My thanks to Net Galley and Raven Street Publishing for allow me to review this EXCELLENT arc.

This book grabs you right away with the "alleged " murder of Podcaster Vicky Clarke,who had been working on a true crime show about a sexual predator of a past cold case. DCI Erika Foster hears the screaming and arrives on the scene. All is not what it appears to be when a missing medical student turns up dead in the same building that ties this case together and brings about mistaken identity.

GREAT book. A quick read pager turner. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Life is stressful for DCI Erika Foster, she's just moved house, has no furniture to speak of and, apart from one work colleague, knows nobody in the area. She has however found an excellent fish and chip shop nearby, but making that discovery is when her problems really start.

The resulting murder investigation is complicated from the start. A true crime blog could hold the key but nothing is simple and even after a second death identifying a main suspect proves difficult. When a new clue is discovered Erika sees a chance to wrap everything up neatly but their killer has very different ideas.

After a break of four years Robert Bryndza has returned to his DCI Erika Foster series with a bang. The storyline is fast paced and never lets up, her colleagues are supportive and there are some terrific one liners which add just enough gallows humour to relieve but never remove the tension. There are clues to whodunnit and at least one pointer directed at part of the resolution but the drama which followed was unexpectedly and page turningly tense.

The author's notes promise new books in both this and Robert Bryndza's other successful police procedural series. I for one can't wait.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a brilliant return to Erika Foster's universe and I recommend it highly.

I just don’t think police procedural novels are my thing. The beginning grabbed me right away. After the the book became trite and I found it difficult to plow through. I’m sure those who love this type of thriller will feel differently . The setting is believable and specific, Characters seemed one dimensional.

EXCERPT: She cried out and kicked but he grabbed her legs, dragged her up off the floor and threw her back on the sofa bed.

He picked up the knife and she saw him looking around, working out what to do. He gripped the bottom of the folding frame and tipped it up, raising her legs. Her body was bent in half and then she felt his weight on top as he folded her into the mattress, the metal frame crushing her. He folded the mattress again using all his weight on top. She felt a roar of pain as her shoulders popped out of their sockets, and her knees were up around her head. The gag in her mouth moved down her throat, crushing her windpipe.

And then the knife sank into her back, and then sliced open the side of her cheek, it plunged into her hip and then the meaty padding of her calf muscle. He was stabbing the knife through the mattress.

She couldn't breathe, and the frenzied stabbing continued, the knife plunging into her body as she was crushed under the weight of the folded-over mattress.

She wanted death to come quickly, but the three long minutes before her wish was granted was an eternity.

ABOUT 'FATAL WITNESS': How do you find a killer who has destroyed all the evidence?

Detective Erika Foster is on a late-night walk near her new house in Blackheath when she stumbles upon the brutal murder of Vicky Clarke, a true-crime podcaster.

Erika is assigned to the case and discovers that Vicky had been working on a new podcast episode about a sexual predator who preys on young female students around South London, staking out his victims in their halls of residence before breaking in at the dead of night. When Erika discovers that Vicky's notes and sound recordings were stolen from her flat at the time of her murder, it leads her to believe that Vicky was close to unmasking the attacker, and she was killed to guarantee her silence.

The case takes on a disturbing twist when the body of a young Bulgarian student doctor is discovered in the same building, and this makes Erika question everything she thought she knew about Vicky. With very little evidence, the clock is ticking to find the killer before he strikes again.

MY THOUGHTS: Isn't it amazing what trouble buying fish and chips for your supper can land you in! In Erika's case, it's a particularly gruesome murder. I think in future I'll be ordering in pizza.

This is a complicated case. There's an issue of mistaken identity for a start. There are people who are not what they seem, and some who are exactly what they seem. The difficulty is sorting out who is which. And then there's the second body . . .

There's no shortage of suspects and plenty of red herrings. I formulated theories, and as fast as I could dream them up, Robert Bryndza scuppered them.

The characters, as always, are magnificently portrayed. Cilla, the Scots drama teacher was probably my favourite, although Charles Wakefield and the imperious Henrietta Boulderstone are absolutely brilliant, if totally unlikeable.

The plot is fast moving and twisty, the characters realistic, and I loved almost every moment of it. But Mr Bryndza, why oh why did you subject us to that overly dramatic denouement? It left me feeling deflated and a little ticked off, and cost you half a star.

Although this is book #7 of a series, the author provides enough background for Fatal Witness to be read as a stand-alone.

I was lucky enough to receive both a digital and an audio ARC of Fatal Witness and so was able to switch between the two. Both are excellent. Fatal Witness is scheduled for publication 07 July 2022.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#ErikaFosterReturns #NetGalley

I: @robertbryndza #RavenStreetPublishing

T: @RobertBryndza #RavenStreetPublishing

#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery #suspense #thriller

THE AUTHOR: Robert Bryndza was born in the UK and lived in America and Canada before settling in Slovakia with his Slovak husband Ján.

When he's not writing Rob is learning Slovak, trying to train two crazy dogs, or watching Grand Designs all in the hope that hell be able to understand his mother-in-law, build his dream house, and get the dogs to listen.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Raven Street Publishing via Netgalley for providing both digital and audio ARCs of Dark Water by Robert Bryndza for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon,Instagram and my webpage.

This was one of the best procedurals I have read in a very long time. Erika Foster is a DCI with the London Police. She has just moved into her new home, a rather dilapidated fixer upper. In frustration she goes out to walk to a chip shop a couple of blocks from the house. On her walk she hears a woman scream from an apartment building. Being a Police officer, she goes into the building to find out what the matter is. This is the introduction to the story. I won’t go any further into the plot because of spoilers, but will say that it is complex and amazingly well developed. The characters are equally well done. It is well worth the read. Thanks to Net Galley and Raven Street Publishing for an ARC for an honest review.

This case starts off with a bang as we see a young woman brutally murdered in her apartment. Detective Erica Foster having just moved into a new home is walking by when she hears the screams, someone has found the body...

Erica and her team have to figure out who this young woman is and who killed her. With no sign of a break in it is believed that the young woman knew her killer. The case takes has some twists and turns and is full of some very suspenseful moments as they discover a case of mistaken identity, another body, and a case from the past that someone will kill to keep quiet.


I haven't read any other books in this series, but can be read as a standalone.

The premise of this murder mystery is interesting and timely. The problem is that Detective Erika Foster is the antithesis of what a good detective should be – making the reading of this book difficult. I received an ARC from NetGalley, and the opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to Robert and NetGalley for allowing me to read Fatal Witness before the publication date.
This is the first book in the series which I have read.

Robert has created an interesting cast of characters, from the hoity toity Henrietta, who likes to think that she knows everything that the residents do to the two sisters who are trainee doctors and are like chalk and cheese.

I like what ( I hope) is Robert’s sense of humour when he named the victim’s friend Macavity, which hinted that he might be the criminal, based on his namesake, master criminal Macavity the Mystery Cat.

With several threads interlinking, this was an enjoyable read.

Have enjoyed this Erika Foster series very much. Great characters and storyline. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing. Would definitely read his next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

An Erica Foster investigation into a particularly brutal murder starts off this twisty tale with mistaken identity at the start and further murders as the tension builds. It all stretches credibility at times but nevertheless is an entertaining ride. Part of a series I need to find the earlier episodes as she is an intriguing character!

It has been a long time between books for Detective Erika Foster but neither she nor her author have lost their touch.

Erika is still grieving for her husband, Mark, but she is beginning to put her life together again. There is even a tentative start to a new relationship which is good. The book opens with a violent murder and Erika and her team are on the case. There are suggestions that the main suspect is being protected due to family connections and there are plenty of red herrings and some excellent police work.

I enjoyed this slightly warmer Erika as she starts to make her new home liveable and makes friends along the way. Moss and Peterson are still with her and they make a great team. This is an excellent series and I hope the author writes us some more.

Was very much looking forward to Erika’s return and this didnt disappoint. Thoroughly enjoyed this book it had a great storyline. Wasn’t keen on the cat abuse storyline and don’t really see what this added to the book as it had nothing to do with the main story. Would have been a better book without it. I did however very much enjoy this one and look forward to the next book. I’m giving the book 4 stars, it was great.

My thanks to Raven Street Publishing, Robert Bryndza and Netgalley.
I loved it!
Yep! That's my full review.
Want to know more? Read other reviews. I'm tired.

Thank you, Raven Street Publishing and Netgalley for the advance reader's copy. As a huge fan of Robert Bryndza's Erika Foster (and Kate Marshall) series, I couldn't wait to delve into his latest, a solid five-star read.for me.

While walking through the neighborhood where she has just bought a house, Erika Foster, DCI, hears a scream that leads her to a strange and bloody crime scene. There begins a twisty search for a killer, which in turn leads Erika and her team to previous attacks on women that had been long covered up. I'm pretty good about figuring out who-done-its, but I was left guessing until the end for this one! Bryndza has written a complex thriller that was a joy to read, and I can't wait for the next book, be it Erika or Kate.

Not for the faint-hearted

Fatal Witness is a procedural about a grotesque murder with a lengthy list of suspects.

Walking home at night, Detective Erika Foster hears a blood-curdling scream that stops her in her tracks to discover a distraught woman and a dead body. She and her team are pulled into a murder investigation involving a case of mistaken identity, eccentric and strange witnesses, and a psychopath who will stop at nothing to cover their tracks.

Trigger Warning! This book starts on a violent note with a detailed account of a heinous murder. On top of that, the detectives investigating the murder come across the bodies of decapitated cats. This is all in the first 10% of the book. Thankfully, things calm down after this, and the brutality is limited.

This is the 7th book in the Erika Foster series. It can easily be read as a standalone.

It’s been quite some time since we last encountered Erika and her team. Book #6 was published in 2018. I forgot some details concerning her character and team members, but most came back to me. There are still a few details I’m fuzzy on, but overall I was happy to reacquaint myself with Erika and her team.

Fatal Witness is a dark and disturbing read with some good twists and turns. The mystery behind the killer kept me on my toes; there were so many slimebuckets and weirdos featured that I had a hard time identifying the murderer until close to the end. This installment set up Erika for the future with some new additions in her life, including Igor, a furniture delivery driver, and the best addition, George, the cat! I look forward to seeing them in book #8.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.

Great to see Erika Foster back! A definite page turner. Fatal Witness did not disappoint. Every time I thought I had the right suspect, I was wrong. Keep the series coming. #ErikaFosterReturns #NetGalley

The Fatal Witness by Robert Bryndza

My thanks to the #NetGalley and the publisher, #RavenStreetPress for an ARC
for my review.

While the opening murder scene seemed more gruesome than necessary, and should have a disclaimer, the rest of the story was good. I’m glad I read on, though I was tempted to just pass on it.

London Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster
comes across a murder on her way home from a fish and chips run. Tess Clarke has found her sister in a bloody mess. Erika jumps immediately into detective mode.

There are many well developed characters who carry this story. It’s easy to keep everyone straight and each one adds a nice piece to the mystery. Our author likes giving detailed descriptions of the homes, clothing and scenery in the story. This also adds interest to the ambience.

DNA becomes the hero of the tale, nailing the attacker who may or may not have been a prime suspect. My lips are sealed. Twists and turns keep you reading in this four star whodunit.

Wow! My first read in this detective series but definitely not my last. Im hooked! I absolutely LOVE Erika Foster and her sarcastic one liners and sheer determination to get to the bottom of mysterious murders. The plot took an unexpected turn at the end, and there were several possible suspects... you'll never guess who it was. The crimes are described in quite gory detail, (this is good) and can be hard to read at times but it brings home the horrors of police work. I'm now off to read the first 5 in the series! A one day 5 star read. 🌟 can't recommend it enough!

This is the second book that I have read by Robert Bryndza and it was not a disappointment. Strong characters with well defined personalities - that always makes a difference! Unlucky for a tired detective to happen upon a murder when in need of a good night's sleep, but what can she do? Her newly purchased, old and draughty home is waiting for her, without even a bed, so headfirst into investigation is the order of the day. As the case unfolds and if possible, gets even worse, some rather interesting people become people of interest. And then, there is the rather difficult furniture delivery driver.

Fatal Witness is the seventh in the Erica Foster series and it’s just as strong as its predecessors.
This time, Erica is out walking when a woman’s scream draws her attention. A woman has been brutally murdered. Erica gets assigned the case which gets complicated by mistaken identities along with a creepy neighbor that is the brother of the assistant commissioner and off limits. There are several suspects and quite a few red herrings. I give Bryndza credit. I never figure out the whodunnit part of his stories. He throws in enough twists to keep the reader on her toes.
Erika is a well developed character. I’ve enjoyed watching her mellow somewhat over the series, although she’s still got a bit of a temper and is definitely headstrong. She’s got a great team, but they seem to have been less in the forefront this outing.
This works as a stand alone.
My thanks to Netgalley and Raven Street Publishing for an advance copy of this book.