[REVIEW] Nine Elms

title: Nine Elms (Kate Marshall #1)

author: Robert Bryndza
genre: adult fiction, crime fiction, thriller
published: December 1st 2019 by Thomas & Mercer (first published November 1st 2019)
my copy: kindle, 392 pages
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 4 / 5 stars
goodreads

From the breakthrough international bestselling author of The Girl in the Ice, a breathtaking, page-turning novel about a disgraced female detective’s fight for redemption. And survival... 

Kate Marshall was a promising young police detective when she caught the notorious Nine Elms serial killer. But her greatest victory suddenly turned into a nightmare. Traumatized, betrayed, and publicly vilified for the shocking circumstances surrounding the cannibal murder case, Kate could only watch as her career ended in scandal. 

Fifteen years after those catastrophic events, Kate is still haunted by the unquiet ghosts of her troubled past. Now a lecturer at a small coastal English university, she finally has a chance to face them. A copycat killer has taken up the Nine Elms mantle, continuing the ghastly work of his idol. 

Enlisting her brilliant research assistant, Tristan Harper, Kate draws on her prodigious and long-neglected skills as an investigator to catch a new monster. Success promises redemption, but there’s much more on the line: Kate was the original killer’s intended fifth victim… and his successor means to finish the job.

your usual crime fiction.

I read a couple of books from Bryndza's previous series, his Detective Erika Foster series, and I really enjoyed them. So even though I haven't read them all (this cheap-ass me is waiting for further price drop on Kindle. I need books 3 and 5. lmao), I decided to grab this one when I saw it on Kindle Deals!

Nine Elms follows Kate Marshall, a former police detective, who was involved in the capture of a notorious serial killer called the Nine Elms cannibal. 15 years later, she has a son who doesn't live with her due to her alcohol problems and she's now teaching criminology in a university. Now a Nine Elms cannibal copycat killer has emerged. Alongside this, a couple has contacted Kate regarding a cold case of their missing daughter who they believe is a victim of the original Nine Elms cannibal. 

As a whole, this novel really fits the usual crime fiction. So if you enjoy crime fiction with the following things, you'll enjoy this: (1) private detective / ex-police, (2) a main character with baggage, (3) graphic descriptions of dead people, (4) there's murderer / suspect POV, (5) triggering psychological crimes (does that makes sense? lmao), and the classic (6) the main character piecing things together when the suspect is about to attack her.

I mean I know I've not read that much but that basically is like the usual things for me and somehow I'm okay with that. I liked Kate Marshall and I felt bad for the things she went through. I like her relationship with her son and how protective she is of him. I LOVE her assistant, Tristan. He's an innocent but also very eager. He gets those somewhat I'm feeling weak-on-the-knees moments but he remains brave. The in-betweens are so good and I'm constantly intrigued at how things will go. The conclusion is what kept me a bit off. Not exactly the reveal but more of how things actually went. I basically just had this ending in my head that I kind of want to happen and it went another way. But all is good. Not really a book problem but a me problem.

The mystery aspect is okay. It's not a whodunit so it isn't really one of those books that will make me think who did what since the POV of the suspect is included. And you somewhat see his backstory, his steps, how he laughs at the police and plans things out. You see many things but not everything. I'm usually at the edge of my seat generally because of the things Kate does to get information (believe me because I was especially at the edge of my seat when she and Tristan entered an establishment to take some incriminating evidence. damn I'm trying to keep this as vague as possible. hahaha). 

OVERALL, Nine Elms is a recommend crime fiction. You'll enjoy it given you enjoy the story tropes (?) I mentioned. It's quite thrilling and I really like Bryndza's writing. I already have the second book and I'm really excited to get to it!

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