Brian Freeman's recently published thriller The Night Bird was quite riveting from the first page. I had been on the lookout for an engrossing mystery to read, and this novel certainly fulfilled my desire for a suspenseful story. As it is a newly released book, I wanted to share my thoughts and opinions in a review for anyone debating whether or not to read this book.
The Night Bird follows detective Frost Easton as he delves into the mysterious deaths of several women who have seemingly gone crazy immediately before they die. His investigation leads him to Frankie Stein, a psychiatrist who uses a controversial form of therapy to erase terrifying memories from the minds of her patients. As the so-called Night Bird continues to terrorize more victims, Frost and Frankie scramble to unearth more details surrounding the case and discover that many secrets lurk beneath the surface than they ever could have imagined.
Ultimately this book is very well executed. Freeman introduces diverse and complex characters in The Night Bird that make this novel stand out among the hoards of other crime thrillers and mysteries available to readers. By alternating the storyline between the determined detective Frost, stoic Frankie Stein, and cautiously romantic Lucy, a varied narrative is created. Another strong element to this book is how it is more than just a mystery. The addition of certain elements transforms it into a psychological thriller with appropriate doses of emotion for each character.
Where The Night Bird falls just slightly short of its potential is regarding its villain, the infamous Night Bird. The image that Freeman creates for this character almost passes from creepy to comical with the Night Bird's sing-song voice and smiling mask. This clown-like appearance makes the Night Bird harder to take seriously, and undermines the credibility and intelligence of the villain. Adding to this, the identity of the villain was slightly disappointing when revealed. I had expected a big twist ending and felt that how the book concluded was slightly restrained.
To conclude my review in a short statement, I would say that The Night Bird delivers a fast-paced story that will take a very short amount of time to read. It will sweep you along until the very end, where it unfortunately loses just a bit of its intensity. But despite having a few very minor faults, The Night Bird is a walloping novel with a unique and intriguing plot that I would highly recommend.
Author: Brian Freeman
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
The Night Bird follows detective Frost Easton as he delves into the mysterious deaths of several women who have seemingly gone crazy immediately before they die. His investigation leads him to Frankie Stein, a psychiatrist who uses a controversial form of therapy to erase terrifying memories from the minds of her patients. As the so-called Night Bird continues to terrorize more victims, Frost and Frankie scramble to unearth more details surrounding the case and discover that many secrets lurk beneath the surface than they ever could have imagined.
Ultimately this book is very well executed. Freeman introduces diverse and complex characters in The Night Bird that make this novel stand out among the hoards of other crime thrillers and mysteries available to readers. By alternating the storyline between the determined detective Frost, stoic Frankie Stein, and cautiously romantic Lucy, a varied narrative is created. Another strong element to this book is how it is more than just a mystery. The addition of certain elements transforms it into a psychological thriller with appropriate doses of emotion for each character.
Where The Night Bird falls just slightly short of its potential is regarding its villain, the infamous Night Bird. The image that Freeman creates for this character almost passes from creepy to comical with the Night Bird's sing-song voice and smiling mask. This clown-like appearance makes the Night Bird harder to take seriously, and undermines the credibility and intelligence of the villain. Adding to this, the identity of the villain was slightly disappointing when revealed. I had expected a big twist ending and felt that how the book concluded was slightly restrained.
To conclude my review in a short statement, I would say that The Night Bird delivers a fast-paced story that will take a very short amount of time to read. It will sweep you along until the very end, where it unfortunately loses just a bit of its intensity. But despite having a few very minor faults, The Night Bird is a walloping novel with a unique and intriguing plot that I would highly recommend.
Author: Brian Freeman
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 346
Year Published: 2017
My Rating: ★★★★☆
