<b>Dark. Intense. And thoroughly enjoyable</b>
<b>Imagine... You and your son are a couple of avid scuba divers. You take the time exploring an underwater village that made way for a reservoir a few years prior. You take photographs of a crustacean-covered spear of a church that no-one will ever visit to sit in silence and quietly worship the gods of their choice when you see a body floating by...</b>

When Kate Marshall and her son Jake put on their scuba diving kit that morning, they couldn't have expected to find a body of a missing swimming champion. But why was he there? Was it an accident? The police seem to think so... The family of the young man wants answers.

Shadow Sands is a follow-up to Robert Bryndza's first novel in the Kate Marshall series, Nine Elms. As I loved the first book but somewhat wasn't the fan of the ending (see my review here), I knew I simply MUST read Shadow Sands. And was I disappointed... Well...

The book has a powerful opening, and the first act really builds up the tone of the novel. We are plunged into the midst of the story without a word of warning. The tension is not gently increased, oh no... The author of Shadow Sands goes from tense to I-am-not-going-to-sleep-until-I-finish-this-bloody-book tense within the first few chapters. The question is... Does he manage to keep it up?

The first act spares us many unnecessary recaps, which often plague the second book of a brand new series. Robert Bryndza masterfully entwines the events from the first book to build the important context of Kate's relationships with her son Jake, and her research assistant/sidekick, Tristan. Nevertheless, Shadow Sands works beautifully as a standalone, gripping crime thriller.

The second and third acts pump the tension up chapter after chapter. The story evolves and gets better with each page. The pace, the delivery, the thrill - absolutely flawless. The villain of the story is well fleshed out and genuinely scary. The setting of the book and the array of really well developed supporting characters are flawless. We are not presented with overelaborate red herrings, although every single one of the characters we meet could be the villain. What we are given instead is a strong story built on a solid tradition of a gripping crime thriller.

Robert Bryndza proves he's an extremely talented storyteller. The characters introduced in Nine Elms are developing and growing in their natural pace. We are presented with growing up Jake, conflicted Tristan, and extremely flawed Kate. But we can observe the personalities of our characters change; how beautifully human they are. It's something that started getting into shape in Nine Elms, but clearly this time the author decided to let himself be acquainted with his creations. And he's having a bloody good time with it, I can tell.

In my review of Nine Elms, I explain why I rated the first book in the Kate Marshall series the way I did. I also said that nevertheless, I am still awaiting the second outing of our cop-turned-lecturer with anticipation. With that in mind, I couldn't wait to read Shadow Sands and boy it delivered. This time I felt the ending was extremely well-plotted and powerfully delivered. Everything I disliked about the conclusion of the first book was taken care of. It's like the author listened to my inner dialogue on why the ending of the first book doesn't work. With Shadow Sands, Robert Bryndza delivered an extremely well-layered thriller filled with a group of incredible characters. And this time I genuinely cannot wait for the thirst instalment in Kate Marshall series. But not because I just want to give a chance. No. This time I'm talking from the perspective of a newly-qualified fan.

Massive thank you to Little, Brown Book Group Ltd, NetGalley and, of course, Robert Bryndza for my advanced reader's copy of Shadow Sands. I cannot wait to put my hands on the hard copy of this great novel.

Another brilliant and gripping read from Robert Bryndza which I thoroughly enjoyed. Lots of suspense and intrigue and try as I might to fathom out what was going on and who was the perp ... it kept me guessing till the end which is a definite plus! Highly recommended. With thanks to netgalley for an arc in return for my honest feedback.

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. I absolutely loved nine elms which i read a early copy of. So couldnt wait to read this next book.

I practically inhaled it which is the sign of a good book. Fantastic writing which has you hooked from the start.

Great plotting and charactars you will love. We learn more about kate and her son ,and what they have been through. Packed with suspense and mystery.

Another chilling and thrilling installment of Roberts writing. I cant wait for more!

Published 3rd November

Another great book by Robert Bryndza. My only criticism is that 3 of the male characters had long grey hair in a ponytail. I really got a feel for the surroundings, the windswept beach, the cold, dank basement and the warm cottage that Kate lives in. I love Tristan had how he is developing through the book.

I was very disappointed with this book. I have read all of the Erika Foster books and the first in this series and loved them all. So I was very excited to get an advanced copy of this to read as it was very much anticipated. However, I just didn’t enjoy it; I don’t think it had the same standard of writing that I’d become accustomed to from Bryndza. The writing felt lazy, the story was just ok, and the ending was very amateurish.
It didn’t get off to a good start when the word ‘crustaceans’ was used four times in two paragraphs. Then later, Magdalena is feeling along a ‘sticky’ wall and then touches a ‘sticky’ wall. For goodness sake, use a thesaurus and give us a different description! These are just the two examples I remember, but throughout I felt as if the author hadn’t remembered or even read over what he had written previously. The writing just had an overall lethargic feel to it as if there’d been no care and attention to the manuscript.
The story itself just plodded on; nothing major was happening with Kate and Tristan’s investigation. Other than her demands at the end (which I actually laughed out loud when she said “I’m going to shout loudly about this”). I’m not really sure what they contributed to the case, they had no jurisdiction or powers to be probing into people’s lives, yet they stomped about as if they did.
The ending felt very rushed and not well thought out. It was very anti-climactic (although there’d not been that much suspense, to begin with, to even build up to a climax!)
I’m just grateful for the Magdalena parts and the insights into the killer’s mind. These small snippets saved the book from being only two stars. I wanted to keep going back to them to find out what was happening. Kate and Tristan running around doing not a lot, on the other hand, wasn’t that interesting. The parts that covered them as people was very much needed and this developed on from the first book in the series.
I was glad that you could almost read this as a stand-alone book. There is enough of a recap as to what happened to Kate in the past without you feeling as if you’d missed too much. I had contemplated re-reading the first book in preparation but decided against it due to a lack of time. I needn’t have worried as the detail from the first isn’t required.
So, I know I am in the minority with my opinion on this by looking at the other reviews this book has had so far. Maybe if I’d read this book as the very first one by Robert Bryndza, I would feel differently. Perhaps I just had too high hopes and standards based on the quality of his other books, but I’m afraid this one fell short. Would I read any more in this series? I’m not sure I would!

Shadow Sands is the second book in his new series featuring university lecturer Kate Marshall. If you haven't read it yet please go back and find Nine Elms. You can read this as a standalone but why would you? Nine Elms is a deliciously creepy serial killer story that feeds in perfectly to this, the next installment.

Kate has been bonding with her teenage son over the holidays, taking diving lessons together. When a joint dive to a flooded village in a reservoir reveals a bloated dead body the authorities quickly label it as an accident. But the facts don't stack up. No-one knows why he was out there in the middle of the night and why he drowned. The lad had been an olympic standard swimmer and his mother is desperately looking for answers.

As Kate and her assistant Tristan Harper start digging into events at the reservoir it soon becomes apparent that the death is not a one off but the latest in a series of unexplained incidents going back decades. When another professor at the university goes missing it looks like there could be yet another victim. Can Kate and Tristan save her before it is too late?

Bryndza further develops the very complex character of Kate in this story. As a recovering alcoholic she faces a number of struggles through the course of the book and circumstances are such that it would be very easy to succumb to the demon drink that calls out to her. Shadow Sands sees us learning a lot more about her assistant Tristan and his life and family. When he is suddenly cast by the police as a potential abductor Kate has to pull herself together to clear his name and solve the ever deepening mystery.

I'm thrilled that there are more books planned in this excellent series. It is so refreshing to have a flawed duo as the stars of the show but even more so when the lead is a brave ballsy woman who has had more than her fair share of pain and suffering. Bravo Mr Bryndza!

Supplied by Net Galley and Little BRown Book Group in exchange for an honest review.

UK Publication Date: Nov 3 2020. 384 pages

#ShadowSands #NetGalley

I really love this author and this book is a great second book in the Kate Marshall series. It is intense, dark and has a fantastic plot. It is so fast paced that I struggled to keep up with developments, that is my only criticism! Kate has left the police and is now a private investigator. Whilst she is diving in a local reservoir with her son Jake, she finds the body of a young man. The police rule it is accidental death but Kate is determined to find the truth. This is an excellent police procedural and I highly recommend it. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC, I thoroughly enjoyed the rollercoaster ride.

Near the fictional south Devon town of Ashdean, Shadow Sands is a vast hydroelectric reservoir where there was five villages and moorland. But there is more buried in its depths than just bricks and mortar. And it appears even the police don't want it to ever give up it's secrets.
Kate Marshall and Tristan Harper return to investigate in Robert Bryndza's chillingly credible new thriller. One is taken to a place controlled by an evil and depraved mind where rape and torture is committed in complete darkness.
Even the least important characters are written with skill, and the plot intrigues and engrosses to the very end.

This was my first encounter with this series. I enjoyed it very much, it was mysterious and creepy, but did have some interesting characters. I will look forward to more of the same, whilst keeping well away from reservoirs

Another excellent read from Robert Bryndza! Kate Marshall is back with her assistant Tristan. She gets involved in a case after finding a dead body while deep diving with her son Jake. I like Kate's complex character and relationships with other people, including Jake's father, Peter Conway. I would definitely recommend this book!

This is the second book in the Kate Marshall series the first book being the fabulous Nine Elms and whilst this can be read as a stand-alone I really would recommend anyone to start with the first book as it’s just too good to miss!
The book starts with Kate and her son Jake diving in the the Shadow Sands reservoir when they discover what looks to be a dead body but while the police seem to dismiss this as a tragic accident Kate is not convinced and when the mother of the young man appeals to Kate to investigate off we go on a fast paced and intriguing mystery.
I really like Kate Marshall and in this book we have a lot more back story from Kate’s past her relationship with her son and parents and her ongoing battle with staying sober so for me this really added to the enjoyment for the read, Robert Bryndza has created such a brilliant character and one that feels extremely genuine. But let’s not forget Tristan her research assistant who is also wonderfully written and we also have a chance to find out more of his character also in this book.
So I am over the moon to see we will have a third book coming at some point and I hope we don’t have to wait too long this is a series that just keeps giving it’s so well crafted and a big thank you to Mr Bryndza for a super duper read....I loved it !!
If you love a great read don’t miss out on this and the first book I can highly recommend both.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A solid four star read. Good premise. Great characterisation. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing. Would definitely read her next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Number two in the Kate Marshall series and another cracking good read.
Kate and Tristan are great characters and their backstories and the subplots are excellent and develop nicely here.
Great main plot, lots of intrigue and I definitely didn’t see the who the villain was. Interesting ending too with the promise of lots more to come

I loved this book but wished I had read the first book nine elms first. Kate and Tristan make a great team and made for an brilliant duo. It kept me reading long into the night a real page turner. I will definitely be reading the next one in the series

This book is a excellent read. It grabbed me and didn't let me go until the last page.
I was completely engrossed.
A gutsy if flawed heroine,a killer no-one suspects hiding in plain sight coupled with a brilliant plot that raced along at breakneck speed. I loved it.

Another brilliant book by this author. Loads of suspense and a believable plot. Great characters and Kate and Tristan and their families get more interesting with every book I read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Kate is a university lecturer and ex-detective. Kate, and her assistant, Tristan, take up the role of private investigators when Kate discovers a dead body during a diving trip. Kate is convinced the dead boy did not drown and is suspicious when the police are adamant he did.

Digging deeper, they uncover a trail of strange occurrences around the local reservoir. When a young woman goes missing, things take a turn for the worst.

This is a very well put together story and excellently written. For me, it lacked the passion and wow factor of the Erika Foster series, which I loved. I still give it four stars because it’s so well constructed and I'm pretty convinced most readers who are a fan of this author will like it. For readers who are new to this author, I have to be honest and say this is not one of his best.

This is the second book in the Kate Marshall series. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. This is my honest review.

Robert Bryndza's follow up to Nine Elms, his crime series featuring ex-Met Detective Constable, Kate Marshall, is a dark, intense and fast paced number. Kate has a traumatic past, damaged by a relationship with serial killer, Peter Conway, her ex-boss and DCI, that resulted in a pregnancy and the birth of a son, Jake, now 16 years old, whose growing up years were with her parents, awarded custody of him. Kate went through some dark years, her demons driving her to drink, that meant she was in no position to look after Jake, although she has since cleaned up her act, spending time with Jake and attending AA meetings. She is now a Ashdean criminology lecturer, returning to using her investigative skills as a part time PI, assisted by Tristan Harper.

It's summer, Kate and Jake are diving in the man-made Shadow Sands reservoir with its drowned village, when they make the gruesome discovery in the water, the body of a young man with serious injuries. The victim turns out to be 18 year old Simon Kendal, an Olympic level swimming hopeful, who had been camping with his 20 year old mate, Geraint Jones. Simon's mother, Lyn, begs Kate to find out what really happened to him as the police and coroner have ruled his death as accidental, which she doesn't believe. Kate and Tristan know there is something fishy at the alacrity with which the police moved to declare it an accident and further issues are raised with anomalies in the post-mortem results that eventually push the police to view Simon's death as murder. Tristan is horrified to find he is viewed as a suspect in the disappearance of Italian professor, Magdalena Rossi, who has been abducted. Kate and Tristran find themselves in a harrowing and dangerous investigation that slowly begins to connect with Magdalena's abduction and a powerful local family determined to be obstructive.

Bryndza develops Tristan's character wonderfully further here, living with his sister, unable to be open about who he is with her, too fearful of her rejection if he is truthful. Kate is more than taken aback when Jake expresses a desire to meet his incarcerated serial killer of a father, she is deeply hurt, Conway never wanted Jake, and she comes perilously close to falling off the wagon, the demon drink an ever present temptation. This is a riveting crime read, the parts with Magdalena's horrifying experiences with the killer are particularly hard to stomach, although her courage is a shining light. This will undoubtedly appeal to many of Bryndza's existing fans and to those crime readers who have yet to discover this series. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

This is the second book in the Kate Marshall series. I've got, but not read, the first one - Nine Elms - and I wish I had read it before starting this one.

I believe that this book can be read on it's own, although I think I'd have got a greater understanding of this new character if I'd have started with the first book in the series. I adore Erika Foster and am so glad I've read those books in order. But then again, I am now MORE than eager to get back to Nine Elms and read it, so that's fine!

I enjoyed the dynamic between Kate and Tristan. Their relationship was a good one to watch develop over the course of the book. Kate's son is also a good character and I really enjoyed his bits in the book. Finding out more about him and his later revelations made this one an absolute page turner for me. Character development is a big draw for me, sometimes more so than the actual plot.

Serial kill thriller, dead bodies, interesting plot, surprising ending and plenty of twists - this one will have you hooked.

I'm off to read Nine Elms.

I really really enjoyed thos book. It was a good mix of crime and family matters.

I had no idea what was going to haopen or who was the killer. Love it when I'm unable to guess.

Great writing as always