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: June 5, 2025
When the ceiling in a flat collapses, leaving a dead body exposed, Erika Foster and her team come in to investigate, and find far more than they bargained for. The crime scene has been wiped clean and the body is falsely identified, leaving Erika and her team with more questions than answers. Erika quickly discovers that the dead body has connections to the man who shot her police officer husband dead ten years ago and so, even when she’s pulled off the case, Erika knows she can’t stop until she gets justice.
The ninth book in the Erika Foster series by Robert Bryndza, “Chasing Shadows” is a compelling police procedural in which Erika finally gets answers to the crime that has haunted her for years. I have followed Erika’s journey since Bryndza’s very first novel in the series, “The Girl in the Ice”, but “Shadows” is the only novel in which I feel it necessary that the former novels in the series be read before exploring (or, at the very least, “Girl in the Ice”) as the backstory in “Shadows” is quite complex and involves plot points from the earliest novels.
“Shadows” features all of the previous characters I know and love, including Moss, Peterson, Igor, Erika’s romantic partner, and Isaac, the coroner. There is a massive twist in this novel, too, which I won’t give away, that involves a pretty big player in the series, and it caught be my total surprise.
The new Erika Foster novel takes place over multiple timelines, in various orders, from the present to ten years ago (when Erika’s husband was killed), with a few other years in between. Although Erika is the protagonist, other characters narrate a few chapters here and there, but it all converges organically in a tight, well-formed plot.
Now that this chapter in her life is closed, I wonder what’s next for Erika. Bryndza shows no signs of bringing the series to a close and, for this, I am grateful, as I will continue to be a loyal Erika Foster reader until the bitter end. “Shadows” is a suspense-fueled detective novel, with “dirty” cops, drug dealers, mistaken identity and action-packed drama sequences, and it is every bit as excellent as the previous novels in the series. I will be holding my breath for book ten!

Thank you to NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for letting me read Chasing Shadows. Robert Bryndza has done it again with Detective Erika Foster book nine in the series. The story grips you from page 1 and the characters make you feel as though you know them. Definitely a 5 star read. Looking forward to book 10

This book closes the loop for police woman Erika Foster on the botched drug trafficking investigation that resulted in the death of several police officers including her husband Mark. Erika learns new information concerning the case that allows the reopening of the investigation that leads to information about a high level coverup within the police force.

This book was just okay. I think it may be a part of a series, but did very well as a stand alone book. The suspense part was good as well. The relationships however were strange. They relationship between Igor and Ericka was just annoying, she treated him so badly it was hard to see why he was in the relationship. Also, the story felt a little stilted at times.

Thank you to Net Galley and Raven Street Publishing for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is part of a series centering around Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster but can easily be read as a standalone. The story evolves around deceit, betrayals, lies, murder, crooked cops, changed identities and a detective searching for the truth. A sting operation from fourteen years ago which went awry killing Erika's team has haunted her since that day. The story unfolds from going from present to past to present to demonstrate the scope of the man, along with his cohorts, who created such chaos and destruction for his personal gain. Suspense builds each passing day as Erika and her team digs deeper for the truth. This is my honest voluntary review. Received an ARC thru NetGallery.

Chasing Shadows is another brilliant instalment in the Erika Foster series.
We've heard so much about Mark throughout the other books, I really enjoyed the opportunity to dig more into what happened with him, the case and the twists associated with his death. Spoiler - a bit gutted to learn what did happen!
4.5 stars.

This was a thriller set in the UK. It also has a dual timeline. The author may be a best seller, but the language is horrendous and why I rated it lower. The storyline was great and well written. I was given a complimentary copy of this book and the opinions are my own.

I was issued this book by NetGalley for my unbiased review.

A good book for mystery fans. Good story where you hope it ends in a certain fashion. The question is how do they get there. The story starts in the past and comes back to the future, tying things together.

Mr. Bryndza writes a good story as he always seems to do. Look forward to more of this series.

Shoutout to NetGalley, the author and publisher for sending this eARC my way! I really enjoyed this book, was hooked from the first page and couldn’t put it down. I’ll definitely be picking up the prior books in the Detective Erika Cross series and all future book in this series! So entertaining! This book had me playing detective, trying to figure out who were the bad apples in the station.

I love Robert Bryndza's books. The Kate Marshall and Erika Foster series have interesting characters and always intriguing plots that keep me turning pages. This latest Erika Foster book is no exception.

What starts as a routine investigation into a dead body leads Erika to the past that continues to haunt her: the death of her husband and colleagues ten years ago on what was supposed to have been a routine drug bust. The perpetrators were never caught, but now, Erika comes face-to-face with one of the suspected killers. He has a different identity, but Erika knows it's him--only to be told to stop pursuing that case angle. Frustrated and forced to take leave, Erika returns to the scene of the drug bust and begins digging. What she finds is damning information about the bust and links to the current case.

I liked that Bryndza went back to Erika's past so she could try to solve the case that has haunted her. This cleverly plotted story ties Erika's past and present lives in ways that enrich the character and help resolve her demons. The writing is top-notch, and the breakneck pacing makes for an excellent page-turner. 5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is June 5, 2025.

I hope this is not the end!

Erika is such a easy character to root for! It has been a ride watching her deal with her grief, find romance,catch the bad guys and also navigate the "brass" while remaining true to herself.

While Erika is somewhat sidelined, her team are given the opportunity to shine as they unravel what happened on that fateful day, and who is involved. Erika finding that her husband's murder is alive and well , but dead and gone at the same time was not a twist I saw coming. The how was a surprise, but the who not so shocking. Everyone closes ranks and are willing to put themselves on the line to find the truth.

It was nice to see Moss settle into having more authority, glimpses of Erika's home life and more information about the circumstances that lead to the tragic chain of events that brought Erika to where she is now.

I really love this character and her team, and finally one where no one is in peril! I honestly hope we get to see where Erika goes from here,

I appreciate the chance to share my views due to NetGalley and the publisher. I highly recommend this series

What an absolute nail biter, Erika is such a perfect imperfect character, the whole team are like a part of the family that live far away and we only see once a year when they visit.....but what a visit it is every time....another cracking read from a favorite detective. Love that her story feels more complete and can't wait to see how or where she goes from here

This is another great book with my friend, Erika, leading the way. Yes, I’ve come to think of her as my friend after reading so much about her.

As usual, the story is well written and held my interest throughout. In spite of many previous Erika Foster books, Chasing Shadows is not one bit stale or contrived as so often happens in a series. And as usual, the ending is very satisfying.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I especially enjoyed it.

So enjoyed this return to Erika’s world. It’s a great read, fast paced and very addictive. I’d always hoped Robert would return to the murder of Erika’s husband Mark and their colleagues back in 2014 because it really defines the way her character has changed over the years following such a tradegy and still impacts on the way she reacts to situations in the present. It certainly lived up to my expectations and I didn’t want it to end! I enjoyed the involvement of my favourite characters, Isaac, Moss and Peterson. They’re a top team! All in all, I’d thoroughly recommend this title. The series keeps getting better and better with each book. I can’t wait for the next instalment.

Here we are on the ninth book in the Detective Erika Foster series, and what a tale it is. This book reads well as a standalone as the author deals with Erika’s past in some detail, however, I would recommend starting at the beginning, as the whole series is brilliant. As always, this latest instalment is fast paced, exhilarating and totally gripping. The characters are all well-written and well-developed, in fact spending time with Erika and her team is like spending time with old friends – each and every character adds something to the tale.

The story is told via a multiple POV configuration, flowing seamlessly between Erika and others. This structure really helps to give the reader a better picture of what was taking place and when, which is especially important as the reader is relying heavily on recollections to detail the histories of Jerome, Frank and Danielle. All in all, this is a brilliant instalment. It was so satisfying to watch Erika solve the case that has haunted her for many years, and there were more than a couple twists I didn't see coming! Very highly recommended.

Nine books deep in the Erika Foster series the DI faces her demons up close and personal in the most shocking investigation of them all.

This was a cleverly thought out plot and very satisfying back story after all the years of waiting for it. Well done Robert Bryndza 👏🏼 and cheers to our favourite chilli eating detective Erika 🍻

Robert Bryndza in Chasing Shadows again comes up with a plot twisting, suspenseful, unpredictable crime novel of the best kind. Erika Foster, who is a leader of her London police department’s detectives, comes up against a problem she could not have foreseen. Her husband had been murdered 8 years previously, as well as four others, and as she was responding to a new crime scene, that fateful day comes crashing back to her. Her partner is wondering what is happening to Erika as she goes off track in her questioning of a woman who is reporting a crime.

What ensues is totally unexpected, her supervisors at the police department seem to think Erika has lost her marbles and they put her on leave until she passes a “routine” physical. Erika thinks she is beginning to understand what is happening but she cannot believe it.

With help from some brave cohorts at the department, she comes up with theories and won’t be deterred. Read Chasing Shadows for an unputdownable adventure.

Robert Bryndza’s popular Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster series, Chasing Shadows, starts out with a recap of the events from 10 years earlier when a drug raid went terribly wrong. Erika’s husband and other officers were killed. The men responsible somehow escaped, and Erika was blamed for botching the mission.

Now, she’s on her way to work when she answers a call about a body. Since she’s near the scene, Erika goes to a flat, where she meets with a peculiar discovery. A woman has discovered the body of her neighbor, a woman laid out in her bed. A radiator has crashed through the ceiling. The room smells strongly of bleach, and when the forensics team examines the room, they cannot find a trace of DNA. There is, however, cocaine powder all over the ceiling. This leads Erika to believe this death may not be due to natural causes.

This is not the only the beginning of a tale filled with unusual events. When DCI Foster and Detective Kate Moss go to interview a potential witness about the case, they are introduced to a man called Kieron Bagshaw. For Kate, the feeling is visceral. She knows him. He knows it. She arrests him, but records showed that the man she knew him to be, Jerome Goodman, had died in a car crash. But, as readers of this series know, Erika Foster does not give up easily. Nor only that, but the dead woman has been misidentified as well. Who was she?

She pushes her limits to the extent that she’s forced to take leave. Does that stop her? What do you think? With the help of her loyal team’s clandestine work, we learn who was involved, how they did it, and what happens to them in the end. Things are all neat and tidy – yes, it’s fiction, so it’s all quite pat, but I found the whole book quite engaging and hard to put down.

There is a big surprise – at least it was a surprise to me, and it took guts for this team of detectives to pull it off. Perhaps now Kate can finally have some peace.

I received a digital copy of Chasing Shadows as an ARC. Thanks to NetGalley, Raven Street Publishing, and the author.

5 stars

Book 9 in the Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster series, and it remains as fresh and inventive as the first.

The storyline begins with a collapsed ceiling in a flat, through which the neighbour below believes she can see a dead body. Erika is first on the scene and finds that the flat has been thoroughly cleaned, the smell of cleaning products being overwhelming.
However, forensics discover 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.

And so it is that we are finally privy to the exact details of what really happened on that fateful day 10 years ago.

This is another terrific read in this brilliant series, when Erika is finally able to confront those responsible for her husband’s death and those of her colleagues. We get to see a deeply emotional side to Erika’s personality this time around, and it’s great to witness the support of her dedicated team at this difficult time. Exciting, suspenseful, and one of my favourites in the series so far. Highly recommended.

Do not believe the things you feel and tell yourself when you're sad and alone.

That's what has weighed heavily on Detective Erika Foster for years and years. She was in charge of a serious stakeout incorporated by the Metropolitan Police of London ten years ago. They lay in wait for Jerome Goodman and his cronies who dealt big time drugs out of a house in a London neighborhood. But it all went down within a few explosive minutes. Goodman escaped and a shoot out left Erika's husband, Mark, and four of her colleagues dead. Erika was seriously injured herself. But Erika carried the blame for ten years with a long self-inflicted term of PTSD and its punishment.

And then situations will spin on a dime after a radiator plummets through the floor of an apartment building. The result? A dead body spotted through the hole above in the ceiling. Erika and her team are then led to possible drugs in a storage unit. They trace it back to one man.......Kieron Bagshaw. The minute Erika sees him face-to-face she knows.......it's Jerome Goodman. They lock eyes. But Bagshaw has a clean record. No arrest.

Chasing Shadows is #9 in the Erika Foster Series, but it can certainly be read as a standalone with past events filled in nicely by Robert Bryndza. Bryndza tightens the screws on Erika this time when no one believes what she has adamantly discovered. Even her superior officer thinks that she's suffering from old emotional wounds. Erika is forced to take a leave of absence until she is fit to return. And in the meantime, we'll ride alongside Erika trying to make sense of it all. Bryndza guarantees a wild and crazy adventure page after page.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Raven Street Publishing and to the talented Robert Bryndza for the opportunity.