| Title | : | Cold Blood (Detective Erika Foster, #5) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 616 |
| Publication | : | First published September 20, 2017 |
The suitcase was badly rusted, and took Erika several attempts, but it yielded and sagged open as she unzipped it. Nothing could prepare her for what she would find inside…
When a battered suitcase containing the dismembered body of a young man washes up on the shore of the river Thames, Detective Erika Foster is shocked. She’s worked on some terrifying cases but never seen anything like this before.
As Erika and her team set to work, she makes the link with another victim – the body of a young woman dumped in an identical suitcase two weeks ago.
Erika quickly realises she’s on the trail of a serial killer who’s already made their next move. Yet just as Erika starts to make headway with the investigation, she is the victim of a brutal attack.
But nothing will stop Erika. As the body count rises, the twin daughters of her colleague Commander Marsh are abducted, and the stakes are higher than ever before. Can Erika save the lives of two innocent children before it’s too late? She’s running out of time and about to make a disturbing discovery…there’s more than one killer.
Cold Blood (Detective Erika Foster, #5) Reviews
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I wasn't quite sure what to think going into
Cold Blood; I've seen some less than glowing reviews floating around from readers I trust, which made me nervous. I have 5 starred the previous four novels, as this series is in my "top three currently running most anticipated" storylines, and we all know it's easy to burnout on these books the longer they run. I devoured this particular installment in a mad rush because I simply couldn't put it down, which made me realize two things: 1) Everyone's opinion is valid and deserves to be heard, and 2) Many book reviews (including my own) are highly influenced by these opinions, which is a beautiful thing. I love that I was able to feel differently about this book and take away separate insights than my fellow readers. The beauty of the book community is that we can all read the same thing and at the same time, feel like we've read something entirely different. All this to say, THIS particular book worked extremely well for me.
I can certainly see why the audience is so divisive over the direction Bryndza took with our reoccurring characters. I'll be extremely vague, as to not spoil anything, but there were a few bold and risky moves used to shake us out of our comfort zone and keep us on our toes- I LOVED THIS! Anyone who knows me knows that I tire of the traditional, cliche relationships (romantic or platonic) that follow a predictable path; you know, the type where nothing ever happens to break things apart and leave messy gaping holes in your heart. I'm a glutton for punishment, and I love when an author can take me out of my comfort zone and get me a little riled up, which is exactly what Rob has done with this book.
The pacing was very quick and kept things fresh by alternating between the present day investigation and our serial killer(s?)'s background, until we finally link up and both sides are presented in real time. I found this particular case deliciously gruesome and intriguing, and particularly loved the detailed information regarding drug trafficking. I appreciated the extra insight into Erika's past and present personal life and found myself feeling simultaneously closer to her and yet irritated by her choices, almost like a sister or close friend whom you only want the best for. The fact that the author can stimulate such care and concern for fictional characters proves what a powerhouse the series truly is.
I don't want to keep rambling, but I think the fact that so many aspects of the continuing storyline have rapidly evolved makes me feel like my choice in committing to read this series was a valuable one. When you think about how much time, money, and effort can be invested into a long running storyline, it's comforting when you find an author who delivers the goods time and time again. I know I've found that with
Robert Bryndza, and I'm honestly delighted to follow along and see where he takes us next. If you're looking for a new crime fiction series that is darkly disturbing, yet infused with dry humor and wit, please give these books a try and do yourself the favor of starting with
The Girl In The Ice. Highly recommended!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy; it was a pleasure to provide my honest thoughts here! -
Just hearing that DI Erika Foster is back, is enough to send me into raptures! I love this series.
This time around, we have a suitcase containing a body, that has washed ashore on the river Thames. The body has been badly beaten and dismembered which makes ID particularly difficult to achieve. When a further body is discovered a few weeks later in exactly the same manner, the investigation begins in earnest.
It soon becomes clear that a serial killer is at work, but just as Erika begins to place pieces of the jigsaw together, she suffers a vicious attack. Well, for those of us who know Erika, we know that even a brutal attack isn't going to stop her.
This storyline brings together two people, who for all the wrong reasons, work really well as a partnership. One convinces the other that they have the same goals in life, that they deserve to have the best things in life, and if that means that others have to die in the process, then so be it.
Events take a really nasty turn when Erika's colleague Commander Marsh, becomes entangled in the case after his twin daughters are abducted. All the stops are pulled to bring the twins home safely, but Erika is dealing with killers who appear to have no moral compass, even though very young children are now involved.
I really enjoyed this as usual, loved the investigation, and the forensics, but if I have one criticism, it's that I think its time that Erika was thrown a lifeline - she really needs something good to happen - some light relief!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for an honest review* -
3.5 stars (rounded to 3 stars)
First of all, I’m a huge Robert Bryndza fan and can hardly wait every time I find out he is about to release a new book. Note the present tense—I AM a huge fan, and I CAN hardly wait for book 6 in the Erika Foster series. Book 5, however, was a little disappointing to me.
Now before you Bryndza fans (and there are certainly a lot of you!) get all excited, let me say the number one problem I encountered with Cold Blood was triggered by a quirk of my own. Man, I just did not like the Nina/Max arc at all. Every time I began a Nina/Max chapter I groaned. Not because the writing was bad. Mr. Bryndza is a fine writer. It was because I have a real issue with the type of story that arc was telling. I have no desire whatsoever to read that kind of story. But I had to here, as I was dying to get back to the part featuring Erika and her colleagues. Again, that was my main issue with the book. Most crime fiction lovers will sail through the Nina/Max arc and in all liklihood love it.
I came upon some other issues, which were not so bad, but still were there for me. Gosh, Rob, couldn’t you cut Erika a break? She has a pretty bleak time in this installment and it was kind of painful to see. Also, we do continue to learn more about Erika and also Marsh, but what about Moss, McGorry and Crane. Could we get these guys featured more? I would love to learn more about them. Finally, there were a few occurrences that hit the believability wall for me. I may have passed over these if the rest of the book had been perfect, but I was feeling grumpy and the ability to suspend the believability issue disappeared on me.
I feel like a real meanie now. Forgive me, Rob. I love you and Erika, I do. There was a lot of good in the story. The plot, getting to know Erika and Marsh better, the interaction of Nina with the humans near the end of the book. I liked seeing that in the worst criminals, there can be some good, however too little or too late it is.
Sigh. I always rate by how a book makes me feel. So, Rob, when you look at these measly 3 stars, know that it’s really 3.5 stars and know that this crappy rating is primarily due to my abhorrence of having to watch how evil Max treated formerly sweet Nina. I still declare the Detective Erika Foster series to be part of the cream of the crop of crime fiction, and I encourage all crime fiction fans to read it. Best start at the beginning with The Girl in The Ice in order to watch the characters develop.
I will say it again. I can hardly wait till the next Erika Foster book arrives on my kindle. Bring it, Rob!
Many thanks to Net Galley, Bookouture, and Robert Bryndza for gifting me an ARC of this book. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. -
It is a delight to be back with DCI Erika Foster and her team in the fifth book set in Lewisham, London. This is a chilling case which really puts Erika through the wringer, as if she hasn't suffered enough. Her personal life is one of pain and trouble as the past comes back to haunt her here. It all begins with the macabre discovery of a dismembered body in a suitcase in the River Thames. This is followed by another body in a suitcase with the same MO and it is clear they have a serial killer on their hands. Condoms full of cocaine are found in the stomach of one victim. This leads to Erika's boss, Melanie Hudson, attempt to palm off the case to another team, particularly as the police team are being starved of funds and personnel. To cap it all, Erika is violently attacked.
Erika finds herself betrayed from close quarters, and it is not until a note is sent that she finds herself back in the centre of the action. Part of the narrative features the twisted relationship between the psychopathic older man, Max, and the young, lonely and naive Nina, who is both impressionable and easily manipulated. The pressure on Erika increases exponentially as the twin daughters of Commander Marsh are abducted. Will she be able to save them? Erika is a tough and determined woman, who despite everything, lets nothing stand in her way.
This is a fast paced atmospheric story, with short chapters and twists that make for gripping reading. I have followed this series right from the beginning and it is one of my favourites. The flawed character of Erika is a sure fire winner, her survival and how she still manages to be standing after everything she has gone through is a testament to her inner strength. The author has done a tremendous job in character development with Erika, so good that I am looking forward to the next in the series! Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC. -
I REALLY wanted to love this book. I am a huge fan of Bryndza's books.... but I'm sorry Robert this one just didn't do it for me.
Detective Erica Foster and her team are back at it again. An old rusted suitcase has washed up onto shore with a dismembered body of a young man. 2 weeks later Erica makes a gruesome discovery of ANOTHER body that washes up onto the same river but with a young female. Are the bodies linked together?! Detective Foster quickly realizes that she is following in the footsteps of a nasty and violent serial killer.
The body count begins to rise, but nothing can stop the bad- ass Erica even when she is brutally attacked along the way.....
But, can Erica find out this mystery even when the serial killer has abducted her fellow colleague Commander Marsh's two beautiful daughters?!
So, the premise of the storyline was very intriguing and I have been on the Erica Foster train since book one. But, I was disappointed in this book. I felt like the story didn't have enough juice to the orange.... and my attention span was swaying in and out. I am pretty sure I'm going to be the outlier on this one... since I am already seeing raving reviews. This definitely was not my favorite in the series. With that being said, I love this series and will be looking forward to book 6.
Overall, 3 stars on this one. I'm curious to everyone's thoughts on this.. come chat when you finished ;).
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced arc.
Expected publication date is 9/20/17. -
3.5 stars
Detective Erika Foster is back! When a suitcase stuffed full of a dismembered body shows up she gets called to the scene.
Then another body turns up in a suitcase.
*these people have some cash..dang suitcases are expensive!
Erika starts working on the case, trying to piece the two murders together. What she doesn't realize is that there are two killers.
(Parts of the story are told from one of the killer's perspective.) The killers in this book just kinda seemed like they really were not smart enough to pull off the events that were happening. I wanted to just thunk them both in the head for the biggest part of the book.
(It could just be that I felt shorted on my time with Erika Foster)
I love these books and will definitely keep reading this series, but I think you could miss this one and not miss much from it. Erika is always great...but dang-the woman never gets a break. Some of the stuff happening to her kinda wore on me because her luck is worse shit than mine.
Bless her.
She does have her moments though:
'You fucking bitch!' he said through the balaclava.
Erika angled the taser down to his crotch and fired it at his balls. He screamed and went rigid, hitting the ground.
"That'll teach you to call me a fucking bitch."
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review -
3.5 stars
In this 5th book in the 'Detective Erika Foster' series, Erika is after a killer who dismembers victims. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
As the story opens, DCI Erika Foster and DI Kate Moss hurry to the scene when a suspicious suitcase washes up along the Thames River. The suitcase contains the body of a man who was beaten to death, decapitated, and dismembered. The man's stomach is found to contain fifty condoms filled with cocaine, apparently left there by the killer.
The crime is similar to an incident the week before, when the Thames chucked up a suitcase containing the body of a woman who was beaten, decapitated, and dismembered. The cases are clearly linked, and Erika's boss - Superintendent Melanie Hudson - wants to kick them both over to the narcotics unit. But Erika, who's like a bulldog when she gets a case, persuades Melanie to let her head the investigations.
This turns out to have unfortunate consequences for Erika. A leak from law enforcement circles results in gang-bangers trying to steal the cocaine-filled condoms, and Erika is seriously injured as a result.
During her recuperation the DCI visits relatives in her native Slovakia: her sister Lenka, brother-in-law Marek, and their three children. We see a softer side of Erika as she plays with her nephew and nieces, who adore her. I find it amusing that Marek works for the Slovakian mafia, but Erika turns a blind eye because 'she's not a copper in Slovakia.' LOL 😊
After Erika returns to London another dismembered body shows up, and the DCI gets back on the case. I enjoyed the police procedural details of the investigation, which point the detectives in the right direction.
In a parallel story line we follow Nina Hargraves and Max Kirkham, who meet while working at Santino's fish and chip shop. Eighteen-year-old Nina is immediately infatuated with Max, a 27-year-old 'bad boy' with a muscular body and a sexy facial scar. Unfortunately Max is also a murderous psychopath who draws Nina into his life of crime. Max bullies and abuses Nina, and 'persuades' her to commit serious felonies against her better instincts.
Nina and Max have an extensive storyline and we see them interact with their families; engage in a threesome; hit a pedestrian with their car; shack up in a small apartment; commit murders; carry out a double kidnapping; go on the run; and more.
When Erika's health permits, she works the homicide cases with her murder team; consults with the forensics unit; visits her boyfriend, DI James Peterson - who's recovering from a bullet wound; interacts with her former mentor, Commander Paul Marsh - who's being reinstated after a year-long suspension; and thinks about her unfulfilled life. Thus we get to know a little more about Erika - a capable detective who doesn't always use good judgment in her personal affairs. This has repercussions in the story.
The book ends with a dramatic climax that's satisfying and believable. (I think a certain villain should have suffered more....but mum's the word about that.)
I have a comment which isn't a criticism.....just an observation. I've read a LOT of books lately where abusive men mistreat females. I wish the gals would show more backbone and fight back. It's deflating to see them just quake and take it. 😌
This addition to the series is well-written - with a compelling plot - and I'd recommend it to readers who like mystery/thrillers....especially fans of Erika Foster.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Robert Bryndza), and the publisher (Bookouture) for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at
https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.... -
Traveling Sisters Group Read - thank you sisters for another wonderful reading experience!
ROBERT BRYNDZA is back with another installment to the Detective Erika Foster Series! When I first found out that DI Erika Foster was back with another installment to this series I quickly requested a copy of this book as I am a huge fan of this series! I have enjoyed all of the other previous books in this series and this was no exception.
COLD BLOOD (Detective Erika Foster, #5) by ROBERT BRYNDZA is an action-packed, dark, chilling, and a gripping police procedural thriller that once again pulled me in right away into this edgier, disturbing, and bolder storyline which worked for this Twisted Sister.
ROBERT BRYNDZA delivers another well-written read here with non-stop action, although some things in this storyline is a little on the graphic and gruesome side, I found the storyline quite intriguing and creepy. The story is told in multiple perspectives alternating between the present day investigation from Erika’s point of view, through journal entries from the point of view into the background of our serial killers lives, and then into a parallel storyline bringing the case and both stories together in the end.
I absolutely love Erika Foster’s character and found myself a little bit disappointed and irritated with some of the events that her character went through within this book. I really would like to see a little more happiness for Erika in her personal life!
To sum it all up it was an entertaining, exciting, tense, fast-paced, and a quick read with a satisfying ending. Would recommend!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Robert Bryndza for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book for a fair and honest review.
All of our Traveling Sisters Reviews can be found on our sister blog:
http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi... -
Traveling Sisters Group Read with Brenda, Norma, Susanne, Holly and Sarah
3.5 Stars rounded up
I was quite excited to see Cold Blood on NetGalley and a few sisters quickly requested this one and I added it to our sisters reads right away. I called it a Cold Blood Book Party and wow I didn’t realize how true to the title this book really was. Our party felt more like a “Cold Blood” bloodbath leaving some of us in utter shock. As always I really loved our “Cold Blood” discussion and reading this one along with them.
We did have one sister reading with us who went into this one not reading any of the other books and didn’t really know what to expect from the author. For the sisters who did we were a bit shocked and to some of us it felt like it was a totally different author altogether - then the author we have grown to love. The scenes were gruesome, graphic, and gory even for a sister who’s a fan of the darker stories. I felt this was a big bold and risky move here by Robert Bryndza that paid off for my Twisted Sister Norma as she really liked the creepy and chilling side to the storyline, for me and a couple other sisters not so much.
At first, when we meet the more eviler, disturbed, and ruthless characters Nina and Max, which are also the most disturbing characters that Robert Bryndza has ever written before, I was feeling a bit bad for Nina being sucked into Max’s world. After reading a bit they felt like they were going all Bonnie and Clyde and then more like Natural Born Killers to us. Leaving us with a very uneasy feeling about those characters.
We did enjoy getting back to Erika and her team and really enjoyed the dynamics between Erika and her team but would've liked more from them than Nina and Max. Maybe a little more Peterson and less Marsh and we think it’s time to cut poor Erika some slack and give her a little happiness in her personal life.
I will admit this one did leave a few of us feeling a little uneasy about reading any future installments from Robert Bryndza but I am sure The Twisted Sister Norma will be changing some of our minds. We do hope maybe Robert Bryndza will tone down some of the gruesome and evil characters a bit. We recommend this one to thriller lovers who like the darker and creepier thrillers and with a little heads-up to other readers. Maybe if I had a warning I might have felt differently towards this one.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Robert Bryndza for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book for a fair and honest review.
All of our Traveling Sisters Reviews can be found on our sister blog:
http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi... -
Detective Erika Foster and her team have been put on yet another investigation when a suitcase is found and when opened it's found to contain a dismembered body. Before long it's found that their investigation leads to yet another body that has been found in a similar state leading them to believe there is another serial killer on the loose. As Erika and her team begin to uncover more and more it begins to look as if there isn't one but possibly two killers on the loose.
Nina is a young woman who after taking a job at a local establishment finds herself with a bit of a crush on a fellow employee named Max. One night after working together for a while but with Max ignoring Nina she finds herself out in her mother's car when Max hops in asking for a ride. After that night the two become close spending more time together which leads the pair to an event that will bond them together for better or worse.
Cold Blood by Robert Bryndza is the fifth book in the police procedural Detective Erika Foster series. Having followed along with the series from the beginning myself I will suggest that it would be best to start this one from the beginning just for the carry over of the personal lives of the characters in each read. But each book does contain a completely new case for Erika and her team to solve so it is possible to read them out of order or as standalones if one chose to do so.
Erika herself is a bit flawed but still a strong, gritty female detective that goes a bit off the book and does whatever it takes to solve her cases. Others around her also reoccur in each of the books and all are an interesting bunch to follow along with as they work on each case. This particular edition the reader is let in on who the killers are as the team searches to find them with the chapters switching between Erika and her team to the backstory of Nina and Max and what led them to kill. As usual I would highly recommend checking out this thrilling detective series by Robert Bryndza, always an exciting read from start to finish.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit
https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress.... -
3.5 Stars* (rounded down).
Erika Foster is at it again. This time she is called in to investigate when a suitcase is found along The Thames river. Inside it? A dismembered body. It's pretty gruesome to be perfectly honest. Then the body count continues to rise and a kidnapping ensues and Erika and her team work feverishly to solve the crimes. Unfortunately, even Erika doesn't get out unscathed in this one.
While I enjoyed the storyline involving Erika, Moss, McGorry, Crane, Hudson and Marsh, I did not enjoy the storyline involving the characters of Max and Nina. I felt that it was way too gruesome and gory and also felt that it was too sexually explicit for my liking. I have read every book in this series and have loved every one of them till now. I was somewhat disappointed that Bryndza chose to push the envelope in this way and hope that he will return to his tried and true in the next installment.
I will say however that the character development was very well done as Bryndza got into the heads of each and every character, including Erika, Moss, Max and Nina. He led all of us on a while ride here with twist after twist, for me however, I just wish it had been a less violent one.
This was a Traveling Sister read for me. It included: Norma, Brenda, Holly and Sarah. Traveling Sisters Group Reviews can be found on Norma and Brenda's Blog:
https://www.twogirlslostinacouleeread...
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Robert Bryndza for an ARC of this novel one exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley, Goodreads, Amazon and Twitter on 9.24.17. -
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Bryndza, and Bookouture for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
DCI Erika Foster is back, and none too soon for series fans. As Robert Bryndza continues to impress with his dark police procedurals, his fan base grows exponentially as chatter of the series calibre. When Foster and her team discover a suitcase submerged in the water, no one could have predicted what might await them. The dismembered body of an unidentified male sets the stage for the latest macabre case that Foster will head up, though there are nothing but questions surrounding it. Turning up blanks, Foster eventually discovers that a woman’s body was found stuffed in a suitcase a few weeks before. Could there be a serial killer on the loose? When the team learns that the male victim was carrying drugs in his stomach, the narcotics mule angle seems the most likely, though there is still nothing to point towards a killer or whether they will come looking for their stash in the coming days. As the story progresses, the narrative explores the personal struggles of one team member, where the seedy underbelly of London comes to light. The blowback from these struggles put Foster inadvertently in the crosshairs and leads to a brutal assault. Forced off the case, Foster returns to her native Slovakia to reassess her work and personal life, but there is a burning in her belly to remain in her job, protecting others from the world of killers out there. Once Foster is back, more bodies turn up and a clue turns the investigation on its head. Meanwhile, in a parallel narrative, the reader learns of the development and grooming of a pair of young people, whose down and out lives take a spin the closer they become. Their dislike of society spirals out of control and soon they have committed numerous crimes, with no end in sight. The kidnapping of twin girls proves to be the climactic event that pushes the case to the edge and a collective breath is held. Will Foster and her team stop the killings before top brass turn it into a cataclysmic event? Only time will tell in this gripping, dark thriller that will keep readers flipping pages well into the night. Series fans can rest assured the calibre of the writing is high and Bryndza’s genius remains firmly rooted.
I have long been a fan of Bryndza’s work and find myself rushing to get hold of any books he releases, which seems to occur with some regularity. Some have vocalised a concern that the stories are too closely tied to a ‘traditional cookie-cutter English police procedural’, but I would deflect that by saying that the caliber remains high and the stories thoroughly interesting as to distract from what might seem repetitive. Character development is high on Bryndza’s list of essentials for each novel, offering newness to most who grace the page. Erika Foster receives particular development, as her proverbial plate has been heaped high over the past four novels. There are many threads left bowing in the wind, some of which Bryndza ties off while others are tugged and lengthened a little more. I enjoy the balance between the professional and personal struggles that Bryndza presents in his novels, as well as the ever-evolving narrative that involves the eventual killer, another form of character development. Paralleling these storylines creates more of a cat and mouse game, leaving the reader to wonder when and how forcefully the two will collide. Bryndza may publish a new novel regularly, but he does not skimp on quality. The novels are always fresh and give the reader a sense of ongoing continuity, if that makes any sense. Always a treat when a new DCI Erika Foster novel hits the literary radar and I seek to dodge the numerous books that haunt my ‘to be read’ pile to get my hands on it. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys police procedurals, but one ought to begin at the series start, to get all the nuances delivered throughout the narrative.
Kudos, Mr. Bryndza for another stellar piece. I love the rush I get reading one, though will have to get ahold of my emotions as I wait for more news.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/ -
The fifth excellent book in this great series. I really like Erika Foster. She speaks without thinking and often offends people but at least she says what she feels and stands up for herself. Maybe not a comfortable person to have around in real life but great for a book character!
Bryndza always enjoys the macabre and in this book the bodies are chopped up and fitted into suitcases. We have the usual horribly descriptive pathology scenes and then we have lots and lots of competent police work resulting in the end with an edge of the seat discovery and capture. Tense, exciting and very enjoyable.
I hope the author has lots more good ideas up his sleeve to continue with this series:)
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. -
Detective Erika Foster struggled with the lock on a suitcase that had been washed up on the shores of the river Thames. Inside was the dismembered body of a young man. A young woman's body had been found in an identical suitcase two weeks ago. Erika realises she's dealing with a serial killer. As the investigation makes progress, Erika is the victim of a brutal attack. Then the twin daughters of her colleague, Commander Marsh, are a abducted. Can Erika get the twins back safely?
Robert Bryndza has once again written a fantastic, page turning, gripping, tense, action packed book. His Detective Erika Foster series just gets better and better. There is so much going on in this book and I did not want to,put it down. I like the was he builds the main characters up from book to book. The plot line is believable and I found myself on the edge of my seat a few times. I don't know how Robert Bryndza is going to top this book, but I'm sure he will. I keep saying this is his best Erika Foster book and this one certainly is. This book could be read as a standalone but I do recommend that you read then all in order.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Robert Bryndza for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. -
I've been a huge fan of Robert Bryndza’s Erica Foster series. With each book, I wonder if the streak will continue. I'm pleased to say it does.
This time round Erika is investigating a double murder, two bodies chopped up and stuffed into suitcases sent floating down the Thames. One body has over 50 packets of cocaine in the stomach. Was this some sort of drug deal gone wrong? If so, why were the drugs left in the body?
The book moves along at a good clip with lots of intertwining stories to keep you engaged. I wasn't totally sold on the idea of a journal by one of the criminals as a means to move the plot along, but that's a minor quibble.
This series is one of the best if you like a strong police procedural. Edge of your seat thrills, grab you by the lapel scenes. Erika just can't stay in the good graces of her superiors. She is not a good girl known for sharing or being tactful. She's a gal that lives for her job and her personal life bears the brunt. Here's hoping she eventually finds a man that can truly appreciate her.
My thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book. -
I read this one as a stand-alone and it worked fine, but I know I missed a lot of background on Detective Erika Foster. I did enjoy her strong willed character and would definitely like to go back and read more from the series!
This book seemed to focus more on the killers and I would have liked more of Erika and her colleagues, but maybe that is because I read this as a stand-alone. The author did a great job with character development because the evilness of the killers really came through and I didn't like them at all!
The investigation begins with a gruesome discovery of a male body in a suitcase and then a second body in an identical suitcase. The serial killer hunt begins and other bodies are turning up along the way. Erika is also brutally attacked while investigating the drug link. There is another twist in the end that brings all the clues together and closes the case in a tense and satisfying way.
If you enjoy crime detective fiction with some dark and alarming scenes, then you should give this series a try!
I read this book with The Traveling Sisters....Norma, Brenda, Sarah and Susanne! The sister reviews can be found here...
https://twogirlslostinacouleereading....
Thank you to Netgalley/Bookouture for the ARC. Publication day was on Sept.20, 2017 -
EXCERPT: 'The fingers poking through the hole in the brown material were swollen, with blackened fingernails. Moss gently worked the sand away from the seams, and exposed the rusted zipper. It took Erika several gentle tugs, but it yielded, and the suitcase sagged open as she unzipped. Moss moved to help, and they slowly lifted it open. A little water spilled out, and the naked body of a man was crammed inside. Moss stepped backwards, putting her arm up to her nose. The smell of rotting flesh and stagnant water hit the back of their throats. Erika closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them. The limbs were white and muscular. The flesh had the appearance of raw suet and was starting to flake away, in places exposing the bone. Erika gently lifted the torso. Tucked underneath was a head, with black wispy hair.'
THE BLURB: She fell in love with a killer, now she’s one too.
The suitcase was badly rusted, and took Erika several attempts, but it yielded and sagged open as she unzipped it. Nothing could prepare her for what she would find inside…
When a battered suitcase containing the dismembered body of a young man washes up on the shore of the river Thames, Detective Erika Foster is shocked. She’s worked on some terrifying cases but never seen anything like this before.
As Erika and her team set to work, she makes the link with another victim – the body of a young woman dumped in an identical suitcase two weeks ago.
Erika quickly realises she’s on the trail of a serial killer who’s already made their next move. Yet just as Erika starts to make headway with the investigation, she is the victim of a brutal attack.
But nothing will stop Erika. As the body count rises, the twin daughters of her colleague Commander Marsh are abducted, and the stakes are higher than ever before. Can Erika save the lives of two innocent children before it’s too late? She’s running out of time and about to make a disturbing discovery…there’s more than one killer.
MY COMMENTS: The question begs to be asked - how could a young girl with so much promise stumble down such a dark path?
#5 in Robert Bryndza's Detective Erika Foster series, Cold Blood is based on a vulnerable young woman’s need to be loved. Her Dad has died, her Mum has a new man in her life, her friends have all gone off to university, while Nina is working a dead end job in a fish and chip shop because she doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. Nina is isolated by her own circumstances and Max spots her vulnerability and uses it to his own advantage. And we all know from experience that the nice but needy girl falling under the spell of the bad boy story is never going to end well. And this one certainly doesn't. But even I certainly didn't predict just how badly it was all going to end.
I have read all of this series, and to be honest, this is the least favorite installment. It just doesn't seem to flow like the previous books did. It didn't leave me breathless with anticipation. It actually took me four days to read it. I'm not saying it is a bad read, because it definitely isn't. It is a good read, as evidenced by my 4☆ rating, just not as good as the rest of the series, which for me have all been 5☆ Am I looking forward to the next installment? Hell yes! Get writing Rob!
Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of Cold Blood by Robert Bryndza for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page for an explanation of my ratings. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com -
Book five in the Erika Foster series might just be the most disturbing yet. There were moments that were hard for this fan of dark stories to read! Another interesting case with characters we've gotten to know and love (mostly). We also get chapters from the perspectives of the thankfully fictional Max and Nina. I certainly would not want to meet Max in a dark alley. He is endlessly disturbing, only getting creepier as the story goes on.
A suitcase washes up on shore, but this one doesn't contain traveling essentials: there's a body inside. A dismembered body of a young man, cut up to fit inside. Quite a frightening sight, even for the experienced detective Erika Foster. It's not long before she connects it to an earlier case... a different suitcase, a different body.
We know that there are at least two victims, but there may be more. There also may be more than one killer, and the police haven't a clue as to either of their identities. When Erika is attacked and injured, she's taken off the case for weeks in order to recover. If you know Erika, you know she cannot be stopped. It's only a matter of time before she and her team solve the case... but it might not be in time to save the children of Commander Marsh, who she shares an interesting history with.
Less Marsh, more Peterson, please. That's just my personal opinion. I am not sure why I have such animosity towards Marsh, but I just don't like his character. He rubs me the wrong way. Erika, I will always love. I enjoy the rest of her colleagues for different reasons. I read this book with a group (hello, Traveling Sisters!) and some of them had some issues with the increasingly disturbing content. This book did up the creep factor. If you're sensitive towards books including sexual violence, you might want to tread carefully.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased. -
After reading Robert Bryndza’s fourth Erika Foster mystery,
Last Breath, I was looking forward to diving into the next one,
Cold Blood. I had read some mixed reviews but decided to judge for myself. Now that I’ve finished, I must admit that this one did not take my breath away; it left me cold, or at least cool.
When a large suitcase washes up on shore of the Thames River, Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster is appalled to see the decapitated, dismembered body of a man inside. Not long after that, Erika’s team turns up another suitcase bearing the body parts of a woman, and Erika links the two murders. It takes a bit of fast-talking to convince her boss not to turn the entire case over to the drug unit. In the mist of the investigation, Erika is brutally attacked and suffers multiple injuries, forcing her to take a medical leave.
The lulls in the police action are filled with the first-person narrative of Nina, one of the killers. The lonely 19-year-old misfit documents her relationship with the older Max, who is controlling, abusive, and unpredictable. Bryndza does a good job developing these two and their relationship, but it seems to me that he shows us too much of their killing spree at the expense of his bread-and-butter menu item: Erika Foster and her team. There is far too little police work.
On the positive side, we do get to see Erika interact with her staff outside of work, with mixed results. Poor Erika! At least she has Moss in her corner! We also see her return to her homeland to visit her sister and family while on medical leave. This gives her a chance to escape the pressures of her job – somewhat. She never stops thinking of the case entirely. Her relationships with colleagues seem to wind up a mess. One gets himself in serious legal trouble, which is quite disconcerting for Erika. She is very needy and has relationships or near-relationships with men at work. It struck me that Erika needs one good friend outside the police force who can mentor her and help her develop a social network and interests outside of policing so that she can find happiness and fulfillment outside of work.
Erika Foster is one tough cookie who speaks her mind and is determined to do what she feels is right. When it comes time to put criminals away, she sets aside personal feelings and needs and gets down to business. Her instincts are generally correct. One thing I wondered about, however, was those suitcases. The question was raised several times about how one finds suitcases so big, and I wondered why that was never investigated. Eventually, however, Nina and Max’s killing spree that ends in a double kidnapping comes to an end, thanks in part to the efforts of DCI Foster and her team.
Would I recommend Cold Blood? Not necessarily. But some readers have loved it, and I did like parts of it, especially those that revealed more of Erika’s character and also the ways in which Moss was a support to her. Will it prove to be important as the series moves along? That remains to be seen. I do plan to continue, as I am a big fan of Robert Bryndza and his Erika Foster series.
3.5 stars -
Cold Blood is the 5th book in the DCI Erika Foster series.
This time Erika has to identify two dead bodies packed into suitcases that come ashore on the Thames River.
I really enjoyed this book along with the plot and mystery in the beginning of the book. Who are these victims and is this a serial killer? Does the Narcotics Squad need to get involved because there's bags of cocaine in one of the victims stomach? Read this book to find out!
The suspect was a very twisted and manipulative individual. I really hated this person by the end.
Bryndza takes this book in a completely different direction then the previous four books. I’ve enjoyed how the storytelling has kept evolving and going in completely new murder cases.
I think this book was the weakest of the 5 but I still enjoyed it! It says something when a 4 star book is the weakest of the series. I just didn’t connect with the killer as much as I did in previous books. I enjoy not knowing who the killer is until the end. In this case, you don't get this mystery because you find out who it is by the middle of the book. It was still an interesting and well-written plot though!
One other thing, Erika needs some love ya’ll. I’ve really enjoy this character as the series has continued, but this girl needs some happiness. Make it happen Robert Bryndza! -
Erika Foster's latest case starts with a dismembered male body in a suitcase washed up on the banks of the Thames in central London. It could be drug related, but then why is the man's stomach packed with condoms containing thousands of dollars worth of cocaine that could have been retrieved by the killer? The discovery of a second female body in a suitcase in the Thames only thickens the plot. Erika is as tenacious as ever trying to find the identity of the bodies and hunt down whoever killed them but she's finding it hard to get a handle on the case.
As the investigation unfolds, parallel chapters tell the tale of Nina, a sweet naive girl who becomes besotted with an older man called Max who gradually draws her in to his depraved world of drugs and crime. In Max, Robert Bryndza has created a very unpleasant psychopath who doesn't hesitate to kill someone who gets in his way or can be used to his advantage.
As with the earlier books in this series, this is a fast paced, thrilling read. I love this series and I love Erika Foster. She's a tough no-nonsense cop, never gives up and takes all the crap that's dealt out to her. Her love life is a mess since Petersen was hurt and their affair has cooled. She has few friends and her social life is a desert. I'm really hoping Robert Bryndza gives her some breaks in the next book - she could do with a little happiness to stop her becoming bitter and twisted. 4.5★
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Bookouture for a copy of the book to read and review -
Intricate, riveting, and creepy!
Cold Blood is an engrossing, chilling police procedural that highlights just how easily some people can be swayed and manipulated into doing the most horrific things and reminds us that desperate people will do almost anything, at any cost to protect themselves.
The writing is bold and crisp. The characters are resilient, impulsive, and troubled. And the plot, told from differing points-of-view, keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish as it whips you through well-timed twists, unforeseen surprises, deception, abuse, violence, corruption, and murder.
Overall, Cold Blood is a gripping, highly entertaining, harrowing thriller that proves once again Bryndza is a talented, natural storyteller with a vivid imagination.
Cold Blood is the fifth novel in the Erika Foster series and all I can say is if you're not already reading this series, you should be!
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Robert Bryndza for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at
http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com -
COLD BLOOD (Detective Erika Foster, #5) by ROBERT BRYNDZA is an action-packed, dark, chilling, and a gripping police procedural/serial-killer thriller.
The latest novel (Book 5) in the Detective Erika Foster series, Last Breath, by Brit author Robert Bryndza is another winner! The books in this bestselling series include:
The Girl in the Ice (Book 1)
The Night Stalker (Book 2)
Dark Water (Book 3)
Last Breath (Book 4)
Cold Blood (Book 5)
Having loved the previous books in the series, I was anxious to read book 5 in the series, Cold Blood. I would suggest you read the entire series in order. You will be in for a treat. I'm an Erika Foster fan so I've been really looking forward to this. This book is fast paced and engaging, but it is also more graphic in its violence than previous books in the series.
The novel opens with DCI Erika Foster and her team member, DI Moss, from the south London police department, were on their way to a crime scene-a battered suitcase containing the body of a young male washed up on the shore of the river Thames.
The victim: Male, violently beaten, decapitated and dismembered, and then packed neatly in a suitcase.
Detective Erika Foster is shocked. She’s worked on some terrifying cases but never seen anything like this before.
As Erika and her team set to work, she makes the link with another victim – the body of a young woman dumped in an identical suitcase two weeks ago.
Just when Erika is making advances with the investigation on the trail of a serial killer, she is the victim of a brutal attack.
But nothing will stop Erika. As the body count rises, the twin daughters of her colleague Commander Marsh are abducted, and the stakes are higher than ever before. Can Erika save the lives of two innocent children before it’s too late? She’s running out of time and about to make a disturbing discovery…there’s more than one killer.
I enjoyed getting back to Erika and her team and really enjoyed the dynamics between Erika and her team but would've liked more plot line devoted to them than Nina and Max. And more involvement from Peterson. When is Erika going to find some peace and happiness in her personal life?
Many thanks to Robert Bryndza , Bookouture (my favorite publisher) and Net Galley, for the ARC of this book. -
OMG! This book is just mind-blowing. It's completely different to anything I have ever read. Gripping as hell and Erika is just incredible (AGAIN!)
-
"Bryndza weet opnieuw te verrassen met dit spannende verhaal!"
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2020... -
This ARC was presented from NetGalley. My thanks. Gratitude sent to Bookouture for making this pre-release available.
Mutilated bodies are turning up in the busy streets of London. A deranged serial killer is on the loose. My heartbeat quickens at the thought. I'm off to the races. Only a couple of pages into the narrative and already the author had me on pins and needles. Though, that's what I signed up for. This book could be enjoyed as a stand-alone even though it's fifth in the Detective Erika Foster series. Her character was well-developed. The actions throughout the scenes did not fail to perform. The ending landed with a punch to my gut.
Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster and Detective Inspector Kate Moss had been called to the scene. Another gruesome murder in London. A mutilated body of a man had been carefully packed into a large suitcase. Found in the sand. Just a stone's throw from the Thames River. It was time for them to roll up their sleeves. It would be another sleepless night. I could feel the tension mounting in the air. I wanted to look away. But couldn't.
It was only a week ago a woman's body had been found in a suitcase. Also dismembered. Ghastly sight. The detectives were working feverishly. The killing spree didn't let up. A few weeks later. Number three. Another suitcase. This time it was that of a male identified as twenty-eight-year-old Daniel de Souza. Their first real lead. Found at a subway station. This time a note was left in the suitcase. It taunted the police saying, "This is our fifth victim. Do you clowns even know that we've killed four people?" "We've!..." The killer's not alone. More troubling knowing two maniacs working together. Hopefully no more than that - they prayed. Now the manhunt was on for a team of murderers. All the more difficult.
Early into the investigation, it was learned that another body had been found in a drainage pipe. It had been mummified. It had been there for several months. Again, the face had been beaten to a pulp with a large rock. It fit the profile of the other murders. The body count was growing. When was this insane savagery going to stop?
In a final act of desperation, the serial killers had decided to kidnap twin girls, Mia and Sophie from a high-profile figure. Their father, Paul Marsh was Commander of the police station. Big bucks. So they thought. This would be their payoff that would get them out of the country. Begin life with a clean slate. New opportunities. Sick!
One of the killers posed as a nanny of Mrs. Marsh. From a daycare center she abducted the children and led them to a parked van where her partner had been nervously awaiting. Once inside, they set out for a long ride out of town. After a few hours, the girls knew they were in serious trouble. They cried. They were not in safe hands. Would the police get to them in time? -
Cold Blood, In Cold Blood, Cold Blooded are all phrases and titles well known. But in this mystery novel, would they apply to the murders, the murderer, or the murder cop? D.I. Erika Foster, charged with solving and stopping a series of murders is known for her icy demeanor and one track mind.
One, then two bodies are neatly dismembered and stuffed into large suitcases and thrown into the Thames where they are found weeks apart. To her bemusement, Erika keeps hearing comments about how difficult it is to obtain large suitcases because of airline weight restrictions. Large suitcases cause wonderment rather than grisly dismemberment. Go Stiff Upper Lip.
Lack of funds, lack of manpower and lack of everything is a theme of this book and so Erika’s supervisor, Melanie Hudson is anxious to move the murders onto another squad. Drugs perhaps, since 50 cocaine filled condoms are found in the stomach of one of the torsos.
A stunning betrayal by one of Erika’s closest colleagues sidelines her for months. The dismembered bodies’ case falls by the wayside. As Erika is ending her leave, another murder and a taunting note suddenly heats up Erika’s former investigation and once again Erika is at center court.
At one point Erika finds a diary. All along we have been reading this first person diary and watching the change of a young girl with a severe crush to a young girl in thrall to an older man who twists her in ways almost unimaginable.
Erika herself has been emotionally twisted for the last five years, widowed, childless, no partner, and almost fifty, nothing in Erika’s life is as she envisioned it. Cut off from about the only thing left to her, Erika struggles with grief and maybe some healing. Should I be embarrassed to say I tear up even thinking about those pages?
Erika maintains hope for the girl’s humanity when Commander Marsh’s twin daughters are kidnapped and Erika is once again mostly sidelined from the investigation.
Robert Bryndza is a master of his craft. But I think he made a few tiny missteps. I was amused that he wasted so much time explaining about raising fingerprints with superglue. Anyone who has been reading mysteries in the past 20 years could explain the process. Also, big suitcases difficult to obtain, so where did these come from?
Otherwise Bryndza is brilliant and one of the best authors of police procedurals. He slams the readers with scenes of such emotional resonance or shock that this reader, at least had to stop, then reread several pages. No cheap twists, just logical progressions that still manage to shock and dismay.
Read this book. I don’t care if you haven’t read the preceding four. Catch up later.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. -
3.5 stars
I'm on a 3 star roll lately.. 😕
I'm a big fan of this author and this series, which features Detective Erika Foster and her investigative team. I have loved books 1-4, but did find myself struggling with this one from the start. It took me awhile to finally figure out what was missing for me....more Erika!
Erika seemed to take a backseat to the antagonist's story line (Nina and Max). Told from Nina's POV, there were many chapters dedicated to how she met Max and leading up to present day. I usually enjoy getting into the minds and backgrounds of the antagonist, but for some reason it didn't work for me here. I would have liked to have had more chapters dedicated to Erika, whether it was work related or personal. One of the many things I love about this series is the tight knit working relationship Erika has with her team and this was seriously lacking for me this time around.
I think the best way for me to sum up how I feel is this: I could have completely skipped reading this book and I don't think it would have any impact on the rest of the series moving forward.
It's not all bad, as the mystery was good and the short chapters helped to keep the story line moving. And of course what chapters were focused on Erika and her team certainly kept me entertained.
Moving on and looking forward to the next case for this team. My expectations are high!
ARC provided by NetGalley -
Robert Bryndza is fast becoming a favourite author of mine, only discovering him fairly recently I have now read 6 of his novels and enjoyed everyone of them. This is the 5th book in the Detective Erika Foster series and this is again right up there, keeping up the high standard achieved in the other books. Fabulous characters, excellent plot and a thoroughly entertaining read.
A suitcase containing the dismembered body of a young man washes up on the shore of the river Thames and Detective Erika Foster sets to discover if she can make a connection to another victim, a young woman who was dumped in an identical suitcase two weeks ago. Erika is on the hunt for a serial killer when she herself becomes a victim of a brutal attack. With the body count rising the twin daughters of her colleague Commander Marsh are abducted, and the stakes are higher than ever before. Erika is running out of time as she tries to save the lives of two innocent children.
This is another page turner and I cannot recommend it high enough.
I would like to thank Bookouture and Net Galley for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. -
This series has been a great find. Erika’s character continues to evolve well and the stories are fast paced and engrossing.
Erika’s partner Peterson is still recovering from the injuries he sustained in the last story as he accompanied her on an operation. Erika declines a promotion as a supervisory desk job is not what she wants to do. She now reports to Melanie, who understands her personality and gives her space. There is a body found stuffed in a large suitcase and recovered from the water. Erika finds that there was another similar case a few days prior. A post-mortem reveals drugs in the stomach of one of the two individuals. The identity of the perpetuators is soon revealed and I found the interplay between the man – woman pair to be well written.
The last few sections have no major surprises. I found the build-up to be not as good as the prior books I read, while still good when read in isolation.
My rating: 4.25 / 5.
A great series – do start from the first book, even if each of these are independent stories.
