I think I have read every Robert Bryndza novel that has graced the publishing world. This third one involving Kate Marshall will surely have many more episodes to cross our paths in the future. She is an empathetic former cop who has started her own fledgling private investigator shop with her assistant Tristan. With deliberate methodical and painstaking research, the author builds tension. This is not a double whammy or snowball but rather a gradual patient fleshed out plot. This book can be read as a stand alone but I think it's valuable to read the other two books in the series to augment her character and background.
Kate has been hired to investigate a 12 year old cold case of a young missing female investigative reporter. Her mother has had no closure and has resorted to drinking and experiencing high levels of anxiety continuously. During the course of the investigation, they interview friends, a local MP, fellow workers and Joanna's family, while dredging up stories about male prostitutes, extortion, and deaths from asphyxiation. Each new clue leads to another set and a corollary story. I did really like this book but I must admit that I felt it was the weakest of his novels. I figured out the killer 1/4 of the way in the book and was hoping for much more tension. That said,I will still be at Bryndzda's side when Kate Marshall appears again.

Another terrific installment in a series that's got a wow of a lead protagonist in Kate Marshall. She's set up a PI agency with Tristan Harper, she's running a caravan site she inherited, and her relationship with her son Jake, who was raised by her parents, is growing warmer. Then she's approached by Bev, mother of Joanna Duncan who went missing twelve years ago. A journalist, Joanna was looking into the deaths of young men and it seems, got too close to a serial killer. Not a good thing for Kate, who has of course, personal experience with this. This moves back and forth between Kate and Tristan's digging and the voice of the villain. There are some good twists and not all the leads pan out. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read that will be fine as a standalone and really enjoyed by fans of the series.

Darkness Falls is a suspenseful third entry in the private detective Kate Marshall series. I entered this series at book 2, and jumped at the chance to preview this story.
Like the previous book, this is gritty and full of intrigue. There is a lot of emotion and suspense, and raw details and descriptions that can be a bit much.
I found Kate’s character to have grown, along with her partnership with Tristan. They make a great team, and I’m excited to see where they go.
Overall, this was a quick, intriguing read. My only complaint is that the culprit was a bit predictable, and pretty simple to figure out.

Joanna Duncan, a promising town reporter is missing. A twenty year old cold case because there is nothing but her old cell phone left. Kate Marshall and her brother Tristan are hired as private investigators to solve the mystery. Joanna’s mother got nothing but condescending lip service for her daughter’s disappearance.

Mr. Bryndza spins an interesting tale which includes some exploration into the male sex scene in rural England. The main focus of the story is to actually find out the reason for the disappearance. Why would an investigative reporter have disappeared in rural England? The police finally threw up their hands.

The investigation exposes the ugly truth. One of these winds up as the focus of the investigation. Each clue the author finds seem to be more onerous than the last one. I found it hard to set this book down.

A cold disappearance case is a whole other endeavor. The tenacity required to delve into a 20 year old case is intriguing. The author handled the case with feints and dodges that kept me reading until the end. The ending was particularly unexpected--very clever twist! 4.5 stars - CE Williams

Oh my goodness!!! Could not put this down, stayed up all night biting my nails, flying through the pages to devour the next twist. Absolutely mind blowing and a terrific installment in this amazing series

Ex detective and criminology lecturer Kate Marshall has given up her University position to establish a PI agency with her research assistant Tristan Harper. Tristan is still working part time at the University while the agency gets on its feet and Kate is also busy running the holiday caravan business left to her by her friend and AA mentor Myrna.

Kate and Tristan have been hired to look into the twelve year old cold case of missing investigative journalist, Joanna Harper by her mother Bev. The police found no leads at all into Joanna's disappearance from a car park near her office. Her laptop was never found and no one knew what she was currently working on. However, when Kate finds the names of two missing gay men on a box of Joanna's belongings, she wonders if this could somehow be related to Joanna's disappearance.

This is a very engaging mystery is perfectly paced. As the facts relating to the missing men are teased out by Kate and Tristan the suspense builds. there are quite a few twists and wrong turns before the whole shocking picture comes into focus and the final revelation is very cleverly done. Bryndza always writes great characters and manages to seamlessly weave in the continuing development of Kate's and Tristan's personal lives into the novel, making this a series not to be missed.

The latest in Robert Brynzda’s Kate Marshall series. This time, Kate and her partner, Tristan, are hired to investigate the cold case of a woman who went missing in a parking garage. The pair are able to find clues that the police couldn’t and slowly solve the case.
I enjoyed adding about these two characters, they are witty and smart, and work together so well. While this was wasn’t the most exciting mystery, it still kept me guessing and I was surprised at the end. Worth a read when it releases December 7, 2021. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital arc of this book.

This is the third instalment of the Kate Marshall series and I think the best so far. I devoured this book in a couple of days. I actually found myself not picking it up just so it would last longer! I have read everything Robert has written and I have never been disappointed. I love his style of writing and the characters he creates.

Kate and Tristan have a new private investigator business and their first case...a journalist who went missing many years previously. It becomes evident that this is a very large web of deceit, betrayal and evil. I loved the twist and honestly did not guess until the very end.

Thrilling, exciting, fast paced and dark.

Everyone who likes a thriller should read this and the previous books immediately!

In this case, Kate is hired by a family to find their missing daughter, Joanna. She was a journalist who disappeared over a decade before. The world seems to have moved on but her mother is still searching for answers. With no leads from the police, she turns to Kate’s detective agency to help her bring Joanna home, whether dead or alive.

Kate Marshall is absolutely one of my favorite Private Detectives. Her character has been quite strong since the first book. She makes a great team with Tristan. While Kate is a mother and former police officer, Tristan is a working student. I enjoy reading about their work relationship. The two are quite likeable and easy to root for.

This was a twisty cold case. The missing woman was an investigative journalist who disappeared after a big expose. I found myself wondering whether the expose was directly tied to her disappearance. Was she investigating something else? I suspected a number of people but in the end, the reveal totally surprised me.

This series is brilliant and I cannot recommend it enough. This latest installment was fast-paced, utterly enthralling and quite twisty.

Reasonable read, that didn't really thrill me .I wasn't that keen on the main characters, I found them a bit dull. Also the pace of the book was a bit too slow for me.Thank for the chance to read and review, but I expected to enjoy it more, sorry .I know this author has a strong fan base, and I am sure I will be in the minority, and other readers will enjoy the book more.

Kate Marshall and her young partner Tristan are thrilled to be hired to investigate their first big case for their fledgling private detective agency. It's a cold case, involving a missing young woman named Joanna who had been working as an investigative journalist. Can they accomplish what the police failed to do over the past twelve years?

The story reads like a police procedural with Kate and Tristan interviewing once again all the people who were involved in Joanna's life at the time of her disappearance. They are fortunate to have gotten their hands on the original case files and Kate happens to spot a clue apparently missed by the cops, which takes the case in a new direction.

The story, which is set in the south of England, is exciting and twisted with a very tense and dramatic ending. It can be read as a stand alone but I can highly recommend this entire series. I like how the characters are developing and look forward to their further adventures.

I received an arc of this new thriller from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity.

I enjoyed this book very much. It was the first that I have read by this author and now look forward to reading more 8n the future. The mystery was interesting and kept me wanting to keep turning pages. The climax and conclusion were well thought out and very satisfying.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: December 7, 2021
Robert Bryndza brings his beloved Kate Marshall detective series back with a vengeance in his new novel, “Darkness Falls”. This is the third novel in the Kate Marshall series, following “Shadow Sands” and “Nine Elms”.
Kate Marshall’s new private investigation agency takes off when she and her business partner, Tristan, are tasked with solving a twelve year old crime. Joanna Duncan, a journalist, disappeared without a trace, supposedly being abducted from a car park, and hasn’t been heard of since. Her mother, Bev, hires Kate and Tristan to finally uncover the truth behind her daughter’s disappearance. When Kate and Tristan look over the old case files and begin to interview old suspects, soon dark secrets begin to surface. Secrets someone very well may be willing to kill for.
Brynzda has a way of writing police procedural and detective novels that remain unique and innovative, writing generally entertaining and action-packed stories. Kate Marshall continues to be a brave and beautifully flawed character worth rooting for, and along with her young partner, Tristan, the two are a pair that fans of Robert Galbraith’s “Cormoran Strike” will instantly fall in love with.
Bryndza’s characters are modern and don’t fit a typical mold; they are ones we don’t expect, ones we don’t normally see highlighted in a detective series, and it’s so utterly refreshing.
The novel is told in alternating viewpoints; we hear primarily from Kate, of course, and a little less so from Tristan, with a few chapters narrated by the suspect (who remains unidentified until the final pages). I loved the seriously degraded, twisted mind of the murderer, and it was even more shocking when their identity was uncovered.
Kate Marshall continues to be a character I want to know more about and, right alongside with his other female detective series lead, Erika Foster, I long for more from both of them. Bryndza has not let this well run dry, and I hope he continues to pull out all the stops with his female-led detective series’.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Bryndza, and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Robert Bryndza is back with another intense crime thriller with Kate Marshall at the helm. With a sordid past as a police detective, Kate has opened up her own investigative agency and is ready to take on the world. She’s given a cold case, where a journalist disappeared twelve years before. While there are some possible avenues to explore, the police have given up. All that being said, Kate and her partner begin finding a new and interesting connection with some other cold cases in the area, which could be the momentum they need to acquire answers.

Kate Marshall had high hopes when she worked for the Metropolitan Police, but addiction and other skeletons in her closet kept her from being able to stay on the right path. She’s taken her skills and turned it into something great, opening a private investigative agency, supplementing her time as a lecturer at the local university. Working with her partner, Tristan Harper, Kate is hoping to make a name for herself and earn a decent living.

When she’s given a cold case, Kate has high hopes that she and Tristan will be able to solve it. A journalist went missing twelve years before, one who was gritty and determined like few others. She’d brought down a sitting Member of Parliament for potential indiscretions, but he had a solid alibi for the time of the disappearance. Working through the police files given over by the family, Kate and Tristan come across some names that do not seem to fit.

Deeper digging reveals that these were young men who went missing in the years before the journalist’s disappearance. They frequented gay bars and some had a connection of a commune in the area. The more Kate and Tristan push, the stronger the potential connection of the disappearances. Could someone have been trying to write a story, connecting the missing men to someone around the bars?

All the while, a killer lurks just out of sight. Their target is one of the seedy bars on the outskirts of town. When a young man is found raped and murdered, Kate cannot help but wonder if there is a connection to the cold cases she has on her radar. Forensics makes some connections, but there is nothing to tie these disappearances to any particular killer. Still, things may be slowly coming together, but at what cost? Another great novel by Robert Bryndza that will keep readers flipping pages into the night.

I always enjoy a great thriller and Robert Bryndza has never failed to deliver. His attention to detail is like no other and he finds intriguing ways to keep the reader engaged throughout. The stories are not outlandish, but neither are they plain and easily deduced. This is the second of Bryndza’s series that I have tried, which is equally as intense and has me wanting more.

Kate Marshall has a major backstory that continues to reveal itself here. While series fans will know some of her past, Kate is still trying to come to terms with them, as things emerge to remind her of where she was all those years before. Bryndza allows for some wonderful character development here, both professional and personal, which offers Kate Marshall a new perspective as she is getting her life in order. I am eager to see where things will take her in the coming novels, as I am ready for more as soon as possible.

Robert Bryndza is an amazing writer with strong capabilities. He writes well and keeps the story moving along. The narrative builds from the opening chapter and there is no time at which I felt things dragged. The story evolved well, using short chapters to tease the reader into pushing forward just a little more. Tackling social and societal issues amongst the murder investigation, Bryndza does not shy away from topics and keeps the reader educated throughout the experience. I can only hope for more, as he has a knack when it comes to crimes thrillers!

Kudos, Mr. Bryndza, for another winner. Don’t keep us wondering for too long, as your fans surely love what you have to offer.

Another great book in the Kate Marshall series. I enjoy Cold Case stories, and this one was better done than most. Robert Bryndza knows just how to keep the plot tight without giving away too much, dropping in a generous helping of red herrings along the way. The two main characters Kate and Tristan are very different personalities but together they make a great team. I think this is his best book yet and I am sure that Robert´s many fans will be very happy and eager for the next book in the series.

It’s nice to see Kate stable and running her agency. She gets a big case to solve the disappearance of a missing journalist and of course an entire other can of worms gets opened. Quick fun read.


I was given a copy by Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

3.5⭐️
Kate Marshall #3

A new author to me.
Kate’s fledgling PI business is on the up with the acquisition of a big case. Working with her partner Tristan Harper on a 12 year old cold case.

The characters of Kate and Tristan are well developed and likeable.

The plot works well, it has the feel and pace of a cosier murder mystery. I found it too slow paced for my liking.

Kate and Tristen have a big case for their new investigation agency. Tracking a missing woman leads them down a path full of mystery and intrigue. Several suspects and twists keep you gripped. The killer chapters are well written and dark. I guessed this one fairly early but it still kept my attention. I read this one in one sitting.

I am a huge fan of Robert Bryndza so I was thrilled to be able to read Book 3 in the Kate Marshall series. I absolutely raced through the book and finished it in one night. One of the things I love the most about this series is that the books are so readable and gripping. It's impossible to put one down and leave it for a few days.

Kate and Tristan are the perfect pairing for me, they are both really interesting characters and I loved the new direction in this story with the two starting up a private detective agency. It was a really enjoyable mystery and I loved playing detective alongside them. Lots of tension, lots of twists and a surprise ending that I didn't see coming!

I love Robert Bryndza’s work, both the P.I. Kate Marshall and D.C.I. Erika Foster series. Kate and Erika are two real characters with real- life problems, from smoking to alcohol to relationships, but their genuineness makes them all the more readable.

Some reviewers I follow seem to take issue with the fact that it is possible to solve the crime, as was the case for me in this situation. I don’t have any particular problems with that. In fact, I like to test my skills along with Kate and Tristan. Sometimes Bryndza leads me on a merry chase and beats me to the solution, but Kate, Tristan and I were in lockstep on this case.

Also, like Kate, I had a great deal of sympathy for Bev trying to find her missing daughter and bring her home for burial. Bev was another well-written character on a crumbling foundation of believable grief. I was as thankful to Kate as Bev was to find closure.

A side note on Jake. What gem of a tough man. From a less than
sterling father, he’s matured into a quality young man.

Great, fully-fashioned people populate this book. Good read. Thank you NetGalley.