This is my favorite Kate Marshall book so far! A young girl is missing and presumed dead. A jailhouse note claims Kate’s ex is the murderer. I really hope Kate and Erika Foster work together one day and the two series cross-over…

I was praying i would get to read tjis pre release. Love RB's books and this one didnt disappoint either. You need to write more RB. I cant bear waiting a year for another book 😪 the plots are always exciting and intriguing, the characters developing over time. LOVED LOVED LOVED IT

Robert you never disappoint, another fast paced thriller that kept me guessing right up until the end! Love this series, have a soft spot for Kate ( want her to find love) and Tristan

Definitely 5 stars

"Man is not what he thinks he is. He is what he hides." (Andre Malraux)

Kaboom.........Robert Bryndza creates another twitchy, pulsating thriller that keeps the eyes locked in on every page. Bryndza keeps a steady beat with familiar characters in The Lost Victim while lining the edges with newly introduced individuals. Some are those who found themselves as unfortunate victims and some who have long chosen to reside within the depths of a hellish existence side-by-side with their own demons.

It's December of 1988 in the King's Cross area of London. The local newstand is just about ready to close so fourteen year old Janey Macklen must quicken her steps in the biting cold. Her mother, Doreen, sent her out in her thin school uniform to purchase a pack of cigarettes for her. Time passes and Janey never returns home that night.

December of 2018 brings with it thirty years since Janey went missing. And that's when Kate Marshall receives the call. Kate, a former police officer, has changed gears and now runs a private detective agency with her partner, Tristan Harper. They've been beckoned by the Stafford-Clarke Literary Agency to come into London from Thurlow Bay. The agency wishes to get much needed background and dire clues into this cold case of Janey Macklen for a future podcast airing. Kate and Tristan would stay at a flat in Percy Circus while they do the legwork of investigation. Their current finances make them take this deal seriously.

But this particular case proves to be a difficult one. No body was ever found. People familiar with this case have either died or moved away. And then there are the rumors that Peter Conway, Kate's old nemesis, may have somehow been involved. We feel Kate's skin crawl as she must visit Peter in prison for information. And Peter may not be up to divulging what he may or may not know.

The Lost Victim reads as a standalone with Bryndza filling in the backstories nicely. He's a master when it comes to injecting deep rivers of suspense into his storylines. And that I honestly appreciate. Bryndza guarantees a smart, smart read every time. There are no marshy areas slogged with unbelievable outcomes. Bryndza touches on the pulse of crime........and it truly shows.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Raven Street Publishing and to the talented Robert Bryndza for the opportunity.

Private detectives Kate and Tristan have a new case and this time, it’s personal. A girl who went missing 30 years ago is now thought to have been a victim of the Nine Elms Cannibal. AKA, Peter Conway, Kate’s ex-boss and the father of her son, Jake. Janey Macklin was thought to have been abducted and murdered by a local man who was charged and found guilty. But he was released years later, and his conviction overturned. The last thing Kate wants is a case relating to Peter, but she can’t help but think of Janey’s family all these years later with no justice. She’s too good of a person not to take the case.

It's hard for them to investigate when most people related to the case are either criminals or not around after three decades. And getting the truth out of Peter is like pulling teeth (inside joke once you read the story!). His poor health has caught up with him and if he is guilty, Kate wants to make him pay for it before it’s too late for him to take responsibility.

The agency that hired Kate and Tristan hopes a breakthrough will boost their podcast into stardom, and they’re prepared to pay well. But they’re oddly elusive and cagey about some of their connections and the details they received leading to their theory about Janey being a victim of Peter. So, on top of dealing with shady suspects, Kate and Tristan have to be wary of their clients, also. It really makes the story intriguing because there are multiple mysteries. Who harmed Janey? Why hasn’t her body been found? Is Peter guilty or did the system have it right the first time? And the tease at the beginning from Janey’s point of view? Masterful. This is an incredible story that you must read – guaranteed!

Massive fan of Robert Bryndza. His books are exciting with a huge amount of suspense which keeps you guessing until the very end.
The Kate Marshall series are superb, looking forward to the next thrilling instalment.

PI Kate Marshall and Tristan Harper investigate a cold case from 1988 where a young girl goes missing, believed to be dead.
The case is being investigated by people who are involved in doing podcasts, and it is later, that it is found that one of those people have a close connection to the missing girl, Janey.

Another brilliantly thought out investigative thriller from Robert Bryndza.

The PI's work as a well oiled team, and work closely with the police as well.

They are dedicated to their craft, and uncover long hidden leads and clues.

I was gripped from the first page, knowing that the thriller would be fast paced and well thought out.

The characters are solid and the story is suspenseful.

I highly recommend.

Roll on the next Kate and Tristan thriller!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Raven Street Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

The Lost Victim is the 5th book in the Kate Marshall detective series.
Kate and her partner Tristan travel to London to investigate a cold case - the disappearance of schoolgirl Janey Macklin in 1988. As with all Robert Bryndza's books, this is well-written with a strong plot and lots of twists. I particularly liked the descriptions of London comparing the seedier side of London past with the gentrified London of the present. During the course of the investigation, the team make contact with the Nine Elms Cannibal who was introduced earlier in the series but there is sufficient backstory given to make this a thrilling read as a standalone book.
A great addition to the series. I couldn't put it down.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an arc. All opinions are my own.

This is the fifth in the Kate Marshall series. I have read three of them.

Teenager Janey Macklin disappeared in 1988. A man was convicted of killing her but later that conviction was reversed. Now, an imprisoned serial killer claims that fellow serial killer Peter Conway, known as the Nine Elms Cannibal, is responsible. A podcast company hires private investigator Kate Marshall and her partner Tristan Harper to seek the truth. In need of increased cash flow, they take the case even though Conway is Kate’s former husband, the father of her child, and the man she put behind bars. As they work to unravel the mystery, long held secrets are revealed.

Bryndza writes a well plotted, fast paced story with good character development that draws you in from the beginning. I couldn’t put this book down. He creates a good sense of place, I could easily picture the seedier neighborhoods of the 1980s, the hustle and bustle of present day London, and feel the chill of the frigid weather and heat deprived apartment used by Kate and Tristan. Kate is a bright, capable, strong, but vulnerable female character despite her earlier difficulties in life. Tristan, her once research assistant, has grown into being a valuable partner. I enjoy these characters.

Although part of a series, this does work as a standalone. Fans of solid investigative procedurals and mysteries will enjoy this addition to the series, among one of my favorites, along with Bryndza’s Erika Foster series.

I am a huge fan of Robert Bryndza and I was delighted to get the opportunity to read his newest book The Lost Victim. This was one of the most gripping and thrilling books I have read in a long time. I read it over the course of a day as I simply couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to read more from the author in the future.

Robert Bryndza produces great novel after great novel and his latest, the Lost Victim, certainly lives up to its predecessors. Private Investigators Kate Harper and Tristan Marshall are searching for Janey Macklin, a school girl who disappeared in 1988 and whose case has gone cold. Kate and Tristan are approached by a true crime podcaster who is wondering if Janey could have been killed by Peter Conway, the notorious Nine Elms Cannibal. If Kate can solve this, it could prove to be her most lucrative case to date but will she be willing to dredge up the past? I was hooked from the start, the plot unfolds at pace and I was captivated with each turn of the page. I can’t wait to read Robert’s next novel. Thank you to NetGalley, Raven Street Publishing and the author for the chance to review.

When school girl Janey Macklin disappeared from the seedy side of London in 1988, her case went cold, with no body and no witnesses. Now, thirty years later, private detective Kate Marshall has been approached by a true crime podcast producer with an intriguing question they need her help answering: What if Janey was killed by Peter Conway, the notorious Nine Elms Cannibal? Great read!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! It had great suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, a great who done it and a few crazy twists and turns! The story was very interesting and had me glued to my kindle! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me! Can’t wait for more!!

Well what can I say another amazing Robert read, never disappointed only that its finished, love Kate as much as I love Erica, took me less than 24 hours because once I pick up one of Roberts books, I can't put it down

I couldn't put this novel down until I had finished it. A top read and highly recommended. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of the book.

Kate and Tristan's relationship is so brilliant! This story will have readers on the edge of their seats as the story unravels and takes you to places you wouldn't expect. Absolutely fantastic thriller!

The best yet in this sterling series. The author takes us to London and a historic cold case which is enmeshed with the major case which has been woven through this series - the Nine Elms Cannibal. This is such a clever and satisfying mystery to solve with a really good red herring or two to make it extra interesting, I loved the complexities presented by the podcast and the characters linked to the case. This author makes characters come to life so clearly and colourfully that it seems you could reach out and touch them, and he has created some new monsters in this book. It is a testament to his capabilities in character creation that I always read these books and find the time and energy to loathe Tristan’s sister, Sarah so much, even when the focus is often gory and gut-wrenching murders. Truly, such a wonderful example of this incredibly talented author’s work. I can’t wait to see what next in this series.

This is a book I found hard to put down, and kept me guessing until the very end! Loved this book, as I love all of Robert's book. Always a five star author for me! Thank you.