Cover Image: Nine Elms

Nine Elms

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Member Reviews

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

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Robert Bryndza is one of my favourite authors. I have read all of the Erika Foster novels (and even the early Coco Pinchard ones). Nine Elms is the first in the Kate Marshall series.

I haven't really been reviewing/sending feedback for the past couple of years but have now read the fourth in the Kate Marshall series and realised I had never sent feedback for this one.

Nine Elms was a cracking start to the series. Robert is able to draw you in almost immediately then takes you on a journey. His characters are wonderful (often with 'issues'). The book starts in 1995 when Kate is a Detective Constable on the hunt for a serial killer dubbed 'The Nine Elms Cannibal' and she almost died unmasking the killer. Fifteen years later she is no longer a police detective. She is a university lecturer in Criminology.

Out of the blue she receives a letter from the parents of a girl who went missing in 199o and who think she may have been an early victim of the convicted killer. They ask Kate to look into their daughter's disappearance and offer to pay. All this (and more) ultimately leads to Kate becoming a private investigator.

I love how the author manages to balance story, descriptions and dialogue perfectly. The story flows; you never get bogged down. There's enough layers and twists for a satisfying read but it's never over complicated. [that could be applied to any of Robert's novels].

As I say, Robert Bryndza is one of my favourite writers. His books never disappoint.

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Another excellentt book by Robert Bryndza which I thoroughly enjoyed. It features Kate Marshall who,with the help of her assistant Tristan, investigates the murder of a young girl by the nine elms serial killer. ..who she eventually captures. It is a wonderful thriller that keeps you enthralled to the last pages.

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My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
This is an excellent start to this series, a Police procedural in some respects though our heroine has left the force, and with her able assistant becomes a P I aiding the Police in their hunt for a copycat serial killer. Absorbing clever and interesting throughout, well written with excellent characters and plenty of surprises. Be warned there are also some gruesome moments.
Recommended.

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Having read Bryndza’s Erika Foster series, I did wonder how he could live up to that.

I needn’t have worried though, as he has me hook, like and sinker for the first few pages.

I wasn’t sure whether Kate Marshall would be a likeable character or not, mainly due to her issues with alcohol etc which are rife in this type of book with a main female character. I did however come to like her and look forward to seeing her character being developed more in future instalments.

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Nine Elms is the new series by Robert Bryndza with a new female lead character. Kate Marshall was a young promising detective who almost became the fifth victim of the Nine Elms Cannibal. Now a lecturer in a small coastal University she is haunted by her past. Now a copycat killer starts up.

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A great read., really enjoyed it. I hope to see more of Kate in the future. It kept me gripped and some good twists.

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This was my first book by Robert Bryndza but certainly won't be my last!

This had me totally engrossed from the outset.

Excellent police procedural, dark and twisted with intriguing new characters that you want to read more about.

I'm off to investigate what else is available from this outstanding author.

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I loved Robert Bryndza's other work so I was really excited to see he had a new series out and it does not disappoint. Featuring former police officer Kate Marshall, now a criminology lecturer in Devon, Marshall and her research assistant Tris get caught up in the cold case of a missing girl, a case close to Marshall's heart because it is connected to the serial killer case which forced her to leave the police.

Tense, thrilling and gruesome at times, it's another belter of a series and one which I can't wait to read more of.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

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I am a big fan of Robert Bryndza, so was looking forward to reading his new series featuring Kate Marshall. I did actually read the second book first, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment. Kate is a former police officer, now working as a lecturer in Criminology at a fictional Devon university. She and her research assistant, Tris, find themselves looking at a cold case of a missing girl which has potential links to the serial killer case which cost Kate her career in the police. The story is pacy, well written, sometimes gruesome, and I really like the characters. Hope Robert will be writing many more in this series. Thanks to Netgalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

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Dark And Gruesome....
The first in a series featuring Kate Marshall. Serial killer? Copycat killer? A dark and often gruesome tale of the detective’s fight to catch a killer whilst living in the shadow of the past. Tense and often disturbing.

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One of the best authors around at the moment I always wait in anticipation for his next week

This one will not disappoint its brilliant

More please Robert

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is a while since I read an earlier series by Robert Bryndza, l remember that his stories are fast moving and full of twists and turns, hence reading this book: Nine Elms. This is described as the first book in a series featuring Kate Marshall.

I wasn't far into the story before I was drawn into an intriguing plot. It soon transpires that Kate Marshall was aDC in the Metropolitan Police, however she left under a cloud and is now a criminology lecturer at a university in fictional Town near Exeter in Devon.

It is an extremely fast paced novel in the crime procedural genre. The author, Robert Bryndza has created the potential for a decent series, as the central character is supported by a diverse selection of other characters.

I really liked the accurate use of the multiple South West England settings, cleverly interspersed with a number of fictional places. Together these added a real sense of reality to the writing.

Without wishing to spoil the story, I feel that it is safe to mention the author's clever blending of Kate Marshall's historic case with that of the modern day copycat. Suffice to say that the two strands of the narrative come together in a tense conclusion.

I give my thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy of this novel in exchange for this review. On the strength of this story I am about to start the second book in the Kate Marshall series.

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This is excellent, and a very promising start to a new series. Robert Bryndza writes strong, complex women very well, and the rest of his characters aren't bad either. Highly recommended.

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Well let me start off by stating that this is a brilliant book. This is the first time I've read a Robert Bryndza book and I've become a fan. His style of writing reminds me of a spider spinning a web of lies, murder and deception. The characters in this book, even the fringe characters were brilliantly created and the story marvellously told. I loved Kate Marshall but my favourite character was Tristan even though he was not the main character in focus. And the evil characters in this book, Peter Conway, Enid Conway and The Fan were brilliantly evil and hateful which I think was the intention of Mr Bryndza. Overall a brilliant read one which I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone who loves good mystery thrillers. And now to wait for the next book. A big thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for giving me this book in exchange of my honest review.

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As usual, Robert Bryndza is outstanding in his portrayal of new heroine (to a point) Kate Marshall. Kate was previously a senior detective who notoriously caught the elusive Nine Elms killer. Due to an lapse in judgement Kate was dismissed from the police in Shame and embarrassment. and pregnant with her son she commenced a career in criminology and taught as a lecturer in the local university., and this Is where he troubl
es begin. Looking after ,her now teenage, son she is enlisted by a couple who want her to find theiir missing daughter..
A well written story with the exciment of what we have come. to expect from Bryndzq. A brave move introdUCINg
a band new character after the success of Erica Foster but i do believe its paid off..#robertbryndzanineelmsnetgalley. #goodreadsnineelms.#netgalleyreview

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Absolutely enjoyed from start to finish, u didn't want the book to end. Highly recommended, if you like books that keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat.

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I have read all of this author’s books so far and didn’t think he would be able to come up with anything to match the Erika Foster series from the previous books! Well, you know what, I think he might have just done it!! I loved Erika Foster’s character and when I saw this new book was a new series and character, I’d already decided that I wouldn’t like it because it wasn’t Erika!! Thankfully I was proved wrong, and Kate Marshall is a fantastic character!! We meet Kate 15 years before the main story. She is a police officer and is on the case of a serial killer dubbed the Nine Elms Cannibal. Unfortunately for Kate, she got a little too close to the killer in every sense of the word, and although she was responsible for catching him, she is forced out of her job. 15 years later, she is lecturing in Criminology. Thanks to that one fateful case, her life went on a downward spiral and she’s only just pulling herself out of it. When it looks like there is a copycat Nine Elms killer on the loose, Kate and her trusted assistant, Tristram begin to look into the cases of the missing girls themselves.

This book was absolutely brilliant!! Right from the very first chapter I was hooked and it has kept me awake into the early hours as I haven’t been able to put it down. I loved Kate’s character. She has had such a raw deal over the years since she was forced out of the police, but I love her gritty determination and perseverance to do what’s best for her and her family. The story is a bit of a gruesome one with the body count getting higher as the book moves on. It is superbly written, taking your right into the heart of the story so you can feel every bump in the road, breeze through the trees and crash of the waves. The location was unusual, with Kate having moved from London to Devon, but perfect for the beach scenes and Kate’s early morning swims! I have been to Exmouth many times and have travelled through some of the villages mentioned so I was able to picture the scenes accurately! The prison scenes though had to be my favourite, and left me fascinated with the procedures for the high-risk prisoners held there! It also left me asking if it was really that easy to smuggle items into a prison, but reckoned it probably was if you were willing to go to the lengths that one of the characters did!

The storyline moved along very quickly and there were lots of twists and turns to keep up with. As expected, the outcome never turns out like you think it will and the plot keeps on the rollercoaster journey right through to the very end. The characters are all great in their own way. The “goodies” are clever and methodical in their investigations, making you connect with the characters immediately. The “baddies” are frighteningly evil, with a definite hint of ‘Hannibal Lecter’ coming out in them, yet you just can’t let go of their storyline not matter how stomach churning it is!

I honestly cannot wait for the next book to series to see where Kate Marshall’s character is taken! She obviously now has her feet well and truly under the Private Investigator’s table so I hope we will see many more crimes for her to solve in future books! I do feel like I’m slightly betraying Erika Foster when I say I love Kate Marshall just as much, but I hope she would understand why!! If you’re after a crime book that’s packs a punch and leaves you wanting more and more, then look no further! Fab, fab, fab!!!

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I did enjoy this book but i thought it would be a carry on in the series. However this wasn't the case.

I thought some bits of it were lacking ans it didn't grip me in as much as the others. I don't know if i set my expectations too high or not

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I love Robert's books and this was no exception. I think this is the start of a new series. Fast paced and a bit gory in places - made me want to keep reading. Was unsure about Kate being a lecturer turned private investigator but it did work. Will look forward to the next book.

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