Another fantastic read. I love this series brilliant to be re-united with Erica and the gang. I would definitely recommend this book and all the books prior to this one. Cannot wait for the next.

Another absolute triumph by Mr Bryndza! Another thrilling installmemt of Erika's story, don't ever want them to end. Write another soon please

DEADLY SECRETS (Detective Erika Foster, #6) by Robert Brynzda is another highly addictive addition to the series. I wait anxiously for each of these books to come out so that I can be completely engrossed in a new crime mystery and catch up on all of the characters that I have come to love.
DCI Erika Foster is still recovering from her last case and is finding this Christmas season especially difficult emotionally. Rather than deal with what is sure to be an emotion packed Christmas lunch with the Marsh family, she takes the lead in a horrific murder of a young burlesque dancer. As Erika and her team start to work the case, they find that their murder case may overlap with a separate series of attacks in the same neighborhood. All of the victims have been attacked by a frightening specter in black wearing an old fashioned gas mask.
As the case progresses, Erika receives a call from up north that her father-in-law has had a medical emergency. DI Kate Moss is promoted to handle the case. As the clues come together and the case heats up, Moss finds herself stumbling into a dangerous situation with a soulless madman who will do anything not to be caught.
This book has Erika facing some very difficult personal problems and decisions. Mr. Brynzda humanizes Erika in this story more than in any other. Putting Moss in charge shows her vulnerabilities and strengths in her work and home life. Peterson is back to work and brings a new personal twist to his story. The whole team is facing dynamic personal changes in future storylines.
What appears to be one plot, turns into two diverging plotlines. Each has twists and surprises that had me guessing until the end. It is a fast paced read that kept me turning the pages and hating to set the book down. These books can be read as standalone crime fiction mysteries, but the continued growth and interactions between all of the main characters makes me glad that I read them in order. This is a series that continues to engage, surprise and be on my “Must Read” list!
Thanks very much to Bookouture and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, Robert Bryndza, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to read an early copy.

To commit the perfect murder, you need the perfect cover.

On a cold icy morning, a mother wakes to find her daughter’s blood-soaked body frozen to the road. Who would carry out such a horrific killing on the victim’s doorstep?

Straight off her last harrowing case, Detective Erika Foster is feeling fragile but determined to lead the investigation. As she sets to work, she finds reports of assaults in the same quiet South London suburb where the woman was killed. One chilling detail links them to the murder victim – they were all attacked by a figure in black wearing a gas mask.

Erika is on the hunt for a killer with a terrifying calling card. The case gets more complicated when she uncovers a tangled web of secrets surrounding the death of the beautiful young woman.

Yet just as Erika begins to piece the clues together, she is forced to confront painful memories of her past. Erika must dig deep, stay focused and find the killer. Only this time, one of her own is in terrible danger…

Robert Bryndza is quickly becoming one of my favorite thriller writers, and if you don't know why, then you have been living under a rock. I was first introduced to him by the breathtaking cover of GIRL IN THE ICE, which is the first book in this series. (Read them in order! They're better that way.) Like the other books in this series, this one didn't disappoint. The pacing is fast, the characters are developed, and the plot is complex. But the twists and turns are what keep you clinging to the book until the very end. Such a great read!

Well, six books in and still going strong! This is proving to be an excellent series.

All of our favourite characters are back and Erika is at last beginning to face up to her future without Mark. Kate Moss discovers that being boss is not all she thought it might be. And Peterson is back with a quite remarkable secret to share. All fun and games in our little team.

As usual the book opens with a gruesome murder and it takes a lot of red herrings, good police work and some luck to find the guilty party. There is an amazing scene involving Moss - if you were ever looking for "a strong female protagonist" then this is one! She definitely knows how to fight back.

Of course, this being Bryndza, the ending is an amazing twist and totally not what I was expecting. An excellent book altogether.

Deadly Secrets

I have read all 6 of this series now and I have to say they are completely gripping. I think this is the last one and I am gutted. I have loved following DCI Erica Foster. I loved that they aren’t really a whodunnit because apart from the last one we know who the perpetrator is and spend time in their twisted minds. Totally awesome series and I will be watching out for what Robert Bryndza brings out next.

I'm not sure exactly how Robert Bryndza does it, but this series just doesn't get old! If you haven't checked it out yet, what have you been doing? Start at the beginning. I think it's possible to read these as standalones, but there's so many little details and character quirks that you'll miss. Start at the beginning, and don't be overwhelmed that there's six books already. They don't take very long to read. The last book was probably the darkest yet, and focused more on some new characters than we're used to. In number six, we're back almost exclusively with Erika and her team, and it feels good!

It's Christmas day. Time to spend time with the people you love, eat delicious food, and open presents. Of course, Erika Foster is anything but ordinary. Though she has the day off and has been invited to a Christmas lunch and even managed to dress herself up nice for it, she comes across a crime scene and inserts herself immediately. A strikingly beautiful burlesque dancer named Marissa Lewis has been found brutally murdered right outside the home she shared with her mother, her blood freezing on the snow. To find answers, the team must dig deep into Marissa's life, connecting her with a man in a gas mask that's been assaulting anyone vulnerable and walking alone. This monster doesn't seem to discriminate against age or sex, and what made him kill Marissa so savagely instead of leaving her alive?

This book is the usual mix of dark and disturbing cases and the personal lives of Erika and her team typical to this series. The characters are so well-developed I can see them in my head as if a movie is playing as I read. Now if they'd only do as I tell them so they could be happy! It's always a wonderfully entertaining story, which is why I snatch them up on Net Galley as soon as they're available! (view spoiler)

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

I will give a proper review once I have read the other books in this series first. I want to start at book 1 as they are highly rated and unfortunately they are not available on netgalley anymore.

Deadly Secrets is highly addictive! If you pick this up, make sure you have time to read because you are not going to want to put it down!

Gritty police procedural about a man in a gas mask attacking men and women across London. This is a thrilling, intense addition to the Erika Foster series!

Unlike some other readers, this is only the second book in the series I have read, so my perspective might be a little different than others. Having recently finished The Girl in the Ice, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to read this--even if it meant skipping 4 books. I thought that there was enough background provided for me to not feel lost about what has transgressed in Erika’s life since book one--although I probably would have gained more having read the books vs. getting a brief synopsis regarding certain events.

I was enthralled right from the start, and couldn’t wait to see how things were going to play out. This a fast-paced read with succinct chapters; there’s a lot of action, and there’s also some interesting twists and turns. However, the mystery and plot are not the reasons to read this series--what makes this series a must read is the loveable cast of characters!

Erika is still dealing with demons from her past. Her personality hasn’t softened, and if anything she is moodier than ever (albeit there is a reason for this). However, her softer side shines through when she interacts with Edward, her late husband’s elderly father. She is a bit of a mess, extremely flawed, but she is also a powerful force to be reckoned with. Although she puts on a strong face, she is much more vulnerable than she seems.

I loved that Moss had a large role, but wish there had been more of Detective Peterson.

I had some issues with the ending, but quite honestly, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this book. I was left wanting more of Erika, Moss, and Peterson. I can’t wait to catch up on all of the books I missed, while I wait for the next book in the series!

Warning: There are some graphically violent scenes, as well as some that are of a sexual nature.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.

o commit the perfect murder, you need the perfect cover.
On an icy morning, a mother wakes to find her daughter’s blood-soaked body frozen to the road. Who would carry out such a killing on the victim’s doorstep?

Straight off her last harrowing case, Detective Erika Foster is feeling fragile but determined to lead the investigation. As she sets to work, she finds reports of assaults in the same quiet South London suburb where the woman was killed. One chilling detail links them to the murder victim – they were all attacked by a figure in black wearing a gas mask.

Erika is on the hunt for a killer with a terrifying calling card. The case gets more complicated when she uncovers a tangled web of secrets surrounding the death of the beautiful young woman.

Yet just as Erika begins to piece the clues together, she is forced to confront painful memories of her past. Erika must dig deep, stay focused and find the killer. Only this time, one of her own is in terrible danger…

From the global million-copy bestselling author comes a totally heart-racing, hold-your-breath read that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

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Deadly Secret by Robert Bryndza is a serial killer detective story that will keep you guessing. Robert writes in such a way that you find yourself lost in the story and lose the world around you. Will Erika be able to come to grips with her secret past to solve and stop this gas mask killer before anymore damage is done? This has all the twists and shock of a detective thriller. Is anyone really who or what you think they are? Is anyone really innocent?
Deadly Secrets is a thrilling book and a must read for anyone who loves to get lost in a detective thriller. We look forward to more from Robert Bryndza! If you haven’t seen this one you should check it out.

This may be book 6 in the series but DI Erika Foster shows no signs of slowing down and I think this is possibly my favourite so far.

If you’ve been reading this series you’ll be familiar with the format, it begins with a gruesome murder (beware Bryndza has upped the ick factor) and the discovery of a body. Erika who’s supposed to be on the way to Christmas lunch with her former boss and old police training pal, can’t resist getting involved and before you know it she’s leading the search for yet another serial killer.

Unlike previous books in the series however, this time Bryndza has put the focus almost entirely on the investigation and this is much more police procedural than thriller and personally, I think it is so much the better for it. There are still some chapters from the killer’s point of view but they’re fairly brief, give little away and are very chilling. It’s rare that an author can present a convincing view from inside the mind of a killer so I’m always happier to stick with the detectives, particularly those in this series.

The characters are definitely what I love the most about this series. They really are such a wonderfully diverse, interesting and well rounded bunch and I love how their relationships have evolved and developed over the series.

There’s a little bit less of Erika this time around as something in her personal life forces her to pass on the case to one of her team but, while less Erika seems like a bad thing, it actually added an extra element to the story as it allowed the personal side of her character to be developed while also providing a bit more insight into her backstory. It also had the benefit of giving some of the other team members the opportunity to shine. Moss, my favorite character, gets a much more prominent role which I really can’t complain about.

The case itself is an intriguing one and it really kept me guessing. There are a few clues and a few red herrings scattered along the way but I can honestly say my theories as to who the killer was were completely wrong.

You may be wondering why if I enjoyed this so much I couldn’t give the full five stars (believe me I wanted to). Unfortunately it suffers from some of the same issues the previous books had in terms of continuity errors (there are some disappearing shoes and inconsistencies in setting). I also felt that at times there was something off about descriptions of expressions and reactions but this may just have been me.

Despite these niggles this is a gripping read and one I’d recommend if you like a fast paced serial killer type story with quite a few twists and turns.

#6 in the Erika Foster series set in London and it was very good.....more like 4.5 stars.....as all the potential that I have seen in these characters really takes off in this book. On Christmas Eve, a mother opens her front door to find her daughter's murdered body frozen to the doorstep in her own blood, her throat cut. The victim is burlesque dancer Marissa Lewis and the further Foster and her team dig into her background the more bizarre layers they uncover that made up her life.......from jilted lovers to oddball work colleagues to nosy neighbors. And oh ya, hovering over the entire story is a terrifying killer dressed in a gas mask.

Great character movement as we are taken deeper into the personal lives of Erika and her team and we see just how vulnerable each of them can be as they deal with the same everyday issues that we deal with ourselves. Very good book and I look forward to the next in this series. Thanks to Bookouture and Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A mother discovers her daughter's blood soaked body right outside their front door. The girl was just moments from safety when disaster struck. Erika Foster and her team piece together the clues to find the man in the gas mask that is terrorizing the community.

Robert Bryndza, once again, has written a fantastic thriller. This book keeps the reader guessing and is both quick moving and exciting. I love this entire series and I highly recommend it.

I received this book through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley.com, to Bookouture, and to Robert Bryndza for this opportunity.

EXCERPT: Marissa reached up to put her key in the lock, but the gate creaked behind her. She froze. There was a faint scrape, and then a crunch of feet on the snow. She slowly turned.

A figure in a long black trench coat stood behind her. Its face covered in a gas mask, with a hood made of shiny black leather, tightly enveloping the skull. Two large round glass eyeholes stared blankly, and the drum, or breathing apparatus, elongated the face down to where it hung just above the chest. The figure wore black gloves, and in its left hand was a long, thin knife.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: To commit the perfect murder, you need the perfect cover.

On a cold icy morning, a mother wakes to find her daughter’s blood-soaked body frozen to the road. Who would carry out such a horrific killing on the victim’s doorstep?

Straight off her last harrowing case, Detective Erika Foster is feeling fragile but determined to lead the investigation. As she sets to work, she finds reports of assaults in the same quiet South London suburb where the woman was killed. One chilling detail links them to the murder victim – they were all attacked by a figure in black wearing a gas mask.

Erika is on the hunt for a killer with a terrifying calling card. The case gets more complicated when she uncovers a tangled web of secrets surrounding the death of the beautiful young woman.

Yet just as Erika begins to piece the clues together, she is forced to confront painful memories of her past. Erika must dig deep, stay focused and find the killer. Only this time, one of her own is in terrible danger…

MY THOUGHTS: 'From the global million-copy bestselling author comes a totally heart-racing, hold-your-breath read that will keep you hooked until the very last page.' reads the publicity blurb. And it's right, 100%.

I picked up Deadly Secrets late in the afternoon, and read until it was finished, not daring to take my eye from the page. I love Bryndza's writing, have loved every one of the books in this series, but with Deadly Secrets he has surpassed himself. We need more than 5-stars!

Although he has produced an enthralling thriller, he also displays a sense of humour - there were a couple of places in Dark Secrets where I almost choked with laughter.

Erika's character continues to grow. Despite the years that have passed, she is still very emotionally attached to her deceased husband, Mark, although she is beginning to realise that she needs to carve out a new life for herself, and that may include someone new to share her life with.

Erika has lost no enthusiasm for her work, still feeling that frisson of both horror and excitement at the outset of a new murder case. But she has never lost her humanity, never become hardened by what she sees.

It is good to see Patterson back at work, albeit with a secret of his own, and Moss taking a more prominent role in this case.

Although Deadly Secrets could be read as a stand-alone, I strongly recommend that you start with the first book in the series to get the most from this magnificent crime thriller. I have read some brilliant books this year, but with Deadly Secrets, Bryndza tops the lot!

Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of Deadly Secrets by Robert Bryndza for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.

This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

Robert Bryndza just gets better and better. I thoroughly enjoyed this latest instalment in the DCI Erika Foster series. Marissa, a burlesque performer is brutally murdered on her doorstep. Beautiful, clever and ambitious she has made several enemies in her short life. Parallel to this case are the numerous instances of assault by a perpetrator wearing a vintage gas mask. A vicious and sick individual stalking neighbourhoods near train stations. It's not long before Erika links the two cases but all is not as it seems. Highly recommend.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the book in exchange for an honest review.
This is an extremely professional written police drama. Once you start reading it is difficult to stop until the end. Detective Erika Foster is once again at the top of her profession and solves with the help of her team yet another police drama.
Highly recommended.

A page turner from beginning to end.
The plot revolves around solving the gruesome murder of a beautiful young burlesque performer on Christmas. Lots of suspects and a looming dark figure, with the distinctive signature of wearing a gas mask, terrorizes commuters by sexually assaulting and torturing people.
Lots of twists and unexpected turns will keep you glued to the very last page.

Well, well, well, Robert Bryndza does it again! I very rarely read books that are not Young Adult but nothing can keep me away from the DCI Erika Foster series – I am truly addicted!

Deadly Secrets is another really strong addition to the series. The case itself is a really intriguing one and this time we don’t know who the killer is. We do get glimpses into different perspectives on the odd occasion which certainly roused my suspicions but I did not nail the killer in this book! Which was great! I was close (despite thinking I had it nailed) but I just wasn’t quite there and I think the end of this book will shock a lot of readers.

Aside from the detailed police procedural side of the story, we get to know Erika on a deeper level in this book than we have in previous ones. I really like Erika as a character and find her to feel so real and down to earth. I love seeing her interactions with her colleagues although the interactions between her and a certain male colleague weren’t quite what I was hoping for in this book! My favourite character aside from Erika is definitely Moss. She makes me laugh so much and I get such a warm feeling from her – it was nice that she had her chance to shine a bit more in this book.

Whilst these books can easily be read as standalone novels, I would highly recommend starting at the beginning and working your way through. They are addictive, gripping and fast-paced but I think getting to know the characters such as Erika, Moss and Peterson along the way really adds something special to each case. At the moment each book is peeling back a different layer to each character and I can’t wait to see where Robert will take them all next!

This is the latest Erika Foster book and like all the others I whizzed through this one. Everything about it was engrossing and even though it can be read as a stand alone, I highly recommend the series to be started from the beginning. Erika is a great lead character and I love her blunt, straight forward personality. The murders are always terrifying and it was no different here. Full of twists and turns, you won't be able to put this down!

Where the hell do I start, Deadly Secrets OMFG absolutely banging. Robert Bryndza has hauled my senses through the pages and saturated my imagination with bites of thrilling, gobsmacking, intensely chilling Deadly Secrets.

Deadly Secrets is the sixth book in the Detective Erika Foster series written by the sensational Robert Bryndza, even though Deadly Secrets has enough backstory to be read as a standalone I would highly recommend reading from the beginning, so don’t miss out.

Robert Bryndza opens with a highly intense, earth shattering incident where a young woman is found dead outside her own home on Christmas Day, soaked in her own blood, frozen to the ground with no clues or DNA. Erika has her work cut out for her in a festive period surrounded in darkness, each new piece chilling my soul as it meanders along traversing the acts of a nefarious, villainous criminal.

A person clad in black clothing wearing a gas mask, inflicting a terrifying attack on his victims, inducing fear into people, leaving the community apprehensive of what’s to come. Are both cases connected…….only time will tell.

As the pages unfold I learned more about Erika her demeanour changes when a crisis occurs within her family, she shows a more compassionate, tolerant humane side, realising that distancing herself from family prevents her from moving on with her life. Erika is still a hard nut to crack, a strong tight minded individual who will stop at nothing to seal a case shut, driving herself and others with a steely conviction no matter the consequences.

Realistically the case delivers a sucker punch which will have you looking over your shoulder, driving a force which will have you scrutinising every corner of your mind, untangling the secrets only to become embroiled in another conundrum. Robert Bryndza has floored me with his ability to strengthen Deadly Secrets with an insane knot of criminal twists, which diverted my attention from the stonker of an ending, hell I didn’t see that coming.

Deadly Secrets will keep you up all night, driving your imagination forward until the final page.

My thanks go to Robert Bryndza, Bookouture and Noelle Holten for the advanced readers copy of Deadly Secrets in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.