The Crooked Street – Brian Freeman

I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.

Frost Easton is back in what could be his most dangerous assignment yet! Years ago, Frost and best friend Denny parted ways over a girl. Frost hasn’t seen him since – until his doorbell rings, and he open the door to find Denny there – and he collapses in front of him, managing to utter one word before his death… ‘Lombard’.

A Detective with the San Francisco PD, Frost quickly learns that there was nothing ordinary about his ex-friend’s murder, as he was killed with an unusual poison. Tasked with the investigation, Frost learns that Denny owned a large yacht in the area and was known for his high-profile cruises with the elite. But why would anyone want him dead?

Shortly afterward, he meets PI Dick Coyle under unusual circumstances, as Dick believes Denny was killed by a serial killer. Initially Frost is skeptical, but an unusual finding quickly changes his mind, and he and Coyle join forces in the search for a killer. But Frost quickly learns that he has caught the attention of a very powerful person, who will stop at nothing to keep his secrets. Unable to trust anyone, not even his chief, Frost attempts to take down the mysterious Lombard…or he’ll die trying…

A fabulous new read from Brian Freeman that will leave you shaking your head in disbelief long after the book is finished. Non-stop, edge-of-your-seat adventure – I dare you to be able to put it down before the last page is turned!! Simply awesome!!

Lou Jacobs's Reviews > Crooked Street
Crooked Street by Brian Freeman
Crooked Street (Frost Easton #3)
by Brian Freeman (Goodreads Author)

M 50x66
Lou Jacobs's review
Dec 30, 2018 · edit

it was amazing

OMG what a fantastic ride. Action unravels at a breakneck speed... this gem is every bit as good as
Connelly's Bosch series. Although this is the first Frost Easton tale I've read, there are apparently 2 previous books in the series ... which I can't wait to read! Frost Easton is a San Francisco homicide detective, somewhat a loner, but frequently accompanied by his sidekick Shack ... a pretentious and protective tuxedo cat ... who apparently is known to all.
Frost opens his door one evening to estranged friend, Denny Clark ... who dies in his arms after being shot by a poison pellet ... his last words are "Lombard" This leads him into a whirlwind twisted investigation of Denny's murder that connects with series of other mysterious disappearances and murders of others .... sometimes under less than obvious circumstances .... suicide, natural deaths or outright assassinations. And a disturbing appearance of a crooked red snake near all of the deceased. Easton finds himself up against a mythical machiavellian criminal mastermind in the vein of Professor Moriarty. Is Lombard a person, group or a myth? As the murders mount up the overiding message is "trust no one"
The narrative of Freeman effortlessly leads into an unrelentless path of breadcrumbs that the reader gobbles up at an exponentially increasing speed until the exciting denouement results in a five star meal. But, even the final page results in an unexpected twist. Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer Publications for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars

It has been a long time since I have picked up a Brian Freeman book and I had forgotten what a remarkable writer he is. I was blown away all over again.

Frost Easton is a detective with the San Francisco police department. His one-time friend Denny Clark dies in his arms late one night in Frost’s home. Before he dies he whispers the word “Lombard.” What could this mean? There is a Lombard street in San Francisco, but Frost doesn’t think Denny meant the road.

When a private eye named Dick Coyle breaks in to Frost’s house he has an unfortunate meeting with Shack. Shack is the tuxedo cat of Frost’s who also does duty as an enforcer. Coyle tells Frost that there is a serial killer in San Francisco and he murdered Denny. Furthermore, he says he can prove it.

I like the way this book talks about Frost and his life away from being a detective. I really appreciated Frost’s relationship with Shack and his brother Duane. Shack is a great cat. I have a major soft spot for cats and this really enhanced the novel for me. (One of my cats is even a tuxedo, lol.) The various characters are great. They are brilliantly described and well-drawn. This book is very well written and plotted. It tells a story in a linear fashion; one event follows another in a logical progression. The chapter transitions are smoothly flawless. I really liked this book and strongly recommend it to anyone who enjoys police procedurals or just a darn good read.

I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for forwarding to me a copy of this absolutely great book for me to read, enjoy and review.

This must be part of a series as there are references to past incidents throughout the story. It does hold together well on its own, though.

Its is a pretty fun and quick read, a lot of the standard characters: wily kids, polite but vicious thugs, beautiful women, rich corrupt guys and an insanely brilliant bad guy. Some of the speed with which this guy's intelligence and deployment of other lower level bad guys begs credulity, but ok.

I like the main detective Frost quite a bit, the romance stuff notwithstanding. He is both smart and cynical and trusts his gut just enough and just not enough. He gets around San Francisco faster than any human I know.
Not so sure about the other characters and my favorite, for sure, is the cat.

There are loose ends, so I guess I will have to read the next one and h0pe the right things happen.

Seeing Brian Freeman’s name on the cover means the book is going to be great. I’ve read almost everything he’s written and never been disappointed, “The Crooked Street” is another winner. With Frost Easton making his third appearance as the protagonist, this book can still be read as a standalone. Mixing friendships, murder, and police politics create a winning formula once again.

When I started reading this book I thought I would only give it 4 stars, but that quickly changed the further I got into the story. Speak about who can you trust, that is the heart of this intriguing thriller.

When an old friend of Frost's dies right on his doorstep saying only the word Lombard the detective finds himself drawn into a case that literally runs him all over the place searching for answers while dealing with his feelings for his brother's fiance.

You have to add this one to your 2019 reading list. The ending? Did I mention the ending? I hope your next Frost Easton book is in the works, Mr. Freeman. I can't wait!

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so happy (and surprised) to find this as a read it now on Netgalley right before I was leaving on vacation. Brian Freeman has been one of my favorite authors for years and I really enjoyed the previous Frost Easton boosk. This is a pretty fast paced novel that has Frost trying to figure out the apparent murder of old friend on his door step. Of course this opens up a whole can of worms that has Frost chasing many leads around San Francisco and questioning who he can trust. It ends with an interesting little tidbit that has me looking forward to the next installment in this series.

This is the third of this series, and although it reads well as a stand alone, I highly recommend that you start with the first book. Frost Easton is a terrific series character. Always thought of as a boy scout, it's meant that he is honest, and willing to go the extra mile to get at the truth.

THE CROOKED STREET starts with a death, a death that Frost hadn't see coming. But then again, nothing about this death rings true. Seems like everyone is shrugging it off .. maybe had something to do with using/dealing drugs .... the cops don't want to go any further ... the media have blatantly written it off. And what does "Lombard" mean? This was the last word spoken before the victim died.

There are going to be many more bodies falling .. all linked by a very descriptive clue. Always somewhere around the death there is a painting of a red snake.

Frost finds himself embroiled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Is this the work of a serial killer? Or is there something else going on ... something even worse?

I really like how this author gives the reader up close and personal glimpses of his private life, as well as the professional side. And being a cat lover... I love Shack, his cat of an indiscriminate pedigree. This is a real page-turner and it was hard to put down for any length of time. The ending was suspenseful, and I never saw it coming. No cliff hanger, but a great lead in to the next adventure for Frost Easton.

Brian Freeman is right at the top of my favorite authors. I love his Stride series and was delighted when he started the Easton series. I knew I could count on him putting together wonderful characters that were unforgettable and story lines that would not only be credible, but well written and exciting. He has never disappointed me.

Many thanks to the author / Thomas & Mercer / Netgalley for the advanced copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Detective Frost Easton’s former friend shows up on his doorstep and dies. Before he dies he says one word, Lombardi. What does it mean? A local PI contacts Frost and claims people have been murdered. Some of the deaths are violent and some are made to look like natural causes. Near each scene there is a painting of a snake. Bodies keep piling up and Frost doesn’t know who to trust, including his fellow officers.

This is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone. It is filled with suspense, politics, and twists and turns. You won’t know who to trust. At the end of the book there is a twist I didn’t see coming til about 2 pages before it was revealed. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

As I read this book I alternated from rating it a zero to rating it a six. Parts of it being fun and exciting, but parts just being ridiculous (e.g. Thinking an adult man is a fourteen year old). The ending did not make sense. Why is Frost not dead. Adding to that that Frost is a despicable human being, I generously am giving this a three-star rating. Hope the author's next book will allow me to return to giving his books a five-star rating.

Wow! I love this series, but this book blew my mind! I am literally shaking after the ending, waiting for the next! So full of twists and turns, mystery and thriller. So well written and enjoyable I'm sad to be done. Great read.

I suppose that I was biased when I began reading this book. I have read all of Brian Freeman's works and have loved every one of them! And this is yet another winner.

Frost Easton (Book #3) DI Easton becomes entangled with a friend from 10 years ago. Except this friend literally dies on his doorstep. Denny (Frost's friend) was involved in something bigger than the Chief of Police wants to admit. Politically - it would have been much better to tie the case up and be done with it. However, Frost cannot do that - he knows that there is more to Denny's death than meets the eye. We go from Chinatown in San Francisco to the suburbs with Frost looking for clues. This includes the "crooked snake", someone called Lombard and even high price call girls. Frost will not stop until he solves the case.

A delightful read - I HIGHLY RECOMMEND !!!


Many Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a superb reading experience, once again.