Wow, wow, wow - Chasing Shadows is a cracker of a read. One that grabs your attention right from the start and has you rooting throughout for Erika and her team. What starts off as a murder case becomes something else entirely when Erika recognises a face from her past - the person who murdered her husband and other officers 10 years ago. Can Foster get justice for those that died? The authors writing here is exceptional, it is very engaging, with lots of tension, thrills and suspense. The best book in the series so far in my opinion. The plot line is well thought out with lots of different threads that all start to come together beautifully towards the end. I love how the story moves from past to present times flawlessly and can honestly say there isn't anything I can fault with this read. It really hit the mark with me and I didn't want to put it down. Well done Rob Bryndza.

I'd recommend this is you're a fan of police procedurals and you need to read the series in order if you're new to this author.

4.5 stars

Chasing shadows is book 9 in the fabulous Erika Foster series and her most personal case.
When a routine 999 call takes an unexpected turn when Erika Foster discovers a dead woman’s body after the ceiling collapses. But the flat itself is empty except of a film of cocaine residue. The drugs dogs are called in, which leads to a locker. When Erika discovers the owner of it. They go and visit them at their home. But Erika is shocked to find the partner of the accused is no other than Jerome Goodman, a drug dealer. Who 10 years ago was response for the murders of four Police officers in a drug raid. One of them that was her late husband, Mark Foster.
She immediately arrests him, but when they see his formal I.D., it says his name is Kieron Bagshaw and he has never been arrested. But she swear it’s him and she is going to anything she can to prove them wrong. She wants justice to her husband and the others that have died.
With the stress of it all her boss has forced her to take leave. But Erika is not the woman that takes things lying down and she starts her own investigation, with secretly the help of her team to find out the truth.

I thank Raven Street publishing for this copy of Chasing Shadows. Mr Brydnza is one of my favourite authors and I always get excited when he writes a new book. This is another fabulous and addicted read by the author. It’s well written, with a great original storyline and the loveable characters of Erika and her team. This is another great page turner that I couldn’t put down.
I can’t wait to hear what’s next for Erika. 5 stars from me.

I absolutely adored this book and devoured it over a couple of days! It has easily been one of my favourite books of the year and I can’t wait to read more from the author in the future.

I was so excited to read another Erika foster book and it lived up to expectations. Love this series, so well written and a fantastic thriller- can’t wait for more

I was so excited to see Erica come back to solve the puzzles in her life. Such an intense endeavor to maintain her strength and perseverance. I found myself truly chasing shadows trying to stay clear of those brick walls. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Since I picked up "The Girl in the Ice" years ago, Robert Bryndza has been one of my favorite crime authors. This book, the 9th in the Erika Foster series, answers central questions that have been present since the first book, and that give rise to Erika Foster's history and character development. It is one of the very best. Highly recommended to fans. 5/5 stars.

Dirty cops, drug runners, doppelgangers, and mysterious deaths all come together to give Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster almost more than she can handle. Add to that, her boss has required her to take leave pending her passage of a wellness exam that she's not at all sure she can pass.

Erika is not easily put off, however. When a routine stop to question a potential witness briefly surfaces the man who killed her husband and three of her colleagues ten years prior, she will do anything to track him down. Convincing higher ups that this murderer is still alive is all but impossible but with the help of her colleagues, she's determined to find him.

Whether you're new to the Erika Foster series or are eagerly awaiting this latest entry, you won't be disappointed. This is detective writing at its finest.

I’ve been with this series since the first book was published back in 2016, so I’m very excited to see new sequels popping up more regularly again. The Detective Erika Foster series is easily one of my favorite detective series, both because of the cast of characters and the writing itself. The books tend to be fast-paced, extremely engaging and suspenseful, and Chasing Shadows is no exception to that rule. This sequel in particular hits very close to home indeed for our favorite detective, and I literally couldn't stop reading!

Before I continue, I have to stress that while technically you can read Chasing Shadows as a stand-alone without missing out on too much, I personally wouldn't recommend it. There are references to previous events you won't catch otherwise, and the same goes for the dynamics between Erika and the rest of the team... Plus, they are all excellent detective thrillers in the first place. The case itself also connects directly with Erika's past, which is something that might come out of the blue if you are not familiar with her story. The same goes for the truth about certain character, which just won't hit in the same way if you haven't read the previous books.

Chasing Shadows has once again a multiple POV structure, switching between our detective Erika Foster and multiple other characters along the way. The POV switches help show a better picture of what is going on, and this sequel in particular relies heavily on the flashbacks that show what Jerome Goodman and his associates were up to in the past. The suspect POVs were intriguing of course, but you can't beat getting to spend time with Erika and the rest again. This time around things got pretty heated along the way, and there were a couple twists I most definitely didn't see coming.

This sequel has a slightly different focus than usual with the organized crime and corruption angle, but that doesn't mean that the story was any less tense. Maybe even more so in fact, with the direct link to Erika's past and her husband's death... The banter helped balancing things out a little, although there was less of it this time around. Instead, the story keeps you on your toes and you are never quite sure who you can trust along the way.

Chasing Shadows turned out to be yet another very satisfying sequel of a series that shows no signs of slowing down. If you enjoy engaging and suspenseful detective thrillers with a very likeable cast, I can highly recommend the whole series!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

During the investigation of a case detective chief inspector Erika Foster comes across the man she knows to have murdered her husband and their colleagues years ago. With a new name and identity the man denies it, but Erika is stubborn to the end. As they investigate more evidence points to solving g a case that’s been unsolved for so many years.

Love love loved this. The suspense and the twists and turns were immense. A rollercoaster of emotions. I was frustrated, angry, sad, confused and happy. There was disbelief, relief and bewilderment. The story flashes back between present day and the events that led to the murders. It’s written really well with so much detail you bc a really imagine being there. This review can’t do justice to what a fantastic read this really was. Highly recommend.

What a roller coaster of a read! Everything you want in an off beat procedural. Erica Foster is an amazing DCI with a great team who support her when she is removed from a case for arresting a supposedly innocent member of the public. She is convinced that he is the gunman who killed her husband and colleagues and severely injured her 10 years ago. But proving it might be impossible.
Unbelievably well plotted and written, it is a masterful example of writing and a great read.

Another gripping book in the DCI Erika Foster series.. she don't half get herself into some scrapes, when her husband Mark and 4 of her colleagues were killed in an operation, it fell to Erik's to take the blame as Years later Erika and the team get a case, but this one one could definitely be trouble Why? In the line of inquiries she comes across someone who looks very much like the man who shot her husband and colleagues....... who is it that is passing information, to the people the team are investigating?.... great read. ....

Bryndza at His Best: A Haunting Mystery That Blends Past and Present

Chasing Shadows by Robert Bryndza is a taut, emotionally gripping thriller that dives deep into Detective Erika Foster’s most personal and painful case yet. Ten years ago, a drug raid in Manchester went tragically wrong—her husband, Detective Inspector Mark Foster, and four of her team were gunned down. Erika survived, but was left physically and emotionally shattered, taking the fall for the operation’s failure. Erika has never stopped searching for the truth.

Now, a seemingly unrelated case leads Erika straight back into the shadows of that day. When she comes face to face with the man she believes was responsible, he claims to be someone else entirely—setting off a relentless investigation that forces Erika to confront the past head-on.

Bryndza’s writing is razor-sharp, packed with emotion, suspense, and expertly timed twists. The flashbacks to the fateful raid are woven seamlessly into the present-day narrative, adding layers of complexity and heartbreak. The pacing is relentless, the tension palpable, and the psychological depth of Erika’s journey is compelling.

This is not just a procedural—it’s a story about grief, justice, guilt, and the strength it takes to face the truth. With a strong supporting cast and a cleverly constructed plot, Chasing Shadows is one of the most powerful installments in the Erika Foster series. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to the series, this book will keep you hooked until the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Robert Bryndza and Raven Street Publishing for this digital advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

This really is crime thriller writing of the highest order. Robert Bryndza never disappoints and with this new novel he once again affirms his position in the very top tier of contemporary thriller authors.
This is surely the author's most complex and compelling plot to date. It's a dark, sophisticated gem, with intense characterisation and many heartbreaking moments. I always find it easy to have empathy for Erika Foster and her colleagues but never more so than here with the flashbacks to the awful events in Rochdale in 2014.
The author continues to explore the dire horrors of our modern world where drugs and violence have become endemic making an important statement of the perils we all face in an age rapidly losing its moral compass.
The plot is an absolute rollercoaster of nail-biting tension with shocks, surprises and twist after twist keeping up the relentless momentum.
I didn't get to sleep until the middle of the night...but what a night!

Yeah! Erika Foster is back! I can't believe we're up to number nine in this fantastic series. Erika is pursuing an old enemy in Chasing Shadows and lets nothing gets in her way in her hunt for the man who killed her husband and most of her team in Manchester 10 years before. Her battle takes her up against people she never imagined but she has a great team on her side. The storyline has twists and turns over every page and an explosive finish. A great read that had me on the edge of my seat more than once.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Erika is a cop whose husband, also a cop, was murdered during a takedown of some nasty criminals. Ten years later she is called to a crime scene and comes face to face with the drug dealer who killed her husband, Jerome Goodman. But he appears to be a completely different person with a different identity. But Erika is sure he is Jerome. So she starts to investigate. But her boss feels Erika is overstretched, orders her to take leave and takes her off the case. But Erika finds a way to go ahead with her investigation and the ending is very satisfying.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was over the moon to be granted an advance reader's copy of Robert Bryndza's latest Erika Foster novel! As a fan of all of his works, I had feared we would hear no more from this brilliant police detective, but thankfully, I was wrong.

Erika has a strange encounter that leaves her with an unpleasant feeling of deja vu. This compels her to go back and re-investigate a 10-year old, unsolved drug-bust gone wrong that took the lives of her colleagues and her husband, a fellow police officer.

She doesn't always have the support she needs to dig into the past, but if you know Erika, nothing will stop her! I was pleased to read that the series will continue. Very enjoyable read and recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Robert Bryndza and Raven Publishing for the ARC.

It’s been 10 years since Detective Inspector Erica Foster was injured and 4 other members of her team, including her husband Mark, were killed.
No one was ever arrested, but Erica knows who the killer is.
When Erica is investigating another crime she comes face to face with the man that ruined her life. Stunned she arrests him, but no one believes her that he is the killer.
The author takes us on a twisted ride as Erica’s tenacity pushes her and a select few of her team to prove the guilt of the killer. There are many other scenarios in play and even Ericka cannot believe how high up the duplicity extends.
Thank you to Netgalley and Raven Street Publishing for another excellent eARC from this author. I voluntarily read and reviewed this fast paced advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a great story! I really loved the characters and they were relatable. The story was well written and interesting. I would definitely recommend!

When a ceiling collapses in a rundown flat, a body is found. The last thing DCI Erika Foster expects is for the trail to lead to the man responsible for the death of her team a decade earlier. Most notably amongst that team, her husband Mark.

Showing an incredible presence of mind, she arrests the man on the spot. But when is Erika’s life ever that simple? The man she arrested supposedly died years ago, and this man has no police record. His passport and solicitor prove he’s not the man Erika thought.

When her bosses fear she won’t leave this well enough alone, Erika is put on involuntarily leave; told to get a handle on her PTSD once and for all.

But this is Erika we’re talking about ..

Another absolute corker from Robert Bryndza. I joked that life would be on hold once I turned the first page - it was no joke. I devoured this in less than a day. Conflicted as I couldn’t put it down, but also didn’t want it to end. It’s intricately plotted, suspenseful, and filled with clever twists. The definition of a page-turner.

It’s always a joy being reunited with Erika, Moss and the wider team. Their relationships and interactions feel as authentic as ever. Their camaraderie a respite against the tension throughout the book. That said, not everyone is on the side of justice!

Such a great and satisfying story - that ties up so many of the big questions from as far back as book one (The Girl In The Ice). I’m relieved to hear that there are no plans to end the series!

Whilst this is book nine - and I would definitely recommend reading this series in order - enough back story is provided for this to work as a stand alone. But I’d question why you want to limit your enjoyment to just one book.

This marks 21 books and 12 years of reading Rob’s books. Here’s to another 20!

A huge thanks to Rob and Jan at Raven Street Publishers and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book for review consideration.  All opinions are my own.

I regret that I had so many technical issues with this that I read less than 1/2 the book - because of the digital? issues.