Immoral [Mass Market Paperback]

Brian Freeman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 27, 2006

In a riveting debut thriller that has drawn comparisons to masters of the genre like Dennis Lehane and Michael Connelly, Brian Freeman weaves obsession, sex, and revenge into a story that grips the reader with vivid characters and shocking plot twists from the first page to the last.
Lieutenant Jonathan Stride is suffering from an ugly case of déjà vu. For the second time in a year, a beautiful teenage girl has disappeared off the streets of Duluth, Minnesota—gone without a trace, like a bitter gust off Lake Superior. The two victims couldn’t be more different.  First it was Kerry McGrath, bubbly, sweet sixteen.  And now Rachel Deese, strange, sexually charged, a wild child.  The media hounds Stride to catch a serial killer, and as the search carries him from the icy stillness of the northern woods to the erotic heat of Las Vegas, he must decide which facts are real and which are illusions.  And Stride finds his own life changed forever by the secrets he uncovers.  Secrets that stretch across time in a web of lies, death, and illicit desire.  Secrets that are chillingly…immoral.

 

Immoral is a 2006 Edgar Award Nominee for Best First Novel.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A Harlan Coban–esque murder/psychological suspense structure and some uninspired writing ("He saw urgency written in her face") add up to a mildly interesting but unsurprising thriller for first-timer Freeman. Called to investigate the disappearance of beautiful teenager Ruth Stoner, Duluth, Minn., police detective Lt. Jonathan Stride is haunted by the disappearance of another teen, Kerry McGrath, 14 months earlier. Stride's an honest, likable cop, full of angst over the cancer death of his beloved wife. He has a great working relationship with diminutive partner Maggie Bei, who's been in love with him for years. As Stride and Mags investigate, the only aspect of the case that becomes clear is that everyone involved with the crime—the victim, her family and her friends—is guilty of something. Tweezing apart these strands of guilt and trying to connect them to the missing Ruth occupies Stride for more than three years. Finally, in an extended denouement, the pieces fall into place, and Stride is able to solve not only the mysteries of both Ruth and Kelly, but mend his own fractured life as well. BOMC and Literary Guild main selections; Doubleday Book Club and Mystery Guild alternates. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Bookmarks Magazine

Freeman’s debut, which Bookspan selected as International Book of the Month, resounded with its critics. His is a highly intricate story, veering with sharp turns and switchbacks. In fact, his acrobatic plot may be excessively so, overindulging in too many clever flips and flops. No doubt, his prose can be worthy cause for wincing ( "Tight black jeans, the kind you need a knife to cut yourself out of"), but Freeman paints the requisite cold, gray atmospheric tones for a tale of murder, sex, and intrigue. For an old-school visceral ride of thrills better than most, and for an introduction to a strong, new character, Immoral is a pleasurable foray into the shadows of immorality.

Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (June 27, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312939728
• ISBN-13: 978-0312939724
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (127 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #490,379 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brian Freeman is an international bestselling author of psychological suspense novels featuring detectives Jonathan Stride and Serena Dial. His books have been sold in 46 countries and 19 languages and have appeared as Main Selections in the Literary Guild and the Book of the Month Club. His settings in the bleak, frozen landscape of Duluth, Minnesota, and his deeply complex characters, have drawn comparisons to Swedish noir.

Freeman's fifth novel THE BURYING PLACE was a finalist for Best Novel of 2010 in the International Thriller Writer Awards. He was recognized along with fellow nominees Michael Connelly, Jeffery Deaver, Mo Hayder, and John Sandford. His debut thriller, IMMORAL, won the Macavity Award for Best First Novel and was a nominee for the Edgar, Dagger, Anthony, and Barry Awards. It was named International Book of the Month by book clubs around the world, a distinction shared with authors such as Harlan Coben and Karin Slaughter. His novel STRIPPED was named one of the top 10 mysteries of 2006 by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

His third novel STALKED was released in February 2008. "Freeman just keeps outdoing himself with each book," said the starred review in Library Journal. Publishers Weekly similarly gave a starred review to Freeman's fourth novel, IN THE DARK (2009), calling it his best book yet, "harrowing and heartrending."

His fifth novel THE BURYING PLACE arrived in bookstores in 2010. Upon its release in the UK, London's Daily Mail called Freeman the discovery of the year in crime fiction and said of the book: "Fleshed-out characters, high tension and terrifying twists put Freeman up there with Harlan Coben in the psychological crime stratosphere."

His newest novel and first stand-alone is THE BONE HOUSE, released in 2011.

In addition to his suspense series, Freeman is also the co-author of THE AGENCY (2009) under the pen name "Ally O'Brien." THE AGENCY is Janet Evanovich meets The Devil Wears Prada, a light and sexy satire of the publishing industry that received favorable reviews in People Magazine and Entertainment Weekly, among others.

Freeman was born in Chicago and grew up in San Mateo, California, before moving to Minnesota. You can write to him at [e-mail] and find him on Facebook by clicking the link at his web site (www.bfreemanbooks.com).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing, Disturbing, and Surprising, July 4, 2006

By 

Allie D - See all my reviews

This review is from: Immoral (Mass Market Paperback)

I just bought this book today, and I couldn't put it down until I finished it. Where a normal mystery book would end, Freeman is only partially into his twisting narrative. I found myself suspecting everyone - but I was totally surprised when the mystery was solved at the end. The main investigator, Jon Stride, is compelling and complex - he's not a perfect man and he's not a perfect cop, but the flaws are realistically human. He's in charge of finding out what happened to Rachel Deese - an unsympathetic victim, but Freeman draws you in to her story. Over the course of the book, we see Rachel's insidious character's impact on her mother, stepfather, friends, and more. All of these characters as well as the judge, DA, defense attorney, and cops are complicated, flawed, and best of all, interesting. At the same time this mystery is unfolding, Freeman draws us into to rooting for Stride - and hoping for the best in his relationships with the women in his life. You cringe when he makes bad decisions, and by the end, you're pulling for him to find happiness. I'm looking forward to the next in this series!

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Immoral is a terrific story with a great twist, October 4, 2005

By 

M. Williams "mwilliams112" (Fairfax, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Immoral (Hardcover)

I cannot belive the 1 and 2 star reviews I'm seeing for this book. I won't dwell in that, except to say, to each his (or her) own. Now, if you like fast-paced suspense, characters that you feel you know, a great twist, and a story that's neatly wrapped up at the end, then buy this book now. The story stuck with me long after I finished the book, and I found myself exploring what could have been had certain things happened or not have happened. What more could you want? Yes, the ending will surprise you, but Mr. Freeman gives you all the clues; they're in there...you just have to put it together. Worth it? You bet. I cannot wait until the next Brian Freeman book arrives.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stylish...., November 6, 2005

By 

L. Quido "quidrock" (Tampa, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Immoral (Hardcover)

First time novelist Brian Freeman gives us a stylish thriller set in Duluth, Minnesota. Freeman has mastered plotting intricacies, and gives us a police procedural with a lot of twists and turns. His characterizations are a little weak and dialogue is a little stilted, but the book's concept is flawless and unique. I think that, given the fact that it is his first, he can be commended on the two cops who see action throughout the story, Stride and Maggie Bei. The women in Stride's life are less "fine tuned", as is the girl who disappears in the story Rachel Deese. It is Rachel who is the "Immoral" character of the tale, but we really never get to get inside Rachel's head....and perhaps that is where the tale breaks down a little.

I'm always more enthralled when a book is set in an area where I've lived, and this book, set primarily in Duluth, Minnesota, is no exception. In fact, had I not just finished Michael Connelly's new masterpiece, "The Lincoln Lawyer", I might have enjoyed "Immoral" more than I did; but the tale paled in comparison. Freeman is an interesting author who has written primarily for business before this novel. An inclusion of a new short story by the same author was a welcome addition.

Definitely worth a read!