Rating: 3 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 🎧: The Shadow Man
Author: Helen Fields
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Release Date: Available Now!!! Released on February 4, 2021

Sipping Synopsis: Skinny, skeletal, and weird looking are just some ways people describe him. But one thing they don’t know is that this man is abducting people. It seems as there is no rhyme or reason as to why he is taking these people but in his deranged mine he has a plan. Elspeth, Meggy and Xavier all hope that they can figure out why they were taken and better yet how to escape.

Final sipping thoughts: I enjoyed this book well enough. It wasn’t great but it wasn’t bad either. I thought the plot was pretty original and different enough that it would be a great read. It fell a little short for me and was too wordy in a lot of places. I listened to the audio version of it and when the female character read, I tuned out on certain parts no matter how hard I tried. The Shadow Man’s voice was so creepy and really made me feel how sick he was. I did love the psychology aspect behind it and actually learned a lot too. I think I will try another Helen Fields book after this.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley, @HarperCollinsUkAudio and @Avon for an advanced copy of @TheShadowWife

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4.58 Stars

Thank you, HarperCollins UK Audio, Helen Fields and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of “The Shadow Man”, narrated by Robin Laing and Cathleen McCarron in exchange for an honest review.
The Shadow Man’s release date is today, February 9, 2021 and I am so excited for everyone to read or listen to this book!

Robin Laing and Cathleen McCarron narration was amazing, they were easy to follow, well paced, did a great job distinguishing characters with their voices. I was able to follow the story from beginning to end without getting lost. I can still hear our “serial killer’s” voice – it was more haunting than I could have ever pictured in just my head and I am so thankful to this audiobook for that!

A woman is kidnapped and an FBI profiler is called in to help the local police. Once the investigations ensue, we find out that there is more to this kidnapping and more victims might be involved. All the relationships in this book were amazing – The profiler and the detective, The profiler and the victims, the serial killer and the victims, and the victims with each other. Fields did I wonderful job giving each character layers. Each character had a redeeming quality about them, as well as flaws they embraced. They were, well, human! And that was so refreshing to see.

I want to take a moment and thank Helen Fields for doing to Mental Disorders what Agatha Christie did to poison! I love when an author introduces us to something obscure, but real and does it so with authority. Fields did that! I finished the book and started researching what she brought to the table!

If I can complain about anything is that this is marketed as a standalone. Can it please be the first in a series, Helen? I need more Connie.

#TheShadowMan #NetGalley

3.5 stars
I have mixed feelings about this book. The plot was original, with quirky unconventional characters and atmospheric setting, several twists and a strong ending. However, it just seemed too contrived, with author almost trying too hard to be original - every character was unconventional: the villain, the main policeman, his boss, the psychologist, the pathologist, the victims... It didn’t make them any more engaging or authentic.
I listened to the audio version and found the female narrator very irritating, with an unpleasant voice. I usually like Helen Fields’ books but The Shadow Man is my least favourite one.

Interesting thirller with an original set up. Different points of views: the police, the victims, the perpetrator... Liked the pair policeman/psicological profiler.

Great narrator. Really read this well. So much so that I was totally engrossed.
This story was so good that I want to immediately find more by the author, Helen Fields. Slightly creepy, heart wrenching and dark. What’s not to like?

My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. Audio for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook edition of ‘The Shadow Man’ by Helen Fields in exchange for an honest review. It was narrated by Robin Laing and Cathleen McCarron and has a running time of 12 hours, 49 minutes at 1x speed.

I have enjoyed a few of Helen Fields’ series of police procedurals set in Edinburgh featuring DI Callanach. This is a stand-alone crime thriller, also set in Edinburgh.

Following the disappearance of Elspeth Dunwoody from an Edinburgh park, Dr. Connie Woolwine, a forensic psychologist from the USA has been asked to consult on the case. She is teamed with D.I. Brodie Baarda, who has been drafted in from London as he had some years experience with the Met’s kidnap unit. It appears that Elspeth is related to a high tech mogul resulting in a media blackout and an expert like Dr. Connie being brought in.

I won’t say more in order to avoid spoilers but will say that it is a very disturbing case, especially those chapters that feature the ‘Shadow Man’ including his inner thoughts. It proved very hard to put down.

It took me a while to warm to Dr. Connie though it was clear that she was very intelligent and caring about the victims, even if her personality was a bit prickly. There are good reasons for it that emerge. There was also good chemistry between her and Baarda.

Helen Fields uses this opportunity to highlight a rare psychiatric condition and delve deep into the motivations of the Shadow Man.

With respect to the audiobook Robin Laing has served as the narrator for Field’s ‘Perfect’ series of police procedurals featuring DI Callanach. So he has plenty of experience with Fields’ style and his soft Scottish burr is very pleasant to listen to.

Cathleen McCarron, who voices the chapters focused on Dr. Connie, is a very popular audiobook narrator, who has won a number of awards for her voice acting. I have enjoyed her narration on various titles including this one. The audiobook also contains an exclusive DI Callanach short story.

Overall, this proved a riveting crime thriller that had me on the edge of my seat anticipating the next shocking revelation. While billed as a stand-alone, Helen Fields has allowed an opening for a sequel or even a series. I certainly would welcome more from this team of unorthodox investigators.

I listened to the audiobook for which Robin Laing and Cathleen McCarron provided first class narration. Robin's rendition of the villain was truly terrifying. As for the writing - after the first chapter I feared I may never sleep again! It will haunt me for life. As soon as I started reading I asked myself why I haven't read Helen Fields before? I'm so annoyed with myself for this enormous oversight. She's brilliant! On the plus side, I have six books in the DI Callanach series to look forward to!

This is Fields' first stand-alone novel and proves an excellent introduction to her expert plotting, characterisation and thrilling fast pace. My favourite character was undoubtedly Meggy - a fabulously feisty wee lassie. I absolutely adored her! I also enjoyed DS Overbeck's sharp wit. Forensic Psychologist Connie has an interesting backstory from across the pond. The audiobook includes an exclusive short story at the end. As an unexpected bonus, the book really made me think about what I would do in certain situations so thank you, Helen, for the potentially life-saving advice amidst the thrilling read.

An interesting psychological thriller that is a little different to anything I’ve read/listened to before.

Creepy and eerie and very dark.

Connie is an interesting character that adds a lot to the story however it took me a while to warm to her as a person.. I don’t love her.

A great story

😱 what a book!! This is a creepy thriller that quite honestly scared the hell out of me! I can see me recommending it to everyone. The Shadow Man is a mystery thriller which follows Connie a forensic psychologist and Detective Baarda who are hunting down a kidnapper who has killed and also taken a woman, a 12 year old girl and a disabled man. They are trying to hunt him down before he kills again. We also follow the perspective of the killer and the victims which made the story so enthralling. I don’t want to get into too much detail as I don’t want to spoil it but I can see this being a super popular thriller. I liked it even more than the Whisper Man. Even more than The Silent Patient. It is honestly the best thriller I have read in a while and it will stay with me for a long time! I hope this becomes a massive hit because it deserves too. Oh also the audiobook is brilliant. The two narrators really brought it to life. Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this arc in return for a honest review

This psychological thriller carries you into the dark world of The Shadow Man, a criminal who takes who he wants when he wants with no remorse and no consideration for the consequences. This crime thriller will keep you up at night, simply glued to the pages.

The Shadow Man was my introduction to Helen Fields and this time I opted for the audiobook since I have been neglecting audiobooks lately. This title has me hooked and Helen Fields is heading to the top of my author’s to watch out for list. The story is a nailbiting, twisty tale that will leave you unable to hit the pause button. I even carried this audiobook to the bathroom and did meal prep while listening, it was that engrossing. I spent two days listening to this and cannot wait to get my hand on more books by Helen Fields

After the disappearance of a young mother with wealthy family connections, Dr Connie Woolwine, an American Psychological profile is asked to team up with D.I. Brodie Baarda – a kidnapping specialist. When more kidnappings follow, Connie a Baarda are left confused by the difference in victims, but they quickly understand that they are racing against the clock. Will they find the three victims before it is too late?

The narrators performed this title beautifully making it a gripping, entertaining experience. I found it impossible to put this down, I could not wait to find out where the story would lead. The detail in this tale had me sitting on the edge of my seat. I do not think I have ever been this captivated by an audiobook before. This is without a doubt the first time I have ever done meal prep while listening to a book.

The Shadow Man sports a very colourful cast. I enjoyed Dr Connie Woolwine – she suffers from foot in mount disease and makes no apology for it, I absolutely loved her. The good looking D.I. Brodie Baarda at first appeared a little uptight, but the more you get to know him, the more you like him. I thought these two characters were creative, but oh boy the author did a mind-blowing job with Furgus – this guy was the most interesting villain I have ever come across. I was completely mesmerized by this guy. This is the first time I would say the villain was my favourite character in a book. Well done Helen Fields – Furgus is simply brilliant!

Another addition to my 2021 loved list. The Shadow Man is a brilliant read and I can guarantee that if you enjoy psychological thrillers you will be left raving about this title.

Thriller fans – be warned – this book will lead to obsessive reading which will leave you unpopular with the people you live with!

The Shadow Man by Helen Fields is a unique thriller.

Elspeth is taken and locked in a flat. Then, Meggie is taken and joins her. They both are trying to figure out how to escape. The man that took them brings them food and spends time with them. He calls Elspeth his wife and Meggie his daughter. They don’t know when he will visit or where he goes when he leaves. Then Xavier is brought into the flat. The man calls Xavier his brother. Elspeth, Meggie, and Xavier are trying to figure out how to escape without getting caught. Connie, a forensic psychologist, and DI Brodie Baarda are trying to find Elspeth, Meggie and Xavier before it’s too late. They are trying to find a connection between the missing people to discover his motives. Will they find Elspeth, Meggie, and Xavier in time? Will Elspeth, Meggie and Xavier escape?

The Shadow Man is an interesting and unique thriller. Elspeth, Meggie, and Xavier are stuck in a flat together. The man that took them calls them his family. Everyone reacts differently to being held captive. I found it interesting seeing how the different characters tried to escape and how they reacted to their captor. They all found different ways to survive. The man that took them, “the shadow man”, is struggling with mental health. Parts of the story are told from his perspective which was interesting. There were some parts of The Shadow Man that I found confusing but everything was revealed by the end of the book. Connie is a very interesting character and brings so much depth to the story. The end was very intense and stressful in a good way. The ending was definitely my favorite part of the book.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Robin Laing and Cathleen McCarron and thought they did a good job. I also read the ebook and enjoyed both formats.

Thank you Avon Books UK, Harper Audio, and NetGalley for The Shadow Man.

The forensic psychologist, Connie, has been sent to Scotland to help Detective Baarda and his team to solve the mystery surrounding Angela’s death and Elspeth disappearance, the shadow man is abducting people to fulfil his fantasy and they might not have enough time so save the victims..

That’s the first book I’ve read, well probably I should say listened to, written by Helen Field and I have to say It’s one of the most compelling thriller I’ve ever read.

Here some of the reason:

Connie’s profession actually was relevant to her personality throughout the whole book, as she was often analysing people personality.

The shadow man - Fergus was actually committing those crimes cause of his illness which again was perfectly explained to the reader and reflected in this character actions.

The writing style is fast paced and compelling and not once I could understand fully where the story was going!

If that’s only a taste of Helen Field’s world then give me more! I’ll surely give a shot to her Perfect series.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Book for this free audiobook!

Plot:
The concept of this book is truly my worst nightmare. The idea of being stalked and kidnapped for simply leading a life that is deemed attractive is harrowing. I found my heart racing for Elsbeth, Meggy and Xavier as the inconsistency and aggressive nature of Fergus’ delusions were incredibly unnerving. His demeanour and mental state is something completely new for me, I have never read anything with a motive similar to this, so this aspect was particularly gripping. As much as I loved the foundation of the plot, I do have one distinct issue with it. The reader knows too much. As some of the chapters are written from Fergus’ point of view (and he does love a monologue), we know who has kidnapped them, we know what he is doing with them, we know why he is doing it. For me, I wish I would have learnt a lot of these points at the same time as the police. Especially his name, if that key bit of information was left out then it would have kept the door open for doubts, I would have been mentally guessing if the police were on the right track. I love an unveiling and I felt this book didn’t live up to my expectations on this front.
Characters:
The characters in this book were so well developed that it was hard to comprehend they were fictional. Meggy is the type of daughter ever parent should want (and definitely needs). Headstrong, courageous, intuitively intelligent, yet also incredibly empathetic and caring to her fellow captures. I really fell in love with her and and become heavily invested in her safety. Although her circumstances were less than ideal- to say the least- I really enjoyed reading how she overcame her adversity and remain stoic in the face of her kidnapper. She never gave him the satisfaction of playing along with his delusional narrative and that bolshy characteristic was not something I expected from a 12-year-old. Connie was one which I initially dismayed as a stereotypical outspoken American. I thought she was loud, abrasive and someone I could just not click with, however, I loved how as a psychologist she was continually analysing everyone’s behaviour and profiling is something that always interests and impresses me, so her observations were something to look forward to throughout the entire book. Fergus himself was incredibly creepy and his delusions were absolutely terrifying. I did find myself slightly empathising with him, and this was very unnerving for me but with the author’s clear and carefully constructed backstory explaining his reasoning, it was hard not to feel sorry for him on some level. This can be only deemed as superb writing as he is a character that lacks the basic level of humanity.

Ending comment:
Overall, this book was an enjoyable page-turner, I was kept intrigued and invested throughout and keen to find out all of the secrets hidden within its pages.
The book’s highlight for me was definitely the character descriptions. Helen Field’s has clearly placed a lot of emphasis and effort into her characters. The way she can make each of them believable, even though they are vastly different in both personality and characteristics, is particularly admirable.
I just can’t deny the fact that when I finished that final page, I just felt a bit underwhelmed, I understand that this is a crime thriller and not a psychological one, but I wanted some sort of unveiling that went beyond a backstory. I just wish that I didn’t know all of the answers from the start, I wanted to be kept in the dark for a while.

The ending will shock you!

The entire read is sinister, dark, chilling and oh so compulsive in its reading matter.

I don’t know quite what I was expecting but this delivered much more creepiness than I anticipated.

I had the book from netgalley, then I downloaded the book to listen to. The voices, oh man, those voices. Especially Shadow Mans voice.

A twisted son of a gun.

If you like chilling dark sinister reads, just look no further, it’s all right here within this book.

This author has done a good job on me!
I shivered and goosebumps in many places.

I think it’s the narrators voices that added to this too.

Thank you, NetGalley/Avon Books UK for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is my first novel from this author! The first paragraphs in this novel were truly terrifying: a woman sleeps peacefully while a stranger watches her from inside her own bedroom. The Shadow Man wants victims, but, he wants them alive. He's sick in mind and body and this is not a book for the fainthearted.
The 3 captives are a wife, a 12 year old and a man in a wheelchair. Trying to find the Shadow Man are a forensic psychologist and a DI and the book takes you from one perspective to another.

I loved Connie every step of the way. She was feisty, sarcastic and the cheeky come backs and statistics she came out with were funny. Her and Baarda worked well together and I loved their friendship and partnership. The plot line was an interesting one, but found it too much of a slow burner and not enough action or dialogue. I preferred certain chapters as they flowed better and wasn’t as much descriptions in them. Hope Connie comes back in another book.

A character-driven novel that’ll leave a chill. If you’re faint-hearted this book may not be the book for you. I loved the chase of trying to track down the kidnapper and the missing persons but it at times it could be a tad slow.

Before I start I am reviewing this book as an audiobook. I think the narrators made this book creepy and at some points heart pulsingly scary.
It seemed long and it is very descriptive.

Fergus is a dying man, he wants a family and will do whatever he can to get it, including kidnap and potential murder. What I liked about this book was that it wasn’t detective vs, bad guy. The main character is a criminal psychologist and it was really interesting to learn how the criminals mind works to aid the police in their attempt to catch him.

The chapters are split into the kidnapped victims and the Connie the criminal psychologist. The chapters of the kidnapped victims are very descriptive and toe curling in places. The fear of them being harmed is overwhelming.

I received feedback from another bookstagrammer that they were struggling with reading the hard copy and I can see why, if it wasn’t for the narrators of this book I may have given up as it is long winded. But overall I did enjoy it and wanted to find out whether the victims survived or not....

Readers of Helen Fields Luc Callanach series will be pleased to know that although Luc doesn’t make an appearance in this stand-alone novel, he does appear in a short story included after the end of the audiobook and Gayfield Square Station and the redoubtable Superintendent Overbeck do feature strongly in the novel.

In The Shadow Man Helen Fields gives us a new protagonist, Dr Connie Woolwine. Connie is American and a psychological profiler, just arrived in Edinburgh. She’s been called in to work with D.I. Brodie Baarda, a kidnapping specialist from Met Ops Team in London, following the disappearance of a young mother, Elspeth Dunwoody.

Connie is straight talking, a little sweary and not given to over indulging in politeness or bureaucracy. She has a fascinating backstory that I hope we will hear more of in future books. Baarda is a more gentle soul, a little closed in and together they are a brilliant pairing. From the outset, we know who we are dealing with, even if Connie and Baarda do not.

The Shadow Man is never concealed from the reader; rather we are brought into his fiendish plans; made to be voyeurs as he does what he sets out to achieve and not long into the book, one woman is dead and another has gone missing. More people will disappear as The Shadow Man carries out his focussed research and executes his nightmarish plans….what Connie and Baarda have to do is to work out why this is happening and then work back to who and where to find him.

Those familiar to Fields writing will know that she does not shrink from graphic and stomach churning descriptions when it suits her plotting. This one is certainly dark and gritty, but here it is the sheer creepiness of the antagonist and the skin crawling nature of his demented thought processes that produces the visceral reaction.

Fields is innovative and original in her choice of killer and her well researched medical knowledge plays into this character brilliantly and enhances the character of Connie, too. Her characters are excellent – I especially liked the interplay between Connie and the Pathologist as each begins to take the measure of the other.

The plot is intricate and well-paced and the creepiness level ramps up as the book develops, leading to massive tension and a growing intensity that threatens to explode. Fortunately this is leavened by some excellent light and shade in the dialogue between the characters of Baarda and Woolwine.

The narration by Robin Laing and Cathleen McCarron is excellent – it really helps to have a male and a female voice and their voices and accents work well together.

Verdict: Another hugely successful read from Helen Fields. It is quite a long book and could have used a little more editing, but nothing that distracts from a truly terrifying plot and some great characters. I predict this one will be a sure fire winner and hope to see much more of Woolwine and Baarda in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for review.

First of all, I really loved both of the narrators of this book. I liked that they switched when the story was being told from a different point of view as it made it easier to differentiate between them.

At first, this book really confused me and it took me until I was around 20% in to start to understand clearly what was going on. However, once I got into the story and the pace picked up, I really got into it and was gripped from then on in. I found the characters to be really interesting and unique, especially Fergus, one of two main protagonists in the story.

The story line was quite unique and nothing like I've personally ever read before.

I loved Helen Fields writing style and way with words so I will definitely be picking up more books by her in the future and recommending her to others.

A great book and an even better story to listen too!
There is nothing like being read too and the narrator is easy listening and draws you into the story more so then reading the book for yourself.
I will definitely be following both the author and the narrator in the future 😻

I would like to thank NetGalley and Avon Books for approving me for this ARC. I’m really enjoying listening to audiobooks at the moment and this is my first Helen Fields book.

I went into this book a little blind. Having never read anything by this author I didn’t really know what to expect. I was blown away by the narration, both narrators did a fantastic job of giving each of the characters distinct voices. I also enjoyed how the narration was split between the police side and the culprit/victims side.

Unlike other mystery/thrillers that I’ve read, from the start we know who ‘The Shadow Man’ is. We learn aspects of his back story and crucial parts of his crimes. Listening to Fergus talk was extremely creepy and he gave me the shivers, especially when he was talking to Elspeth. I liked knowing parts of his story and watching Baarda and Connie try to figure out what was going on. I very much felt like a fly on the wall of the investigation, desperately wanting to point them in the right direction.

Connie’s role in the story was fascinating and again I loved her back story. She was feisty, confident and an integral part of the investigation. She definitely didn’t pull any punches and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, even if it wasn’t always appropriate. I’ve always enjoyed books/films/tv shows that include the forensic psychologist part and Connie’s approach was refreshing. When she was interviewing witnesses, her techniques were simple but effective. I’d love to see a future book with her and Baarda working together again.

Of all the victims I think Meggy was my favourite. She was incredibly smart and at times she took control of the situation and showed true maturity. Her determination at the start helped motivate Elspeth and I honestly believe if it wasn’t for Meggy then Elspeth would of happily given up.

After listening to this I definitely have to check out the rest of Helen Fields books. This story was gripping, intense and dark. Definitely not to be missed by fellow thriller lovers!