“She wished he were just a monster. There were rules for those… But there were no rules that would keep you safe from him.”

All the stars for this spine-tingling thriller!

What a thrill ride this was! Deliciously dark, sinister and addictive, this was like a twisty rollercoaster I didn’t want to end. From the start there’s a chill in the air and a lingering sense of dread, leaving you in no doubt what kind of read you’re in for. And with all the elements of a thriller that make my dark heart sing, I couldn’t get enough. I devoured this book; staying up until ridiculous o’clock, unable to resist the lure of breathless anticipation; reading until the author delivered her spectacular coupe de grace.

"He pressed the handkerchief to her lips. A cotton kiss in the dark."

Helen Fields is a crime fiction powerhouse. She was already on my must-read list thanks to her spectacular DI Callanach series, but with this standalone she has become a crime writer to shout about and recommend to anyone who enjoys this genre. She gives you everything you could want in a dark and gritty thriller: visceral, chilling prose, shocking twists and turns, plenty of heart-stopping moments, and fantastic characters, including a villain that makes your blood run cold.

I really liked Connie. She’s intelligent, fierce and straight-talking, with a dash of quirkiness that spoke to my inner weirdo. She is so fabulously written, with such a rich backstory that I really felt like I knew her. Her achromatopsia was a fascinating aspect of her character that I loved reading. I liked how it changed her perception of people and the world around her. In fact, I think my only complaint about this entire book is that it isn’t the start of a series and I won’t get to join Connie as she solves another case.

As much as I liked Connie I think my favourite character was young Meggy. She is a little firecracker and I loved her strength, bravery and ferocity. It gave me hope that just maybe she might survive her abduction. I loved the contrast between her and Elspeth and the way it showed it isn’t always the people you expect who take charge and fight when in those kinds of situations.

"Death had arrived. He might be wearing jeans and a denim jacket, but there was no mistaking the lack of humanity in that gaze."

Fergus, aka the Shadow Man, is suitably vile and chilling, The descriptions of him are so vivid I felt like I could see him in front of me. Ghoulish and predatory, he silently stalks his prey from the shadows; waiting for the right time to strike. He is masterfully written, with the author capturing every shade of his character; from darkest, despicable evil, to charming and feeble, that evoked some sympathy alongside the abhorrence. Calculated, organised, methodical and manipulative, he doesn’t follow the normal rules of a kidnapper which makes him harder to predict and apprehend and Connie must think outside of the box to capture him.

Scalpel-sharp, eerie, captivating, and dripping with suspense and heart-stopping tension, this is a page-turner full of red herrings, shocking reveals and so many twists you’ll get book whiplash. DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK! And, to Helen: PLEASE consider writing a follow up. I need more Connie!

Wow ! Just wow! I love Helens books and have read them all but I think that this one is the best ! I loved it.
9/10

Thank you to Avon for an advance review copy of this book.
I really enjoyed this one - the Shadow Man is one of the creepiest “baddies” I’ve ever read, and the storyline so sinister it sent actual shivers down my spine. The characters were well-drawn and believable and I want more of Connie and DI Baarda! Recommended for anyone who isn’t too easily frightened - this is a dark, gruesome thriller,

I’ve started to read the D.I. Callanach series by Helen Fields and really enjoyed the first in the series, Perfect Remains, so when I got the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Shadow Man, her first standalone, I knew I had to snap it up!

This book has all of the right ingredients for a spooky and tense psychological thriller and it is delivered very well. While I’m sceptical of thrillers that have a heavy emphasis on police procedure, this story is unique as much of the focus is instead on Dr Connie Woolvine, a specialist profiler drafted in from the States. Her character is amazing and really made a lot of the book for me - she’s witty, brave and super sarcastic which adds lightness to the overall suspense.

Another character who is an absolute badass is Meggy - she’s only 12 yet has a very sharp grip on reality and while this can come across as unrealistic and immature in a lot of books, in this case her personality was pulled off with ease.

From the prologue I was immediately engaged with the writing and thanks to a sterling job by the author of bringing to life a gritty, creepy yet sad story of a broken man and his overwhelming undiagnosed mental health issues, I barely put this book down before the end.

Thank you to NetGalley & Avon Books UK for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Shadow Man is the first stand-alone novel from Helen Fields but even without her usual characters she manages to deliver a very entertaining and absorbing dark novel that moves along at a rapid pace and definitely keeps the pages turning.

The characters in this book are excellently drawn and it wouldn’t surprise me if both Connie and Baarda were to feature in future books as their interaction and relationship is superbly written

Definitely recommended

I read this book over a few days. It’s tense and gripping as The Shadow Man goes around collecting victims. He doesn’t keep them safe, they’re locked in his flat and are desperate to escape this living hell. This book will keep you hooked with each turn of the page as Connie and Baarda do their best to find his victims alive. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books and the author for the chance to review.

This is a Mystery Thriller. The beginning is weird because you start out by seeing the killers point of view, and you are dropped into a very weird and drama filled point without any back story. I have to say to me that made me want to keep reading, but I can see that will upset someone people which is why I am including it in my review. The book is told by many of the characters, and the book jumps between different characters points of views. I enjoyed seeing the book for different characters points of view. This thriller kept me guessing for the beginning, and it was very scary at points for me. I really loved this story. I have to say there was not a ton of twists and turns in this thriller, but instead there is a built up there kept you guessing until everything just boiled over. I have to say the ending was ok, but it was not great. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Avon) or author (Helen Fields) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that. This book is schedule to be release on February 4-2021.

Even though there’s no Luc and Ava this time, The Shadow Man is still another 5 star read from Helen Fields. I loved everything about this and can’t wait to share this book with everyone I know.

If you are a fan of Helen Fields' 'Perfect' series featuring Luc Callanach, you will know that she is not one to shy away from exploring the unusual and darker side of crime. That is once again the case with The Shadow Man which follows Detective Inspector Brodie Baarda and Psychological Profiler Dr Constance 'Connie" Woolwine as they try to find a high profile missing person. What starts as a seemingly straightforward case soon turns into something far more sinister as the pair realise that they have more than one missing person on their hands. But with no apparent link. between the cases, and the perpetrators actions becoming increasingly gung-ho, it makes for one hell of a perplexing case.

As readers, we are privy to far more insight into the perp's motives than the police team as some of the chapters are told from their point of view. That doesn't mean we know the full reasons behind their behaviour, although we can make some very educated guesses. I liked that Helen Fields has chosen to explore a very unusual subject when it comes to the mental health of the antagonist in this novel as it brings to light a very strange psychological condition which, whilst rare, certainly leads to some very unusual behaviour in this case. It also adds a real sense of threat and an underlying tension as this person, the eponymous ' shadow man' really feels as though there is nothing to lose, meaning that absolutely anything can and does happen. Do not be fooled by the opening to this book - the reasons for it become very clear all too soon - and the first few chapters really do set up that chill which permeates the whole book. It is up there with the best and most chilling of the Callanach books, so if you love them, you will love this too.

Connie Woolwine is a very interesting character and I found myself warming to her really quickly. Strange to say as when you meet her you soon realise that she is a no-nonsense American woman, brash and forthright, and brimming with confidence, almost a complete clash with the more straight laced and stoic, almost stereotypically English, Baarda. Both are fish out of water in the city of Edinburgh, drafted in specifically to assist with this case. But despite their differences, they really do work well together, both as a detecting team and as a pair of characters. There is a strange chemistry between them and an immediate trust is formed which helped me settle into the story. Don't worry about having to get to know entirely new characters though - this is Helen Fields' Edinburgh, so more than the odd familiar face puts in appearance along the way.

This is a really engrossing and chilling book that pulled me in from the start and kept me fully focused on the page. From creepy scenes of stalking, to the portrayal of the fear, anger and almost resignation of the victims in. the book, the author has pitched this just right, keeping the worst of the violence and implications of what is happening off the page, and using the different character perspectives to allow readers to understand what has happened but at a step once removed. You can really feel the tension build and the. sense of urgency increase in the victims as we race towards the conclusion, the pulse skyrocketing as the Shadow Man makes his final move, and everything that we have been building towards becomes clear, played out in a nail-biting an nerve wracking showdown between Connie's wits and the Shadow Man's psychosis. Top writing that had me racing through the action.

I am just hoping that we will meet Connie and Baarda again, and the ending certainly lends itself to that being possible. With Connie's more transient career and Baarda being based with the Met, I reckon there are a world of possibilities I'd love to see the author explore. In the meantime, if you like a really tense thriller, with fabulous characters, both charming and chilling, and that explores a really complex psychological issue in a really original way, then pick this book up. Definitely recommended.

A creepy villian who is portrayed remarkbly well and a brilliant plot.

Very well written and executed with real flair. And I loved the setting of Edinburgh.

The tension builds throughout to a shattering climax.

A dark and gritty police procedural from Helen Fields. Set in Edinburgh, that opening chapter had me hooked. Not for the faint of heart this book is quite detailed and heavy at times, just the kind of book I love to get lost in. The relationship of the 2 main law enforcement characters was fun and I hope we se more from them in the future.

It starts with an accidental murder. The Shadow Man is abducting people and keeping them in his home. The police are baffled. No ransoms have come in and the range of victims is so varied they cannot find a pattern. Profiler Connie Woolwine is called in from the US and has her own way of tackling cases. She works with DI Baarda from London to try to stop this man. We hear from 3 points view, the law, the victims and the Shadow Man. The ending is horrific and will shock you.

Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.

There’s a man who studies his victims before going on the take. For him however, it’s not about the kill. It’s about something else entirely.

His need for something that’s been sorely been sorely lacking in his life.

Creepy and gruesome, the storyline in “The Shadow Man” just didn’t work for me. I was freaked out, grossed out and just couldn’t handle it.

For those of you looking for an off the wall mystery/suspense, you just might like this one as lots of other reviewers did, thus I simply might not be the right reader for this novel.

This was a buddy read with Kaceey and once again, we were on opposite sides on this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the arc.

Published on Goodreads and NetGalley on 1.9.21.

“Bad or mad was the question psychiatrists asked themselves when assessing offenders who had committed awful acts …”

The Shadow Man is definitely one of the most chilling thrillers I’ve read. You kind of know who the creep is right from the get-go, you know that he’s insane – on some level, he knows that he’s insane but now he’s desperate, he’s ill and his wish to fulfill his needs have become all-consuming.

Forensic psychologist Connie Woodwine and detective Brodie Baarda are on the case, assisting the Scottish police with the disappearance of a woman, Elspeth Dunwoody when more disappearances occur. Thus, begins the hunt for the elusive and deadly Shadow Man.

I’m not going to delve in to the specifics because the less someone knows going into this suspenseful thriller, the better. I want to point out that there were times that I felt actual fear and anxiety not to mention a pervasive sense of malice throughout. I think this is what makes this novel so compelling and difficult to put down. There are some incredible twists and the ending was just freaking satisfying despite the nail-biting that went down leading up to it.

The main characters are leap off the page realistic and I love the relationship between Woodwine and Baarda; they complement each other so well! The Shadow Man is perfectly creepy and ghoulish, guaranteed to send a chill down your spine. I know this is supposed to be a stand-alone but I’m hoping to read more about these two again!

My thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me a DRC for review!

An End I Did Not Expect... Great Phycological Thriller 👀

Hiding in the shadows watching her sleep, his months of patience finally paying off... or is it?

*****
DI Baarda and Connie, are called to investigate the disappearance of Elspeth Dunwoody, whilst this case is ongoing, Meggy and Xavier are soon missing. As each victim is taken, it raises the question are they still alive, a race against the clock increases.

The Shadow Man is told from various perspectives, Dr Connie Woolwine, arrived from London to work with the Major Investigation Team as a forensic psychologist, working mainly on profiles of serial killers. Connie has, at times, some very unusual methodology, which seems to work. Having experienced difficult times also, helps her understand troubled souls.

Detective Inspector Baarda, working the cases of the disappearance of Elspeth, Meggy and Xavier with the help of Connie. They've not worked together previously, so are getting to know each other's methods of investigation.

The captor, whilst in his mind he thinks he's doing right, but gives off a very sinister feel and finally, the victims, pre being taken and then when locked away in a flat, not knowing why they're there, and more importantly, will they survive?

A gripping phycological thriller, with an end I did not expect. Whilst this is a stand-alone novel, it would be great to read more with Connie and DI Baarda investigating. A d definite should read.

I’ve read Helen Fields' other books and so knew I was in for a treat and this certainly didn’t disappoint. The book hit the ground running with suspense, drama and plenty of dark themes just in the first few chapters. Helen really knows how to build characters, layer upon layer and part of the darkness, I find, is that she fosters, in the reader, a degree of empathy and understanding for the bad guy. The victims in the story have an excellent mix of vulnerability and heroic strengths and I particularly liked seeing the dynamic of one of them being a twelve year old girl and her interactions and behaviours in such dire situations. Just as the book seemed to be drawing to a nicely tied up conclusion, Helen grabs us again by the throat and we hurtle into an edge of the seat position once more for a high octane ending. Absolutely compelling and chilling, I don’t often give five star reviews but this was more than deserving.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Avon publishing’s and the Author for this arc.
I’m was tossing up bertween 4 and 5 stars, only because sometimes I felt a sentence just started and I got lost. So I gave it a 5 simply because the story had a different twist on the perpetrator.
American physiologist Connie Woodwine is called in to help track down a kidnapped and so is DI Baarda From Met ops. The two have never worked together before, but they make a compelling pair and are so easy to like. A female is killed and another taken, also a child is taken, then later a man.
How are these connected? Most perpetrators seem to focus on the same type of person, not switching then mo. So are we dealing with one, or maybe two different perpetrators. This is where Connie does her best work at unravelling the puzzle.
The reasons why this is happening will chill you to the bone, be careful, The Shadow man is out there and he is as scary as hell, let’s all hope to not run into him.
Recommended reading. Not your average physco.

The Shadow Man by Helen Fields

This was the first book that I have read by this author, and it will not be my last. I had read lots of good reviews for her books, and I was not disappointed in her newest one.

The Shadow Man is a crime, thriller which starts off very creepy and eerie for me. The main character is not well mentally or physically and stakes out, and kidnaps women.

This is a hard theme to read, but the book is very well written, and intriguing. I found that after the first 20% or so I became so compelled to read on and find out how the victims would come out of it at the end

He kidnaps three people Elspeth, Meggie and Xavier, a woman who he wants as his wife, a child, and a handicapped man.

This is great writing and a good thriller

Thank you to Goodreads, Author Helen Fields, and Avon Books UK for my advanced copy to review

#NetGalley

I am very grateful to Avon for gifting me a copy of this book but I found it hard to invest in any part of the story.

I'd encourage others to read it as I definitely feel this time that it is just me.

Although this book is somewhat intriguing, I could not get into the story. Others might. I received a free Kindle copy for review from Netgalley.

This book has a very promising plot and I was looking forward to read it. It started off really good and intense, giving readers a glimpse of what the perpetrator was doing to the victims. It was creepy and disturbing. Then we are introduced to Dr. Connie Woolwine, a forensic psychologist who is asked to consult on this case. This is where I begin to lose interest albeit the gripping plot. I really couldn't connect with Woolwine. Her personality was not appealing. I do not like her arrogance at all. It is so frustrating for me as I really want to like this book.


Pub. Date: Feb 4, 2021

***Thank you Avon Books UK and NetGalley for this gifted review copy in exchange for an honest review.***