Simply Splendid!! This is another fabulous story by Robert Bryndza. He certainly has a talent when it comes to writing entertaining Thrillers, and I’ve really enjoyed all six books in the series. I was so sure that I had picked the killer in this story, and I was pleasantly surprised that in the end I wasn’t even close to being correct. One of the standouts for me is the detail and background he puts into each one of the characters, and that’s one of the many things I’ve enjoyed in each book.
Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster can’t help herself when she comes across a murder scene on Christmas Day. Even though she has a day off, the crime scene draws her in, and the extreme violence the victim was subjected to isn’t something that Erika could possibly walk away from. Marissa Lewis had been viciously stabbed to death just outside her home. Erika is happy to see detective Inspector James Peterson is back at work after taking such a long time to recover from being wounded on duty, and the ongoing complications he had with his stomach healing. She’s going to need all the help she can get with finding Marissa’s killer, as there seems to be quite a number of possible suspects. Marissa had led a colourful life as a Burlesque Dancer, and she certainly wasn’t short of male admirers. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys reading Thrillers. It’s easily worth the 5/5 Star Rating.

ARC/ebook/Mystery: I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy of this book in lieu of an honest review. It does not come out for another month so no spoilers here. I say that but the book gives spoilers, big ones, of previous books. I bought "The Girl in the Ice" last year when it was on sale, but the author gives away too much plot & conclusion during his narrative. I now feel I don't have to read past books in a way.

I like the character of Detective Erika Foster and how she is the boss and gets respect from her subordinates. I like that here is a whole Law & Order vibe with the procedural parts and Blue Bloods with the personal parts. Not knowing the author's previous books, I didn't know I wasn't supposed to ignore the red herrings (always fun in my opinion) and I did not guess the murderer. Since this is the sixth book, there was not any real discussion on how people looked. Ether I zoned out or I have no idea what Erika looks like. I liked that the book was short and concise and did not have 75 pages of filler.

I do recommend this book but I definitely would read the other five books first.

I love this series, each book gets better and better. I love the characters and I really appreciate getting to know them all a bit better with each story in the series.
In this novel, Kate Moss gets her chance at leading the team when Erika has to go away to help her father-in-law. The case is a complicated one, and there are very few leads.
I was in the dark as to who the murderer was right until the very end and was very surprised when the killer is revealed. To me, this is the way a good suspense novel should read. If I can't guess who the bad guy is, I am way more invested in the story.
I very much look forward to the next novel in the series...

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of the DCI Erika Foster series and I have been following her adventures closely ever since I read the first book back in 2016. Of course I had this newest book Deadly Secrets on my list of most-anticipated releases and I'm pretty sure I squeeled when my request was approved. Talk about a perfect (late) birthday present! I literally dropped everything as soon as my copy appeared on my kindle just so I could start reading Deadly Secrets straight away. And this newest installment has exactly the same high quality of writing, plot development, twists and the healthy dose of suspense and action I have become used to with this series. I found myself hooked right from the very first page as there is just something about the writing that draws you right in. And what a way to start this thriller! Deadly Secrets can be read as a standalone since the case itself is easy to follow on its own, but you do miss background information about the main characters. And the other books are so good, you will definitely be missing out by not reading them in the first place! Erika Foster is a character I've come to love and her investigations are always intense with lots of twists and turns. In Deadly Secrets, she is not as present as in previous books due to circumstances I can't reveal because of spoilers, but I like the direction the story takes. The case itself seems to be rather straightforward at first glance, and I even thought I had it all figured out at some points, but trust me, you will be wrong. Misleading plot twists to the win! The ending was definitely a surprise and rather intense... And I'm definitely curious about what will happen in the future. Fast-paced, suspenseful, intense and highly entertaining: Deadly Secrets and the DCI Erika Foster series in general is a must-read for detective thriller fans!

I had high expectations for this newest DCI Erika Foster story and I'm happy to say those expectations were more than met. I enjoyed every single minute of Deadly Secrets! Book number six takes a bit of a different direction and Erika Foster is not as present as normal, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of action and a very interesting police investigation to follow. This case is another disturbing one that will lead to many misleading twists as the team is trying to untangle the lies and secrets that surround the life of the victim. Very much recommended for fans of the genre!

Loved this book. A great combination of suitably creepy crime with lots of character development.

Excellent book! The books in this series keep getting better and better, So far, I think I liked this one the best. DCI Erika Foster's Christmas lunch is interrupted when she happens upon a murder scene. A burlesque dancer is found on the front steps of her house with her throat slashed. There are many "deadly secrets" in this story and the ending was totally unexpected. The characters, most of whom we have met before, work great together. This Author has the most incredible imagination. Thank you NetGalley, Bookoutre and the Author for allowing me to read and review this book. Bring on Book 7.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book

first time i have ever read any of this authors books and it wont be the last...this style of writing keeps you glued till the end and even then there are twists and turns with this story...never saw that ending coming at all..and i thought i had guessed who the killer was...not in a million years did i see this ending....

brilliant story line and so well written...an author to keep an eye on...

Another brilliant book by Robert. Devoured it and who’d have thought it was the murderer. Full of twists and turns and also very sad at times too.

At one point during this excellent novel, a character we know and love is in mortal peril and I was rudely interrupted. While I dealt with my real-life issue, I kept getting distracted thinking about the outcome of the situation in the book. I then thought about how this is a fictional person and whatever happened would not really affect my daily life and yet... I had to know they'd be OK. I need Erika to find peace (and love, if possible), I need Moss to keep making jokes and I need Peterson and Isaac and all of Erika's team to be OK. This is why Mr. Bryndza is such a great writer, because he makes you care about his characters like you'd care about real-life friends. And the plot of Deadly Secrets doesn't disappoint. A young burlesque dancer is murdered by a killer wearing a gas mask. It is impossible to find a creepier culprit. Other people are also being attacked, but only Marissa, the dancer, was mortally wounded. The cast of suspects is creeptastic: a photographer, not one but two married guys that had affairs with Marissa, a chain-smoking obese mother, a rich old lady with a shady son... Marissa had so many secrets, that it's hard to tell which one caused her death but the real reason was something that I had never seen coming. I always end these reviews the same way, but I really mean it: I can't wait for the next volume.

Back with a bang. It may not be long but believe me Deadly Secrets packs a punch and hits the bullseye.

We are back with Erika and her team of course. It’s Christmas Day and Erika is on her way over to her bosses houses for lunch, reluctatantly.
Getting caught in traffic she notices the familiar flashing blue lights ahead and can’t resist getting out to see what is going on.

She has stumbled across a murder scene, a young woman lays in the snow in the garden of her house with her throat slit. Erika ends up in charge on the case.

The young woman is identified as Marissa Lewis, a burlesque dancer who seems to have as many detractors as she does admirers.
As the investigation gathers momentum it becomes clear that Marissa was no angel and had a ruthlesss side. She would do anything to get what she wanted and wouldn’t let anyone get in her way. A couple of affairs with two married men on her road when she was still a teenager are only the tip of the iceberg.

We also have another crime spree being committed and investigated along side the murder enquiry. Both women and men are being attacked and sometimes sexually assaulted by a man wearing a gas mask! As Erika investigates both, she wonders are the two crimes related as she unravels more clues and follows her instincts.

Well what a cracker of a read. It may only be 270 pages but it packs a hell of a lot into those pages. From the first page to the last it’s relentless(in a good way). Short chapters just make you read “one more..” and before you know it you’ve gone through another ten.

Erika of course is a great character and she’s given plenty of scope here to develop further and endear herself to the reader more. There’s a fragility here with her that is more more prevalent than in the other books. You can feel the years of the job and her troubled past being carried with her on every page and weighing her down heavily to the edge of breaking point.
There’s a lovely little scene in Starbucks shop where she has a little meltdown that reminded me a bit of the film Falling Down! Great stuff.

The story is very solid and well told. What’s starts out as a simple looking case of course becomes more complicated as the layers are peeled away and more clues present themselves but it’s a very easy story to follow. The writing is crisp and vivid and the storytelling very well paced and evenly told.

There’s a claustrophobic atmosphere to this book overall in more ways than one. Intentional or not I’m not sure. The story and investigation for the most part takes place on one street where most of the suspects are located. You have Erika finally struggling to cope with the demands of the job and her past as things close in on her, and then of course you have the purpotrator in the gas mask and all that is involved in that. Anyway, maybe it’s just me but I felt the nature of the crimes and the small investigative area perfectly reflected Erika’s state of mind in this novel and was a nice touch.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Mr Bryndza, now six books into this series, doesn’t seem to be anywhere near easing off with the quality or thought put into this series. This ones amongst the strongest in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Robert Bryndza for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was given an advance copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

First off I’m a huge fan of this series, each book gets better and better as we peel back the skin of Erika layer by layer, with this book we learn a little more of her history and why she is like she is.. This is another addictive read, I downloaded it yesterday evening and finished it today as couldn’t wait to discover what happened and I was not disappointed.

As with previous books it’s another complex and challenging case for Erika but her instinct and knowledge never desert her and dogged determination means she wins through despite everything. I love we have a series with a strong female who plays by her own rules but remains true to herself and her team.

Roll on the next instalment.

I read this via Netgalley as soon as it was available. Another superb instalment of the DCI Foster series which I devour avidly each and every time. More please!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I must start off by saying that I am a huge fan of this series. I did not really enjoy the previous book in the series so I read this one with trepidation. I was not disappointed by this one, in fact, I really enjoyed it.

Erika is faced with a difficult case once again. There aren't many clues and the victim seems to be somewhat an enigma as all the people they spoke to had different opinions of her. I particularly enjoyed this one as Erika had to deal with some personal issues and this made her seem more real somehow. I liked how the whole story played out and the conclusion of it. There were some surprises in this book too.

I really enjoyed it and eagerly await the next one in the series.

Another amazing story lots of twists and turns you dont see coming. Cannot wait for the next one. Was a just one more chapter book, but turned into 5 or 6 and then forcing myself to stop reading

The Erika Foster series of books never disappoints! It’s gripping from the first few words and I couldn’t put it down ‘til I was finished. Robert Bryndza is up there in my top three authors, alongside Karin Slaughter and Chris Carter!

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Bryndza, and Bookouture for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Robert Bryndza is back with another Detective Erika Foster novel that takes the reader on a heart-thumping adventure in a thrilling police procedural. While headed out for Christmas lunch, DCI Foster comes upon a recent murder scene and decides to lend a hand. What she finds is a slain Marissa Lewis, her body frozen to the ground after having had her throat slit the night before. Lewis, a burlesque dancer who used the name Honey Diamond, was quite well known around the community, though not always liked. It would seem that she was quite popular with some of the local men, though used her wiles to blackmail them and pad her own bank account. With the investigation in full-swing, Foster begins using some CCTV footage and witness statements to determine that the killer was likely wearing an odd gas mask, a photo of which appeared in a document dump from emails of an early suspect. As a number of those on the police radar take drastic measures not to be fingered for the crime, Foster and her team hear of a man attacking people in a similar gas mask. Might the cases be connected? When an urgent call from Manchester pulls Foster away from the case, the team turns to DI Moss, who is unsure if she can handle the pressure of being in charge. With the case heating up and leads emerging from numerous parts of Marissa Lewis’ life, Moss takes a gamble to bring the case to a close, all while DCI Foster wrestles with demons from her past. Bryndza keeps the reader guessing throughout this piece, with captivating twists in a story that will keep series fans up late into the night.

I have long enjoyed the writing of Robert Bryndza, particularly his work with DCI Erika Foster. Some may call the series too superficial for their liking, but there are times with a quick read police procedural checks all the necessary boxes. As with the previous five novels, this piece allows the reader to develop a closer relationship to Erika Foster, foraging through her personal life to touch a nerve, while also helping to build-up her strong police presence. Bryndza also seeks to personalise Erika’s struggle to move on after the loss of her husband and the pitfalls of finding that balance between work and a personal life. Foster remains a sharp character who answers to no one and seeks to find the minutiae in each piece of evidence to determine its validity. The handful of secondary characters in this story continue to develop as well, as Bryndza does offer scraps of information to flesh-out their work and personal lives. Readers can enjoy seeing this growth, which provides interesting sub-plots and offsets the intensity of the crimes central to the narrative. The story is clear and flows well, taking a few tangents, if only to allow the reader to be befuddled alongside the coppers. Bryndza weaves his narrative around two sets of crimes and merges them at just the right moment, only to leave gaps that need to be filled to solve the larger murder investigation. Through his use of short and choppy chapters, Bryndza offers up a story that cannot easily be put down and forces the reader to forge onwards, begging to know how things resolve in this high-impact case. To call the story addictive would be an understatement, even if there are police procedural purists who remain bitter on the sidelines.

Kudos, Mr. Bryndza, for another captivating novel in the series. I am eager to see how things will continue to evolve with DCI Erika Foster and her team in the coming novels.

4 and 1 / 2 stars

DCI Erika Foster is reluctantly on her way to visit the home of her Commander Paul Marsh on a snowy London Sunday. As she drives by an apartment house, she notices police activity. When she stops, she learns that the DCI in charge has been held up at another murder scene. She decides to take a look. What she finds is a young woman slashed to death with a knife. Her body is found right outside her building. She is identified as Marissa Lewis.

Their investigation seems to have barely started when another woman in murdered in the same way. The team goes about interviewing neighbors, witnesses and relatives. A tragedy occurs in the holding cells. Erika has another personal loss as well.

Meanwhile, Erika is feeling more than a little frazzled. Her boss recommends that she see a psychologist – just to have someone outside the job to talk to if nothing else.

Things spiral nearly out of control as the story progresses. Can they catch the killer before he gets away with murder?

I really enjoy reading Robert Bryndza’s novels. They are well written and plotted and are both an exciting and interesting read. I like that just the right amount of personal information is given about the main characters. I enjoy reading about Erika’s exploits and about her personal life as well. She gets along very well with her team and seems to have a good relationship with her bosses as well. Nicely done, Mr. Bryndza. Keep writing!

I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for forwarding to me a copy of this good book to read and enjoy.

Book 6 and only getting stronger! Such a massive fan of this series and Robert Bryndza so I was very very excited to have the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

In this book we see more of Erika's relationships and those of her team. Without giving anything away it mixes it up a bit which I really liked. Erika is on her way to a Christmas Day lunch when she comes across a crime scene. A burlesque dancer has been found in her front yard with her throat slashed. Although she is not on duty she can't help herself and begins the investigation. Along with her team they start to look into the life of the victim and discover that there are plenty of people who were not her biggest fan.

This book is not at all predicatable and the ending is fantastic. I love the characters and how they mix. I hope there is many many more Erika Foster stories to come.

A big thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read and devour in exchange for my honest opinions

Another brilliant instalment in this well established series that would also read well as a standalone novel.
Fast paced gritty and with some really unexpected twists.

Book 6 or Erika Foster, every bit as good as the first 5. So refreshing to read about the hero to be brave and strong but having doubts and fears like the rest of . Usually I figure out how books end early on but Rob always has a twist that always catches me off guard. I don't want to go too much into detail because I don't want to ruin it for anyone. . Rob please keep your stories coming