I was super excited to receive an ARC of this book. DCI Erika Foster is my favorite series and each new book brings something that keeps me eagerly waiting for the next release.

Deadly Secrets is set around Christmas. As other families are getting together for the festivities, a young woman is breathing her last on her doorstep. Meredith is brutally murdered by a killer in a gas mask. This opens the investigations into one of the most twisted murder mysteries. Fear escalates in London as more reports are received about the person in the gas mask.

This story was a bit different from the usual DCI Foster crime thrillers.Erika’s role in the case was a bit different for one. Secondly, the nature of the case was more complex and quite different from previous books especially in terms of themes. This doesn’t mean that I didn’t like the story though. I enjoyed it! I especially liked the fact that I couldn’t guess the villain’s identity until the reveal . I was right in one of my predictions but as usual, Bryndza had me changing my mind a couple of times.

Another thing that surprised me with this book is how emotional it made me feel. I didn’t cry but my tears were definitely close. There were gut wrenching scenes especially involving Erika. With each book, I have developed a connection with the MC. She is a character that I really like and naturally root for. I guess it makes sense that her low moments affected me. Overall, the character development keeps getting better with each new book. I also like the fact that the author decided to give Moss a more prominent role in this story. She is one of my favorite characters and getting to know her better was a treat.

Deadly Secrets has everything that makes a crime thriller great. It is fast-paced with a good, complex murder mystery and a twisted villain. Like the other books in the series, it can be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend reading this series in order. The character development is just as important as each new case.

Definitely recommended!

Deadly Secrets reads like a dream, perfect writing, a story that has you hooked from the start and a mystery that keeps you hooked the whole way through. Considering this is number 6 in the series, for this novel to be unputdownable is an amazing feat. Erika Foster is back baby! I think number 7 will bring a lot of changes with it, to Erika's life.. can't wait!

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tenacious, conscientious DI Erika Foster is back in this sixth book in a series that started off brilliantly and just keeps getting better.
The action starts on Christmas Eve when a burlesque dance, Marissa Lewis, is viciously attacked and murdered on her doorstep. This keeps Erika preoccupied on Christmas Day when she’d otherwise be going for lunch with her superior officer. Her victim turns out to be a complicated young lady, with as many enemies as admirers. As with many of DI Foster’s cases, the implications spread out further and further and bring many people under suspicion. A further attack and suicide attempts, successful and otherwise, just keep the surprises and ingenious twists and turns coming in this very cleverly constructed police procedural mystery. Once you start reading, you can’t stop. You simply have to know what’s going to happen next.
The past never lets go of Erika and in this story her relationship with her father-in-law Edward ght to the forefront. Also, colleague James Peterson, with whom Erika was previously in a relationship, returns to add some complications.
As ever, we’re presented with a gripping, exciting story and some totally fascinating characters. Those we already know, such as Erika and her team, continue to develop subtly which makes them ever more interesting. The new people we meet in the story are all strong and diverse. Robert Bryndza excels in portraying totally convincing characters from all walks of life.
This is another top-class novel from Robert Bryndza, but then we’d expect no less from this consistently outstanding author.

Bryndza! You just love to torture your readers! I thought one guy was the killer and then you gave us different clues, I was sort of on the right track though. Smooth and creepy how you've evolved from this funny guy to murderers and psychos. Erika is a wonderful detective with plenty of personal issues, which carry through the series. Her police colleagues have very different personalities and hold much respect for Erika. Each of these books can read independently or in order. I was given a copy through Netgalley and wrote my review voluntarily.

As per usual, well for me anyway, I discover a series part way through. The upside to that is of course the fact that it means that there are other books in the series to catch up on. Anyway I digress so back to the review I do go. I read and reviewed the previous book in the series, ‘Cold Blood’ and I absolutely loved it!! So it was with great excitement that I picked up ‘Deadly Secrets’ and began to read. All I can say on finishing the book is ‘ bloody hell what a fantastic read it is’. I absolutely loved it but more about that in a bit.
Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Erika Foster is one of those characters that you take to from the word go. She is one feisty, courageous, determined, strong, hard working and dedicated police officer. She has been a victim of crime herself and knows how crime can affect victims and this drives her to be the superb police officer that we know and love. DCI Foster is still badly affected by the death of her husband at the hands of a known criminal. There was a police raid and it went wrong. As a result of which, Mark died and others were injured. Erika carries around a lot of guilt about what went wrong but there is nothing she can do to change what happened. She manages in the only way she knows how and that is to throw herself into her work. DCI Erika leads from the front and she is the sort of boss that you would want to work for in that she does her fair share of the less glamourous side of police work. Erika works well as part of a team but at the same time she can work perfectly well on her own. If I had one criticism of Erika, it would be that sometimes she acts before she puts her brain into gear and thinks logically. The great thing about Erika and her team is that there is a real camaraderie there and each has the others’ backs. Erika’s work is her life and she has very little in the way of a social life although she is trying to get out there a bit more. The cases featured in ‘Deadly Secrets’ certainly test DCI Foster and her team. Will Erika and her team solve the cases before any more lives are lost? Will Erika survive unhurt? Who is murdering people and why? What is the truth? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out because I am not going to tell you.
‘Deadly Secrets’ is one hell of a read and then some. Literally from the moment I picked up the book, I didn’t put it down until after I had finished it. The story hits the ground running and maintains the pace throughout. The author’s writing style is such that you can’t help but be drawn into the story and before you know it, you are addicted to reading it. The writing style, storylines and characters were so realistic that the book came alive and I began to live the story. I imagined that I was a silent and invisible member of Erika’s team and part of the investigation. I shared the team’s sense of frustration, anger and excitement when a lead presented itself. Reading ‘Deadly Secrets’ was very much like riding on a very twisted and scary rollercoaster ride with lots of hidden twists and turns. On more than one occasion, I almost put my hands over my eyes as I genuinely feared what was going to happen next. In my opinion ‘Deadly Secrets’ is my favourite book of the series so far. The DCI Erika Foster series is one of those series that just gets better with each and every book that is released. To be honest, this series is just begging to be adapted for television.
In short, I absolutely LOVED reading ‘Deadly Secrets’ and I can’t wait to read what comes next from the twisted mind of Robert Bryndza. Here’s hoping that we don’t have too long a wait but in the meantime, and because I am a bit OCD, I am going to read the rest of the books in the series from the beginning and in order. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to other readers. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

I love this series and Roberts style of writing . Book 6 and it’s just as good , if not better , than ever . Full of short sharp chapters and building to an ending I never guessed . Also a look at a different side to my favourite detective Miss Erika Foster . All in need to know now Robert is when is book on its way so hurry up and get writing . Thanks to bookouture, netgalley and of course the fantastic author for my chance to read

Robert Bryndza has done it again! This is another fabulous installment in the Detective Erika Foster series. It is a gripping, mysterious, murder mystery that you don’t want to miss.

On the outside this book appears to be a good ole’ fashion “whodunit”. Marissa Lewis is found dead on Christmas morning by her mother. There are numerous suspects and quite the cast of characters that Erika Foster and her team need to weed through in order to catch the murderer. Marissa led a fascinating, colorful life only adding to the mystery and intrigue that investigators now need to sort out in order to gain a clear picture of who Marissa was and why someone would want to murder her. Throw in a series of assaults in another case, surrounding an unidentified person wearing a gas mask and we have ourselves a quite a story.

This book held me captive throughout! Bryndza did a fantastic job of casting suspicion on many of the unusual, quirky characters, causing me more than once to second guess whether I had chosen the correct murder suspect. Early on I took a shot and picked a character that seemed very unlikely to be the killer and I was wrong. Can’t get it right every time!

The story picks up just days after the conclusion of Robert Bryndza’s previous book in the series, Cold Blood. She is still reeling from that investigation when she throws everything she has into this latest murder. As the story progresses, so does the stress that Erika is under, until she is forced to take a step back, due to unexpected circumstances beyond her control. Erika just can’t seem to get her personal life on track. I would love to see her as content personally as she is professionally, but this push and pull makes her the intriguing and complex character that she is.

I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to get to know one of Erika’s colleagues, Kate Moss, a little bit better. She has been part of Erika’s team since book one of the series and I found it quite enjoyable to get a deeper look into her personal and professional life.

If you haven’t given this series a try, you are seriously missing out. There is not one bad book in the bunch!

In case you didn't know I am a massive fan and I always know that you are in for a treat when there is a new Robert Bryndza novel out before I have even read it. Robert is one of those authors that I never read the blurb I love to just dive straight in to see what he brings us this time. Has always I wasn't disappointed Robert Bryndza is an absolute genius when it comes to writing.



Right from the start you will be hooked when the scene is set for a murder investigation.

OMG what an investigation this is you guys are going to love it because I certainly did and for those of you who haven't read any of Robert's books....what are you waiting for?!



I really do love the author's style of writing it is a fast paced easy read taking me into the world of Erika Foster I was so wrapped up in this story I totally lost track of time. Not only do we follow the investigation for a cold twisted killer but Erika is forced to face her past and learn so much more about her. I have always thought she was a kiss ass character who is very focused on her job but we see and more emotional and sensitive side of her in this story which shows she really does have a heart!



Has we follow the investigation we meet plenty of characters would could be suspects. Talk about keeping me on my toes just when I thought I had it all worked out the story takes a turn that I wasn't expecting. The plot is totally nail biting and will seriously have you guessing until the end.


What more can I say but Deadly Secrets is freaking awesome which I cannot recommend enough. Giving it all the stars!

Deadly Secrets by Robert Bryndza is the 6th in the Detective Erika Foster series.

Robert Bryndza has done it again! This one sucks you right in with a rather creepy beginning to an amazing ending I didn’t see coming!

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Synopsis:
Erika has been having a rough time. She is just off another rough case, and although she is supposed to have Christmas day off, she can’t just drive past an active crime scene. What she finds is the body of a beautiful young woman dead in her own front yard, half buried and frozen in snow, with multiple stab wounds. A few more feet and she would have made it home safe and sound. As Erika looks around, she spies a young man in a tree, taking pictures. She gives chase, heels and all. His pictures, as well as a video on the young man’s phone will bring shock waves. As the case develops, she finds this young woman is not all she seems. She has many admirers, and more than one enemy. As well, a man wearing a gas mask is terrorizing both men and women in the area. Now Erika seems to have found a link between this man and her dead body.

On a personal level, Erika has not dealt with her break-up with Peterson well, and now he is back at work, and has a secret of his own. She will also have to confront her past, deal with her aging father-in-law, and face her own age limitations. Erika will have to delegate this case so that she can handle a personal crisis. This delegation will leave one of her own in danger.

My Opinions:
Robert Bryndza has created a cast of characters that you can relate to. They may be great investigators, but they have everyday problems, and they don’t always handle them correctly. This makes them human, and endears the reader to them. The characters grow with every book, and the reader sees their depth. We get to see Erika’s more fragile side, and even a bit of a melt-down in a coffee-shop – which I thought was great, since all of us would have loved to do what she did!

There is a lot of action in this book, and the pace is fast. It was really hard to put down.

The plot takes a giant leap at the end that I did not see coming. I loved it.

It’s no secret that I’m a HUGE fan of this author and was desperate to read the sixth book in the series to catch up with my favourite detective. So as soon as I got my hands on my copy, I dived in and read the whole book from cover to cover!! And as usual I’m annoyed with myself because I should have taken my time and savoured it slowly as now I’ve got ages to wait again! Deadly Secrets lived up to expectations for me, actually it EXCEEDED THEM as I think this is my favourite case so far!

The murder scene in Deadly Secrets was so vividly brought to life that I felt I was physically there with the team when they are called to investigate the murder of a beautiful young woman. Erika literally walks into the investigation as she passes it on her way to Christmas Day with her boss and his family. The freezing cold overnight temperature and the snow mean that by the time Mandy finds her daughter (the stunning but hated by many Marissa) her body has frozen to the road! And so begins the search for a serial attacker who chillingly wears a gas mask as he stalks and attacks his prey.

I can’t believe this series can still maintain the ability to shock and surprise me but it always does! I adore the character of Erika and in Deadly Secrets we actually see a different side to her as she makes a few discoveries about herself and also her family. One of these revelations mean that Erika has to step back a bit in the continuing investigation so the team come to the forefront for a change. I loved seeing more of Issac, Peterson and Moss especially as we discover some intricate details about their personal lives in the process.

There’s barely time to breath in this fast flowing, darkly addictive crime thriller that kept me guessing till the very end. Highly recommended by me!

There is something so nice about picking up a new book by a favourite author featuring a favourite character. A sense of anticipation. And also a sense of fear. What, you wonder, if it’s no good? Expectations are high, and it’s much easier to be let down as a result.
All of these apply to me and Deadly Secrets by Robert Bryndza. His Erika Foster series is one of my favourites in recent years. Each one has been interesting and exciting and has left me wanting more. With every book, I wonder if he’ll manage to make me happy again.
I am very pleased to say (especially given my recent mixed reading experience) that I have not been disappointed at all with this, the sixth book in the series.
It starts only weeks after the ending of the last book, where Erika was involved in tracking down a Bonnie and Clyde type couple and rescuing two young girls. It was a difficult case and it’s questionable as to whether she is completely back in the game. Unfortunately, she has no choice when – on Christmas Day – she gets involved in a case of a beautiful young woman brutally murdered.
I saw unfortunately but for Erika it’s probably fortunate as it stops her looking at her life too closely. Instead she gets to look at the young woman’s. Marissa Lewis is a complicated victim, loved and hated it seems in equal measure. Everyone Erika and her team talk to seem to have a different experience of Marissa, making it difficult to pin down suspects. It all means plenty of red herrings and wrong turns and you couldn’t ask for more in this style of book.
You couldn’t ask for better characters either. Erika is great. She is strong, opinionated, and more than a bit damaged. But she’s also human and that makes her real. I have enjoyed watching her change from completely shut down and a complete wild card to a woman who realises she needs people in her life and that she has to rely on her team. Here, she does that more than before, helping keep the story fresh and the series interesting because it makes you wonder what next.
The only problem I have now is it’s over. This latest episode seemed to be over way too quickly and I am left wanting more. Hopefully, I won’t have to wait too long. In the meantime, this is definitely a recommended read.

As a long time fan of this series I gotta ask; how has Rob Bryndza kept us holding bated breath for so many years?! Typically (maybe 90% of the time?) I lose interest in long running series after the third book; at this point the author has usually lost their mojo or become too repetitive for my taste, but not here. Bryndza has created a memorable cast full of heart, soul, and wit that isn't found elsewhere. It's no secret that police procedurals can become stale and monotonous, but Erika Foster and her gang of humorous law enforcement agents have that special something that a reader looks for when committing their time on numerous occasions to the same atmosphere.

I hate delving into plot details for these novels, but the format reads fairly similar to the others in the series. The chapters are brief and snappy, holding the attention well and gripping you from beginning to end. We do get some unique perspectives, mostly from Erika but also from the darker side of the story (I'll not say more for risk of spoilers!) and from the teammates as well. The book is easy to breeze right through, the case(s?) pertaining to this installment were intriguing, and we receive some shocking development from one of our reoccurring characters. Duh duh DUH!!!!

All in all, this was a fabulous read. If you've enjoyed the previous novels in the series it's a sure bet that you'll love this one as well. If you haven't had the pleasure of diving into this series yet, please do yourself a favor and start at the beginning! There are some details mentioned here that would make it difficult to go back and enjoy the twists as they were meant to be absorbed in previous novels. In case you're new to Bryndza's work, The Girl In The Ice is the first book in the series and is currently being released in the US! Woo hoo! Well done Rob; I can't wait to read more about Erika and how she resolves a few things in her personal life. <3

What a fantastic book! Five huge stars from me.
I think this is my favourite Erika Foster book so far and I loved them all.
In this book, Erika and the team are faced with a gruesome murder on Christmas Day and it soon comes to light that someone has been carrying out terrifying attacks at night wearing a gas mask.
The investigations start to overlap when a person of interest is found with disturbing photos on his camera and also a sketch of a gas mask.
Reading this series is like a brain workout as you realise at the end that Robert Bryndza has laid all the clues throughout the book and they all slot into place so smoothly. I still kicked myself at the end though as I was too wrapped up in the story to guess the killer!
I love Erika and can only hope she will find herself some happiness as she really has been through the mill!
The relationship she has with Moss and Peterson is great and is another reason why these stories work so well.
I think the word brilliant sums this book up for me, and I can’t wait to read the next one.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.
I will be buying the paperback to add to my collection :)

This is the second book I have read in the Detective Erika Foster, and I have truly enjoyed them both! This book will keep you on the edge of your seat with anticipation!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Deadly Secrets is the 6th book in the DCI Erika Foster series, and like it’s predecessors it packs big punches!

A burlesque dancer is slashed to death on her doorstep on Christmas Eve, there has also been reports of a man in a gas mask attacking members of the public - could they be linked?

Erika and her team get working on the case, despite the festive period. Great book! The crime is a bit darker than previous novels but this isn’t a bad thing! Great ending. Absolutely loved it, 5 stars!!

It's been seven long month since Cold Blood was published....seven months of no new Erika stories....listening to audiobooks of earlier novels despondently, wondering when the new book would be out.....swearing that I would make the next one last.....I wouldn't read it all in one day this time. And now, joy, part six is here. And I didn't read it in one day. Oh no I read this in an afternoon. I tried, I really did, to put it down so it wasn't gone so soon. I even tried reading other books but, well it felt like I was cheating on Robert Bryndza. You see his books are so moreish. You promise you'll have just a little bit but soon it's all gone. Yes it's fair to say Mr Bryndzas books are literary cheesecake - once you dig in before you know it it's gone and you realise they'll be no more for months (well in the case of cheesecake until next shop). Instant regret. But not really because oh my days this was bliddy brilliant, I'd go as far as to say my favourite from the series so far.





In this novel a young woman is found by her mother on Christmas morning, on her own doorstep, brutally murdered, her blood soaked body frozen to the ground. Erika should be enjoying her Christmas dinner but instead launches herself into a new investigation. She soon hears of a series of attacks in the area, both women and men, where the assailant creepily approaches the victims in a gas mask. To complicate matters the murder victim wasn't exactly popular with anyone...Erika has not shortage of suspects, all with very strong motives. In the midst of the investigation Erika still tries to deal with her past but is finding it more difficult all the time especially when Petersen arrives back at work with a bombshell to drop.



Thrilling as always, as compelling as ever, Erika is back baby and boy have we missed her.

DEADLY SECRETS is book six in the Detective Erika Foste series and I have enjoyed every single book so far in the series. The great thing about the book is that you can read them separately without having read any of the previous books. Each book has a new case, and of course, there are personal developments throughout the books, but there should be no problems getting the gist of it when you start to get to know the recurring characters in the books.

FULL REVIEW TO BE POSTED WHEN THE REVIEW GOES LIVE!

From the very start of this book you are faced with a very creeping and growing sense of foreboding. There is so great an air of threat hanging around our first victim that it is less a sense of wondering if and more a case of wondering just how and where. Now both of those questions are answered pretty quickly and in quite a violent way. And if that opening doesn't sit up and make you take note then nothing will.

The case centres around the brutal murder of a burlesque performer who is dispatched just as she arrives at what should be the sanctity of her own home. A hair's breadth from salvation her demise is quick but horribly painful. As Erika finds herself drawn to the investigation as a way to avoid an awkward Christmas dinner rendezvous, the scene is set for one humdinger of a case and sees the reader brought back to the familiar territory and a team that, if you are like me, you have grown to love over the course of the series. Alongside the main murder case are some other unsolved crimes which are occurring that may or may not have bearing on Erika's case, and all of it combines to put one of the team in grave danger. Oh such fun ... It definitely had me smiling.

And I totally mean that. The beauty of these books is the feeling of being back in the familiar and yet it all seeming so fresh. This is a very unique case with no end of creepy suspects and characters who you will have half an eye on as being the perpetrator of the dastardly deed. You may have your suspicions but Robert Bryndza manipulates your understanding of what is happening in the book to a point where you will not know if up is truly up or whether it may well actually be down. Yup - very twisted. But oh did it satisfy and surprise from start to finish.

I love the way in which the author has developed the team over the past five books. Readers should be aware of Erika's difficult past and there is a certain sense of movement in terms of her acceptance of the past in this book. She is drawn back to her old home of Manchester after her father in law falls ill and it has a profound impact upon her on a personal level, one which I will be intrigued to see how it informs her character in future stories. Her on again,off again relationship with Peterson also takes a bit of a turn but I am not sure yet if this is a good or bad thing. Whichever way you take it, you see more of Erika's vulnerable side in this book and I really liked it. She is still kick ass and determined and bloody focused, but she is perhaps also more human than she has been in a long time.

Pacing in this book was just about perfect, with quieter moments successfully contrasted against times of great jeopardy and tense action. There are scenes which made me cringe, scenes which make you go eww and scenes which will have you on the edge of your seat. It really is a perfect mix. And to be honest, in this book in particular, I liked seeing Moss brought to the helm, taking over the investigation as Erika dealt with her personal issues. She is a great character and perhaps under utilized at times so seeing her front and centre made a nice change. She has proven herself to be as determined as Erika, and also as headstrong and impetuous, perhaps a little tenacious, which is almost to her extreme cost. She is absolutely fab though so more Moss please.

Deadly Secrets is a great addition to the series and with an antagonist who you can truly loathe, fans of Erika and the team will not be disappointed. My only complaint is that I've finished it already and I'll have to wait ages for the next one. I can only say boo hiss to that.

Robert Bryndza delivers a stellar addition to this brilliant powerhouse of a series featuring the determined, 'take no prisoners' DCI Erika Foster, crime fiction set in London. This story opens up soon after the last book, it is Christmas and its a desperately cold freezing day. A hung over Mandy Brent encounters the harrowing and shocking sight of the frozen and blood drenched dead body of her 22 year old daughter, Marissa, just outside on the doorstep of her home. Marissa was a burlesque dancer calling herself Honey Diamond who performed at strip clubs. Erika finds herself at the murder scene, heading the investigation with her trusted and close knit police team hunting a serial killer.

Additionally, it soon becomes clear that there have been numerous assaults that have taken place in the same area, carried out by a menacing perpetrator dressed in black, wearing a gas mask with a mouth that gives every appearance of a creepy smile. Could these assaults be connected with the murder of the beautiful Marissa? Marissa turns out to be a person with dark secrets and questionable morals, leading a less than perfect life. She is well known in the neighbourhood, sleeping with local married men, engaging in blackmail, attracting unsavoury characters, all of which means there are a host of possible suspects with a motive to kill. Erika finds herself caught up in a family emergency and DI Kate Moss takes the spotlight, finding herself in dangerous waters as she steps up to lead the investigation. The hard working police team chase down various leads as they make progress in getting closer to the truth. They go down a myriad of paths, facing many unexpected twists leading to a monster of an ending.

Bryndza is a accomplished writer, the story's short chapters ratchet up the pace, tension and suspense as he spins a well plotted tale into a humdinger of a chilling thriller. His characterisation is what makes this a wonderful series, each book gives us further character development of Erika and her team. Erika is the central star, feeling her loneliness, with a conflict ridden personal life, health issues, which expose her vulnerabilities to us. She feels the loss of many of her hopes and dreams, sees all that could have been in her life disintegrate, leaving her focusing her energies to excel in her professional life, ensuring that she and her team solve their cases to the best of their abilities. Fantastic, entertaining and gripping novel, and I cannot wait for the next one in the series. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.