A collapsed ceiling. A dead body. What starts as a routine 999 call takes an unexpected twist when Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster arrives on the scene and discovers the body of a woman in an empty flat, with all DNA evidence scrubbed away. When forensics find cocaine residue coating every surface of the ceiling, Erika calls in the drug dogs, who lead her to a mysterious parcel locker on the outside wall of the property. Chasing down the locker’s owner leads Erika back where she never expected to be – staring into the eyes of Jerome Goodman, the drug dealer who murdered her husband, Mark, ten years ago.

Another brilliant Erika Foster thriller from the master! I've loved all of these, and this lives up to the rest of the series, and then some. Get comfortable, because once you start this, you won't want to put it down! 5⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Chasing Shadows by Robert Bryndza in return for my honest review.
Chasing Shadows is the ninth book in the Erica Foster series and I can honestly say this series gets better and better, you can read this book as a standalone but I would highly recommend reading the whole series in order to get the full Erica Foster experience you certainly won’t be disappointed very tired maybe as these books will have you up all night.
Eagerly waiting for the next instalment.

Robert Bryndza has written another wonderful installment to this series. Erika is a very complex character with many issues and flaws..She has made chief and has.to deal with serious crimes as well. These books will keep you up at night as you need to know who did it.. Awesome book. Can be read alone but i recommend reading the series and seeing this character develop over the yeras

I was a little hesitant going into this one, mainly because it’s been ages since I last read an Erika Foster book, and I was worried I’d lost the thread. Thankfully, ChatGPT gave me a brilliant recap (honestly, technology is magic sometimes), and more importantly, it hinted that this book would finally tie up a lot of the lingering threads from the earlier novels. And oh wow, it really does.
From the very start, I felt completely immersed. Erika’s grief over her husband’s death has been a consistent undertone since book one, and in Chasing Shadows, it takes centre stage in a way that feels raw, real, and long overdue. The way the past is explored adds depth and emotion, giving us a fresh layer to Erika that made me appreciate her all over again. It’s the kind of development that feels earned and satisfying like the final piece of a jigsaw you didn’t realise was missing until it clicked into place.
What I really loved was how accessible this instalment is. Even if you haven’t read the rest of the series (though you really should), it’s written so well that you don’t feel lost at all. Bryndza has a real talent for balancing continuity for loyal fans with enough context for new readers. It genuinely felt like catching up with old friends, without the awkward bit where you don’t know what anyone’s talking about.
The plot itself is clever and tight, with that signature Bryndza pacing that keeps you flying through the pages. There’s danger, heart, a few gasp-out-loud moments, and underneath it all, a strong emotional core. It never felt like it was trying too hard—it just was.
This is definitely one of the strongest entries in the Erika Foster series. If you’ve followed her journey from the beginning, it’s incredibly rewarding. If you’re new to it, this is still a powerful, standalone read. Either way, I couldn’t put it down.
Highly recommend—especially if you’ve been waiting for Erika’s past to finally come full circle.

This was a great mystery! The twists and turns kept me guessing and the ending had me yelling out loud. I had not read anything by Robert Bryndza before,but I received this book for free and felt I wanted to leave a review. I really enjoyed the book. It was well written; and even though there had been a previous book about Erika that I had not read, I still could follow the story with no problem. I definitely would recommend this book.

Having read all of Robert Bryndza's books so far, I was as excited, as ever, to read the latest instalment in the series. And it did not disappoint.
I was totally gripped from the very first page and I could not put it down.
I loved that it went back to the original story and reminded why I enjoy Robert's writing and stories as much as I do.
Erika was so persistent and the pacing was excellent.
I truly can't wait to see what comes next.
Such an easy 5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow - that was an amazing read !! I've been a fan of the Erika Foster books for a while now - but this is the best one by far. I could not put it down. The story takes us back to the murder of Erika's husband, which has been a running theme in all the other books. Brilliant page turner and I could not put it down until I finished it.

Would strongly recommend.

In the book Chasing Shadows, author Robert Bryndza follows Detective Erika Foster who arrives at a seemingly routine death scene to find everything scrubbed of prints and DNA. And the ceiling is covered with white powder. After finding out the woman who died is not the person she is suppose to be, who is she? This death is anything but routine. And someone higher-up wants this case ruled a suicide and pushed through. What is really happening? And when someone from Erika’s past appears with a new name the wheels in her life begin to really fall off. Can she keep her sanity? And will anyone believe her? This was a good story and I would recommend this book. I received a copy of this ebook from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Justice, Snark, and a Hell of a Backstory — Erika Foster Delivers Again

This series is one I look forward to every year. I have rated everything a five star but I have meant every five stars I have given and this is no exception. Actually, if I am being honest I loved this so much more then the other because I feel like it made the story so much more well rounded. I always wondered about Erika and Mark’s backstory and this book is perfection. I finished this in one day in two long sittings. I am sitting here smiling just thinking about how good this was. Now lets get to what the story is about.

In book 9 of this amazing series we finally get the details of what happened on that day 10 years ago. Ow, when Erika’s husband Mark and her team were killed in a police raid in Manchester. That day changed her life and the way she sees the world. Now on an investigation into a murder, she comes face to face with the man responsible, only he claims to be someone else. Then she is told that the man who killed Mark is dead.

Now if you know Erika at all you know that she is not going to take this. She knows it was him and she wants justice for her husband. Even being put on stress leave isn’t going to stop her. And her loyal team and partner are there to help her.

This book was so good!! i just love Erika and her way of doing what is right, even when she is told otherwise. She is smart, determined and snarky and I love it. I cannot recommend this series more for those who love a good gritty police procedural.
If you haven’t read anything by Robert Bryndza I suggest starting with book one of this series then moving on to the West Elm series and the one rom-com book I have read by Rob is also good. So go read something and fall in love like I did.

This is one of the best books in the series! It was great to understand what happened when Erika's husband and her teammates where killed. The truth and deceit were so close to her and so difficult to accept and to decide who remained to be trusted. I was happy to learn this was not the end of the series and I'm looking forward to reading the forthcoming new stories. Highly recommended!
I thank the author, his publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I have tended to prefer Robert Bryndza’s series about PI Kate Marshall over his books about Detective Chief Inspector detective Erika Foster, but I have to say that his latest one about the London police detective is probably the best thing he has done in recent years.

Chasing Shadows is the ninth book in the Erika Foster series and takes the reader back to the defining events in the detective's career. A routine call takes an unexpected twist when Erika arrives on the scene and discovers the body of a woman in an empty flat, with all DNA evidence scrubbed away. When forensics find cocaine residue coating every surface of the ceiling, Erika calls in the drug dogs, who lead her to a mysterious parcel locker on the outside wall of the property. Chasing down the locker’s owner leads Erika back where she never expected to be, staring into the eyes of Jerome Goodman, the drug dealer who murdered her husband and other police officers ten years ago.

Erika arrests him on the spot, but there’s just one problem. His passport and his solicitor say his name is Kieron Bagshaw, and his record is squeaky clean. Suspended, Erika launches her own investigation that leads her to question what really happened on that day ten years ago.

Chasing Shadows is a fast paced, gripping tale that quickly draws the reader in. The early surprising developments keep you interested, and a secondary timeline, and point of view, from ten years ago efficiently recaps what happened and shows it in a different light. The investigation unfolds in a credible manner, although it does rely on a touch of luck. There are certainly some good surprises, and nicely placed red herrings keeps everything uncertain until the end.

Erika can be a prickly character, but Bryndza nicely fleshes her out in this book and her emotional reaction to past events really adds to the book's tension. In all, I thought that Chasing Shadows was a really strong novel from Bryndza. I had some slight quibbles over the likelihood of processes towards the end, but not enough to stop me from thoroughly enjoying the book. Highly recommended for fans of British police novels.

Rating 4.5, rounded up to 5.

When the investigation into the death of an ex-convict incidentally leads Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster to a man she swears is the drug dealer responsible for the death of several of her colleagues (including her husband) 10 years ago. Despite Erika's conviction that this is the same man, official records say otherwise and she not only has to let him go, but she is forced to take annual leave and step away from the investigation altogether. Of course, Erika is not so easily discouraged and continues to investigate on her own, and work with her team at the Met behind the scenes and behind her boss's back. When the investigation goes in unexpected directions, will the team be able to sort out what's really going on and bring the crew responsible for the murders 10 years ago and the most recent death? Chasing Shadows is well written with multidimensional characters and a riveting plot. Whether you are a long-time fan of Erika Foster and Robert Bryndza or new to the series, this is top-notch crime fiction that anyone who enjoys a nuanced and intelligent mystery will enjoy!

This is the ninth book in the Detective Erika Foster series. It can be read as a standalone. This is a very intense thriller that kept me on my toes! It’s fast paced and very well written. It has murder, betrayal, deceit, identity change and suspense. It’s a riveting page turner.

Tuesday July 8 2014. Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster is with her Armed Response Team from Greater Manchester Police they have had 17 Chapel Street under surveillance for the last 10 weeks they were sure there were drugs being distributed.
Targets for today’s arrest were Jerome Goodman, a drug dealer who’d been on their radar for the past two years, and his two associates, Danielle Lang and Frank Hobbs. The trio had been involved in the bloody slaying of a significant drug dealer in a pub in Moss Side. In the resulting power vacuum, Jerome and his associates had taken over the supply of heroin and crack cocaine in the north of England. They knew Jerome was in the house as they’d seen him go in and he hadn’t left.
All they had to do now was sit and wait in their Plumbers van, until the last mother and child left the house. Once they had the all clear mother and child were safe it was GO GO GO.
Life changed in that moment forever.
Ten years later Monday, December 2, 2024 Erika was crawling through rush hour traffic, when a call came through on police radio, Any units close to Amersham Road, SE14, New Cross? Code 5. (Code 5 meant dead body) Over.’ Erika glanced up and saw, just beyond the traffic lights, the sign for Amersham Road. ‘This is Erika Foster,’ she said, I’m right by it. Over.’ DCI Foster, reading you,’ intoned the young woman working control. ‘It’s number 14B Amersham Road. The tenant reporting the dead body is a Sherry Blaze.
This is the start of a journey that takes you back in time will it give Erika the answers she needs?
What a brilliant read Robert never lets you down each book just seems to get better and better.

And Breathe!!!! I am so excited for this book!!!

Chasing Shadows by Robert Bryndza is the 9th book in the fantastic Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster series. I could not wait to start to read this latest book within this series and WoW it did not disappoint, it was an excellent read yet again. I just love Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster character and she has been through so much, especially loosing her husband Mark 10 years ago in a drug bust where Erika was in charge. This day hs always hunted her she has been over this incident a million times over the years and things still not add up on what happened on that devastating day. She didn't just lose her husband Mark but she lost several good working colleagues and friends too.

Chasing Shadows is a deadly game of cat and mouse, when Detective Erika Foster confronts her greatest nemesis, where the lines of justice blur and secrets unravel.

When a ceiling collapsed in a house there was a dead body. Now, what starts as a routine 999 call takes an unexpected twist when Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster arrives on the scene and discovers the body of a woman in an empty flat, when they start to inspect the scene they find all DNA evidence has been scrubbed away. Why?
Then then forensics find cocaine residue coating every surface of the ceiling, Erika calls in. . . . . . the drug dogs, who lead her to a mysterious parcel locker on the outside wall of the property. Chasing down the locker’s owner leads Erika back where she never expected to be. . . . . . . . She is staring into the eyes of Jerome Goodman, the drug dealer who murdered her husband, Mark, ten years ago. WoW!!!! and breathe!

Erika arrests him on the spot, but there’s just one problem. His passport and his solicitor say his name is Kieron Bagshaw, and his record is squeaky clean.

Who is Kieron Bagshaw? Erika knows 100% sure he is Jerome Goodman

Now, top brass is demanding she take leave to deal with her PTSD and even her closest colleagues questioning her sanity, Erika decides to use the time off to do some digging of her own. Trawling for clues through old newspapers, encrypted messages, and secret underground passageways. Now, Erika makes a series of shocking discoveries that move Mark’s murder from a Cold Case to active investigation, all while flying under the Met’s radar.

Will Erika prove Kieron Bagshaw is Jerome Goodman? and bring him to justice?

This is a hard time for Erika and is she strong enough to confront the trauma of her past and find the truth about what happened the day Mark died and who among her friends was involved from the shadows.

WoW, Robert is one of your Best books and I Can't wait to read more about my favourite Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster. . . .

Another Superb read....... I loved it.

Big thank you to NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for my ARC.

DCI Erika Foster is unstoppable! Years after her husband was killed, she begins to put together new evidence that may finally put the perpetrator behind bars. Along the way, she comes into contact with some very sly criminals who will do anything to make sure they are successful. This was a very good read! If you like following detectives’ search for bad guys, you’ll love this!

I love this series, and this is another brilliant book.
When a body is found in a flat, there's no evidence or clues to be found but Erika is soon left shocked and speechless when she recognises the man who killed her husband ten years ago.
Placing him under arrest and feeling satisfied that he will be punished, Erika is devastated to be told that his ID says he’s someone else, and his record is spotless.
Erika doesn't take this well and is told to take some time out but she won't let this drop. Once she starts digging she uncovers secrets and lies, forcing her to confront the past.
This is a brilliant, fast paced thriller that I highly recommend.
Thanks to Raven Street Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

Robert Bryndza is a new to me author. Chasing Shadows is book #9 in the Detective Erika Foster series. Although not having read books #1-8, I felt that there was closure in this book. Page-turning, spine-tingling action on every page. Strong characters.

Released June 5th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The words 'Trust no-one' spring to mind when it comes to what Erica knows but what everyone else tells her she is mistaken about. She is so sure she has found the man who murdered her husband and colleagues in a raid gone wrong but everyone tells her that man is dead. Soon she is being forced off work and told to steer clear of this case, that's apparently nor a case. Can she turn to colleagues who have always had her back or should she be wary of them too..

Detective Erika Foster is back!!!! Woohoo! I always get excited when I see Robert Bryndza has a new book coming out. The Erika Foster series is such a great and thrilling series, if you have not read this series, you are seriously missing out! I could not wait to dig in and Robert Bryndza did not let me down! I found this book to be gripping, tense, shocking and hard to put down!

In Chasing Shadows Erika responds to a crime scene involving a dead woman in a bed. The killer left no evidence behind except for cocaine residue found on the ceiling. The investigation and drug dogs bring Erika and her team to a parcel locker and the owner - Jerome Goodman, the drug dealer who seriously injured her and killed her husband, Mark and several other officers during a raid ten years ago! Talk about a blast from the past! When Erika gets over the shock, she arrests him, but he is adamant that he is Kieron Bagshaw.

Her boss tells her to take some time off as the man in question comes up in the system as Kieron Bagshaw and his attorney vouches for him. Erika takes the break, but she is not backing down. Fans of the series know that backing down is not in Erika's nature. She is determined, diligent, and on a mission! Only time will tell if Erika can get to the bottom of things in this tense and shocking book!

As with his other books in this series, I found Chasing Shadows to be well thought out and wonderfully written. This book also has a nice amount of tension which I always love in books. The pacing is also very nice. There were no slow moments in this book. I enjoyed how characters work together and rely on each other as the danger mounts. This was an intense cat-and-mouse thriller! I enjoyed the dynamics between all the characters including the ones we are not meant to like. This made for great reading.

Such a great series! Such a great book! Robert Bryndza has another winner on his hands!