This is a Mystery/Thriller book which is the second book in a series. The story is about Kate Marshall who used to be a Policewoman, but is now a Criminology Lecturer and Private Investigator. Along with her friend Tristan, she investigates a murder which has taken place where the boy, Simon, was left in a reservoir called Shadow Sands. I really liked Kate and Tristan, and their back stories. This is a great book, which I highly recommend. Robert Bryndza’s books are always very good, and I have enjoyed reading more of them recently.

My first encounter with Kate Marshall. This is the second book in the Kate Marshall series. The good thing about this book is that the author explained what had happened previously, without too much emphasis on the past. It is often difficult to read the second book to relate to the first one, but I followed the plot in this book with no problems. Kate Marshall is an ex-detective, who is now a university lecturer in Devon. She has a 16-year-old son, Jake, who lives with her parents due to the terrible trauma Kate has experienced when having a brief affair with Peter Conway, who became a serial killer. Kate is trying to maintain her relationship with her son, and as part of the bonding process, they go diving in the reservoir near to Kate’s home. However, the bonding is put to one side when they discover the body of an 18-year-old student, Simon Kendall, at the bottom of the reservoir. The official verdict is drowning, but when Kate, her detective instincts re-awakened disproves this theory, the local police accuses Geraint Jones, who had been camping with Simon of murder. The plot thickens as Kate discovers that various bodies have been discovered over the years in the reservoir. These discoveries have always been described as unfortunate accidents. The family, the Bakers, who owns the reservoir, are unwilling to delve into any of the murders. They seem in cahoots with the primary policeman, Henry Ko. Kate has an assistant in her job at the university, Tristan Harper, and he becomes involved in her investigation. Both of them had toyed with the idea of forming a private detective agency in the past but had never pursued the idea seriously. Together they unravel the shocking truth of what has been happening over many years. The ending is satisfying because it finally makes Kate decide that she wants to return to her detective roots and asks Tristan to join her. This will lead to the next book in the series that I would like to read, but it also promises more insight into Kate herself, who is an interesting character. It also means that I have to go back and read the first book as I really want to know the sequel background. Dexter Elite Book Group received a copy of the book to review

"It had almost been a perfect summer. They had almost been a normal family again, but now there was a dead body." When you take your teenage son out diving in an attempt to bond you would expect the most traumatic thing you’d find would maybe be a dead fish, not a human body. But that is just what Kate Marshall and her son Jake find while diving together in the reservoir, and once again Kate and her assistant Tristan are drawn into an investigation that the police want her to forget. Simon Kendal was a strong swimmer who narrowly missed out on the Olympics. So how did he end up dead at the bottom of the reservoir? And why are the police so insistent that they drop it? Kate soon discovers that this is a case with a multitude of unanswered questions and inconsistencies, but she is unprepared for the dark secret they uncover. The second book in the Kate Marshall series is another triumph. After enjoying the first book I jumped at the chance to take part in this readalong with the Tandem Collective. Once again, Robert Bryndza delivers a dark and twisted read that is a thriller at its best. Absorbing, tense and chilling, this story has it all: a mythical serial killer that lurks in the rolling fog, a desperate search for the latest victim, cover ups, and personal turmoil. The narration from the killer’s perspective adds mystery and suspense, offering us small clues to try and piece together. It’s a guessing game with an array of suspects that is full of surprising twists and turns. And all you can do is enjoy the ride. The dynamic between Kate and Tristan is once again fantastic. They make a great team and I enjoyed seeing more of Tristan’s personal life and background in this installment, allowing us to get to know him better and building a fuller picture of him as a character. It makes him feel like more of an equal part of the team than in the first book, which I really liked. Kate’s complex history is already well known to us at this point, and it feels like she can’t catch a break. Like every time things start to go well, life has other ideas. I really felt for her as I know how hard it is to connect with your teenagers even when you don’t have the troubled and fractured history that she has with Jake, and while my ex isn’t on a level comparable with Kate’s, I do know the terror of your child wanting to connect with an estranged parent that you know is toxic and manipulative. And she’s going through all of this while investigating crimes and trying to rescue someone from a murderer’s clutches. Absorbing, darkly atmospheric, suspenseful and deftly told, I couldn’t put this down, and I flew through it in just a few hours instead of the planned five days of the readalong. Bryndza has created a must read series for anyone who enjoys this genre.

The second book in the Kate Marshall series does not disappoint. Full of intrigue and dark secrets it is a real page turner. Thoroughly enjoyable - I am looking forward to book three.

Kate Marshall is enjoying her time with Jake her son for the summer holidays On the last day they decided with Jake's insistence to Suda dive the local reservoir as the old village that got flooded years ago was beneath it. Kate and Jake were enjoying the dive until thay come across a body of a teenage boy ,he is badly wounded and injuries across his body. Kate immediately signalled to Jake to come to air. Once on dry land Kate phoned the police and when they arrived with the new DCI Henry Ko he wanted to dismiss Kate's thoughts that it was fowl play. What Kate and he trusted friend Tristan find out about Shadow Sands reservoir and the owners chill you to the bone.