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Customer Reviews (39)

Mystery!
I enjoyed this book, but not as much as others of the same type that I have read. It was a fast read. It kept me guessing up until the end as to who the real killer was.

Not Freeman's best
I've recently read four of Freeman's books most of which were great page turners that kept me guessing.This one didn't quite keep up with the others.

Just a bit much
I have liked the previous books well enough, but this one just went on too long and kept adding too much. He could have taken out entire parts of the plot line and the book would have been fine. At some point the author needs to stop adding layers and just finish up the book. At the end I just kept wondering to myself, "What else could happen?" And then it did.

I little editing and restraint next time would make for a better read.

Couldn't wait to get this book and did not have to!!!
Couldn't wait to get my hands on this book and I did not have to wait at all.It was here almost overnight.Thanks again, Amazon!!!
This Brian Freeman has become one of my all time favorite writers.

Another winner from Brian Freeman
Brian Freeman's Jonothan Stride novels are quickly becoming my favorite on going series.His deftness at writing engaging characters, broaching adult subjects without going overboard, and mixing wonderfully interesting plots with great twists and turns is really hard to beat.

Stride loved his late wife Cindy fiercely.Thirty years ago events happened in their lives that would change them both forever, especially Stride.As it happens, on the first night Stride and Cindy decide to take their relationship to the next level, something dreadful happens; the brutal murder of Cindy's older sister Laura.These are not only events that would decide Stride's career path, but would also come back to haunt him in his present life.

Turn the page to today and someone from Cindy and Laura's past comes back to town in the form of Laura's best high school friend, Tish.Tish is writing a book. 'Who really killed Laura Starr'.Tish's arrival in town after nearly three decades will make Stride question everything he thought about that fateful night when his would-be sister in law was murdered out in the cold woods as well as how well he thought he knew his late wife.

As if that weren't enough, a series of peeping tom incidents have occurred in their jurisdiction and none other than Maggie Bei lands the case.

This is a fantastic look into some of Strides earlier years and some of the events that shaped him into the character that he's become over these four novels.As with any Stride novel, just when you think you have the mystery solved and the culprit picked out, Freeman pulls the rug out from under you.The thing that makes it so satisfying though is that Freeman never makes it cheap or out of the blue.It always makes sense and is completely plausible.

I can't recommend In the Dark or Brian Freeman's body of work as a whole enough.Just Grade A fantastic writing.With another novel right around the corner, color me excited! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (121)

Worst OCR Conversion Ever
Brian Freeman's Immoral is a pretty good whodunit with excellent character development. The first book of a running series of police procedurals involving a police chief of detectives and one of his female detectives. The first in the series is based in Duluth Minnesota.

Well worth a look for those who like a decent mystery with characters who have a good backstory.

However, beware of the Kindle edition. It is the worse OCR conversion I've ever run across. It is filled with bad character conversions that are quite distracting. It really takes away from the story. This is a real shame since the book is quite well written.

Do the publishers even give the proofs a look over before they send it to Amazon? I find it incredible that they would market this, when using even a minimum amount of proofreading would of caught most of these glaring errors.

While I agree that a book (and more to the point an author's efforts) should not be judged by things like delivery, book bindings, price, etc; it is something that the potential buyers should be made aware of. Also, perhaps if enough people complain, it will cut through the apparent greed on part of the publishers and they will invest a little more resources in delivering a product that is worthy of the author's efforts.

IMMORAL
The Kindle edition of this book is full of misspelled and incorrectly used words.For instance:"die" instead of "the".It's so bad that one must guess the correct word from the context in which the word is used in the sentence.

The story line is good and it's a very interesting read once you get past all the distractions.

I would have given 5 stars, but had to deduct one for the sloppy editing.

It's immoral for the kindle
If you are buying this for your kindle beware. There are so many words spelled incorrectly and just plan wrong. For instance: The word should be "barn" but in the kindle edition it's "bam" over and over. I get it when I am reading but it is extremely distracting and for the money I paid it should be correct. I'm not sure who is to blame but there are dozens and dozens of this same type of errors thoughout this book. Shameful and I am not sure I will buy another Brian Freeman book if this is what will be the norm. The storyline is good but I am only halfway through and not sure I can finish because of so many mistakes.

The Bad Guy isn't the Only One Who is Immoral
Duluth detectives Lt. Jonathan Stride and Maggie Bei are called in to investigate the disappearance of a Lolita like teenager named Rachel Deese. A year ago another girl vanished and Stride and Bei believe the girls are dead, plus the media has whipped up the city so everybody is worried about a serial killer.

Their investigation points to Rachel's stepfather, Graeme Stoner, who is not the most cooperative person they've ever come across. However, arrogant though he may be, he is also very rich and there is no body. But even with only circumstantial evidence, Stoner is charged with abduction and murder in this story of sex, obsession and revenge, where those who seem innocent are not and those who seem guilty may be innocent.

This story shows the dark, perverse and frightening side that lingers in the minds of some of us who are called human beings. It is deeply disturbing and not for the faint of heart. It is a story that breaths, one that seems to take on a life of it's own. Mr. Freeman puts you squarely in the minds and hearts of his characters and some of them are immoral.

Never received!!
Tried to order this audio book but was sent a hard cover book of a completely different subject.When I e-mailed this seller, he told me he would credit my account and to just keep the book.Didn't want the book and never got to listen to my original order.I will think twice before ordering any more audio books that are used! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (69)

Disappointing
#3 Jonathan Stride and Serena Dial mystery. Thankfully, the story takes place back in Duluth, Stride's hometown, where he's decided to return after a brief stint in Las Vegas. Serena has accompanied him and they are settling into life again on the shores of Lake Superior. Stride's former detective partner Maggie is accused of murdering her husband, and though he must recuse himself from working the case officially, he is convinced of her innocence despite the damning evidence piling up against her. He looks into things in his spare time, thus ticking off the detective in charge of the case--who also happens to be the person Stride bumped out of the head of detectives job when he moved back to Duluth.

Meanwhile, Serena, now working as a private investigator, is hired by the local district attorney to uncover a blackmailer. When the two cases begin intersecting, it leads to clues in several cold cases, and some hot new ones--more disappearances and deaths with tendrils curling into several prominent people's lives.

To be honest, this wasn't all that much of a thriller, per se. I thought the main solution was fairly obvious, and also thought there was way too much coincidental linking of the cases and too much bizarre stuff going on to be really believable. There was also a lot of what I'd call gratuitous sex stuff that wasn't really germane to the cases. I'm not a prude of any sort, but sex for the sake of it within a mystery is kind of....well, boring. (I rolled my eyes a lot.)

I also thought that Serena, now that she was a private detective, fell into the amateur sleuth trap of doing Really Stupid Things. Frequently. If it weren't for Freeman's atmospheric portrayal of Minnesota, and Duluth in particular, I'm not sure if I would have finished it or not. I do like Stride and the secondary characters too, and because I already have the next couple of books I'm sure I'll read them. I'm just not as enthusiastic as I once was--the first book in this series totally blew me away.

just keeps getting better and better
Chances are if you're reading this you've read Brian Freeman's previous two Jonathan Stride novels. If you haven't I just have to ask you, WHY NOT???

As with Immoral and Stripped, Freeman is a master of the page turning psychological thriller.As usual I won't go into plot too much because it's been recounted many times in other reviews.

Serena and Stride are back in John's native Minnesota.He did take the job to be head detective that was offered to him in the latter portion of Stripped.The best thing about the book taking place in Minnesota is we get a good dosage of Maggy Bei, Stride's old partner. I missed reading Maggie in stripped because she's a smart and funny chop-busting little fireplug of a character.Only things aren't going too well for her this time.She's off the force and married to a rich sporting goods business owner.The problem is, he ends up dead in their home..by her gun...things aren't so sunny for Maggy these days.

Serena, no longer a cop decides to start being a private eye.She takes a job for an old 'friend' of Stride's from Immoral.What's the job? Making a money drop for an eminent public official who's being blackmailed.

And that's only the half of it.Murder, betrayal, underground sex clubs.There's a lot going on in this book.Itshows the seedy underbelly of Duluth and the people that live there.

Sex is a big portion of the plot in this book but Freeman excels at writing about adult subjects like that without making them seem tawdry or just a weak plot device.

Brian Freeman is quickly moving up my favorite authors list.This is about as consuming a read as you're likely to find with rich characters and great dialogue.He blends relationships, police work, fun to read charactersand complex plots that keep you guessing up until the last page wonderfully.

I can't recommend this and his previous two novels enough.Grade A reading!

Like Cop Stories?Pick Freeman!
Brian Freeman's third novel featuring Detective Jonathan Stride is the best yet, and the first two are very good.Stride now back in Duluth, a lieutenant and head of the major crime unit and it is a good thing for Maggie Bei, Stride's former partner, when her husband is murdered.The book has all of Freeman's usual twists and surprises. If you like mystery, sex, and violence in a can't put down book, try STALKED. All the characters a richly detailed and you get inside their heads. A great read.

Third time's definitely the charm!
Brian Freeman is a genius! The twists and turns in this book had me wanting to keep reading even though I had things to do. I had to force myself to put the book down. It had creepy thrilling moments and the dark undertones that ran through out the book were balanced right. The story never seemed over the top and the sub plots all ran smoothly with the main plot line.

Jonathan is stepping into a new area with Serena. He is trusting her implicitly as well as finding how they fit together. Serena's past is coming back to haunt her. Yet she always makes sure to let Jonathan in on what is going on for the most part. They even had a way of discussing things together that they had to keep secret because of the cases they were working on till things were solved. Maggie was always there for the two of them. Even though she lost her husband, she wanted to find out who was behind it and why. She is a very determined woman.

Brian Freeman definitely will hold your attention. If you like Harlan Coben, this author writes in a similar style. I cannot wait to read the next one in the series to see where things keep going. Some loose ends from another book were tied up at the end of this one. I never would have seen it coming. This is one author that I read every time!

excellent series
i love this series by Brian Freeman.they are murder/crime mysteries that don't necessarily have to be read in order.i read book 2 then had to get 1 and 3.i just picked up book 4 on my new Kindle.they arevery fast-paced books with excellent character development and description.i feel as if i've visited both Minnesota and Las Vegas.the only problem i have with these is that I Can't Put Them Down and tend to read all night. eh, not a terrible problem, comparatively. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (26)

new freeman fan
I have just finished reading "The Burying Place" -in one day - and I am writing to

say I am now a Freeman fan.

Ipurchased the first book because of a review, ( I don't remember where) and

after reading two chapters I was hooked.I immediately went to Amazon.com and

found Mr. Freeman had written 4 more books in the series.I ordered them all and in the

course of 3 weeks and enjoyed reading each one.

I have never read a series of books so quickly. It was like reading one very long

novel.I loved the experience immensely and I am looking forward to reading the

next novels in the series.

I grew to know and like the main charactersand with each additional book, I was

able to recall all theincidents that had come before.I do hope Stride

and Serena get together again.

I cannot usually remember the entirehistory of each characterwhen I read a new

book in a series,because too much time has passed between books that are

published every few years.

What I most enjoyed about each novel was the ending.I usually surmise

how a book will finishbefore the last page. But, with Freemannovels, I have

been pleasantly surprised.

I know there are many good reviews and I want to add mine to the list.

I taught in a high school for many years and usually only heard from parents

who had complaints.People are too lazy to write compliments. I am normally one

of the lazy ones - but not this time.

JONATHAN STRIDE BOOK FIVE
Brian Freeman's fifth book about Lt. Jonathan Stride, THE BURYING PLACE is great and awful.Great because Stride is becoming one of my favorite cop characters and awful because there isn't another book in the series, yet, waiting to be read.Brian Freeman's series is a great cop series.If you aren't into it yet, get going, don't miss out.Stride is a Duluth, Minnesota police detective, and a good one.His running mates are his partner, Maggie Bei and lover, Serena Dial, now private cop drawn back in.READ THE WHOLE SERIES IN ORDER.Great mystery here about a missing child and a serial killer that comes together with lots of major story line and series twists.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Brian Freeman's latest book
This is another great book by Mr. Freeman....and I've read all that he has written.As I live in Duluth, Minn. it's fun to read of the local places he uses in his story.His style of writing is concise and sharp, no meandering, keeps your interest and keeps you guessing.A wonderful thriller.

Help! I finished this one, when's the next one out?
I started reading Brian Freeman's books when I ran across the first one on the shelf at the bookstore.Each one that has followed has been unique and a great read and The Burying Place didn't let me down.Can't wait for the next book.

Carve Out Some Time, You're Going to Be Reading For Awhile
THE BURYING PLACE continues Brian Freeman's series featuring Duluth, Minnesota police lieutenant Jonathan Stride, picking up almost immediately from where IN THE DARK left off. Stride, seriously injured after the events in that tale, is recuperating at a secluded cabin in Itasca County, about an hour away from Duluth. Physically he is close to normal, though still hurting; emotionally, however, he is closing himself off from everyone, including Serena Dial, his soul mate.

Stride's enforced sabbatical comes to an abrupt end when two crimes demand his immediate attention. He is drawn into one by Denise Sheridan, Itasca County's deputy sheriff and a former colleague of Stride's. An infant named Callie has been abducted from her home, and Sheridan needs Stride to head up the investigation. Sheridan has a conflict of interest, given that the missing infant is her niece, the child of her sister, Valerie, who is married to Marcus Glenn, a prominent local surgeon. Denise, to put it bluntly, cannot stand Marcus for many reasons, but there is a history of tension between the sisters as well. As the reasons, known and unknown, slowly unfold, it becomes clear that before the baby's ultimate fate is determined, other significant secrets will have to be revealed as well.

The other crime involves a madman who is abducting women from the rural area outside of Duluth. When a rookie police officer named Kasey Kennedy stumbles across the fiend in the midst of murdering his latest victim, she tries but fails to apprehend him. The result is that Kennedy herself becomes the hunted, even as the murderer claims more victims. Maggie Bei, Stride's second-in-command, attempts to find the killer before he strikes again, unaware that she is about to experience a major and unexpected occurrence in her own life. As Stride, Dial and Bei dig more deeply into their respective cases, they find that almost everyone involved is hiding secrets and is either deceiving, or being deceived, with potentially deadly results.

Freeman begins dropping explosive revelations early in THE BURYING PLACE, while saving a series of major ones for the climax. There is a tantalizing mystery at the heart of it all, one that goes much longer and deeper than expected. Oh, and that serial killer? This is one genuinely nightmarish individual. You will read a number of passages more than once since you might not believe your eyes the first time through. As for longtime readers of the series, much occurs here that will change the direction of future books.

There is something for both fans and newcomers in THE BURYING PLACE. But don't even think about starting to read it without blocking out several hours. You won't want to put this one down without finishing it. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (55)

good story line
Brian puts in the interesting twist's and turns it takes to keep you wondering just what is next.

A Seductive, Relentless and Chilling Story
Jonathan Stride is back. He's moved to Las Vegas to be with the mysterious and seductive Detective Serena Dial, where he quickly gets a job with the LVPD. He's assigned a murder case, the victim a young man whose father is a big wig in the movie industry. However, the clues as to why the victim was shot are few and far between, way between.

And while Stride is trying to solve his first case, Serena is working a hit and run case, the victim a young boy. Stride's victim is from a wealthy family, Serena's, to say the least, is not. The cases seemingly have nothing in common, but Stride figures out that they are related. Not only that, but they seem to somehow be related to a decades old murder of a showgirl.

As Stride and Serena dig into the past murder they find secrets that someone will kill for, secrets that have caused the present day murders. However to bring old secrets to the light will put them in the path of someone who will do anything, stop at nothing to keep the secrets bottled up in the dark.

Brain Freeman has written the kind of crime story that will have you reading all night long. This is his second book, following IMMORAL, where he introduced us to Stride and Serena. I loved his first book, love the characters, who danced around in my head for weeks after I finished the book. Now they're dancing there again as I'm getting ready to read the book again. This is one I'll read several times.

would be better if...
not so much about the personal lives of the cop and his latest woman..at least for me, if feels as if the writer is trying to make his wordcount add up as he tells and retells how much in love they are, and tells and retells the sob-story of Serena's past...

i guess I would like to read a mystery where the female cop wasn't show-stoppingly beautiful (not very true to life :) and has a hideous past...or maybe this is a prerequisite to be a cop...anyway, to me, it all takes away from the plot of the crimes going on, which are complex and all of the lovey-dove stuff takes away from this for me at least...

What a thriller!
I read Brian Freeman's first book, IMMORAL, and thought it would be hard to beat.But he did it with STRIPPED.The characters and the scene are so well described that I felt I was in Vegas with Stride.The twists and supporting stories makes this book a non-stop joy to read.

twisted and addictive..simply brilliant
I devoured Freeman's first book Immoral in short order.From beginning to end I was completely absorbed by it. Stripped is just as addicting and fantastic as the first novel.

The second novel places Stride in Vegas.He's now a police officer in the LVPD and is still in his relationship with Selena Dial whom he fell head over heels in love with during the course of Immoral

As the book opens, Freeman makes the reader witness to a 40 year old murderof a popular Las Vegas show girl. Flashing to the present we have two totally unrelated crimes.Or so it seems.A hit and run on a young boy and the murder of a trust fund playboy during a dalliance with a hooker.Serena draws the hit and run case and soon finds that there's more to it than just a cowardly driver.Stride draws the trust fund baby murder and to his trained eye he knows it's much more than a random act of violence in a city that has no shortage of violence.

Is everything related? How could these two seemingly unrelated crimes be tied to a 40 year old murder?Leave it to Brian Freeman to make something that seems a stretch of the imagination at first glass something totally plausible.

Brian Freeman is a master of writing deep, rich characters. The relationship between Stride and Dial is a story unto itself and is as compelling as the plot of the book.Their relationship, along with the clues they uncover in their own separate cases are equally addictive.What's more, Freeman delves deeper into each of them. We learn more about what makes Stride tick and we learn a great deal more about Serena and her past.She's not just a supporting character or love interest to spice things up.She's a main character unto herself. Even the minor players, pop off the page and are a joy to read.

I can't praise this book or Freeman enough.His stories are compelling with twists and turns that will have you biting your nails until you hit the last page.The characters are as real as can be and the subject matter is always compelling and handled well.Nothing for pure shock, nothing just as filler.Everything has its purpose and its done well.

You'll be thinking about this book long after you've turned the last page! ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Seven Stories: Haunting Short Fiction

This mini-collection contains seven of Brian James Freeman's short stories that are currently available individually on Amazon.Save $4 if you order them together in this great bundle!

Freeman's best work has always been his short fiction, which is haunting and beautifully written.These stories feature characters who are searching for answers to deeply troubling questions, and there's often a real emotional punch before you reach the end.

This bundle won't be available at this price forever, so don't wait to download your copy!

* About the Stories:

Walking With the Ghosts of Pier 13:
A grueling summer of horror is finally winding down, and Jeremy is one of the wandering survivors who can't come to grips with the acts of terror that have been ripping his nation apart.His destination today is Pier 13, the ocean front amusement park his family visited every summer when he was a child, and his purpose for coming here is simple: he wants to understand why so many people have been dying in such violent acts... but that might not be the only answer he finds at the old docks.

Running Rain:
In the year since their son was the first victim of a serial killer known as the The Riverside Strangler, a devastated husband and wife have tried to pretend life can somehow be normal again... but the secrets they're keeping from each other are pushing their relationship to the brink. To make matters worse, The Riverside Strangler was never caught, and now the husband is obsessed with running along the river at night, searching for the truth about why his son died: a truth he may not really want to know...

Answering the Call:
A young man's very unusual job is taking a heavy toll on him.He stays in homes during the owner's funeral.Someone needs to be there to answer the phone, receive deliveries, and deter thieves who might have seen the obituary in the newspaper and decided this would be a good time for a break-in.The young man has seen a lot of strange things over the years in the homes of the dead, and sometimes his job is truly a matter of life and death...

The Punishment Room:
Assuming Michael manages to escape the Punishment Room with his sanity and his life, he isn't sure if he'll be able to go on living with the knowledge of what he did to survive... but then again, that's a dilemma he wouldn't mind confronting, given the finality of the alternative.

What They Left Behind:
There's something lurking in the basement of the old Timlico office building.This thing is evil, the result of the tragic fire that killed dozens of Timlico employees and sent that business spiraling into bankruptcy -- or maybe the thing was the cause of the fire.Scott and a few friends will learn more about this thing before the day is over, including some very bad news for everyone: the thing in the basement is still hungry.

A Dreamlike State:
Daniel is driving back to his hometown for the first time in six years because his father is dying, but he knows there's more than a sick patriarch waiting for him in the house where he grew up.He has a heart full of questions, and all of his childhood ghosts are patiently waiting for him... and they have a few questions of their own.

Where Sunlight Sleeps:
A grieving father and his young son, both dealing with their loss in their own ways.A Saturday ritual, retracing the last steps of the woman they loved more than any other.A search for the place where the sunlight sleeps, where bad feelings can be released.And a trip down a memory lane lined with jagged edges and vicious traps that just won't let them go.

(The only short story currently listed on Amazon that is missing from this bundle is "The Silent Attic," which is an experimental piece closely related to "A Dreamlike Sleep."If you like "A Dreamlike Sleep", be sure to download "The Silent Attic" to see another glimpse of that same world.) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great collection for those seeking out more of Brian James Freeman's works
This is the best way that I could recommend you introduce yourself to Brian James Freeman's short stories.It has seven great dark tales.Nothing too gory.Nothing too Monster-y (except for the ones we hide within ourselves).

These tales make you think and feel more than most of the dark tales that you'll find out there. You can take that as a warning or as a sign of hope (depending on what you like in your short stories).I like strong emotional stories, and many of Brian James Freeman's short stories have packed a stronger wallop than I expected over the years.

Many of these were published under the name "Brian Freeman" in various anthologies (like Cemetery Dance Publication's Shivers series).All of the stories are available as separate downloads for Kindle, but you'll save yourself a lot of money by getting this collection.If you are missing just four of these stories, the low price is well worth it.

This collection is currently only on Amazon for Kindle, Kindle for PC/Mac, etc.Only one story has had its name changed. "The Punishment Room" was first released as "One More Day" in Shivers V edited by Richard Chizmar.Some of the stories have been slightly revised for this publication too (nothing major, just some good tweaks like most author collections).

"Seven Stories" is an awesome collection to start after you read Mr. Freeman's The Painted Darkness.After you finish with these stories, you will also want to get the outstanding short story"The Silent Attic" (which has some very interesting connections to the excellent "A Dreamlike State", which is included in this collection).There are also a few other stories of Mr. Freeman's that aren't included in this collection (like the rare chapbook "Pulled Into Darkness"), but I'll let you do the detective work for those.

Also recommended:Black Fire (Brian James Freeman writing as James Kidman) and his out of print novella Blue November Storms! ... Read more

Product Description
When Henry was a child, something terrible happened in the woods behind his home, something so shocking he could only express his grief by drawing pictures of what he had witnessed. Eventually Henry's mind blocked out the bad memories, but he continued to draw, often at night by the light of the moon.



Twenty years later, Henry makes his living by painting his disturbing works of art. He loves his wife and his son and life couldn't be better... except there's something not quite right about the old stone farmhouse his family now calls home. There's something strange living in the cramped cellar, in the maze of pipes that feed the ancient steam boiler.



A winter storm is brewing and soon Henry will learn the true nature of the monster waiting for him down in the darkness. He will battle this demon and, in the process, he may discover what really happened when he was a child and why, in times of trouble, he thinks: I paint against the darkness.



But will Henry learn the truth in time to avoid the terrible fate awaiting him... or will the thing in the cellar get him and his family first?



Written as both a meditation on the art of creation and as an examination of the secret fears we all share, The Painted Darkness is a terrifying look at the true cost we pay when we run from our grief--and what happens when we're finally forced to confront the monsters we know all too well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

The Boiler is alive!
This was a thought provoking tale that stays with you and leaves you with various possibilities in what really is going on. Story is well written. You will not look at a boiler again in the same way that you used to, after reading this haunting story.

"Yet the darkness is there, and it's even colder than the night wind, and it'll be calling for Henry very soon, much louder than any painting ever has."

creepy little page-turner
This is a creepy little page-turner that explores the boundaries between reality and imagination.

Freeman tells dual stories surrounding Henry, an artist with a dark imagination.Henry's story is told through chapters that alternate back and forth between "The Present," when Henry is an adult artist who paints to master his dark imagination, and "The Birth of the Artist," when Henry is five and experiences a trauma that shapes the remainder of his life.

Although the novella is short, it is replete with details that create an ambiance of danger, mystery, and threatening darkness.Freeman effectively uses this interplay to drive the narrative forward and urge his readers to uncover the mysteries of the past and the present.

I definitely recommend for readers who like to be a little creeped out.

Be sure to read this book with the light on!
Written in a style reminiscent of Stephen King, The Painted Darkness by Brian James Freeman takes the reader on a harrowing, suspense-building, and maddening journey into the mind and world of Henry.During the course of the ride, you will meet both adult Henry and childhood Henry as both stories, separate at first, become increasingly and seamlessly entwined as the book progresses.

Henry paints against the darkness.He doesn't know why and he has no recollection of the terrible and horrific events that happened during his childhood that led to his obsession.After an argument with his wife leaves him alone in the middle of a violent winter storm, Henry must face the monsters from his childhood that have seemingly and impossibly found their way into his cellar if he is to survive.

The Painted Darkness is a creepy, spooky, descent into madness that will have you turning the pages well into the night just as long as you remember to read with a light on.

It's a Masterpiece!
I read the ebook in less than 4 hours and it was the best thing I have read in
a long time! Stephen King was my favorite author, but move over Brian James
Freeman has crossed over! It's something everyone should read, it keeps you
]guessing and on edge to the point that you can't put it down. The Painted Darkness

Much More Than "Just Another Novella"
THE PAINTED DARKNESS: Novella Review

Grade: A

Before reading The Painted Darkness, I had heard of Brian James Freeman before. He'd published (or is about to publish) a handful of books with Cemetery Dance publications, and is currently one of the editors of the Cemetery Dance magazine. He's gone by several names--James Kidman, Brian Freeman, and finally Brian James Freeman. (He says he's sticking with the latter.) But...I'd never really read him before. His other novella, Blue November Storms, has long been OOP from Cemetery Dance, and his Leisure novel, Black Fire, is stuck somewhere in the Everest that is my To-Be-Read mountain. The only work I'd read by him previous to The Painted Darkness was a short story, "One More Day", in Shivers V--and, to put it frankly, I thought it paled in comparison to the other talent held in that anthology.

Yet here in The Painted Darkness, Freeman has obviously matured much as a writer since my last encounter with his work. The Painted Darkness reads like something Stephen King would put into words; something that a well-renowned author who has had years to hone his writing would write. It reads like a master of the craft has written it.

Freeman uses the novella format to tell his story, switching back and forth between the present and the past. It works great; and because the story isn't novel-length, the constant switching never becomes tiresome.

The plot tells the tale of Henry, a man who doesn't realize just how much of his childhood is left inside of him, buried under several layers of fear and sorrow. That's all I'll say; since the book isn't very long readers should go in unprepared for what they're about to experience. As for the experience itself: well, let's just say that Freeman knows how to slowly build his mysteries, adding layer after layer of fright and wonder into them. The final chapters of The Painted Darkness will fly by as you delve into Henry's world of imagination and terror.

So I'd never really read Brian James Freeman before. I'd never actually taken the time to dig up his works. Now, after experiencing the darkness? I can only see him going uphill from here. ... Read more

Product Description
What They Left Behind: A Short Story

There's something lurking in the basement of the old Timlico office building, which Scott's future father-in-law has just purchased in a last ditch effort to save the family business.

This thing is evil, the result of the tragic fire that killed dozens of Timlico employees and sent that business spiraling into bankruptcy -- or maybe the thing was the cause of the fire.

Scott and a few friends will learn more about this thing before the day is over, including some very bad news for everyone: the thing in the basement is still hungry. ... Read more

Product Description
The Silent Attic: A Short Story

"My mother died three years ago, during the worst heat wave in decades.I was fifteen.My little brother, Daniel, was just three. My father was forty going on forever."

For Amy Walker, nothing has been the same since the cancer consumed her mother.

Her father spends all of his time working at the factory, not just to keep food on the table, but also to avoid the reality waiting for him at home.

Her little brother remembers their mother, but not in the way Amy does. Their mother is an abstract concept to him now, like a history lesson he might learn in school...

And at night Amy is haunted by the memory of her mother's last days... and one last trip up to the silent attic where her nightmares were born. ... Read more

Product Description
Answering the Call: A Short Story

"The young man must be lonely.There is something terrible about the look in his eyes, about the way his body slumps over the heavy, black answering machine perched on his lap."

The young man in question is indeed lonely, and his very unusual job is taking a heavy toll on him.

He house-sits homes during the owner's funeral. Someone needs to be there to answer the phone, receive deliveries, and deter thieves who might have seen the obituary in the newspaper and decided this would be a good time for a break-in.This is a more common problem than you might think.

The young man has seen a lot of strange things over the years in the homes of the dead, and sometimes his job is truly a matter of life and death... ... Read more

Product Description
The Punishment Room: A Short Story

"Michael wasn't sure exactly how long he had been chained naked to the floor of the Big Man's Punishment Room, but he did know the Big Man would be coming back soon.Then the bleeding and the screaming and the torture would start again."

Assuming Michael manages to escape The Punishment Room with his sanity and his life, he isn't sure if he'll be able to go on living with the knowledge of what he did to survive...

But then again, that's a dilemma he wouldn't mind confronting, given the finality of the alternative... ... Read more

Product Description
Product DescriptionA stunning, clever and unputdownable new Minnesota-based thriller from the masterful pen of a future giant.Lieutenant Jonathan Stride has never forgotten the case that made him decide to join the police force. Back in the 1970s, Laura - sister of Stride's girlfriend - was murdered. The obvious suspect was a vagrant, who slipped through the hands of the police, including Stride's detective hero Roy. Now, though, Stride's looking at the case in a new light. Tish Verdure, an old friend of Laura's, has come home: and she's certain that the killer was a local boy, now an attorney with connections at the highest level. Stride's soon convinced that there was a deliberate decision to direct the investigation towards a simple solution and away from Tish's suggested perpetrator: but he's also convinced that Tish is hiding a secret about the past. A secret that could have shattering consequences - including a second murder... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Watcher
Loved the book the first time I read it. It was called In the Dark! Exact same book, different title. So if you've already read In the Dark, save your money! I wish I had my $8.00 back.

Same book as In the Dark
This is a great book like all Brian Freeman's books are, but if you already have In The Dark, this is the same book with a different title, distributed in the UK. ... Read more

Product Description
A Dreamlike State: A Short Story

"When Danny Walker was a child, when he was six years old and Christmas came and went and he finally understood that his sister was never coming home again, nightmares began to consume his nights—even the nights when he couldn't sleep at all."

Today Daniel is driving back to his hometown for the first time in six years because his father is dying, but he knows there's more than a sick patriarch waiting for him in the house where he grew up.

There's also the memory of his sister and her tragic last days.

There are the ghosts that haunted him for all of his childhood.

There's the voice that whispers: Sometimes after I fall, I bleed.

And most importantly, there's an imaginary world known as The Dark Country, Daniel's childhood safe haven that turned bad after his sister's disappearance.

Daniel is traveling home with a heart full of questions, but all of his ghosts are patiently waiting for him... and they have a few questions of their own. ... Read more

Product Description
Running Rain: A Short Story

"The first time he saw this river, he thought: those waters are deeper and faster than they look.That has troubled him ever since."

In the year since their son was the first victim of a serial killer known as the The Riverside Strangler, a devastated husband and wife have tried to pretend life can somehow be normal again... but the secrets they're keeping from each other are pushing their relationship to the brink.

To make matters worse, The Riverside Strangler was never caught, and now the husband is obsessed with running along the river at night, searching for the truth about why his son died: a truth he may not really want to know... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Immoral - audio version
Just finished listening to IMMORAL by Brian Freeman -WHAT A GREAT READ!!! I am a Machine Quilter by profession and listen to audio books while I quilt. Yesterday the machine had been long turned off and I was still tightly attached to my cordless headset. I was up until 2:00 in the morning because I just had to get to the ending. The ending took me totally by surprise - I never saw it coming.

Folks who are experiencing "Harry withdrawal" (Michael Connelly - Harry Bosch series)will not be disappointed with this book in what I hope will be a continuing series.

Jerri
... Read more

Product Description
Where Sunlight Sleeps: A Short Story

"Every Saturday, his little boy awakens with the rising sun.The middle-aged widower is already awake in the bedroom down the hall where he lies in the bed he has shared with no one since his wife died.The man hears his son's bedroom door creak open, and he closes his eyes so that his son won't know he's been awake most of the night again...."

A grieving father and his young son, both dealing with their loss in their own ways.

A Saturday ritual, retracing the last steps of the woman they loved more than any other.

A search for the place where the sunlight sleeps, where bad feelings can be released.

And a trip down a memory lane lined with jagged edges and vicious traps that just won't let them go. ... Read more

Product Description
Walking With the Ghosts of Pier 13: A Short Story

"On these hot summer days at the beginning of the New World, we're all walking with the dead."

A grueling summer of horror is finally winding down, and Jeremy is one of the wandering survivors who can't come to grips with the acts of terror that have ripped his nation apart.

Now he's returning to Pier 13, the ocean front amusement park his family visited every summer when he was a child.The park is still open for business, although it resembles an old west ghost town populated by a strange and broken cast of characters.

Jeremy's destination is the wooden roller coaster called the Screamin' Demon, and his purpose for coming here is simple: he wants to understand why so many people have been dying in such violent acts.

But that might not be the only answer waiting for him on the docks...

About the Author:
Brian James Freeman's short stories, essays, novellas, and novels have been published by Leisure, Warner Books, Cemetery Dance, Borderlands Press, Book-of-the-Month Club, and many other publishers.He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, two cats, and a German Shorthaired Pointer who is afraid of the cats. Visit him on the web at www.BrianJamesFreeman.com for great free reads and updates on his new work. ... Read more