Shadow Sands: The heart-racing new Kate Marshall thriller

Shadow Sands is a tantalising crime thriller and is the second instalment in the Kate Marshall series. Still reeling from the events in Nine Elms, I had been eagerly waiting for Shadow Sands and once I got my hands on a copy, I immediately got stuck into it and what is always the case with Robert Bryndza’s books, I was not disappointed! Just a heads up that Shadow Sands can be read as a standalone, but I do recommend you reading Nine Elms first, as it is another brilliant read! For Kate Marshall’s second outing, we see her become embroiled in a case involving the death of a young man whom her son Jake and herself find in the reservoir, Shadow Sands whilst out diving. The victims mother is unable to accept what the police have deemed a tragic accident and she enlists the help of Kate who quickly realises that things don’t add up about this mans death. With the help of her research assistant Tristan Harper, they set out in search of the truth and what they uncover is more than they bargained for. Shadow Sands is set two years after the events of Nine Elms and although not as dark, still packs a punch. Robert Bryndza kicks things off with a chilling prologue and first chapter, which sets off the tone of the book well. From there, in true Robert Bryndza form, things move at breakneck speed never letting up until the final page. The ending is satisfying and I like where it is going to head next. It has also been well researched, plotted and perfectly executed. I instantly connected with Kate Marshall in Nine Elms and it was great to catch up with her again. She has been through a lot and although not without flaws, I admire her strength to keep pushing on when her personal struggles, could see her giving up. Tristan Harper plays more of a role this time and I loved how we see a more vulnerable side to him, when something significant he has been hiding has to come out. He is also a great character and I love the dynamics between him and Kate. They really do compliment each other well. What I love about Robert Bryndza’s books is you know you are going to get a first class read each and every time and Shadow Sands in no different. He has a knack of pulling you into these fictitious worlds that he masterfully creates and with writing that is so vivid, has you experiencing the story as the characters do. I love it when an author is able to do this, which just enhances the greatness of the story all the more for me. Already after two books this series is now a favourite of mine and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for Kate next. I could just write about Robert Bryndza’s books all day. He really knows how to spin a tale and with each book he writes, he raises the bar higher and higher. His plots are always fresh and he creates characters that you find yourself really caring about. He is a real talent and one of the best crime thriller authors out there and I hope will be writing books for many years to come. It was an absolute pleasure to read and review Shadow Sands which I highly recommend.

Shadow Sands by Robert Bryndza A Kate Marshall Thriller #2 Chilling, creepy, killer abducting, terrorizing, torturing, and killing unsuspecting young people is the focus of the case Kate takes on in this book. A young man dies and then a professor where Kate teaches disappears and the hunt is on to find out where she is and what really happened that caused Simon’s death. Great book! What I liked: * Kate: smart, tenacious, methodical, uses her police background wisely, flawed but likable. I am invested in hearing more about her. * Tristan: a great investigator, supportive, good brother, shares a personal truth in this book, likable and a great person for Kate to have as her assistant. * Jake: Kate’s son is mature for his 16 years on earth. I have a feeling there will be more about him in the future. * The many threads followed in pursuit of finding the evil person doing wicked things and how it was all tied up in the end. * Magdalena: admirable woman with internal strength that was amazing * The plot, writing, twists, turns, and surprises * That the baddie was caught in the end What I didn’t like: * Knowing that psycho sickos exist and do the horrible things they do * The Baker family all seemed a bit off the deep end and overly entitled * Having to wait for the next book to be ready to read. Did I enjoy this book? Yes Would I read more in this series/by this author? Definitely! Thank you to NetGalley and Tomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review. 5 Stars

I really enjoyed reading this second book in Robert Bryndza's Kate Marshall series. The plot is multi-layered and twisty, a slow build of tension to a gripping edge-of-your seat conclusion. Two years after the action of Nine Elms (Kate Marshall #1), former police officer Kate is again drawn away from her work as an academic into a real life crime. While diving in the Shadow Sands reservoir with her 16-year-old son, Jake, Kate comes across the recently deceased body of a young man. After becoming aware of a series of worrying discrepancies in the police investigation, and having been approached by the mother of the young man, Kate and her assistant Tristan again take on their private investigator mantle and begin trying to uncover the truth. The stakes are raised when an Italian academic, Magdalena, who has recently befriended Tristan, goes missing on a stretch of the A1238 notorious for disappearances of young women over recent years. I feel that Shadow Sands is a step up from its predecessor, Nine Elms, both in terms of plot and character development - the previous book perhaps suffered from the weight of the lead character's backstory which, while essential to understanding her motivations, sometimes detracted from the main plotline. I still find some of Bryndza's prose and dialogue a bit awkward - he also seems to frequently fall foul of the "show, don't tell" maxim. Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable and stimulating read, with great characters and a gripping finale. My thanks to the author, Robert Bryndza, publisher Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title in advance of its publication on 3 November 2020.