Bookouture and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Cold Blood. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

A suitcase partially buried in the sand has gristly contents and Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster is the primary investigator. When it is uncovered that a second suitcase with similar contents was found in the previous weeks, the case takes on a more urgent tone. After the autopsy turns up something interesting in regards to the male victim, the case starts to move in a new direction. Despite personal threats, will Erika stop at nothing to find out the identity of the perpetrator of these horrific crimes?

Personally, I did not like the format of Cold Blood, as the author moves back in time and changes perspective often. As the fifth book in the series featuring Detective Erika Foster, I expected more growth and movement with regards to the main character than I saw here. The case was more convoluted, which can be a positive, but the flow of the book was sporadic because of the time shifts. Although Cold Blood was a good, quick read, it does not hold up to the ones that have come before. For readers who are new to the character of Detective Erika Foster, I strongly recommend starting the series at the beginning. Readers who are familiar with the character will find more of the same, like a comfortable pair of shoes.

Fantastic book. Love his writing style. Another cracker in this great series.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review. I have read and enjoyed all 5 books in this series. This one grabbed my attention early on. I typically far prefer a who done it or at least a why done it to a story where we know who did it but somehow Robert Bryndza’s books are entertaining enough that I am ok with knowing who did it and just reading how they are caught. I look forward to the next installment in this series because I feel like I really know these characters and want to know what comes next for them.

Book 5 in the Erika Foster series and I love this just as much as I love all the other books in this series!

She is so well written! She's a damaged, driven, strong, funny, loving and committed woman. She throws herself fully into everything but romance, still haunted by her past but striving to move forward. Love her.

It's all so well developed, the back stories of the characters, the interplay between them all, the mystery, the violence needed to move it along is there to do that and isn't over the top or distracting from the plot, the twists and turns, the 'oohh, I wasn't expecting that' moments and the wrap up of the main 'story' but knowing there's still more to come from this great cast.

I highly, highly recommend this series to all procedural/mystery/thriller readers as it really does deliver on it's promises.

Patiently waiting for Deadly Secrets now!! Book 6 in the series for all of you playing along at home. So excited to get back into Erika's world to see what's happening.

*Huge, huge thanks to Robert Bryndza, Bookouture and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own*

Erika Foster is back!!!! My favourite female detective is back for her fifth outing and I have to say that I think every book she appears in makes me love her even more! Each case seems to bring out more of her personality, peeling back the layers of her chararcter as it would be if we actually knew Erika in real life! It’s like getting to know a friend -it’s only when you see how they react in different situations that you feel you really understand what makes them tick! I know that every time I pick up an Erika Foster book, I will come away with something new, be it an unexpected character trait or a shocking insight into the mindset of this intriguing woman!

The last third of Cold Blood had me on the edge of my seat feeling physically sick! I thought I could trust this author to “do the right thing” but now I wasn’t quite so sure! There were some VERY difficult to read moments and I didn’t know how much more I could take as the plot twisted its way towards that shocking finale! And let’s talk about that ending! Actually, no, let’s NOT!!! Because then I will be desperate for book 6 and I’m not sure Robert Bryndza can write fast enough to keep me in my Erika addiction!

Fantastic author, fantastic read. Absolutely loved this book and cant wait for any future installments. Definitely recommend *****

Another excellent addition to the Erika Foster series. This time though the book felt quite different.

There was as always the emphasis on Erika and how the police were dealing with trying to solve the crimes and catch the killer.

Then at the same time we have the story as told by the villain, in a way that almost had me feeling compassion. For various reasons this section seemed a lot fuller and larger than normal but it was an interesting story.

I loved seeing how this series progresses and this time the crime spree was really difficult to work from, if it wasn't for the other part of the book I wouldn't have had a clue!

Full of graphic description and rather disturbing scenes, this is further progression of the larger storylines for these characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

RATING: 3.5 STARS
(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY)
(Review No on Blog)

I rated this novel a bit lower than the first four, not because of the writing, but because of the plot. I wasn't that keen on the murder storyline or the one with Erika and Peterson. Usually, I find the novels quick paced and I want more, but this time I felt it a bit on the long side (not page-wise). I still can't wait for the next novel!

Another great Erika Foster book; my only criticism is that there just wasn't enough Erika. There seemed to be more of a focus than usual from the point of view of the killers.

4.5 stars!!! I absolutely love this series and Robert Bryndza only gets better the more her writes about Erika Foster. Each case is planned meticulously and the personal battles that Erika faces on her journey only draw the reader further into the emotional side. As ever the suspense and intrigue was on point and the more I get to know about this detective and her sidekicks the more I want to read. Robert Bryndza has crafted one seriously amazing series and I cannot wait to see what comes next.

Robert Bryndza goes against the grain in this book and I cannot wait to see what this means going forward.

Three and a half star rating.
Murder, violence and stroppy police which means it’s another thrilling ride with DCI Erika Foster! The villains are just as evil and Foster is still a bolshy maverick, doing things her way, but just for once it would be nice if she had a little bit of happiness in her life - the poor woman is permanently miserable! Also I prefer not knowing who the villain/s are until the end as it makes it a more exciting story that way. Loved the Dartmoor setting for part of the book - nice to escape from good old London sometimes. Looking forward to the next adventure, with hopefully a happier heroine!

I've enjoyed all of the Detective Erika Foster books so far, but this one is my favorite to date. I like Erika, bad personal decisions aside, and enjoy watching her work with her team to solve homicides. I like her dedication and her stubbornness in her determination to solve crimes.

In this one, Erika's investigation into a body found in a suitcase is sidelined when she is injured, but she doesn't let that stop her for long. She is soon on the trail again, determined to root out a merciless serial killer. The combination of the fantastic storyline and familiar characters made this one a stand out for me.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

I am a keen follower of the Erika Foster series and was really looking forward to reading the latest installment. Erika returned with another gruesome case involving suitcases holding dismembered bodies. The story unfolds as Erika once more doggedly pieces together the puzzle with the help of her trusted colleagues with the plot twisting and turning along the way with the Nina/ Max storyline intertwined.

I really enjoyed this book and read it really quickly as I just wanted to know the outcome. I love the cat and mouse nature of the storyline and I really enjoy getting to know Erika more. She doesn't necessarily have the most likeable personality traits BUT i do like her! I'd love to see her happy in a relationship with Peterson!! Brenda really gets across her tenacity and relentless desire to solve cases. If I were a criminal and she was on my tail I'd be very afraid!

Bryndza has worked wonders with this series, each book develops the storyline further allowing us to get to know the recurring characters on a deeper level. I really like the fact that he isn't afraid to stray form the happy ever after narrative that many authors tend to go for and doesn't plop for predictable or ridiculous outcomes.

I would thoroughly recommend reading Cold Blood and whilst it may be read as a stand alone novel, I believe that by reading the series in the correct order, the reader gets to know Erika & co much better! If you have yet to read this, I would add it to your Christmas list pretty quickly!!

I have read another book in this series, but this series I am reading different by not reading them in order. I think these books can be read in any order. So, I don't mind on this series to jump around. Erika Foster in this book is a character that sometimes I like and sometimes I don't like much but I believe a strong character. I have enjoyed the books I read from this series. *This book was given to me for free at my request from Netgalley and I provided this voluntary review.*

Its no secret that I am a massive fan of Robert Bryndza and the Eric Foster series, every book has been a 5 star brilliant read and an absolute must read. Cold Blood is no exception to this. The fifth book in the series and the story is as fresh as the first.
This story felt different from the other four, thats not a bad thing at all and I cant put my finger on what it was that made it feel different. As with the other books in the series the plot is fast paced and characterisation is spot on.

Defiantly in my top 5 books of the year.

What I loved:

This was my first book by this author, even though it is part of a series. I loved how the author wrote the book in such a way that I didn't need to read the others in order to enjoy this one. Previous books in a series always enhance the reading experience, but it's nice to be able to pick one up without needing to know the entire back story.
I also love Erika as a character - she's a tough, no-nonsense character who is still dealing with the loss of a relationship and trying to recover from that.
The author did a nice job of explaining the crime and showing the police as they were solving the case while still incorporating what was happening with the criminals. There was also some back story on the criminals, which I thought was a great way of trying to humanize them. It's easy to have characters that readers love, but it's hard to have characters who are villains but readers can still empathize with them.

What I didn't love:

I think there were some parts of the book that were uncomfortable just for the sake of being uncomfortable. There is a rape scene in the novel that is a bit uncomfortable for me as a reader and just wasn't up to my taste. There are also little tidbits in the novel that show one of the criminals as being a bit over the top with how uneasy he makes me. This might be more of a reader preference, but that was really the only part of the book that I didn't like.

Overall, this was a good thriller that I would recommend to other readers.

Cold Blood

I absolutely love this series by Robert Bryndza and so of course I was going to jump at the chance to read number five in the series.

Erika is investigating bodies found in suitcases in Cold Blood and find herself on the trail of a serial killer.

As you would expect from Bryndza, this book is gritty, gruesome and absolutely gripping. With some great twists and turns along the way, you won’t want to put this book down! Five stars from purplebookstand.

Cold Blood
Erika Foster #5
Robert Bryndza
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Excellent murder mystery. Another Detective Ericka Foster crime thriller story. I love finding more about each of the characters in this series.
I was a little disappointed to find out that Petersen and Erika are no longer together. I really loved the back and forth romance between them in the previous books.
These stories really are really great. Even when you know who the killer is your still in suspense of how they are gonna catch them and what is gonna happen next.
Thanks NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars

As this fifth book in the series opens, DCI Erika Foster and DI Kate Moss hurry to the scene when a suspicious suitcase washes up along the Thames River. The suitcase contains the body of a man who was beaten to death, decapitated, and dismembered. The man's stomach is found to contain fifty condoms filled with cocaine, apparently left there by the killer.

The crime is similar to an incident the week before, when the Thames chucked up a suitcase containing the body of a woman who was beaten, decapitated, and dismembered. The cases are clearly linked, and Erika's boss - Supeintendent Melanie Hudson - wants to kick them both over to the narcotics unit. But Erika, who's like a bulldog when she gets a case, persuades Melanie to let her head the investigations.

This turns out to have unfortunate consequences for Erika. A leak from law enforcement circles results in gang-bangers trying to steal the cocaine-filled condoms, and Erika is seriously injured as a result.

During her recuperaton the DCI visits relatives in her native Slovakia: her sister Lenka, brother-in-law Marek, and their three children. We see a softer side of Erika as she plays with her nephew and nieces, who adore her. I find it amusing that Marek works for the Slovakian mafia, but Erika turns a blind eye because 'she's not a copper in Slovakia.' LOL

After Erika returns to London another dismembered body shows up, and the DCI gets back on the case. I enjoyed the police procedural details of the investigation, which point the detectives in the right direction.

In a parallel story line we follow Nina Hargraves and Max Kirkham, who meet while working at Santino's fish and chip shop. Eighteen-year-old Nina is immediately infatuated with Max, a 27-year-old 'bad boy' with a muscular body and a sexy facial scar. Unfortunately Max is also a murderous psychopath who draws Nina into his life of crime. Max bullies and abuses Nina, and 'persuades' her to committ serious felonies against her better instincts.

Nina and Max have an extensive storyline and we see them interact with their families; engage in a threesome; hit a pedestrian with their car; shack up in a small apartment; commit murders; carry out a double kidnapping; go on the run; and more.

When Erika's health permits, she works the homicide cases with her murder team; consults with the forensics unit; visits her boyfriend, DI James Peterson - who's recovering from a bullet wound; interacts with her former mentor, Commander Paul Marsh - who's being reinstated after a year-long suspension; and thinks about her unfulfilled life. Thus we get to know a little more about Erika - a capable detective who doesn't always use good judgment in her personal affairs. This has repercussions in the story.

The book ends with a dramatic climax that's satisfying and believable. (I think a certain villain should have suffered more....but mum's the word about that.)

I have a comment which isn't a criticism.....just an observation. I've read a LOT of books lately where abusive men mistreat females. I wish the gals would show more backbone and fight back. It's deflating to see them just quake and take it.

This addition to the series is well-written - with a compelling plot - and I'd recommend it to readers who like mystery/thrillers....especially fans of Erika Foster.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Robert Bryndza), and the publisher (Bookouture) for a copy of the book.

Amazing this is Erika At her absolute best. Fantastic storyline that keeps you guessing right up until the end