I have read and loved Robert Bryndza's Detective Erika Foster series, so was curious to see what Kate Marshall was all about. I am glad I finally picked Nice Elms up, as I really enjoyed it. Kate Marshall was a promising young police detective when she caught the notorious Nine Elms serial killer, cannibal. Unfortunately, what should have catapulted her in her career, it turned out to end it instead. With the shocking circumstances surrounding that case, she was betrayed and publicly vilified. It is fifteen years later and she is working at the university, as a lecturer in criminology, with a brilliant young researcher, Tristan Harper, when it appears that a copycat serial killer is working the area. Using her buried investigative skills, she and Tristan try to track down this copycat. Success will bring her redemption, but at what cost to her and her family.

This was a fast paced crime thriller that I couldn't put down. I did a read/listen and it was a perfect way to enjoy this book. Kate Marshall is a great character, with brains, courage, intuition and persistence. I like her sidekick, Tristan as well. He is also extremely smart and supports and protects Kate when needed. As we learn what has happened to Kate over the last 15 years, I felt bad for her and was impressed at how well she had put her life back together. This is a dark, crime thriller with some gruesome details, but that is not a major part of the story. As the reader, we are privy to a lot that is happening with the killer and his idol, but Kate is not. I enjoyed seeing her put the clues together and follow her instincts to solve the crime. I am looking forward to seeing what is next for Kate and Tristan, now that they are becoming an official P.I. team.

EXCERPT: It was hot inside the glowing tent, where the lights were almost painfully bright. Forensic pathologist Leodora Graves a small dark-skinned woman with penetrating green eyes, worked with two assistants. A naked young girl lay face down in a muddy depression in the grass. Her head was covered by a clear plastic bag, tied tightly around her neck. Her pale skin was streaked with dirt and blood and numerous cuts and scratches. The backs of her thighs and buttocks had several deep bite marks.

ABOUT 'NINE ELMS' (KATE MARSHALL #1): Kate Marshall was a promising young police detective when she caught the notorious Nine Elms serial killer. But her greatest victory suddenly turned into a nightmare. Traumatized, betrayed, and publicly vilified for the shocking circumstances surrounding the cannibal murder case, Kate could only watch as her career ended in scandal.

Fifteen years after those catastrophic events, Kate is still haunted by the unquiet ghosts of her troubled past. Now a lecturer at a small coastal English university, she finally has a chance to face them. A copycat killer has taken up the Nine Elms mantle, continuing the ghastly work of his idol.

Enlisting her brilliant research assistant, Tristan Harper, Kate draws on her prodigious and long-neglected skills as an investigator to catch a new monster. Success promises redemption, but there’s much more on the line: Kate was the original killer’s intended fifth victim…and his successor means to finish the job.

MY THOUGHTS: I was excited to read this first book in a new series from Robert Bryndza, and it doesn't disappoint.

The story of Kate, ex-police and now a lecturer in criminology works well precisely because she is ex-police and, despite the dark intervening years, she has retained important skills and the knowledge of how the system works.

Bryndza spends some time laying out Kate's backstory, and what a story it is! We don't learn as much about her assistant lecturer and partner in crime, Tristan, but I assume that will be remedied in future books. It's enough to say that he is bright and dedicated.

Nine Elms is a tense, suspenseful and dark thriller that left me breathless in many places. I read the final chapters with a pounding heart and clenched fists, my breathing again on hold. This has the makings of a great series, one I am looking forward to reading.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.1

#NineElms #NetGalley

I: @robertbryndza @amazonpublishing

T: @RobertBryndza @AmazonPub

#contemporaryfiction #crime #familydrama #murdermystery #mystery #privateinvestigator #serialkillerthriller #suspense #thriller

THE AUTHOR: Robert Bryndza was born in the UK and lived in America and Canada before settling in Slovakia with his Slovak husband Ján.

When he's not writing Rob is learning Slovak, trying to train two crazy dogs, or watching Grand Designs all in the hope that hell be able to understand his mother-in-law, build his dream house, and get the dogs to listen.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas &Mercer via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Nine Elms by Robert Bryndza for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon,Instagram and my webpage

Fabulous plot which I could not put down. Brilliant characters, and twists and turns. Highly recommend to other fans of this genre!! Absolutely cannot recommend Robert Bryndza more!! Six stars if I could!!

Robert Bryndza is an author I found on NetGalley. I can never put his books down once I open them. Totally worth the read. Great new character Kate Marshall. ​(And the covers are great too

I am a HUGE fan of Robert Bryndza and his Erica Foster series so I was very excited for the opportunity to read his new series with Kate Marshall. It did not disappoint.
The book takes you on a wild ride right from page 1 and I couldn't put it down. You really connect with the characters from the onset and that can be hard in the first instalment of a new series. The copycat angle of a serial killer is a common theme used by authors but I found Bryndza's storyline to be original and refreshing.

Definitely recommend this book to fellow crime readers and who doesn't love a good serial killer thriller!

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars from me on this one. I go through phases where I really enjoy snuggling up on my porch with some coffee and a good thriller or mystery in my hand. This particular story wasn't anything I haven't seen before, but I did enjoy the writing and execution. I am a very easy reader to please. I thought that this was a perfect opening to a longer mystery series and I could see myself continuing to enjoy Kates story. I love myself a strong female

I absolutely loved this book! It's perfect for anyone looking for gritty crime fiction with complex characters and a strong female lead aka one of my favourite combos in a thriller. Warning- this one does have graphic violence and is not for the timid.

Kate Marshall is a fascinating character with developed relationships with those in her circle and family. Bryndza does a great job balancing the backstory needed for the first book in a new series with the plot. And an interesting plot it is! The combo of an original serial killer and his copycat draws you right in and holds your attention until the last page.

Nine Elms is an addictive read and I can't wait for the next book. Consider me hooked!

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the review copy.

Kate Marshall was once a young police detective who had a bright future ahead of her. Her dream turned into a nightmare. She caught the elusive Nine Elms serial killer ... who turned out to be her supervisor .... the man she was sleeping with .. the man who was the father of her unborn child. She was supposed to be his 4th victim. Fifteen years have passed .. the Nine Elms killer has been in a psychiatric lock down since his conviction.

Kate is now a professor, teaching at a small English university all about serial killers. When her good friend, the medical examiner, gives her a heads up about a new body that was just found, she and her research assistant find themselves involved in a copy cat murder ... the body has all the earmarks of the Nine Elms killer.

That's not the only body found in the same condition. And Kate now has a target on her back... the copy cat wants to finish what the original killer started.

This is a brand new series by this author .. and it's a real doozie. Not for the faint of heart .... the descriptions of the crimes committed are quite explicit and graphic. The Nine Elms killer was cannibalistic. That aside, the suspense starts from the very beginning and increases as the story continues. The characters are deftly drawn... the interactions between these characters are critical to the plot development. The ending came fast and furious and was surprising. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

Many thanks to the author / Thomas & Mercer / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

WOW! What an enthralling read! I hope that "Nine Elms" is the first in a very long series. Rich characterization and a page-turning plot makes for a fast-paced, though at times gruesome read. (Anyone who dislikes graphic violence should give this one a miss.)

I enjoyed Kate Marshall's character and her relationships with her neighbour/sponsor, her assistant, her mother and her son. All were rich and believable. Kate has more baggage than most women in their forties and she is working hard to leave it behind her - including her longing for alcohol. A 'day at a time' battle that she is determined to overcome.

The narrative is well-balanced. In addition to Kate's perspective we are also privy to that of the original serial murderer who is now in prison and to that of the copycat killer who is in the midst of his murder spree.

The original serial killer case was thoroughly believable. The copycat killer was another twisted 'sicko', but he stretched incredulity a bit far. He was just too connected, too rich, too cunning. That didn't mar my enjoyment though. For a longish book of almost 400 pages, I whipped through it in record time.

In addition to the fascinating serial killer investigation, this novel was also a study of the "nature vs. nurture" debate.

"Nine Elms" is my first read from Robert Bryndza and now that I've read it, I'm eager to read his earlier series as well.

Highly, highly recommended to all lovers of gritty crime fiction.

This started out with a bang and didn't let up until the end. The main character, an alcoholic ex-cop, was interesting and believable. The bad guys were truly creepy and terrifying. That's what I love about a good thriller. If you are squeamish and dislike bloody scenes, this book might not be for you. The ending was a bit unbelievable but satisfying. This one is the first in a planned trilogy and I will definitely be reading the second one when it is published.

This book is another winner by Robert Bryndza, and the start of a great series that I look forward to continuing.

The story begins with Kate Marshall catching “the Nine Elms Cannibal,” which should have made her a star among the police. But as we fast forward to the present, we see that the opposite has happened, and Kate is now a lecturer at a university. All of a sudden, young girls start turning up murdered, with some striking similarities to the historic case. Kate and her assistant begin investigating to see if they can prevent more gruesome deaths pulled from some twisted imaginations.

Kate was a sympathetic character that I immediately liked. She made some mistakes, but she also had a good heart and wanted to do the best she could. I don’t want to give away details, but she is both pulled toward the details of the Nine Elms case and repulsed by it. That dichotomy was really good.

The story also follows the Nine Elms killer as he plots behind bars and it’s a matter of waiting for the other shoe to drop. The tension was really palpable and I couldn’t stop turning pages.

There are also some subplots which really added to the story as well and I thought they were just as interesting as the main mystery. There’s so much going on, but it all comes out nicely and in a way that feels right.

Overall, I can’t wait to read more with these characters. Bryznda is one of my favorite authors and this series looks to be another winner from him!

I have followed Robert Bryndza as one of the most promising authors of the crime genre since the beginning of his career and I am happy to say that this title also met my expectations. Although I have to say that I miss Detective Foster a bit, the main character was very interesting and on the trail of the story. The story itself was very interesting and tense until the very end, although at the beginning it seemed that the case had been resolved and that there was nothing more to say about it. Once again, a job well done, Mr. Bryndza.

I am a big fan of Robert Bryndza and I loved his DCI Erika Foster series. When I heard he was starting a new series I was excited to read it.

In 1995 Kate Marshall was a promising Detective Constable with The Met police, She was part of a murder squad investigating a serial killer known as The Nine Elms Cannibal. One night Kate was given a lift home by her boss, DCI Peter Conway.

Accidentally, Conway dropped something that led Kate to believe he was The Nine Elms Cannibal.

This was an intense thriller that had me reading into the wee hours of the night. I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book for an honest review.

Kate Marshall is a former police detective turned college instructor. Several years earlier she helped to catch the Nine Elms serial killer, which led to the end of her career with the police. She moved on and her teaching has helped her accept what happened. But when a copycat of the Nine Elms serial killer starts leaving victims in the same situations as the original, Kate and her teaching assistant Tristan get involved. Her investigative skills are as sharp as ever and she uses them well.

This was a fabulous read and I cannot wait for the next book in this great new series by Robert Bryndza. The characters were believable, and the story just grabs you from the very first page. Don't plan on getting anything else done while you are reading this gem. Very strongly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author Robert Bryndza and the publisher Thomas and Mercer for a free ARC of this well written and utterly absorbing book. This is my honest opinion.

Kate Marshall is a young, police detective on the rise who by sheer luck manages to solve the Nine Elms Cannibal Killer case. The culprit is Peter Conway, the detective in charge of the investigation, who, before he is subdued by Kate, tries to make her his fifth victim and manages to give her a nasty stab wound. Although she is responsible for getting him captured and locked away for life, instead of being lauded for her efforts, Kate finds herself at the opposite end of the spectrum with her reputation in tatters and has no choice but to leave the police force; before his capture, Kate had slept with Peter and hence, is somewhat thought to be his accomplice.

Now, fifteen years later, Kate is a popular lecturer on criminology at Ashdean University and seems to have her life in control. She has a 14 year old son, Jake (result of her short, disastrous relationship with Peter) who lives with her parents. Then, out of the blue, she receives an email from the parents of a girl who went missing in 1990 and who believe was a victim of the Nine Elms killer and want Kate to investigate the matter. At the same time, a copy cat killer seems to have decided to recreate the Nine Elms murders (to honour the original killer) and Kate unwittingly finds herself back in the centre of the same nightmare.

Nine Elms is the first book in the new Kate Marshall series and the second book I have read of Robert Brynzda (the first being the Girl in the Ice from the Erica Foster series). I absolutely loved the Girl in the Ice. Nine Elms is also an addictive book, although I found it a teeny bit slower paced. It's dark and the description of the murder victims and how they were killed is a bit uncomfortable to read. The characters are strong and believable. I look forward to reading more from this series (and finishing the Erica Forster series) and getting to know how each character will subsequently shape up as the story moves forward.

My thanks to Netgally, the publisher Thomas and Mercer and the author Robert Brynzda for the e-Arc of the book to read.

Kate Marshall was a promising young police detective when she caught the notorious Nine Elms serial killer. But her greatest victory suddenly turned into a nightmare.Kate could only watch as her career ended in scandal.
Fifteen years after those catastrophic events, a copycat killer has taken up the Nine Elms mantle, continuing the ghastly work of his idol.
Kate draws on her prodigious and long-neglected skills as an investigator to catch a new monster but she must be careful because she was the original killer’s intended fifth victim and his successor means to finish the job.
Absolutely gripping from page one. Something from univers of The Silence of the Lambs.
Recommended, and I'm waiting for next book definitely!!
Big thanks to NetGalley, the author and Thomas & Mercer for a copy.

Nine Elms is the first book in the Kate Marshall series by British author, Robert Bryndza. In 1995, (then Detective Constable) Kate Marshall nearly died unmasking the serial killer dubbed by the press as the Nine Elms Cannibal: a paedophile and sexual deviant. Now, fifteen years later, she uses the case as an example in first lecture on Criminal Icons for Criminology students at Ashdean University. After difficult years, her life seems to be back on track.

Then she is contacted by parents who believe their missing teenaged daughter was an early victim of the Nine Elms Cannibal, in 1990. They want Kate to investigate, because the Manchester Police achieved so little at the time. Kate and her new research assistant, Tristan Harper are just getting started on this when a new series of murders occurs. The murders are duplicates of the original Nine Elms Cannibal cases, down to the fine details, but they are clearly the work of a copycat because the original perpetrator is still securely locked away.

The debut novel in Bryndza’s new series is a slightly different take on a police procedural with the main protagonist no longer a cop, and often feeling frustrated as a private citizen no longer permitted to investigate as easily as she used to. She’s also challenged by alcoholism despite being sober for some years, and driven by the need to keep her young son free from exposure to the whole 9EC circus.

Multiple narratives carry the story, and there are several twists and red herrings to keep the reader guessing right up to the heart-thumping climax. And while the original perpetrator of the 9EC murders is believable, credibility is stretched by the copycat, a conveniently rich, connected and clearly crazy individual; this trope is getting just a little tired. The messages in the sweets and the escape also require suspension of disbelief. But it will be interesting to see what Bryndza has in store for Kate Marshall and her sidekick next.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer.

NINE ELMS by Robert Bryndza has proven to be one of those books that is difficult for me to review. It was a read that I enjoyed, but there was something about it that just didn't quite work for me. Maybe it's because I was fighting a reading slump while getting into this one. Maybe it's because of something I'll touch on later. However, that doesn't mean I didn't like the book. Rather, it's simply one that I don't anticipate sticking with me for a substantial amount of time.

The first installment in Bryndza's new series, NINE ELMS follows former police officer Kate Marshall. In her days as a detective, Kate was the one to catch the prolific Nine Elms cannibal and serial killer. Rather than being met with accolades, however, Kate left the force in disgrace as a result of the scandal surrounding her relationship with the killer. Fifteen years later, she is a successful criminology lecturer, but the ghosts of her past still haunt her. When a copycat killer surfaces, Kate sees it as an opportunity to put her investigative skills in action again and, possibly, restore her name. But, the stakes are high with this one. Kate was meant to be the fifth victim of the original Nine Elms killer and the copycat intends to finish the job.

In my opinion, solid characters are just as important as the mystery itself to a successful thriller. For me, Bryndza hit the nail on the head with this. As this is the first installment, a good amount of time is spent defining Kate's character and, while she fits the damaged cop trope to a tee, there is something about her that feels completely authentic. The same can be said for just about every character in this book. There's no need to suspend disbelief with the people living in the world crafted here. Each one leaps off the page so naturally that each one of them could easily be a real person, making connecting with them (positively or negatively) such an easy thing to do.

Told in alternating perspectives between Kate, the original Nine Elms cannibal, his mother, and the copycat, NINE ELMS gives readers a full picture of the events taking place in the story, rather than asking them to fill in the gaps. I'm a firm believer that alternating perspectives can make or break a story depending on its execution and, luckily, that choice paid off this time. While seeing the events from multiple angles doesn't give away any spoilers, it creates a fuller picture which, for this reader, provided a greater connection to the story.

Now, for my hang-up with this book. The plot of this one kicks off with Kate receiving an email from a family asking her to help them figure out what really happened to their daughter nearly twenty years previously. It's through her agreement to investigate this that she stumbles upon the works of the copycat killer and the story is set into motion. However, that portion of the story quickly becomes a side plot and, for me, didn't add much to the story. The points at which the book circled back to that disappearance were the parts I wanted to get through quickly, not because they were bad, but because I didn't feel that they served the advancement of the plot in a significant way.

Overall, NINE ELMS gets a 3.5 from me. It wasn't a bad book by any stretch and, when I finished it, I was satisfied. It just wasn't a favorite of mine. That being said, I will still be watching for the next book in this series, as I will definitely be wanting to revisit these characters again. Available now on Kindle Unlimited and in bookstores, I'd recommend checking this one out if the plot appeals to you.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my opinion of the book or the content of my review. All opinions my own.

Nine Elms by Robert Bryndza is the 1st in the Detective Kate Marshall series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Thomas & Mercer, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

  

My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

Kate Marshall has been lecturing in criminology at a small university for six years.  The scars on her body are still there, but they have healed.  Other scars may never heal.  15 years ago, when she was a plain-clothes detective, she unmasked the Nine Elms serial killer (otherwise known as The Cannibal), but paid the price.   Her career, her reputation, her friends, and almost her life.  Her greatest triumph....and yet her downfall.  For a while she lost everything, including her son and her sobriety.   But she has been piecing her life back together, and that of her family.

When a couple approaches her to see if she would try to find out what happened to their daughter, she insisted she was no longer with the police, and could do nothing.  But Kate felt sorry for them, and since they felt that their daughter may have been one of The Cannibal's earliest victims, Kate promised she would look into it.

While Kate and Tristan Harper (her teaching assistant) are looking into the disappearance of this missing girl, a copycat killer emerges....mimicking every detail of The Cannibal's crimes.  It is difficult, however, to convince the police that the recent murders are connected, to each other, and to the original serial killer.  But the real problem lies in the fact that The Cannibal's fifth victim was to be Kate.  What about the copycat?

 

My Opinions:  

I totally enjoyed this first book in the new series.  I was a little nervous going into it, because I am a HUGE fan of the Detective Erika Foster series by Robert Bryndza, and I wasn't sure what to do with brand new characters.  I should not have worried.

I was sucked in from the first few pages.  The writing is smooth, the plot was compelling, and the characters wonderful.  Already, Kate has depth.  She is a strong woman who has overcome so much, but still has a ways to go.  Her past will always be with her, and she must learn to deal with it on a daily basis.

The book really looked at relationships between parents and their children, and the nature/nurture issue.  The story was told from various perspectives, including that of the serial killer and his mother, which was a rather strange relationship to explore.  As well,  the copy-cat killer got his say, and we learned about his relationship with his parents.  Then there is Kate, where we saw a mother's fears for her child.  Kate has a few extra fears to deal with, and I think this will continue in future books.

Overall, it was a really good entertaining read, and although I want more Erika Foster, I now want more Kate Marshall too.  Are you listening Robert Bryndza???

Very exciting book! Lots of character development and suspense. I was hooked from the very first chapter! Will be recommending to friends!