When I read the blurb for In Her Shadow, I was intrigued. Seeing the comparisons to Rebecca caught my interest right away. The blurb deepened my interest in the book. It sounded perfect for me. Then I read it. While I liked some parts of the book, there were other parts that I didn’t like. Those parts did factor in my rating of the review.

In Her Shadow had a fast plotline, which I liked. The book takes place within a week of Colleen moving into Michael’s house, Ravenwood. There were no dropped characters and, more importantly, no dropped storylines. The flow of the book was ok. Because the book had several different POV’s (always in 3rd person), the flow did get interrupted. I felt that if the author kept to Colleen, Michael, and maybe Joanna’s POV, the book would have had a better flow to it. I did not need to read about the detective, Michael’s friends, the cook, or the maid’s POV.

I liked, and felt terrible, for Colleen during the first half of In Her Shadow. She was thrust into a world that she did not know about. She had to deal with a staff that treated her like she was invisible. Adding to that, she was pregnant, and it was high risk. I didn’t blame her for feeling that she was overshadowed in the first days there. I also didn’t blame her for becoming obsessed with Joanna and her legacy. But, saying that, I wasn’t expecting what she found out.

I didn’t like Michael. From the beginning, he came across as skeevy. I had my doubts about him from the start. I mean, who moves on less than a month after his wife disappears? And then gets his new girlfriend pregnant? That was a huge WTF for several people in the book and me. But, as skeevy as he was, I didn’t quite believe that he killed Joanna. He was a coward and a bit of a wuss, but he didn’t spark that “I’m a killer” vibe to me.

The secondary characters most definitely made the book. From the police detective to Joanna’s best frenemy to Michael’s best friend, those characters breathed life into the book when it needed it.

The mystery angle of the book (Joanna’s disappearance) was well written, but it held no mystery for me. I was able to guess what happened to her before the author got there. I also guessed certain specific details that occurred before they happened (if that makes sense).

The thriller angle of the book was very well written. The author was able to keep me on my toes during those scenes.

The end of In Her Shadow was intense. Considering the prologue, I was expecting the book to end a certain way. I was not expecting what happened to happen. But, as I mentioned in the above paragraph, there was a huge plot twist that took me by surprise. I was not expecting what was revealed. I also was not expecting the final chapter or the countdown. Does that mean another book is in the works?

A dark and twisty thriller that left me guessing until the end! This was wholly atmospheric with a creepy setting. The characters were unlikable and I was confused to their ties. The writing was well done and set the tone for a creepy experience! The final big twist was well done and surprised me. Thank you to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

Colleen is pregnant with Michael's baby. She was his secretary and when his wife disappeared they began dating. He takes her to his estate Ravenwood. Colleen is not used to living in the lap of luxury as Michael is She feels very out of place and with the mystery of Michael's missing wife, Colleen's life is not easy. More and more secrets are revealed and so many twists and turns make this a great thriller! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

I loved the gothic atmosphere of this book. Reminded me of Rebecca in a way. A pregnant girlfriend of a married boss who is wife comes to harm. Somewhat cliched, yet interestingly written. The author did a find job with character and plot development and kept me on my toes as far as the ending. I thought she did a wonderful job for the most part and I definitely recommend the read. I will look into more of her works.

I would like to thank the author/publisher/Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was an interesting read. It centers on Colleen, who becomes pregnant with her boss's child and he whisks her away to his mansion, Ravenwood, in the San Francisco Bay area, Once there, she realizes that there is a lot she doesn't know about his ex-wife, Joanna, who left him right before Colleen came on the scene. Colleen is met with hostility from the house staff, odd behavior from the next door neighbors, and an overall sense of creepiness in the house, which has a wing she is told not to enter. It also turns out that everyone loved Joanna and Colleen is struggling to live up to her memory.

Early in the book, there are bones found in a shallow grave near the Ravenwood mansion. I think everyone knows who those bones turn out to be, but the author makes you wait on confirmation of this for a few chapters. Though I liked the dynamic between the 2 police detectives, I did think the police work itself was a little slow- there were multiple times when I questioned why they didn't follow a lead or make an assumption, only to see them finally get there later in the book.

There is an overall sense of unease throughout the book, which added to my enjoyment, but the best thing here was the unexpected and awesome ending. I pride myself on being able to figure out a twist but did not see this coming.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to those who like mysteries and psychological thrillers- I would give this a solid 3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher Random House for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you are a fan of Rebecca you will love this. It is a story of a young woman who gets involved with her boss and finds herself pregnant. He moves her into his palatial home after his wife suddenly leaves him. Like Rebecca, everyone loves his wife and Colleen finds it difficult to fit in. This is a thriller from the very beginning as you are introduced to the staff, friends and neighbors of the very popular woman who left. The story keeps you involved and guessing and your heart goes out to this young woman who so wants to fit in. The characters are well defined, the settings are beautiful.

My only complaint was the abrupt ending. I wanted more. Kristin did a great job in building her story but the rush to wrap it all up was not what I wanted or even expected. The story had you going one way only to find yourself suddenly going another. That is what makes a great mystery. A little more in the summation would have made this a 10 star book.

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley and the author for granting me the wish for this book!
I couldnt put this book down. When I say I read it everywhere, I mean while walking the dog, making dinner, and until 3 in the morning on a work night.
I loved how much Kristin Miller built the characters so that they came alive off of the page. She is a very talented author and this book is a perfect twisted and twisty book. There were characters to root for and characters to hate and everytime I thought I had it figured out, the author threw me with a twist.
10 stars. If you have this on your TBR shelf, READ IT NOW!!! :-)

In Her Shadow
by Kristin Miller
368 pages
Publication date: April 21, 2020
Publisher: Ballantine Books
5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wow, Wow, Wow!!!! It's 5 am and I just finished In her Shadow. That was one twisted, shocking psychological thriller! I was drawn In from the beginning and my interest kept throughout. I could not put this book down. So many twists and turns that has your brain going in so many different directions. It is very well written and each character is really well developed. I felt like I was right there with them during every part of the story. It was so good i didn't want it to end.I really enjoyed the characters and story. This was such an Intense read with such a mind blowing twist you will never see coming! My jaw hit the floor! It really was a roller coaster of a ride.The ending omg it left me with my mouth hanging open saying what ??????
I am so glad the
publisher granted my wish and I received an advance copy of In Her Shadow. I absolutely love love loved it !!!!This is one book you will not want to miss. This is the first book by this Author that I have read, but it won't be the last. I want to read all the books she writes. I am impatiently
looking forward to reading many more of this authors books. As always if you like the book you read please take the time to leave a review for the author in places like goodreads & Amazon. It does not have to be long. Just a few sentences saying you liked the book will do. Authors really appreciate every review they get ! Thank you to NetGalley ,the publisher and the author for the chance to read and review this amazing 5 star read for an honest review ! I wish I could give it more that 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#InHerShadow #NetGalley

Miller crafts a psychological mind tease. Michael's wife Joanna has disappeared. He now Has his pregnancy secretary moving into the home he once shared with Joanna. Other characters emerge from the mists: Travis, Rachael, and Dean. Joanna turns out to be a cunning, very unlikable woman. She had many secrets that are slowly revealed. In the end, however the one who ends having the most secrets is right in front of the reader. I appreciated the author's clever play on words with chapter titles.

Colleen makes her living as a personal assistant to Michael Harris. She is also now his girlfriend as well as an expectant mother to be. Michael's first wife Joanna left him abruptly six months ago and he has now asked Colleen to move into Ravenwood the estate he once shared with Joanna.

Colleen can not believe her eyes when she steps through the door. She has never in a million years expected to live in such a life of luxury. However there is one problem. Joanna's memory seems to still linger in the house. The chef and housekeeper are less than friendly. And why did Michael tell her she is never allowed to enter the locked rooms in the east wing?

After spending her first night restless and sleepless she is shocked to find out that a body has been found buried in the grove right across the street from Ravenwood. Is it possible that Joanna didn't actually leave her husband but was murdered instead? And just how well does she now Michael? You'll have to read it to find out.

This was a compelling read that takes some twists and turns. Some I did see coming and some that I did not. Nobody outside of Colleen is likable which makes the who did it that much more difficult to figure out. I thought the ending was solid and enjoyable. I will gladly read more from Kristin Miller. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for generously granting my wish for this ARC.

Colleen has never had anyone care for her and love her and she so desperately craves this. She may not come from the same world as him but she is not letting that stop her.
When Colleen becomes pregnant with her boss Michael’s child, she is brought to his home, Ravenwood Estate. His wife, Joanna disappeared a short time before Colleen starting working at Michael’s office. Joanna left the marriage and went to stay with her sister. Colleen may be sleeping with Michael and living in his house but the staff at Ravenwood and everyone around them is not so quick to let Joanna go. Colleen is given the cold shouldder
by everyone and feels that she is still living in the shadow of Joanna. When bones are discovered across from the house, speculation is around Michael and what really happened to Joanna. The police are closing in and Joanna isn’t ready to give up her fairytale yet. But how far is she willing to go to achieve her happy little family?
Highly recommend this thriller with it’s plot twists and turns. Keep me guessing until the end.
Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am very happy I was able to read this book... at first I was a little confused at how the main character was going to end up in this novel but wow... Kristin Miller did a wonderful job at really letting her characters shine. Just the right amount of thrill and suspense!

Colleen is 5 months pregnant and moves in with Michael, her boyfriend and former boss, whose wife left him and disappeared without a trace. Early on, it's mentioned that Colleen's favorite book is Rebecca, and her experience does echo that book in some ways - the staff hate her, she feels compared with Joanna by everyone, etc. Then Joanna's body turns up buried across the street, and everyone comes under suspicion. I guessed at the ending in the middle of the book, and while I did mostly enjoy it, I kind of hated all of the characters and wasn't really shocked by anything, so 3 stars.

I love a good thriller and man did I get one in this book. It started out with a bit of a shocker and ended that way to, The story starts with Colleen, naive, in love and pregnant, moving in with her boyfriend Michael at his opulent estate Ravenwood, All seems well except for the mystery of the missing wife Joanna. Then a body is discovered and the twists keep coming. Is Michael a murderer? Was Joanna the person everyone thought she was? This books reminds me of Rebecca and the gothic romances I was addicted to as a teenager, and has some good twists and turns. I have never read this author before, but highly recommend this book for people who like a good thriller, or are nostalgic for a gothic mystery.

Thank you to Random/Ballantine, Netgalley and the author, Kristin MIller for the chance to preview this book. I cannot wait for her next endeavor.

Wow; what a twisted chilling read, which had me shocked at the end! Well written, intense, unputdownable, chilling, and absolutely shocking! This is one of those books that just grabs you and doesn’t let you do anything else until you have finished! A must read for those who love twisty thrillers that are sure to give you chills down the spine, loss of breath, and gasps! Tense and amazing!
I’ll make sure I buzz this up on all the different platforms!

I loved the blurb of the book and when I read that it was inspired by Daphne du Maurier's 'Rebecca' I was in hook line and sinker!

This is a truly twisted story. I was hooked from the start android not put it down until I finished it.
The book does start off a little slowly but builds the tension and atmosphere with every page turned and the ending is a shocker which I wasn't expecting. I do love good twists and turns in a book .

The author does an excellent job at creating a sinister and ominous atmosphere that keeps you completely engaged and invested.

I found the characters to be fascinating and loved the whole atmospheric setting. I will definitely be recommending this book for all the readers who love a sinister thriller with a twisty ending that keeps you guessing right uptil the very end.

I haven't read anything by this author but I will definitely be checking her books out now.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Colleen is so happy. Nothing could make her happier. She's pregnant and she's with the man she loves with all her heart. The only thing is that the shadow of the former wife is all over. Joanna's house, her car, her perfume, her clothes her husband. Truth is that her boyfriend is still legally married. The other truth, his wife has been gone for several months. No one has heard from her or seen her. The only clue is the text message she left for her husband. She told him that she was going to her sister's house. The baby she carried wasn't his and she was making a new life with her lover.
Except that records indicate that she had miscarried her baby. That she had had her tubes tied. And she wasn't at her sister's.
Then, the neighbors dog, while on a walk digs up a human bone. Could this be the missing wife? Who killed her and why?
A sinister psychological thriller that keeps you guessing till the very end. Excellent!

“In Her Shadow” is described as a modern twist on the classic “Rebecca”. By Daphne du Maurice.
Colleen was a secretary for Michael, a successful, wealthy businessman whose wife Joann abruptly left him while she was 5 months pregnant with nothing but a text message left behind. Michael had begun dating Colleen a month after her disappearance and five short months later, she became pregnant and he moved her into Ravenwood, the home he had shared with Joann. Colleen is immediately uncomfortable surrounded by the furnishings of his missing wife but is determined to push aside her unease and focus on Michael and their unborn child. The housekeeper Samara and the cook Dean add to that unease by insisting on serving the meals Joann preferred and giving her Joanns” house keys.
Shortly after her arrival Joanns’ body is discovered in the grove across from Ravenwood. As is usually the case, Michael as the husband is the number one suspect but as more comes out about Joann we learn there are many people who had a reason to kill her.
This is a truly twisted story, it starts off a little slowly but builds and the ending is a shocker. The author does an excellent job at creating a sinister and foreboding atmosphere that keep you turning pages.
This is not due out until April 21, 2020 but I the publisher granted my wish and I received an advance copy in exchange for my opinion. I enjoyed this and look forward to seeing what this author comes up with next!
Thank you to #netgalley and #ballantinebooks.

This book is a very slow burn. The twist at the end is shocking but it took so long to get there I had to give it 3 stars. I will say that it kept me guessing until the end and if you’re a fan of mysteries I would recommend you give this a shot.

A really good book, full of believable characters and an entertaining plot. Highly recommended. Plan on reading more books by this author.