wedge that comes between them? Just how this all plays out you will have to read for yourself as the climatic ending will send chills all over you and the final outcome will make you wonder just who is hiding in plain sight in front of you and who are your real friends and who is creating a burying place for those he/she does not want found.
An old school, an old armory, two cops caught in the crossfire, many lies, betrayals, deceits and distrust in a town where everyone knows everyone even the killer. Who lives? Who dies and who remains buried forever only author Brian Freeman can answer these questions and he prefers that you read the book and find out for yourself.
Fran Lewis: reviewer
October 8, 2021
As usual, another intense thriller from Freeman. This is the fifth book in the Jonathan Stride series and they just keep getting better. In this one, a baby vanishes from her bedroom in the house of a well-to-do doctor and his wife. Was the baby kidnapped or did something more nefarious happen? The father of the baby seems to be a very unloving parent and did he actually wish the baby was never born? If so, could he have had something to do with the disappearance? At the same time the baby vanished, a young policewoman named Kasey is lost in the fog of Northern Minnesota and happens upon a horrific crime where a woman is being chased by a man in a black ski mask. The man has already abducted three other women and is a sadistic serial killer. Kasey tries to rescue the woman but is too late to save her. The killer escapes but he is drawn to Kasey for some reason and lures her into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Stride and his girlfriend, Serena, are on the case of the missing baby while Stride's longtime partner, Maggie, is on the case of the serial killer. But are the two cases related?
Another very strong entry in this series from Freeman. Some very intense scenes in this one including a confrontation with the serial killer in an abandoned building. And in this one, the personal relationships between Stride, Serena, and Maggie draw to a head. Will Stride and Serena be able to salvage their relationship? I guess the next novels in the series will tell. Not sure when I will get to them but hopefully sometime in the near future.
Another very strong entry in this series from Freeman. Some very intense scenes in this one including a confrontation with the serial killer in an abandoned building. And in this one, the personal relationships between Stride, Serena, and Maggie draw to a head. Will Stride and Serena be able to salvage their relationship? I guess the next novels in the series will tell. Not sure when I will get to them but hopefully sometime in the near future.
October 17, 2019
This book was full of suspense and mystery, it had it all but the kitchen sink. It a two for one deal. It had two stories that tied together in the end, and boy did it tie. In most books the climb to the end is the worst then there’s the big jump that ties everything together. This book had me on the edge of my seat. It would jump back and worth between the stories but it left you on a cliff hanging.
On a cold night a baby is taken. All fingers point to the father. Given his past he looked guilty as hell. When women come forward saying that they had an affair (with the father of the missing child.) claiming that while in the through of passion he would whisper he never wanted the child or wish she had never been born. He looks guilty right? So where is the mother of the child well she was away her alibi is good so who took Callie the baby?
Story number two there is a farmland killer on the lose who has killed a few women when a female cop (Kasey) stumbles upon his next victim while lost in a fog, that has rolled in. That night the killer sees something he likes about Kasey so he must have her. There for making her his next game.
So who took baby Callie? And what does the farmland killer have to do with the disappearance of baby Callie? A book full of lies, betrayal and affairs will keep you turning pages. A book you for sure will not put down! Two stories that tie together smoothly.
On a cold night a baby is taken. All fingers point to the father. Given his past he looked guilty as hell. When women come forward saying that they had an affair (with the father of the missing child.) claiming that while in the through of passion he would whisper he never wanted the child or wish she had never been born. He looks guilty right? So where is the mother of the child well she was away her alibi is good so who took Callie the baby?
Story number two there is a farmland killer on the lose who has killed a few women when a female cop (Kasey) stumbles upon his next victim while lost in a fog, that has rolled in. That night the killer sees something he likes about Kasey so he must have her. There for making her his next game.
So who took baby Callie? And what does the farmland killer have to do with the disappearance of baby Callie? A book full of lies, betrayal and affairs will keep you turning pages. A book you for sure will not put down! Two stories that tie together smoothly.
March 11, 2018
I rarely give series books a full five star rating as they often remain a good entertaining read, but become somewhat predictable over time. This book is the 5th in the series and is so far the absolute best. I totally didn't see the twist coming and upon reviewing the events in my mind realize I should have, but the hints were so subtle that I glossed over them. I love the character development and the plotting as the characters have a realistic depth to them while the plots are multilayered. I seriously recommend starting with book one and working your way up as that will help provide a lot of layered depth to the storyline, but this book is outstanding in the plotting department. I actually have been listening to this series and the reader also helps bring the characters to life. I am anxious to see what happens in the next book. This author is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!
June 15, 2018
I listened to the audio version of this book, and I was not disappointed. Jonathan Stride is recovering from his injuries sustained in the previous novel, In The Dark. He is staying in a cabin near Grand Rapids when the sheriff calls on him to investigate a kidnapping. Meanwhile Maggie, Stride’s right hand, is back in Duluth investigating a serial killer who is murdering women on farms outside the city. She enlists a young cop who came across one of the murders while it was happening. As usual with Mr. Freeman, he ties the two storylines seamlessly. He also throws in a couple of plot twists that keep you guessing. This is probably my favorite of the first five books in the series.
November 16, 2023
This might be the best Brian Freeman book in the Jonathan Stride series yet! Total page turner and never figured out who the killer was right up until the end! Plenty of plot twists, two different crime scenes that come crashing together head on in the last chapters of the book. Not to mention a character change in the most dynamic kind of way! Great read!!! Cant wait to read the next one!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2020
This is the first Jonathan Stride book I've given less than a 5. I always knew there was a book where he and Maggie had an affair, and now I that I've finally read it, I was disappointed. It didn't seem realistic to me at all. It just doesn't seem like something Stride would have done, despite the circumstances.
August 11, 2021
THE BURYING PLACE [2010] By Brian Freeman
My Review 4.5 Stars Rounded Down****
This is the fifth installment of the author’s popular book series featuring the exploits of Lt. Jonathan Stride, lead detective of the homicide squad in Duluth, Minnesota. It was published in the Spring of 2010, over a decade ago, but placing a “Hold” on the eBook Edition in the state’s digital library only to be confronted by an estimated wait time of ten weeks lends perspective on present day popularity of this author’s Stride series. The earlier entries in this collection are commanding prices close to new 2021 releases by well recognized names in crime fiction. I purchased Book 4 [IN THE DARK] from Amazon because it was unavailable as a rental. The more reasonably priced installments in the series I had purchased early on, but it was important to me to read them in the order of their publication.
The events that unfold in this Book 5 take place three months following the conclusion of IN THE DARK, and initially focus on Stride’s state of mind after his shocking near-death experience. His designated recuperation period to heal satisfactorily from the serious physical injuries he had sustained is winding down at the secluded cabin he and Serena are sharing. Stride has been experiencing unpredictable panic attacks which are literally paralyzing. Initially he had suppressed the thoughts and emotions immediately before and during impact, similar to a head injury victim’s inability to recall the events immediately before an accident with memory “gaps” induced by the brain trauma. However, Stride’s memory was held at bay by his subconscious and not grounded in brain dysfunction. During his recovery period all of his recollections surrounding the event return with a chilling clarity that is accompanied by the onset of crippling “flashbacks”. Jon is too close to the situation to grasp that he is experiencing PTSD. Stride’s emotional affect between the intermittent episodes of sheer panic is one of emptiness and apathy for Serena, the work he loves, and his life in general. Not unsurprisingly Jon opts to keep his disabling panic attacks and the fact that he feels emotionally barren a secret, using denial when he is probed about what is wrong, and attributing his obvious emotional and physical withdrawal to being sidelined because of his injuries. His partner Maggie has been filling in as his temporary replacement as head of the homicide division. Serena came in to the relationship with Jonny carrying her own emotional baggage and carefully crafted coping mechanisms. She isn’t buying his explanations for a millisecond, but instead is busily building a concrete wall around her own emotions and heart to protect herself from the hurt and the pain. Otherwise, it is pretty obvious that she would have recognized that Jonny was suffering from PTSD. It is obvious within the early pages of the book that Stride and Serena are headed for an impasse that will test the very fabric and the strength of their love for each other.
The plot is multidimensional and the author deploys the effective technique of writing in third person while shifting the narrative to include the POVs of multiple characters in the story line. A series of women have been reported missing from their homes in the country, and foul play is a certainty. Stride feels guilty because Maggie has been left in charge of leading such a large and serious investigation. Meanwhile Stride gets a knock on his cabin door and it is an old partner Denise (pre-Maggie Bei) who asks him to lead an investigation into a missing baby in her jurisdiction. Her 11-month-old niece Callie is gone and she has a clear conflict of interest in the case. Her relationship with her younger (and stunningly beautiful) sister Valerie is strained to say the least, and Denise despises her rich arrogant brother-in-law Marcus Glenn who is a hot shot surgeon with millions and a mansion on the lake. It is clear to Stride that Denise is incapable of objectivity to the extent that her gut or intuition tells her that Marcus killed his own baby because he never wanted any kids to interfere with his travel and affluent lifestyle. Stride takes the lead on the “missing” baby investigation and Serena is put on the payroll as a homicide detective due to her extensive experience with murder and kidnapping in Las Vegas.
The author’s Prologue is an exciting one as usual and introduces a new character (young cop Kasey Kennedy) who is driving home as darkness falls and she becomes hopelessly lost in the fog. Kasey left her cell phone home on the charger and her older vehicle is not equipped with GPS. She subsequently has a head-on encounter with the serial abductor and his most recent victim. The idealistic young Kasey then becomes an unwitting opponent in a game whose rules are contrived by a vicious and cunning serial killer. The first body turns up as a result of Kasey’s encounter. She unflinchingly takes the shot at the killer while he is using the victim as a shield with a deadly garrote biting into her neck with a blossoming crimson collar. The abductee does not survive but her dead body remains. It was suspected that the women had been murdered but now any uncertainty is lifted. Kasey teams up with a reluctant Maggie to investigate and try to follow the trail of a serial murderer.
Thus, we have two major story lines or parallel investigations with a strong subplot that is the impending implosion of the relationship between Stride and Serena. The author manages to set the hook quickly and then settles into a compelling and steady rhythm of surprising developments, new revelations, and the usual twists and turns readers have come to expect from Freeman.
The talented Freeman breathes life into a veritable number of colorful characters who are in one way or another suspects, potential witnesses, or otherwise believed to hold the key to unlocking puzzle pieces that would enable enlightenment on an otherwise heinous and troubling case of a missing baby. Marcus Glenn, the heartless egocentric surgeon, engenders a very real desire to shoot him in both kneecaps whether he was complicit in the disappearance of the baby or not. His memorably stunning Valerie and mother of little Callie elicited mostly pity from me, but then there was her inherent weakness and her self-portrait as a long-suffering martyr who was only a victim of her circumstances. She seemed incapable of owning her own despicable acts of betrayal levied against her own blood that was really impossible to overlook. The thread that connected the two very different crime investigations was posited as a cold-hearted sociopath who was a master manipulator and wore the mask of a kind and caring pediatric nurse and counselor for birth mothers.
This was a gripping and fast paced psychological thriller that never let up on the gas pedal. The division of Stride and Maggie was a disorienting twist in the crime investigation, and perhaps to an even larger degree because Stride and Serena were traveling in opposite directions on solving the disappearance of the baby. Maggie was left to lead her own investigation into the serial killer who was abducting high risk women from their own homes in the rural areas, and thus reluctantly elicited the assistance of the young female cop Kasey despite the girl’s initial feelings. It was only when Kasey became aware that the killer had become obsessed with her after their accidental meeting in the woods that she was really on board. There were Kasey’s flashes of fear and anxiety alternating with glints of steel.
Freeman deploys an essentially linear timeline with both parallel investigations, and his third person narrative style with the distinction of vacillating between the perspectives of multiple characters is an effective technique as usual. In this storyline he permits the reader a glimpse of the action through the eyes of even a few unsavory characters and not solely our lead protagonists plus the serial killer or villain as the case may be. This was particularly clever in this novel, which is very different than his prior installments of the Stride book series. That’s one bit of praise that is perhaps not extolled enough and that is that every one of his books is original and really different, not at all like the book or books that precede it.
Finally, I’m a big fan of Freeman and I love his Stride series. I will allow that I was not on board with his severing the relationship between Stride and Serena. I really hated the whole romantic subplot, and it left this reader with an ambivalence about Maggie that was like the aftertaste of garlic or maybe something even worse. I deducted one star because of the emotional downturn. The general crime suspense plots, plural, were good, but the missing baby was the most powerful of the two and could have stood alone. This novel struck me as a tad over plotted like the last one, but Freeman’s writing is so incredibly addictive that you find yourself thinking what the heck so what. The “big reveal” at the end of the serial killer plot line (well, to be accurate the giant twist essentially knocked out both story lines) was one that I just have to say “Well done”. In retrospect, I would have paid closer attention to several “bread crumbs” of clues that I simply read right over. Gee whiz, it’s shades of “Who Killed Roger Ackroyd?” That’s the thing, Freeman loves to misdirect, shock, and surprise. He succeeded with me. I believe the foreshadowing was there all the time, and I simply ignored it in my zeal to turn the page.
My Review 4.5 Stars Rounded Down****
This is the fifth installment of the author’s popular book series featuring the exploits of Lt. Jonathan Stride, lead detective of the homicide squad in Duluth, Minnesota. It was published in the Spring of 2010, over a decade ago, but placing a “Hold” on the eBook Edition in the state’s digital library only to be confronted by an estimated wait time of ten weeks lends perspective on present day popularity of this author’s Stride series. The earlier entries in this collection are commanding prices close to new 2021 releases by well recognized names in crime fiction. I purchased Book 4 [IN THE DARK] from Amazon because it was unavailable as a rental. The more reasonably priced installments in the series I had purchased early on, but it was important to me to read them in the order of their publication.
The events that unfold in this Book 5 take place three months following the conclusion of IN THE DARK, and initially focus on Stride’s state of mind after his shocking near-death experience. His designated recuperation period to heal satisfactorily from the serious physical injuries he had sustained is winding down at the secluded cabin he and Serena are sharing. Stride has been experiencing unpredictable panic attacks which are literally paralyzing. Initially he had suppressed the thoughts and emotions immediately before and during impact, similar to a head injury victim’s inability to recall the events immediately before an accident with memory “gaps” induced by the brain trauma. However, Stride’s memory was held at bay by his subconscious and not grounded in brain dysfunction. During his recovery period all of his recollections surrounding the event return with a chilling clarity that is accompanied by the onset of crippling “flashbacks”. Jon is too close to the situation to grasp that he is experiencing PTSD. Stride’s emotional affect between the intermittent episodes of sheer panic is one of emptiness and apathy for Serena, the work he loves, and his life in general. Not unsurprisingly Jon opts to keep his disabling panic attacks and the fact that he feels emotionally barren a secret, using denial when he is probed about what is wrong, and attributing his obvious emotional and physical withdrawal to being sidelined because of his injuries. His partner Maggie has been filling in as his temporary replacement as head of the homicide division. Serena came in to the relationship with Jonny carrying her own emotional baggage and carefully crafted coping mechanisms. She isn’t buying his explanations for a millisecond, but instead is busily building a concrete wall around her own emotions and heart to protect herself from the hurt and the pain. Otherwise, it is pretty obvious that she would have recognized that Jonny was suffering from PTSD. It is obvious within the early pages of the book that Stride and Serena are headed for an impasse that will test the very fabric and the strength of their love for each other.
The plot is multidimensional and the author deploys the effective technique of writing in third person while shifting the narrative to include the POVs of multiple characters in the story line. A series of women have been reported missing from their homes in the country, and foul play is a certainty. Stride feels guilty because Maggie has been left in charge of leading such a large and serious investigation. Meanwhile Stride gets a knock on his cabin door and it is an old partner Denise (pre-Maggie Bei) who asks him to lead an investigation into a missing baby in her jurisdiction. Her 11-month-old niece Callie is gone and she has a clear conflict of interest in the case. Her relationship with her younger (and stunningly beautiful) sister Valerie is strained to say the least, and Denise despises her rich arrogant brother-in-law Marcus Glenn who is a hot shot surgeon with millions and a mansion on the lake. It is clear to Stride that Denise is incapable of objectivity to the extent that her gut or intuition tells her that Marcus killed his own baby because he never wanted any kids to interfere with his travel and affluent lifestyle. Stride takes the lead on the “missing” baby investigation and Serena is put on the payroll as a homicide detective due to her extensive experience with murder and kidnapping in Las Vegas.
The author’s Prologue is an exciting one as usual and introduces a new character (young cop Kasey Kennedy) who is driving home as darkness falls and she becomes hopelessly lost in the fog. Kasey left her cell phone home on the charger and her older vehicle is not equipped with GPS. She subsequently has a head-on encounter with the serial abductor and his most recent victim. The idealistic young Kasey then becomes an unwitting opponent in a game whose rules are contrived by a vicious and cunning serial killer. The first body turns up as a result of Kasey’s encounter. She unflinchingly takes the shot at the killer while he is using the victim as a shield with a deadly garrote biting into her neck with a blossoming crimson collar. The abductee does not survive but her dead body remains. It was suspected that the women had been murdered but now any uncertainty is lifted. Kasey teams up with a reluctant Maggie to investigate and try to follow the trail of a serial murderer.
Thus, we have two major story lines or parallel investigations with a strong subplot that is the impending implosion of the relationship between Stride and Serena. The author manages to set the hook quickly and then settles into a compelling and steady rhythm of surprising developments, new revelations, and the usual twists and turns readers have come to expect from Freeman.
The talented Freeman breathes life into a veritable number of colorful characters who are in one way or another suspects, potential witnesses, or otherwise believed to hold the key to unlocking puzzle pieces that would enable enlightenment on an otherwise heinous and troubling case of a missing baby. Marcus Glenn, the heartless egocentric surgeon, engenders a very real desire to shoot him in both kneecaps whether he was complicit in the disappearance of the baby or not. His memorably stunning Valerie and mother of little Callie elicited mostly pity from me, but then there was her inherent weakness and her self-portrait as a long-suffering martyr who was only a victim of her circumstances. She seemed incapable of owning her own despicable acts of betrayal levied against her own blood that was really impossible to overlook. The thread that connected the two very different crime investigations was posited as a cold-hearted sociopath who was a master manipulator and wore the mask of a kind and caring pediatric nurse and counselor for birth mothers.
This was a gripping and fast paced psychological thriller that never let up on the gas pedal. The division of Stride and Maggie was a disorienting twist in the crime investigation, and perhaps to an even larger degree because Stride and Serena were traveling in opposite directions on solving the disappearance of the baby. Maggie was left to lead her own investigation into the serial killer who was abducting high risk women from their own homes in the rural areas, and thus reluctantly elicited the assistance of the young female cop Kasey despite the girl’s initial feelings. It was only when Kasey became aware that the killer had become obsessed with her after their accidental meeting in the woods that she was really on board. There were Kasey’s flashes of fear and anxiety alternating with glints of steel.
Freeman deploys an essentially linear timeline with both parallel investigations, and his third person narrative style with the distinction of vacillating between the perspectives of multiple characters is an effective technique as usual. In this storyline he permits the reader a glimpse of the action through the eyes of even a few unsavory characters and not solely our lead protagonists plus the serial killer or villain as the case may be. This was particularly clever in this novel, which is very different than his prior installments of the Stride book series. That’s one bit of praise that is perhaps not extolled enough and that is that every one of his books is original and really different, not at all like the book or books that precede it.
Finally, I’m a big fan of Freeman and I love his Stride series. I will allow that I was not on board with his severing the relationship between Stride and Serena. I really hated the whole romantic subplot, and it left this reader with an ambivalence about Maggie that was like the aftertaste of garlic or maybe something even worse. I deducted one star because of the emotional downturn. The general crime suspense plots, plural, were good, but the missing baby was the most powerful of the two and could have stood alone. This novel struck me as a tad over plotted like the last one, but Freeman’s writing is so incredibly addictive that you find yourself thinking what the heck so what. The “big reveal” at the end of the serial killer plot line (well, to be accurate the giant twist essentially knocked out both story lines) was one that I just have to say “Well done”. In retrospect, I would have paid closer attention to several “bread crumbs” of clues that I simply read right over. Gee whiz, it’s shades of “Who Killed Roger Ackroyd?” That’s the thing, Freeman loves to misdirect, shock, and surprise. He succeeded with me. I believe the foreshadowing was there all the time, and I simply ignored it in my zeal to turn the page.
August 6, 2021
Bellissimo. Avvincente, veloce da leggere e, per quanto la trama sembri semplice, per niente banale.
November 22, 2022
Finally, a mystery compelling enough to make me want to read more from this author.
September 17, 2023
It’s obvious this book was written by a white man. The story and plot are interesting and I enjoy all of the characters from being introduced to them in the previous book, but once again the women’s dialogue and the way they’re described is flat, stereotypical, and sound ridiculous. Has he met an actual woman? This author hates women because they are written to be annoying completely stupid, and ruin their entire lives because of men and wanting babies. The women are portrayed as unhinged and downright crazy and irrational. I’m listening to the audiobook and the narration is just okay. They really should be a woman narrating for the women in this book. For some odd reason he gives Serena a weird and terrible southern accent but Sabrina is from Nevada, so WTF? Maggie, is apparently Chinese American and good lord her description is wild AF. He really used the words “bottle cap nose” WTAF???
Micki, The only other non-white person is Mexican and they keep calling her and “illegal” as opposed to calling her an “undocumented immigrant”. Also, why does she have to be undocumented? Another stereotype. The narrators voice, for Mickey is absolutely offensive. Whoever is in charge of all of this has got to do better with this mess. Brian Freeman needs to consult women especially women of color before he writes about them ever again. The book is also very very white and okay that’s fine…🙃 here’s another ridiculous description. She was thin with legs like drain pipes. What does that even mean? Also, the fact that he ALWAYS has to mention that Maggie’s partner is overweight is fat, shaming and ridiculous.
Another thing. Serena and Maggie, being in competition for Strides affection it’s just dumb. Not all women are in competition and center their lives around some stupid man. Like, Stride is fine, but why do they have to be in competition for him??? The sex scene is cringe AF and so hard to listen to 😬🫠
So in the story, there is a missing child. Belonging to Valerie and Marcus. Valerie‘s character. Well I feel sorry for her is a complete idiot. She married Marcus who was a total fuck boy and now she’s wondering why he’s acting like a fuck boy. He cheated he lies, and he’s mean to her and she stays with him when she get a divorce him and take half. What an idiot. Also how many times do we need to know that she’s a Beautiful White Woman?? Like dude we get it, she’s blonde she’s white she’s beautiful. Enough already.. also, it’s understandable that this woman is shattered and destroyed because her child is missing but she didn’t have to be written, so pathetic and fragile and weak. this fool threatened to kill her self until she got pregnant with a child? This makes no sense at all. Why make her this pathetic?? She’s also a self pitying narcissist. She was NOT a sympathetic character. T
Also, if you’re gonna write that Maggie fucked stride, which is Serena‘s man, the story could’ve at least us a favor, and had Serena beat Magis ass into the ground. There is no reality where they can sit and be professional and shouldn’t have to be. Stride is a fuck boy and Maggie is a goofy ass bitch and needed her ass kicked along with stride.Maggie is a shit person and an asshole.
“The pool of her despair made him want to go to her and wrap her up in his arms.” That is got to be one of the worst corniest lines in the history of storytelling WTF.
Micki, The only other non-white person is Mexican and they keep calling her and “illegal” as opposed to calling her an “undocumented immigrant”. Also, why does she have to be undocumented? Another stereotype. The narrators voice, for Mickey is absolutely offensive. Whoever is in charge of all of this has got to do better with this mess. Brian Freeman needs to consult women especially women of color before he writes about them ever again. The book is also very very white and okay that’s fine…🙃 here’s another ridiculous description. She was thin with legs like drain pipes. What does that even mean? Also, the fact that he ALWAYS has to mention that Maggie’s partner is overweight is fat, shaming and ridiculous.
Another thing. Serena and Maggie, being in competition for Strides affection it’s just dumb. Not all women are in competition and center their lives around some stupid man. Like, Stride is fine, but why do they have to be in competition for him??? The sex scene is cringe AF and so hard to listen to 😬🫠
So in the story, there is a missing child. Belonging to Valerie and Marcus. Valerie‘s character. Well I feel sorry for her is a complete idiot. She married Marcus who was a total fuck boy and now she’s wondering why he’s acting like a fuck boy. He cheated he lies, and he’s mean to her and she stays with him when she get a divorce him and take half. What an idiot. Also how many times do we need to know that she’s a Beautiful White Woman?? Like dude we get it, she’s blonde she’s white she’s beautiful. Enough already.. also, it’s understandable that this woman is shattered and destroyed because her child is missing but she didn’t have to be written, so pathetic and fragile and weak. this fool threatened to kill her self until she got pregnant with a child? This makes no sense at all. Why make her this pathetic?? She’s also a self pitying narcissist. She was NOT a sympathetic character. T
Also, if you’re gonna write that Maggie fucked stride, which is Serena‘s man, the story could’ve at least us a favor, and had Serena beat Magis ass into the ground. There is no reality where they can sit and be professional and shouldn’t have to be. Stride is a fuck boy and Maggie is a goofy ass bitch and needed her ass kicked along with stride.Maggie is a shit person and an asshole.
“The pool of her despair made him want to go to her and wrap her up in his arms.” That is got to be one of the worst corniest lines in the history of storytelling WTF.
April 6, 2018
Brian Freeman - Il respiro del ghiaccio
Sarò parziale, visto che questo autore è tra i miei preferiti, ma siamo su altri livelli...sarà che mi piace tutto di Freeman, il tipo di scrittura, le descrizioni, i dialoghi, i personaggi, la mancanza di fronzoli.
Il libro racconta due storie criminali che si muovono in parallelo, sembrano distanti tra loro, in comune hanno solo sangue e strazio, si incroceranno queste strade? E' un thriller che deve essere assolutamente letto da tutti gli amanti del genere. Suspence e mistero in ogni pagina, un finale mozzafiato che appassiona. C'è anche un finale alternativo messo a disposizione dall'autore che era il finale originale della prima stesura e devo dire che è quello che mi è piaciuto di più ma è anche quello che fa più male.
Il problema che mi ha procurato questo libro è che ora sono già in attesa...quando esce il prossimo libro di Brian Freeman?
Sarò parziale, visto che questo autore è tra i miei preferiti, ma siamo su altri livelli...sarà che mi piace tutto di Freeman, il tipo di scrittura, le descrizioni, i dialoghi, i personaggi, la mancanza di fronzoli.
Il libro racconta due storie criminali che si muovono in parallelo, sembrano distanti tra loro, in comune hanno solo sangue e strazio, si incroceranno queste strade? E' un thriller che deve essere assolutamente letto da tutti gli amanti del genere. Suspence e mistero in ogni pagina, un finale mozzafiato che appassiona. C'è anche un finale alternativo messo a disposizione dall'autore che era il finale originale della prima stesura e devo dire che è quello che mi è piaciuto di più ma è anche quello che fa più male.
Il problema che mi ha procurato questo libro è che ora sono già in attesa...quando esce il prossimo libro di Brian Freeman?
April 23, 2010
Lt. Jonathan Stride is recovering since his ordeal that took place in the prior novel; In the Dark. Maggie Bei, Stride’s partner has been keeping Stride in the loop about an ongoing investigation case. The case is in regards to several women have gone missing in the past few months. Maggie has just found body number four.
Denise Sheridan works as Deputy Sheriff for Itasca. She comes to pay Stride a visit. Denise needs Stride to investigate a missing person’s case for her. Rich, surgeon, Marcus Glenn reported his eleven month old daughter, Callie missing. Denise would like to take on the case but she can’t due to a conflict of issue. Marcus is her brother in law.
Stride and Maggie will both be challenged in The Burying Place. They will have to watch their backs or they could be the next ones buried.
Another fine read by Mr. Freeman. I have read pretty much all of Mr. Freeman’s books except for In the Dark. Which I still plan on reading. I was blown away by Mr. Freeman’s debut novel, Immortal and knew that this author would be big, even before the hype really started spreading.
I could tell that I had missing a little by not reading In the Dark, as there was some reference to why Stride was on leave and recovering but nothing that really took away from this book or the story line. Speaking of story lines, this one had some well placed twists and plenty of intensity. All of the female leads in this book were strong, confident women. I liked this. Plus they matched well with Stride. Don’t let The Burying Place get buried on your tbr or wish list. Start reading this book today.
Denise Sheridan works as Deputy Sheriff for Itasca. She comes to pay Stride a visit. Denise needs Stride to investigate a missing person’s case for her. Rich, surgeon, Marcus Glenn reported his eleven month old daughter, Callie missing. Denise would like to take on the case but she can’t due to a conflict of issue. Marcus is her brother in law.
Stride and Maggie will both be challenged in The Burying Place. They will have to watch their backs or they could be the next ones buried.
Another fine read by Mr. Freeman. I have read pretty much all of Mr. Freeman’s books except for In the Dark. Which I still plan on reading. I was blown away by Mr. Freeman’s debut novel, Immortal and knew that this author would be big, even before the hype really started spreading.
I could tell that I had missing a little by not reading In the Dark, as there was some reference to why Stride was on leave and recovering but nothing that really took away from this book or the story line. Speaking of story lines, this one had some well placed twists and plenty of intensity. All of the female leads in this book were strong, confident women. I liked this. Plus they matched well with Stride. Don’t let The Burying Place get buried on your tbr or wish list. Start reading this book today.
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