📖 BOOK REVIEW 📖

#ChasingShadows

by @robertbryndza #ravenstreetpublishing

Synopsis ➡️

You know your in safe hand with Rob, he never lets you down - I’ve loved all his thrillers but this one just had that little extra sparkle. I felt it had real maturity to it. It knew what it was and where it was going. I loved going back to the beginning of Erika’s story, getting answers to parts I’d read about in previous books, I loved the familiarity of the returning characters / investigation team and it was a really good cat and mouse chase.

Instantly addictive, easy to read yet satisfying full, this one really is a great addition to the series. More please!

With thanks to author #robertbryndza #ravenstreetpublishing and @netgalley for allowing us to read this one early!

PUBLISHING: June 5th

-EMILY
@the_book_girls_1

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC of Robert Bryndza’s newest release featuring Erika Foster. I’ve read the entire EF series and also Robert’s Kate Marshall series. I enjoy them both for some of the same reasons - strong, but flawed female characters. I was very happy to see that RB finally gave us the answers to the case that ended in the deaths of Erika’s husband and police team. A long time
In the making, but worth the wait. One of the things I really love about Erika is her not being afraid to buck the system when it comes to rooting out the truth. Precisely the case here!

EXCERPT: Melanie got up, went to the window, and looked out for a moment. 'There are people in the Met and higher up who have you on their radar. I'm sure you know this?'
'I've been fighting against it for years.'
Melanie turned back to her.
'You ruffle feathers. You can't be swayed from your course when a case gets sensitive. It makes you a bloody good police officer but also puts a target on your back. I'm saying this as a boss, and as a friend. Take the next couple of weeks as annual leave. You have plenty left. Do the tests. I know you'll pass. And then I can let you get on with doing your job without things getting potentially more difficult.'
'Difficult for who? You or me?'
'Remember. I'm one of the few friends you have left,' said Melanie, her voice now icy-cold. There was a knock at the door. 'Come in.' PC Waller entered.
Erika looked between them. 'You're having me escorted from the premises?'
'I need your warrant card.'
'A police officer taking annual leave doesn't have to turn in their warrant card.'
'Erika. Don't embarrass yourself.'
Waller put out his arm to indicate the door. There was a nasty little look of triumph on his face.
Erika wished she had a witty or elegant comeback, but the only thing she could think of was 'go fuck yourself', which she refrained from saying out loud. She took out the leather wallet containing her warrant card, placed it on the desk, and looked Melanie in the eye.
'That man is Jerome Goodman. Ad I'm going to prove it.'

ABOUT CHASING SHADOWS (DETECTIVE ERIKA FOSTER #9) BY ROBERT BRYNDZA: In a deadly game of cat and mouse, Detective Erika Foster confronts her greatest nemesis—where the lines of justice blur and secrets unravel.

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.

She 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.

With top brass 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, Erika makes a series of shocking discoveries that move Mark’s murder from cold case to active investigation, all while flying under the Met’s radar.

The revelations will push Erika to the brink, forcing her to confront the trauma of her past and the truth about what happened the day Mark died – and who among her friends was involved from the shadows.

MY THOUGHTS: Robert Bryndza's Erika Foster series is one I am always up to date with. Yes, it is THAT good!

Although the author goes over the events from the first book in this series, The Girl in the Ice, I recommend you read at least that one book before this as Chasing Shadows relates back to the events that occur in that book.

I love this series, and Chasing Shadows is another solid addition to the stable. I read late into the night, reluctant to put this down, needing to know that Erika was, at last, going to get justice over the death of her husband and friends.

Chasing Shadows is tense, thrilling and action-packed, with plenty of surprises including corruption in the most unlikely of places. The investigation is complex as Erika is indeed chasing shadows, people who 'don't exist', although they once did and Erika is sure that they still do.

Erika's character is the lynchpin of the series. She is smart, dedicated and calls it as she sees it. She has earned the loyalty of her team who stand by her even when she is stood down.

I felt sorry for Erika's partner Igor - he really gets a rough ride here.

Chasing Shadows ties up the unfinished business from The Girl in the Ice and does so in a stunning fashion. I was riveted and can't wait to read book #10.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#ChasingShadows #NetGalley

MEET 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 he'll be able to understand his mother-in-law, build his dream house, and get the dogs to listen.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Raven Street Publishing via Netgalley for providing both digital and audio ARCs of Chasing Shadows by Robert Bryndza for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

My first read by this author and it certainly will not be my last! In fact o has not read the prior books in this series and I can say I didn’t have a problem understanding and enjoying this installment.
Well written, well paced, it took me a few chapters to understand what was going on in this read but the author masterfully lays out the story so that it was easy to understand and follow.
Solid story and complex plot that had me glued to the pages.

This was an interesting book that dealt with the past, yet I didn't feel as if I missed anything with the prologue and the information given throughout the book. It was a good and complicated mystery. Although I have to say Erika is not a likeable character. I understand this was an extreme situation for the character, so I hope she's not like that all the time.

Thank you to Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Yet again, Robert Bryndza has created a peach of a book to go with what is a fantastic series.

This might be the ninth in this series but don't let that put you off; it reads well as a standalone and whilst you have missed some of the character development, Mr Bryndza's writing is so good that it's not really an issue.

Ten years ago, Erica was injured, her husband and colleagues murdered during a police raid with the culprit never being caught. Erica is now investigating a suspicious death when she comes face to face with the man she believes is responsible for their murders but his name is different however, she's convinced it's him even when told that he's dead. Erica is put on stress leave but that doesn't stop her investigating with the help of her trusted colleagues and partner but at what cost?

The characters are really strong, the plot riveting and the pace perfect from the very start. This is a gripping and tense read for fans of police procedurals and crime thrillers and one that I can highly recommend along with the rest of Robert Bryndza's work.

Many thanks to the author, Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this, the latest in the excellent Erica Foster series.

Another exciting installment in this great series! This time, Erika revisits her Manchester detective days, focusing on the tragic deaths of her husband and colleagues. The book starts with a bang as a body falls through a ceiling, then delivers revelation after revelation as Erika hunts for her nemesis, Jerome Goodman. Erika Foster is a fantastic, realistic character, and I highly recommend this series.

Thank you for my copy of this book to read and review.

I have read all of the Erika Foster books from the start and recommend them to anyone that will listen.

As with all the previous books, this one had me gripped from the start. I liked the switching between timeframes and enjoyed how the story came together.

Although these books can be read as standalone, I would recommend reading them from the start as there is some continuity with characters and storylines…especially this one.

Great author and great detective series.

This was a great book and really enjoyed reading about Erika Foster. I'm so glad we got her backstory which I've been wondering about for a while. This was a clever story without tropes and it kept me engaged, reading, and wondering until the end.

📚: #chasingshadows
👩: @robertbryndza
📆: June 5, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍️: 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.
💭: Erika Foster is one of my all-time favorite FMC, and you will never see me waiting to pick up a book by this author. After YEARS of reading this series, we finally figure out what happened to Erika' husband, Mark, and her former colleagues. This book focused a lot more on that storyline than the "actual murder," but they fit so seamlessly together. This was a book about clarity and redemption, but it begs the question: what do we do now that the series is over?! 😭. NEVER STOP WRITING!!!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

Ten years ago on a botched drug raid, Detective Erika Foster's husband, Mark, was killed along with most of her squad. She was badly injured but survived and transferred to another part of the country to get away from the memories of that night. But now a murder investigation has brought her face to face with the killer who was the target of that long-ago raid. He vanished off the face of the earth back then, along with his two accomplices, but here he is, implicated in another murder.

The only problem is, he died in a car accident several years ago. Everything looks like it was him who died, but that face is seared into Erika's memory. But when she arrests him, SHE is put on leave and threatened with the loss of her job. While on leave she continues to try to find out how he escaped and is the target of harassment and drugs that are placed in her car prove to her that she is on to something. The story shows how sometimes the smallest overlooked details can hinder a crime investigation.

Getting reinstated, leading her team and finally finding out what actually happened that night, and who was responsible, makes for a good read.

I've happily followed Bryndza's Kate Marshall and Erika Foster thriller series' since the beginning and was happy to see this 9th installment of the Erika Foster series. I would recommend both of these series to mystery/thriller lovers!


Description:
In a deadly game of cat and mouse, Detective Erika Foster confronts her greatest nemesis—where the lines of justice blur and secrets unravel.

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.

She 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.

With top brass 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, Erika makes a series of shocking discoveries that move Mark’s murder from cold case to active investigation, all while flying under the Met’s radar.

The revelations will push Erika to the brink, forcing her to confront the trauma of her past and the truth about what happened the day Mark died – and who among her friends was involved from the shadows.

My Thoughts:
Erika's investigation of a dead woman found in an apartment leads her deep into the past to the first book in the series. When her husband Mark was killed in a disastrous raid and several other officers were killed as well. When she has the suspected killer, then finds out he has a different name and no record, then finds out the real killer is supposedly dead and there is a record of the death - she is stumped. She was so sure the man she found was Mark's killer. Erika pushes the limits of her authority and takes on upper management in her determination to find the truth. The book is fast-moving and engrossing, the investigation a complex web of information that unfolds bit by bit. I loved this installment - it was emotional and thrilling and I couldn't put it down.

Thanks to Raven Street Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Chasing Shadows is the ninth book in the D.C.I. Erica Foster and although it can be read as a standalone I would highly recommend reading the previous books for the back story.

Taking place over multiple timelines, from the present to ten years previous, and a few years in between, this story covers the 'missing parts' that have been teased about in previous books. With an imaginative and well paced plot, corruption, murder and threats it is a book that is hard to put down and I am already looking forward to book number ten.

Chasing Shadows by Robert Bryndza is a police procedural and a good one. Detective Erika Foster had lived through seeing her husband and four teammates killed in an operation she set up. It had haunted her until this day. She had transferred to be away from that and had fallen in love again.. No one knew that eight-year-old Carly had seen it all from her bedroom window. No one had asked her, so she said nothing. Now ten years later, while investigating another crime, she come upon a man she is certain is the perpetrator. He has aged and changed his hair but she is sure. Everyone else isn’t: the man in question had been killed in a car accident years before. It is confirmed, at least to her, when he empties the safe of his money and leaves in the dead of the night. After this fiasco, Erika is put on leave, where upon she drives to Wales to investigate his supposed death. Erika is a born investigator, on leave or not.

Erika is a good character, well-written and fleshed out. Most of the others in the book are not as well-rounded, but they all try to help, on or off the time clock. Her significant other tries as well but is not trained and so makes mistakes. Erika discovers Carly as an adult and hears her story. It sparks idea and after some convincing she gets a warrant. Catching the killers is never easy but perseverance usually wins the day. This was a good story; a good plot with all the hallmarks of a decent police procedural. Erika is an excellent character and the people she works with have potential. It was a good read.

I was invited to read Chasing Shadows Raven Street Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #RavenStreetPublishing RobertBryndza #ChasingShadows

I LOVE the Erika Foster series! Erika and her colleagues are so well written, they have real life issues, and still try to do what’s right. I was glad to get the back story on what happened to her husband and team many years ago. Even if you haven’t followed this whole series, it’s a great story by itself. I will read any Erika Foster book that is published, as well as anything else from this author!

I enjoy the authors books immensely for the premise of the book. Another good book that has you wondering what will happen next. The plot is twisty, deeply involved, and intense at times.

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.