BOOK REVIEW: THE GIRL IN THE ICE BY ROBERT BRYNDZA

THE GIRL IN THE ICE by Robert Bryndza

Erika Foster Series - Book 1

Grand Central Publishing; 4/24/18

CBTB Rating: 4/5

The Verdict: a familiar-yet-addictive police procedural

One of my favorite elements of crime fiction has always been its ability to deliver “comfort reads”...
which sounds a bit strange, considering the subject matter these books explore, but it’s always been
true for me. There’s nothing like the familiarity and comfort that can come with reading a really great
crime novel—no matter how dark the subject matter, crime fiction just always feels like exactly what I
need when I’m looking to escape reality for a while (or, sometimes, when I'm looking to understand
reality better). Of the many subgenres of crime fiction, one that provides some of the most reliable
“comfort reads” for me is that of the police procedural. Cheering for the good guys as they track down
the bad guys and pursue justice—that’s something I can always get behind.

Today’s featured title is exactly that kind of read: the crime novel that you can easily pick up and get
swept up in. THE GIRL IN THE ICE by Robert Bryndza (Grand Central; 4/24/18) was simply a comfort read
for me - and I mean that in the best possible way. From its compelling female lead to its breezy pacing
and addictive tension, Bryndza’s police procedural struck exactly the right chord for this reader. Fans of
M.J. Arlidge will find Bryndza’s work right up their alley - THE GIRL IN THE ICE has a similar tone to
Arlidge’s DI Helen Grace books, which, if you know me, you’ll know I mean as a high compliment. Pick
this one up for a weekend binge-read - you'll find Bryndza's world instantly-accessible, his characters
compelling and endearing, and his story's central mystery wholly engrossing. 

Plot Summary: 

Her eyes are wide open. Her lips parted as if to speak. Her dead body frozen in the ice...She is not the
only one.
When a young boy discovers the body of a woman beneath a thick sheet of ice in a South London park,
Detective Erika Foster is called in to lead the murder investigation.

The victim, a beautiful young socialite, appeared to have the perfect life. Yet when Erika begins to dig
deeper, she starts to connect the dots between the murder and the killings of three prostitutes, all
found strangled, hands bound and dumped in water around London.

What dark secrets is the girl in the ice hiding?

As Erika inches closer to uncovering the truth, the killer is closing in on Erika.

The last investigation Erika led went badly wrong... resulting in the death of her husband. With her
career hanging by a thread, Erika must now battle her own personal demons as well as a killer more
deadly than any she's faced before. But will she get to him before he strikes again?

I’m not an e-book reader myself, but no matter your position on them, it’s fascinating to learn the
backstory behind Bryndza's Erika Foster series. THE GIRL IN THE ICE is coming to the US this April after a
long stint as an e-book (and then print book) sensation abroad - it has sold over 1 million copies, and has
proven wildly popular with readers around the world! This spring, Grand Central is making THE GIRL IN
THE ICE available in paperback to American readers. It’s so exciting to see a book with such an organic
groundswell of support find another market and a whole new set of readers to engage with - and I’m
confident many CBTB readers will find this one right up their alley. 

So what exactly makes THE GIRL IN THE ICE so hugely popular? There are a number of facets that make
this a compelling read, but I would argue that it really boils down to one thing: THE GIRL IN THE ICE is
just plain fun to devour. Bryndza’s unfussy, uncomplicated writing beautifully toes the line between
accessible and simplistic—he’s managed to find that sweet spot that makes a book easy to binge-read
without making it predictable or superficial. There’s so much to be said for this delicate balance, and
Bryndza simply nails it. THE GIRL IN THE ICE is that rare book that can genuinely be called “compulsively
readable” - I read this book in two sittings, that’s how hooked I was.ppmains to true to its genre while
still reading in a fresh, modern way. A police procedural is defined (quite simply) as a novel that puts
emphasis on the procedures police use to solve a crime—and THE GIRL IN THE ICE most definitely falls
under this category, although it does so in a way all its own. There is a police investigation at the heart
of this book - readers are taken into the inner workings of Erika Foster’s investigation into the killings
plaguing her city - but Bryndza never gets mired in the details of this work. Readers are given just
enough information to make them well-informed; never so much information as to bog them down. It’s
yet another example of the accessibility and entertainment value that Bryndza has nailed. That being
said: again, if you’re in the market for a crime book that digs deep into the details of a police
investigation, this might not be the right choice for you - you're likely to find its portrayal of police work
too “surface level.” 

Because I am, as always, all about expectations, I do want to note that THE GIRL IN THE ICE centers
around a relatively familiar plot. If you’ve read widely within crime fiction, you will find the basic
premise of THE GIRL IN THE ICE familiar - but don’t let that deter you. As always, I'll be totally honest: I
was a bit concerned I would find THE GIRL IN THE ICE predictable; after all, I've just read so many books
with a similar premise to this one. My concerns were unnecessary, though - Bryndza's plot may sound
familiar, but THE GIRL IN THE ICE has personality all its own. And, at the end of the day, there really is
comfort in the familiar, and Bryndza’s ability to write engaging, addictive crime fiction will feel engaging
and exciting no matter how many “cop vs. killer” novels you’ve read. If you’re looking for a crime novel
that pushes the envelope or delves deep into the psychology of criminals, you’d do best to look
elsewhere - but if you’re in the market for a purely addictive and entertaining police procedural, THE
GIRL IN THE ICE will be right up your alley. 

This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. All opinions my own.