I just finished reading Look In the Mirror by Catherine Steadman, and I’m so excited to share my thoughts with you!

This book is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Steadman’s writing is both suspenseful and thought-provoking, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.

One of my favorite scenes is when the protagonist, Emma, discovers a hidden diary in the attic of her childhood home. The diary, filled with eerie entries that hint at long-buried secrets, adds a chilling layer of intrigue to the story. The way Steadman describes Emma’s mounting fear and curiosity as she unravels the diary’s mysteries is so vivid—you can almost feel the tension and the hairs rising on the back of your neck. This moment perfectly encapsulates the book’s blend of psychological suspense and deep emotional exploration.

What I love most about Look In the Mirror is its complex and multi-dimensional characters. Emma’s journey of confronting her past and uncovering the truth about her family is both compelling and emotionally resonant. The twists and turns in the plot keep you guessing, and the atmospheric writing immerses you completely in the story.

If you’re looking for a book that will captivate your mind and keep you turning pages late into the night, Look In the Mirror is a must-read. Trust me, you’ll be hooked from the very first page!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with an eARC of Look in the Mirror in exchange for my honest review!

I had a solid time with this claustrophobic and sleek thriller, one that offers up some good old suspense as we find ourselves trapped inside this mansion. It isn't necessarily doing anything groundbreaking and the pacing can be janky at certain points, but it still gets me feeling tension, with a good dose of that coming from the small amounts of Saw vibes that this gives off. And when it all wraps up, it leaves me on an appropriately pessimistic and unsettling note.

Overall, I'm officially rating Look in the Mirror 3.5 out of 5 stars, which I'm rounding down to 3 stars. I'll look out for more of Catherine Steadman's books.

We followa woman, reflecting on her past, who begins to suspect that the people around her may not be who they seem. Steadman skillfully builds suspense and creates a sense of unease throughout, with a fast-paced plot and plenty of twists.

However, the character development feels somewhat shallow at times, making it difficult to fully connect with the protagonist or invest in her journey. The plot was a bit predictable and could predict early on. Despite this, Steadman’s writing is engaging, and the book is a solid choice for fans of twisty thrillers who enjoy a quick read with moments of suspense.

Two women, one luxurious home… and one locked basement.

I love Catherine Steadman books. Intense, twisty, edge-of-your-seat but always in a beautiful setting. I’m a huge thriller fan but Steadman always manages to avoid common tropes and predictable endings. Look in the Mirror was clever, fun and hard to put down.

This slim book is packed with lots of great twists and turns! Readers will have trouble NOT finishing it in one sitting because it is impossible to put down.
There are two story lines following two different women, and it seems they can't possibly overlap. One is a woman whose father has just passed away and left her a mysterious property in the British Virgin Islands. The second is a nanny for the super rich who has just taken on an assignment that begins to feel off pretty quickly. The nanny soon finds herself literally fighting for her life as she tries to escape the house.
This was a great thriller!

This was book was interesting and weird at the same time. It starts off with a professor dying and his daughter getting his affairs in order and she finds out about a house he owned in the Virgin Islands. Being confused about this house she goes to investigate and she finds out this house is a literal puzzle.

This was a peculiar one: Nina’s father leaves her a house in BVI that she had no knowledge of, meanwhile Maria, a former med student turned nanny for the rich, heads to the islands for her next assignment only to find no family in an odd house.

This novel had me intrigued for the first 30% then all the sudden I was at a loss as to what was going on and it certainly was not my undiagnosed ADHD.

I don’t know if it was the pace or the white rabbit chase of trying to figure out the connection between Nina and Maria and the over the top plot. Old money folks need better hobbies though. Win some, lose some - literally

I think the author's books keep getting better and better! I absolutely loved her debut, Something in the Water, and this is the third of her novels I've read - I had some expectations, given my success with her previous work, but wow! She knocked it out of the park with this one! The story was so compelling and I felt like I was IN it with these characters - aaaaahhh! So tense, at times, and so propulsive - highly recommend!

Did hold my attention but it got a bit overlandish and over the top as the story went on but still an enjoyable read. The ending felt rushed and a bit tacked on – I’ve read others by this author that I enjoyed more so I’ll continue to keep her on my radar but this one missed the mark for me.

I did like how it started with the two characters that we don't really know who they are or how they are connected. One is a nanny for a family and the other one just lost her father and finds out she has inherited a house.

This house seems ordinary until you go through it and come to the atrium and realize it is not what it seems. I didn't love this mystery room and it was a major part of the book. The escape room-type vibe wasn't for me

Catherine Steadman is a must-read for me. When she releases a book, I rush to read it. She has a wonderful way of keeping me on the edge of my seat and weaving incredible stories that you won't be able to stop thinking about!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced reader copy of this book.
Catherine Steadman is such an incredible author! Her stories are riveting, her plots are thrilling and her characters are compelling. She really understands what keeps a reader turning every single page!

Imagine being caught in an escape room style game except you don’t quite know that you are. Car mirrors echo words that say “objects in mirror are closer than they appear”, those words ring true for people like Maria and Nina staying at Nina’s father’s house. Although they occur separately and unknown to each other it becomes a terrifying experience.

This story was so good and not reminiscent of anything I’ve read before. The great attention to details allowed the reader – me, to truly get the whole picture and it was a thrilling ride. I enjoyed this read immensely and thought the setting made the plot stand out even more. The characters were understandable and their development was crucial to the plot. Really great read – 4️⃣⭐️❗️

Catherine Steadman is FANTASTIC. She has a unique ability to immerse you into the lives of her characters.

This is a story of two women who dont have a connection. Nina has lived a lonely life and at 34 the life she build with her father and then he passes away and she is forced to go to the British Virgin Islands urgently. Nina becomes enveloped in her fathers house and the secrets it holds. The other character Maria is a medical student working as a nanny for the rick to afford her schooling. Her next job is at a secluded mansion and the house is mysterious full on with a whole level she cant go on and with secrets of its own. Learning the connection between these women and circumstances was fun and interesting. It was pretty fast paced and I found myself really wanting to know the secrets and wanting to skip ahead. Liked the pace and the twists.

I absolutely adored Catherine Steadman's first book but this book fell into the Sophomore slump that I have heard about. I felt as though we were going no where fast the entire book. The twist was predictable and lacked originality. I was frankly bored the entire book and skimmed the last 1/3 of the book as I couldn't wait for it to end. I love the rich people drama that she did include but I feel as though this was a play off a movie I have seen 1,000 times. I wouldn't recommend this book if you are a seasoned thriller reader but I will pick up what she writes next to give her another chance.

This psychological thriller jumps into the dark side of human nature. Atmospheric and suspenseful with interesting characters. Overall fast paced and engaging, a bit predictable but still entertaining. Solid read for lovers of psychological thriller

This book started out really intriguing and hooked me. I fear it was shortlived though as I didnt end up connecting with the story as it was playing out. Parts felt underdeveloped with some plot holes which is disappointing because the plot itself was conceptually intriguing.

Nina's father passed away and left her a mysterious house she never heard of in the British Virgin Islands. However, having a house she didn't know about isn't the only mystery, but also what is in the basement and who is leaving threatening notes for her.

This one is different for Steadman. I’m left with a lot of locked room vibes…. Sort of. Multiple points of view, but also a very disjointed and often times feels rushed. Decent read but also a few plot holes that could have been filled to be a better read.

I've heard people say they thought this book is unhinged and crazy, but I didn't think that at all. I actually thought it was a bit flat, with a somewhat predictable storyline that's been done before.

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Nina Hepworth is grieving the recent loss of her father when she receives a letter stating that she has inherited his home in the British Virgin Islands. Nina is shocked, as she had no idea her father had another home, and when she flys out to the island to settle the estate, she is intrigued by the small details that seem to suggest that it was in fact his home. However, as Nina stays in the house, she starts to receive odd notes - and whether they are a threat or a warning remains to be seen. It seems that the house may have a sinister past after all...

This book really drew me in from the first chapter and I didn't want to put it down - I finished it in less than 24 hours! There were so many twists and turns, you didn't know who to trust and who was the good guy. While a lot of the story focused on the action, the psychological aspect was also very real and had my mind spinning. Steadman is a go-to psychological thriller writer for me and I can't wait for her next work!