I love this new series of Robert Bryndza, a totally different series than the Erica Foster books. This is the second Kate Marshall book and it seems that unbeknownst to everyone a serial killer has been on the loose for quite a few years. In between relationship problems with her son and an incompetent police force Kate tries to solve the mystery of die body in the reservoir. I really love Kate as well as her assistant and how she goes about solving this mystery. Robert has a brilliant way of weaving everything together, he is a really good storyteller. I would recommend this series to everyone who loves solving mysteries.

Any one that knows me knows that I am a huge Robert Bryndza fan and this latest book in the Kate Marshall series did not disappoint!
Kate is an interesting character with a very traumatic and unusual past. Her character continues to grow and I always look forward to seeing where life will lead her next!

3,5 Stars

This was not my first experience with Robert Bryndza, i already read and enjoyed the Erika Foster series. So i was curious to see how this new series will be like.
Well, i am glad i decided to pick it up now. The timing is actually very important. It came after a rather annoying/frustrating mystery. So the concise chapters, the interesting story, the waited for (although not very surprising) twist, made this reading experience even more interesting.

Kate Marshall stumbled upon a body while diving in a reservoir. The death was ruled as accidental drowning, although for Kate many details didn't add up. Add to that the disappearance of a fellow Professor, a couple of rumours about mysterious disappearances over the years and a very influential family and you get quite an interesting thriller.

I liked Kate and her assistant Tristan, and the dynamic between then and i think i would like very much to read more of this series. Maybe i would also go back and read the first book of the series. Many hints about it were dropped, and i'm feeling curious about it.

It is dark, disturbing yet every bit as thrilling as the previous one.
Shadow Sands is the second book in the Kate Marshall thriller series. The author blew me away with Nine Elms, the first book, so I was very eager to see what he had in store for me with his latest offering.

Well, yet again the author did not disappoint. What a start to novel and just thinking of Kate and her son even now as they uncover the dead body sends chills down my spine. Trouble never seems to be far away where Kate is concerned, especially with a past such as hers. I am really enjoying the pairing of her and Tristan and they have all the markings of a great partnership.

We get to know Kate’s trusted side kick, Tristan, more in this book which I loved. I have to admit his sister Sarah wound me up with her attitude and small mindedness and a few times I wanted to give her a good shake. I felt for Tristan as he struggles with certain aspects of his personal life but it all adds in making the main characters more appealing to the reader and by the end, I was desperate to read more from this pair.

The story centres around Shadow Sands which was a great location for a crime book. Kate being an ex copper, hasn’t lost her ability to pick up when something is not right. She also can’t leave things alone which makes things much more interesting. It soon becomes a race against time for the pair and have to say I love how it all ends.

Shadow Sands is a novel that has a lot riding on it. To follow on from such a phenomenal book, the pressure must really have been on the author to create another brilliant novel with expectations undoubtedly being high. Robert Bryndza has more than achieved that with this book though. It is dark, disturbing yet every bit as thrilling as the previous one. I love how he has kept certain aspects of Kate’s past open and I just know there are more thrills and chills awaiting us in future books in the series. Kudos to the author as he has well and truly nailed it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book

Another book by Robert Bryndza, another masterpiece brought to life. This time around, it wasn't so much a whodunnit, as it is a, why did they do it.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer, for providing this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Full review will be on my new blog!

Quite a few changes happened from the previous book to this second one in the series. We still find a lot of conflicting feelings regarding Kate´s relationship with her family especially with her son, and she finally decides which north she wants to give to her career always supported by her faithful associate Tristan. She and her family realize that bygones must be bygones and they have to look to the future. Whilst all these feelings plague her mind she also succeeds in solving a series of murders and missing people around the area where she lives. A very entertaining story that keeps you totally hooked till the end.

Let me start by saying this is one of my favorite books this year. Main character Kate Marshall is a perfectly wonderful hero but one full of character defects and feelings that make her so relatable.

Kate and her trusty sidekick Tristan investigate a series of deaths around a local reservoir and discover more than they bargained for, not only about the cases but about themselves in the process. This is a great read, full of twists and turns that will leave the reader racing to find out “whodunnit!”

I look forward to the next one in the Kate Marshall series.

Thank you to Netgalley,, Thomas and Mercer, and Robert Bryndza for this ARC. This is one of my favorite authors that I follow faithfully on Facebook,, and Instagram, so I was excited to read this new Kate Marshall book. I enjoy following the story of Kate and her adventures. Even though I loved this book, it didn’t have me on the edge of my seat like Nine Elms, the first in the series. But having said that, I did love all the characters in this one. Will definitely be reading the third book in the series. I have read all of this authors books and I’ve enjoyed everyone. 4 1/2 stars only because i found wasn’t as intense as the first book which I believe I gave five stars to.

I read the first book in this series and wondered if Bryndza could match the excitement in his follow up thriller. Yep - he did! This is another page=turner with intriguing mystery as well as wonderful characters. I enjoyed getting to know Kate and Tristen more and see how well they work together.

The writing is excellent with plenty of red herrings to keep the reader guessing. There were plenty of possible suspects and it was next to impossible to guess the killer until very close to the end - - and even then, I did so with a gasp!

I'm looking forward to the next installment in this series. Write fast, Robert!!!

This is the second book of the Kate Marshall series. I didn't read the first book in this series but there was enough backstory to fill in the gaps. I really like this author and his style of writing. The characters are well described and have real problems and flaws. The story has a good arc and a believable conclusion. Although there are continuing storylines throughout a series, there are no cliffhangers.

I picked this up because of reviews that promised, well, more than Bryndza delivered. And I'm always on the lookout for "not young" women protagonists. Unfortunately, while the plot is good, the writing is simplistic and the characters flat.

*5 Stars*

ARC kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love this series. This is the second book in the series so far, and a wonderful instalment. I really like both Kate and Tristan, and them working together to solve cases is just awesome. I like how we to get know each of the characters and learn more about them as we go.

As we got more and more details about the mystery in this one, I was very intrigued and trying to put together what the outcome would be. I was wrong, and was shocked at the ending. Bryndza writes in such a way that you're drawn into the story and the world of these characters. You feel for them and want to get to the bottom of the mystery with them.

I also find Kate's relationship with Jake quite interesting, and there were some bits in there that I understood, but wasn't quite happy about at the same time. You'll understand when you get there lol.

A great story that kept me on my toes, and coming back for more.

I'm loving these books and can't wait for more. I particularly liked the way this ended, opening up a great world for the next book.

Another marvellous plot from Robert Bryndza in Shadow Sands. This is the second thriller in the Kate Marshall series and Kate lands herself in another sticky situation investigating a murder that the police seem to want to brush under the carpet as an accident. Her investigation leads to more questions and mystery surround the the family who own Shadow Sands reservoir.

The pages just kept on giving, the plot flowed brilliantly and had me guessing and guessing. I felt like a character in The book, drawn into the story and chilled to the bones by what it had to offer. So clever and enjoyable and a reason Robert Bryndza has quickly become one of my favourite authors 👏🏼

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for gifting me a digital ARC of the fabulous new book by Robert Bryndza - 5 stars for a mystery that I couldn't put down! I've read quite a few of this author's books and loved them but how did I miss the first in this series, Nine Elms? No matter - I will definitely go back and read it but this one works just fine as a stand alone.

Kate Marshall is diving with her son in a reservoir when they discover a dead body - the authorities say it was an accidental drowning but Kate, who is an ex-police officer, thinks there are many questions. When the young man's mother contacts Kate to investigate, her and her assistant, Tristan, do more investigating. They discover that there have been too many disappearances in the same area to call it a coincidence and another woman has just disappeared.

I don't want to give much away because you definitely want to read this book yourself. The writing pulled me in from the beginning - a well-written mystery with great characters. I can't wait to read more Kate and Tristan adventures!

I really enjoyed reading this second book in Robert Bryndza's Kate Marshall series. The plot is multi-layered and twisty, a slow build of tension to a gripping edge-of-your seat conclusion.
Two years after the action of Nine Elms (Kate Marshall #1), former police officer Kate is again drawn away from her work as an academic into a real life crime. While diving in the Shadow Sands reservoir with her 16-year-old son, Jake, Kate comes across the recently deceased body of a young man. After becoming aware of a series of worrying discrepancies in the police investigation, and having been approached by the mother of the young man, Kate and her assistant Tristan again take on their private investigator mantle and begin trying to uncover the truth. The stakes are raised when an Italian academic, Magdalena, who has recently befriended Tristan, goes missing on a stretch of the A1238 notorious for disappearances of young women over recent years.
Kate and Tristan's investigation into the disappearances, and the discovery of several bodies in the reservoir over the years, is ruffling many feathers, and they face constant obstruction from both the landed Baker family, on whose land the Shadow Sands reservoir is located, and the curiously disinterested DCI Henry Ko. Meanwhile, the narrative periodically shifts to the perspective of Magdalena, and her experiences at the hands of her shadowy captor, ratchetting up the tension as time ticks away.
I feel that Shadow Sands is a step up from its predecessor, Nine Elms, both in terms of plot and character development - the previous book perhaps suffered from the weight of the lead character's backstory which, while essential to understanding her motivations, sometimes detracted from the main plotline. I still find some of Bryndza's prose and dialogue a bit awkward - he also seems to frequently fall foul of the "show, don't tell" maxim. Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable and stimulating read, with great characters and a gripping finale.
My thanks to the author, Robert Bryndza, publisher Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title in advance of its publication on 3 November 2020.

Shadow Sands, the second in the Kate Marshall series from one my favourite crime authors Robert Bryndza, is another gripping read. In this novel, Kate and her assistant Tristan find themselves caught up in a missing person case – and possible serial killer, though the local detective doesn’t seem to think so.

The plot is intense and dark, with some disturbing scenes depicting the current victim’s ordeal at the hands of the man who has abducted her – the fact that she is in some way linked to one of our main characters adds some extra tension to the story.

I enjoyed finding out more about Tristan in this novel, as his character is further developed throughout the book. The relationship between him and Kate is great and similarly I enjoyed reading a bit more about Jake following on from their traumatic ordeal in book 1. A brief ‘return’ (in a way) of an old character from book one offers a brief reminder of what happened to them both, and I really enjoyed the subplots peppered throughout this story – it’s not just about the hunt for the abductor/ serial killer but how Kate, Tristan and his family, Jake and others are getting on too.

Kate is a great character to root for; she’s as strong and determined as I remember her from Nine Elms – but, as before, not without her own faults. Shadow Sands is a welcome return to her world, offering a good does of grit and intrigue, and I’m looking forward to book 3 already!

I was nervous when I started this book - the first in this series didn't do it for me.
But this book - wow! What an experience.
Kate and her son, Jake, dive in the Shadow Sands reservoir. Only to discover the body of a young man who had disappeared days earlier. After a quick autopsy, his death is declared drowning - but Simon was a champion swimmer. His mother hires Kate to uncover the truth of his death.
And then a colleague of Kate's and Tristan's disappears.
Suspense. Twists. A rich, entitled family. Urban legends. Great book - highly recommend.

From my blog: Always With a Book:

This is the second book in Robert Bryndza's Kate Marshall series and I just love this series. I have been a fan of this author ever since discovering his other crime fiction series, The Erika Foster series, which I also really enjoy, and I have to say, as much I love Erika Foster, I might just love Kate Marshall ever more!

I will say, as I typically do when it comes to reading series, that while of course, this book can be read without reading the earlier book, I HIGHLY recommend reading the first book, Nine Elms, before reading this one. Yes, Robert Bryndza does give some bare-bones highlights of what happened in that first book, but as there are some parts that hinge on knowing the full story, you will only have a richer experience with this second book having read the books in order. But that's just my opinion. Perhaps if you read this one first, it will entice you to pick up the first more because you enjoyed it so much.

Anyway...this book starts off with a bang and never lets up. I found myself completely captivated and never once did my attention span wane. I dare say, this second book might be even better than the first and I really liked that one. I think the character development continues to be strong here, and not only do we learn more about Kate Marshall, but we also learn quite a bit about her assistant, Tristan.

One of the things I really love about this series, and we really see it here in this book, is that it's not all based on the movement of the case. There are subplots that allow us to get to know our characters - Kate, Tristan, and even Kate's son Jake - and at the same time, keep the book moving forward. I was particularly interested in the subplot involving Jake and will be curious to see how that one plays out moving forward.

As for the main case that Kate and Tristan find themselves involved in, this one really kept me guessing. There were so many moving parts to it, and all the twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering if the young woman, who Tristan has a connection to, was going to make it. My heart was definitely pounding a few times throughout this book...I love books that evoke that type of reaction.

This book is certainly chilling and dark - aren't books that involve serial killers usually? But I loved it and ended up reading it in one day - I just could not put it down! Robert Bryndza proves he is once again at the top of his writing game and I cannot wait to see what comes next for Kate Marshall and gang. I'm just bummed I have to wait a whole year to find out! If you like engaging, dark, gritty thrillers, I highly recommend giving this series a go!

When Kate and her son, Jake, are scuba diving in the Shadow Sands Reservoir, they come across the submerged body of a young man. The police call it an accident ... the boy's' mother just won't accept that he had drowned whil swimming ... he had been set to enter the Olympics in swimming.

Kate, herself, has doubts that this is 'just' an accident .... and she and her research assistant do some investigating on their own. What they discover is that there has been a series of strange deaths and disappearances in the area.

They're chasing a killer that is making dead certain that the secrets of Shadow Sands stay buried... and will kill anyone that gets in their way.

Full of non-stop action and suspense, this is well-written with characters that seem to jump off the pages into your living room. Although second in the series, this is easily read as a stand alone, however, I do recommend reading in order ... Kate's back story is fascinating.

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

Have you ever loved reading and yet the world just doesn’t let you get to it as much? I have honestly had such a hard time getting into reading this last couple months that Shadow Sands is just what I needed Robert Bryndza books are such a joy that I feel more like myself after reading this. Shadow Sands is a beautifully written thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from page one. Nine Elms is book one in the Kate Marshall and while Shadow Sands can be read as a standalone, I really do recommend you read it first. You will not only fall in love with Kate and the cast of intellectual people that have been penned you will also feel like you are solving the case with them.
This installment is two years after Nine Elms it packs a punch just like book one. In this installment Kate and her son Jake find a dead body of a young man while on a diving trip. From the beginning the prologue draws you in and chapter one shows you that this book will be like that movie Speed where you just can’t take your foot of the gas. While the ending is satisfying and I can see the direction of where the series is going I was truly sad that it was over. I know I haven’t said much on what actually happens but I am afraid to give too much away because I feel like you really should enjoy this like a great cup of coffee.

I will say that I loved catching up with Kate. The way that Robert Bryndaza writes his characters you get a sense that they are beautifully flawed and to me that makes the read more enjoyable. Kate has gone through a ton of things in Nine Elms and she will continue to be put through her paces in Shadow Sands. Tristian is also back in this installment and I can’t have my Kate fix without him. I loved how Tristian got more dimension in this book and I am hoping that he continues to grow in the next book.

If this is your first book by Robert Bryndaza book welcome to the party. If you love crime thrillers I can tell you that this is going to be a first class well researched book that is worth your time. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read. If you are looking for other books you will also love Girl in the Ice. Five Stars all the way this was great.