Brian Freeman is the best-selling American author behind numerous psychological thrillers and suspense novels.
His most popular works are his Jonathan Stride and Frost Easton series, and he’s also famously penned novels in Robert Ludlum’s world-famous Jason Bourne series, too.
Freeman’s writing career began back in 2005 with his breakout novel, Immoral. The book was an overnight success, winning the Macavity Award for Best First Novel and a nomination for the prestigious Edgar Award. And ever since then, he’s been gripping readers around the world with his bestselling reads.
So, if you love nail-biting psychological thrillers featuring complex, engaging characters and edge-of-your-seat plot twists, then you won’t want to miss Brian Freeman’s work.
Brian Freeman Books
Brian Freeman has almost thirty captivating books to explore, but knowing where to begin isn’t easy. So, in this post, I’ll list every book by the author in publication and reading order so that you can decide where to begin your reading journey.
| Sr. No. | Title | Publication Date | Print Length | Publisher | Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Jonathan Stride Novels | September 1, 2005 | 342 pages | Minotaur Books | Amazon |
| 2 | The Jonathan Stride Novellas | March 12, 2012 | 46 pages | Quercus | Amazon |
| 3 | The Cab Bolton Books | March 29, 2011 | 352 pages | Minotaur Books | Amazon |
| 4 | The Frost Easton Books | February 1, 2017 | 362 pages | Thomas & Mercer | Amazon |
| 5 | The Shelby Lake Books | October 27, 2020 | 368 pages | Blackstone Publishing | Amazon |
| 6 | The Jason Bourne Books | July 28, 2020 | 416 pages | G.P. Putnam's Sons | Amazon |
| 7 | Brian Freeman’s Standalone Thrillers | May 1, 2012 | 352 pages | SilverOak | Amazon |
| 8 | Brian Freeman’s Chick-Lit Novels | October 12, 2010 | 320 pages | St. Martin's Griffin | Amazon |
The Jonathan Stride Novels
These psychological thriller novels star police lieutenant Jonathan Stride.
Stride is a determined, passionate, and flawed detective who patrols the streets of his hometown, Duluth, Minnesota, along Lake Superior’s beautiful yet desolate coast.
In the books, Jonathan’s late wife, Cindy, describes him as “a man of fire, honor, ego, and stubbornness: all good things, but sometimes not in perfect proportion.” But author Brian Freeman says that “readers always fall in love with him” despite his faults.
The Jonathan Stride Novels in Reading and Publication Order
There are eleven novels in the Jonathan Stride series, and each one tells a new story. That being said, the characters’ lives evolve and intertwine from each book to the next. So, to get the most out of the series, it’s best to read them in the order they were published, listed below.
- Immoral (2005)
- Stripped (2006)
- Stalked (2007)
- The Watcher / In The Dark (2008)
- The Burying Place (2009)
- The Cold Nowhere (2013)
- Goodbye to the Dead (2015)
- Marathon (2017)
- Alter Ego (2018)
- Funeral for a Friend (2020)
- The Zero Night (2022)
The Jonathan Stride Novellas
Alongside the main novels listed above, Brian Freeman has also penned two novellas featuring his famous protagonist, Jonathan Stride.
Here they are in the order they were published.
The Entire Jonathan Stride Series (With Novellas) in Chronological Reading Order
You can read the novellas above as standalone, but if you’d prefer to read them in chronological order as part of the main Jonathan Stride book series, follow the list below.
- Immoral (2005)
- Stripped (2006)
- Stalked (2007)
- The Watcher / In The Dark (2008)
- The Burying Place (2009)
- Spitting Devil (2012) (novella)
- The Cold Nowhere (2013)
- Turn to Stone (2014) (novella)
- Goodbye to the Dead (2015)
- Marathon (2017)
- Alter Ego (2018)
- Funeral for a Friend (2020)
- The Zero Night (2022)
The Cab Bolton Books
Cab Bolton is the son of a rich and famous Hollywood actress. He has enough money to do whatever he wants, so he makes the unusual decision to spend his time-solving crimes across his home state of Florida.
Cab is a quirky, witty, and charming man who doesn’t take himself too seriously. But when he’s donning his detective hat, he takes his role very seriously indeed, unraveling every last detail of a case in order to find out the truth.
The Cab Bolton Books in Reading and Publication Order
There are just two novels in the Cab Bolton series, and each one tells a new story. That being said, the characters’ lives evolve and intertwine across both books. So, to get the most out of the series, it’s best to read them in the order they were published, listed below.
The Frost Easton Books
Frost Easton is a homicide inspector working on the dangerous streets of San Francisco, California.
He’s young and handsome, with piercing blue eyes, and as the author, Brian Freeman, says on his website, “think Justin Timberlake with a gun, and you’ve got Frost.”
But unlike other sexy fictional detectives, Frost Eaton has an unusual sidekick; his pet cat, Shack, who joins him on some of his most difficult cases.
The series begins with the 2017 novel, The Night Bird, where Frost is tasked with investigating a string of bizarre deaths across San Francisco.
His search for clues leads him to controversial psychiatrist Francesca Stein, who uses an unconventional form of therapy to erase her patient’s most terrifying memories. But now, her patients are dying. And so together, Frost and Francesca must find out the connection between the victims, and stop the killer, before he strikes again.
The Frost Easton Books in Reading and Publication Order
There are three novels in the Jonathan Stride series, and each one tells a new story. That being said, the characters’ lives evolve and intertwine from each book to the next. So, to get the most out of the series, it’s best to read them in the order they were published, listed below.
The Shelby Lake Books
This two-part series begins with the story of Shelby Lake, a woman abandoned in the cold as a baby and rescued by a good Samaritan.
And now, all these years later, she’s a police deputy, and it’s her turn to do the rescuing.
The Shelby Lake Books in Reading and Publication Order
There are two novels in the Shelby Lake series to date, and each one tells a new story. That being said, the characters’ lives evolve and intertwine across both books. So, to get the most out of the series, it’s best to read them in the order they were published, listed below.
The Jason Bourne Books
Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne novels are one of the most iconic thriller series in the world.
Ludlum began the series back in 1980 with the novel The Bourne Identity. In the years that followed, he penned two more books to create the critically acclaimed Bourne Trilogy, and after his death in 2001, author Eric Van Lustbader took over the series.
Van Lustbader penned twelve further novels in the Bourne series, but when he decided to step down from the role, Ludlum’s estate and the series publisher, Putnam Books, chose Brian Freeman to continue the classic saga.
The Jason Bourne Books in Reading and Publication Order
Brian Freeman has published three Jason Bourne novels to date, and next year, a brand new installment is due to hit the shelves.
To get the most out of the series, I recommend you go back and read the original Robert Ludlum trilogy and Eric Van Lustbader’s contributions before starting with Brian Freeman’s novels below.
That being said, each book acts as a standalone, so you can read them in any order you choose.
- The Bourne Evolution (2020)
- The Bourne Treachery (2021)
- The Bourne Sacrifice (2022)
- The Bourne Defiance (2023)
Brian Freeman’s Standalone Thrillers
As well as his popular series above, Brian Freeman has also penned four gripping standalone thrillers.
Here they are in the order they were originally published.
Brian Freeman’s Chick-Lit Novels
Yes, you read that right. Alongside his nail-biting psychological thrillers, Brian Freeman has also penned two popular chick-lit novels, which he describes as a mix of Sex and the City meets The Devil Wears Prada.
He published his first book in this genre, The Agency, in 2009, under the pseudonym Ally O’Brien. The story follows a woman named Tess Drake, whose life is in shambles. But despite her hopeless love life and failing career, she’s determined to claw her way back up to the top and open her own literary agency.
However, Tess is not short on enemies, and they’d all love to see her fail. So, before she can rise from the ashes and reinvent herself, she’ll have to hit rock bottom first.
Brian Freeman’s second chick lit offering, West 57, was published in 2015 under the more recognizable pseudonym of B.N. Freeman. The story follows Julie Chavan, who is doing everything in her power to save her New York publishing house, WEST 57.
She needs the next big bestseller, and fast. But everyone else in her life thinks they know better, particularly her mother, who is desperate for her to leave New York and join her in Los Angeles.
So now, Julie is at a crossroads. But before she can decide what to do with her life, she must find out what it is she really wants.
Both of these books are witty, sexy, chic, and hilarious. And although they’re a far cry from Freeman’s usual style, they’re well worth a read.
Brian Freeman’s Chick Lit Novels in Reading and Publication Order
The books below are both standalone novels, so you can read them in any order you choose.
Conclusion
Bestselling author Brian Freeman has a large and varied body of work to explore, and if you love nail-biting psychological thrillers, you won’t want to miss the books listed above.
Are you already a Brain Freeman fan? If so, what’s your favorite book? Let me know in the comments below!