What do You think about Stripped (2006)?
STRIPPED (Police Proc-Las Vegas-Cont) – G+Freeman, Brian – 2nd in seriesSt. Martin’s Minotaur, 2006- Amer Hardcover*** Detective Jonathan Stride has relocated from Minneapolis to Las Vegas and is living with new love Detective Serena Dial who is working hard to get over her troubled past. The two detectives are working different cases—Stride the murder of a wealthy trust-fund baby and Dial the hit-and-run of a small boy. As the investigations proceed, the two cases collide with more murders and a secret kept since the 1960s.*** Freeman creates complicated characters that are fascinating and very involving. The plot is a complicated one, dealing with secrets, power, trust, betrayal, loyalty; all the characteristics that can either lead to the best or worst in people. In this case, it’s mostly the worst. There is suspense, gunplay, and secrets revealed, long with love and sex. Although I felt plot was a bit overcomplicated and the story bogged down a big in the middle, it was still exciting and definitely kept me turning the pages.
—LJ
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 ImmoralAs the book opens, Freeman makes the reader witness to a 40 year old murder of 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.
—Matt Schiariti
I learned that it is possible to have too many music references. At times I thought I was reading someone's country music playlist.I also learned that too much description detracts from the story.The story was good, the execution was acceptable. With that said, I would have loved more dialogue. I am a believer that you learn more about a character from "hearing" them speak. There is so much history with these characters that I feel like I am being cheated by only learning a few scraps here and there. This is the second book in the series and I was left with questions and no hope of hearing the answers. I also don't know what the characters look like. There was very little description of the characters in this book. It was hard to "see" them. Most series books I read, the author describes their appearance at some point in each book so that if you picked up that book and read it, you would be fine. I like series books, but I like them to be able to stand alone too. So, two books in and I still don't really know what Jonathan Stride looks like.I am a little less than thrilled that this book, as well as Immoral ended with a "happy" ending. It wrapped up a little to nicely for my likes.I am getting ready to order the third in the series, because I am invested. I am only ordering hardback to fulfill a club selection.
—Heather
