Alter Ego by Brian Freeman is the 9th book in the Jonathan Stride series, but the first one I've read.

A film crew is making a movie of one of Stride's old cases and Stride is invited to the set. Watching the filming is a little problematic for Jonathan because it reminds him of the terrible case in which he was able to save only the last victim.

The actor playing Jonathan Stride in the movie is a Hollywood legend and the screenwriter is the son of the man convicted of the murders. While Jonathan is initially impressed with the actor's apparent warmth, he quickly realizes that career and image mean more to Dean Casperson than anything else.

When an intern goes missing from the set, Jonathan is asked to find her. As events develop, there are actually two story lines that may or may not be connected and plenty of twists and turns.

Alter Ego functioned perfectly well as a stand alone. I'm interested in more about Serena, Cat, and Maggie Bei, but only because I know they have been part of earlier books. Their characters are pretty well-defined in this novel, but since I liked them, I will be checking on earlier novels. There is also a character that is evidently a lead in another series (Cab Bolton), but helps Maggie when she is in Florida.

Read in March. (blog rev. scheduled for April 25)

NetGalley/Quercus

Police Procedural. May 1, 2018. Print length: 400 pages.

In this latest Jonathan Stride novel, a movie studio is in town making a movie based on one of Stride's past cases. Not only does this bring up bad memories for all involved, but it sets off a chain of events that will leave fans everywhere shocked and wondering if everyone from Hollywood has a dark side.
I could not put this book down. Every time I thought I knew "whodunnit", it threw a new twist in the mix. I have been a huge fan of Brian Freeman's book ever since the first one he wrote, and they seem to get better every time.

I felt like I was at home as the pages turned and the story unfolded. Alter Ego (Jonathan Stride #9) by Brian Freeman was an entertaining read. The book reunites readers with familiar characters from past books (Stride, Serena, Cat, Maggie, and Guppo) and had a special appearance by Cab (from the Cab Bolton series also by Freeman).

The plot of this book is twofold, a Hollywood film is being made in Duluth based on one of Stride’s older cases, and someone is murdering young women and dumping them in the area. Serena and Maggie seem to have the lead rolls throughout most of the book, with Stride playing more of a behind the scenes; supportive roll. There’s lots of police procedural activity, action, twists, family dynamics, and links to the past crime.

Some of the secondary characters are a bit flat and not fully developed with backgrounds, but this doesn’t take anything from the overall story. By the time the story ends all loose ends have been tied up, and there is no cliffhanger.

The book can be read as a standalone, but reading the previous books in the series will give the reader far more enjoyment, as they will have a better understanding of events and situations that tie the lead players together.

I wish to extend my thanks to the publisher – Quercus, the Author and NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy.

The Expected publication: May 1st 2018.

For me this was a 4 star read.

Jonathan, Serena and Maggie are back! Oh, and another surprise guest as well! While I enjoyed the Frost Easton series, I'm glad to be back with old friends. What do a man involved in a fatal collision with a deer and a young film intern who's gone missing have in common? Maybe nothing. But Jonathan and his crew need to find out for sure. Complicating matters is the film crew in town to shoot a movie based on an early case in Stride's career. How do all of these things tie together? And can Stride prove it?

Such a good book! I was so excited to get my hands on this one because I love this series. This was an excellent addition. I love the characters, even the side bits involving Cat and Curt, and the story definitely kept me on my toes until the end. READ IT!

If Brian Freeman’s name is on the cover , I take great”Strides” to grab the book.
When Hollywood comes to Duluth in the middle of winter, it’s to film one old Detective Jonathan Stride’s most difficult cases. Portraying Stide in the movie is one of the industry’s greatest heartthrobs, but his “Alter Ego” is anything but lovable. Freeman weaves a tangled web that includes cases from the past tangled with multiple “bad guys” in the present , but it is ably pulled apart strand by strand by an enjoyable cast of characters. The ninth book in the series sets a mighty high bar for thos that follow.

When a movie crew descends upon Duluth to shoot a film based on an old Jonathan Stride case, the North Shore’s famous detective becomes haunted by ghosts of that infamous case. “Save me.”

Alter Ego is the ninth novel in Brian Freeman’s Detective Stride series. Why “alter ego”? The actor who plays Stride, in essence, his alter ego, has a second self that his adoring public does not see. When a John Doe dies in a car crash outside of town, Stride’s partner Maggie Bei is called out to the cold, snowy scene. What she finds is a with a recently fired gun on the seat beside him. Will there be a body? This is starting to look like a hit – who was this man working for, and why? Some of the behavior of these guys is not too far from what we’ve seen lately in the headlines. The author takes his plot to the extreme; this is a murder mystery, after all.

Freeman pulls out all the stops in this book, giving major roles to Stride’s wife and fellow Duluth cop, Serena, as well as Maggie. He also brings in a guy from another series, Cab Bolton. Yup. I’ll skip the details, but I actually liked Cab better in this supporting role than I did when he had the lead in The Bone House. Even Jonny and Serena’s teenage foster daughter Cat has a big part in this story. Most of all, I welcomed the growing relationship of Cat and the relation she has with the adults she has come to accept as her parents.

While on the set, Stride can’t help being reminded of the woman he saved from a cage those years ago – and the women before her that he couldn’t get to in time. Now, there is an eerie sense of déjà vu. Do you believe in sixth sense? Mr. Freeman might help you see the light.

I was way off base with what I thought happened in the case of the caged women. I missed all the clues, but I did have problems with the final solution. It just didn’t seem realistic to me. There is also some cop humor and corny descriptions of the cold, but hey, you can’t beat Duluth, Minnesota, in the winter, and Freeman appreciates this.

Overall, Alter Ego is an entertaining, clever book. Thanks to NetGalley, Quercus, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

4 stars

A car accident in Minnesota with a dead driver leads to a mystery. The drivers ID belongs to a dead man. There is a gun in the trunk of the car that ultimately ties to the murder of two women. In Duluth there is a movie being filmed about a case from Jonathan Strides past. An intern from the movie set has disappeared. The star of the movie is a charismatic Hollywood actor who may not be all he seems. The writer of the movie is the son of the man who was convicted of the killings in Strides old case.

This book is very well written with a great cast of characters and a good plot. There were so many aspects of this story I didn’t know which way to turn. Who was the man in the car, why did he murder the women and who did he work for? So many suspects! Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy of this book.

I discovered Brian Freeman at Once Upon A Time on their local author shelves. As I love to read books by Minnesota authors, I picked it up and haven't stopped.

Of all of his Stride books, I think I liked this one the best. A film crew from Hollywood is in Duluth to film a movie based on one of Stride's old cases. The writer is the son of the man convicted of kidnapping women, holding them in a box until they die. Stride gets audio tapes of each girl saying "Save me Jonathan Stride". The actor playing Stride is a legend in Hollywood known as being a "good guy".

The book starts with a death by car accident. A recently fired gun in is the car next to the deceased driver. After searching in the woods, a body is found of a young woman. Stride, Serena and Maggie first have to identify the dead driver and also the woman. This leads Maggie to Florida to meet up with the detective behind the murder of a woman there that was committed with the same gun.

No more since that would be spoiling. I really liked this book!

Brian Freeman writes a good mystery, and he does it again with Alter Ego. Hollywood comes to Duluth in the guise of a film being made about a big case that Jonathan Stride had a decade ago. A famous actor plays him in the movie, and the intrigue starts to build. A woman is found murdered, then a 15-year old girl. Some of the Hollywood people appear a bit devious, but making a case is difficult. Then the National Gazette comes to town and does a number on Stride. This upsets his young charge Cat, who has a mind of her own as she reacts to the story about Stride. At this point, the mystery has really taken off, Solving it becomes a bigger challenge that makes for an even better read. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Brian Freeman rarely disappoints, and Alter Ego was no exception. This time he seamlessly blends the his two series heroes, Jonathan Stride and Cab Bolton, into the story. It takes place largely in Duluth, but circumstances require the intrepid Maggie to visit Florida as she investigates Minnesota murders, and there she meets Cab Bolton. Alter Ego is a timely story of sexual harassment and abuse in Hollywood, with, of course, a murderous twist. Highly recommended.

Alter Ego – Brian Freeman

I was fortunate to receive this novel as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.

Lieutenant Jonathan Stride and Detective Maggie Bei are back again in this fabulous new novel from Brian Freeman!

It’s winter time in Duluth, Minnesota, and one of Hollywood’s A-list actors is in town filming a movie based on a case that Jonathan Stride would rather forget. Dean Casperson is a legend and is playing the role of the detective in ‘The Caged Girl’, a screenplay crafted by the actual murderer’s son.

The story opens with a chance death on a snowy highway, and it’s thought to be nothing more than a fateful accident, until a recently fired gun is found in the wrecked vehicle. As Maggie Bei attempts to identify the body, they realize that the ID the victim carried belonged to a man who died several years prior. So, who is he?

Stride visits the set of the movie during filming and meets his ‘alter ego’ in the film – the great Dean Casperson himself, along with his look-alike stuntman Jungle Jack. While on set, he inadvertently learns that a young stagehand, Haley Adams, has gone missing. Believed to be a Florida native, attending college in Duluth, her identity becomes a puzzle, as the search for her intensifies.

As the investigations continue and eventually merge, Stride learns that Hollywood isn’t all that it seems, deception is rampant, and even the most beloved of actors may be hiding something sinister, and will do anything to protect his reputation.

And then another girl goes missing…

Freeman has done it again, and I found this book to be un-put-downable!! I’ve been hooked since I picked up his very first Stride novel, and this latest installment keeps me desperate for more!! You will NOT be disappointed!! If you love Harry Bosch, Mac McRyan, Lucas Davenport and Tracy Crosswhite, you’ll LOVE Jonathan Stride!

(Review will be added to blog on publication day)

I have loved Brian Freeman's books since Immoral came out and it blew me away. I have read every book since and loved most of them, so I was really happy to get approved for this book through Netgalley. I loved this book too. It held my attention from start to finish (which was a whole day and a half). I thought I knew who did it and would be disappointed in the reveal but I was wrong and I was surprised at the end, and being surprised is very important to me in a mystery thriller. Beyond that, I think Brian Freeman's writing is great, with just the right amount of detail, not getting bogged down with endless descriptions, but giving enough info for the reader to see the scene. I love the Stride/Serena/Maggie characters and look forward to their next mystery.

Thanks to netgalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another great book by the author. A book full of great mystery and suspense with the addition of some interesting twists and turns in the storyline. A fun book which I would recommend to all who enjoy mystery and suspense

REVIEW: ALTER EGO by Brian Freeman
(Jonathan Stride #9)

I love this series and this novel is no exception. The plot, however, does deal with some especially painful and serious issues, including some very newsworthy. It's also heartwrenching, and I freely admit to reading heart in mouth, breath held.

A film is shooting in Duluth, inexplicably based on a crime Jonathan Stride investigated; Inexplicable because the screenwriter is the son of the accused. Stride isn't pleased, but worse is yet to come, including murders and the exposure of a serial sexual predator, and revelations impossible to predict.

The action is non-stop and breathless, the conclusion ultimately fulfilling.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview Alter Ego by Brian Freeman. I have been a fan of Freeman's Jonathan Stride series for a long time. I have also read one Cab Bolton book. This book brings both protaganists together in a action packed book.
Stride has worked some tough crimes in his career as detective in Duluth. He carries a heavy load of guilt of those who he couldn't help. A case from 11 years ago that almost killed Stride and left three young women dead is now being made into a film. The set is right in Duluth, and Stride's character is a famous, well loved actor named Dean Casperson. The filming brings back alot of memories for not only Stride, but also his counterparts, Maggie and Serena.
Then things start to happen - a man is killed in a bizarre accident - this man has no identification - just a burner phone and a strange hat. Then a young woman is found with a bullett in her head - she also has no identification. - and Stride doesn't believe in coincidences.
Stride and his team know that something is very wrong with the charismatic Dean Casperson, but can they prove it and will it be too late before other bodies pile up.
Freeman brings Stride and a familar cast of characters to life in this series and even brings another character into this plot. I really liked that.
The plot is character driven and suspenseful. This is a series and I am glad I have read Freeman's other books prior to this novel - I don't think it is quite a standalone.
Defintely recommend - fans won't be disappointed.

The fans of Brian Freeman will absolutely love this book! Not only does Jonathan Stride make another appearance, but Cab Bolton does too.

Stride is called to an accident scene only to find the victim has a false identity and nothing pointing to his real name. Examining the gun in the trunk shows its been recently fired, and later on, finding that the same gun was used to kill a young woman sometime back.

He finds himself involved with the making of a movie ... all about Stride and one of his past cases .. the case that has left him with nightmares ever since he was too late to save three woman, but was able to save a fourth. It was a brutal case.

The actor playing Stride is on the Hollywood A list. He's handsome, rich, charming, ... but his alter ego has a dark side and will stop at nothing to keep his deep dark secrets hidden.

As with every Jonathan Stride book, it is well-written. The characters are outstanding .. each with a mental and moral quality that is distinct. I love how they all interact with each other. Adding Cab Bolton to the mix in this particular book made it really special. Seems like all my favorite characters are gathered in one spot.

The story premise is a good one .... taken from Breaking News Headline a while back. Hollywood's worst secrets exposed. There are twists and turns and an explosive ending I didn't see coming.

Highly recommended .. and although not mandatory, read the series in order.

Many thanks to the author / Quercus (US) / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of one of my favorite series and characters. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

All I can say about this 9th outing for Jonathan Stride is WOW! Talk about a thrill ride and an on the edge of your seat thriller. This series just gets better and better! I can't wait for the next one!

Highly recommended!

This book is due to be released in May. 2018.