Dark Water: A gripping serial killer thriller (Detective Erika Foster) Paperback – October 20, 2016

I love Erika Foster. I like how the author had a good list of suspects to keep you guessing. Well written, fast paced and not a predictable ending.

The third installment in author Robert Bryndza's popular Erika Foster series finds her in a new assignment working with new colleagues. And not very happy about it. She is gamely trying to make the best of her circumstances and thrilled when divers find the ten kilos of heroin packed into a waterproof container that sent them to the abandoned quarry. When they also find the skeletal remains of seven-year-old Jessica Collins, Erika naturally wonders who would dump the body of a small child thirty feet down in the freezing blackness . . . less than one mile from where she disappeared. She asks to be allowed to lead the search for her killer so that her family can know what happened to the child and lay her to rest.When her request is granted, Erika is reunited with her old teammates, including Detectives Peterson and Moss. The original investigation was led by former Detective Amanda Baker, who honed in on a suspect. However, Amanda had no choice but to release him and from that point, things went terribly awry. Amanda ended up retiring early and in the ensuring years has become an alcoholic hermit. But she has maintained a relationship with Detective Crawford, who was also assigned to the case years ago. He lost interest in police work years ago and Amanda pulled him into selling seized drugs fifteen years ago. When the investigation is reopened, Amanda demands that he funnel information to her, threatening to expose him if he doesn't acquiesce.Jessica's family fractured after her disappearance. Her father, Martin, has a new life that includes a new wife and two young children. Jessica's older sister, Laura, is married with two young children of her own. Younger brother Toby, who is gay, has never been accepted by their mother, Marianne, a religious fanatic who lives alone in the family home. She has told herself for twenty-six years that Jessica is alive and will return, so confirmation of Jessica's death all those years ago is a huge blow and she does not handle the news well. In fact, the more Erika learns about Jessica's family, the more questions arise.As the investigation proceeds, neither Erika nor Amanda is aware that their every movement is being watched and all of their conversations overheard. Someone has gone to great lengths to install listening devices in strategic locations and hack their cellular telephones in order to stay apprised of developments in the case . . . and ensure that Erika does not discover the truth.As in the two previous installments in the series, The Girl in the Ice and The Night Stalker, Bryndza explores Erika's professional and personal lives. She is a deeply flawed, but compelling and intriguing characters who recognizes that her past mistakes have hampered her advancement. When given the assignments she seeks, Erika is expected to deliver results -- and correspondingly motivated to do so. Bryndza continues exploring Erika's ongoing grief over her husband's death, providing moving insight into how difficult she still finds living without him as time passes, taking her life further from the moment when she lost him. She also must deal with the unannounced arrival from Slovakia of her sister and her three children, all of whom descend upon Erika's small apartment.Thus, Erika is surrounded by an eclectic cast of supporting players, many of whom could be plausible suspects. Dark Water is the most emotionally nuanced of the three novels, and not merely because of the subject matter -- the disappearance and death of a young child. Bryndza examines the history and dynamics of Jessica's family and the revelations of their dysfunction compel the story forward. He never allows the pace to slacken, even as the focus shifts between characters and settings, and he seamlessly eliminates suspects as Erika and her colleagues uncover how the characters have been bound together for decades and their motivations. Bryndza cleverly intertwine old evidence with present-day discoveries, combining the use of modern technology to unravel secrets contained in older methodology. And he delivers stunning revelations that provide cohesion and a satisfying ending to his tightly-imagined plot.Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.

Dark Water (DCI Erika Foster #3) by Robert Bryndza4.5 stars!!!“…you’ve found Jessica’s body, maybe there’s only one person who truly vanished into thin air. . . the person who took her.”So, my DCI Erika Foster marathon came to a close with Dark Water, the third book in this crime thriller series. Each book is its own case, but back stories run throughout, so while each book can be read as a standalone, to understand the complexities of our fearless heroine I would read them in order. The reading order is The Girl in the Ice followed by The Night Stalker and then Dark Water.Once again Robert Bryndza brought a completely unputdownable read to the table and as with the first two books I devoured this one too. After the ending of The Night Stalker Erika Foster has transferred from the Murder Investigation Team at Lewisham to the CID division at Bromley. Still smarting from being overlooked for promotion Erika moved stations for pride more than anything.“Erika, even cats run out of lives. Use the ones you have left wisely…”It is while searching for evidence in a disused flooded quarry for a huge drugs bust that Erika is once again thrust into a murder investigation. While Erika is no longer on the MIT, Erika pulls in some favours so that she can head up the investigation, one thing we have learned so far about Erika is that she sees everything through to the end. Erika was there when the body of the small child was found, it was now time for her to seek the closure for the little girl and her family.Erika soon finds herself in the media spotlight as a 1990’s cold case of a little missing girl is once again resurrected. Now with a definite body, Erika slowly tries to piece together what actually transpired on that fateful day. Thrust into an investigation where some secrets are better left buried, Erika soon finds herself treading water, but our Pitbull never gives up. No matter how deep those secrets are buried, Erika Foster always gets to the bottom of them. The trouble with uncovering the truth…the ones closest become a target.“We’ve got everything and nothing. . .”With characters from the previous two books all making an appearance despite Erika’s transfer we are once again reunited with a fantastic team of investigators. The trust and camaraderie between them is great to read about and cements them as a “family” rather than co-workers. They all have each other’s back, despite the repercussions. I was particularly pleased to see Isaac; I love this pathologist with a passion.Erika Foster is as tenacious as ever and her fearless attitude and her perseverance even when the chips are down make her a formidable opponent to any criminal. Her personal life is still on the skids, but throwing herself into her work is making inroads into her confronting her past. I only hope that as this series continues she finds some solace and maybe even a male detective to warm her bones at night.“You need to find a place for yourself in the world; a place where you can be happy that doesn’t involve being a police officer.”Once again Robert Bryndza delivered a layered, intriguing, suspenseful read, with many a red herring that totally led me on a merry dance. It is this layering though, the pass the parcel effect, that adds a deep connection to both characters and plot as each layer is stripped off leaving a treat for the reader. Absorbed into the world of Erika Foster once again I cannot wait for the next one.

This is the 3rd book i have read by this truly gifted author. Personally I preferred the girl in the ice as this was just flawless from a reading point of view . I think its a crime if this story isn't adapted onto the big screen. As far Darkwater the story has the same connotations where you're second-guessing yourself and trying to figure out the killer before Time . Not giving too much away the big reveal is unexpected and will leave you staggered. I particularly enjoy following along in the investigation and that sense of the net closing in on the villains . I recommend this story to anybody who would enjoy a good who done it thriller and I'm looking forward to starting the next book in due course. Thanks to Rob for this enjoyable story on these warm summer nights.

This is the first Erika Foster book I’d read – but as soon as I’d finished this one I went and bought the first in the series. Both books have excellent mysteries at their heart, and I find the central character complex and compelling too. I shall have to read the rest now!

Reading this at present almost finished, this book is brilliant I have struggled to put this book down, it's fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat, most definitely recommend this book

What a brilliant series, I hope there is more to come I will be looking out for for books Robert Bryndza , please keep writing I need to know more about Erika, thank you again loved this series 😊

I enjoyed this book very much well written good Author of was a very good ending only worked it out the chapter before the end.