The Girl in the Ice (Detective Erika Foster, #1) By Robert Bryndza

Emma

I'm going to have to go against the majority on this one, i'm not a fan.

DCI Erika Foster: an individual recovering from serious trauma, who probably shouldn't be at work and certainly shouldn't be a lead investigator, spends the entire book snapping at people or being physically violent, makes the most ridiculous choices, e.g. investigating places alone. Repeatedly. Surprise, surprise-she gets attacked by the killer. A strong female character is not made by simply having an attitude problem. Most of the time she had no cause to be rude to the people she was speaking to or working with. Why do we always get these supposedly intelligent, capable women having to be rescued because of gross incompetence and stupidity?

She's not the only one who spends the book angsty, almost all the conversations seem to involve someone having a bit of a strop. It's exhausting.

The whole thing felt off from the beginning, and didn't improve. The killer reveal was less than a shock, more of a relief that it was nearly over.

Shelby *trains flying monkeys*

I had plans today. I was going to do some Stuff...and thangs. But then I started this book.

Palm Springs commercial photography

We had hotdogs for dinner and they were dang lucky to get them. I did not want to put this sucker down.
A young, rich social type girl is found under the ice in the water in South London's less fortunate section. She has been brutally murdered and Daddy is having a fit wanting some one to pay. They call in Detective Erika Foster to lead the investigation, but every-time she starts to find out something her hands get smacked. The girl who died, Andrea may not have been the darling that the family wants her portrayed as.

Palm Springs commercial photography

Erica has a past also, she led a team that ended with her husband being killed so she is being watched from all angles. The thing is..Erica has nothing. No home to go home too, no one missing her. So she will not stop even when she is pulled from the case.
She discovers that Andrea is not the only woman that was killed in the same fashion and why has no one connected the dots before?
Oh yeah, that snotty family that keeps calling in favors from the big wigs. I wanted to punch them in the face. The author does a really good job of pulling the reader back and forth and feeling Erica's frustration with the politics that seem to take charge in any kind of investigation. Her determination to get to the truth also makes this character stand out. She gives no shits to what anyone thinks.
This was a really decent thriller and it's the authors first book, I'm excited to see where he takes Erica's character.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

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Christine read this book and brought it to my attention. I swore to myself to not add another book to my TBR but I'm so glad I did. She was so very right. Thanks Christine.

Chelsea Humphrey

I would like to thank Netgalley and author
Robert Bryndza for my copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I cannot stop gushing about this one! This is the debut in a new police procedural series starring DCI Erika Foster and once again I have found a brand new strong, female detective to love! I would compare this to the likes of
S.J. Bolton's Lacey Flint series and
Angela Marsons' DI Kim Stone. If you have enjoyed either of these series I HIGHLY recommend taking this up; you won't be sorry!

We are hooked from the first page by the telling of Andrea Douglas-Brown's kidnapping and murder. She is later found under a layer of ice and DCI Foster is called to the scene. We are vaguely made aware of Ericka's personal issues by references to a tragic event involving the death of her husband, Mark, and how this has kept her off the Met police force for the past 7 months. She throws herself completely into the mystery of this young lady's murder but immediately hits roadblocks by the victim's wealthy father and her bosses. What is the Douglas-Brown family trying to keep quiet? What could be so detrimental to their reputation that they would be willing to hinder an investigation into the murder of their favorite daughter?

We follow DCI Foster through many ups and downs which only caused me to love her more. I was completely surprised by the ending and did not see it coming. This book was a well constructed police procedural, but I also thoroughly enjoyed the story lines into the various characters personal lives as well. Each character came alive for me off the pages and I felt the development was deep and had me begging for more. I'm ready for #2, The Night Stalker, which the author is currently working on. I would LOVE to see more into Ericka's backstory in the next novel clearly, but I really enjoyed seeing Detective Moss' family life. I would really like to see more into them as well! Altogether this was a BRILLIANT read that I can see becoming a long term series that everyone will be talking about. Bravo, and write quickly please!! :)

Meredith (Slowly Catching Up)

SO GOOD!

Addictive police procedural about a ballsy Detective Chief Inspector determined to take down a twisted killer.

Since there have been so many stellar reviews already written about The Girl in the Ice, I am going to write more about my reading experience vs. the plot.

Right from the start, this book grabbed me. It begins with the murder of a wealthy socialite and progresses to focus on DCI Erika Foster who is brought in to solve the case.

It only took me reading about 20% of this book before I knew that I was going to have to read all of the books in the series. I really took to Erika’s character--she’s tough as nails but vulnerable at the same time and she doesn’t always play by the rules (which often causes her to wind up in trouble). I also liked the supporting characters, and look forward to seeing how everyone develops.

What I didn’t like: While the killer’s POV added a layer of creepiness, it also annoyed me that they were referred to as “the figure.” I don’t know why I feel the need to harp on this, but it stuck out to me. There were a few moments that were hard to believe, and I wish at times that more subtlety had been applied.

The mystery surrounding the identity of the killer had some depth, although I suspected early on some of what was going on, I couldn’t put the pieces together. Overall, this is a fast-paced, suspenseful read with some good twists led by a dynamic heroine. Erika’s character is the reason why I will be reading all of the books in the series--I just wish I didn’t have so much catching up to do!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Crumb

Heart-stopping, Nail-biting, Pulse-racing!

Detective Erika Foster has that level of intuition that separate the good detectives, from the great detectives. She has those gut instincts that tell her when something is off - when something isn't right. With the recent murder of an influential, wealthy man's daughter, Foster's gut tells her something isn't adding up. As more and more dead bodies start piling up , it's a race against the clock to catch the killer before he/she catches Foster first.

WhoooWhee! This book was great! I'm so glad I found this series. It has all the elements that I've come to expect in a well-executed mystery. Intrigue..It was also plot-driven. And believe it or not, it also had character-depth. Erika Foster's character was fleshed out and nicely developed. If you enjoyed the mystery series Eeny Meany by M.J. Arlidge, than you will definitely appreciate The Girl in the Ice, as well. Both series have strong female leads, which is both appealing and refreshing.

I'm definitely going to be polishing off the rest of the books in this series, as I thought The Girl in the Ice was highly suspenseful and extremely engaging. I felt like I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, trying to use my detective hat to discern whom the murderer might be. Alas, I couldn't. Because of that, too, this book warrants a five star rating. I don't want to read something mundane and predictable. I want my books to be how I like I like my ice cream.. Lots of different flavors, all the time!

Maureen

* 4.5 STARS*

Leaden skies and snowbound icy streets, set the sombre mood needed, for this excellent police procedural. I was gripped from the first page, when socialite Andrea Douglas Brown, is abducted, beaten to death, and dumped in a pond, in a South London park.
DCI Erika Foster is called in to lead the investigation. Erika's last case resulted in the death of her husband ( a fellow police officer ) and four of their colleagues. She is somewhat nervous initially, but soon takes the lead, and isn't afraid to tread on a few toes in her quest to find the killer ( even if those toes DO belong to her senior officers). As the investigation gathers pace, Erika finds a link to four other murders, the only difference being, the other victims were all prostitutes. Where does Andrea Douglas Brown fit into all of this?
I loved that we have a strong character in DCI Foster - one who isn't afraid to shake things up a bit - the storyline was compelling - and the last chapter in particular is a case of - hold your breath for the ride of a lifetime!

* Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for my free copy*

Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥

"I say that all because I want you to forget where these women stood in society. Don't do what we do in this country, day in, day out, and divide them into their social classes. They are all equals, all victims, and they deserve our equal attention."

It’s been quite a while I last read a mystery thriller and it’s usually not the kind of genre I like to indulge in. Why? Because I’m a little scaredy cat. *lol* Yes, I admit it!
There’s no shame in being a little sensitive and let’s face it, all those thrillers that hit the market are so damn realistic. I mean I can deal with a ghost story or zombies, but what I can’t deal with is a woman that gets tortured by a serial killer or kids that are abducted. I just can’t. *shudders*

Of course I already read such stories but those books tend to occupy my mind so much that I usually get nightmares from them and my already insomnia plagued existence gets even worse. *lol*
In short: I need my few hours of beauty sleep and therefore normally give those kinds of stories a wide berth! ;-P

So what or rather who caused me to actually take a look at this book?
It was
my lovely Adam and I’m really thankful for her recommendation!!! =))) You were right, Erika is kickass and I fell in love with her too! XD

I mean how could you not end up loving her character and this book?! The main character DCI Erika Foster is a woman that has been through hell and back! She has to take a lot of shit and always tries to deal with it as best as she can and despite everything that happened throughout “The Girl In The Ice” she still stayed true to her convictions, principles and believes. Erika is a “no shit person” and I truly love her for it! *lol*

”No, sir, how dare we. This isn’t about me. Yes, I’m out of order to show up on your doorstep; it’s bang out of line. But I can live with being a cunt. What I can’t live with is what happened to these girls. Can you really sleep tonight not knowing we tried? Think back when we first joined the force. We had no power. You can make this decision now, sir. You. Fuck it, you can bill me the search team, fire me at the tribunal. I honestly don’t care right now – but look at these, take a look!” Erika held up the photos again.

If you think Bryndza’s awesome heroine is the only reason to read this book you couldn’t be more wrong though. There were so many things that surprised me about “TGITI” and looking at it in retrospective this was actually some sort of surprise egg! I mean we have a total of two LGBTQ side characters and instead of only mentioning them, Bryndza actually decided to give them a little space. My favourite two moments?

Also can we appreciate that there was a poem in this book?! An actual poem that fit the scene so well that I couldn’t help but feel moved! There were so many little details that gave “TGITI” a unique and special touch and I can genuinely say that I never ever read a thriller like that before. It was just the right mixture of … everything. XD

And the suspense! The guessing game about the killer’s true identity. I loved it! It felt like I was in a “Castle” episode, collecting all the many hints in order to find the murderer. In the end it got even so suspenseful that I actually found myself sitting at the edge of my seat! *lol*

All things considered this was an amazing read and I can really recommend it to everyone. Even to other scaredy cats like me. XD You won’t regret it and don’t worry, you won’t have any troubles to fall asleep. Erika will always watch over you! ;-P

Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin

99 cents on kindle right now!

First off, I think the cover of the book is amazing! It's what brought me to the book in the first place.

The girl in the ice was named Andrea Douglas-Brown. She was the daughter of a multi-millionaire, Lord Douglas-Brown. So that right there made this case very sensitive as we have to bow down to the rich. He also owned a business called SamTech that made GPS and software for the government so there you go. Andrea had a brother and sister, Linda and David as well as her mother.

Andrea was found in the ice by some dude that heard her cell phone going off over and over. He was the lucky one to sort of stumble onto the body.

DCI Erika Foster was called in on the case by Chief Superintendent Marsh. Foster had not been on active duty for a bit for certain reasons and was happy to come on down and be in charge of the case. Foster was a brilliant DCI and Marsh knew she could get the job done if she was up to it. But, it all gets a little tricky because Marsh wants Foster to play by certain rules and get everything wrapped up nice and neat since we are talking bigwigs.

Due to some unfortunate events, Foster was kicked off the case and the idiot DCI Sparks was put back in charge. This was a major cock up as he messed things up left and right. BUT, ya know, can't keep an awesome copper down so Foster was brought back on the case. I loved Foster's character because she just did whatever to get the job done. It turns out there was a whole s••• ton of bad things going on and Foster busts the case wide open. She does eventually get justice for Andrea and several other woman that were killed by this person.

But there are three things I think everyone, even the coppers, needs to be aware of:

1. Don't go anywhere alone!
2. DON'T go anywhere alone!
3. DON'T GO ANYWHERE ALONE!

I wanted to smack some people for this stupidity!

At any rate, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I have the next one in the series on my Amazon wishlist waiting to buy as I want to continue with DCI Foster.

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Luffy

For most people, gore is an aspect of entertainment, especially films, but even books. Suffering is not part and parcel of my psyche. I get disturbed when I face horrific pain in fiction. That's the reason for knocking off one star from my review.

It's not as bad as, say, Chris Carter books, but it's definitely sadder than Baldacci's carefully crafted deaths. But enough of these meanderings. The book is quite light and following the action is intuitive. The author delivers his story very well, making it look like simple a task. Like Stephen King said, writing can be learned, but can never be taught.

What the author did was renew the genre in a palliative way. The procedural of the Girl girl, who has a patrician facade, and the murders of a bunch of prostitutes, are engrossing and...nice...to read. I personally enjoyed being surprised by the resolution. I liked the book and wish others will read it until far into the future.

Christine

4.5 stars

I wish to thank Net Galley, Bookouture, and Robert Bryndza for an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Robert Bryndza writes chick lit. SAY WHAT??? I was paralyzed with confusion when I went to check out other books written by this author. Are there two Robert Bryndzas? No? Because the Robert Bryndza who wrote this magnificent police procedural is a terrific thriller writer! Turns out both these Robert Bryndzas are one and the same, which to me is pretty mind-blowing.

The Girl in the Ice is a superb genre-changing debut by Mr. Bryndza. The novel is what I consider my favorite type of book. It is not only an excellent police procedural with a kickass female protagonist, but it is a start of a wonderful character study of DCI Erika Foster. A few other reviewers have stated this book reminded them of the Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons, one of my very favorite authors. This is true in my case as well, though at this point Mr. Bryndza is not quite as polished as Ms. Marsons and his protagonist is not quite as well developed. I see huge potential in Mr. Bryndza’s writing, however, and would be totally surprised if he does not end up being in my exclusive shrine of favorites after another book or two.

Gosh, there is so much to like in addition to the above. I was pulled in immediately by the prologue and was gripped to the end. The plot is intricate and the delivery is rapidly paced. Many of the supporting characters are very well developed—lots of personality going on in this book. The clues are dropped here and there and we are intermittently hit with plot surprises. The police procedural aspect is extremely well done and I would love to know how the author researched this. I want to make a special note that the reader gets an eye-opening look at how politics and crime solving strive to co-exist—I found this to be disturbing business. Oh, and I was blindsided by the ending. This was a book that I truly hated to put down and was sad to see end. I want more!! Now!!

What didn’t I like? Nothing that won’t come with experience and evolution of the series (more on Erika’s backstory please).

Do I recommend The Girl in the Ice? Oh yes! Anyone who has any interest in police procedurals, especially those with vibrant characters, would be amiss to pass on this one. I haven’t been as excited by a new thriller writer since, well, Ms. Marsons. Buy. This. Book. Now.

A note on my rating: I am giving this one 4.5 stars only because I know Mr. Bryndza is on an upward trajectory, and I feel compelled to save a little room for his future, even better, novels. Since the powers to be won’t allow half stars, it is a no-brainer to round this up to 5 stars. While I await his next thriller, The Night Stalker, I am strolling over to his website to check out his chick lit selection! (-:

Zain

Too Much Hype!

Not As Good As I Thought.

I heard a lot of people talking about how good this book was, so I always wanted to read it. I don’t think it lives up to the hype.

Detective Erika Foster and her team are assigned the task of searching for the killer of a young woman who is from the upper class.

Of course the case is given a priority, and after Erika offends the family of the dead woman, political action is made to take Erika off of the case.

That doesn’t stop Detective Erika Foster. Unable to take no for an answer, she continues to search for the killer, putting her life and other people’s in danger.

Unknowingly, Robert Bryndza makes Erika a very unlikable person. I know, she is supposed to be the hero here. The one who comes to the rescue and helps everybody.

I see her more as a mulish know-it-all, although knowing much, she doesn’t know how to follow orders.

And although I figured out who the killer was during the first 25% of the book, I was still able to enjoy the ending and was rooting for the unlikable hero, so I will read the next book in the series.

I give this book 3 stars. 💫💫💫

Linda

I received The Girl in The Ice through NetGalley and Bookouture for an honest review. My sincere thanks to them for the opportunity. Thank you to Robert Bryndza for such a stellar book.

WoWzers! This was an exceptional mystery thriller that has lived up to all the hype preceding it. I've had my eye on it and haven't been able to take that same eye off of it until I finished the final page.

We are introduced to DCI Erika Foster who has been called in to investigate the death of Andrea Douglas-Brown in South London. Foster had previously been on professional leave after the death of her husband in a police stakeout that went hideously wrong. Robert Bryndza reveals just enough to allow the reader to see Foster as a strong, capable female officer and just enough to have us experience the toll of unspeakable grief that surrounds her still. Is she truly ready to hit the ground running at this juncture?

Andrea Douglas-Brown is the daughter of a rich and powerful man. Her fiance runs a successful business which showcases his wealth. Who would want Andrea dead? And what was she doing in such a low-rent part of London? The title speaks to the fact that her death was a gross and a horrendous way to die. Know going in that this case is a heavy-duty one. No mercy for Andrea and no mercy for those in the shadows of this death.

You will be hitched to this storyline as it stampedes across the pages. It's my understanding that this is the first in a series by Bryndza involving Erika Foster and Superintendent Marsh. Believe me, the next book can't get here fast enough.

Maxine (Booklover Catlady)

Oh 2016 is looking SO darn good for books! I am so excited about those that I have read already.

Who is with me on that one? So, I had heard the fuss about this book, no way could I miss out on the action so it landed in my hands and off I went, into the world of words...

The books is brilliantly paced from the start, we kick off with some dramatic scenes which I love in a book, it makes it interesting from the start. A girl under the ice? Her face looking through what looks like thick glass, life drained and gone, her spirit elsewhere and she is all alone.

Murder.

When a young boy discovers the body of a woman beneath a thick sheet of ice in a South London park, Detective Erika Foster is called in to lead the murder investigation.

The victim, a beautiful young socialite, appeared to have the perfect life. Yet when Erika begins to dig deeper, she starts to connect the dots between the murder and the killings of three prostitutes, all found strangled, hands bound and dumped in water around London.

What dark secrets is the girl in the ice hiding?

As Erika inches closer to uncovering the truth, the killer is closing in on Erika.

With a great plot that really digs into the depths of human nature and some fascinating characters that really were excessive shades of light and dark, the book really spits out some surprising realism that is somewhat disturbing. You might know one of these characters, they might live next door.

The book keeps you guessing and on edge, you will think you have it ALL worked out, but a good twisty reveal was very impressive, loved it. It hit my upside the head! I loved the police work, I loved all the behind the scenes moments, I just really, really enjoyed this book. Yes indeedy.

5 stars for The Girl In The Ice by Robert Bryndza, and did I hear this is his debut novel? Well Robert, keep up the writing as I am keen for more books for you. An author to watch for sure! Yet again a BRILLIANT book from Bookouture, they are signing up some brilliant authors that's for sure.

Many thanks to Bookouture via NetGalley for my copy of this book to read and review.

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Debra

4.5 stars

Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow...just Wow...

Honestly, I can tell you that this book is FANTASTIC! This book really took me by Surprise. From the very beginning, when a woman is walking alone and a car pulls up beside her, I was hooked. This book had a great build up from beginning to the end. I thought the pace of this book was perfect. Nothing felt rushed. I really dislike when I read a book and it is great and then the ending comes out of left field. There is no disappointment to this book. The investigation felt like it was moving at the right speed. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end.

The woman's body is found under the ice. Thus begins the investigation into her murder. She turns out to be a wealthy socialite. The investigator in charge, Erika, comes with understandable baggage. During her last investigation, her husband, as well as fellow officers, were killed. She is still recovering from her loss when she comes back to work as the officer in charge of this investigation. She is faced with red tape, bureaucracy, a killer hell bent of not being found, and the uncooperative family of the victim.

The story is smart. This book has layers and various plot twists. The story is very well thought out and comes together very nicely in the end. What doesn't make sense will in fact make sense in the end. Brilliant.

The victim count rises as does the suspense in this novel. I loved that I did not figure out who the killer was until the end. I figured out who was the killer when Erika did. I thought this was a great touch. Erika is a great character. A strong female protagonist. She has her issues but is dedicated to solving this case no matter what toes she has to step on or what she has to do to get to the truth.

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Frances

3.5* Erika Foster is a brash, no nonsense Detective chief inspector assigned to a high profile murder case of a young woman found in a frozen pond. With road blocks constantly in her way from the victims’ socialite family, government officials, and eventually her boss Superintendent Marsh, Erika forges ahead knowing her future and career are on the line. Rob Bryndza has written a suspenseful, chilling book as Foster starts to uncover secrets and cover-ups, eventually placing her in the cross-hairs of the deranged killer. A fast paced crime thriller will keep you mesmerized to the end when all the dots are finally connected and Foster comes face to face with the killer.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my free copy.*

Sue

I wish to express a big Thank you to the author, Robert Bryndza, NetGalley and Bookouture for the Arc of THE GIRL IN THE ICE in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. What a marvelous debut police procedural, coming from my favourite publisher, Bookouture. A real winner for 2016!

I was gripped right from the beginning of the novel, and would have finished this book sooner had it not been for personal issues and surgery that delayed my finish date.

“Her body was found frozen in the ice. -that she’d been in the water for at least seventy-two hours. The temperature dropped below zero three days ago. Also, her phone was still working when she was found, a young guy who works here heard it ringing.”

Her name was Andrea Douglas-Brown, a twenty three year old daughter of a millionaire, who lived at home in West London. But what was the cause of death? Murder... Rape with strangulation... Or drowning?

DCI Foster has been assigned to take the lead role on the case, even though there is resentment within the ranks. Strong willed and smart, Detective Ericka Foster must approach this case in a methodical way, following the lines of enguiry, ID, Forensics, Autopsy and talking to the family.
Did Andrea know her killer? But she isn't the only one with secrets to hide.

This book is a fast-paced thriller, packed with suspense and I am looking forward to the next in the series, Night Stalker. The characters are believable and the plot is strong. DCI Ericka Foster, flawed character, makes her more appealable to the readers.

I would rank this debut novel with British authors like Angela Marsons, and Kathryn Croft. This author is definitely on the way up!

I highly recommend this debut thriller to all fans who love a good who-dun-it.

Mandy

I enjoyed this book and will be anxiously awaiting the arrival of his next book with Erika Foster. I really enjoyed her as a strong leading lady. Definitely a force to reckon with. Just when I thought this book was wrapping up the plot twists and takes me down another path.

Zoeytron

Copy furnished by Net Galley in exchange for a review.

The prologue grabbed me right by the goozle and I would have loved to have read the book straight through. Life didn't allow for that this time, but the pacing was fantastic nevertheless.

Detective Inspector Erika Foster is a longtime veteran of rape and murder cases. She goes with her gut and she is not afraid to call bullshit when it is merited. Good strong character, trying to come to grips with the loss of her husband in an investigation gone wrong, and as a direct result of a bad call on her part. She has lost the ability to function like a normal person outside of work.

British mystery thrillers tend to call my name rather often, and this one was mighty fine. I appreciated the tip o' the hat to the excellent British detective series, Luther.

Norma

Sister Read Review by Norma & Brenda

My sister, Brenda and I decided to read THE GIRL IN THE ICE at the same time so we could chat about it and get each others input. We both have really similar tastes and thoughts about books so you will probably notice a little bit of both of us in this review! :)

The Girl In The Ice is a gripping and suspenseful story that grabbed my attention from the very first few pages. The plot was extremely well executed which slowly reveals layers of clues that draws you into the suspense and tension. I found the title and cover of this book really appealing and I really enjoyed Robert Bryndza's writing style which was easy to follow along with the characters and storyline.

DCI Erika Foster is a likeable, interesting, entertaining, and strong character who is called in to lead the murder investigation of the girl that was found in the ice. She comes with an emotional backstory that motivates her to do whatever it takes to catch the killer which creates some ongoing conflict to the storyline.

I was introduced to this book from some of the reviews of my Goodreads friends! I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this series, Night Stalker.

It was an enjoyable, quick and easy fast-paced thriller with a satisfying ending. Would recommend!!

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Montzalee Wittmann

The Girl In The Ice (Detective Erika Foster, #1) by Robert Bryndza started out really good. I think it worked too hard for the detective's boss to oppose her constantly. They were suppose to be solving a murder but the boss seemed determined to not let her do her job, seemed way over the top. It was a good story but could have been shorter. I would've liked it better a bit condensed. Loved the cover, that is what made me pick the book up. Narration was excellent.

Svetlana

This may just become one of my favourite reads of the year because I was THAT impressed with Robert Bryndza's work!

"Now, DCI Sparks, you are in danger of contaminating the crime scene. If you wish to continue to observe, I’ll ask that you follow proper procedure, suit up and shut up."

Yaassssss!! You tell him!

I studied Forensics at uni, so naturally I'm more observant about these things. As much as I love watching crime shows, they aren't very realistic. I just sit there thinking. . . why aren't the detectives in a suit?? how are they so casually contaminating the crime scene?? I haven't seen it being mentioned before so I LOVED that it was!

I really grew to admire the characters in this book. Specifically Erika Foster, the lead detective investigating the murders. She was so fierce and so determined to catch the killer. She never cowered, nor felt intimidated by those above her in ranking or social status. And despite all this, she still had moments where she broke down and cried; and it made her that much more realistic to me.

What I also really liked was that the author tackled subjects that are very important and very relevant to our times - racism, prejudice against immigrants, human trafficking. He also gave an insight into how establishments influence the way things are run, and not in a good way.

This entire book had this cold, dark atmosphere which I constantly felt throughout. With bodies turning up and people being afraid of a certain someone, it all felt so peculiar. Who was this person? Why were people so afraid? I felt compelled to keep reading because I HAD to know!

I really really enjoyed this book! A fantastic read.

Melissa (Mel’s Bookshelf)

4.5 Stars
Bookoture have released some of my absolute favourite books over the past year. They really hit the mark when they picked the authors to publish lately! Kathryn Croft and Angela Marsons are two great ones, and I’m so pleased to add Robert Bryndza to the list! Fantastic book!

The Girl In the Ice is the first of what will be the DCI Erika Foster series. Erika is a Detective Inspector who comes back to work after time off following a fumbled drug raid, where her police officer husband was killed. Harbouring a lot of guilt and not the woman she once was, Erika has to step into the lead investigating role of a highly publicised murder investigation. Andrea, wealthy socialite and daughter of a prominent businessman, was found under the ice, brutally murdered. Erika has to find a killer, while weaving around some interesting police politics, and trying to pull her life back together.

I really enjoyed The Girl In The Ice. I love a good police procedural thriller. I really enjoy trying to figure out who the killer is before the climax. And I always add points to books who make me guess all the way to the end! I was forced to guess with this one! Had NO IDEA who did it until the very end and that is quite rare for me – I think because I read so many of them I’m quite good at picking it. Bryndza gave nothing away and I was as shocked as the characters were as to who did it!

The writing was fantastic! There were a few unbelievable elements of the story where I thought “They would never let her do that” or something similar, but it didn’t detract from the story at all. I also really liked the dark and dreary Southern London setting. The atmosphere at times reminded me of the Lacey Flint Series, which is my favourite series of all time.

I really enjoyed all the characters. Erika was a great character, as were Peterson, Moss, Marsh and Sparks! I think there is going to be more rivalry with Sparks in the next books! Thought the storyline was great and the large list of suspects was frustrating! In a good way! I suspected anyone and everyone to be the killer!

I tend to prefer my thrillers to have a dash of romance. That was obviously impossible in Erika’s case as she had only just lost her husband. But I am hoping that in future novels, Erika moves ahead with her life.

Overall I really enjoyed it! I devoured the whole thing. It had some creepy moments, thrilling moments and many moments that made me laugh. Absolutely an author to look out for! I will have to check out his other work, I have heard he is quite a good chick lit writer, believe it or not!! However I see more thrillers in the future!

Would I recommend The Girl In The Ice?

YES! For any crime/suspense/thriller fan! I can’t wait to read the next one! The Night Stalker is apparently coming soon!

Many thanks to Robert Bryndza and publisher Bookoture via NetGalley for a copy of The Girl In The Ice in exchange for my honest review.

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Gary

This is the first book in a new crime series by Robert Bryndza featuring DCI Erika Foster. I believe the author has agreed to write a three books in this series and if the other two are anything like this one, then I can't wait to read them.
I find it hard to believe that the author usually writes romantic comedies and this is in fact his first crime novel. I can't vouch for the other genre but this book was an excellent read and I couldn't read it quick enough in an attempt to find out what was going to happen next.

If you like strong female characters then this book is for you. DCI Erika Foster takes no prisoners and her no nonsense style makes entertaining reading.
The body of a young woman is found beneath ice and DCI Erika Foster is asked to lead the case. The woman is the daughter of a wealthy businessman and he makes life difficult for Erika who makes few friends in her attempts to solve the case. In her pursuit for the truth she battles with the family, her colleagues and superiors.
This book is full of action, suspense and some excellent characters that I am sure will get better as the series develops. This book gripped me from the start and very early into the book I knew I was going to be giving it a high rating. A must read for all Crime series fans.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for a honest review.

Luvtoread

Very very good book! Great characters with depth and you cared about what they feeling and doing. Many twists
and turns, the 2nd half of the book had non-stop action and suspense. It really had me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put the book down until I found out how this story would end! Great storyline and very well written. I highly
recommend this detective crime book! I will certainly read more books by this author.

Alex is The Romance Fox

I've rediscovered British crime writers!! And so glad I did, especially after reading the awesome debut novel, The Girl In The Ice, the 1st book in DCI Erika Foster Series by Robert Bryndza, an author unknown to me but not for long!!

What a great start to the series. The author has created an amazing cast of characters that are real and totally believable.

DCI Erika Foster, the main protagonist reminded me in some way of DCI Jane Tennison from Lynda La Plante's Prime Suspect Series. At first, Erika Forster comes across as a cold and gritty person but as we discover her back story, we get to see her vulnerability beneath that cold exterior. I admired her tenacity and her determination and her sense of what's right.

A few sections are from the killer's POV, which gives one a glimpse into their thoughts, which I really liked.

A great storyline, impressive writing, a fantastic sense of place and some clever twists and turns that had you truly guessing who the real killer was until the very end.

I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

Highly recommended.

I loved this.....Erika visiting her dead husband's grave.........hell, I had a knot in my chest...

“won't be far away for life goes on. And if you need me, call and I will come. Though you can't see or touch me, I will be near. And if you listen with your heart, you'll hear, All my love around you soft and clear. And then, when you come this way alone, I'll greet you with a smile and a “Welcome Home”.

Erin

To all of my Goodreads friends that have ever reviewed this book or any book in the series, I totally get it ! DCI Erika Foster is definitely the mate we all want to have a beer with and probably one of a handful of literary characters that we would want to solve our own murder. Or that of our loved ones. From the very first chapter, I just had a feeling that another series was going on my TBR shelf.

Reeling from the recent loss of a beloved husband, Erika finds a fresh new start in a different police station with new work colleagues and an interesting murder case. But it doesn't take long for our main protagonist to rub witnesses and a few members of the police brass the wrong way. Luckily, her determination to find her killer and make some allies with fellow officers, Moss and Peterson, quickly shows that this detective is not going to back down to anyone.

I was thoroughly engaged in this thriller from start to finish and I felt that Robert Bryndza managed to create characters that were both tough and full of heart. The story kept a steady momentum and I felt all the situations and dialogue between the police were very authentic and illustrate all the bureaucracy that can sometimes creep up during investigations. When Erika Foster was frustrated, so was I. I cannot wait to read more books starring this fascinating character.

Suz

This was a great little book, one I'm glad to have stumbled across. Erika our detective is crumbling, her personal life is a mess (does she have one at all?) her husband Mark was killed at work which just happened to be one of her cases; life at work is not much better. Her first job back after trying to recover from this is just not going well, iniitially Erika is not even able to hold together an initial interview with the parents of a young murdered socialite.

Erika knows she can do it, she's smarter than this, and the story we see unfolding is as much as a desperate attempt of sorting herself out, as it is finding a warped serial killer. I do look forward to reading Erika's story, the growth she must continue to carry out to try and keep her life from falling apart.

I enjoyed watching her become stronger and look forward to what is in store for her character. The author asked for feedback at the end of the novel as to where her development should go. It's too late for me as the second has already been written, but I'd like to see Erika get some spark for life back, ditch those cigarettes, build her reputation and find some looove! I just checked, it seems I'm late the party. He is already up to #5!

Liz

4.5 stars

I think this may be my new favorite series. I love Erika Foster. How could I not, with this description of her: “Erika has never quite mastered how to talk to children. Rapists and murderers she could deal with, but children she found a little intimidating.”

This is a fast paced mystery. Well written, with interesting characters. Erika has a nice blend of strength and foibles. She lost her husband, a fellow policeman, in a shootout. She's back in her first job since and still raw. She’s learning the ins and outs of her new crew. There's competition with another DCI over how to manage the case. In fact, one of the author’s strengths is his detailing of police politics and the kowtowing to the aristocracy.
My thanks to all my GR friends that alerted me to this book. All the positive reviews are spot on. The good news is that by discovering this book so long after it was written, I can immediately latch onto the next two in the series.

Matt

In his new series, Robert Bryndza introduces readers to DCI Erika Foster, a passionate cop with a sordid past of her own. After the body of Andrea Douglas-Brown turns up, encased in ice and floating in the frigid January water, South London police turn their Missing Persons alert to a full-fledged homicide case. DCI Erika Foster arrives to join the homicide team, having been seconded from Manchester after a less than honourable experience with the local constabulary. While Foster brings much to the team, her parachuting in as a leader rubs some the wrong way, though she has little time for office politicking. Before she is able to get her legs under her, Foster is pushed to solve the case, as Douglas-Brown's father is an influential Labour Peer and demands full attention to hunt down his daughter's killer. While Foster commissions her team to follow-up any lead, she is unaware of the kid glove treatment she's expected to take when it comes to this family, something that does not happen outside the realm of the Met. The more she pushes, the more Foster is chastised by her superiors to follow protocol to the letter, even though her methods yield many more results. This does not dissuade Foster, who wants to solve the case more than pussyfoot around and genuflect, shoving her way in front of the cameras when necessary and pushing witnesses out of their comfort zones with crime scene photos meant to alarm statements of fact. Foster follows a promising lead that takes her to one of the seedier pubs in the region, where Douglas-Brown was seen on the night of her murder. Against the wishes of those above her, Foster pushes to determine if the murder matches any others in the database, learning that there are strong similarities between her victim and a number of Eastern European prostitutes of a similar age. Foster pushes forward and her unconventional techniques earn her a swift suspension. Like any good copper, Foster refuses to drop the case and pushes her team to continue the investigation, which brings the killer to her door and almost leaves her as another victim. As she recovers, Foster cannot help but recollect her arrival in the United Kingdom at eighteen and the time she spent on the force in Manchester, an equally troubling experience. There is still a killer on the loose and Foster will stop at nothing to lure them out from the darkest corners, even if that means putting herself in mortal danger. A wonderful beginning to a new series that pits a stubborn cop against the most wily of killers. A must read for all those who love crime thrillers with a twist!

Bryndza holds his own in this genre, especially when surrounded by some daunting authors who use England as their backdrop for sensational crime thrillers. This book (and series) has been recommended to me by many people and it did not fail to pique my interest. DCI Erika Foster has a rich backstory, some of which is revealed throughout this book. From her Slovakian childhood to the drug raid that went horribly wrong, killing her husband and other members of her team, Bryndza contrasts this nicely with the abrasive nature that Foster brings to her investigative style. The result is a detective keen on results, even if that means trampling over a few barriers to get there. With this story in particular, the cast of characters is also quite extensive, but Bryndza allows the reader to connect with most everyone who graces the page. Add to that, a wonderfully flowing narrative and a killer who is bound and determined to keep themselves hidden while facing off numerous times with Foster, both through crime scenes and directly. Dialogue rich with speech nuances and slang keeps the reader feeling that they are in the heart of South London, which is a technique for which Bryndza should be recognised. I found myself addicted to the story, the characters, and the premise from the get-go and am pleased there is more Erika Foster to come.

Kudos, Mr. Bryndza for this wonderful introduction to DCI Erika Foster. You have laid the groundwork for a great follow-up novel, which I am eager to devour.

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Marialyce (absltmom, yaya)

An extremely well done thriller that dotted all the i's and crossed a the t's, There have been times when reading a thriller that set my eyes in motion or have me thinking "oh really' because of the contrived situations we are to assume are real. However, in this book, Robert Bryndza has secured a place in my reading library for presenting stories which make sense.

The plot in this one, surrounds Detective Erika Foster, newly returned from leave after witnessing the horrific death of her beloved husband, a policeman as well. It's so sad and of course Erika head of the team he was assigned to blames herself for his death as well as the others killed.

She returns to work with her usual dogged personality and when a young girl is strangled and found under the ice, she and her team go forward constantly overseen by the upper ups who seem to be looking for her to screw up. For the girl who was killed was the daughter of a higher up Lord in the House of Lords who rules the roost as well as calls the shots at the police department.

Coupled with this there is the usual rivalries that occur when one perceives another is getting more recognition than they.

However, Erika and her team are on the trail of this murderer and he is on the trail to make an end of Erika. As suspects go, there are plenty of them and to a one seem to be involved in something quite nefarious. Then Erika finds that other women were also murdered in a similar way and the hunt is on.

Such a good read that I immediately searched for the second book in this series. Definitely recommended for those who enjoy a thriller that has it all.

Title	:	The Girl in the Ice (Detective Erika Foster, #1)
Author	:	Robert Bryndza
Rating	:
ISBN	:	-
Language	:	English
Format Type	:	Kindle Edition
Number of Pages	:	417
Publication	:	First published February 12, 2016
Awards	:	Goodreads Choice Award Mystery & Thriller (2016)

The Girl in the Ice (Detective Erika Foster, #1) by Robert Bryndza

The Girl in the Ice (Detective Erika Foster, #1) Reviews

The Girl in the Ice (Detective Erika Foster, #1) Reviews

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