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darksky's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
drewett's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
laughlinesandliterature's review against another edition
4.5
The 8th book of the Detective Erika Foster series did not disappoint! I really liked getting this more mature Erika. At the start of the series she is still very much a grieving widow navigating a move to London, and figuring out where she fits in. The Erika we get in Lethal Vengeance is as tenacious as ever and still has her moral code. However, she has started to learn when to pick her battles, and that was a nice change of pace. I think part of it has to do with the fact that she has settled in with Igor and his son. I actually really loved reading about them and I thought Igor was so sweet. We also got to see the slightly humorous side of Robert Bryndza in what I’m calling The Date Disaster. It definitely gave me Coco Pinchard vibes with Erica dashing for the door, Igor left at the table, and the eventually talking it out where both of them are hilariously horrified.
Honestly this was a fantastic entry into the series, Jan Cramer’s narration is beautiful as always, and that ending was EMOJI I’m still trying to decide how I feel about it!
If you like mysteries, thrillers, or police procedurals you should definitely give this one a listen!
Honestly this was a fantastic entry into the series, Jan Cramer’s narration is beautiful as always, and that ending was EMOJI I’m still trying to decide how I feel about it!
If you like mysteries, thrillers, or police procedurals you should definitely give this one a listen!
sailonsilver's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Erika is still going strong and the books are still enjoyable.
andiwitherbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
erika foster, my beloved! I'd love to see her go on vacation in the next one and/or catch a break. I know it's not possible but the thought is nice.
lynguy1's review against another edition
4.0
Lethal Vengeance by Robert Bryndza is an excellent police procedural novel featuring Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster. In this eighth book in the series set in London, Foster finds politician Neville Lomas dead in his own apartment. However, the case is taken from her and quickly ruled as a death from natural causes. The case is closed until two months later when more deaths that are similar in nature occur. Foster isn’t about to let these cases be ignored.
Foster is principled and tends to go against authority if she feels they’re not doing what’s right. She has a direct manner, gets results, and is well respected by her team. However, because she occasionally bucks authority, her career feels stalled. The other characters are well defined as well, with a set of repeat characters from previous books along with new ones related to the cases in this story line. While most of the story is from Foster’s point of view, there are occasionally chapters from the point of view of the killer including some flashback scenes.
The plot is twisty, deeply involved, and intense at times. It quickly builds momentum as the plot twists and turns and higher-ups try to contain the investigation. There are unpredictable moments in the story that are unsettling. It’s well-written and flows well as readers gain insight into the thoughts, behaviors, and actions towards others of both Foster and the killer. My only quibble is that while the main mystery was solved, a couple of items were left open at the ending that I wanted answered. Themes include murder, guilt, revenge, political maneuvering, ethics, relationships, trust, responsibilities, and much more.
Overall, this gripping and complex police procedural has good characterization and a plot that keeps readers turning the pages to see what will happen next. While this is the first book in the series I have read, it worked as a standalone novel for me. However, I’m looking forward to reading more from this author and want to read the earlier books in the series as well as the ninth one when it is available.
Raven Street Publishing and Robert Bryndza provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for February 08, 2024.
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My 4.34 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Foster is principled and tends to go against authority if she feels they’re not doing what’s right. She has a direct manner, gets results, and is well respected by her team. However, because she occasionally bucks authority, her career feels stalled. The other characters are well defined as well, with a set of repeat characters from previous books along with new ones related to the cases in this story line. While most of the story is from Foster’s point of view, there are occasionally chapters from the point of view of the killer including some flashback scenes.
The plot is twisty, deeply involved, and intense at times. It quickly builds momentum as the plot twists and turns and higher-ups try to contain the investigation. There are unpredictable moments in the story that are unsettling. It’s well-written and flows well as readers gain insight into the thoughts, behaviors, and actions towards others of both Foster and the killer. My only quibble is that while the main mystery was solved, a couple of items were left open at the ending that I wanted answered. Themes include murder, guilt, revenge, political maneuvering, ethics, relationships, trust, responsibilities, and much more.
Overall, this gripping and complex police procedural has good characterization and a plot that keeps readers turning the pages to see what will happen next. While this is the first book in the series I have read, it worked as a standalone novel for me. However, I’m looking forward to reading more from this author and want to read the earlier books in the series as well as the ninth one when it is available.
Raven Street Publishing and Robert Bryndza provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for February 08, 2024.
----------------------------------------
My 4.34 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
kordulap's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
catiaacribeiro's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
gabmc's review against another edition
4.0
Robert Bryndza has become one of my favourite crime authors. Ever since a friend recommended "The Girl in the Ice" to me in 2016 I have pre-ordered his books. DI Erika Foster is the investigator in charge of a very high profile case. She is the first detective on the scene of the death of a politician. However, that case soon gets taken from her. Then a famous soccer star's body is found, in the same position as the politician. This time Erika gets to investigate both cases. In the second case, the killer(s) are seen prominently on CCTV - but all are wearing masks and the same clothes. In this book we get some chapters from the killer's point of view and while I never think murder is the answer to anything, I did have some sympathy for the killer. We get more of Erika's personal life, which I liked. The tension and suspense are palpable and I stayed up too late on many occasions to finish 'just one more chapter'!