With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the book in exchange for an honest review.
This is an extremely professional written police drama. Once you start reading it is difficult to stop until the end. Detective Erika Foster is once again at the top of her profession and solves with the help of her team yet another police drama.
Highly recommended.

A page turner from beginning to end.
The plot revolves around solving the gruesome murder of a beautiful young burlesque performer on Christmas. Lots of suspects and a looming dark figure, with the distinctive signature of wearing a gas mask, terrorizes commuters by sexually assaulting and torturing people.
Lots of twists and unexpected turns will keep you glued to the very last page.

Well, well, well, Robert Bryndza does it again! I very rarely read books that are not Young Adult but nothing can keep me away from the DCI Erika Foster series – I am truly addicted!

Deadly Secrets is another really strong addition to the series. The case itself is a really intriguing one and this time we don’t know who the killer is. We do get glimpses into different perspectives on the odd occasion which certainly roused my suspicions but I did not nail the killer in this book! Which was great! I was close (despite thinking I had it nailed) but I just wasn’t quite there and I think the end of this book will shock a lot of readers.

Aside from the detailed police procedural side of the story, we get to know Erika on a deeper level in this book than we have in previous ones. I really like Erika as a character and find her to feel so real and down to earth. I love seeing her interactions with her colleagues although the interactions between her and a certain male colleague weren’t quite what I was hoping for in this book! My favourite character aside from Erika is definitely Moss. She makes me laugh so much and I get such a warm feeling from her – it was nice that she had her chance to shine a bit more in this book.

Whilst these books can easily be read as standalone novels, I would highly recommend starting at the beginning and working your way through. They are addictive, gripping and fast-paced but I think getting to know the characters such as Erika, Moss and Peterson along the way really adds something special to each case. At the moment each book is peeling back a different layer to each character and I can’t wait to see where Robert will take them all next!

This is the latest Erika Foster book and like all the others I whizzed through this one. Everything about it was engrossing and even though it can be read as a stand alone, I highly recommend the series to be started from the beginning. Erika is a great lead character and I love her blunt, straight forward personality. The murders are always terrifying and it was no different here. Full of twists and turns, you won't be able to put this down!

Where the hell do I start, Deadly Secrets OMFG absolutely banging. Robert Bryndza has hauled my senses through the pages and saturated my imagination with bites of thrilling, gobsmacking, intensely chilling Deadly Secrets.

Deadly Secrets is the sixth book in the Detective Erika Foster series written by the sensational Robert Bryndza, even though Deadly Secrets has enough backstory to be read as a standalone I would highly recommend reading from the beginning, so don’t miss out.

Robert Bryndza opens with a highly intense, earth shattering incident where a young woman is found dead outside her own home on Christmas Day, soaked in her own blood, frozen to the ground with no clues or DNA. Erika has her work cut out for her in a festive period surrounded in darkness, each new piece chilling my soul as it meanders along traversing the acts of a nefarious, villainous criminal.

A person clad in black clothing wearing a gas mask, inflicting a terrifying attack on his victims, inducing fear into people, leaving the community apprehensive of what’s to come. Are both cases connected…….only time will tell.

As the pages unfold I learned more about Erika her demeanour changes when a crisis occurs within her family, she shows a more compassionate, tolerant humane side, realising that distancing herself from family prevents her from moving on with her life. Erika is still a hard nut to crack, a strong tight minded individual who will stop at nothing to seal a case shut, driving herself and others with a steely conviction no matter the consequences.

Realistically the case delivers a sucker punch which will have you looking over your shoulder, driving a force which will have you scrutinising every corner of your mind, untangling the secrets only to become embroiled in another conundrum. Robert Bryndza has floored me with his ability to strengthen Deadly Secrets with an insane knot of criminal twists, which diverted my attention from the stonker of an ending, hell I didn’t see that coming.

Deadly Secrets will keep you up all night, driving your imagination forward until the final page.

My thanks go to Robert Bryndza, Bookouture and Noelle Holten for the advanced readers copy of Deadly Secrets in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Another great book in a great series that just keeps getting better and better! Robert Bryndza just keeps making these books fresh and exciting while keeping the heart pounding suspenseful pace that makes me fly through each chapter. Once again I can't wait for the next book in this series!

Who is stalking the streets of London wearing a gas mask? With six sexual assaults on record and now a murder, DCI Erika Foster and her team must work to find and apprehend whoever is responsible.

The murdered girl was Marissa Lewis, a young and beautiful burlesque dancer, who was moving up in the world. She was viciously stabbed to death right outside her front door while her mother slept inside. Minimal vague CCTV and no witnesses. The narrative moves forward with the investigation and a solid police procedural follows. Lots of possible suspects to detain, question, eliminate. They have a little trouble trying find a motive but it soon becomes obvious that Marissa had a bad reputation and was not well-liked at work or in her neighborhood.

This 6th book in the series is another hit and the whole team is back together until Erika needs to take some time off and puts Moss in charge. I always enjoy reading more about the characters and, in each book, some undergo changes that occasionally affect the dynamics and relationships within the team. It was nice to see Moss move into a stronger role though a bit disappointed when Erika had to save the day at the end. I do have to ask, however, why do these police characters always end up putting themselves in danger by rushing in alone and unarmed. I'm sure being headstrong and independent are decent qualities in a police officer, but can't a book climax occur without one of the main characters ending up alone with the suspect and getting harmed?

The story was fast-paced and this series is addictive. Erika is making some changes in her life and I can't wait to see where her story goes next. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Today is the publication day for Deadly Secrets and I'm thrilled to be posting my review to celebrate. It's written with thanks to Kim and Noelle at Bookouture for inviting me to take part, and for providing my copy of the book through Netgalley.
It's Christmas Day and burlesque dancer, Marissa Lewis, is found dead on her own doorstep. It falls to Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Erika Foster and her team to find the person who did it. When Erika enters the police station, she realises her colleagues are hunting for a man in a gas mask who has attacked several people in the local area. Could this be the same person who killed Marissa?
DCI Erika Foster is back! She's one of my favourite fictional detectives and I love her determination to solve each case and follow her gut instinct. She seems more vulnerable in Deadly Secrets, and I hope she keeps her promises to herself to look after her loved ones more in the next book, as this will help us to see a different side to her. We also learn more about her colleagues on the team, particularly Moss and Peterson. They are both placed in situations that are challenging for them in this novel, and it's interesting to see how they cope with them.
The novels in the DCI Erika Foster series are all incredibly atmospheric, and Deadly Secrets is no exception. Bryndza's descriptions are so vivid that I was able to picture every single scene - even the more gory elements of the attacks. The novel grabbed me from the very first page, and I could not put it down until the case was solved.
Erika's case in Deadly Secrets moves quite slowly. The victim, Marissa, led quite a colourful life and there is no shortage of suspects. This creates intrigue, as I was constantly trying to figure out who could have disliked Marissa enough to kill her. As Erika closes in on the killer, there are plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing. Once the killer is identified, there is a background story to their life and the crime they committed, and I feel that this could have been explored in more depth, particularly as it pertains to an important period in British history. Nevertheless, Bryndza has pulled off another masterstroke and I eagerly await the next one!

4.5 (rounded to 5 stars)

Fab, fab, fab!! Mr. Bryndza has come up with another highly entertaining read in his terrific Erika Foster series. I wasn’t as keen on the last book, Cold Blood, because much of the focus was taken off Erika and her colleagues. This time they are back and totally hog all the “airtime”, just the way I like it.

We have a two-pronged tale involving a dangerous stalker outfitted with a gas mask and the grisly murder of a beautiful burlesque dancer. I tried like crazy to figure out how these cases were going to dovetail, but dovetail they did, and in a most surprising way. I was totally shocked by the ending. The action clipped along at a nice pace, even the parts showcasing Erika’s personal side. As usual, Erika takes some blows in her private life, but this time she is at least trying to squeeze lemonade from the lemons. Erika has a very vulnerable side and this was on full display in Deadly Secrets, providing several heart-in-my-throat moments. Because of this aspect of the story I rounded my 4.5 rating up to 5 full stars, even though I am trying to be a more critical rater this year.

I also really enjoyed seeing Moss take the lead at one point in the investigation. We get to learn more about her personality and deficiencies. I hope Mr. Bryndza continues to develop her as well McGorry and Crane in future installments. Peterson is back, and it was great to see him recovered from his terrible injuries and returning to the team. Isaac Strong gets more time in this one; I would love to see him get even more in future books. I did find Superintendent Melanie Hudson a little bland, and I missed Marsh, but those are pretty minor issues.

With twisted plots, great police work, and engaging characters from a fine writer, Robert Bryndza’s Erika Foster novels remain one of my tiptop favorite series. I strongly recommend these books to all crime fiction/thriller fans looking for a fast captivating read with heart.

My Review: 5/5

Mr. Bryndza has done it again! The latest installment of the Erika Foster series might just be the best one yet!

Erika’s newest case involves a young, pretty girl who was found murdered on her front porch. As Erika starts to unravel the facts, secrets come out about the victim making it a very difficult case to solve.

On top of dealing with the case, in typical Erika style she also deals with her own issues.

While I love the storyline and mystery in every Erika Foster book, I also enjoy the main character. She is raw and real with her own struggles. However, given her job, she’s perfected the act of putting everything on the back burner.

I’ve grown to love Erika more and more with each book. The author does an incredible job with the characterization that makes you actually care for Erika and her team.

An easy 5 out of 5 stars from me. Highly recommend that you take the plunge and discover the gem that is Erika!

I just can’t get enough of DCI Erika Foster. I love how a different character gets their time to shine alongside DCI Foster, it’s one of the things that keeps me getting Robert Bryndza’s books and turning those pages. His latest effort does not disappoint! Don’t just read this one, read them all!!

This 6th Erica Foster book starts on xmas eve with the brutal murder of a burlesque dancer (not a prostitute) outside her own front door by a man dressed in a long black coat wearing a gas mask.
Instead of going to her boss' house on Xmas day Erika Foster goes straight to the crime scene even though she is off duty. As it is snowing and it is Xmas the neighbours are busy and a house to house doesn't throw up any information.
As attacks by the gas mask killer Erika has to leave the investigation to go north to look after her father in law, Edward who has fallen and broken his hip. This means that Kate Moss steps up as acting Senior Investigating Officer. Trying hard to prove herself she soon finds herself at the mercy of the gas mask attacker.
This is a fast paced book with plenty of action, twists and turns. Robert Bryndza gets better with each book Even if you haven't read any of the previous books 'Deadly Secrets' will have you hooked from the beginning.

I can’t believe this is already the sixth book in this outstanding series! If you haven’t started getting aquatinted with Erika Foster and the work of the amazing Robert Bryndza, what are you waiting for?! Seriously, start back at the first book and come and catch up with me, I don’t think you’ll regret it for a minute, it stands out amongst other books and is one of those rare series that gets better with each installment.

This has a super creepy premise, there’s a killer on the loose who wears a gas mask during the act, typing that out gave me the chills and there are plenty more to be found. There are no flashbacks here, only some personal ones from Erika as she remembers certain events from back when Mark was alive and staying solely in the present day made for a refreshing change of pace. The story is twisty but no overly so, just enough surprises to stay believable and plenty of action to keep things exciting.

Once again, Bryndza continues to peel back the layers and uncover more about Erika, just when I feel like I know everything there is to know about this complicated woman he reveals some new aspect that only serves to make me like her even more than I already do. The dynamics of the team are interesting as always, I’m so invested in their lives and relationships with each at this point that seeing what they’re up to is always a treat. If you’re a fan of this series, you’ll be delighted with some of the insights into Erika and team, ahem especially Peterson! 😱 🤐

Highly recommended by me, not only this book, but the whole series, it’s fantastic and Bryndza brings something new to the table with every single book.

Deadly Secrets in three words: Gripping, Pacey and Multifaceted.

A killer in a gas mask is on the prowl and seems to be assaulting/killing people at random. Marissa is found stabbed to death on her front porch on Christmas morning and the story takes off from there. Erika has a relationship that went sideways, menopause, and he father-in-laws failing health to attend to and Det. Marsh is put up to bat in her place.
This series just keeps getting better and better. I am a series junkie and sometimes I get burnt out but keep going because "I gotta know." Not this series, it keeps your gripped and intrigued 90% of the time and I just love Robert for that. I stalk his page looking for a new book in the series. Every time I see one I get all giddy inside. I cannot wait for the next.

Wow, what a fantastic book, kept me reading until the early hours of the morning. I have enjoyed all the other books in the Erika Foster series but this was even more gripping, thrilling and addictive. I love Erika, she is badly affected by the death of her husband in a police raid that went wrong but throws herself into her work as she still feels guilty about his death and has a good relationship with her team.
Erika comes across a crime scene on her way to her boss’s home for Christmas dinner. A young woman has been found murdered and frozen to the ground on her own doorstep. The circumstances are very similar to other attacks in London by a person wearing a gas mask. Erika then begins to unsolved a sordid past of the victim and a multitude of suspects. The storyline is brilliant, so compelling and just when you think you have worked everything out there are more twists and turns that leaves out gasping! Please Robert Bryndza don’t leave us waiting too long for book number 7 in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Absolutely amazing! Perfection! Robert Bryndza does it again! This is a thrilling, incredibly paced, addictive, twisted roller coaster of a book. Erika is on form as usual as are her wonderful team. Loved every word. Once again, this author has proved that he is without doubt one of the best crime writers of today.

Deadly Secrets by Robert Bryndza
A Detective Erika Foster Novel #6

Murder, Mystery and Misfortune befall more than one in this novel that is predominately a police procedural but also provides insight into families and some of the lives of characters Erika knows.

The book starts out with the murder of Marissa – a young woman who earns some of her money doing burlesque dancing in theaters. She also makes money on the side in a variety of rather unethical ways. The murder is brutal and the killer masked so even the CCTV camera that has footage does not indicate who the murderer is. With other incidents occurring in which persons are attacked by someone wearing a gasmask like the one on the CCTV film the police believe that if they catch the masked man they will have their murderer.

There are a few red herrings, a suicide, a number of people accosted, a police detective in danger, Erika’s father-in-law in need, and a surprise twist at the end that was perhaps not 100% believable but still unexpected adding a further dimension to the story. In some ways I would have preferred the masked man to be the only culprit but…I didn’t write the book.

I enjoyed seeing how Erika is doing and would like to read more of her story in future books. I am not sure what I have missed in the previous four books but did not need to read them for this book to flow easily and stand as a story on its own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

Robert Bryndza you have more than excelled again!! From start to finish it's a whammy!!!! From the moment a mother wakes up to find her daughter murdered in their snow covered garden it begins!! Enter Detective Erica Foster! More murders begin with links to the first. What's brilliant about Deadly Secrets is Erica's private life and that of her team feature too!!! Loved, Loved, Loved it!! Get reading folks. Can't recommend it highly enough.

Whenever there is a new DCI Erika Foster novel out, it always shoots straight to the top of my reading pile. I am a huge, huge fan of this series; Erika is a fantastic protagonist and I hope that Robert still has plenty of ideas for her up his sleeve. She is simply, brilliant!

A young woman, who has been brutally murdered, is discovered on her front doorstep by her mother on Christmas Day. DCI Erika Foster attends the scene, and a sordid picture of the young woman’s life begins to emerge as she investigates. But what is disturbing to Erika and her team is the eerily similar circumstances to recent attacks on men and women in London, carried out by a suspect wearing a military gas mask who is a terrifying individual. The suspect has never been apprehended by the police. And it is soon clear that he isn’t finished.

Deadly Secrets makes for another gripping read in the Erika Foster series. As Erika begins to untangle the life of the victim, unsavoury details about the victim’s character are uncovered and there is a pool of suspects to investigate.

There are plenty of intriguing aspects to this investigation, I wanted to find out if the suspect in the previous attacks was responsible and why they were committing these acts. How could someone commit such heinous crimes? Robert also brings several of his background characters to the front, and there is some great character development, particularly in Moss who takes charge of the case when Erika is called away after her father-in-law is injured at his home in Manchester. It always makes me smile, whenever a joke is made about her name. She has a very different personality to Erika and I really like her humour. We also explore Erika’s character further and we begin to learn a lot more about her past before she transferred to London. Although we know what happened to her husband Mark, it is only in this book that we are starting to find out more about their relationship.

This is another excellent addition to the Erika Foster series, if you haven’t yet read any of these novels, I highly recommend that you read them all. Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

I just love Robert Bryndza’s pacy writing style. I’ve only read one of his books before and was delighted to read this, his sixth featuring the feisty, no-nonsense Detective Erika Foster. I find her tremendously appealing . Only Erika would be thoroughly relieved to stumble onto a murder scene on Christmas Day – so  she no longer has to attend a festive lunch! In Deadly Secrets we’re almost immediately plunged into murder and mayhem. The story is compelling and I found it very hard to put down. I honestly never suspected the outcome for a moment - it took me totally by surprise.  This was a quick, gripping read. The author is a master at creating believable characters, many of which are quite memorable (such as the clearly slightly unhinged neighbour, caught photographing the first murder victim, and his over-protective parents). While there are references to Erika’s previous cases, this is a standalone read. I can’t wait for the next one!