The Blue Edge of Midnight [School & Library Binding]

Jonathon King (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2003

On a night that will haunt him forever, ex-cop Max Freeman killed a twelve-year-old child in self-defense in a Philadelphia shootout. Since then, he has lived on the edge of the Florida Everglades, where he answers to no one but the demons gnawing at his conscience. But when he finds a corpse of a child along a riverbank, he's pulled back into the twisted maze of law and order-as a murder suspect.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Penzler Pick, March 2002: This is the first entry in what I hope will be a series by journalist Jonathon King, who has written for the Philadelphia Daily News and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The story features Max Freeman, who was a cop in Philadelphia until he shot and killed a 12-year-old boy who was helping to rob a convenience store. Max was shot in the neck himself and now he keeps away from most people, living in a cabin in the backwaters of South Florida.

While canoeing on the river near his home, Max spies a bundle floating near the shore which turns out to be a dead child wrapped in a sheet. Max's first reaction is that the nightmare he thought he left behind has caught up with him. Pulling the bundle into his canoe, Max paddles downstream to the ranger station where he is met by the head ranger together with three detectives--almost as if they were waiting for him.

Billy Manchester, a lawyer and friend to Max, tells him that the body of the girl he found is the third in a series of abductions that is terrifying South Florida communities. Because of his training as a cop, Max wants to help out with the investigation, but his offer of help is rebuffed by local law enforcement. He discovers that the killer is leaving global positioning system addresses with the bodies, which is why there was a team of detectives at the ranger station--they were on their way up-river to where they knew a body would be when Max brought it in.

Max himself is now a suspect and, when he returns to his cabin to discover that a GPS unit has been planted, he knows he is going to get involved anyway. If he doesn't find the murderer, the police are going to charge him. His search takes him deep into the Everglades, off the beaten track into communities closed to outsiders and hostile to questions.

King gives a vivid portrayal of a Florida still not exploited by developers and also treats us to a wonderful cast of characters--Max and Billy especially, but also to some folks who have hardly been touched by the modern world. --Otto Penzler --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

With his first novel, King jumps into James W. Hall territory and lands firmly on his feet. Ex-Philadelphia cop Max Freeman, haunted by his killing of an adolescent robber, has retreated to an isolated cabin in the Florida Everglades. When he discovers the body of a kidnapped youngster, the victim of a serial killer, Freeman becomes a suspect who can clear his name only by finding the murderer. Although this is an often-used plot device, the author's stylish prose and insider's knowledge of the sinuous, dangerous Everglades give the gimmick a fresh twist. Especially fine are the passages showing the different faces of Florida as Freeman travels between his austere cabin and the plush penthouse apartment of his Palm Beach lawyer, Billy Manchester. A scene in which Freeman seeks out a group of furtive Everglades natives in their natural habitat reeks with atmosphere. In fact, King uses descriptions of places and environment to reveal character and attitude, much as Hall, James Lee Burke and Robert B. Parker do, if not as smoothly as those established masters. While fans of Carl Hiaasen's black humor or Lawrence Shames's wacky characters may not find this novel to their taste, most readers should hail Freeman as an appealing addition to the already large roster of independent-minded Florida investigators. Skillful writing, original characters and evocative settings initiate a welcome new series. (Apr. 1)Forecast: With a prominent blurb from Michael Connelly, this crime debut by a feature writer for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel should get off to a strong start. Based on his ruggedly masculine author photo, King would seem a natural for the TV talk show circuit.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• School & Library Binding: 277 pages
• Publisher: San Val (April 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0613683218
• ISBN-13: 978-0613683210
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 3.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,296,246 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born into a blue-collar family in Lansing, Michigan in the mid 50s with the generational expectation of becoming an autoworker. Discovered John D. MacDonald as a teenage reader and unknowingly began a circuitous path that would eventually lead to Fort Lauderdale (home of Travis McGee) where I began my own mystery writing career.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finding the Edge, June 15, 2003

By 

Kevin Tipple (Plano, Texas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Blue Edge of Midnight (Hardcover)

Max Freeman is desperately trying to get his previous life as a police officer in Philadelphia behind him. Hiding out in one of the last solitary places on Earth, the Florida Everglades, Max has finally found some peace. Still haunted by his shooting on a nasty night as well as the aftermath, Max has learned to cope by canoeing through the dark hours from midnight to dawn when he can't sleep. The dreams don't come as often anymore but as the book opens, his inability to sleep has driven him once more into the night. His quest for peace this night ends when he finds a child's body in the roots of a tree just down river from his home.

Not only does this dead child bring his past to life once again internally for Max, it also brings him to the attention of a task force. A task force chasing a child killer who has killed before and of which Max knew nothing about thanks to his self imposed exile. Already considered a suspect because of what happened in Philadelphia along with his finding the body, Max soon finds that the killer is planting additional clues, all pointed towards Max. The killer seems to have target Max as the fall guy and begins to manipulate him toward a violet confrontation.

This is a first novel by this author and was simply an incredible read. Using very descriptive language in the style of James Lee Burke to create intense imagery, along with strong characters, and steady pacing, this author works all the angles for the enjoyment of his readers. Missing the flaws that often weaken a first novel, this book at 259 pages becomes a fast intense read and well worth the effort. There are not too many books that get me to stay up late to finish and this was the first one in a very long time.

The author has created a sequel featuring Max Freeman entitled " A Visible Darkness." If as good as the original, this author has created a new series well worth reading. I will be reading and reviewing this book soon.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Clear conscience never fears midnight." Chinese proverb, June 16, 2010

By 

michael a. draper (Guilford, CT) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Blue Edge of Midnight (Hardcover)

Former Philadelphia police officer, Max Freeman, is in his canoe on a river in South Florida and sees something that doesn't look right. When he gets closer, he finds the body of a dead little girl.

Max has been living with the memory of a child he shot in self defense while on duty in Philadelphia. His motivation to be a cop ended with the remorse he felt be taking the life of a twelve-year-old. Seeing the girl's body brings back all the memories.

Max learns that the body he found is that of six-year-old, Melissa Marks, who had been abducted and killed. Realizing that the police always look closely at the person reporting a crime, Max touches base with his attorney and is ready for any tough questions. His attorney tells him that other children have been abducted, killed, and their bodies left in remote areas like where Max lives.

He gives his statement and his thoughts to the police, and, soon after, learns that another child is abducted. When this happens, the police don't hide their suspicions that there are too many coincidences and he becomes a possible suspect.

The author maintains the tension at a high level as we see Max attempting to investigate the abductions but at the same time, looking like a suspect to the authorities.

This is a well plotted debut novel with intriguing characters and a believable story. Max is easy to sympathize with after his bad experiences return to haunt him. He's honest, intelligent and determined in his search for the people who are guilty for the crimes against the children.

It was also interesting to meet characters like Nate Brown, a man who lives by nature and wants to be left alone but still do the right thing. I could visualize him in the days of the old West, directing a wagon train through a safe path in Indian territory.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lush and intriguing debut., April 5, 2002

By 

David Montgomery "Book Critic" (davidjmontgomery.com) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Blue Edge of Midnight (Hardcover)

Max Freeman was a lackluster cop in Philadelphia when he shot and killed a 12-year old boy who was committing an armed robbery. Unable to get over causing the death of one so young, Freeman retired from the force and moved south to Florida, taking up residence in an abandoned shack on the edge of the Everglades.

Max is trying to lose the demons that plague him and regain some semblance of a healthy psyche, but that hope is shattered when he discovers the body of a young girl wrapped in cloth and dumped in his river.

Debut author Jonathon King is a veteran journalist, having written for newspapers in both Philadelphia and Florida, so he definitely knows the territory. As is common in the books of fellow Florida writer and newspaperman Carl Hiaasen, the lush, varied environment of the state is a prominent fixture in "The Blue Edge of Midnight," as is the danger that lies in the destruction of that environment.

"The Blue Edge of Midnight" is the best debut mystery of 2002 so far...