Author: Robert Bryndza
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: 12th February 2016
Pages: 396
Source: Review Copy
Rating: 4.5/5
Purchase: Amazon
Her eyes are wide open. Her lips parted as if to speak. Her dead body frozen in the ice… She is not the only one.
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.
The last investigation Erika led went badly wrong… resulting in the death of her husband. With her career hanging by a thread, Erika must now battle her own personal demons as well as a killer more deadly than any she’s faced before. But will she get to him before he strikes again?
I enjoyed The Girl in the Ice so much that I finished it and wanted to read it again. It is Robert Bryndza's first crime thriller novel and I hope that it is the first of many because he has created a fantastic character in Detective Erika Foster and he knows exactly how to keep the tension going until that killer reveal. I hope book two isn't too far away.
The body of a woman is discovered beneath a thick sheet of ice in a South London park and Detective Erika Foster is called upon to lead the murder investigation. The victim was a young, beautiful socialite, seemingly living what appeared to be a perfect life. That is until Erika begins to dig beneath the surface, and starts to connect the murder with the killings of three prostitutes, each found dumped in water around London. What follows is a tense and claustrophobic chase with Erika attempting to find the killer before the killer strikes again, and with her own life and career on the line, it's not going to be easy.
Robert's writing is both powerful and emotive, and not only in those killer scenes such as the discovery of the bodies but also in those quieter moments of reflection, the reader and Erika taking time to really take in what we are reading about on the page. It's a truly atmospheric read throughout, with a fantastic sense of place. I really felt as if I was a part of the story myself and could visualise exactly what was going on. Erika Foster is such a wonderful creation, especially in the genre of crime fiction where a unique detective is very hard to come by. Erika has been intricately created, and her backstory is interwoven seamlessly within the main plot so that you really become invested in the character, and develop a connection with her as the story progresses. Her history is intriguing and there are some emotional scenes throughout. Erika is a character we will learn so much more about as the series progresses and I can't wait.
One of the best things about a crime fiction story for me is following along with the investigation, and playing detective myself. Despite having read hundreds of crime novels of the years, I wouldn't exactly say I was very good at it which meant that those moments that Robert had timed so well, to deliver some killer twists and reveals, completely took my by surprise and it was brilliant. The tension is kept up the whole way through, and the mystery element is brilliantly done. The closing scenes especially of The Girl in the Ice were some of the real standout moments of the book, and definitely left me eager for more. I don't believe an author can only write within one genre, and so I'm not one of those readers who is surprised that a rom com author can write crime fiction of this quality, and I would love to go and read one of Robert's romance novels just to compare them for myself but I would imagine the characterisation and storytelling would be just as good as it is here. Bookouture continue 2016 with yet another fantastic book which is once again sitting pretty at the top of the charts. Crime fans will not want to miss The Girl in the Ice.
Found it Shaun! Your reviews are so good!
ReplyDeleteBecca :-)