Wanting to move on from the death of her husband Mark, DCI Erika Foster of the London Met has bought her first house, a fixer-upper in Blackheath. Despite having no hot water or heating and no furniture, she has moved and is sleeping on the floor until she can find time to buy a bed.

Returning from buying fish and chips for dinner, she hears a woman’s scream coming from a nearby flat. The body of a young woman, identified as Vicky Clarke has been found in her flat by her sister. It is clear she has been stabbed multiple times and died a horrible death. A struggling actress, Vicky had been making true crime podcasts in a recording studio she had set up in her flat. Erika discovers that she was working on a story about a sexual predator who targets young woman staying in student housing belonging to a drama academy and her notes and recordings are missing.

This is another exciting episode in this series. The steadily paced, multilayered plot culminates in a suspense filled ending after several suspects and many false leads. Erika is such a great character, dedicated and fearless with a great team around her, who it’s good to see continuing to develop. During the eventual delivery of her new bed, she’s delighted to recognise the delivery man as an ex-boyfriend from Slovakia and I expect we’ll be seeing more of him in the future.

Fatal Witness is the seventh book in the series. This book begins with a gruesome murder. Next we see Erica has just moved to a new home decides to go out for dinner and on the back she hears blood curdling scream. Tess has just discovered the body of a woman she believes is her sister, Vicky Clarke. Erica and her team will have their hands full as they begin to investigate.

Nothing is easy when they question the caretaker, Charles Wakefield, who has assaulted a member of the police. Charles unfortunately has connections in the police department which will challenge the investigation going forward. As the police question neighbors Maria and Sophia Ivanova, and Vicky's ex-boyfriend, Shawn Macavity, evidence suggests that Vicky was doing podcasts on unsolved crime and may have been close to solving a sexual predator from the past.

This is a stand alone read, but as usual the series is built upon previous books. It's a pretty twisted story and gory in some parts. It is a page turner as you try to solve it before the big reveal.

This is the book you didn’t know how much you wanted it.

I loved the DCI Erika Foster series and have missed her over last few years, but now she is back. Ans back with a bang. You will soon remember all the characters from her team and past events. There are plenty of new developments with the characters as this fast-paced plot unfolds and pulls you in

As much as I love his new series, this is like a pair of your favourite shoes that you haven’t worn for a few years and forgotten how comfortable they were.

Thank you so much to Robert Brynzda, the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this masterpiece. Can’t wait for book 8..

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

erica after having a late supper of fish and chips is walking back to her new house when she hears a scream, identifying herself erica finds herself in a crime scene that would give hannibal lector a run for his money...

with the crime scene secure and the identity of the victim secure its all hands on deck to find the perp...

but the next day a call goes in and the case is out of control....a mistaken identity for the dead person, so now not only do they need to identify the victim but they are also on the look out for a missing person

its an interesting read that keeps you on your toes with many a red herring to get you to suspect the wrong person...

it was also nice to catch up with this gang of investigators to see how they have progressed

I love the Erika Foster series so was so excited to get a review copy. I put it to the top of the list and read right away. Again, a gripping murder mystery. I love the characters in Erika and her team - their banter is so real and makes me want to join them for drinks! Lots of twists and red herrings. A really good whodunnit.

Review of eBook

Detective Erika Foster, having just moved into a new house in Blackheath, stumbles onto a crime scene as she takes a late-night stroll. The victim, true-crime podcaster Vicky Clarke, had been working on a new podcast episode. She’d learned of a sexual predator attacking women in the residence hall at Goldsmith’s Drama Academy.

The theft of Vicky’s notes and sound recordings for her podcast episode leads Erika to speculate that the young woman had found the evidence that would convict the residence hall predator; her murder would keep her from naming the attacker.

The discovery of a second body in the same apartment building turns everything the investigators thought they knew about the case upside down. Will they find the killer before he strikes again?

=========

Seventh in the author’s Detective Erika Foster novels, this twisty, unpredictable tale works well as a standalone with sufficient backstory for readers new to the series. The inventive plot [albeit with a fair bit of gruesomeness] takes several twists and turns as the dark, disturbing story slowly reveals its secrets.

Detective Erika Foster and her compatriots work with London’s Metropolitan Police. The expected characters are in place; delivery driver Igor Mak is new as is George the cat. All the characters are well developed and believable [although, in several instances, particularly unlikeable].

Readers are sure to find much to appreciate here and fans of the series will find this a worthy addition to the Erika Foster canon.

Highly recommended . . . but readers should be aware that there are some particularly difficult scenes involving both murder victims and cats.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley
#FatalWitness #NetGalley

It’s been a few years since we’ve had an Erika Foster book, and I’m so glad she’s back.
We catch up with Erika moving into a new house and there’s lots of work to be done inside.
Erika hears a scream one morning and finds a neighbour looking shocked as she’s discovered a dead body.
Things are not quite as they seem and Erika and the team have a complex case on their hands.
There’s a few twists in this book so I won’t say anymore, in case I spoil things.
It’s so good to read an Erika Foster book again and I can highly recommend this book and the whole series.
Loved it!
Thanks to Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Love this author, thanks to netgalley for lettingme review this book . Whilst out walking one night detective erika foster comes across the brutal murder of vicky clarke who writes a true crime podcast . When erika takes on the case ,she learns that vicky has been working on something new which involves a sexual predator preying on students in their accommodation before breaking in....Erika uncovers vicky was close to finding out who the killer is.... can erika and the team solve the case before he strikes again..... I couldnt put this book down..... highley recommend

Fatal Witness is the seventh book in the Erika Foster series by best-selling award-winning British author, Robert Bryndza. On her way home from the chippie to her newly-acquired fixer-upper, Lewisham Row Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster stumbles on a murder. Tess Clarke screams at the grisly scene she discovers in her sister’s flat, and Erika draws her away from the body of a young woman, brutally stabbed multiple times.

Apparently, Vicky Clarke was an actor who had branched out into true crime podcasts, and the team wonders if she was getting close to exposing someone who decided to thwart her intentions, but her computer hard drive has been wiped, and her notebooks are missing. Then, a day later, Forensic Pathologist Isaac Strong has some puzzling news for Erika: the body he has examined is not Vicky.

Now, Erika has an unidentified murder victim and a missing woman. The team engaged in plenty of excellent detective work and they spend a great deal of time looking at CCTV, some of which yields useful information, some of which is frustratingly ambiguous.

Eventually, the team has a number of potential suspects: one with a very influential family member; one previously convicted of rape; one with an hour gap in the CCTV cover of his movements. The astute reader may settle on the likely perpetrator but there are enough red herrings to have them second-guessing their choice right up to the nail-biting climax.

The back cover blurb is a little misleading, the ending seems a bit rushed, and there are a number of continuity issues that do distract from the story, which have hopefully been corrected for the final version of the novel. There’s also a little plug for Bryndza’s Kate Marshall series included.

Erika does seem a bit more mellow, and therefore likeable, in this instalment, which could work as a stand-alone, as there is sufficient spoiler-free recap to inform new readers. The continuing development of regular characters and the introduction of a potential love interest for Erika are both welcome. Gripping British crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing.

I was so excited when I heard that Robert Bryndza was bringing back one of my favourite detectives of all time-Erika Foster. And in Fatal Witness she makes a spectacular return with a twisty and compelling new case.

Erika has now moved into her new home but she doesn’t get much time to do any home improvements or even get any new furniture due to stumbling across a murder case whilst out walking near her new house. This leads her to a prime suspect very quickly when one of the victims neighbours is stopped after displaying some very suspicious behaviour. But Erika is going to find out that not all is as it seems…

It was wonderful being back in the company of such a familiar character and within only a few pages it was like she’d never been away-rather like seeing friends again after lockdown finished and being back in that friendship zone again before you know it! She’s such an intriguing character, yet she also wears her emotions more freely than before. The whole gang are also back but if you’ve never read any of the books in the series before, I must say that this can be read as a stand-alone without any problems at all.

The case itself is complex and twisty but easy to become engaged with as the clues lead Erika round the houses! And talking of houses, her new abode indirectly leads her to changes in her personal life which pleased me no end! No spoilers from me though!

Fatal Witness has an unsettling storyline and some disturbing scenes that made my blood run cold at times. This is a serial killer determined to avoid detection at all costs so nothing will stand in their way and that includes Erika herself so be prepared!

I had high expectations for Fatal Witness but thankfully it totally lived up to them. Robert Bryndza has delivered a gripping new story for one of my favourite detectives and I absolutely loved it!

Good solid murder mystery. The opening chapter grabs you and you will be wanting to know more about the opening event. The murders are a bit gruesome but I suppose most are. There are many suspects and you will not guess the murderer until the very end. But it all makes sense in the end. The entire series read like a pbs murder mystery.
This is an ongoing series with continuing characters. But it can be read as a stand alone. And the ending allows for another episode but not a cliffhanger.
There is a small romance that I'm sure could blossom in the next book. And a new addition...George the cat.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was issued this book by NetGalley for my unbiased review.

This is my first book by Robert Bryndza. I hope to read more.

This mystery is set in England and that requires a bit of adjustment compared to an American mystery.
The police do things in a different way. The detective Erika Foster stumbles into a mystery. It has a lot of twists and turns. It seems like at times that impediments are intentionally placed in her way. She and her group find their way forward with a couple of false steps.

Interesting and a good read of an English murder/mystery. Hope to read another.

“Fatal Witness,” hooked me in on the story’s first page causing me to sit on the edge of my seat with my heart beating out of my chest waiting to flip the page. Kudos to Robert Bryndza on his writing skills to create such a wonderful crime mystery. It truly is one, if not the best, crime drama that I have every read.

I love the character Bryndza developed for Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster. The story used a complex plot that leaves you guessing who the murderer is. Without revealing the story, the double murder was not expected and added a great deal of excitement
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Thank you Net Galley and Robert Bryndza for the opportunity to review this book.

So this is book seven in this series but a first for me and I must say it's right up my street and am surprised i've only just stumbled across this author I shall definitely be looking out for me.

There's clearly a back story here with history that i've missed but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story as it was built on a new case.

Erika is a likely character and this book has a good balance of personal and professional explored, a fast paced read that was brutal, tense and complex.

A multi-layered plot that unravelled to a satisfying conclusion.

Oh this book was just brilliant. After 4 long years it's great to have Erika Foster back.

I devoured this book in one sitting as it was just too gripping to put down.

I was hooked from the very first page and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. The plot was full of twists to keep you guessing right until the heart stopping conclusion.

If you love a crime thriller then I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Oh happy day, Erika Foster is back! And what a case she is faced with in this long awaited return. High stakes and high threat, this is one investigation that could prove quite costly for our favourite Detective. Never fear folks. If any of you were wondering whether, after a four year gap, Robert Bryndza could recapture that Foster magic, let me reassure you that the answer is a resounding yes. Stepping back into the world of Erika, Peterson, Moss and the team was like greeting old friends. After all the hellos you just fall back into stride with them and away we go.

Which is just as well really as we find Erika has to hit the ground running, faced with an unexpected case almost literally on her doorstep. Whilst settling (?) into a new home and a new neighbourhood, she happens upon the scene of a brutal murder as true-crime podcaster, Vicky Clarke has met a very violent and sticky end. We're present during the time of the attack. We get the full force of the what, but not the why, and believe me when I say that in this most twisted of cases, absolutely nothing is as it seems. The case leads Erika and the team in a direction they really weren't expecting, bringing them into the world of a well known drama school, Vicky's former school, which is nursing more than the odd secret of its own.

Full of tension and packed with mystery this gave me all the thrills of a classic Erika Foster story, but with a brand new feel to it too. There is a sense of this being echoed in Erika's own story as she is starting afresh in a new home, putting herself and her relationship with the team back on track, especially with Peterson which, anyone who has read the earlier books in the series will understand. There is a quiet awkwardness between them, but not one that hinders the case. The uncertainty through, that hesitation, helped to join those dots for me between where we left them in Deadly Secrets to where we are now. This is a fresh start, for everyone, including us readers, but it is also vintage Erika Foster, and if you think that her tendency to get herself into trouble may have waned over the break, think again. Towards the end of the book she finds herself in a real pickle, leaving me wondering how she, and the author, would work her way out of it.

I loved the pacing and the flow of this book. There are moments of real tension, those pulse pounding scenes that the author is so good at creating. Moments where the sense of jeopardy is off the charts. Characterisation is, as always, excellent, and I have to wonder whether, given the author's own history, there might not be echoes of people he has met in the past within the characters he has created. Only partial of course, as, murder aside, there is a darkness at the heart of the novel, one which is almost too believable. But amongst all the intensity of the investigation there is the human side. The grief of the bereaved, the vulnerability of the victims and, more importantly for fans of Erika, a fresh outlook on life courtesy of a face from the past. It brought a smile to my face and to Erika's too. After all her heartbreak and drama, is a glimmer of something positive on the horizon?

I can't wait to see where Robert Bryndza takes us next. It's been so good reuniting with this series and these characters. I'd say I hope Erika gets an easier time next time too, but not too easy. It wouldn't be the same if she didn't rush in, giving the investigation her everything - where would the fun before readers in that anyway? Tense, action packed and with that oh so familiar, if not quite comfortable, feel, fans of the series will not be disappointed.

Detective Erika Foster has recently moved into a new neighborhood. While walking home one evening she hears a piercing scream from a nearby apartment and decides to check it out. She discovers a horrific murder scene of a young woman. Erika is assigned the case and during her investigation, another young woman living in the same apartment building is murdered. While trying to solve this murder, Erika has a list of possible suspects and is finding that there isn’t any evidence. She almost loses her life in this story which includes a cast of unique characters.

Wow Robert Brynza books just keep getting better and better. My favourite character is back! Such a great plot and fab characters. Must read.

Fatal Witness is the seventh book in the Erika Foster police procedural series about a Slovakian DCI working in South London. There’s been quite a gap since the last one, which was published in 2018, as the author has published three books in his other crime series, which I’ve read but didn’t enjoy as much. I was therefore excited to receive an ARC of this, but sadly must confess I found it difficult to get into, full of silly mistakes, with a predictable reveal and annoying behaviour from the lead character.

Set about a year after the events of the last book, pre-pandemic, this has Erika moving into her ramshackle new house, and adopting a cat called George. Passing a nearby house, she hears a terrible scream and finds that the body of a young woman has just been discovered by her sister. The other inhabitants of the building are behaving suspiciously, leading the team to arrest one of them, but after learning that he’s the brother of a senior policeman, and with insufficient evidence, they are forced to release him. Then a similar-looking young woman is also killed - how do these murders connect to a True Crime podcast broadcast by one of the victims?

Firstly, a warning - this book discusses killings and decapitation of cats in a way that felt completely gratuitous and unnecessary for the plot, other than for shock value and an excuse for the first arrest. You don’t read about it happening, but the image presented was distressing to this cat lover, even when there’s an explanation presented for it. A serial killer of cats is also mentioned but this element goes nowhere. Had this not been a review copy I would’ve given up then and there, but after about 10% in it’s not really mentioned again. No harm comes to George however, other than being fed pate instead of cat food and frequently left to his own devices - luckily it turns out he’s good at catching mice.

For an experienced and bestselling author, I’m rather shocked by the laziness of the plotting, the lack of basic research and how many errors slipped past the editor - hopefully some have been corrected for publication. For example, Charles is described as punching a paramedic, but arrested and charged for assaulting a police officer. London is not freezing cold in mid-October - it may be damp and miserable but you don’t get frost. A police officer of Erika’s rank would not be running around visiting suspects and doing interviews, she has juniors for that. And in one scene the wrong character name is mentioned repeatedly. I could go on…

Despite an array of deeply unpleasant characters, there were so few actual possible suspects that it was completely obvious whodunnit, and yet Erika unmasks them pretty much by accident. Then she is once more put into a life-threatening situation, which she (spoiler alert) survives also by luck not skill. I did like the development in her personal life but it felt like rather too much of a coincidence. And several plot threads are left unresolved. So all in all this was a disappointing instalment for a series that I had previously very much enjoyed, and it’s probably time for me to give up on this author. If these issues don’t bother you, do read other reviews as clearly I’m in a minority.
2.5 rounded down for the animal abuse.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am posting this honest review voluntarily.
Fatal Witness is published on July 7th.

Welcome back Erika, I've missed you!

Erika Foster has just moved into her new house. On the way back from the chippy she hears a woman scream and goes to help. The woman has discovered the body of her sister.
What follows is a twisted tale of deceit, past crimes, murder and reconciliations.
Erika's team are stretched when another murder follows the first. Erika meets a face from the past and her investigation is hindered by a senior policeman.

All I can say is that I read this in one session, well worth it. I'm not going to say anymore as that would be going into spoiler territory.