I love all Robert Bryndza novels and have gobbled up both the Erika and Kate series.
This one I found to be enjoyable but at times a wee bit samey.
I guessed the outcome quite early on, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment.
I really like the partnership of Kate and Tristan, but I'd love if Jake would move back to the UK and join the team. I think he'd be a great asset.
Looking forward to the next in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

What a thrill ride !

Kate is back on a case with her trusted partner Tristan, to try to solve a cold case which may be linked to her nemesis Peter Conway. The case develops into a chase for the killer and I kept being wrong footed all the time - and how I love that! Is it one of the old serial killers? Or is it one of the youths? Or is it closer to home? It's a whirlwind of possibilities and Robert Bryndza manages to weave a perfect tapestry of characters and plot with central London as a backdrop. It felt like a good old classic whodunnit, but with a modern twist to it.

I really think that the concept of having PI's doing the investigation is such an added value to the genre, as it cuts away all the police politics and the title and ego boosting that I so often see in police procedurals. As PI's, Kate and Tristan have the ability to cut to the chase (literally) without all that hassle that drowns down the traditional police investigations and it makes for a much more enjoyable and fast paced read.

I was glued to the pages, the short chapters making it even more addictive and I now will have to catch up on several much needed tasks that I have been neglecting just to finish this nail biting story.

A very big thank you to NetGalley, Raven Street Publishing and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this splendid ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Robert and NetGalley for allowing me to read The Lost Victim before the publication date.
Robert has created another page turner full of secrets and lies……and that is the least of the issues.

The author is a master at creating atmospheric stories.
The icy cold flat, which the client has provided to Kate and her partner, Tristan, and the locked storage cupboard immediately creates a sense of unease.

The storyline takes the reader into the prison world of 2 of the most hated men, Peter Conway ( aka The Nine Elms Cannibal) and Robert Black, a terminally ill paedophile. The description of the despicable pair and their conversations left me feeling that I should scrub my hands after reading it.

Once again, Robert has created an uppity character in Fidelis Stafford, a woman who is just begging to be taken down a peg or two.

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed the previous four books in the Kate Marshall series, I was keen to get my hands on this latest instalment and I can honestly say it is the best in the series! As other reviewers have observed, it can be read as a standalone but to fully understand the backstories, and to appreciate the character development, I really would recommend reading them in order, especially as this book takes us back to the beginning with Kate dealing with Peter Conway – ‘The Nine Elms Cannibal’ again. Conway really is a vile man and the chapters featuring conversations between Peter and another prisoner were particularly hard-hitting.

The author perfectly blends the past and the present, I got a real sense of the atmosphere of some of the shadier parts of London in 1988. The tale also highlights how much has changed in the world of forensic science over the last 30+ years. There are so many ways this story could have played out, and the need to find out what happened to Janey kept me turning the pages at a rapid rate!

All in all, this a very clever and interesting tale, with a host of well-developed characters and more than a few twists and turns. Very highly recommended.

Kate Marshall is back!!
Janey Macklin disappeared from a town in London in 1988. The case went cold as no body to be found and supposedly no witnesses. But was Peter Conway involved. He’s at deaths door. Will he confess on his death bed? There are so many tests and turns it’s a marvel and I don’t want to give any spoilers but it’s a must read book.
A true genius author. More please 🙏

The Lost Victim, the latest book in the series featuring private detectives Kate Marshall and Tristan Harper, sees them commissioned by a creative agency to investigate the cold case of a schoolgirl who went missing in London in 1988. The big complication for Kate is that there are rumours that the Nine Elms Cannibal, Peter Conway, may have been involved. Although this book could be enjoyed as a standalone story, I think this is the one in the series so far that would benefit most from knowing about the history between Kate and Peter Conway, and is best enjoyed as part of the series.
I always enjoy the books in this series; Kate and Tristan make a very sympathetic and likeable pairing, and as with the others I have read, this is well plotted, suspenseful and took me no time at all to read as I was quickly engrossed. I was in two minds about Peter Conway being brought back again, and would like to read many more future books with Kate and Tristan where they get to solve cases not related to Kate's previous trauma.
I would enjoy seeing these two characters set free from the past in future books. In particular, since Tristan came out as gay a couple of books ago, he seems to have settled into being Kate's sidekick and otherwise living like a monk. It would be good to see him have more of a life than just constantly being harangued by his sister, and I hope his friend Ade has made it back from his travels by the time the next book comes out.
This is a very well-written crime thriller though, and I enjoyed the contrasting descriptions of London then and now, creating a real sense of the atmosphere and social history to the case. There was one mystery left unsolved at the end of the book and, while it wasn't a central one, some resolution would have helped give the novel more closure. I'm looking forward to hearing what comes next for Kate and Tristan.

This is book number five in the Kate Marshall private investigator series and although it can be read as a stand alone I recommend reading the previous four books for the back story.
Kate and Tristan are asked to investigate a cold case from thirty years previous when schoolgirl Janey Macklin disappeared and her body was never found. Is she another victim of the Nine Elms killer Peter Conway?
This is another riveting and entertaining read that revisits previous characters and keeps you guessing through out. I am a big fan of Robert Bryndza and I am already looking forward to his next book.

Copy received via Netgalley/Raven Street Publishing/Robert Bryndza for an honest review
Wow... just, wow! This is the best Kate Marshall book yet. It is absolutely brilliant.

A cold case from 30 years ago has her wrapped up again in the life of serial killer Peter Conway - when all she has ever wanted was to have her links to him disappear. I liked that we got to go back to him though.

This blended past and present so well. It goes into the world of forensics and how much things have changed since the 80s.

Bryndza is a master a of theory driven stories. There is so many ways this story could have gone, the twists and turns in the array of characters that keep the readers eyes locked on the pages, eager to turn the next page.

And I found myself a lot more emotional than the other books in the series. What Bryndza makes Kate go through in this installment is heartbreaking really, and she has the strenght of an ox to get through it all in my opinion.

I liked the character development throughout the series, absolutely adore Kate, Tristan and Jake and where they are now compared to the first book.

This is a series that I will keep on reading until Bryndza says "enough!". I look forward to seeing what Kate and Tristan tackle next

Copy received via Netgalley/Raven Street Publishing/Robert Bryndza for an honest review
Wow... just, wow! This is the best Kate Marshall book yet. It is absolutely brilliant.

A cold case from 30 years ago has her wrapped up again in the life of serial killer Peter Conway - when all she has ever wanted was to have her links to him disappear. I liked that we got to go back to him though.

This blended past and present so well. It goes into the world of forensics and how much things have changed since the 80s.

Bryndza is a master a of theory driven stories. There is so many ways this story could have gone, the twists and turns in the array of characters that keep the readers eyes locked on the pages, eager to turn the next page.

And I found myself a lot more emotional than the other books in the series. What Bryndza makes Kate go through in this installment is heartbreaking really, and she has the strenght of an ox to get through it all in my opinion.

I liked the character development throughout the series, absolutely adore Kate, Tristan and Jake and where they are now compared to the first book.

This is a series that I will keep on reading until Bryndza says "enough!". I look forward to seeing what Kate and Tristan tackle next

This was a fast paced mystery, with lots of lies and suspects.
When Kate and Triston are given a job to investigate the cold case of a missing girl, they had no idea how many different directions their investigation was going to take them. Kate must revisit her past, in order to connect the dots of this case, thinking of events she has spent years trying to put behind her.
I love the characters, all the moving pieces that slowly come together, and the conclusion. Highly recommend.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Raven Street Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kate Marshall and Tristan are contacted by two women who want to hire them to find the murderer of Janey, who was a child that went missing back in the late 80's in London. They want to do a podcast once the body and murderer are found and will pay a heft sum as well as put Kate and Tristan up in a flat in London.

This author is a must read for me. I love this series and the Erika Foster series. I love Kate and Tristan and I am always excited to read a new installment. This one was good as usual, but not the best entry in the series. I found myself confusing the various men that had been involved the night Janey disappeared, which was really my major problem with the novel. Regardless, I enjoyed it for the investigation procedure and the advancement of Kate's story. I look forward to the next case.

Two private detectives are approached to investigate a cold case of a missing child. Kate, an ex policewoman, has a personal interest in the case and a close traumatic family connection, something she has spent some considerable time trying to overcome and forget. A murky trail leading to the depravity of Kings Cross during the late 80s unearthed a complex series of events and obscure facts. Personal tragedy from a harrowing experience complicated by devious unsavoury potential suspects drive the mystery in many directions until skilled and accomplished detective work unearths a long hidden conspiracy driving the intriguing mystery towards a hugely satisfying conclusion . Many thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for this hugely enjoyable enigma.

I must start by first thanking both NetGalley as well as the publisher, Raven Street Publishers, for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Consistent thriller mysteries. Robert Bryndza always builds on his strong characters to produce some of the best reads out there!

Once again, just brilliant!! I am a huge fan of Robert Bryndza crime books and this latest installment in the Kate Marshall series is an absolute belter. I could not put it down. I love Kate and Tristan and look forward to more books with them solving cold cases for many years to come. Reading the author notes and the possibility of a Kate and Erika case has me very excited for the future!!

I loved that this book went back to the beginning with Peter Conway, the Nine Elms Cannibal. Kate and Tristan are approached by a media agency who are interested in a true crime podcast, and believe they have found another victim of this serial killers. As they investigate, they find so much more than they expected, and Kate has to deal with her very personal relationship to Peter Conway.

This was such a clever and interesting case, with plenty of twists along the way.

Thanks so much to Raven Street Publishing for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes on July 11th.

Police detective turned private investigator Kate Marshall makes her fifth appearance here, and I'm happy to say I've followed her from the start. That said, this book stands alone well (although as always, I'll advise starting any series from the beginning, which in this case is "Nine Elms"). I'm even happier to say I've enjoyed every single one.

Just as Kate and her agency partner, Tristan Harper, are wondering where the money will come from to pay the bills, Kate is contacted by an agency wanting help with a true crime podcast focusing on Janey Macklin, a young school girl who went missing three decades ago from a not-so-nice part of London. The would-be producer chose Kate because of her investigative skills, of course, but also because of the suspicion that the so-called Nine Elms Cannibal serial killer (one who made Hannibal Lecter look like a saint) might have had an appetite for Janey as well. More to the point, Peter Conway is in jail for other similar crimes and in failing health, but he and Kate have a history that produced their now-grown son, Jake. She, in fact, is the one who discovered his deadly secret and is responsible for his arrest and conviction.

Kate wants nothing to do with Peter, understandably, and while Jake is a bit more accepting of his father, he feels much the same. But the podcast producer can put her and Tristan up in a place she owns near the place at which Janey disappeared, and then there are those bills to consider. So, Kate reluctantly agrees to take a look - and what she sees isn't pretty. Fairly early on, several suspects are identified, but proof remains elusive.

By all accounts, though, Peter may well have known Janey - and even if he didn't do the deed, it's quite likely he knows who did. And that means Kate will have to do something she's refused to even think about since Peter went to prison. After that, it's following leads and patching together clues that lead to a really grand finale and open a path to the next adventure. I'll definitely be ready when it arrives - and meantime I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this one. Good job!

Another brilliant book by Robert Bryndza! I love this series, but I think enough background is given that it could be read as a standalone. The characters are well written and the plot evolves fast enough that I kept saying 'i'll just read another page' and reached the end (where I admit to having a tear in my eye). I also thought I'd guessed who did it, and I was right, but plenty of twists to keep me wondering. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am impatiently awaiting the next!

I’ve been a fan of Robert Bryndza‘s thrillers ever since I first met detective Erika Foster back in 2016, and I’ve read every single thriller book he has published since. His newest series featuring Kate Marshall has become another favorite, and The Lost Victim is already book number five. With the same PI lead characters and plenty of twists and turns, this sequel ended up being yet another successful detective thriller that was extremely hard to put down. Then again, that is what I’ve come to expect of his books!

One of the things that I love about this series is the fact that the main characters are private detectives, which means a different type of crime investigation that is rather refreshing. Kate Marshall is a former detective of course, and she still has plenty connections as well as having lots of experience solving cases. The fact that she doesn’t have access to police resources means that she has to be creative in her investigations though, and I like what it adds to the plot. The story in The Lost Victim can once again be followed quite easily without reading the previous books, but if you want to have more background of the characters I would advice you to read at least the first book before you start this one. It will give you a better idea as to where the characters stand and why they behave in a certain way… You might find some spoilers if you don't read the books in order though.

I always enjoy spending more time with main characters Kate and Tristan, as I like the dynamics between them on both a personal level and during their investigations. The case in The Lost Victim hits close to home with a possible connection to serial killer Peter Conway... If you have read the previous books, you know how big of an impact Peter has made on Kate's life. The case is a missing person/murder cold case that happened back in 1988, and it's an intriguing one at that. There are quite a few different angles, possible suspects and suspicious behavior, all mixed with a healthy dose of twists and a touch of danger.

I had my suspicions about what happened, but I wasn't able to guess the full truth and that is always a bonus. The writing was just as engaging and addictive as always; there is just something about the way Robert Bryndza writes that makes it impossible to put a book down once you start reading. I literally flew through The Lost Victim! And I'm definitely curious where the series takes us next... If you are looking for a well written and engaging crime thriller series with a refreshing PI angle, I can definitely recommend meeting up with Kate and Tristan.

I'm such a fan of Roberts, and this addition to the Kate Marshall series just helps to cement that fact even more. I read this book in one sitting, I really couldn't put it down.

It has you constantly thinking up your own scenarios for what happened and has you believing one thing and then another. I love the fact that Kate and Tristan are private detectives but integrate enough with the police to make it somewhat fall into my favourite genre. It's a perfect thriller as far as I'm concerned, and I'm excited to see what Robert has in store for us.

Another well written book my Robert Bryndza. This book takes Kate back to London in solving a missing persons case that turned into a cold case. Kate has to face some issues in this book, Kate and Tristan is as always a formidable pair in solving crimes. Whenever I get my hands on a Robert Bryndza book I always find it hard to put down. I really enjoyed reading The Lost Victim and look forward to the next installment in the Kate Marshall saga.
I would recommend this book to all lovers of detective novels, a must read.

Book 5 in this very good series featuring PI Kate Marshall and it's another super read from the author. Kate is investigating a cold case, the disappearance of a young girl, when an unexpected turn of events brings her back into contact with Peter Conway who is the father of her son. I really like the characterisation and the descriptions, the London setting is brought to life. There are plenty of twist throughout, making this another 5* read from the author. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.