Sometimes the best way to know a person is by asking questions, where you can learn more about what makes them tick. Let’s see who we have today.

What is your name?
– – My name is Jonathan Stride. Most people just call me Stride.

How old are you?
– – I turned 50 this past year. I can’t say I like being officially middle-aged, but I wouldn’t want to turn back the clock either. I’ve worked hard to get to this point in my life.

What is your profession?
– – I’m the lieutenant in charge of the Detective Bureau for the Duluth Police, which means my team and I handle the major crimes in the city.

Do you have a significant other?
– – I was married for a long time to my childhood sweetheart, Cindy, but I lost her to cancer. A few years ago, I got involved with a smart, beautiful detective named Serena. We both brought our own baggage to the relationship, and believe me, we’ve had our share of ups and downs – mostly my fault. Last year we finally got married. I’m lucky to have found her and to have been given a second chance.

What is her name?
– – My wife is Serena Dial.

What is her profession?
– – She’s a detective, too. I met her when she was on the police force in Las Vegas, and she moved to Duluth with me when we became involved. Her instincts are usually better than mine, which is why I got special clearance from the chief to have her work on my team.

Any children?
– – Cindy and I never had kids, and Serena and I don’t have any children of our own. But we’ve had a teenage girl named Cat living with us for the past couple of years, and she’s like a daughter to us. We met her in the midst of a case where was being stalked. She had no home or family, so we decided to make her part of our lives. It’s been a rocky road for all of us. Trouble always manages to find Cat, but there’s also something special about that girl. She’s going places.

Do you have any sibling(s)?
– – No, I’m an only child. My parents are both dead. My closest living relative is an uncle in Wisconsin, but I don’t see him much.

Cats, dogs or other pets?
– – Cat wants a dog. There’s something ironic about that. We’ll have to see how it goes.

What town do you live in?
– – I was born in Duluth, and I live in Duluth. That’s my home town. I moved to Las Vegas with Serena for a short time, but we both knew it wouldn’t work there. I was a fish out of water. I need the cold. I need the lake.

Do you rent or own?
– – Serena and I own a little 1880s-era cottage out on Park Point, which is a finger of land that juts out into Lake Superior. The floors slant. The wind howls through the windows. It’s perfect.

House or building complex?
– – It’s a house, but some days it feels more like a cabin.

What is your favorite spot in your house?
– – We have a little screened porch on the back facing the lake. There’s an old ratty sofa out there with a scratchy wool blanket. We sit out there a lot.

Who is your best friend?
– – Tough call. Serena and I are partners in every way, but I’m not sure I’d call her my best friend. That’s not the kind of relationship we have. My best friend is probably my long-time colleague on the force, Maggie Bei, but that relationship is pretty complicated, too. And Serena and Maggie don’t always get along.

Amateur sleuth or professional?
– – I’m a cop. That’s serious business.

Whom do you work with when sleuthing?
– – I usually work with both Serena and Maggie, depending on the particular case. We make for an interesting triangle, that’s for sure.

Favorite meal?
– – Anyone who knows me can tell you that I’m a big fan of Sammy’s pizza in Duluth.

Favorite dessert?
– – I really don’t eat dessert. At 50, I have to be pretty careful now, although I make an exception for Sammy’s. Unlike Maggie, who wolfs down McDonald’s every day and never gains an ounce. She has a hell of a metabolism.

Favorite hobby?
– – I slip away to hike or fish sometimes, but not very often. The job doesn’t offer a lot of free time.

Favorite vacation spot?
– – Duluth. I’m in the best place in the world. Why go anywhere else?

Favorite color?
– – Serena asks me that, too. I truly have no idea.

Favorite author?
– – That Sandford guy is pretty good. I like that Twin Cities cop of his, Lucas Davenport. I’d like to meet him someday.

Favorite sports team?
– – This is finally the year for the Vikings. Count on it.

Movies or Broadway?
– – I wish I could tell you the last movie I saw. It’s been so long I don’t remember. And Broadway’s not my thing.

Are you a morning or a night person?
– – I am definitely not a morning person. Serena says I’m more of a noon person. The fact is, I’m usually up late, whether I want to be or not.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
– – There really is no such thing as a typical day, and I like that. It all depends on the case I’m working on. People watch TV and assume that cops spend a lot of time in the forensics lab or gathering evidence at a crime scene. The fact is, most of what I do is talk to people. I try to get inside their heads and understand them and figure out their secrets. Every crime is about psychology, whether you’re talking to a victim, a witness, or a perpetrator. So on most days, I’m like a shrink without the couch.

You can read about Stride in Alter Ego, the 9th book in the “Jonathan Stride” mystery series. The first book in the series is Immoral.

When a freak auto accident kills a driver on the remote roads outside Duluth, Jonathan Stride is disturbed to discover that the victim appears to be a “ghost,” with a false identity and no evidence to suggest who he really was. Alarmingly, a gun is found in the car–and the gun has recently been fired.

The next day, Stride learns that a Duluth college student has also vanished, and he worries that the two incidents are related. But what would have put an ordinary young woman in the crosshairs of a man who has all the hallmarks of an assassin for hire?

Stride’s investigation of the girl’s disappearance leads him into the midst of a film crew in Duluth, where a movie is being made based on a case in Stride’s own past. The actor playing Stride is Hollywood royalty, an award-winning icon who has charmed his way to the top of the box office.

But Stride soon hears whispers that his cinematic alter ego has a dark side . . . and in trying to expose the truth, he makes a powerful enemy who will stop at nothing to protect his reputation.

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About the author
A native of Chicago and longtime resident of the Twin Cities, Brian Freeman is an international bestselling author of psychological suspense novels. He is the author of Goodbye to the Dead, The Cold Nowhere, and Spilled Blood–which was the recipient of the Best Hardcover Novel in the annual Thriller Awards presented by the International Thriller Writers organization. Brian’s debut thriller, Immoral, won the Macavity Award and was a nominee for the Edgar, Dagger, Anthony, and Barry awards for best first novel. Freeman lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with his wife, Marcia. Find out more about Stride (and Brian) at bfreemanbooks.com.

All comments are welcomed.