I would have said it would be impossible to follow the brilliance of the last book but yet again Robert manages it. Erika's character develops further and a tiny insight into her (possible softer side) emerges.

Loved it

A gripping tale that is so full of suspense. The characters show just why they really do make such a wonderful team.

This book also deals with a bit of family for Erika which I loved as it really shows a softer side to her.

Still raw from a harrowing murder/ suicide case, Detective Chief Inspector Erica Foster happens upon a gruesome murder scene. She stops to investigate and is thrown headlong into what becomes another chilling case.

As in all of Erika Foster books, the story takes place in London. Marissa Lewis was headed home late one Christmas Eve when she is brutally murdered. She was found the following morning. As the immediate investigation ensues, Erika and her team discover their first suspect.

In large part, due to the victim's lascivious lifestyle, there is no shortage of suspects. Or, perhaps she was being stalked. The young woman was a burlesque dancer, and often attracted the wrong sort. However, Erika soon discovers that there have been several similar assaults. This makes finding the perpetrator even more challenging.

Deadly Secrets is a fast-paced thriller. Erika is spot on, even in the face of family hardship. This exciting book has some truly heart-stopping moments! Erika's team is very involved in this case, and it is really nice to see their characters fleshed out even more.

Erika's likeableness, as well as her uncanny intelligence, leaves the reader with excitement for future books in this series.

Erika Foster returns for the 6th book in this detective series. This time she is faced with a murder while traveling to a luncheon on Christmas Day - but she jumps right in and quickly searching for a new killer. This was a grisly murder of a burlesque dancer who was not really well liked. Everyone she knew became suspects. Another series of murders involving a man in a gas mask comes to Erika's attention and suddenly they are searching for a serial killer.

Tension builds quickly as the investigation proceeds. Just like the previous Erika Foster novels this is a page-turner and I didn't want to put the book down so I read it quickly. Erika's relationships falter as work takes over her life.

I really enjoyed reading this one as it kept me guessing what would happen and who the killer would turn out to be. I was wrong - again. All of the books could be read without reading the prior ones, but as with any story it's good to have the earlier books as background for what makes the character. I was glad I had started with the first book and kept reading as each new one appeared. I will looked forward to the next Erika Foster intrigue.

Many thanks to Robert Bryndza and Bookouture through Netgalley for an advance copy of this book.

Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.

A sicko wearing an old-fashioned gas mask and lurking in the darkness doesn't seem to be particularly picky about who he attacks.  An encounter at a camera obscura shoppe turns into a bad scene for one of the team.  A young burlesque dancer who is not above using blackmail to further her ambitions returns to the proverbial well once too often.  This time, she will be the one who pays.

Meanwhile, Detective Erika Foster is wrestling with her unsettled personal life, the failing health of her father-in-law, a relationship that has gone sideways, and the onset of menopause.  Her colleagues are there to help take up the slack.   

Opening up a new Det. Erika Foster novel is starting to feel like coming home.  I have to say that the final tweak strained my credulity, but it matters not.  This is fiction, none of it is true.  Terrific series.

Robert Bryndza has delivered a thrilling sixth episode in his excellent series featuring DCI Erika Foster. This time Erika is caught up in the murder of a beautiful young woman found outsiede her home with her throat slashed on Christmas Eve. A burlesque dancer, Marissa Lewis is beautiful but a schemer and blackmailer, making a lot of suspects for the police to interview. At the same time, Erika is on the lookout for a man wearing a gas mask who has been sexually assaulting young men and women, and who she believes may have a connection with Marissa's death.

It was good to see Erika's team back together in this one and to see them all growing and developing. Peterson is back on duty, fully recovered and has some news that might affect his relationship with Erika. Erika seems more fragile and lonely but finally ready to let go of her past life with Mark and to build a new life for herself. Kate Moss also gets to try out being in the limelight by taking charge of the investigation when Erika is called away and discovers it's harder than she expected. The plot moves along at a good pace with short rapid fire chapters that are gripping and compelling, a few red herrings are scattered in as Erika's team sorts through the many suspects with a final surprise unveiling of the murderer and a motive right at the end that I didn't see coming. This is the best instalment yet in what is proving to be a very strong series. Please keep them coming Mr Bryndza!

Dear Robert Bryndza,
I have to give it to you... you certainly know how to hook, line, and sinker ;). Wow what a ride my friends! Deadly Secrets is the sixth in the Detective Erika Foster series... and my goodness I loved it!

Having read the fifth Cold Blood in the series, I was disappointed... and it wasn't my favorite. BUT, Robert you have redeemed yourself with this one!

Can I just say how much I LOVE Erika Foster!! Between her wearing high heels in the snow investigating a murder to her passion to solving cold blooded killers I couldn't get enough.

Let me just sell you on why you NEED this book in your life:

1. Heart pounding moments
2. Strong/kick ass characters
3. Epic police work
4. Addiction to turning those pages (I devoured in a day)
5. Twists galore
6. Gas mask killer

I missed you Peterson! I just love him... he's such an awesome part of the team! I also really enjoyed Moss taking a lead role in part of the investigation as well. I'm hoping that Brynzda continues to develop her character more as the series continues.

Robert Brynzda's series continues to be one of my top favorites! I can't recommend enough this series enough!!

But.. my only teeny tinny issue with this one was the final twist. I couldn't wrap my head around it and had me thinking really? It just was a tad bit unbelievable to me. This is why I couldn't give full 5 stars.

Overall, a fab fab 4.25 stars!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and bookouture for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: 4/13/18
Published to GR: 4/7/18

I’ve always been a fan of Robert Bryndza’s
books and book number six in the Detective Erika Foster series is by far the best yet!

I was drawn in from the very first page as we are transported straight into an horrific killing of a young woman. Following the ending of the previous book, Erika is feeling fragile but is determined to find out who has killed this woman. Plus with reports of assaults being carried out that also seem to link to this case she is even more driven.

This story is fabulous, it has twists and turns and you’re kept hooked to the very end. It’s a compelling read and one of my favourite books of the year.

Erika Foster is an excellent lead character. She’s not perfect but she gets the job done and you can’t help but be drawn to her. Add in her old colleagues of Peterson and Moss and you’re in for a cracking read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review. I look forward to book seven.

This is one of the books where I did not have to think about how many stars it deserved. My cursor went straight up to tick off the highest number.
I liked the dark feeling that enfolded the crimes. I liked the lovely softness when some emotions were described in comparison to the harshness of other scenes. I adored the way the private lives and the investigation were mixed together.
Maybe it was not a clever idea to start with book 6 of a series, but it did not disturb me. One of the advantages is that I can look forward now to reading the previous parts while I wait, impatiently, for the publication day of the next one.
Thank you, Netgalley and Bookouture.

Detective Erika Foster Series - Book 6.

A mother wakes to find her daughters blood soaked body frozen to the road. Detective Erika Foster Is determined to lead the investigation. She finds reports that other women have been attacked in the same quiet South London suburb and that one chilling detail links them to the murder victim- they were attacked someone wearing a gas mask.

Like the rest of the books in this series, I was quickly drawn in from the beginning. Also, like the other books, there is a few subplots which eventually tie up together. We get the backstories continuing throughout this series of Marsh, Frost, Peterson and Moss. The victim is not well liked so there are plenty of suspects for Frost and her team to investigate. There is plenty of curve balls thrown in to keep the reader guessing. Robert Bryndza has a great style in writing. The pace is fast from the start. This book could be read as a standalone but I do recommend you read them in order from this beginning as this is a fantastic series. I highly recommend this book.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Robert Bryndza for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another great Erika Foster novel from this amazing author :)

Something I always enjoy about reading books in this series is that Erika is such a good police officer and a good friend to many, although she has her own struggles as well. Her ex, Peterson, is back from extended sick leave and something is going on with him that she can't put her finger on. She has an intense case to solve as well, a murder with several likely suspects and then a big red herring at the end :)

I am already looking forward to the next book.

I give this one a solid 4.5 stars.

With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

When you love an author and have read all of their books, there is always that slight frisson when you get the next one...is it going to be as good as the previous ones...... has the series run out of steam? Delighted to say this is every bit as good as the others and I eagerly anticipate the next one! The regular cast of characters were all there supporting Erika, the central character and it was good to see them developing further, getting more insight into their personal stories. This book picks up right after book 5, "Cold Blood", however you don't need to read all of the books to enjoy this one, that said, you really should!!

Deadly Secrets contains all the elements needed to keep you turning those pages.. It is fast-paced with a complex murder mystery and a disturbed villain. 100% recommended

DEADLY SECRETS is the 6th book in the Detective Erika Foster series by author, Robert Bryndza and having read all his previous books in the series, they keep getting better. I was so involved in this story that I resented any interruptions. Just leave me alone and let me read! I loved this book!

To commit the perfect murder, you need the perfect cover.

Late Christmas Eve, Marissa Lewis stepped off the train to head home from a club in London, where she worked as a burlesque dancer. When she reached home and put her key in the lock, she heard something and turned.

“A figure in a long black trench coat…face covered in a gas mask, with a hood made of shiny black leather…black gloves, and in its’ left hand had a long thin knife.”

A mother wakes to find her daughter’s blood-soaked body frozen to the road. Who would do such a horrific killing?

DCI Erika Foster of the London Metropolitan Police on her way to a Christmas lunch, she stumbles across, a crime scene, where a young woman had been found stabbed to death on her doorstep. Forget the lunch…duty calls! She much prefers this to the social scene.

DCI Erika Foster is back leading the investigation with her team including; DI Moss and DI Peterson, who had been off for Christmas. As she sets to work, she finds reports of assaults in the same quiet South London suburb where the woman was killed. One chilling detail links them to the murder victim – they were all attacked by a figure in black wearing a gas mask. The assaults had all taken place around train stations.

Erika is on the hunt for a serial killer. The case gets more complicated when she uncovers a tangled web of secrets surrounding the death of the beautiful young woman.

In piecing together, the clues Erika is forced to confront painful memories of her past.

In this novel there was a nice mix of work and personal life for all the characters. Having read all Mr. Bryndza’s novels, it is a treat to follow this series and the journey of the development of the characters. I highly recommend both this series and this novel.

Many thanks to my favourite publisher, Bookouture via Netgalley for my copy.

I loved the cover of this book, as with all his books, the reader is gripped from start to finish. Robert Bryndza has a way of worsting which makes the reader feel your there with him on ever page. Erika Foster is a character that you can't help but warm to, in every book I route for her.
Erika is called away in this book and it allows the character Moss to shine, I love her wit and come backs and it was good to see the books focus on other characters.
This is defiantly a series to start from the beginning, if you want to follow Erika's story, however if someone did pick up the book half way through, they would not be confused as each book gives a little bit of the back ground of the other books.

Robert Bryndza does it again! Deadly Secrets is one of my most highly anticipated books for 2018 & it did not disappoint! This was very entertaining & kept me reading to the wee hours of the morning. I keep a reading journal that I write down important information or predictions in, especially when I'm reading mystery/thriller/crime novels. I wrote down who I thought was going to be the perp and in the end I WAS SO WRONG! There were so many twists, at one point I thought, "okay, is that even necessary information?!?!" and yes, yes it was! Dang he's good. I hope there are more to come in the future, if not for E.F. then another wonderful protag we can all fall in love with and root for.

I usually listen to this series via audible, Jan Cramer is an excellent narrator, but since this was an Advanced Reader Copy (thanks NetGalley & Bookoutre) I had to put in the work myself this time. I think once it has officially released, I will still buy the audible version and give it a listen, because seriously, that is the best way to read these books! Seriously, Jan Cramer is both soothing and entertaining, I can't read any E.F words without hearing her voice, she's fabulous!

I requested this book from NetGalley after recognizing the author’s name and having a recollection of liking a previous novel of his. I completely overlooked that this was the sixth book in a series!

And you know what? It didn’t matter. It turned out that the reason I recognized the author’s name was because I had read the first in the Erica Foster series, The Girl In The Ice. And I had really liked it. Deadly Secrets works very well as a stand-alone and I would recommend it to any thriller lover who doesn’t mind some grittiness. He author did not shy away from moderate descriptions of sexual deviance and violence.

Deadly Secrets was a great whodunnit. I could hardly put it down. It isn’t a very long book, but it didn’t skimp on any of the depth or fun. One aspect of the book that surprised me (pleasantly) was the sub-plot of Erica and her father-in-law... So realistic and sweet. It was an uncommonly deep subject talking about what a wake-up it is when you suddenly realize parents are too old to parent you and now you are the care-giver.

All in all, I am giving this 4.5 Stars rounded up for sheer adrenaline-pumping value!

Thank you Robert Bryndza, Bookouture, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced ecopy of Deadly Secrets! I loved it.

A mysterious serial killer mystery that has me guessing until the end. It was a solid story that had all the components of a great crime novel. The end had a great twist and added to the changing plot.

This was my first Erika Foster book and I can say with ease that it won’t be my last. Deadly Secrets is a thriller that will take you on one hell of a journey. It begins with the murder of a burlesque dance by a figure in a gas mask. From this p0int on the reader is taken through so many twists and turns in the case that it’s impossible to try and guess who the murderer is. The writing is excellent and I was pulled in from the first page. Erika is a great character and I definitely want to learn more about her. As this was my first book to read I felt like I didn’t really know her character. So much has happened to her and although she is still grieving for her husband Mark, she seems to handle it well.

The murder victim, Marissa is an intriguing character with many layers that are revealed as Erika delves into this case. Her mother Mandy is a dark horse too. There is lots happening in this book and so many suspects, each with their own agenda. Whenever I thought I knew who the murderer was, I was proven wrong in the next couple of chapters. In fact, this book had me so gripped that I finished in it two sittings. I just had to know who it was. There’s plenty of twists and turns and red herrings and you’ll be shocked when you find out who the killer really is. Action and suspense at it’s best.

The writing is excellent and it’s easy to see why the author is such a success. He writes thrillers that keep you gripped page after page. The story is fast past and constantly moving forward with no fluff or filler. There is action on every page and the characters are realistic. They are flawed and yet you still want them to come out on top..

I look forward to reading more from this author and am grateful to Bookouture and Netgalley for giving me the chance to read an advanced copy.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in return for my honest opinion.

I was so excited to receive this book! I have read all of the Erika Foster books and love this character! This book was no exception, I loved it. The usual cast of characters were all there and I loved seeing what was going on with them and learning more about them, it's like watching a favorite TV show, and catching up on what has been going on in their lives. This book picks up right after book 5, "Cold Blood", but in no way would you need to read all of the books to enjoy this one, I would recommend it, because they are great, but not necessary to know what was going on and enjoy this book. Erika's character becomes a little more developed and you learn more about her. I loved Moss taking center stage too and seeing Peterson back in action.

This was a true thriller! I was trying to solve this crime myself and was so close but never saw then ending coming; great twist. Read this as fast as I could, it was so good.

Love this character and this series, here is hoping there are many more books.

Delectably dark....
The 6th book in the Erika Foster series this book didn't let up on the drama from the first page to the last....Marissa Lewis, a burlesque dancer gets off the train after work, as she leaves the platform she's accosted by two young men...finally freeing herself from their leering she walks the short distance to her home....but that's when it all goes horribly wrong.
Full on drama, kidnap, assaults and dark secrets that have been buried for decades come to the fore as Erika tries to find out who the masked killer is
I loved this book and devoured it easily, now all I need to know is....when is the next book available