Jonathan Stride’s partner, Maggie Bei, is driving home after midnight when a call comes in: shots fired at the home of a Duluth judge.
Moments later, she finds Gordon and Tracy Hartwick murdered in their bed. But someone is hiding in the judge’s house, and as Maggie lays chase, she’s forced to make a split-second decision that leaves the intruder dead.
When Stride arrives at the scene, he has to give Maggie devastating news. The intruder had no gun. He wasn’t the killer. She shot an innocent man.
With Maggie facing a firestorm over her actions, Stride must discover who really killed Gordon and Tracy Hartwick—and what secrets they were hiding that put them in the gunsights of a murderer. The shattering finale will change Stride’s world in ways he can’t imagine and leave everyone he loves asking the same question: When you reach the end of the road, where do you go from there?
This is my second read from Brian Freeman after loving PHOTOGRAPH last year, so I was excited to pick this up, especially with January LaVoy narrating again. This is the 12th book in the Jonathan Stride series, but it can be read as a standalone. I was immersed and invested in the characters almost immediately. There’s a lot of backstory between Jonathan and other characters, and I definitely want to go back and read the earlier books.
This is a multi-POV story with a LOT of moving parts, told mostly via Lieutenant Jonathan Stride, his partner Serena, Detective Maggie Bei, and Katt, a runaway Jonathan and Serena took in who’s become a successful young adult. The story opens with a gripping prologue set six years earlier, when 14-year-old Emma Strong notices a car watching her outside her window & tells her mother and brother after it drives away. Then her father returns home from a trip to discover his wife and son murdered and Emma gone. From there, we jump forward to Halloween night, when Maggie gets a call about shots fired at a home. She arrives and finds Judge Gordon Hartwick and his wife, Tracy, murdered & chases an intruder and shoots him, believing he has a gun. From there, the story goes in many different directions. There are suspicious characters, hidden motives, and seemingly unrelated threads that come together later on in clever, unexpected ways. And some very interesting side threads—a man in town who believes he’s being stalked by aliens, secret gambling parties, a series of burglaries, and the cold case disappearance of Emma Strong.
The FMCs—Maggie, Serena, and Katt—are all very different, but they’re all intelligent and determined and follow a different thread of the larger mystery. Katt’s storyline was my favorite, particularly her premonition dreams and her connection with Loring, the autistic boy who speaks to an imaginary friend. There’s a subtle supernatural/psychic element, similar to Freeman’s last book, PHOTOGRAPH, and I wonder if he incorporates these kinds of elements into all of his books. Very effective!
The chapters are short to medium length, and the pacing is propulsive throughout. What impressed me most was how cleverly the story was structured. There are so many storylines and moving pieces here, and Freeman feeds you small details and clues in almost every single chapter that become important later. I recommend listening at a slower speed in audio to not miss any key details.
Just when I thought the main mystery was over, I saw there were almost TWO HOURS left on audio and wondered what else was coming…turns out a lot! The final act is a race against time as the different threads crash together, and I couldn’t put the book down. And when the dust settles and the story becomes reflective, the rug is pulled out from underneath you in a dramatic cliffhanger that made me want the next book immediately!! Even though I didn’t read the previous books, I understand why this book is described as a turning point for the series. I hope we don’t have to wait too long for the next one!
And if you’re an audiobook listener, you need to listen to this one! January LaVoy handles the huge cast of characters with distinct voices, excellent pacing, and so much intensity and deserves all the stars. If you love unpredictable, intricate mysteries, complex characters, police procedurals, and a dash of the supernatural, don’t hesitate on this one! I reserve my 5 stars for books like these, where the story is unpredictable, layered, and brilliantly crafted and where I’m completely invested in the characters! I hope this book gets the attention it deserves!
Narrator Performance
WHERE THE ROAD ENDS is narrated by award-winning Audible Hall of Famer January LaVoy, who also narrated Brian Freeman’s previous book PHOTOGRAPH, which I absolutely loved.
LaVoy pulls you into the story from the start. She gives 14-year-old Emma Strong so much personality in the opening scenes, as she’s annoyed by what she believes is one of her brother Josh’s friends sitting outside her and watching her. You can hear the teenage attitude in her voice as she tells her mother and brother what’s happening and then changes her tone during her call with her dad. Their close relationship really comes through, and when he gets home to find his wife and son murdered and his daughter missing, LaVoy captures the panic, urgency, and shock in his voice so well. I was immediately GRIPPED!
Then we jump six years forward to Halloween night, and LaVoy shifts her performance as we meet Detective Maggie Bei driving home. LaVoy builds tension quickly when Maggie gets a call about shots fired and changes her route to investigate. Once she discovers Judge Gordon Hartwick and his wife Tracy murdered, the narration gets tense. The chase that follows and Maggie’s split-second decision to shoot the intruder had me on edge!
LaVoy portrays Lieutenant Jonathan Stride with a calm, authoritative tone that fits someone who’s spent years as a detective, but you can also hear his concern when he realizes what’s happened with Maggie. He insists she stay out of the investigation for her own sake because she could face serious consequences. His protectiveness really comes through in his interactions with Maggie, and their conversations convey two people who’ve worked together for a long time and care for each other.
The exchanges between Jonathan and Serena were a highlight. LaVoy makes their relationship feel authentic, and I loved that they come across as two strong, determined investigators, capable of working independently before coming back together to share information. You can hear mutual respect, trust, and love in how they speak to one another. LaVoy’s delivery made me invested in them, and I want to go back and read the earlier books to knowmore about how their relationship developed.
LaVoy also does a great job handling the HUGE cast of characters. One of the most memorable was Craig Wexler. She gives him a paranoid, anxious vibe as he’s convinced aliens are after him. When he encounters the hooded figure and realizes something’s wrong, LaVoy’s performance makes his fear palpable. The performance made me empathize with him even though I wasn’t sure if he was innocent. Garrett Broadway is another standout. LaVoy gives him a condescending, calculating tone when Jonathan or Serena question him, making me suspicious of him. I especially liked the way she portrayed his relationship with his sister Christine, as you can hear how fiercely protective he is of her.
Another highlight for me was Katt’s interactions with Loring, the autistic teen boy who speaks to an imaginary friend. As Katt questions him, LaVoy makes their exchanges so intriguing, emphasizing his lack of emotion and bluntness, and some of his answers gave me chills because they felt so matter-of-fact regarding Emma.
LaVoy’s performance REALLY shines during the final act. When Katt and Maggie put hidden messages together and realize what’s at stake, you can hear the shock and fear in their voices. The thrilling scenes that followed had me completely invested in the fate of the characters involved. Afterwards, LaVoy shifts her tone to a calmer, reflective vibe as Jonathan and Serena contemplate the future. When a sudden dramatic twist happens, LaVoy immediately changes her pacing and intensity, and I was sitting there with my jaw dropped. I’m very excited for the next audiobook, and I hope January LaVoy narrates it.
If you’ve enjoyed Brian Freeman’s books before, or if you love thrillers with multiple moving parts, complex characters, and storylines that come crashing together, I HIGHLY recommend this on audio. January LaVoy does a phenomenal job elevating this story and bringing its complex and nefarious characters to life and deserves all the stars for her performance!
Narrator Performance
WHERE THE ROAD ENDS is narrated by award-winning Audible Hall of Famer January LaVoy, who also narrated Brian Freeman’s previous book PHOTOGRAPH, which I absolutely loved.
LaVoy pulls you into the story from the start. She gives 14-year-old Emma Strong so much personality in the opening scenes, as she’s annoyed by what she believes is one of her brother Josh’s friends sitting outside her and watching her. You can hear the teenage attitude in her voice as she tells her mother and brother what’s happening and then changes her tone during her call with her dad. Their close relationship really comes through, and when he gets home to find his wife and son murdered and his daughter missing, LaVoy captures the panic, urgency, and shock in his voice so well. I was immediately GRIPPED!
Then we jump six years forward to Halloween night, and LaVoy shifts her performance as we meet Detective Maggie Bei driving home. LaVoy builds tension quickly when Maggie gets a call about shots fired and changes her route to investigate. Once she discovers Judge Gordon Hartwick and his wife Tracy murdered, the narration gets tense. The chase that follows and Maggie’s split-second decision to shoot the intruder had me on edge!
LaVoy portrays Lieutenant Jonathan Stride with a calm, authoritative tone that fits someone who’s spent years as a detective, but you can also hear his concern when he realizes what’s happened with Maggie. He insists she stay out of the investigation for her own sake because she could face serious consequences. His protectiveness really comes through in his interactions with Maggie, and their conversations convey two people who’ve worked together for a long time and care for each other.
The exchanges between Jonathan and Serena were a highlight. LaVoy makes their relationship feel authentic, and I loved that they come across as two strong, determined investigators, capable of working independently before coming back together to share information. You can hear mutual respect, trust, and love in how they speak to one another. LaVoy’s delivery made me invested in them, and I want to go back and read the earlier books to knowmore about how their relationship developed.
LaVoy also does a great job handling the HUGE cast of characters. One of the most memorable was Craig Wexler. She gives him a paranoid, anxious vibe as he’s convinced aliens are after him. When he encounters the hooded figure and realizes something’s wrong, LaVoy’s performance makes his fear palpable. The performance made me empathize with him even though I wasn’t sure if he was innocent. Garrett Broadway is another standout. LaVoy gives him a condescending, calculating tone when Jonathan or Serena question him, making me suspicious of him. I especially liked the way she portrayed his relationship with his sister Christine, as you can hear how fiercely protective he is of her.
Another highlight for me was Katt’s interactions with Loring, the autistic teen boy who speaks to an imaginary friend. As Katt questions him, LaVoy makes their exchanges so intriguing, emphasizing his lack of emotion and bluntness, and some of his answers gave me chills because they felt so matter-of-fact regarding Emma.
LaVoy’s performance REALLY shines during the final act. When Katt and Maggie put hidden messages together and realize what’s at stake, you can hear the shock and fear in their voices. The thrilling scenes that followed had me completely invested in the fate of the characters involved. Afterwards, LaVoy shifts her tone to a calmer, reflective vibe as Jonathan and Serena contemplate the future. When a sudden dramatic twist happens, LaVoy immediately changes her pacing and intensity, and I was sitting there with my jaw dropped. I’m very excited for the next audiobook, and I hope January LaVoy narrates it.
If you’ve enjoyed Brian Freeman’s books before, or if you love thrillers with multiple moving parts, complex characters, and storylines that come crashing together, I HIGHLY recommend this on audio. January LaVoy does a phenomenal job elevating this story and bringing its complex and nefarious characters to life and deserves all the stars for her performance!
WHERE THE ROAD ENDS is narrated by award-winning Audible Hall of Famer January LaVoy, who also narrated Brian Freeman’s previous book PHOTOGRAPH, which I absolutely loved.
LaVoy pulls you into the story from the start. She gives 14-year-old Emma Strong so much personality in the opening scenes, as she’s annoyed by what she believes is one of her brother Josh’s friends sitting outside her and watching her. You can hear the teenage attitude in her voice as she tells her mother and brother what’s happening and then changes her tone during her call with her dad. Their close relationship really comes through, and when he gets home to find his wife and son murdered and his daughter missing, LaVoy captures the panic, urgency, and shock in his voice so well. I was immediately GRIPPED!
Then we jump six years forward to Halloween night, and LaVoy shifts her performance as we meet Detective Maggie Bei driving home. LaVoy builds tension quickly when Maggie gets a call about shots fired and changes her route to investigate. Once she discovers Judge Gordon Hartwick and his wife Tracy murdered, the narration gets tense. The chase that follows and Maggie’s split-second decision to shoot the intruder had me on edge!
LaVoy portrays Lieutenant Jonathan Stride with a calm, authoritative tone that fits someone who’s spent years as a detective, but you can also hear his concern when he realizes what’s happened with Maggie. He insists she stay out of the investigation for her own sake because she could face serious consequences. His protectiveness really comes through in his interactions with Maggie, and their conversations convey two people who’ve worked together for a long time and care for each other.
The exchanges between Jonathan and Serena were a highlight. LaVoy makes their relationship feel authentic, and I loved that they come across as two strong, determined investigators, capable of working independently before coming back together to share information. You can hear mutual respect, trust, and love in how they speak to one another. LaVoy’s delivery made me invested in them, and I want to go back and read the earlier books to knowmore about how their relationship developed.
LaVoy also does a great job handling the HUGE cast of characters. One of the most memorable was Craig Wexler. She gives him a paranoid, anxious vibe as he’s convinced aliens are after him. When he encounters the hooded figure and realizes something’s wrong, LaVoy’s performance makes his fear palpable. The performance made me empathize with him even though I wasn’t sure if he was innocent. Garrett Broadway is another standout. LaVoy gives him a condescending, calculating tone when Jonathan or Serena question him, making me suspicious of him. I especially liked the way she portrayed his relationship with his sister Christine, as you can hear how fiercely protective he is of her.
Another highlight for me was Katt’s interactions with Loring, the autistic teen boy who speaks to an imaginary friend. As Katt questions him, LaVoy makes their exchanges so intriguing, emphasizing his lack of emotion and bluntness, and some of his answers gave me chills because they felt so matter-of-fact regarding Emma.
LaVoy’s performance REALLY shines during the final act. When Katt and Maggie put hidden messages together and realize what’s at stake, you can hear the shock and fear in their voices. The thrilling scenes that followed had me completely invested in the fate of the characters involved. Afterwards, LaVoy shifts her tone to a calmer, reflective vibe as Jonathan and Serena contemplate the future. When a sudden dramatic twist happens, LaVoy immediately changes her pacing and intensity, and I was sitting there with my jaw dropped. I’m very excited for the next audiobook, and I hope January LaVoy narrates it.
If you’ve enjoyed Brian Freeman’s books before, or if you love thrillers with multiple moving parts, complex characters, and storylines that come crashing together, I HIGHLY recommend this on audio. January LaVoy does a phenomenal job elevating this story and bringing its complex and nefarious characters to life and deserves all the stars for her performance!
