This is one of those books where I was drawn into the story right from the beginning and couldn't do anything else without completing it. The story, the characters, the prose, the suspense, the intertwined plots everything is perfect. I could connect with the characters and empathise with them. The narrative of two parts, the past and the present to show how the events affected the individuals is expertly written. I hope this is continued as a series. The protagonist Shelby Lake reminds me of Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite and would stay with me. 5 stars is not enough

Something's very wrong in Shelby Lake's small town.  She knows it but she doesn't know what to do about it.  Abandoned as an infant and adopted by Tom, the Sheriff, she's now a deputy and a liaison to the FBI on a case involving a missing boy.  This moves between two important time frames- when Jeremiah went missing and ten years later when a shuttlecock he owned is found in the woods.  Shelby has some hard truths to uncover even as she deals with Tom's early inset dementia (and helping to protect him).  No spoilers from me but this is a well crafted and twisty one.  The characters are good and the setting well rendered.  Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.  Freeman's always a good read and this is no exception.

Shelby Lake was left on the doorstep of the home of the local sheriff in an Easter basket when she was a baby.  He kept her and raised her and she grew up to become a deputy in the same rural town.  She feels it is her mission in life to rescue children.  So when Jeremiah Sloan goes missing, she is determined, even as the case goes cold, that she will solve his disappearance and bring him home.
I am usually a huge fan of this author's books, but this one seemed to drag a little bit for me.  I never really felt invested in any of the characters.  It did have a good mystery to it though, and a surprise towards the end as well.  So I think if you are a fan of mysteries then you would probably enjoy it.

Brian Freeman is a master story-teller and I always want him to write the next best noveI.  I enjoyed reading this Shelby Lake story and thought about alternative endings.  Ultimately, he fooled me again and I concluded that he did, in fact, nail it!  

My favorite phrase from the story: 
“Sooner or later, we all become orphans”

I know stand-alone releases are probably easier to market but I prefer both his Jonathan Stride and Frost Easton series books the most.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this opportunity in exchange for an honest review!

Originally an Audible Original, it was so popular it is now coming out in paperback.  Full disclosure, I was offered a kindle version of this book for an honest review.  A solid offering by Brian Freeman. I didn’t enjoy it as much as the Jonathan Stride series, but still a good listen. 

A ten year old boy has gone missing on a road in a state forest. No one can find him. The local sheriff, his deputies, and the FBI are on the look out for him. Meanwhile there is an unsolved murder from last fall that comes back into the spotlight during the investigation. The Sheriff is suffering from early onset dementia while his daughter, Deputy Shelby Lake, has ties to the husband who’s wife was murdered. 

The story is told through the voice of Shelby Lake. I found her to be a likable character, and as I read the book, I really felt like I got to know her. This book has a lot of detail and intricate storylines that make it an excellent read. Mr. Freeman does a good job tying them all together. I found the person behind the missing child was very guessable, but I did not have the motive correct. As in all of Mr. Freeman’s books, there is a huge twist that you can’t figure out before it happens.  It seems to be his trademark, and this twist is worthy of Mr. Freeman’s skills. If you are looking for a good thriller, look no further than The Deep, Deep Snow.

Whoah. This book was everything a thriller should be. Great energy, a propulsive and twisty plot, and an ending that gave me all the feels. It was truly unputdownable. This was a five star read for me. Well done, Brian Freeman! 

Thank you to NetGalley, author, and publisher for the egalley of this book. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

In The Deep, Deep Snow, Brian Freeman creates a small town where the characters are not cutouts, but drawn deeply enough to have characteristics that justify their actions throughout the novel. The leads are wonderful. Shelby Lake is a sheriff's deputy trying to rescue a small boy. The town's secrets keep getting in the way, but Shelby perseveres with the help of her father, the sheriff. The writing is superb. Although slated for an October release, there are reviews of the novel going back to 2019, so I am confused.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Although it took me a little bit to get into this book, it was worth sticking with it to finish it!  The beginning was a bit slow but fast forward 10 years and a whole lot of secrets, and you have a whirlwind finish leaving you gasping and saying HOLY SH...er CRAP!!!  HOW DID THAT HAPPEN AND WHY?   

January LaVoy is hands down one of my ultimate favorite narrator's, so when I saw that she narrated this book, it was a hands down, I have to read that!  She surely did not disappoint, which is the usual case!  I feel like she really brings something extra special to the books that she narrates!

There will be characters that you love and there will be characters that you will hate, and at the end you will feel justified in those feelings!

The ending will leave you with all sorts of different emotions, but mainly anger!  That ending made me FURIOUS!  And I will just leave it at that!

Overall, another great book from Brian Freeman!

Everything comes in a full circle, especially in a small town where everyone is connected in some way. No matter how far one travels, everyone has to come home. Every character has a sprinkle of their past here and there, this style of writing makes the characters seem complete. Perhaps it also helped that the story was written in a very well descriptive way, especially when it comes to the characters' emotions. The ending was wrapped up in a nice bow, which was too generic for such a wonderful mystery. 

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for letting me read this wonderful ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn’t put this book down. It flowed very well with imagery, suspicion, emotions. 
The story never dropped. To be honest, the ten year gap could have been any number-I think because we start off when the action actually happen, we learn about the characters and the town right then and there. There’s not much growth or change that we didn’t already expect ten years after the events pass. But that doesn’t lessen the storyline or the twists and turns. 

It’s a good read if you’re in need of a quick mystery with murder and a small town with lots of questionable characters.

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.

Deputy Shelby Lake was left abandoned as a baby, saved that freezing night by the Sherriff who later adopted her and raised her as his own daughter. Now years later, a 10-year-old boy is missing and Shelby is now the one trying to save a child. Jeremiah Sloan's abandoned bicycle is the only clue to his disappearance. Unable to find the boy, the FBI is called in to take over the search. As secrets begin to emerge the bonds of the small town residents begin to unravel. Shelby must uncover the truth to find Jeramiah even if it means exposing secrets of her own. 

The Deep, Deep Snow is a thrilling mystery novel involving a young Deputy in a small town who has a mysterious past of her own. This is a "new to me" author and I will definitely be reading more of his books. This was a suspenseful whodunit with plenty of twists and turns but still light enough to make it a quick, enjoyable, read. Set in a charming town nicknamed "Everywhere" Shelby soon discovers that not everyone in their quiet town is who they appear to be. The story is told from Shelby's POV. As her father, the local sheriff, declines from dementia she is forced to try and protect his position while solving a crime. Although this was a standalone novel, I could easily see Shelby Lake having her own series. This book really hooked me and I had a hard time putting it down. I could have easily devoured it in a day and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Brian Freeman has moved up the ladder to my 3 top favorite authors.  This book clinched it.
Great plot, characters, outcome.  Always looking forward to his next book.

Just finished!
4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I honestly picked up this book because the reviews were phenomenal. I am so glad I did. It kept me interested the whole time, the speed was great and the story was also wonderful. Would definitely recommend this one!

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 must rescue a child. 
The only evidence of what happened to 10-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

There are two mysteries going on in the small town of Everywhere. One is the murder of a woman and the other is the disappearance of a ten year old boy. They occurred about nine months apart. Are they connected somehow? We track the investigation through the eyes of 25 year old Deputy, Shelby Lake. Her father is the Police Chief. The action actually takes place over a ten year time period. So Shelby Lake is 35 years old, still a Deputy, and still trying to pull together all of the loose ends of the prior investigation.

The plot is well put together by Freeman. Almost all of the circumstances and actions are quite believable. In addition, Freeman brings in additional context with many of the characters, such as Alzheimer's disease, the oftentimes desperate actions of those living hand to mouth, the corrosive effect of feeling guilty about something on one's behavior, the value of good people in a small community.

The only thing that bothered me about the book, and I know that this is a matter of personal taste, is that this is one of those books that uses omens, dreams, signs (such as the appearance of owls at key times) and premonitions to guide the plot along. Some of those strained credibility. I have read several books now recently that incorporate this theme. I am hoping that this is not the start of a trend.

Overall, I would recommend the book. It is a well thought out mystery.

25 years ago, Shelby’s adopted dad saw a sign sent from God. That white, snowy owl told him all he needed to know and he raced home to find Shelby, a one week old infant, on his doorstep and close to death. 25 years later and Shelby receives her own sign from God, a 10 year old boy has gone missing and she feels as though this is the reason she was saved, to bring this boy home. 

I was sceptical at the first mention of ‘owl signs from god’ but I’m so glad I stuck with it. This was a fantastic thriller, fast paced with twists and turns throughout. The writing was great and I definitely want to check out more from this author!

I have read all of Brian Freeman's books. Each one even better than the last. This story does not disappoint! The reader is drawn in at the very beginning finding it hard to put the story down.

Shelby had been left on Sheriff Tom Ginn's doorstep as a newborn. While on a fishing trip, Tom saw a snowy owl land on his boat and it seemed to say "home". So, Tom took no chances. He packed up and went home to find an abandoned baby (which he eventually adopts) and names her after where he had been when the owl appeared - "Shelby Lake."

It seems as if a snowy owl is a sign of things that are of major importance. Shelby remembers a time, 10 years ago. Both her and Adam - the other officer under her dad - saw a snowy owl on Adam's motorcycle. This, as the station's phone rings alerting the officers to a missing child, Jeremiah, who is 10 years old...

And that is just the start...A true twisty, absolutely great, read!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Many Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to read and review..

What a totally captivating story!
The characters are very well developed and engaging.  The story line is so intriguing and it certainly pulls you in.  I didn’t want to stop reading until I found out where it was going.
How the author intertwined several mysteries going on was entrancing and so very suspenseful.
Your attention is grabbed from the first pages to the last pages.
Brian Freeman books always keep me entertained with so many twists and turns.
I highly recommend you pick up this suspenseful, mystery, thriller.  You will not regret reading The Deep, Deep Snow.  
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion.

A boy disappears and the residents of a small town are left to wonder what happened. Years later, sheriff's deputy Shelby Lake uncovers a clue and a connection to another case, and ultimately learns about her own origins, a lifelong mystery after she was abandoned on a sheriff's doorstep shortly after she was born. 

In this standalone, Freeman evokes life in a remote small town in Maine. The characters are thoroughly developed and the setting is compelling. The plot comes together in a satisfying way without ever straying into sensationalism. I could have done without the touches of the supernatural (much as like owls in real life, I prefer they don't show up as omens), but they aren't overdone and suit the mood of the book. I was especially touched by the way the author treated the onset and progression of dementia in the protagonist's father. Altogether a deeply rewarding story.

Set in small town Minnesota, this story is beautifully written but it is a very slow burn and it took me a few days to read, which is very unusual. 35 years ago the Sheriff Of Mittel County,Tom Ginn, returns from fishing to find a female baby on his doorstep. He names her after the lake he was fishing in, Shelby Lake, and later adopts her. She ends up working as a Deputy in the Mittel County Sheriff’s department with her dad.

Ten years ago 10 year old Jeremiah Sloan disappears. Around the same time Keith Whalan’s wife, Colleen, is shot dead. Keith is convicted of Colleen’s murder, Jeremiah is never found and some things changed forever in the town. Now, in the present, ten years after Jeremiah’s disappearance, evidence is discovered at an abandoned holiday camp that the boy had been there. Suddenly, old secrets are being unearthed and Deputy Shelby Lake starts to realise that she had everything wrong.

In the end the story came together very well in the skilled hands of Brian Freeman. It ended up being quite sad and oozing pathos. The characters were brilliant - realistic and vibrant. Unfortunately I struggled to engage with this one. It’s a case of “it’s not you, it’s me.” The book is wonderful but I can only give it 3.5 stars rounded up. This book will appeal to readers who enjoy a slow burn mystery with lots of feels.