Brian Freeman's "faux pas"....

Both Brian Freeman and Joe Barrett belong to the golden circle of my favorite writers/narrators and hence my expectations were high…but I felt let down.
The plot is not credible and the characters stiff and a bit of stereotype. It seems that Freeman wanted to diversify from the long (and very enjoyable) Jonathan Stride series and start all over with a new character ( Frost Easton) and new settings (San Francisco). The story is about a shrink who thinks she is helping people by erasing bad memories and a serial killer that gravitates around her. The story is creepy, at times suspenseful and, frankly, at times silly..
This is my first two-star rating to a great thriller writer with my advice to all of you to go for the good Jonathan Stride’s books.

62 people found this helpful

A bit silly

The plot was just too silly. It seems that everyone can learn how to implant memories in others. Certainly, the psychiatrist who is one of the three main characters seems to do it quite well...and gets into trouble for it. OK. It MIGHT have worked, but the character development is so shoddy that they can't make the preposterous premise believable. They're not smart enough (put themselves in ridiculous situations time and time again). The police work is shoddy as well (at one point, the main character, Frost, lets a victim do some of his research...potentially putting her in danger). Barrett is actually quite good as the narrator EXCEPT when he does the deranged voice of the killer luring his victims on. The voice that is meant to be terrifying is cartoonish (and grating), making the performance rating go from five starts to three. Ultimately, the book is boring. I had to force myself to finish it.

55 people found this helpful

Just awful.

If you like hearing a male trying to scream like a women, yelling or trying to sound spooky over and over again then this is for you. I myself hated it.

45 people found this helpful

Enjoyed Deep Deep Snow much better

Not my kind of story - creepy. I know some like this but it isn't my thing. I enjoyed Deep Deep Snow much more and I wanted to try another book by this author. I switched back and forth between audible and kindle - had trouble with the syncing. Kind of frustrating trying to find my place. Overall just wanted it to end.

3 people found this helpful

A wild, wild psychological thriller!

Brian Freeman writes another great novel! I believe it is his best to date. While not part of his wonderful Jonathan Stride series, it is at least as good. Brian Freeman and Joe Barrett are a great author-narrator audio book pair. I see that Audible listener Shelley posted a review earlier today. I agree with her comments and urge you to read her review.

One of the 3 Audible reviews posted before mine ranks this novel as one star because she was unable to get the audio to play. I wish she had contacted Audible rather than post a review. Such ratings and reviews are unfair to the author and narrator for an issue they did not cause.

37 people found this helpful

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!Freeman & Barrett are a winning team!

WOW! This is some kind of messed up story, and I say this with total admiration for Brian Freeman.
We have a psychologist who specializes in wiping out memories that people have when the memories interfere with the person's life. She demonstrates to the police just how fragile memories are and how suggestible people are. Some love her, others find her methods too controversial.
Anyway, the good Dr.'s patients are coming to her for help with their phobias and within days to weeks later they are loosing control in the most bizarre ways and committing suicide.
This story is so multilayered with one framing another, another one having an affair, family betrayal and old hurts that never go away.
There is lots of action and drama to what I guess would be a police procedural.
If you have ever read/listened to either the Jonathan Stride or Cab Bolton series (both are Excellent) then you will like this as well. Freeman has not lost his edgy style of writing, if anything he gets better with each new book.
Joe Barrett is one of my favorite narrators. His performance could not have been better if he tried.
MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!
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Thank You.

50 people found this helpful

Oh Come On! Will This Thing Never End?

Overwritten! Shallow! Annoying! Un-credible!

You know, I think that Brian Freeman could probably write a very good mystery, if he meets an editor with a blue pencil. And the willingness to say, "Um, no Brian... There's no one anywhere like you imagine these characters to be." Joe Barrett can do voices well, and he can do characters better. Unfortunately he lacked better characters in this wondering, endless, mess.

9 people found this helpful

Implausible

The premise of implanting and erasing memories stretches credulity, but I am willing to give every author one unique thing about their fictional world. Unfortunately, the author overuses the trick and by the end you don't really care what's true or not.

Further, the main character does the classic--"I think I know who the killer is, I'll just go confront him with no plan and not tell anyone that I'm going." Why do authors keep doing this? It completely breaks immersion and makes me root for the killer.

The performance is solid but the "creepy voice" for the killer becomes goofy and annoying very quickly.

I'm happy to see an SF based character and I hope the series improves.

2 people found this helpful

I wanted to stab Frankie with a spork

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I would make Frankie less of an idiot. She seemed to really rely on the whole patient confidentiality as an excuse to behave stupidly. How she managed to make it through the whole book alive boggles my mind. Every time she opened her mouth I wanted to punch her in the throat. Plus she was completely oblivious to what was going on in her own home when you could see it FROM SPACE. Sorry but I really disliked Frankie and it put a major damper on my enjoyment of the story.

Any additional comments?

Despite my annoyance with Frankie the book still hooked me. I thought the narrator did a decent job.

2 people found this helpful

A surprise thriller

Many twist and turns to grab your attention. As usual the detective has issues but these do not play a large part in the story.
Two stories for the doctor one a moral dilemma about her method of psychotherapy treatment and the second about family loyalty family abuse. There is a lot of investigative action. I'm glad a used the credit

10 people found this helpful