Erika Foster is one badass detective who seems to attract these complex and fascinating cases that just grip you right up until the last pages. This series is one of my favorite police procedural ones out there. And the series is not slowing down with the seventh installment AT. ALL.

Erika is called to the scene of a violent murder of a well-known doctor, which has overtones of a sexually-motivated crime. But Erika has her doubts. But with a killer who carefully planned their crime and left no evidence behind, there’s not a lot to go on. Then another body shows up and Erika finds herself in the middle of another serial killer murder. But as conflicts among administration threaten to derail the investigation, Erika remains determined, even if it may cost her her job.

The crimes are indeed pretty stomach-churning, and the villain is incredibly creepy. Like so much so that I was checking the locks on doors and windows after reading about how they broke into the victims’ houses.

Erika also went through some really great personal growth in this novel. I enjoyed seeing how she basically decided to stick up for herself and do what she needed to do in the face of what seemed like a stonewalling from her superiors. And the ending was really great. I liked it and can’t wait to see where she goes from here.

Basically, this book was so good that I am already super excited for the next installment.

Anyone who has read this book will not soon forget this line from the blurb, repeated for emphasis, If the Night Stalker is watching, you're already dead...

When Detective Erika Foster approaches a gruesome murder scene, she senses that this may just be the beginning of a pattern. Her instincts are right on target, as another body is soon discovered, and it appears he has died under the exact same circumstances. Erika and her team work vigorously while striving to find out the facts, only to realize that a very calculating serial killer is at large.

One of the very first things Erika must determine is what these dead men have in common. What’s more is that they seem to have secretive pasts. How very odd.

The Night Stalker is a harrowing story, full of twists and turns. The deeper Erika and her team investigate, the more gruesome facts they discover. This book cleverly divides time between the investigation while also allowing readers to see into the crazed killer’s mind and motivations.

I am reading this series in the wrong order. I read book six, and am now reading this book, so it is very interesting to learn more about Erika and her tragic past. This goes a long way as to help me to see what drives her. Learning about Erika’s devastating loss of her husband was quite difficult to read.

One really harrowing scene results from a bone-chilling phone call Erika received. If the suspense wasn’t already top-notch, this really ratcheted this book up. This story is definitely compelling. When I was forced to take a break, I realized that I had listened to 50% of the book. During my next sit down, I devoured the rest of it. As I reached the heart-stopping conclusion, I could barely take a breath!

If I ever have a chance to gain control of my toppling TBR pile, I would definitely like to read this entire series in order. This is the second book in the Detective Erika Foster series. The first book is The Girl in the Ice. The following books are Dark Water, Last Breath, Cold Blood and Deadly Secrets, which I read and reviewed last April.

Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This book was originally released on June 2, 2016.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Omar

DCI Erika Foster is back to find a new killer that has started stalking during the warm nights of London in search of revenge. It all starts when a mysterious figure dressed in all black breaks into the house of a doctor (Dr. Gregory Munro) that just got home from work and is all alone. As Dr. Munro showers, the figure enters his house and drugs the food that is waiting for him. Once Gregory eats the food, he feels the effects and manages to make it to his bedroom. There the figure is waiting in the shadows and strangles him. A few days later, an old woman, the doctor’s mother, enters the house to feed the pet and finds her son dead.

Erika Foster and her team are tasked into solving the murder but given the odd way in which the man was found some officers are convinced that it was a sexual act gone wrong. DCI Foster fears that there is a killer on the loose and now it is her job to find the killer.

But as they try to put the pieces of the puzzle together more bodies start appearing and one of them is close to the team.

Across the storyline, we see Erika still mourning the death of her late husband and by the decisions that lead to his death. The good thing is that Erika still has her team at the commissary that helps her with the investigation. Officer Crane and Officer Warren, along with Sargent Woolf are new additions to Erika’s team. It was good to know that Erika had coworkers she can trust, but still, there are some officers that still don’t like her in power or wish to see her succeed. I’m still not sure what to think of DCS Marsh, sometimes he helps Erika and other times he only seems to look after his own career.

In Night Stalker, we get to learn more about Erika’s family. We learn about a sister with kids and a new baby on the way and how her husband has problems with the law. I hope that we can learn and see more of them in the future and see how they interact in Erika’s life.

There were some characters and subplots that I believe were not developed to their full potential, but they might be used in the future. One of the characters was Gary Wilmslow and the illegal things he was doing. The way that part of the story was written, gives me the idea that this was not the last time we see or hear about Gary.

I liked that the victims of the killer had a specific meaning behind their death and they weren’t just randomly selected. One of the victims was a writer, an author that was mentioned in previous books, and I liked how his relationship with the killer was written and how it influenced the killer’s origin.

It was interesting how in this book we get to know who the killer is from the beginning and we got to know more about his/her motives and how they interacted with the world.

Night Stalker is an interesting book that blends fiction with actual problems that men and women go through in their personal life and their work life.

If you are a fan of Robert Bryndza and his work, then I recommend Night Stalker. In this book, we get to see DCI Erika Foster as she tries to catch a killer that she believes has similar experiences to her.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the eARC.
DID Erika Foster is still mourning the death of her husband, who was killed in a raid 2 years ago and still blames herself.
London is the midst of a sweltering heatwave when Erika is called to a horrifying murder scene: a doctor, nude, a plastic bag over his head, without any signs of a break in, nor any evidence to give the police a lead. On investigation they find a massive amount of Rohipnol in his system. A second body is found with the same M.O.; this time the victim is a well-known TV personality. Again, not a single clue is found. What do these 2 men have in common?
The reader is introduced to the murderer about a third way in the book and can't help but feel some empathy as the motives for these brutal attacks become clear.
The heatwave continues as Erika fights to keep the case from being wrested away from her and her team by her superiors. When the boyfriend of her best friend is killed in the same way, with half his head stoved in, the brass forces her to take a 3-week vacation. But when, to her horror, her friend is arrested for the 3 murders, she's compelled to investigate the case despite being on 'vacation'.
This is a compelling police procedural, tense and at times disturbing, especially when reading the details of the 2nd victim's lengthy demise.
As far as Erika is concerned, I couldn't help but find her character a bit abrasive. She's a good detective, but could up her game a bit when it comes to her bedside manner. But that in no way detracted from my reading enjoyment, it's a good book and I definitely recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Night Stalker by Robert Bryndza. I must confess, I love DCI Ericka Foster ! Mr. Bryndza writes the perfect thriller, a perfect combination of police procedure and storyline. DCI Foster is a character that appeals to everyone, she beautiful, flawed, intelligent, and headstrong, actually all of the characters are memorable.

The Night Stalker is a great read and a stand alone story. If you are looking for a cast of familiar characters with a great story, The Night Stalker is a perfect choice. I promise you want to read the entire series.

Enjoy!

There's a summer heat wave in London, in the midst of which Detective Erika Foster is called to the scene of a murder. A local doctor, his wrists bound, suffocated when a clear plastic bag was placed over his head and tied securely. He had also ingested Rohypnol, commonly known as a date rape drug or "Roofies." When another victim, murdered in precisely the same manner, is discovered a few days later, Erika knows a serial killer is on the loose. What do the victims have in common? They are single men.

Erika is determined what links the victims. Do they harbor secret pasts? What is the killer's motive? As usual, she must deal with administrative short-sightedness and superior officers seeking political expediency. Undeterred, Erika will stop at nothing to solve the mystery before the killer claims more victims. And when the killer gets close to Erika, she becomes even more focused.

Robert Bryndza introduced Erika in The Girl in the Ice, and follows up that fast-paced thriller with another deftly-plotted mystery in which he continues exploring Erika's tragic past and the manner in which her emotional state fuels her determination. The second anniversary of her husband's untimely death is upon her, and she is unwilling to let grief slow her down. Indeed, her mourning has taken on new characteristics as time passes, a fact that she examines and must cope with.

Bryndza reveals the killer and the motive fairly early in the story, setting up a game of cat and mouse between the tragically deranged murderer and Erika that keeps readers turning the pages. Despite interference and direct orders (that she of course disregards) from her superiors, Erika places herself in danger in order to catch the killer and save a dear friend & colleague. In the process, the action never stops until the satisfying conclusion. Despite reveal the killer's identity, Bryndza throws in a few curveballs to sustain readers' interest and delivers an exciting adventure. The Night Stalker is a worthy second installment in the Erika Foster series.

Thanks to Net Galley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.There's a summer heat wave in London, in the midst of which Detective Erika Foster is called to the scene of a murder. A local doctor, his wrists bound, suffocated when a clear plastic bag was placed over his head and tied securely. He had also ingested Rohypnol, commonly known as a date rape drug or "Roofies." When another victim, murdered in precisely the same manner, is discovered a few days later, Erika knows a serial killer is on the loose. What do the victims have in common? They are single men.

Erika is determined what links the victims. Do they harbor secret pasts? What is the killer's motive? As usual, she must deal with administrative short-sightedness and superior officers seeking political expediency. Undeterred, Erika will stop at nothing to solve the mystery before the killer claims more victims. And when the killer gets close to Erika, she becomes even more focused.

Robert Bryndza introduced Erika in The Girl in the Ice, and follows up that fast-paced thriller with another deftly-plotted mystery in which he continues exploring Erika's tragic past and the manner in which her emotional state fuels her determination. The second anniversary of her husband's untimely death is upon her, and she is unwilling to let grief slow her down. Indeed, her mourning has taken on new characteristics as time passes, a fact that she examines and must cope with.

Bryndza reveals the killer and the motive fairly early in the story, setting up a game of cat and mouse between the tragically deranged murderer and Erika that keeps readers turning the pages. Despite interference and direct orders (that she of course disregards) from her superiors, Erika places herself in danger in order to catch the killer and save a dear friend & colleague. In the process, the action never stops until the satisfying conclusion. Despite reveal the killer's identity, Bryndza throws in a few curveballs to sustain readers' interest and delivers an exciting adventure. The Night Stalker is a worthy second installment in the Erika Foster series.

Thanks to Net Galley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.

I knew after reading The Girl in the Ice that I was going to become hooked on the DCI Erika Foster series! This 2nd book did not disappoint, it was just as brilliant! The whole book has you guessing from beginning to end with lots of twists throughout. I highly recommend this great book!

4 stars

It is a sweltering summer in London and DCI Erika Foster, DI Moss and pathologist Isaac Strong respond to the call of a body at 14 Laurel Road. The victim’s name was Dr. Gregory Munro and he was forty-six years old.

When radio personality Jack Hart is murdered in the same manner, Erika’s team has already been ordered to turn the case over to sex crimes. But they still have a bit of time before they have to turn the case over and they continue to work the investigation.

The lab comes up with some shocking results. At about 50% in the book, the reader finds out the identity of the killer. The news media dub the killer as The Night Stalker, and it sticks. Erika and her team now have a serial killer on their hands.

Another man is killed and this time it is a shocker for our little story. And Erika is in serious trouble.

I enjoyed this book a great deal. It was a quick read and it was very well written. I liked the main characters and how Erika led and got along with her team. Erika is still grieving for her husband who died two years earlier, but she is beginning to accept her loss. There was a great part of the novel that dealt with police procedure and the minutiae of an investigation; the frustration and tediousness of the day to day grind. I appreciate police procedurals and the intricacies of the day to day work. Robert Bryndza has long been one of my favorite authors and he does it again with this book.

I want to thank NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review.

"If the Night Stalker is watching, you're already dead...

In the dead of a swelteringly hot summer's night, Detective Erika Foster is called to a murder scene. The victim, a doctor, is found suffocated in bed. His wrists are bound and his eyes bulging through a clear plastic bag tied tight over his head.

A few days later, another victim is found dead, in exactly the same circumstances. As Erika and her team start digging deeper, they discover a calculated serial killer - stalking their victims before choosing the right moment to strike.

The victims are all single men, with very private lives. Why are their pasts shrouded in secrecy? And what links them to the killer?

As a heat wave descends upon London, Erika will do everything to stop the Night Stalker before the body count rises, even if it means risking her job. But the victims might not be the only ones being watched... Erika's own life could be on the line.

The global bestselling author of The Girl in the Ice is back with a heart-racing, electrifying thriller. If you love Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Peter James, you'll be hooked on Robert Bryndza."

Yes, the name of the book is what drew me to it, but I have a feeling this book is just has heart pounding as The Golden State Killer, AKA the Original Night Stalker, any day.

Detective Erika Foster and her team are tracking a serial killer, one who has scoped out his victims and planned their gruesome deaths with utmost care. All the victims are single men, but other than that there is no visible link between them. As a heat wave smothers London, Erika and her team will have to find the connection between the victims and killer, and fast. I’m not sure why Bryndza isn’t a household name in the world of suspense, he easily out performs other writers of the genre

NIGHT STALKER is the second book in Robert Bryndza's intriguing "Detective Erika Foster" series. I've actually read further in this series; but was glad to go back to an earlier book I had missed reading. Although finding a good mystery series is always cause for celebration. I really enjoyed The Girl in the Ice. And this, the second book in the series, is equally good. Erika Foster still finds it difficult to be political with those above her. I love her, because like me, she was not in the room when the Lord was handing out tact. And she doesn't give up easily.

Bryndza paints a detailed picture. It's the little things that round out a character, like Foster’s realization that while she continues to age, her dead husband is forever young in her memories. She also does a phenomenal job of working the heat wave into almost every scene. For American readers, it helps to remember most of the U.K. doesn't have a/c like we do.

The story contains lots of plot twists and turns to keep you turning pages. In an unusual twist, all the victims are men. One of the things that makes it all real is the work issues - crappy bosses, underlings that disobey orders, budget cuts that screw up the works.

He comes home after a long day's work, grabs a glass of wine, throws a TV dinner in the microwave and heads for the shower.

The Night Stalker has been in here before. He dissolves something in the man's wine and waits.

While he is downstairs eating his dinner and enjoying his wine, The Night Stalker is upstairs ... waiting.

DC Erika Foster and her team are called to investigate. The man, a renowned doctor, is found in bed, wrists bound and his eyes bulging through a plastic bag tied over his head.

A few days later, another victim is found in exactly the same way. Both were well known...both were white men ... both were living single ... so what's the connection?

Foster will do whatever she needs to do to stop this serial killer. If she doesn't stop the killings, her job may well be in trouble.

If she gets too close, it may well be her life on the line.

Second in this series, this one does well as a stand-alone. Besides the hunt for a serial killer, the reader gets to know Foster much better. She's a more interesting character now that we learn more about her background ... why she is the way she is. Her team is experienced and work well with or without supervision.

The story is well-written. The reader gets a peek at the protagonist here and there, and it's a surprise when the killer's identity is actually revealed.

I look forward to any future books by this author, especially watching how Foster and her team progress and mature from here.

Many thanks to the author / Grand Central Publishing / for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.