Longtime Woodbury resident and author Brian Freeman is celebrating the 10th anniversary of his publishing career, alongside his character Jonathan Stride’s career, in his acclaimed thriller series. The series’ latest addition, Goodbye to the Dead, gives readers a look back at Stride’s past and lets them get to know more about his younger years as a Duluth, Minn. detective.
The debut novel in the series, Immoral, introduces Stride as he is coping with the loss of his wife, Cindy, to cancer. Over time, his grief casts a looming shadow over his relationship with current partner Serena. “Jonathan Stride is very much a northern Minnesota hero,” says Freeman. “He tucks his chin against the wind and keeps moving on.” In Goodbye to the Dead, Freeman wanted to give seasoned followers an opportunity to go back and find out who Cindy was as a character. For new fans, Freeman thinks his latest book will allow them to discover Stride and hopes his thrillers will keep the reader engaged into the wee hours of morning.
In terms of his inspiration, Freeman explains the emotion behind his page-turning novels. “I like to create real, ordinary characters in dark and difficult situations,” he says. “I want readers to get caught up in the characters and ask themselves what they would have done in those circumstances.”
2017 will also be a big year for Freeman fans. Keep an eye out in January for an all new, San Francisco-based thriller novel and in May, the latest installment in the Jonathan Stride series.
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