Robert Bryndza’s ninth novel featuring Detective Erika Foster her back to a face she would rather forget, that of Jerome Goodman, the drug dealer who murdered her husband Mark and her colleges when a police operation went wrong 10 years ago. However, there is just one very big problem his passport and his solicitor claim he is another person entirely, one who has no criminal record or any criminal associations.
Erika’s conviction that she has found and arrested the killer of her husband is at odds with her superiors who demand she takes time off to deal with her ‘issues’ and unresolved PTSD relating to the case.
However, Erika is not going to leave it at that and she uses her enforced time off to investigate the man who claims to be ‘Kieron Bagshaw’. In doing this she makes a series of shocking discoveries which reignites police interest in the case and forces Erika to confront what really happened on that fateful day ten years ago.
Another fantastic read where we get to see a more personal side of Erika and I enjoyed the time taken to show the relationships she has forged in recent years both professionally and personally.
Thank you Robert Bryndza and Raven Street Publishing for providing a review copy of this brilliant story.

Shadow on the Faces

Robert Bryndza’s "Chasing Shadows" is a slick, well-oiled thriller that delivers. As the ninth book in the Detective Erika Foster series, it also works perfectly as a standalone, even if you're new to the series, as I was.

Ten years after a disastrous drug raid, Commander Erika lives with the lingering guilt and haunting memories of the incident. The operation, which she led, resulted in the deaths of several officers, including her husband. Erika herself was wounded, and the suspects remain at large. Now, during a separate investigation, Erika unexpectedly encounters Jerome Goodman, one of the primary suspects she had been monitoring. Despite his having iron-clad proof of another identity, she is undeterred and arrests him. This leads to his release by the department and raises questions about Erika's judgment, ultimately forcing her to take stress leave.

The novel centers on her independent investigation, conducted outside departmental strictures. As she unearths new details, chasing shadows of the past, she starts to doubt her own culpability, suspecting the disastrous raid might not have been entirely her fault and that the suspects could be powerfully connected.

The novel maintains a brisk, almost relentless pace, despite its detailed police procedurals, as we rush to the conclusion. While Erika's unauthorized methods and access to cautioned colleagues raise some questions, her spunk and determination are ultimately admirable.

“Chasing Shadows” is an almost impossible-to-put-down book, a great way to kill a reading slump.

Thank you to Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #ChasingShadows #NetGalley

Calling all Erika Foster fans, this is the moment we’ve been waiting for, and it doesn’t disappoint. Robert Bryndza delivers a gripping, emotionally charged thriller packed with tension, heart, and Erika’s signature grit.

In Book 9, the long-buried truth behind the police raid that changed Erika’s life finally comes to light. While investigating a new murder, she confronts the man she believes is responsible for her husband’s death only to be told he’s already dead. But Erika refuses to back down. With her loyal team by her side, she’s determined to uncover the truth and fight for justice.

Smart, relentless, and fiercely loyal, Erika is a force to be reckoned with. This series is a must-read for fans of gritty, character-driven police procedurals.

Lots of action, police investigation, characters and suspense. Well rounded story with developed characters and plot. The pieces of the story are interwoven throughout the book, yet easy to follow and understand. Ending was fairly satisfying with most of the criminals getting what they deserved. Part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone book. Well written and enjoyable.

*5 Stars*

Copy kindly received via NetGalley for an honest review.

This was a great book - I've been curious to know the story of what happened in the past with the case Erika was involved in and her husband was killed during. This book really delves into that, and the friendships in the department. I really enjoyed this one, it was a real page turner and I enjoy reading stories in Erikas world. I look forward to more of this series in the future, definitely recommend.

Chasing Shadows is book 9 of the Detective Erika Foster series by Robert Bryndza.
In short, after a routine 999 call Erica is convinced that she has arrested the drug dealer who murdered her husband Mark, 10 years ago. But his passport and his solicitor say his name is Kieron Bagshaw. Erica risks all to prove that she is not wrong.
I’m a big fan of Robert Bryndza & have read most of his books, so it’s no surprise that ‘Chasing Shadows’ was another heart pounding, clever thriller, I couldn’t put it down until it’s heart stopping conclusion. It was good to catch up with Erika & establish what actually happened the day her husband got murdered…it nicely drew the line under that part of her journey. I thoroughly recommend this series, in fact anything by the talented Robert.
Big thanks to Robert Bryndza, Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley for this eARC which I chose to read in return for my honest review.

Another great book by Robert. He never fails to deliver a fast paced thriller. As always would recommend!

Not my favourite book of the series but still worth a read. Despite the gap between books I was still able to slide right back in to the characters lives.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Ten years prior, Erica and Mark were husband and wife and they were detectives. Along with four other officers, they went on a drug raid where the four officers plus Mark were killed and Erica was injured. Erica knew that Jerome had been the person to do the killing and who had injured her, but try though she may, she had been unable to find him. He had a team that consisted of him, Frank, Hugh and Danielle. Jerome had changed his name to Kieron, but when Erica arrested him she knew he was Jerome. There had been a newspaper article that stated Jerome had been killed in an automobile accident 8 years prior, but Erica didn't believe that. Erica's boss, Melanie, was angry with her because she had arrested him. She sent Kieron on his way and put Erica on leave. So Erica decided to solve the crime on her own.

Marsh had been a beat cop with Erica. He rose up the ranks and became a commissioner. When he took office in London he took Erica with him. It turns out, he was working with Jerome and wanted to keep Erica close to him so he could keep an eye on her. One day, Erica was over at Marsh's apartment and she overheard him talking to Jerome on the phone. That's when she knew he was involved. She put a detail on him monitor his movements. She also kept in touch with Moss, a fellow detective who kept her abreast of what was going on.

At some point. Jerome killed Hugh with Danielle's help. That was at least 10 people he had murdered. And Danielle murdered a woman named Cheryl because Cheryl looked very much like her and she wanted to play it off as though she was the one that had been murdered. She had changed her name to Marie so it looked like Marie was the person that was murdered. Danielle had been in prison which is where she met Father Michael. As it turns out, he was involved with Jerome's business as well. There were also other police officers who had a hand in it.

After Marsh was arrested, everything changed. You couldn't really call this story a who done it because the who was revealed early on. But it was an excellent suspense drama. I thought the author did an excellent job with the narration of this saga. I believe the characters were pretty well developed and the storyline was very easy to follow. I give this book five stars.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review
I’ve been waiting for this book since reading The Girl In The Ice, and the wait was well worth it. The 9th installment in the DCI Erika Foster series was packed with emotions, twists and mysteries. One thing I really loved about it is the way the novel explores Erika’s deepest wounds and traumas, I admire the way she fights for justice even with the lack of faith from some of her colleagues and superiors. Chasing Shadows is a well-written, fast-paced novel that I recommend to all crime/police procedural lovers.

This was an incredible, fast paced, well written read with all the facts laid before you. I read it as a stand alone before I knew it was a series, totally fine as a stand alone, but now I need more Det. Erika Foster!!! Run. Quick. Read!
10/10 Recommend!!!

Another fast-paced installment in the Erika Foster. Series! One of my favourite thriller series. Could not put this one down.

Chasing Shadows is book 9 in the Detective Erika Foster series by Robert Bryndza. It's the book we've all been waiting for as we finally find out more about the case that killed Erika's husband 10 years ago. When Erika is called to the scene of a dead body in which a ceiling collapsed there is no evidence to be gathered. The apartment has been wiped clean and still smells of bleach. The drug dogs indicate something is amiss and they find cocaine on the ceiling. Weird. The dogs also indicate drugs in a parcel locker in the lobby. As they track down the owner of the locker, Erika finds herself looking into the eyes of Jerome Goodman, the man who killed her husband Mark. Erika knows it's him immediately and places him under arrest. However, his name is now Kieron Bagshaw, his passport and lawyer say. He has no record and has never been arrested.

Erika's boss wants her to take leave and deal with her PTSD as she can't keep a man arrested for no reason. Some of Erika's colleagues think she's gone over the edge and that she's seeing her husband's killer in the eyes of strangers. Is Erika projecting what she wants to see in Kieron? As she's forced to turn in her badge and gun while on a forced 2 week leave, Erika decides to investigate on her own. Erika makes a lot of discoveries with the help of a couple of her friends on her team who believe her. Some of the discoveries she makes will force Erika to look at people she's trusted. Will Erika be able to prove that Kieron is really Jerome? Will she be able to prove that he killed her husband and 4 other police officers? Will her boss find out she's working behind the scenes? Will Erika be able to redeem herself and prove to people that she's not crazy? Chasing Shadows is one of the best books in the Erika Foster series and I rate it 5 stars with my highest recommendation. If you love a great thriller, get this book and enjoy! I'd like to thank NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for an advanced copy of Chasing Shadows in exchange for a fair review. #ChasingShadows

CHASING SHADOWS, a serial crime thriller killer case, is the 9th book in the Detective Erika Foster series by bestseller author, Robert Bryndza. Having read all his previous books in the series, I couldn’t wait to continue with 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!

Detective Erika Foster
1. The Girl in the Ice (2016)
2. The Night Stalker (2016)
3. Dark Water (2016)
4. Last Breath (2017)
5. Cold Blood (2017)
6. Deadly Secrets (2018)
7. Fatal Witness (2022)
8. Lethal Vengeance (2024)
9. Chasing Shadows (2025)

This is my review of Chasing Shadows.

DCI Erika Foster of the London Metropolitan Police is back leading the investigation with her team including; DI Kate Moss, DI James Peterson, Detective John McGorry and Sergeant Crane.

Erika’s husband, Mark had also been a police officer, who had died on the job over ten years ago during a botched drug raid. Now Erika is dating Igor, recently divorced who has a sixteen-year-old son, Tom.

Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster responds to a 999 call regarding a collapsed ceiling and a dead body of a woman in the empty flat above. Upon further investigation it was found that the room had been scrubbed clean with no evidence of DNA available, and cocaine residue on the surface of the ceiling.

Then a parcel locker was located outside the property…connected to Jerome Goodman, the drug dealer who was responsible for her husband’s death, 10 years ago.

Erika arrests Jerome Goodman, but his passport says his name is Kieron Bagshaw. But Erika knows that Kieron Bagshaw is Jerome Goodman!

Erika’s boss puts her on medical leave to deal with her PTSD…as she is getting too close to the fire, but she uses this time to investigate the case on the side. It is here that the tide changes and Erika undercovers some shocking discoveries.

Gripping, tense and impossible to put down, Chasing Shadows will have you on the edge of your seat, racing to the final page.

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 the author and Raven Street Publishing via NetGalley for my digital copy.

Another great book by this author.
This is book 9 in a series but can be read as a stand alone.
Characters around Erika are well developed and loyal to her.
Erika isn't herself in this one, she goes a little vengeful. Very exciting thriller.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start off by saying thank you so much for this arc! I was very excited to read it as I loved the authors other series. Unfortunately I feel like that series was much easier to jump into in the middle than this one and I found myself having a harder time connecting to the characters. I’m hoping to go back and read previous books, but ultimately is may just be this MC I do not connect to. Ultimately it wasn’t my favorite so I chose not to review on Goodreads as I do think this author is a fantastic author.

Buckle in for this fast-paced mystery! While Chasing Shadows is the ninth book in the Detective Erika Foster series, this easily is a stand alone novel.

There are some flashbacks for Erika as she recalls the murder of her husband and many members of her team. Murders that have become the coldest of cases. So imagine Erika's shock when she comes face to face with one of the murderers.

But it feels like a police cover up, perhaps at the highest levels. How do you even begin to investigate when you don't know who you can trust?

If you like a great mystery, look no further... pick up Chasing Shadows... a brilliant read! I highly recommend!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Raven Street Publishing for a digital copy of this book! It was published June 5, 2025.

Wow! Chasing Shadows is gripping, thrilling mystery that kept me enthralled from beginning to end! Erika and her team receive what appears to be a routine emergency call for a collapsed ceiling. They are shocked when the caller in the lower unit informs them that she believes there is a body above. They discover the body of a woman, in a room that has been chemically scrubbed of all DNA, with a film of cocaine on the ceiling. Drug dogs are dispatched and lead Erika and her team to a group of parcel lockers on the outside wall of the property. They chase down the owner, and Erika realizes she is staring into the eyes of the man who she believes to be responsible for the death of her husband and others during a drug raid years ago. She arrests him, but he has a new identity and is released. Erika is put on a medical leave, and from there, the real investigation begins. Robert Bryndza has written a brilliant twisting plot full of deceit, false identities, corruption, fraud and murder, with Erika at the center, fighting for both her life and her career. I just loved the book and look forward to reading more from Robert Bryndza. Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for my advance copy. The opinions of this review are my own.

Detective Erica Foster is investigating a mysterious murder case when she accidentally runs into the man who murdered her husband ten years ago. Even though she’s sure it’s him, he’s acting under a different name, has a squeaky clean record, and may even be protected by someone in power.

With everyone around her questioning her, Erica must find a way to uncover the truth.

This was a great story. Having not read the earlier books, I don’t think I experienced the impact that longtime fans of the series will. But this is a great investigative plot, can be read as a standalone, and while the pacing is a little slow at first, it leads to great conclusion. Definitely worth the read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Writing style
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Characters
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Plot
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Premise
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pacing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Impact

Thank you to Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*4.5 Stars*

Copy kindly received via NetGalley for an honest review.

This was a really interesting read with great characters. Erika was very determined to solve the murder of her husband and colleagues. She has a very good team. I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it.