Kate Marshall is low on funds and high on bills. So when she is approached with a too good to be true offer that includes asking her to talk to her ex-lover, the Nine Elms Cannibal, she decides to take it. Looking into a cold case where the convicted suspect was later acquitted, the thought is Peter Conway might have committed the crime. Kate and Tristan quickly get farther in the case than anyone, including the people that hired them, expected. And what they find is very unexpected. I loved not only the mystery at hand, but how Kate and her son Jake got closer through the course of the book. I am really enjoying this series and glad to see it continuing!

I always look forward to books by this author, and am never disappointed. Nice change of pace for this one, set mainly in London instead of Cornwall. Very satisfying twists and turns, with suspects including serial killers. I don’t know if I missed something, but was there any significance to the air fresheners in the basement? Red herrings aplenty here, so lots to keep you guessing; also very ‘now’ with true crime podcasts being made.

What a good read. Yet another winner.I love that they were looking into a cold case which always adds an extra dimension, especially when their clients are quite secretive. Kate and Tristan get on and work so well together it’s always makes for a stimulating read. Peter Conway and Jake also feature quite heavily which always add emotion, especially around Peter. This is a stand alone but I would strongly recommend anyone to read the series in order, because they are all such strong storylines. (I would love to have amnesia just so I could read them all again!)

This time it Is about a missing girl, but the thrill is there as usual when I read Bryndza's books. Thank you Netgalley for this opportunity.

Thanks to Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC! I have been a fan of Robert Bryndza's detective series for years now, and this new one is a favorite. I was drawn in originally by his Erica Foster series, and now the Kate Marshall books are coming close to eclypsing Erica!

Kate and her detective agency partner Tristan are hired to look into an old missing person case where a young girl disappeared while running a quick errand for her mother. Their clients are a podcasting company who want to do an episode on the case. One man was convicted and jailed for the girl's disappearance, even though there was no body, and he was later released. It's great fun to see how Kate and Tristan go about gathering information, interviewing witnesses and locating suspects. There is a personal connection to Kate, as well. Recommended for a suspenseful read that kept me guessing to the end.

Thank you very much for the ARC. I have published my review on goodreads (see link below). The book was amazing as always. I really loved the true crime podcast angle. It made the story feel very current. I also loved how the author gave a voice to people who live on a council estate without looking down on them. Each character had depth and a story. The Peter Conway Ark was a very good read and i love how the author went into the complicated relationship between mother, son, and father.
I hope Jake will keep playing a role in the books.

This is another booking by the brilliant Robert Bryndza! I love all his books and I was very happy to have a chance to read another book with his heroine Kate Marshall. Kate is approached by a media agency about a true crime podcast. She has to go back to the past, to the Nine Elms Cannibal beginning. I couldn't put it down, brilliant!

Again, thanks to NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for offering this ARC of another great Robert Bryndza book in the Kate Marshall Series .I can’t recall how I got started reading Robert’s work, whether it was through Amazon First Reads or Kindle Unlimited, but it’s been a great journey. I love both Kate Marshall and Erika Foster characters.

In #5 of the Kate Marshall series, Kate and Tristan contract with a sketchy production company to investigate the very cold case of a missing girl, Janey Macklin. It seems there ‘s much more to this than a simple investigation, as it may involve The Nine Elms Killer, Peter Conway, (Kate’s son’s father). This investigation drags up a lot of mixed emotions for Kate and her son, Jake, and puts all three of them in danger.

Again, R. B. has written a great keep-you-guessing, turn-the-pages-as-fast-as-you can book. I am so glad that Conway has finally passed away, ending this avenue of both Kate and Jake’s lives. Their relationship, and the Kate/Tristan partnership, has matured so much in this book it makes me anxious to see where they go from here.

I’m not fond of the star review process, but I will give The Last Victim two huge thumbs up! I think you will too.

Kate Marshall Series Book 5

When schoolgirl Janey Macklin disappeared from the seedy side of London in 1988, her case went cold, with no body and no witnesses. Now, thirty years later, private detective Kate Marshall has been approached by a true-crime podcast producer with an intriguing question they need her help answering. What if Janey was killed by Peter Conway, the notorious Nine Elms Cannibal? The contract would be the most lucrative of Kate's career, but it comes with a price of its own, dredging up a sordid, complicated past she would sooner forget.... one that the paparazzi are determined to keep in the headlines. As Kate and her partner Tristan scour Kings Cross for clues, no two leads seem to point in the same direction. The last person to see Janey alive has already been tried, convicted, and acquitted of her murder. Peter Conway is in poor health and fading fast, and the line between their clients and their suspects is blurring with each new revelation about the case.

Private Investigator Kate Marshall has been asked to look into the cold case of the disappearance of Janey Macklin. Janey disappeared when her mother sent her to the local shop to get her cigarettes, But the question is, was she one of Peter Conway's last murder victims?

This is a cleverly crafted story. I was hooked, as Peter Conway's behaviour has always intrigued me. We get snippets of what had taken place in 1988. A podcast company had asked Kate to look into the cold case. The pace is fast in this twisted, and well-written story that is a complicated case to solve. I like Kate and her partner Tristan, they work well together. I hope there's more to come in this series.

Published 11th July 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #RavenStreetPublishing and the author #RobertBryndza for my ARC of #TheLostVictim in exchange for an honest review.

*4 Stars*

Copy kindly received via NetGalley for an honest review.

A good read with great characters. Kate and Tristan were very determined to find out what happened to Janey. Pointed to a few different people, eliminating one at a time. Good ending. Would recommend.

Both of Robert Bryndza's murder mystery series feature strong female protagonists. This, the Kate Marshall series, features a private investigator, while his Erika Foster series is a police procedural. Both are excellent.

A true-crime podcast company hires Kate and her partner Tristan to try and solve the thirty-year-old disappearance of thirteen-year-old Janiey Macklin. As they begin their investigation, leads are pointing toward Peter Conway, a convicted killer with ties to Kate's past. Digging deeper, they find three friends, one of whom has already been acquitted of her death may hold the key to her disappearance--but can they be believed?

This is a twisty, compelling read—one of Bryndza's best. Red herrings, subplots, and unreliable characters make this an intricately plotted book that sizzles from start to finish. Although it is the fifth Kate Marshall book, it can be read as a standalone. 4.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is July 11, 2024.

This is another exciting book in the PI Kate Marshall series.
When Kate is contacted by a creative agency to investigate the disappearance and probable murder of a young girl 30 years ago, it looks likely that the case is linked to the Nine Elms Cannibal, Peter Conway.
Kate has history with Conway, including a son together. The investigation twists and turns, giving us a taste of the seedy underbelly of London.
I couldn't put it down!

Kate enters the world of true crime podcasts, when she is asked by producer to investigate the murder of a girl called Janey in 1988 – a body was never found, someone was convicted, but then released on appeal, AND there may be a link to Peter Conway, the Nine Elms Cannibal.
She is wary of taking it on because of her and her son’s link to Conway, but is persuaded that she is the right person for the case.
Much of the action takes place in London, around King’s Cross, which has certainly changed immensely since the 80s. The life of Janey and children like her was vividly drawn, and the effects of such a loss can have long term on the people around them.
The resolution is not straightforward, the interested parties are not all as they seem, Peter Conway, and another long-term prisoner have their own agendas.
But Kate and Tristram come through, the case is solved and the relationship between Kate and her son is strengthened.
I look forward to the next book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Raven Street Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

This is the latest gripping thrill ride in Robert Bryndza's wonderful crime series featuring PI Kate Marshall, aided by her trusted Tristran Harper, both of whom are experiencing financial struggles, Jake is home from California, visiting his mom, Kate, with his girlfriend. So when Fidelis from the London Stafford-Clarke Creative Agency offers what initially appears a lucrative contract for some months investigative work for a true crime podcast, they are relieved, particularly as it offers them the opportunity to live in London to carry out the day to day delving that the case requires at King's Cross and other nearby locations. 3 decades ago in 1988, young Janey Macklin purchases cigarettes for her mother, and is offered a lift, which she accepts, given the freezing cold weather.

Janey is to disappear, never to be seen again, her body never found, although the man who gave her a lift is convicted and imprisoned, although he is later released. Into this cold case quagmire are voices that raise the unwelcome possibility that the Nine Elms Cannibal Killer, Peter Conway, may have been responsible for her death. This sets Kate's teeth on edge, as it guarantees she will once again become the focus for intense media scrutiny, having ensured that Conway was caught, but not without paying a heavy price. Conway is not in good shape physically, he is getting older, and his teeth are giving him big problems, leaving him physically weak and vulnerable, will he talk to Kate? There are further issues with regard to their clients..

Bryndza writes a cracking, well plotted, fast paced thriller that his big fan base and new readers are likely to enjoy and appreciate. He throws a light on the suffering endured by Janey Macklin's family through the years, the ambiguous feelings experienced by Jake as the health of his problematic father deteriorates, and the financing of the cold case when serious issues with the Creative Agency arise. Keeping my attention throughout is Kate and Tristan's tenacity, determined in the face of the coldest of cases and the surprising twists and turns it generates. Already looking forward to the next chilling addition to the series! Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

I'm a big fan of this series, so I was excited to see another Kate Marshall book. I think Kate is such a relatable character, and I love her relationship with her partner Tristan and her son Jake. She's had an interesting life, and although the previous books go deeper into her background, you don't need to read them to enjoy this book.

Kate is contacted by a podcast to help investigate the disappearance of a girl 30 years ago that might be linked to the Nine Elms Cannibal, who she has a connection to. As Kate starts digging into the case, it quickly appears that people are lying. What are they hiding? Is there a connection to Nine Elms?

This is a fast-paced book with a lot of great characters, some of them pretty shady. There are quite a few twists that keep you guessing even if you're pretty sure you know who done it. A great series that's always fun to read!

I have really enjoyed all the books in the Kate Marshall series, so was looking forward to reading this new one. It certainly didn't disappoint. In this story Kate and Tris are asked to investigate a cold case. A young teenager went missing from a seedy part of London. Her body was never found but a local lad was charged with her murder. He has now been acquitted after an appeal. It seems that there may be a connection to Peter Conway, the serial killer who Kate pit away and who is the father of her son. This is a real page turner that will keep you guessing to the end.
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

As always with Robert Bryndza books, you are kept guessing all the way through.

Set in 1988, Janey Mackin grew up in the Kings Cross area of London which at that time was rather rough. Janey's mum worked as a cleaner in the local pub and on Friday evenings Janey and her sister used to meet her mum there after work. On this particular night Janey had gone to the newsagents for cigarettes for her mum and never came back. One teenager was charged with her murder and jailed but released a few years later when retried because there was still no body of the victim.

Back to present day, Kate and Tristan are hired by a creative company who are wanting to create a podcast about the cold case around missing Janey Mackin. They want the pair to investigate to see if they can get to the bottom of the story. The finger is being pointed at Kate's ex, the Nine Elms Cannibal for Janey's murder as he was "active" in the same area at the same time. But is someone trying to deflect?

There are lots of twists in this tale, but I did guess where the body was! However I didn't guess the killer correctly. Great story in the series and I hope there are many more to come!

Usually when reading a review book, I take quite a lot of notes in order to keep track of everything and to be able to write my review afterwards. Only with some particular authors, I quickly stop making notes, because the story carries itself and no explanatory notes are required, and not having to note things down obviously makes reading a book much more comfortable, especially when not reading in my native speech. And yes, of course this also applies to 'The Lost Victim' by Robert Bryndza.
Once again the story grabs me nearly immediately, maybe not in a action-story way, but with nice characters, who continously evolve both in their job as in their personal lives.
'The lost victim' is a sensitive mystery being uncovered layer by layer, in a nearly serene way. Two storylines come together in a no so obvious way, which slightly makes me wonder, in a positive way.
Also this time I give a maximum score to this book, thank you @Robert Bryndza for writing yet another great chapter into Kate Marshall's live.
I also like to mention the author's note at the end of the book, which always make me, as a reader, feel more involved, I highly appreciate this.
I sure look forward to the next chapter, after this game-changing 5th book in the series !

As usual, I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Bryndza’s work. The mystery, eventually solved of course, wound around with plenty of did-he-do-it? and no-maybe-he-did situations to make it a page-turner. I enjoyed Kate and Tristan and their professional relationship, and I was glad about Peter Conway.
I did find a mistake in chapter 42. (Maybe it’s been corrected by now.) When Kate and Tristan are talking with Robert about Roland, instead of saying “Robert leant forward …” or “Robert sighed …”, Roland is mistakenly used instead of Robert.
Thank you to NetGalley and Robert Bryndza for the opportunity to read and review The Lost Victim. I loved it!

Book 5 in the Kate Marshall series. By the amazing author Robert Bryndza, he never fails.

Investigating another cold case from the late 1980’s, was this another previously unidentified victim of the 9 Elms killer? A subject close to Kate’s heart. Involves some soul searching and difficult decisions.

Personally, I found this one more difficult to read as I got confused with all the various men involved the night victim disappeared. I enjoyed the elements of the investigations and developments in the general storyline. But struggled a bit with the issue. Probably just me. Still can’t wait for next instalment

Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.