Photo by Kevin Jantzer
Brian Freeman is the author of the new novel Photograph. His many other books include Break Every Rule. He lives in Florida.
Q: What inspired you to write Photograph, and how did you create your character Shannon?
A: The original inspiration for Photograph actually came from a real-life book entitled Midcentury Memories. It was a photo essay book in which people sent in ordinary pictures of life back in the 1950s.
Of course, you know how thriller writers think. I immediately started wondering how a seemingly innocent photograph could become a motive for murder. That was how the twists and turns of the book started.
The story is told by a private detective named Shannon Wells. I love Shannon – she’s funny, quirky, fierce. And very Florida, too…she runs her agency out of a tiki bar on the ocean in Daytona Beach.
She’s got a great sense of humor, but her jokes defuse some of the darkest parts of her past. People sometimes say, don’t let the worst events of your life define your identity.
But Shannon has the opposite take. She used a terrible incident to find herself, to get stronger, to shape who she is. Now she’s trying to do the same for others. The motto of her agency is: When no one else cares about you, I do.
Q: The author Elka Ray said of the book, “Along with top-tier suspense, it’s a tale of family—blood and found—and how far we’ll go to protect our loved ones and reclaim our power.” What do you think of that description?
A: Elka nails a big part of my approach to mysteries. Yes, it’s all about getting you to turn the pages – but at their core, my books are about family and emotions. Often when I’m writing those final chapters, I’ve got tears pouring down my face. But I always figure if I can get that intimately connected to the characters, then so will the readers.
Shannon’s mom used to tell her, “The good and the bad of our lives lead us where we’re supposed to go.” That’s really at the heart of Photograph. Shannon doesn’t know it yet, but she’s following a road that will change her entire life.
Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?
A: Some plots take shape very quickly, and some take a leisurely path. I’ve been thinking about Photograph for almost five years, and the details of the story – and Shannon as a heroine – evolved a lot since I first started thinking about it. But the core twist – the truth behind that innocent photograph – was in my head from the very beginning.
During the course of developing the book, I also moved to Florida after decades in Minnesota. That changed the story, too, because I changed a lot myself living in a new location. In some ways, you’ll find that Photograph is an homage both to the sunshine of Florida and the mysterious darkness of the Midwest. Best of both worlds!
Q: What do you hope readers take away from the story?
A: Remember what Shannon’s mom said. The good and the bad of our lives lead us where we’re supposed to go. I think we’d all be tempted to rewrite our pasts and take out the heartbreak, the pain, and the mistakes. But if we did that, where would we be?
I’m where I am today not just because of good choices I made, but because of bad ones, too. We can regret our mistakes and failures but also realize that it’s part of the fabric of who we are.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: My longest-running series (11 books) features a Duluth, Minnesota police detective named Jonathan Stride. It’s been three years since readers last met Stride in The Zero Night, but never fear – I’m working on a new Stride novel right now. It’ll be out later in 2026.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Talk to me! I love hearing from readers. You can find a contact page on my website (bfreemanbooks.com) to send me e-mail, or you can post to me on X, Instagram, and Facebook by looking up bfreemanbooks.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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