I just want to start by saying WOW!

I felt like the premise for this book was on the same tune with a lot of other crime thriller novels, but this novel surprised me. I tend to love novels that have detective and psychologist combo because I find the human mind extremely interesting especially when it leads the rare occasion of crime coming from the mental ill.

Helen Fields created characters that provided a driven and interesting dynamic with Connie and Baarda on the search for the Shadow Man. The Shadow Man picks out a diverse group of people that he takes to fulfill his needs by kidnapping Elspeth, Maggie, and Xavier.

Field wrote a suspenseful, dangerous, and frustrating novel that kept me attached to the book page-by-page. I recommend this book to many people and can’t wait to pick up more novels by this author.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon books for the early copy!

Dark, twisty and tense! These are just three words to describe this story but there is also so much more depth to this book. It’s safe to say that if you read this book at night you might want to sleep with the lights on. Along with double/triple checking your windows and doors are locked!

The points of view from the killer gave this book a definite edge and made things even more intense. The pacing was strong and kept momentum throughout. Seeing perspectives from the killer, investigators or the kidnap victims allowed a much more rounded feel too. Transition from one perspective to the other was done very well. There was tension throughout with threat from the killer at a high, helping to unnerve at all times. .

Chilling at times, this book kept me on edge and I raced through this book in no time.

When I first heard about The Shadow Man, I knew I had to read it. The synopsis alone hooks you in, and I was desperate to find out what was happening. I’m so glad that I listened to my gut instinct, because this book really packs a punch.

The book gets off to a fantastic start. The opening scenes are brutal, but they prepare you and set you up for what is to come, and has you immediately unable to put the book down. Helen Fields has created a truly terrifying killer with this story, and a unique case to sink your teeth into. We follow the story from multiple different characters, and each one is just as interesting as the others. The story still manages to flow nicely, and really grips you. The case itself is so interesting, as it seems that there is absolutely no connection or pattern to the victims at all, making the detectives work a lot harder than it already would be. I loved following the investigation, and watching how they managed to find all of the pieces to the puzzle, and make them fit.

There are so many interesting character in the story, all of which are very different. Connie was a personal favourite of mine. She’s sarcastic, she doesn’t really care what people think of her, and she’s very realistic in her thoughts. There is no sugar coating with Connie, and I like that! I enjoyed the methods she used to work, which accommodated her disability. They were a little on the strange/unorthodox side, and the reaction of others to her methods is hilarious, but it is great that she has managed to find a way that works for her, and she’s rolling with it, regardless of how it may look to others. She’s there to get the job done, and that is exactly what she does. I also really like Baarda as a character too. I actually felt sorry for him for what he is clearly going through at home. He seems like such a genuinely nice guy, who just has one of those jobs that takes up too much time, and that’s not his fault. I loved watching Connie and Baarda working together, they make such a great team and compliment each other perfectly. Getting to know them both along the journey of the story was also really enjoyable.

I want to take a minute to talk about the monster of the story… Fergus. Honestly? I felt a little sorry for him, because no-one should have to go through that sort of illness. He is clearly struggling, mentally and physically, and it’s something I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy. BUT, that doesn’t excuse what he has done. Regardless of your physical and mental health, the way he has/is behaving is inexcusable. His character is actually quite complex, and extremely interesting, and the author has done a fantastic job.

I never expected such an explosive ending. Those last few chapters were so intense and full of action, I couldn’t stop reading. I think it was the perfect way to end the story, and to tie everything up.

Overall, The Shadow Man is an extremely dark, gripping thriller, that is probably not for the faint hearted. I have seen that a few reviewers have said that they just couldn’t handle how gruesome this was at times, but if like me, that’s exactly what you’re looking for in a thriller, then I would highly recommend picking up this book! Personally, I loved it, and it had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.

A huge thank you to Avon Books, and NetGalley for my copy, in exchange for an honest review.

I give The Shadow Man a 4.5 star rating!

First off like always I want to say a huge thank you to the publisher Avon Books UK, the author Helen Fields , and to NetGalley for letting me read and request it, because of them it seems like I've now found a new author to read . And man am I glad that I did request because its the perfect story to read on a stormy day like I did, with the thunder and rain coming down and just me and my dogs alone at home , all the time reading this one my kindle , even when the power kept going on and off I didn't want to stop. In fact I post to some of my bookish group chats that I was loving it and a few even replayed back saying they was added it to their TBRs. As for the story it was told in away that made it seem even darker and creeper and it flood perfectly together. It had all the elements that I love in a thriller which is : dark and twisted , creepy, a twisted serial killer, as well as a compelling story line that pulls you in from the very start and won't let go to the every end. And even though this is my first book by this author I can see why others like her work because after reading just this one books of hers I want to check out others and see if their just as good

what a cracking read Helen Fields is one of my favourite authors and the ‘Perfect’ series is one of my favourites, so I was interested to see how this standalone novel compared . Well, it was one of the best listens/reads I’ve read in a long time ! An addictive storyline from the first page to the last and a cast of strong characters that I would love to see develop and so wish this would become a series! It is quite a dark novel in places and both narrators brought the characters to life and so the little touches of humour balanced this out ! I can not speak highly enough of this book 📚 highly recommend

Brilliant! A fast paced story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.. So cleverly written. You should feel sorry for the Shadow Man but at times you empathise for him and the life he led. An original plot that I could not put down.
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A brilliantly gruesome book! I found the main subject of the story so fascinating that I actually had to look it up online as I'd never heard of it before, that subject is Cotard's syndrome and is a mental health condition in where the person believes they are dying or actually dead. A fantastic book that starts with a missing women and goes on from there. I totally recommend this one!

Fields' novel is built on a very unique premise, which created a great amount of payoff at the climax. The two investigators had a good rapport, bouncing off each other well. Meanwhile the killer was suitably sinister, with an edge of unpredictability that kept things interesting. A thriller that will definitely chill you.

A very strange kind of serial killer!

I have not read anything from this author before but would like to go back and read some of her previous books that were all set in Edinburgh, one of my favourite cities. However, I hope there are not too many more shadow men around!

I think the whole concept of the killer was very terrifying, he suffers from Cotard’s Delusion which means he thinks he is dying or sometimes feels he is already dead and when anyone has no fear of death I always think it makes them even more sinister as they feel they have nothing to lose.

Fergus Arriss is such a person, before he finally dies he wants to have his perfect family around him. He is a stalker who chooses his ‘new’ family with care. He abducts the perfect wife, Elspeth Dunwoody, the perfect daughter, 12-year-old Meggy Russell and a brother for her, paraplegic Xavier Coghill. However, despite his surveillance of his victims, they are all slightly different from what he had assumed.

We are introduced to DI Brodie Baarda who has been seconded from his London post to look into these kidnappings. He is teamed up with Dr Connie Woolwine who is a young, brash American and a brilliant psychologist. They are opposite in character but somehow they work well together.

Connie seems able to get into the head of the kidnapper and is the only person who connects the seemingly unconnected 3 kidnappings. The plot is fast-moving and with many twists and turns. It is also unlike any type of thriller type stories that I have ever read before. We even can feel a twinge of pity for the killer when we discover his background.

I am hoping that Brodie and Connie may become a more permanent partnership both at a working level and a personal level, they work so well together.

Dexter

Elite Book Group received a copy of the book to review

The Shadow Man follows Detective Inspector Brodie Baarda and Psychological Profiler Dr Constance 'Connie" Woolwine as they try to find a high profile missing person. Helen field does not pull any punches when writing thriller/ crime novels and this one is no exception a really good read. The novel has compelling characters , hard hitting crime scenes and all set in Edinburgh . What’s not to like…..

Three people are locked in a flat. They don't know where they are ... and they don't know why they were taken. What they do know is someone called The Shadow Man has taken them ... and unless they can escape, he will never let them go.

The Shadow Man is a mentally deranged man who frequently changes his name. He experiences severe delusional episodes in which he abducts and murders people he's targeted. If he doesn't kill them outright, he collects them.

Connie Woolwine is a Forensic Psychologist consulting with DI Baarda of Scotland to profile and catch this serial killer who seems to be able to kill and escape capture, leaving no clues behind. Woolwine and Baarda are absolutely sure that all these crimes are connected .. but how .. and why?

The backstory of the killer is amazingly creepy ... understandably so as his history is related. It's fast-paced with suspense starting on the very first page and holding steady until the unexpected explosive conclusion. The characters are solidly drawn. I was drawn into how well Woolwine and Baarda worked together. Hopefully, this is not the last we see of them.

Many thanks to the author / Avo Books UK / Netgalley for the digital copy of this pulse-pounding crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I love Helen Fields' Luc & Ava series, so I was eager to read this standalone and I was not disappointed!
A really dark thriller, with a truly walking corpse as the bad guy... it was gruesome and I loved it!
Connie and Brodie were also great characters... maybe this is not a standalone after all, but a start of a new series? Fingers crossed! Another great book from Helen Fields.

I would like to extend my gratitude to the author, publisher and NetGalley for sending me this advanced reader’s copy in return for a fair, frank, and honest review.

I have never read any books by this author so was looking forward to finding a new detective, crime mystery novelists. Additionally, was based in Edinburgh which is my nearest city. I enjoy books where I can literally follow the story. It was a fast-paced thriller, with many twists and turns throughout. This was a book that I read in one sitting. The ending I could never have predicted. Definitely will be reading more of her books.

After reading the perfect series by Helen fields I was looking forward to reading this one. Although some characters were mentioned in this book from that series it was still very much a stand alone book.
I enjoyed the storyline and how it was fast paced throughout.
Helen fields is an author that I will continue to look out for her new books in the future.

#TheShadowMan #NetGalley I love Helen Fields DI Callanach series so I was excited to read this standalone novel by the same author. A gripping thriller, that was extremely gruesome in parts (I don't mind this at all!), it told the story of Maggie, Elspeth and Xavier who have been abducted by the shadow man. And the race against time for DI Baarda and Dr Connie Woolwine, an American profiler, to discover where they are before its too late. Plenty of action, with many twists and turns. I liked the more unusual circumstances relation tp the shadow man and I also liked the relationship developing between Baarda and Connie - so much so that I wondered whether they might be a sequel to this after all?! A great read from a great author.

Quite a dark, albeit enjoyable read. I had enjoyed this author's DI Callanach series, I can attest that her attention to detail and the story telling abilities have transferred over to this work.

Anyone familiar with my taste in books knows I prefer my thrillers a bit on the darker side.
Careful what you wish for…this is one over-the-top, wicked read!

“Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of man? The Shadow knows.”

The shadow man has an agenda. He’s on the prowl for the perfect victims to meet his objective. What is that you may ask? Come on now, you know I can’t tell you...that would spoil the fun!

Connie is a forensic psychologist brought in from the US to aid the local Scotland police. Connie is no wall-flower and her methods are let’s just say, out of the ordinary. But yet I loved her! She’s tough as nails and won’t hesitate to go toe-to-toe with anyone.

Can her expertise help find The Shadow Man before time runs out?

This was my first read from Helen Fields and jumped at the chance to read this one. I am thoroughly hooked and planning to go back and read her series which looks equally chilling!

Even though I usually don’t like detective fiction, this was actually really good!! The Shadow Man follows forensic psychologist Connie and detective Baarda to find a the latest kidnap victim. This book was SCARY

A 30 some year old man who thinks he is dying goes on a kidnapping spree to find his perfect family and leaves them locked up in an old farmhouse. The reader cringes as a woman is forced to vow marriage to him in an old wedding dress. He stinks, his teeth are falling out, and his character is quite nightmarish. I admired the determination of the 12 year old girl as she became more of the adult and tried to help them escape. He also kidnaps a handicapped man in place of the brother that he lost at a young age. Once he determines that his "new wife" has been cheating on her real husband, he takes it personally and decides they all need to be together in a final resting place. As the police look for where he may have took them, they live through the biggest nightmare yet and the reader cannot help but imagining the horror they all live through. Great suspense filled story line, even greater, likeable characters, and the chance at finding real happiness at the end. I really enjoyed this book, although it felt kind of sluggish at times.

This book had an element of supernatural to it which added a different genre to the book. The pace of this book didnt stop. Suspense was electrifying . This was my first by Helen but I will definately be reading more.