Another great book in a great series that just keeps getting better and better! Robert Bryndza just keeps making these books fresh and exciting while keeping the heart pounding suspenseful pace that makes me fly through each chapter. Once again I can't wait for the next book in this series!

Who is stalking the streets of London wearing a gas mask? With six sexual assaults on record and now a murder, DCI Erika Foster and her team must work to find and apprehend whoever is responsible.

The murdered girl was Marissa Lewis, a young and beautiful burlesque dancer, who was moving up in the world. She was viciously stabbed to death right outside her front door while her mother slept inside. Minimal vague CCTV and no witnesses. The narrative moves forward with the investigation and a solid police procedural follows. Lots of possible suspects to detain, question, eliminate. They have a little trouble trying find a motive but it soon becomes obvious that Marissa had a bad reputation and was not well-liked at work or in her neighborhood.

This 6th book in the series is another hit and the whole team is back together until Erika needs to take some time off and puts Moss in charge. I always enjoy reading more about the characters and, in each book, some undergo changes that occasionally affect the dynamics and relationships within the team. It was nice to see Moss move into a stronger role though a bit disappointed when Erika had to save the day at the end. I do have to ask, however, why do these police characters always end up putting themselves in danger by rushing in alone and unarmed. I'm sure being headstrong and independent are decent qualities in a police officer, but can't a book climax occur without one of the main characters ending up alone with the suspect and getting harmed?

The story was fast-paced and this series is addictive. Erika is making some changes in her life and I can't wait to see where her story goes next. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Today is the publication day for Deadly Secrets and I'm thrilled to be posting my review to celebrate. It's written with thanks to Kim and Noelle at Bookouture for inviting me to take part, and for providing my copy of the book through Netgalley.
It's Christmas Day and burlesque dancer, Marissa Lewis, is found dead on her own doorstep. It falls to Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Erika Foster and her team to find the person who did it. When Erika enters the police station, she realises her colleagues are hunting for a man in a gas mask who has attacked several people in the local area. Could this be the same person who killed Marissa?
DCI Erika Foster is back! She's one of my favourite fictional detectives and I love her determination to solve each case and follow her gut instinct. She seems more vulnerable in Deadly Secrets, and I hope she keeps her promises to herself to look after her loved ones more in the next book, as this will help us to see a different side to her. We also learn more about her colleagues on the team, particularly Moss and Peterson. They are both placed in situations that are challenging for them in this novel, and it's interesting to see how they cope with them.
The novels in the DCI Erika Foster series are all incredibly atmospheric, and Deadly Secrets is no exception. Bryndza's descriptions are so vivid that I was able to picture every single scene - even the more gory elements of the attacks. The novel grabbed me from the very first page, and I could not put it down until the case was solved.
Erika's case in Deadly Secrets moves quite slowly. The victim, Marissa, led quite a colourful life and there is no shortage of suspects. This creates intrigue, as I was constantly trying to figure out who could have disliked Marissa enough to kill her. As Erika closes in on the killer, there are plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing. Once the killer is identified, there is a background story to their life and the crime they committed, and I feel that this could have been explored in more depth, particularly as it pertains to an important period in British history. Nevertheless, Bryndza has pulled off another masterstroke and I eagerly await the next one!

4.5 (rounded to 5 stars)

Fab, fab, fab!! Mr. Bryndza has come up with another highly entertaining read in his terrific Erika Foster series. I wasn’t as keen on the last book, Cold Blood, because much of the focus was taken off Erika and her colleagues. This time they are back and totally hog all the “airtime”, just the way I like it.

We have a two-pronged tale involving a dangerous stalker outfitted with a gas mask and the grisly murder of a beautiful burlesque dancer. I tried like crazy to figure out how these cases were going to dovetail, but dovetail they did, and in a most surprising way. I was totally shocked by the ending. The action clipped along at a nice pace, even the parts showcasing Erika’s personal side. As usual, Erika takes some blows in her private life, but this time she is at least trying to squeeze lemonade from the lemons. Erika has a very vulnerable side and this was on full display in Deadly Secrets, providing several heart-in-my-throat moments. Because of this aspect of the story I rounded my 4.5 rating up to 5 full stars, even though I am trying to be a more critical rater this year.

I also really enjoyed seeing Moss take the lead at one point in the investigation. We get to learn more about her personality and deficiencies. I hope Mr. Bryndza continues to develop her as well McGorry and Crane in future installments. Peterson is back, and it was great to see him recovered from his terrible injuries and returning to the team. Isaac Strong gets more time in this one; I would love to see him get even more in future books. I did find Superintendent Melanie Hudson a little bland, and I missed Marsh, but those are pretty minor issues.

With twisted plots, great police work, and engaging characters from a fine writer, Robert Bryndza’s Erika Foster novels remain one of my tiptop favorite series. I strongly recommend these books to all crime fiction/thriller fans looking for a fast captivating read with heart.

My Review: 5/5

Mr. Bryndza has done it again! The latest installment of the Erika Foster series might just be the best one yet!

Erika’s newest case involves a young, pretty girl who was found murdered on her front porch. As Erika starts to unravel the facts, secrets come out about the victim making it a very difficult case to solve.

On top of dealing with the case, in typical Erika style she also deals with her own issues.

While I love the storyline and mystery in every Erika Foster book, I also enjoy the main character. She is raw and real with her own struggles. However, given her job, she’s perfected the act of putting everything on the back burner.

I’ve grown to love Erika more and more with each book. The author does an incredible job with the characterization that makes you actually care for Erika and her team.

An easy 5 out of 5 stars from me. Highly recommend that you take the plunge and discover the gem that is Erika!

I just can’t get enough of DCI Erika Foster. I love how a different character gets their time to shine alongside DCI Foster, it’s one of the things that keeps me getting Robert Bryndza’s books and turning those pages. His latest effort does not disappoint! Don’t just read this one, read them all!!

This 6th Erica Foster book starts on xmas eve with the brutal murder of a burlesque dancer (not a prostitute) outside her own front door by a man dressed in a long black coat wearing a gas mask.
Instead of going to her boss' house on Xmas day Erika Foster goes straight to the crime scene even though she is off duty. As it is snowing and it is Xmas the neighbours are busy and a house to house doesn't throw up any information.
As attacks by the gas mask killer Erika has to leave the investigation to go north to look after her father in law, Edward who has fallen and broken his hip. This means that Kate Moss steps up as acting Senior Investigating Officer. Trying hard to prove herself she soon finds herself at the mercy of the gas mask attacker.
This is a fast paced book with plenty of action, twists and turns. Robert Bryndza gets better with each book Even if you haven't read any of the previous books 'Deadly Secrets' will have you hooked from the beginning.

I can’t believe this is already the sixth book in this outstanding series! If you haven’t started getting aquatinted with Erika Foster and the work of the amazing Robert Bryndza, what are you waiting for?! Seriously, start back at the first book and come and catch up with me, I don’t think you’ll regret it for a minute, it stands out amongst other books and is one of those rare series that gets better with each installment.

This has a super creepy premise, there’s a killer on the loose who wears a gas mask during the act, typing that out gave me the chills and there are plenty more to be found. There are no flashbacks here, only some personal ones from Erika as she remembers certain events from back when Mark was alive and staying solely in the present day made for a refreshing change of pace. The story is twisty but no overly so, just enough surprises to stay believable and plenty of action to keep things exciting.

Once again, Bryndza continues to peel back the layers and uncover more about Erika, just when I feel like I know everything there is to know about this complicated woman he reveals some new aspect that only serves to make me like her even more than I already do. The dynamics of the team are interesting as always, I’m so invested in their lives and relationships with each at this point that seeing what they’re up to is always a treat. If you’re a fan of this series, you’ll be delighted with some of the insights into Erika and team, ahem especially Peterson! 😱 🤐

Highly recommended by me, not only this book, but the whole series, it’s fantastic and Bryndza brings something new to the table with every single book.

Deadly Secrets in three words: Gripping, Pacey and Multifaceted.

A killer in a gas mask is on the prowl and seems to be assaulting/killing people at random. Marissa is found stabbed to death on her front porch on Christmas morning and the story takes off from there. Erika has a relationship that went sideways, menopause, and he father-in-laws failing health to attend to and Det. Marsh is put up to bat in her place.
This series just keeps getting better and better. I am a series junkie and sometimes I get burnt out but keep going because "I gotta know." Not this series, it keeps your gripped and intrigued 90% of the time and I just love Robert for that. I stalk his page looking for a new book in the series. Every time I see one I get all giddy inside. I cannot wait for the next.

Wow, what a fantastic book, kept me reading until the early hours of the morning. I have enjoyed all the other books in the Erika Foster series but this was even more gripping, thrilling and addictive. I love Erika, she is badly affected by the death of her husband in a police raid that went wrong but throws herself into her work as she still feels guilty about his death and has a good relationship with her team.
Erika comes across a crime scene on her way to her boss’s home for Christmas dinner. A young woman has been found murdered and frozen to the ground on her own doorstep. The circumstances are very similar to other attacks in London by a person wearing a gas mask. Erika then begins to unsolved a sordid past of the victim and a multitude of suspects. The storyline is brilliant, so compelling and just when you think you have worked everything out there are more twists and turns that leaves out gasping! Please Robert Bryndza don’t leave us waiting too long for book number 7 in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Absolutely amazing! Perfection! Robert Bryndza does it again! This is a thrilling, incredibly paced, addictive, twisted roller coaster of a book. Erika is on form as usual as are her wonderful team. Loved every word. Once again, this author has proved that he is without doubt one of the best crime writers of today.

Deadly Secrets by Robert Bryndza
A Detective Erika Foster Novel #6

Murder, Mystery and Misfortune befall more than one in this novel that is predominately a police procedural but also provides insight into families and some of the lives of characters Erika knows.

The book starts out with the murder of Marissa – a young woman who earns some of her money doing burlesque dancing in theaters. She also makes money on the side in a variety of rather unethical ways. The murder is brutal and the killer masked so even the CCTV camera that has footage does not indicate who the murderer is. With other incidents occurring in which persons are attacked by someone wearing a gasmask like the one on the CCTV film the police believe that if they catch the masked man they will have their murderer.

There are a few red herrings, a suicide, a number of people accosted, a police detective in danger, Erika’s father-in-law in need, and a surprise twist at the end that was perhaps not 100% believable but still unexpected adding a further dimension to the story. In some ways I would have preferred the masked man to be the only culprit but…I didn’t write the book.

I enjoyed seeing how Erika is doing and would like to read more of her story in future books. I am not sure what I have missed in the previous four books but did not need to read them for this book to flow easily and stand as a story on its own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

Robert Bryndza you have more than excelled again!! From start to finish it's a whammy!!!! From the moment a mother wakes up to find her daughter murdered in their snow covered garden it begins!! Enter Detective Erica Foster! More murders begin with links to the first. What's brilliant about Deadly Secrets is Erica's private life and that of her team feature too!!! Loved, Loved, Loved it!! Get reading folks. Can't recommend it highly enough.

Whenever there is a new DCI Erika Foster novel out, it always shoots straight to the top of my reading pile. I am a huge, huge fan of this series; Erika is a fantastic protagonist and I hope that Robert still has plenty of ideas for her up his sleeve. She is simply, brilliant!

A young woman, who has been brutally murdered, is discovered on her front doorstep by her mother on Christmas Day. DCI Erika Foster attends the scene, and a sordid picture of the young woman’s life begins to emerge as she investigates. But what is disturbing to Erika and her team is the eerily similar circumstances to recent attacks on men and women in London, carried out by a suspect wearing a military gas mask who is a terrifying individual. The suspect has never been apprehended by the police. And it is soon clear that he isn’t finished.

Deadly Secrets makes for another gripping read in the Erika Foster series. As Erika begins to untangle the life of the victim, unsavoury details about the victim’s character are uncovered and there is a pool of suspects to investigate.

There are plenty of intriguing aspects to this investigation, I wanted to find out if the suspect in the previous attacks was responsible and why they were committing these acts. How could someone commit such heinous crimes? Robert also brings several of his background characters to the front, and there is some great character development, particularly in Moss who takes charge of the case when Erika is called away after her father-in-law is injured at his home in Manchester. It always makes me smile, whenever a joke is made about her name. She has a very different personality to Erika and I really like her humour. We also explore Erika’s character further and we begin to learn a lot more about her past before she transferred to London. Although we know what happened to her husband Mark, it is only in this book that we are starting to find out more about their relationship.

This is another excellent addition to the Erika Foster series, if you haven’t yet read any of these novels, I highly recommend that you read them all. Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

I just love Robert Bryndza’s pacy writing style. I’ve only read one of his books before and was delighted to read this, his sixth featuring the feisty, no-nonsense Detective Erika Foster. I find her tremendously appealing . Only Erika would be thoroughly relieved to stumble onto a murder scene on Christmas Day – so  she no longer has to attend a festive lunch! In Deadly Secrets we’re almost immediately plunged into murder and mayhem. The story is compelling and I found it very hard to put down. I honestly never suspected the outcome for a moment - it took me totally by surprise.  This was a quick, gripping read. The author is a master at creating believable characters, many of which are quite memorable (such as the clearly slightly unhinged neighbour, caught photographing the first murder victim, and his over-protective parents). While there are references to Erika’s previous cases, this is a standalone read. I can’t wait for the next one!

I was super excited to receive an ARC of this book. DCI Erika Foster is my favorite series and each new book brings something that keeps me eagerly waiting for the next release.

Deadly Secrets is set around Christmas. As other families are getting together for the festivities, a young woman is breathing her last on her doorstep. Meredith is brutally murdered by a killer in a gas mask. This opens the investigations into one of the most twisted murder mysteries. Fear escalates in London as more reports are received about the person in the gas mask.

This story was a bit different from the usual DCI Foster crime thrillers.Erika’s role in the case was a bit different for one. Secondly, the nature of the case was more complex and quite different from previous books especially in terms of themes. This doesn’t mean that I didn’t like the story though. I enjoyed it! I especially liked the fact that I couldn’t guess the villain’s identity until the reveal . I was right in one of my predictions but as usual, Bryndza had me changing my mind a couple of times.

Another thing that surprised me with this book is how emotional it made me feel. I didn’t cry but my tears were definitely close. There were gut wrenching scenes especially involving Erika. With each book, I have developed a connection with the MC. She is a character that I really like and naturally root for. I guess it makes sense that her low moments affected me. Overall, the character development keeps getting better with each new book. I also like the fact that the author decided to give Moss a more prominent role in this story. She is one of my favorite characters and getting to know her better was a treat.

Deadly Secrets has everything that makes a crime thriller great. It is fast-paced with a good, complex murder mystery and a twisted villain. Like the other books in the series, it can be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend reading this series in order. The character development is just as important as each new case.

Definitely recommended!

Deadly Secrets reads like a dream, perfect writing, a story that has you hooked from the start and a mystery that keeps you hooked the whole way through. Considering this is number 6 in the series, for this novel to be unputdownable is an amazing feat. Erika Foster is back baby! I think number 7 will bring a lot of changes with it, to Erika's life.. can't wait!

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tenacious, conscientious DI Erika Foster is back in this sixth book in a series that started off brilliantly and just keeps getting better.
The action starts on Christmas Eve when a burlesque dance, Marissa Lewis, is viciously attacked and murdered on her doorstep. This keeps Erika preoccupied on Christmas Day when she’d otherwise be going for lunch with her superior officer. Her victim turns out to be a complicated young lady, with as many enemies as admirers. As with many of DI Foster’s cases, the implications spread out further and further and bring many people under suspicion. A further attack and suicide attempts, successful and otherwise, just keep the surprises and ingenious twists and turns coming in this very cleverly constructed police procedural mystery. Once you start reading, you can’t stop. You simply have to know what’s going to happen next.
The past never lets go of Erika and in this story her relationship with her father-in-law Edward ght to the forefront. Also, colleague James Peterson, with whom Erika was previously in a relationship, returns to add some complications.
As ever, we’re presented with a gripping, exciting story and some totally fascinating characters. Those we already know, such as Erika and her team, continue to develop subtly which makes them ever more interesting. The new people we meet in the story are all strong and diverse. Robert Bryndza excels in portraying totally convincing characters from all walks of life.
This is another top-class novel from Robert Bryndza, but then we’d expect no less from this consistently outstanding author.

Bryndza! You just love to torture your readers! I thought one guy was the killer and then you gave us different clues, I was sort of on the right track though. Smooth and creepy how you've evolved from this funny guy to murderers and psychos. Erika is a wonderful detective with plenty of personal issues, which carry through the series. Her police colleagues have very different personalities and hold much respect for Erika. Each of these books can read independently or in order. I was given a copy through Netgalley and wrote my review voluntarily.

As per usual, well for me anyway, I discover a series part way through. The upside to that is of course the fact that it means that there are other books in the series to catch up on. Anyway I digress so back to the review I do go. I read and reviewed the previous book in the series, ‘Cold Blood’ and I absolutely loved it!! So it was with great excitement that I picked up ‘Deadly Secrets’ and began to read. All I can say on finishing the book is ‘ bloody hell what a fantastic read it is’. I absolutely loved it but more about that in a bit.
Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Erika Foster is one of those characters that you take to from the word go. She is one feisty, courageous, determined, strong, hard working and dedicated police officer. She has been a victim of crime herself and knows how crime can affect victims and this drives her to be the superb police officer that we know and love. DCI Foster is still badly affected by the death of her husband at the hands of a known criminal. There was a police raid and it went wrong. As a result of which, Mark died and others were injured. Erika carries around a lot of guilt about what went wrong but there is nothing she can do to change what happened. She manages in the only way she knows how and that is to throw herself into her work. DCI Erika leads from the front and she is the sort of boss that you would want to work for in that she does her fair share of the less glamourous side of police work. Erika works well as part of a team but at the same time she can work perfectly well on her own. If I had one criticism of Erika, it would be that sometimes she acts before she puts her brain into gear and thinks logically. The great thing about Erika and her team is that there is a real camaraderie there and each has the others’ backs. Erika’s work is her life and she has very little in the way of a social life although she is trying to get out there a bit more. The cases featured in ‘Deadly Secrets’ certainly test DCI Foster and her team. Will Erika and her team solve the cases before any more lives are lost? Will Erika survive unhurt? Who is murdering people and why? What is the truth? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out because I am not going to tell you.
‘Deadly Secrets’ is one hell of a read and then some. Literally from the moment I picked up the book, I didn’t put it down until after I had finished it. The story hits the ground running and maintains the pace throughout. The author’s writing style is such that you can’t help but be drawn into the story and before you know it, you are addicted to reading it. The writing style, storylines and characters were so realistic that the book came alive and I began to live the story. I imagined that I was a silent and invisible member of Erika’s team and part of the investigation. I shared the team’s sense of frustration, anger and excitement when a lead presented itself. Reading ‘Deadly Secrets’ was very much like riding on a very twisted and scary rollercoaster ride with lots of hidden twists and turns. On more than one occasion, I almost put my hands over my eyes as I genuinely feared what was going to happen next. In my opinion ‘Deadly Secrets’ is my favourite book of the series so far. The DCI Erika Foster series is one of those series that just gets better with each and every book that is released. To be honest, this series is just begging to be adapted for television.
In short, I absolutely LOVED reading ‘Deadly Secrets’ and I can’t wait to read what comes next from the twisted mind of Robert Bryndza. Here’s hoping that we don’t have too long a wait but in the meantime, and because I am a bit OCD, I am going to read the rest of the books in the series from the beginning and in order. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to other readers. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.