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!

The latest in the books relating to Erica Foster and it does not disappoint.
I really like all the characters good and bad.
The story moves along at a breakneck pace with a very good ending.
The reader does find out about Erica's nemesis and I was totally shocked with mouth agape with the last few chapters.
WOW! 5 stars.

When Erika starts researching a new case, she is confronted with her past. She’s sure the one of the people involved is responsabele for the death of her husband and other colleagues. She is Determined to get to the bottom of this and proof that her instinct is right although she has to put her job on the line.

This book was a double treat; not only did Erika get to solve a new case, we also learned more about her past.

Robert Bryndzna never disappoints, and with this book he confirms that.

A must read !

Erica Foster is called to a crime scene but somethings not right, this leads her to her husband killer she arrests him but is told to release him, as he is not that man she thought he was. Put on leave she investigates and is not sure who to trust. This is the best book yet in this series full of action twists and turns and a finale that will leave you breathless. Well done Robert your best book yet. Thanks to Raven Street Publishing and Netgalley for this review ARC.

Here we are, book 9 of this cracking series and you know what's coming next wrt the usual series rules so I don't need to spell it out!
This time, DCI Erika Foster is completely flummoxed when she and her team are called to the scene of a ceiling collapse where, on looking up into the flat above, she can clearly see the body of a dead woman. On entering the flat they are shocked at how clean it is, with any evidence they could have used having been forensically cleaned. Apart from cocaine covering the ceiling that is. Which leads them to a nearby parcel locker which in turn leads them to Jerome Goodman, the man who murdered her husband Mark. Although he is now Jerome, he is Kieron Bagshaw and all his details check out so, and he is squeaky clean, so obviously Erika must be wrong, so she gets suspended for arresting him and bringing him to the station. But this is not the punishment she initially thinks it is as it leaves her free to conduct her own investigation...
Quite how the other case fits in I will also leave for you to find out, suffice to say it was all extremely well plotted and kept me on my toes throughout as, peppered throughout the present day narrative, we also revisit the past. Of how Jerome started out on his villainous career path and the people he teamed up with and the shenanigans that led up to that fateful day.
And that's all I am saying as boy do you really need to know no more than this to get all the emotional shocks that this book delivers. I have always wondered whether the death of Mark and his colleagues would ever be revisited and wow, I really wasn't ready for the half of it, talk about warts and all. One thing I will say though is that I already loved Igor as a character but this book really brings him to life.
And the ending. When the whole truth finally all came out. Oh. My. Gosh... Wow! There is going to be some fallout from all this, and I am itching to read all about it. Please don't make me wait too long.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This latest book has Erika confronting the past and it is one hell of a page-turner! I was hooked from the beginning. I was up way past my bedtime. I couldn't put it down. This is hands down the best of the series. I cannot wait to see what is in store for these characters.

Chasing Shadows by Robert Bryndza marks the return of DCI Erika Foster in another exciting, and emotional, thriller. This is the entry fans of this series have been waiting for: the story of what actually transpired during the drugs raid in Manchester in 2014, when Erika’s team was outflanked and she lost husband DI Mark Foster, as well as three other comrades.
Now, 10 years later, it is December, 2024, and Erika is based at a London police station. A routine 999 call and ensuing investigation ends up bringing her face to face with Mark’s killer, Jerome Goodman. But he now calls himself Kieron Bagshaw!!
Erika is determined to bring Goodman/Bagshaw to justice, but finds a lack of support from her higher-ups in the Met. As usual, Erika stubbornly follows her own path, and pursues the investigation even while on mandatory “leave” for PTSD.
The story unfolds in two timelines—2024 for the current crime and investigation, and 2004 to 2014 for the back story of the criminals that culminates in the death of the policemen in Manchester. It is well executed with both plotlines easy to follow and compelling. The returning characters of Erika and partner Igor, police team of Moss, McGorry and Crane, and medical examiner Isaac, feel real and exude palpable support for their leader Erika. This is an excellent police procedural as usual, with additional stunning revelations that shake Erika’s faith in the Met. It is also a moving drama, as Erika must face her kryptonite—Mark’s death in the raid, and his killer—and finally come to terms with both.
While this can be read as a stand-alone novel, I recommend new readers consider reaching for earlier entries also which will enrich their understanding of the recurring characters and Erika Foster’s unique persona.
I’m already looking forward to the next installment in this excellent series!!

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. This is my honest review

Chasing Shadows is the 9th book in the Erika Foster series from Robert Bryndza.

"While chasing a lead, Erika comes face-to-face with the man responsible for the death of her team and the murder of her husband, Mark, ten years ago. She arrests him on the spot but there's a big problem. He's going by a different name and no one believes Erika. She is put on leave but pursues the case on her own. She finds corruption and betrayal and doesn't know where to turn."

This is some excellent crime fiction from Bryndza. It's not full of a bunch of DNA forensics. (there's some) It's detectives following leads and chasing information. Bryndza makes you wonder who is bent and then surprises you by who it turns out to be. There are questions about whether Erika has really seen her husband's killer and the difficulty law enforcement has in proving things.
The pace is excellent in this book and it was great to see Erika back.

Crime fiction fans should love this new book from Bryndza

My thanks to Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Chasing Shadows’, book 9 in the Detective Erika Foster series written by Robert Bryndza, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Ten years ago DCI Erika Foster was in charge of surveillance at premises occupied in Rochdale by Jerome Goodman who was suspected of selling drugs and she initiated a raid. At the end of the day Erika is injured and five police officers dead, including her husband DI Mark Foster. Now based with the Met in London, during an investigation Erica comes face to face with Kieron Bagshaw who she instantly recognises at Jerome Goodman. She has him arrested but her boss insists he’s released and suspends her, but Erika is not afraid to go against instructions and is determined to get enough evidence to arrest him.

‘Chasing Shadows’ is a breathtaking thriller that’s had me hooked from page one, unable to let go of my Kindle until the very last page. The story has been skilfully put together with plenty of heart-stopping action, drama and suspense, and characters that are perfectly described especially Erika and her loyal team. The plot is so intricately written that with every twist and turns the tension builds into a thriller that’s compulsive reading. I’m amazed that an author can write such a thrilling novel that’s made me feel absolutely involved. This thriller is fantastic, it deserves far more than five stars, and I can’t wait to read what Mr Bryndza has in store for Erika in book 10.

Erika is a very determined person and is not afraid to push the limits when she feels she's in the right - even when told to back off by her superior. And in this case, it turns out to be a good thing. She comes into contact with a man who she is sure Jerome Goodman and she decides to investigate to find out for sure. But little could she know the danger she would be in and who would turn out to be a betrayer. This complicated, twisty story had me turning the pages to see what would happen next.

Chasing Shadows by Robert Bryndza is the 9th in the Detective Erika Foster series, and has Erika discovering new information about the death of her husband.


First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Raven Street Publishing and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.




Series Background: (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
DCI Erika Foster has not had it easy.  Her husband Mark and most of her team were killed in a botched drug bust years ago, and although she is now re-acquainted with and dating her childhood sweetheart Igor,  she is hesitant about moving on.  She lives in her own home, which she bought and fixed up (with help from Igor). Her  team consists of DI James Peterson (with whom Erika had a brief relationship), DI Kate Moss, Detective John McGorry, and Detective Crane.  Their boss is Superintendent Melanie Hudson. The forensic psychologist is Isaac Strong, and he has become a good friend to Erika.




My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Erika is called to the scene when the body of a woman is discovered in her apartment.  The place has been scrubbed clean, no DNA or prints to be found.  However, they do find cocaine residue coating the ceiling.  Drug sniffing dogs follow the evidence to a parcel locker beside the building.

Knocking on the door of the owner of that locker has Ericka losing it.  She finds herself looking into the eyes of Jerome Goodman, the drug dealer who murdered her husband 10 years ago.  Although he is going by the name of Kieron Bagshaw, she knows him, and he knows her.  Much to Moss's dismay, she arrests him immediately, but with no evidence, and a clean record, they can't hold him.   Her boss provides her with evidence that it can't possibly be Goodman, and when Ericka insists, Melanie puts her on leave until she can pass both physical and emotional well-being tests.  Goodman disappears that night.

But Ericka won't be letting this go.  She has to find out how Mark and the rest of her team really died.  She's been to blame for that drug bust going bad for 10 years, and she may finally be able to learn more.  But she fears that the only way Jerome Goodman could have stayed under the rainbow for so long was with help from some powerful people.




My Opinions:
I struggled a little with the last book, as it dealt with some political issues, but I struggled with this one too, because it deals with police corruption.  I'm sort of hoping this is the end of both.

As well, although I understand the reason behind Erika's attitude in this one (although it's not really different than her normal antagonistic and rude behaviour),  this time it grated on me. She made some stupid decisions, and I really felt sorry for Igor....got me thinking that perhaps he should just leave her.  I'm hoping that this plot will take some of Erika's anger away with it.

Okay, enough complaining, because, as always, the writing was well-done, the pace was relatively fast, and the plot balanced with both personal and crime-related issues. I think Moss is one of the best friends/colleagues that Erika could ask for.  Bryndza has a talent for developing characters.

The other thing that I appreciate about this author, is that he isn't popping new books out every 4-6 months.  You can tell that he takes his time creating deep, complex, and well thought out plots.  I am glad that he may have finally put Erika's past to bed.

Anyway, even with my criticisms, I will look forward to the next in the series.