Pg. 69: Brian Freeman's "Stalked"

The current feature at the Page 69 Test: Brian Freeman's Stalked.

About the novel, from the author's website:

OBSESSION. BLACKMAIL. MURDER. IN ZERO DEGREES.

Lieutenant Jonathan Stride knows his partner Maggie Bei is in trouble when she reports a deadly crime on a bitter winter night. She's obviously hiding a terrible secret. And her silence only feeds suspicion.

Maggie isn't the only one keeping secrets in Duluth. A seductive young woman has disappeared, leaving behind a stash of lurid fantasies and a cryptic message. I know who it is.

Following a twisted trail, Stride uncovers a sordid web of violence and voyeurism that someone is willing to kill to keep hidden. Stride isn't alone. His lover Serena Dial – a homicide cop turned private investigator – is chasing a blackmailer who knows all the city's dirty secrets. Even Maggie's.

But as Stride and Serena hunt for a killer, a predator with a vicious past is hunting them – with a terrifying plan for revenge. Now every step they take to expose the truth brings them closer to a showdown amid the howling winds of a winter storm. Where survival in the blinding snow is measured in seconds. Where crimes can be buried forever.

Among the early praise for Stalked:

"Brian Freeman is a first-rate storyteller. Stalked is scary, fast-paced, and refreshingly well written. The characters are so sharply drawn and interesting, we can't wait to meet the next one in the story. Freeman has another winner.
A really great read."
—#1 bestselling author Nelson DeMille

"Freeman just keeps outdoing himself with each book….a striking display of skilled storytelling that will have readers surprised more than once well before the shocking ending."
—Library Journal

"Chilling….a strong narrative crammed with twists and studded with sex and violence; a mysterious, even mystical, sense of place; and a well-crafted set of characters and relationships."
—Publishers Weekly

"Freeman's latest should be on the to-read list of anyone who enjoys novels by authors like Harlan Coben, David Baldacci and Jeff Abbott — a perfect blend of psychological suspense and crime fiction."
—Chicago Tribune

"Freeman delivers a swift plot packed with satisfying twists."
—Booklist

Read an excerpt from Stalked, and learn more about the book and author at Brian Freeman's website and his blog.

Brian Freeman is the international bestselling author of psychological suspense novels featuring detectives Jonathan Stride and Serena Dial. Immoral, his debut thriller, won the Macavity Award for Best First Novel and was a finalist for the Edgar, Dagger, Anthony, and Barry Awards. His second novel, Stripped, was named among the top 10 mysteries of 2006 by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

The Page 69 Test: Stripped.

My Book, The Movie: Stripped.

The Page 69 Test: Stalked.

--Marshal Zeringue