The search for the killer of a child long dead is a recurring trope in crime fiction, and it carries with it all manner of similar plot strands. There will be dusty police files, parents – probably elderly by now – and still clinging to the faint hope that there might be answers; almost certainly we will meet police officers who made mistakes, made the wrong call, or took crucial short-cuts; there will be intriguing glimpses into what life was like twenty, thirty years earlier, and a sense of the truth being buried under too many lies, too many errors, too little police time, and – perhaps – a victim who was not attractive enough to the media.

We get all this – and more – from Robert Bryndza’s The Lost Victim. Three decades earlier, before King’s Cross in London was a dazzling hub of boutique restaurants, state-of-the-art apartments and conference venues, a teenage girl named Janey Macklin was sent by her mum to buy a packet of fags from a newsagent’s shop, which sat among the grim streets, derelict warehouses, dark railway arches, smoke-filled pubs and knocking shops that made up London N1C 4AX in 1988. Janey never returned to the pub with her mum’s cigarettes. Her body was never found, despite traces of her blood being recorded in and around the places where she was last seen.

On the balance of probability, Robert Driscoll was convicted of her murder, but after a decade in jail, his case was reviewed and with a much smarter barrister than he was given at his first trial, Driscoll was released. Contemporary with Janey’s disappearance, a series of girls were being abducted and savaged by a man the press dubbed ‘ The Nine Elms Cannibal’. This time , there was no miscarriage of justice, and Peter Conway was caught, tried and convicted. He was a police officer, and married to Kate Marshall. Kate, also a copper, survived a bout of alcoholism brought about by the trauma, left the force, but has now reinvented herself as a private investigator, partnered by Tristan Harper, and based in Devon.

When she is contacted by a media agency who say they are preparing a True Crime series based on Janet’s disappearance, and need her to provide material, she reluctantly agrees. Since the case overlaps the story of her murderous husband, she senses that she might be about to be exploited, but it is the middle of winter, and her case load is not so heavy that she can afford to refuse.It does not take long for Kate Marshall to realise that she is being played by these media spivs. Not only that, a man in a relationship with one the agency’s employees was, almost certainly, a person of interest in the original investigation into Janey Macklin’s disappearance.

With awful scenes from her own past flitting in and out of her mind, Kate digs deeper and deeper into what happened on that chilly December evening, all those years ago. She is working for nothing, and running on fumes. Robert Bryndza doesn’t spare us from the numbing sense of loss felt by the people who knew and loved Janey, and when her remains are eventually found, we are left with an almost tangible sense of loss. We know her as a person; the girl who liked a bag of chips on a Friday night; the girl who went to ballet classes, perhaps dreaming of a future that could never have been realised.

I first encountered Kate Marshall in Nine Elms, which goes some way to putting her life into perspective.. In The Lost Victim we come face to face with truly vile human beings, thankfully behind bars for desecrating the lives of young people. Kate Marshall is a spirited and determined woman – a flawed, but believable heroine. The Lost Victim is published by Raven Street Publishing, and will be available on 11th July.

Wow. Another amazing book from Robert.
I just love his mysteries, they keep me guessing.
You sort of think you have it worked out, then a twist and you second guess yourself.
I can’t read his books quick enough.
Kate and Tristan are a good mix and I hope there are many more to come in this series.
Thankyou

Another enjoyable read in the Kate Marshall series, with links back to characters from the earlier books. Can’t wait for the next one.

Thank-you NetGalley for the ARC of The Lost Victim by Robert Bryndza in return for my honest review.
This is the Fifth instalment in the Kate Marshall series and defiantly the best one yet. The Lost Victim can be read as a standalone but I would highly recommend reading the series from the beginning to get the whole Kate Marshall experience you won’t be disappointed. Can’t wait for the next instalment.

Another blinder of a book.

I cannot tell you how good this series is. If you have not read any you must now... straight away.

As usual, plenty of twists and turns. A great plot and likeable characters.

Highly recommended, 5 stars from me.

Kate and Tristan are back, this time investigating the cold case of a young girl who went missing in 1988 on behalf of a production company that is planning a podcast studying the case. But are they really interested in Kate and Tristans' skills, or is it because Kates ex Peter Conway, the notorious Nine Elms Cannibal has been linked to the case?

Robert Bryndza has presented us with another great thriller. It's a great story, entertaining, and to me vecçry believable. Tristan is possibly my favourite side kick of all the detective novels I read (and there's a few!). I'm looking forward to the next instalment.

Thank you Robert for bringing back Kate and Tristan. They are as good a friend to each other as they are work colleagues. I am not often keen on historic stories of murder and how they find the killers but this one was done really well. Its one of those books that is easy to read and the chapters are short. It flowed really well and the ending was nice and tidy.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishing house, and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review, based upon my honest opinion.

This is the fifth book in the Kate Marshall series, this book could easily be read as a standalone book, but I think you should definitely read all of the books as this is a fantastic series. This author writes such good books. The storylines always grab me right from the start, and keep me on the edge of my seat waiting to solve the mystery with Kate and Tristan.

This book Kate and Tristan, as Private investigators are approached about doing a story about a missing girl from years ago a girl whom may have been killed by her ex, Peter Conway, who turned out to be the Nine Elms Cannibal, a serial killer she helped put away. A man who is also the father of her son Ryan. Kayden Tristan decide to accept the offer and start delving into the missing girl while trying to unravel the story. There are many twists that leave you wondering who really did kill Janey Macklin; was she a victim of the nine Elms cannibal or was there another killer amongst their midst.

I really enjoy the series and I cannot wait for the next installment. This book came full circle from the first book and I can’t wait to see what adventures Kate and Tristan will get Involved in.

Kate and Tristan are back and travel to London to look into a case of a missing girl from the 80’s. The victim is linked to Peter, Kate’s ex who’s still in prison for his crimes. This was a really good read and while it can be read as a stand alone it would be better to be read in book order so you know the background of the characters. Fast paced and engaging crime book, I can’t wait for the next one!

I’m a massive fan of Robert Bryndza and the Kate Marshall series. This one didn’t disappoint, it was a cracking read which kept me entertained, in fact I couldn’t put it down. I love the Erika Foster series too and a potential collab book with the two is super exciting. This was a really interesting cold case which had a brilliantly written storyline full of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Loved this book, very highly recommend. I’m definitely buying this book for a friend who is also a Robert Bryndza fan.

17. The Lost Victim by Robert Bryndza

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love this series and adore Kate and Tristan.

🔪 Packed with twists and turns
🔪 Plenty of creepy moments
🔪 Kate’s back story gets even more depth

Another great addition to the series!

THE LOST VICTIM is the fifth novel Kate Marshall Crime Thriller Series by international bestselling author Robert Bryndza. The novel’s central character Kate Marshall, is a police officer turned private detective. This novel can be read as a stand-alone, but I recommend starting with book one for clarity and content.

Novels In The Kate Marshall Series Include:
1. Nine Elms (2019)
2. Shadow Sands (2020)
3. Darkness Falls (2021)
4. Devil's Way (2023)
5. The Lost Victim (2024)

This is my review of The Lost Victim.

This is the story of a school girl Janey Macklin who disappeared in London in 1988, and now 30 years later private detective Kate Marshall and her associate, Tristan accepts a contract by a crime podcast producer to investigate this cold-case file.

Could Janey have been killed by Peter Conway, the notorious Nine Elms Cannibal?

There was no body or witnesses.

Peter Conway, Kate's ex, a serial killer now in prison in poor health, was the last person to see Janey alive and has been cleared of her murder.

After further investigation and reviewing the case notes, phone calls and limited poor DNA evidence, Kate and Tristan must look elsewhere for more information.

Slowly Kate and Tristan start piecing things together.

This was a fast-paced well written mystery crime thriller with well-defined characters and believable plot. Clues are disclosed on a need-to-know basis, and this gripping novel will keep you hooked until the very last page.

Many thanks to the author, Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley for my digital copy.

I love a well crafted thriller and this definitely was one. It's a thriller that makes you feel for the characters and get invested. A brilliant page turner about a cold case and the multiple possibilities.

Loved the theme and characters. The impossibility of a cold case was brilliantly shown. Read this as a standalone and found no difficulty in catching up. Recommend!

Thank you Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

The Lost Victim by Robert Bryndza
Kate Marshall Thriller #5

Another cold case or Kate and Triston to solve – if they can? What happened to Janey Macklin and why wasn’t her body ever found?

What I liked:
* Kate: once on the police force, taught forensics at a university, tenacious, utilizes investigative techniques wisely, organized, methodical, intuitive, focused, intriguing
* Tristan: intense, focused, good brother, capable, great investigative skills, interesting character that I would like to learn more about
* Jake: Kate’s son, university graduate, on break from internship in USA, brought Olivia home for the holidays, son of a serial killer, proposes an option to Kate & Tristan that may improve their financial stability
* The prologue that set the stage for the cold case
* The tidbits about the main characters gleaned though not many were shared in this book
* Police procedural elements
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing
* The tie-in to Peter Conway and his impact on more than one character in this book – hoping his part in future books will be minimal
* That all of the loose ends were tied up by the end of the story and there was closure for Janey’s family
* Wondering what the next book will be about

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* The evil some of the characters were willing to do and the impact it had on more than one in the story
* Thinking about choices made and what would have happened if a different choice had been made

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series/by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

Robert Bryndza (https://www.robertbryndza.com) is the author of 20 novels. The Lost Victim was published last month and is the fifth book in his Private Investigator Kate Marshall series. It is the 63rd book I completed reading in 2024.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R.

Private detective Kate Marshall and her colleague Tristan Harper have been engaged to investigate a cold case. Thirty years earlier, in 1988, the young teen Janey Macklin disappeared. A true-crime media producer wants to develop a podcast around the unsolved case.

Many think that serial killer Peter Conway, the notorious Nine Elms Cannibal, might know what happened to Macklin. Marshall has a connection to the case. Conway had been a detective when she first joined the police force and she had worked for him. Poor judgment on her part led to Conway becoming the father of her now-adult son. It had been Marshall who broke the Nine Elms case and arrested Conway.

Conway was reportedly seen in the area where Macklin lived. Perhaps even spending time in the pub where Macklin’s mother worked. A pub where Janey and her sister often sat at a table playing video games until their mother was ready to go home. Another possible suspect is Thomas Black. He, too, is a convicted serial killer. He hung out in the same area. He is now serving prison time at the same location as Conway. After many years in prison, both Conway and Black are plagued with health issues.

Marshall and Harper interview as many as they can find who knew Macklin. A local teen, Robert Driscoll, had been convicted of Macklin’s death but was later released after the case was overturned.

With little to start with Marshall and Harper slowly gather evidence and uncover secrets. Not everyone they speak with wants the case reopened. Many they speak to clearly have secrets. While there is no motive for Macklin’s disappearance, several knew the girl and had the opportunity. Marshall must face the man she once thought she loved. A man who betrayed her trust and tried to kill her.

I enjoyed the 7+ hours I spent reading this 322-page mystery. I have had the opportunity to read three other excellent mystery novels by Mr. Bryndza. They are The Girl in the Ice, Fatal Witness, and Lethal Vengeance. I liked the plot twists in this novel. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 5 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Always excited for a new Kate Marshall book.

Kate and Tristian have an opportunity to crack a cold case. The excitement is a little muted as they realize the missing girl may be tied to Kate's serial killer ex, who also is the father of her child. Time is short to find answers from him and from others,and someone is shadowing them all the way.

I was especially excited to see Tristian be given the opportunity to do more things alone. As he and Kate move through the case, it becomes apparent that some people are not being truthful about the past. The new direction that looms as a career prospect is also intriguing, especially since Kate's son see the opportunity to take her business to a new level. I love this, because with the high profile cases it always seemed that they should be able to do better financially.

It was also great to see Kate come to terms with how she could stop hiding from her past, ad possibly use it to her advantage.

I felt like there was a lot of misdirection that made it great to consider different suspects.

Bryndza is good at allowing you to root for and understand characters that are not "perfect"

I look forward to the next installment to see where Kate and Tristian go from here.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest comments.

I am so excited whenever Robert releases a new book because I know it will be a 5 star read. This book was no different and I inhaled it! That's my only complaint - I read it too quickly and now I have to wait again! Thank you for the opportunity to read this fantastic book.

The Lost Victim by Robert Bryndza
Raven Street Publishing, 11th July 2024

When schoolgirl Janey Macklin disappeared in 1988, the case went cold, with no body and no witnesses.
Now, 30 years later, PI Kate Marshall is hired by a true crime podcaster to look into it. With little for Kate and partner Tristan to work on, and the landscape where Janey went missing having altered so much, the detecting duo need their wits about them.

The author skillfully brings Kate and Tristan to life from the pages, and as the pace really picks up at the halfway point, shows why he earns such rave reviews from crime readers. The plot is strong, and the surprises along the way are unexpected and brilliant.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Raven Street Publishing and Robert Bryndza for providing an eARC via NetGalley; this is my honest review.

This is book #5 in this fantastic series and I have to hold my hands up and say this is only the third I have read BUT it didn't at all affect the understanding of the storyline or plot. I'll admit it most definitely helps if you have read at least a couple of the previous books though as there are references to past relationships etc.

Ex poloce detective Kate and her business partner Tristan are contacted with a new proposal for a job. A job that could come in at just the right time, Kate is in need of a cash injection for her other business and Tristan is behind on payments.

In 1988 a young girl, Janey Mackin, disappeared whilst on an errand to the local corner shop for her mum. She was never seen again. No body was ever found. What happened to Janey, was she taken or did she run away?

These are the questions that a true crime podcast producer wants answered and feel that Kate and Tristan, with their success at cold cases, can answer.

Investigating, lots of the clues, evidence and testimony of others points to Peter Conway. A man already serving life in prison, also the man that Kate had a relationship and child with, before arresting him for multiple murders, warming him the moniker of the 'Nine Elms Killer'.

The podcast producer puts them up in a flat in London so they are local enough to investigate Janey's disappearance but while there things start happening to make them think that someone is hiding something. As they claw closer and closer to the truth, the danger also feels like it it casting its shadows.

Running around London, trying to uncover all they can, Kate also has the reminder of Peter Conway weighing heavily on her shoulders. Their son has flown back home after being told his Dad is seriously ill. After dental issues which required surgery, he has since been hospitalised after an infection caused him to collapse and cause skull damage. Can Kate put her personal feelings aside to ask him the one question she's desperate to ask.. 'was Janey one of his victims?'

Can they figure it all out before the shadows enclose them completely?

This is th3 epitome of a real crime thriller. Packed with suspense and twists, I found this completely unputdownable.

Thanks to Netgalley and Raven Street Publishing for the ARC.

This was an interesting case making the book unique, it had the twist you’re looking for in this genre as well. I’m interested to see what’s next.