Immoral

by Brian Freeman

Review by Stephen Clark

This is the debut novel from a man with considerable talents. Talk about a story with twists! This’ll have you in the dark, up a rather foul smelling creek and without a paddle until the last page is turned.

A girl disappears in what seems to be the repeat of the previous year’s unsolved mystery. Detective Jonathon Stride is appointed the case and is quick to accuse the stepfather of murder. With evidence on the lighter side of substantial and with the stepfather acting remarkably convinced he’ll walk free, Stride begins to doubt himself. During trial a body is eventually found half buried deep in the Minnesota woodlands. The court ignores the grisly discovery and a verdict arrives, provoking dire consequences, and spins the whole investigation into the air once again. We learn that the missing girl had a less than idyllic relationship with her Mother and had in the past been a manipulative and selfish daughter, but does such a taint throw doubt over her disappearance?

The case unravels itself throughout the pages as though your reading from an actual cop’s blow-by-blow account of an investigation added with the headache of a less than perfect personal life.

As an added bonus (if you ever read this) visit his website www.brianfreeman.com for a few chapters that never made it to print. But be warned! Only read these after the book otherwise you’ll spoil the ride.

Publisher: Headline 2005

ISBN 0 7553 2534 6 Hardback

          0 7553 2751 9 Trade paperback (340 pages)

Publisher: St Martins Minotaur 2005

ISBN  0-312-34042-7 - Hardcover (352 pages)