Shadow Sands: The heart-racing new Kate Marshall thriller

Robert Bryndza

Nov 2020 · Hachette UK

About this eBook

THE UNMISSABLE THRILLER FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE GIRL IN THE ICE AND NINE ELMS ROBERT BRYNDZA

DON'T MISS THE NEW NAIL-BITING KATE MARSHALL THRILLER, DARKNESS FALLS, OUT NOW
__________

'You can't help turning the pages hungrily to see what happens next' THE TIMES

'Taut, atmospheric and spooky, Shadow Sands is truly chilling' JP DELANEY

When Kate Marshall finds the body of a young man floating in the Shadow Sands reservoir, the authorities label it a tragic accident.

But the details don't add up: why was he there in the middle of the night? If he was such a strong swimmer, how did he drown? As Kate and her assistant Tristan Harper follow the evidence, they make a far darker discovery . . .

This is only the latest victim in a series of bloody murders dating back decades. A mythic serial killer is said to hide in the rolling fog, abducting his victims like a phantom. And when another woman is taken, Kate and Tristan have a matter of days to save her from meeting the same fate.

_________

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SHADOW SANDS

'Another top class novel full of mystery, tension and dark secrets . . . The more I read, the more I am loving this series and, seeing how this one has ended, I cannot wait for book three'

'Rob Bryndza is one of the best authors I have read, I love his books'

'Dark, disturbing yet every bit as thrilling as Nine Elms. I just know there are more thrills and chills awaiting us in future books in the series. Kudos to the author as he has well and truly nailed it'

'Bryndza has done it again. The second episode in the Kate Marshall series was just excellent. Full of excitement, danger and mystery, it was a brilliant read'

Ratings and reviews

Shadow Sands is the second book in the Kate Marshall series by British author, Robert Bryndza. While diving with her son in the Shadow Sands Reservoir, Kate Marshall discovers the recently-dead body of a young man, Simon Kendal. The police quickly (too quickly?) rule it accidental drowning, but it doesn’t sit right with Kate, a former police detective and now lecturer in Criminology at Ashdean. Simon’s mother asks Kate to investigate, citing Simon’s fitness as an Olympic-level swimmer, and the absence of alcohol in his system. Lyn Kendal suspects Simon’s best friend, Geraint Jones, but Kate and her research assistant, Tristan Harper, note the inconsistencies in both the police case and this theory. Then an attractive young professor at Ashdean with an interest in “The Fog Phantom of the A1328” goes missing on a foggy Sunday from the A1328. Kate and Tristan follow up on the young woman’s research and begin to suspect there is a serial killer at work. There’s plenty of good detective work apparent here, despite Kate’s handicap of a lack of access to police resources. Her assistant’s talents are clearly an asset. Bryndza gives the reader a solid plot with a few red herrings and a nice twist, a little Nine Elms Cannibal distraction and an exciting climax. The ends are neatly tied up in the epilogue, with a promise of more from this pair. Great British crime fiction. This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer.

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.

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

About the author

Robert Bryndza is the author of the international #1 bestselling Detective Erika Foster series and the Kate Marshall series. Robert's books have sold over 4 million copies and have been translated into 29 languages. He is British and lives in Slovakia.

@RobertBryndza