In an intense, emotional mystery that spans a decade in the life of a small town, bestselling author Brian Freeman brings us an unforgettable heroine who discovers that the dead may sometimes be easier to rescue than the living. Deputy Shelby Lake was abandoned as a baby, saved by a stranger who found her in the freezing cold. Now, years later, a young boy is missing—and Shelby is the one who … one who must rescue a child.
The only evidence of what happened to ten-year-old Jeremiah Sloan is a bicycle left behind on a lonely road. After a desperate search fails to locate him, the close bonds of Shelby’s hometown begin to fray under the weight of accusations and suspicion. Everyone around her is keeping secrets. Her adoptive father, her best friend, her best friend’s young daughter—they all have something to hide. Even Shelby is concealing a mistake that could jeopardize her career and her future.
Unearthing the lies of the people in Jeremiah’s life doesn’t get the police and the FBI any closer to finding him. As time passes and the case grows cold, Shelby worries that the mystery will stay buried forever under the deep, deep snow. But even the deepest snow melts in the spring.
When a tantalizing clue finally comes to light, Shelby must confront the darkest lie of all. Exposing the truth about Jeremiah will leave no one’s life untouched—including her own.
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Brian Freeman is one of my favorite suspense/thriller writers and after reading yet another story of his, I can tell you why. First all, he’s one of those writers who can successfully pull off both male and female POV without stereotyping either, and it’s a great accomplishment for any author. His protagonists are always very human, relatable, and easy to root for. Second, his supporting characters are just as interesting. For instance, in “The Deep, Deep Snow” it was Shelby’s father who became such a key supporting character. Besides being a super sympathetic character, he manages to give Shelby a crucial clue to the investigation even though his brain was already struggling with the advanced stage of Alzheimer’s. And of course, the plot itself was absolutely riveting, with plenty of twists and turns and a resolution that I haven’t seen coming in a million years. Brilliant and impossible to put down, as always. Highly recommended to all fans of the genre.
The Deep, Deep Snow by Brian Freeman
Brian Freeman’s books always haunt me in a good way, long after I have read them. I find myself reconstructing what I have read to see where I might have missed the clues to the ending. I never succeed. The Deep, Deep Snow was no different.
I immediately was caught up in the life of Deputy Shelby Lake, her story of adoption and her career choices, along with her life mistakes and mishaps. Shelby Lake, a woman of substance, good at her job, not always feeling respected because of being a woman in what residents feel is a man’s world, has a determination that doesn’t quit when it comes to the disappearance of Jeremiah Stone.
I didn’t want to put this book down. I was moved by the way the author used the symbolism of owls in Shelby’s life. It prompted me to look up the meaning of an owl spirit animal. An owl was present when she was found as a tiny baby and appeared at profound moments in her life. I found the owl spirit animal represents a deep connection with wisdom, good judgement and knowledge. It is thought that seeing an owl can be a sign of a blessing or a bad omen. I imagine the author knew this because he was spot on when he used it in this book.
I possibly felt a deep connection with the characters because of the way the subject of Alzheimer’s was used in the story. Having dealt with it with family members in the past and now with another close family member, the portrayal of the disease was accurate and the author took us into the feelings of both Shelby’s father who has the disease and the ramifications on the caretaker.
I give this book five stars. Every time I review a Brian Freeman book, I always say it is the best one yet. I have to say that about this one too. I can’t wait to read more.
As a newborn baby, Shelby Lake was left on the doorstep of Sheriff Tom Ginn who adopted and raised her. She now works as his deputy in the very rural Mittel County. The town is called Avery Weir but is –not surprisingly- known as Everywhere. There’s something with the names in this book both those of places and people, they’re colourful but carefully chosen.
Mittel is one of those counties where everybody knows everyone. When a 10-year-old boy goes missing, the local sheriff’s department isn’t capable of handling the case and the FBI gets involved. Much to the displeasure of her partner, it is Shelby who’s chosen as a liaison person. The little boy is never found but they manage to solve a murder that happened a year earlier. Most people assume that the same man is responsible for Jeremiah’s disappearance.
10 years later, a yellow shuttlecock that may have belonged to the boy turns up in a derelict resort, deep in the woods. This new evidence turns things around and it seems that they can no longer trust the timelines and alibis given at the time.
This is the second book I read by this author and it fulfils all its promises. It’s a rather simple story about the disappearance of a young boy, but it’s masterly told. It’s told in a leisurely pace without getting boring. We get to know most of the people involved in the drama, as well as their family and friends. In one of the last places where your business is your neighbour’s and everybody else’s, you can’t hide smaller or bigger secrets for a long time. One of the themes is this book is this love and care for family, friends and community. What it means to be family and that blood is not the only way to define families.
The book is divided into 2 parts: first, there is the investigation at the time of the disappearance and the second part tells the tale of the final investigation after finding the shuttlecock. Everything you think to know from the first part is being questioned and some of the assumptions are obviously wrong. It’s a tragic story, to be honest. I won’t say much more because that would involve spoilers. Only at the end of the book, do we know everything that has happened at the time of the alleged abduction.
The author has deep compassion and understanding of people with Alzheimer. He tackles the subject with real empathy and serenity. It’s such an ugly disease that will scare most of us but he manages to evoke some of the better moments, even when he describes the gradual deterioration of the sheriff. It must be hard to do something like that.
There’s some unsubtle criticism on the US’ crippling medical costs for working people like Breezy that go bankrupt from simple appendicitis. I really don’t understand what and why they have against universal healthcare. Unfortunately, we don’t have the UK’s NHS over in Belgium and we do have to pay something, but nothing as ludicrous as what Americans pay.
The evocation of county Mittel is also done expertly. It’s almost as if you’re watching a painting in progress. It really sounds like one of the friendliest places in the US and I’d love to settle down in one of those rapidly disappearing hideouts. I hope that I can find similar communities in the remoter parts of France, Ireland or Germany (hey, I want to speak the language and the UK has its Brexit).
If you can read only 10 books this year, this is one you should pick.
I thank NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the free ARC they provided me with, this is my honest, unbiased review of it.
A really good mystery wrapped in small-town ambiance. I loved it.
Another great read by Freeman with an ending you’ll never guess.
rural, small-town, suspense, superstitions, abduction, law-enforcement, family-dynamics, friendship, secrets*****
Sadness. For a young boy who disappeared, for a war vet convicted of his wife’s murder, for a vital middle aged sheriff who develops early onset dementia, and for his adopted daughter who was abandoned shortly after her birth but came to be an exceptional deputy in a remote part of the country. The story of the characters and the convoluted mystery they are wrapped in is incredibly well done. No spoilers.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Blackstone Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!
Ten years ago, a young boy went missing. The only thing left behind was his bike. Everyone was under suspicion.. the father, the mother, the ex-husband, the step-father, known trouble makers in the area, etc.
Deputy Shelby Lake investigates and finds that everyone has something to hide, secrets to keep, even Shelby herself.
Shelby has quite an interesting back story. Her father is the much beloved sheriff … but his Alzheimer’s is getting worse and it’s evident he will need to be retiring soon. She is torn between her job and being able to take care of him. The secondary characters are credible, solidly drawn.
This was an excellent police procedural with plenty of twists and turns. Suspense starts on the very first page and rises steadily throughout until the final totally unexpected conclusion. It’s intense and at times very emotional as this small town must come to terms with hidden secrets coming to the light of day.
Many thanks to the author / Blackstone Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Having read ALL this author’s books, I have never been disappointed. Highly recommend this to anyone who likes crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
This is a very good thriller. It deals with Shelby Lake a police officer following in her adopted fathers footsteps in a small town. a young boy goes missing and past events unfold kept me reading to find out what was happening to her and the town. Would read more from this author.
This is the first book that I listened to written by Brian Freeman and this book didn’t disappoint! It is well written with just enough suspense, twist and turns, and a good amount of the kind of relationships among the people of the small village, especially the love between the protagonist, Deputy Shelby Lake, and her adoptive father.
There are so many secrets buried under “The Deep, Deep Snow,” that were revealed starting with the desperate search for a missing 10-year old boy. The characters were well written and there are people in the story that I loved. One thing I find unpleasant is the incarceration of Keith for 10 years before the truth was revealed That’s how far I would describe that tale so I do not give up spoilers!
The narration? Superb, excellent, stupendous, amazing! I can add more superlatives to show how I love listening to January LaVoy. She does different voices for most of the characters in the novel. I do love her and I download books just because she narrates them.
A definite 5 star all around!
Very good!!
Loved the main character and the detail about Duluth MN. Fast paced, hard to put down. So glad I discovered Brian Freeman
Brian Freeman is a gifted mystery writer but this book is really a literary piece of art…profound with characters you’ll remember long after the book is done. The writing is smooth and pulls you in and grabs with the visual images and the story. And what a story it is!
Because as in real life, crimes go unsolved, wrong people are punished, people drift apart, time softens the wounds but does not heal. And it all starts with the single sheriff Tom and an owl that tells him to go home. And there is a baby that he will raise on his own and name after the lake he’d been fishing on…meet Shelby Lake. and spring forward to a young deputy, Shelby, working for her Dad and meet her community. Small town feel with the same problems as bigger areas, no money, drugs, cheating, united families, church, kids playing outside, neighborhood parties and petty crimes with the influx of people to enjoy the lakes.
then the incident of a missing boy named Jeremiah and the search and then the FBI and still no Jeremiah. And life goes on, but the people still remember and the parents divorce and the older son becomes a deputy.
And years have gone by and Shelby is dealing with her Dad and his Alzheimer as he tries to function in his world. Meet Ellen, Violet ,Breezy, Adrian, Adam and Keith. For light humor you must meet Monica, worked for Tom, and the urn she carries with the ashes of her dog. another crime takes place and people are wondering if it is related to the missing boy.
A thoughtful book on people and how they deal with a crisis…..cancer, memory loss, death, a missing boy and growing up. Shelby is someone you would want as a friend, an old soul that takes her friendships and her duties to heart. Hear the myth of the ursulina and feel the breeze off the lake and enjoy the people trying their best to care for each other. Sit down, grab a blanket and cuddle up to learn about owls, murder, and life.
Very unusual plot. Enjoyed it.
A good mystery book without alot of gore and bad language
Must read all his books
Slow jam self examination depressing.
Liked this ok, no silly female drama
I enjoyed this very much, very well written and a good ending!