In the Dark

“A SUSPENSEFUL TALE OF TERROR AND SECRETS KEPT TOO LONG.”

—Library Journal

Two young lovers. A hot summer night. One cold-blooded murder. Bestselling author Brian Freeman reveals the shattering secrets of Detective Jonathan Stride’s past…

IN THE DARK

It’s the case that has haunted Stride for thirty years. In high school, he fell in love with Cindy Starr, the girl who would become his wife. But on the Fourth of July, the same night they cemented their love, Cindy’s sister was savagely murdered. No one was ever arrested—and the case was closed. Now, decades later, a classmate has returned to Duluth to write a book about the crime. She knows secrets that a lot of people would like to keep hidden, including details about Cindy that leave Stride questioning his entire life. But when a girl is found drowned in the river—and a witness to the original murder attempts suicide—Stride realizes the ghosts of the past are alive and well…and ready to kill again.

“THIS HARROWING AND HEARTRENDING NOVEL WILL LEAVE READERS GUESSING UNTIL THE VERY LAST PAGES.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Publishers Weekly

Edgar-finalist Freeman's fourth thriller to feature Duluth, Minn., police lieutenant Jonathan Stride (after Stalked) may be his most ambitious-and accomplished-work to date. As the title suggests, even those involved in the closest relationships can be kept in the dark about a loved one's past. When a woman shows up in town and informs Stride that she's writing a book about the 30-year-old mystery surrounding the murder of the older sister of the girl who grew up to become Stride's spouse, he's forced to re-examine the validity of his bond with not only his late wife, Cindy, who died of cancer five years earlier, but also that involving his current love interest, a former Vegas cop turned PI, Serena Dial. Powered by darkly poetic atmospherics and deep character development (especially Stride, whose understated intensity, dignity and resilience are emblematic of the Twin Ports area itself), this harrowing and heartrending novel will leave readers guessing until the very last pages. Author tour. (Apr.)

Brian Freeman is the author of psychological suspense novels featuring detectives Jonathan Stride and Serena Dial.  His books have been sold in 17 languages.  His debut thriller, Immoral, won the Macavity Award and was a nominee for the Edgar®, Dagger, Anthony, and Barry awards for best first novel.  Brian and his wife, Marcia, have lived in Minnesota for more than twenty years.