IN THE DARK [2010] By Jonathan Freeman
My Review Five Stars*****
This novel is the author’s fourth installment of his popular Jonathan Stride series featuring the likable and incorruptible homicide lieutenant from Minnesota. The plot of Book 4 features the women in his life now, namely his lover the beautiful Serena Dial and his indelible diminutive partner Maggie Bei. Dial is recovering from the psychological impact and the physically disfiguring effects of her abduction by Blue Dog in the previous novel. Bei, meanwhile, has plans to buy a condo in the city, is a newly minted millionaire as a result of her rich hubby’s murder, and is still pondering the possibility and advisability of adopting a baby. However, in this atmospheric psychological thriller the author transports us back in time to the other women in Stride’s life, most significantly his beloved Cindy, but also her beautiful sister Laura.
A stranger named Trish Verdure arrives in town and approaches Stride, Serena, and Bei one day with a shocking bit of news. The stranger, who purports to be the murdered Laura’s BFF, but also a friend of Stride’s widow Cindy, informs the trio that she is writing a nonfiction novel about Laura’s unsolved murder thirty years ago. This is particularly shocking because Cindy never confided to Jon that she had any contact with Trish whatsoever. It is even more complicated because Stride never shared with Serena any information about Cindy’s sister Laura, or her brutal murder when he and Cindy were still teenagers. Things escalate even more when Tish announces her conviction that Peter Stanhope was the killer who escaped justice. This is an unwelcome shock because Serena is on the precipice of accepting full time employment with him. Peter Stanhope is an attorney from one of Duluth’s most influential families, but more importantly, he is one of Serena’s clients as a private investigator. Stride had been oppositional to the idea of her accepting the man’s job offer, but Serena had no clue why. Tish managed to shed a floodlight on the reason for Stride’s dislike for Peter, since as an arrogant privileged teenager he had been a prime suspect in Laura’s murder. The Stanhope fortune and political connections had shielded young Peter from scrutiny, corrupted the detective in charge of the murder investigation, and was ultimately responsible for the disappearance and destruction of physical forensic evidence in the case. Stride had never been able to forget the murder of his would-be sister-in-law, and never believed that the black drifter on the beach was culpable for the crime but rather a convenient scapegoat.
In the talented hands of Freeman this profound back story quickly assumes a life of its own with carefully insinuated time jumps and the author’s ability to smoothly insert past and present perspectives of multiple characters in the storyline using third person narration. The author’s talent for rich characterization is fully manifest and his atmospheric style of writing renders the shores of Lake Superior and the beautiful scenery surrounding Duluth, Minnesota using effective descriptive prose. The vivid imagery and the author’s talent for making the reader feel like they are “right there” delivers an engaging yet truly haunting tale of depravity, sexual perversion, rage, betrayal, lust, lost love and heartbreak.
Stride and his team (including Serena who is technically a PI) re-investigate the decades old murder of Laura who was brutally beaten to death on the lonely beach and whose violent death was never solved. Stride and Maggie are simultaneously tracking a “peeping tom” on the south side of the city. He is targeting blond teenage girls and there is the fear that his behavior may escalate. The here and now looms larger when an innocent teenager falls victim to the aggressive stalking actions by their peeping tom. The team zeroes in on their target only to learn that the man has ties to the past in addition to the present rash of peeping incidents. The cornered suspect attempts suicide following his interrogation by the police, and there was concern that he would succumb to his self-inflicted injuries and take any secrets or answers with him to the grave.
The multilayered complex plot is riveting due to the fleshed-out characters who populate the story line. It pulls the reader in from the first page and the increasing momentum with its mounting psychological tension manages to keep the reader transfixed until the last page. It is enjoyable to try to guess part of the puzzle pieces while simultaneously feeling that you really don’t want the story to end because it is such an intriguing and adrenaline infused experience. Like any good murder mystery there is a host of suspects for Stride to sift through in the brutal beating death of Laura. It gradually becomes obvious to Stride that his wife Cindy had kept many secrets from him during their relationship which fosters feelings of anger and betrayal of trust.
Freeman’s Jonathan Stride series is truly special in that it is just plain addicting. The writing is exceptional and the plots are complex and compelling. The atmospherics and the rich characterization cannot be praised enough in my opinion. In keeping with this series from its beginning, the sexual overtones and undercurrents are present and unapologetic. The sexual energy is palpable at times and this book series is clearly written for mature audiences. That is perhaps something that could be said of most crime fiction today I suppose. It is just a fact that sex is as much a character in the Jonathan Stride series as the atmospherics or the crimes that are being investigated. It is interwoven so intricately and realistically that it simply exists as an element of the plot. The one caveat is that Freeman doesn’t demonstrate any reluctance whatsoever in tackling some exceptionally dark and deviant sexual material which may turn off even the most open minded and enlightened readers of crime fiction. I considered for the first time that his Stride series may not be for the “faint of heart” which is a phrase usually reserved for explicit horrific and graphically depicted violence. In this case it refers to an especially sickening and despicable thread involving child abuse. That said, I was successful in guessing the identity of the murderer, but I was woefully naïve when ascribing the motive. It was far, far darker than I had even imagined. That was fine because the bread crumbs were there. However, while it is only a minor criticism the “final twist” that came at the end (which was not directly related to the murder mystery) was more disappointing to me than shocking, i.e., “Really? You had to go THERE?” versus “Well, I would NEVER have figured on that being the case!” I felt like it was one perverted twist too many, and it seemed like the novel was “over plotted” if that is possible.
Finally, Freeman cemented my loyalty as a fan before I even started the Stride series. In my opinion he is an outstanding and truly gifted author. Thus far, I love his books featuring Stride and the constellation of colorful characters that populate his universe. I think it was Gillian Flynn (“Gone Girl”) who first described Karin Slaughter’s style as “writing with a razor”. In respect to Brian Freeman’s Stride novels, he writes with a ball peen hammer and with this one it might be advantageous to have an anti-emetic at the ready.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Similar items that may deliver to you quickly
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Top reviews from other countries
Tezza
He takes you to the top, shakes you all around and back down.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 25, 2021
Peter Eerden
Another murder mystery with my second favourite detective
Reviewed in Australia on September 14, 2023
mike morrissey
Another great Stride story
Reviewed in Australia on September 7, 2021
Suzan
The Watcher - Brian Freeman
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 7, 2009