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.

5.0

I love the Erica Foster series so was delighted to be able to read a proof of this! A delicious murder mystery that kept me flicking the pages! Brilliant case, fantastic characters and a quick read. Hope there’s more to come! 🔪

Erika Foster is back! As usual, Erika is a no nonsense detective and this case is as twisty and turny as the others have been. I was drawn in within the first three chapters and was fully invested by the first twist. Every time I thought I knew who the killer was, another twist was thrown in and it kept me guessing until the end. Bravo Bryndza. Another great read!

I have not read any books by Robert Bryndza let alone any in this series but I was pleasantly surprise and thrillingly delighted.

I love Detective Erica Foster and as the blurb says it is a real page turner. I just couldn't stop reading it. It is thrilling, engaging and full of suspense with plenty of twists and lots of intrigue. It is sometimes a bit dark and intense but it is always getting you to think and feel what is going on.

A great read and now I have to go back and read the previous 6 in the series. I am looking forward to that!

‘The knock on the door was soft, almost timid …’

Detective Erika Foster is walking near her new home in Blackheath, when she hears a scream. A woman’s body has been found by her sister in a nearby flat. She is identified as Vicky Clarke, a true-crime podcaster. Her case is assigned to Erika. Erika discovers that Vicky had been working on a new episode about a sexual predator who had been preying on young female students around South London. Erika also discovers that the notes and recordings that Vicky had made were stolen. Had Vicky been close to identifying the attacker? Was that why she was murdered?

The case becomes more complicated. The body of a young Bulgarian student doctor is discovered in the same building, which is also home to a couple of quite strange characters one of whom is connected to a senior police officer. This makes Erika’s investigation even more challenging. Can Erika and her team find the killer before anyone else is murdered?

There are plenty of twists in this story and I confess that while I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong. And, while this is the second of Mr Bryndza’s novels I have read, it is the first in the Erika Foster series. So now I have an entire backlist to explore! Yes, the novel can be read as a standalone.

A fast-paced read, with some very interesting characters.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

This is the first book I have read by this author, which set me at a disadvantage. The protagonist seems to be recurring and, although her back story is touched on, I would have liked to have read it myself.

The plot of this British police procedural was good. A woman is brutally stabbed (partially through a hide-a-bed)., But it turns out that the woman killed was not the person who lived in the apartment, but her neighbor. It was fast moving enough that I picked it up and read "just a little more" when I woke up one night.

The downfall was the end. It There were a couple of weird things that didn't make sense. It had one of my pet peeves, where the killer kept damning evidence (but in this case disposed of the murder weapon). It all felt rushed and not very well through out.

But all in all it was good and I am adding the previous novels to my "read soon" list. I will also be looking forward to the next in the series.

I shouted out loud several times - those twists are intense. INTENSE.
Finally Bryndza returns to Erika Foster - and I was not disappointed. I'm thirst trapped for the next book!
Erika finds herself walking her new neighborhood -- and of course stumbles onto a crime scene. A woman finds her sister brutally stabbed to death, rolled in her sofa bed.
Vicky recently began her own true crime podcast. But her latest episode wasn't uploaded. And her mic is missing. Her latest story concerns young women assaulted at Vicky's alma mater - a small drama school in south London.
Erika struggles to readjust her working relationship with Peterson. She bought a house - lol! Now tasked with buying essentials like a bed.
Lots of great humor but most importantly great suspense and thrills!

I enjoyed this novel, albeit a tad too long for me. It ramped up at the end, which was a bit late in the game for me. I found the ending implausible. Thank you NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for this opportunity. #ErikaFosterReturns #NetGalley.

Robert Bryndza never disappoints! I always look forward to reading his work and wait in anticipation for the next!
Erika Foster is one of my favorite book characters, along with her sidekicks Peterson and Moss. I always find myself rooting for Erika and this book was no different. There were parts of this story where I thought one thing would happen and was surprised with a different twist. I’m already waiting for the next book in this series!!

Fatal Witness by Robert Bryndza tells the story of DCI Erika Foster and solving a case. The story starts out simply but the plot becomes more involved as the story continues. I really liked this! I liked Erika and it was fun that she was Slovak! I’m half Slovak so that made a connection. The characters were real and I loved George!! The teachers from the dance academy were definitely interesting! This is the first time I have read this author and I would like to read more. I will recommend this book. Thank you for allowing me to review this book.

Fatal Witness is book 7 in the DCI Erika Foster series from Robert Bryndza.

"Erika is walking near her new house and hears a scream. Rushing into a nearby house she finds a woman hysterical because she's discovered her sister dead - stabbed on the sofa bed. As Erika and her team start investigating they take a hard look at the neighbors. One in particular has some odd behaviors. But he is also related to someone high-up in the police department. Erika knows they have to look at everyone but she's not sure they can solve this crime with their hands tied...especially after more people are killed."

This is a police procedural. Bryndza is good at leading the reader around - maybe it's this, maybe it's that - and it turns out to be something else. The ending is absolutely nuts. You wonder how Erika will survive this one.

Fans of crime fiction will enjoy this one. It's part of a series but can be read as a stand-alone.

This novel has creepy sinister aspects, leading you down one path but keeping you guessing until the killer is revealed. Detective Erika Foster purchases a home and while walking home one night hears screaming and comes across a murder. Thus begins this story, a murdered podcaster whose podcast is about sexual predators preying on university students. When notes and recordings from the podcast are missing, Detective Erika begins to suspect the sexual predator component of the case. But things aren’t what they seem, people aren’t who they claim to be, and when a second victim is discovered, the case takes a wicked turn.

I’ve read Robert Bryndza book series Coco Pritchard and like his style of writing. However, this was my first Erika Foster book. I like this character, she reminds me of how I picture a female detective, tough, determined but has a capacity for compassion as well. She doesn’t jump to conclusions but is thoughtful in her analysis of the situation. Works way too many hours as I suspect most police detectives do. I also like the way the mystery unfolded, the story provided clues and hints but nothing was ultimately revealed until close to the very end. Good secondary characters helped the plot along and I enjoyed the renewed friendship/maybe romance of an old acquaintance. Overall, a good mystery, good characters, well written and an enjoyable read. Well done Mr. Bryndza, well done.

Hard to believe there are already seven Erika Foster books in this series - they are all good. In this one Erika has just moved into a house in Blackheath - hasn't even furnished it yet. She's sleeping on the floor. Erika goes out for some fish and chips when she hears a scream. She follows the sound and finds Tess has just found the dead body of her sister, Vicky Clarke. Vicky was a true crime podcaster and she may have been getting close to finding the identity of a serial murderer.

The investigation takes some strange turns and evidence is hard to come by. DCI Erika Foster and her team keep following the few clues they have to find the killer. I enjoyed the investigation and liked the ending. I like the character, Igor, who surprisingly showed up from Erika's past.

Thanks to Raven Street Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on July 7, 2022.

Fatal Witness is the 7th book in the Detective Erika Foster series. This book can be read as a stand-alone.

Honestly, there was nothing wrong with this book. It had an interesting plot with twists. The story was fast paced and it had a great beginning. I think my problem with this book were the characters. I like Erika's character but I didn't feel the team synergy or comradery like I do with other female-led procedural series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Raven Street Publishing and Robert Bryndza for a copy of "Fatal Witness" in exchange of an honest review.

Robert Bryndza delivers another non-stop installment of Detective Erika Foster. I absolutely had to finish this in one sitting and was not disappointed. Although I thought it was much too brief, the inclusion of Igor from her Slovak home really added a lot to the series and I hope to see more of him.
Despite the violence and brutal attack on Erika and her team, Bryndza always really peels back the layers of his characters to give us their inner essence. Even the peripheral characters of Honeycomb Court were fascinating to read about. What a master of pacing and tension to keep readers turning the pages!

Amazing read. The author draws you in from the very first chapter and makes it impossible to stop reading until the end. I was very surprised when the killer was revealed and I was really invested in the main characters lives. I received a free advanced copy of this novel from netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Firstly I would like to thank netgalley and Raven street and the author Robert bryndza for a copy of this book to read..

This is a brilliant series and the 7th book,Detective Erika foster and her team on another case.A murder of Vicky Clarke but theres a twist, she was stabbed.she did a podcast on crime was this something to do with her murder? I enjoyed this read as lots of suspects it keeps you guessing.and also tells you more about Erikas home life.A fantastic read from one of my favourite author,highly recommend this series.

This book will be reviewed on goodreads, and Amazon uk.

This is a solid detective book. At the center of the mystery is a killer…will they be able to find out who he or she is? I enjoyed the characters and storyline. This is one that’ll keep you guessing!