This book was AMAZING. I hadn't read anything by Robert Bryndza before, but I am definitely a fan now! I can't wait to read his other books!!

Kate Marshall has been treading water (pun somewhat intended) since her police career ended with the discovery that her boss and lover was a serial killer. When she and her son find a dead body while scuba diving, Kate can't resist the mother's request for her to investigate. What follows is Kate blossoming in to her own. Along the way, she also becomes more vocal about her position in her son's life and dealing with his biological father. Character development is always strong with Mr. Bryndza which always makes for a good solid read ad series. I appreciate that the author lets his characters fail and be less than perfect. I am enjoying following Kate as she grows as well as learning more about the other main characters. Enjoyable and engaging stories keep me coming back!

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I know it looks like it took me over 2 months to read this book but it really didnt. Mental issues caused me to stop reading for 2 months. This book I read in 1 day. As soon as I was able to read again, I properly started and got so hooked, my depression took a back seat and left me alone for a day. THATS HOW GOOD THIS BOOK IS!

I really liked the way more was revealed about Tristan and his family. His sister and her fiance need a good boot up the arse. Not to mention the whole mystery aspect of the whole story. Brilliant, just brilliant.

Shadow Sands is a reservoir on the edge of land owned by the Baker family. In the 1950's, facing financial ruin they decided to flood an area containing 3 bustling villages to help the estate survive.

Ex-detective and current criminology lecturer, Kate Marshall and son Jake have recently learned to scuba dive and are investigating the hidden depths of the reservoir to view the remains of the villages and the variety of marine life which now inhabit them. Unfortunately that isn't all that's hiding away and their day out is immediately curtailed when they find a dead body in amongst the foliage.

This is the second Kate Marshall book in Robert Bryndza's exciting new series. The author is an expert at setting heart-racingly atmospheric scenes, as seen here in the prologue, which promise a great read, happily it didn't disappoint.

The academic side of Kate’s life, and that of assistant, Tristan, is as engaging as the investigational aspects and private lives of both main protagonists. There is also a suggestion of some things moving in different directions in book three and I will definitely be on the lookout for the next instalment in this enjoyable and successful series.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the first book in this series or is looking for an immensely satisfying addition to the crime thriller genre.

Rating: 4 deep-dive stars

Wow -- this was a fast-paced mystery/thriller. I blew through it in two days. This is book #2 in the Kate Marshall series. Enough details were given about what happened in the first book, "Nine Elms" that I didn't have to struggle with context this this second book.

The opening scene of Kate and her teenaged son, Jake diving in a local reservoir was both claustrophobic and compelling. The pace didn't slow down from there. Kate is an ex-police officer who is now a university lecturer at a small town on the southern coast of England. Prompted by a meeting with the mother of the boy found submerged in the reservoir, she starts digging into the case.

She and her assistant Tristan can't square the coroner's report of accidental drowning with the injuries she saw on the body in the water. As they continue to investigate, they uncover more cases of bodies found in the reservoir. Then one of the University lecturers goes missing, and the urgency to solve these cases intensifies.

This fast-paced mystery/thriller kept my attention all the way through the book. It kept me reading well past the time that I should have been fast asleep.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher via NetGalley. These are my honest thoughts.

I've been a fan of Robert Bryndza's thrillers ever since I read the first Erika Foster book back in 2016, and his newest Kate Marshall series is quickly turning into a favorite too. I loved my time with the first book Nine Elms last year, and I have been eagerly anticipating the sequel for a long time... And now I've had the chance to read Shadow Sands, I'm happy to say that it turned out to be everything I hoped for and more. His books are just so damn readable! Highly addictive, fast-paced, dark and suspenseful... Shadow Sands will taking you on another exhilarating ride.

I've learned in the past to clear my schedule before starting one of Robert Bryndza's books, because I'm never able to stop once I start reading the first page. Shadow Sands was no exception to that rule! As soon as I started reading, I found myself racing through those pages, unable to pace myself as I wanted more and more and more. Unputdownable definitely applies here! There is just something about his writing that is highly addictive; combine that with one of my favorite genres (crime thriller) and a solid plot and you have the perfect recipe for a successful story.

Talking about the plot: Shadow Sands has another winner. With the main character Kate Marshall being a lecturer and impromptu private investigator rather than a detective, this series gives us a fresh perspective. I do love my detective thrillers, but both Kate and Tristan take this story to the next level by investigating without the resources a police investigation has. Shadow Sands starts with a bang when Kate discovers a body while diving with her son, and the pace never slows down as she soon realizes something dodgy is going on. We have the mystery around the body she found, the disappearance of one of their colleagues as well as personal developments of multiple characters... And even Peter pops up again.

Shadow Sands uses a multiple POV structure, where we not only get to follow main character Kate, but also other important characters such as Tristan, Magdalena and even the killer... This structure is used to add suspense, hide certain plot twists and secrets as well as slowly reveal the truth about it all. The twists are well done and I didn't guess the killer until just before the reveal, and I'm always happy when a story actually manages to mislead me. Shadow Sands isn't afraid to go dark and twisted, so definitely brace yourself for some properly disturbing scenes... There is plenty of suspense and action too, and this story will have you on the edge of your seat the whole time.

If you like your crime thrillers fast, action-packed, dark and suspenseful, Shadow Sands is a great pick! You can technically read it as a stand-alone, but you will be missing out on a significant amount of character background so I wouldn't advice it. Plus, both books are absolutely worth reading in the first place! I'm already looking forward to the next one.

This is the first of Robert Bryndza’s books I have read and am wondering why it has taken me until now to discover this author!

So this is book 2 in the Kate Marshall series, but we are provided with sufficient back story to fill in everything we need to know for this second book, although I’ll be going back to read the first book. This lady has been through a lot. An ex police officer who discovered her boyfriend who was also her boss was the Nine Elms serial killer she had been hunting. She left the police force, pregnant with his child, and spiralled into alcoholism. She could not cope with a baby so her parents took him in and now Jake is 16. Kate is a lecturer in criminology and has her life back together.

Kate and Jake have recently gained a diving certification and decide they will do a dive at the local reservoir where there is an underwater city. They find more than they bargained for when they come across the body of a young boy.

The police are quick to rule his death as suicide, but when his mother gets in touch with Kate to tell her the boy was a champion swimmer and she does not believe he could have drowned, she asks if Kate will investigate his death and Kate agrees without hesitation. What if it had been her son?

She joins forces with her fellow lecturer friend Tristan. Then a girl they know goes missing in the fog one afternoon as she is taking photographs and investigating myths and legends for her class.

The main two characters, Kate and Tristan, are written in a good amount of depth. We are given a lot of information on their characters and get to know them quite well.

Without giving any spoilers away there are plenty of heart stopping moments!

I raced through this book in 2 days. I will definitely be recommending it.

Thank you to the publishers Thomas & Mercer and to Netgalley for an ARC of this book to review.

If you've read the first book in this series 'Nine Elms', then you'll know that University criminology lecturer Kate Marshall has a complex background in both her previous professional life as a detective in the Met and in her personal life. As a result her parents were awarded custody of her young son Jake when she was in a bad place earlier in her life, but now that he is 16 and she is doing well, they enjoy spending time together. They have recently completed a scuba diving course and it is during a dive at a submerged village in a local dam at Shadow Sands where they come across a body of a young man in the water.

The police are quick to claim that the boy, Simon Kendal a student and champion swimmer, who was camping with a friend at the dam, died from drowning. However, Kate has some misgivings about their findings, so when Simon's mother asks Kate if she will look into Simon's death she agrees. Kate misses all the databases and forensics facilities that she had as a detective, but as in the previous book, she does have the help of her academic assistant, Tristan. During the investigation, Kate and Tristan also become concerned that the disappearance of a visiting University lecturer near the dam may in some way be connected with their case and the powerful family who own the land around Shadow Sands.

The plot moves along at a good pace and is quite chilling in places. Both Kate and Tristan are developing well as characters, each with their own hurdles to overcome which assists in building strong bonds. In some ways this feels like a transitional episode with Kate and Tristan now poised to move into the next phase of their lives.

Shadow Sands is book two in the Kate Marshall series. It easily stands on its own, and reading the first entry is nt necessary to understand this one.

Marshall and her son are scuba diving in the Shadow Sands reservoir, and come across the body of Simon Kendall. He's certainly dead, but is it because of the numerous slashes he's taken, or something else?

After calling it in, Marshall and her son give the details of how they found Kendal to DCI Henry Ko, the son of a rather legendary retired officer. Since Marshall is no longer a police officer herself - after having an affair with her married boss and then catching her boss as a serial killer - she's dismissed from the scene.

Simon's mother, however, wants to hire Marshall to investigate the death of her son. Being a PI is a side gig to her lecturing at the university, and she takes on the case. With her assistant Tristan, she starts looking into the case.

Meanwhile, an Italian professor with an interest in urban legends disappears, As Tristan knew her, they add the missing woman to their case.

As they dig around, they find that the usual medical examiner did not perform the autopsy on Simon. Things get weirder when it seems that there might be something going on with the father and son Ko and their involvement in other incidents where bodies have been pulled from the reservoir.

Add in the involvement of a wealthy family who owns most of the land around the reservoir, and their possible involvement, and you get a mystery that's worth the read.

Overall impression: a tight story, without any lagging portions, and enough backstory trickled in that readers coming in without having read the first book will not be lost. Marshall is a great character, with just enough flaw to make her believable.

Five stars.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the review copy.

one of my favourite thriller authors so of course I jumped at the chance for an advance copy of Shadow Sands, book 2 in the Kate Marshall series 🤩

This awesome book is out next month and you guys just won’t want to miss it (grab a copy of Nine Elms whilst you wait if you’ve not already read it 👏🏻👏🏻)

🔎 We’re taken on such a ride throughout this book. There’s of course a fresh case for Kate and Tristan to get sucked into anddddd we are also reunited with a favourite love/hate character from the first book, Kate’s ex serial killer 🤭😬😲. I REALLY enjoyed this book, it had the perfect pace and intensity and finished it in one sitting 🙈 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Can’t wait for the next instalment (but I’d also LOVE a new Erika Foster book too 😇🙏🏻🙏🏻)

this was another enjoyable read from Mr. Bryndza, the characters were great and I really enjoyed the mystery elements in the book.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Bryndza, and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Adding to his successful new thriller series, Robert Bryndza delivers another Kate Marshall novel that will keep readers turning pages well into the night. Not only is the plot one that has great potential, but the characters come to life in a mystery that spans many years. Recommended to those who know and love Bryndza’s past work, as well as the reader looking for high quality police procedurals.

Kate Marshall is a former cop with the Met who’s been trying to reinvent herself. A full time lecturer who went out on a limb as a private investigator, Marshall keeps herself busy and away from some of the vices that cost her custody of her son years ago. 

When Kate and her son, Jake, go diving in the Shadow Sands reservoir, they find more than they bargained for. The body of Simon Kendal is drifting deep in the water, covered in various scratch markings. After calling the authorities and being interviewed by DCI Henry Ko, Marshall and her son continue on with their lives, unable to do much else.

When Marshall’s approached weeks later by the boy’s mother, she listens to the impassioned plea of a woman who needs her help. While the death was ruled an accidental drowning, something does not add up for Marshall, who pulls some strings and has a medical examiner review the notes. The oddity is there in black and white, leading the police to reopen the investigation. A quick arrest of the boy’s camping companion all but puts the case to rest.

While Kate and her university colleague (and sometimes investigative assistant), Tristan Harper, discuss the case, they wonder if Shadow Sands could be as dangerous as past media accounts suggest, where a number of people have drowned over the years. Tristan meets a new professor as part of his daily work and learns that she has an interest in Shadow Sands as well, based on some of the urban legends. Magdalena Rossi and Tristan seem to hit it off and he begins to wonder if there might be a link to the aforementioned drownings.

While Magdalena is out furthering her research, she is attacked and taken captive by a man who seeks to drug her and let her “touch the stars”. The disappearance is noted by others and Tristan is concerned that something might have happened. Working with Kate, they try to retrace her steps, only to learn that there have been other disappearances around Shadow Sands, as well as a few bodies that emerged decades ago. When one victim speaks of getting away from an attacker, Kate and Tristan take her word for it. No one else is keen to listen, including DCI Ko, who had her locked away in a psychiatric facility for months.

As Kate wonders about a killer around Shadow Sands, she also has to worry about crooked cops, yet again, who may be trying to sweep this all under the rug. It will take all her skills to find Magdalena and get to the root of these past disappearances, all while dodging those with the power of the force behind them. What’s out there and how can the cops turn a blind eye?

Robert Bryndza has kept his fans enthralled with a previous series that took crime investigation to a new level. Now, with this series, Kate Marshall is trying to fill some large shoes and doing well. Only two books into this series and Bryndza has already done a masterful job of things.

Kate Marshall is a great protagonist, balancing a busy work life with a personal history she would rather forget. Her life at the Met was going so well, until an affair with a superior (while learning he was a serial killer) turned all that on its head. She battles the bottle and lost her son because of it. However, even as she has put police work behind her, Kate has it in her blood and helps as she can. Her off the cuff investigative work keeps her busy and the reader can see her passion blossoming in this second novel, with more to come.

A great set of secondary characters keeps the story on point. With Tristan Harper’s return, the reader is able to learn a little more about him. There are some poignant moments in one of the subplots that enrich the larger story and keeps the reader connected to him. The entire cast does well and propels the narrative forward, in a case that spans decades, with much to hide. 

Bryndza dazzles readers with this piece, offering great plot development throughout the novel. The story takes many twists, growing from the location of a simple body during a dive into a larger mystery and an apparent serial killer. The narrative builds throughout, as the reader is pulled deeper into the story. The subplots that occur throughout help the reader to see the larger and more personal side of those characters to take centre stage. 

Bryndza offers a mix of chapter lengths, helping to push the story along and then keep the reader hooked with more detailed aspects of the case at hand. All this is done with such ease that the reader soon finds themselves devouring the story and losing track of time. This is the sign of a superior novel handled by a great writer. I can only hope that Robert Bryndza’s next Kate Marshall thriller packs just as much punch. 

Kudos, Mr. Bryndza, for another stellar piece of work. Fans, new and longer-term alike, will find something  worth sharing with others.

Well, as mother son bonding sessions go, that's probably one that Kate Marshall would rather forget. I mean, I always knew that diving could be dangerous, but you generally go looking for fish or maybe, as in this case, flooded villages. Floating bodies are not the kind of things your average diver expects to come across. But then this is a Robert Bryndza novel, so we should expect the unexpected and, given the tension laden opening to the book, readers are perhaps a touch more prepared for Kate's grim discovery than she was.

With Shadow Sands, Robert Bryndza ha provided readers with yet another top class novel full of mystery, tension and dark secrets, and in which our protagonist, Kate, finds herself pulled into an investigation that many people, the police included, would rather she just forget. It's a very tangled story, so many elements that are carefully and skilfully pulled together, that from the very beginning I found myself totally immersed ion Kate's world and wondering just which of the many suspects might be behind the grizzly deed and, more importantly, why. The author does a brilliant job of keeping readers guessing, introducing clues in the form of narration from the killer's perspective so carefully that you start to build up a clear picture of the kind of person they are up against, without having a clear vision of who they are. And believe me, there are any people in the frame this time around.

I love that in this series we get not only the investigation but also an insight into the personal lives of the two main characters, Kate and Tristan. We are well aware of Kate's complicated personal life after reading Nine Elms, but while it may have appeared that life was finally turning in her favour, it seems fate has other ideas and it seems we're not quite ready to close a door on that chapter of her life just yet. We also get to learn a bit more about Tristan this time around and getting to know him, and his family life, really helps bring him to life as a character. The more I know, the more I like him and he's certainly the perfect partner-in-crime-fighting for Kate. In fact it is Tristan's complicated personal life that draws the pair into an unexpected change of direction with the case, adding another layer of urgency to an already pacy plot.

If you are a fan of the author's crime thrillers you are going to love this latest adventure. Full of menace, the killer will make your skin crawl and the more I read, the more invested I became in some of the characters, the moreI could feel the tension build. It had me suspicious of nearly everyone, our protagonists aside, and from the very start I was completely engrossed in the story. The pacing is just perfect, the way in which Robert Bryndza uses the atmospheric conditions surrounding the reservoir and the remote landscape to add an unsettling edge to the story completely en-pointe. The more I read, the more I am loving this series and, seeing how this one has ended, I cannot wait for book three.

Shadow Sands is the second book in the Kate Marshall series by British author, Robert Bryndza. While diving with her son in the Shadow Sands Reservoir, Kate Marshall discovers the recently-dead body of a young man, Simon Kendal. The police quickly (too quickly?) rule it accidental drowning, but it doesn’t sit right with Kate, a former police detective and now lecturer in Criminology at Ashdean.

Simon’s mother asks Kate to investigate, citing Simon’s fitness as an Olympic-level swimmer, and the absence of alcohol in his system. Lyn Kendal suspects Simon’s best friend, Geraint Jones, but Kate and her research assistant, Tristan Harper, note the inconsistencies in both the police case and this theory.

Then an attractive young professor at Ashdean with an interest in “The Fog Phantom of the A1328” goes missing on a foggy Sunday from the A1328. Kate and Tristan follow up on the young woman’s research and begin to suspect there is a serial killer at work.

There’s plenty of good detective work apparent here, despite Kate’s handicap of a lack of access to police resources. Her assistant’s talents are clearly an asset. Bryndza gives the reader a solid plot with a few red herrings and a nice twist, a little Nine Elms Cannibal distraction and an exciting climax. The ends are neatly tied up in the epilogue, with a promise of more from this pair. Great British crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer.

This is the second book in the Kate Marshall series and a belter of a follow up to the first one “Nine Elms”.

When Kate Marshall and her son, Jake go diving in the Shadow Sands Reservoir, rather than just the spectacular sights of a flooded village, they discover a body of a young man. The death is quickly ruled as an accidental drowning but a couple of weeks later, the man’s mother visits Kate, she has read about her and the way she uncovered the Nine Elms copycat serial killer, she wants her to take on her son’s case as she believes there is no way he could have drowned, he was on his way to being an Olympic swimmer. Kate is a university lecturer (part-time PI and ex-cop) and has not lost her love/enthusiasm for investigations into the truth having lost her position in the police force back in the 90s (see Book 1 for details).

Kate speaks to her assistant Tristan who also helped her out on the last case and they decide that they will take the case, having spoken to the pathologist, all is not what is seems with the post mortem having been rushed through and ruled accidental death by another pathologist who was brought in to carry out this one!

As Kate & Tristan delve deeper, they come up against a wealthy family, the Bakers who own 50% share of the Reservoir and the surrounding lands, is someone behind the scenes pulling the strings or protecting them? When a visiting lecturer, Magdalena is kidnapped, they soon discover, she is not the first. They rush to try and unravel the mystery in the hope to save Magdalena.

This book grabbed me from the get-go, I could not put it down, so much so I read it within the day, its one of those that you just have to know. A fantastic fast paced gripping psychological murder mystery, WARNING though clear your day as you will be hooked and find you have to race through it, you’ll tell yourself one more chapter……

Can’t wait to see what Book 3 has in store given the ending of this one!

This is a great serial killer thriller full of tension and dicey situations! It is the second book in the Kate Marshall series, but I haven't read the first one - yet - and I can easily say the book could stand alone, so you wouldn't have to read the first one before diving into this.

Kate Marshall and her son find a dead body while diving at the Shadow Sands reservoir. The detective chief inspector quickly ruled the death a drowning; however, to Kate things didn't add up and she suspected foul play. Apparently there had been a series of deaths and missing persons in the same area around the Shadow Sands reservoir; then a researcher from the university Kate lectures at goes missing. Kate and her associate Tristan Harper start investigating and uncover some disturbing information. The become increasingly desperate to find the truth.

Truly I couldn't put this book down and read it quickly following the information and wanting to know more. I really like the character Kate Marshall who is dealing with some problems of her own. The plot was paced just right to keep me turning the pages and devouring the book. Hats off to Robert Bryndza for a great read!

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Shadow Sands is the 2nd book in the Kate Marshall series. I did read the first book before starting this one, it is not a requirement but was helpful. The first book in the series, Nine Elms, first introduced Kate and her tenuous relationship with her parents. Kate Marshall is an ex-police detective turned university lecturer and self-appointed private detective. Kate is also a recovering alcoholic. She finds a body while diving with her son, Jake, in the the Shadow Sands Reservoir. The death is ruled as an accidental drowning but the young man's mother does not agree since her son was a champion swimmer and asks Kate to investigate. Kate enlists the help of her assistant Tristan, and they find there were several more deaths that have occurred in the reservoir along with the kidnapping of visiting lecturer Magdalena. Is her kidnapping related to the deaths? Is the same person responsible for both? Then there is the creepy, powerful local family that owns the land surrounding the reservoir.
This is a great murder/psychological thriller and some parts, like the horrifying experience of Magdalena during her imprisonment, Tristan's relationship with his sister, and Jake's parentage are brilliant twists within the story. I have not read any of Bryndza's other series and look forward to reading them. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Robert Bryndza's follow up to Nine Elms, his crime series featuring ex-Met Detective Constable, Kate Marshall, is a dark, intense and fast paced number. Kate has a traumatic past, damaged by a relationship with serial killer, Peter Conway, her ex-boss and DCI, that resulted in a pregnancy and the birth of a son, Jake, now 16 years old, whose growing up years were with her parents, awarded custody of him. Kate went through some dark years, her demons driving her to drink, that meant she was in no position to look after Jake, although she has since cleaned up her act, spending time with Jake and attending AA meetings. She is now a Ashdean criminology lecturer, returning to using her investigative skills as a part time PI, assisted by Tristan Harper.

It's summer, Kate and Jake are diving in the man-made Shadow Sands reservoir with its drowned village, when they make the gruesome discovery in the water, the body of a young man with serious injuries. The victim turns out to be 18 year old Simon Kendal, an Olympic level swimming hopeful, who had been camping with his 20 year old mate, Geraint Jones. Simon's mother, Lyn, begs Kate to find out what really happened to him as the police and coroner have ruled his death as accidental, which she doesn't believe. Kate and Tristan know there is something fishy at the alacrity with which the police moved to declare it an accident and further issues are raised with anomalies in the post-mortem results that eventually push the police to view Simon's death as murder. Tristan is horrified to find he is viewed as a suspect in the disappearance of Italian professor, Magdalena Rossi, who has been abducted. Kate and Tristran find themselves in a harrowing and dangerous investigation that slowly begins to connect with Magdalena's abduction and a powerful local family determined to be obstructive.

Bryndza develops Tristan's character wonderfully further here, living with his sister, unable to be open about who he is with her, too fearful of her rejection if he is truthful. Kate is more than taken aback when Jake expresses a desire to meet his incarcerated serial killer of a father, she is deeply hurt, Conway never wanted Jake, and she comes perilously close to falling off the wagon, the demon drink an ever present temptation. This is a riveting crime read, the parts with Magdalena's horrifying experiences with the killer are particularly hard to stomach, although her courage is a shining light. This will undoubtedly appeal to many of Bryndza's existing fans and to those crime readers who have yet to discover this series. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

ARC received from publisher via Netgalley for an honest review

I am new to the writing of Robert Bryndza, Nine Elms being the only other book by this author that I have read so far.

And now I am kicking myself for what I have been missing.

This is the second book in the Kate Marshall series,and whilst it could be read as a stand alone (we are given back story), you won't want to miss Nine Elms.



Kate Marshall is a strong protaganist. She is protective, she is complicated, and so is her life.

When the ex-police officer and her son stumble across a body, the stage is set for another enthralling chase. She is tenacious, not letting it go when her spidey senses feel that the investigators get it wrong.

Corruption and money are all in play in this twisted tale. Just when you think you know what is going on and who is the bad guys, we are thrown a curve ball and left scratching our heads again. I had an idea of the who but no idea of the why or what for.

What I really liked the most is the relationship between Kate and Tristan - a Watson and Holmes of sorts. I like the direction they are going as this story comes to its conclusion, and look forward to where Bryndza takes them in future stories.

Now I am impatiently awaiting more... I guess I should go check out more of his series whilst I am waiting.

Thank you to NetGalley, Author Robert Bryndza, and the Publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review
Shadow Sands is the second book in the Kate Marshall Series. Kate Marshall is a former police detective, turned University Lecturer and Private Detective. This story begins with a body being found while she is diving in a reservoir with her teenage son. The police initially rule it as an accidental drowning, but the boy’s mother is sure there is more to it and asks Kate to investigate.

Both Kate and her assistant Tristan are like able characters, who are well developed further in this installment. Their investigation, takes them on a frightening path, putting their lives in danger. In addition to the boy’s death, a university lecturer disappears, related or not? As they dig deeper, they uncover several other young people who have disappeared over the years near the reservoir. Each time the police either appear to be incompetent or involved in a cover-up.

While you can read this as a standalone, personally I recommend you read the first installment “Nine Elms”, first. Apart from learning about Kate’s backstory and the hard relationship she has with her parents and her son, why her parents have custody of her son, you will miss an incredible story that I read in one sitting.

This is a fast-paced serial killer thriller that is a very readable addition to a new series. I hear rumours that a 3rd installment is on its way, I personally can’t wait.