Look in the Mirror is an entertaining, if somewhat bumpy, read. The story revolves around Nina discovering her late father’s hidden mansion and the mysterious challenges within, with alternating viewpoints from Nina, a nanny named Maria, and an electrician named Joon-gi. The mansion’s secrets, tied to an old chess move, drive the plot, and while the puzzles and intrigue are engaging, the book occasionally feels over the top. I found Maria’s chapters the most compelling, though the overall narrative can be a bit outlandish. The quick pace and twists keep things interesting, but the ending felt a bit hasty. It’s a fun, escapist read if you’re into mysteries and puzzles, though it might not be Steadman’s best work.

🫣SPOILER ALERT‼️

⭐️⭐️⭐️ & that may be generous of me 🤷‍♀️

‼️Only continue reading if ok with SPOILERS ‼️

I very rarely (like almost never!) put spoilers in my reviews but for me to fully complain/vent & review this book I felt it was necessary. Sorry Steadman but what the heck?!

Can I be mad at a book? Because I am mad at this book. Mostly for wasting my time. The first 25%ish was hit or miss on if I was into it or if something big was going to happen soon. It had the buildup for a great story & had it had the follow through the first 1/4 of the book would have been for something & essentially been given a pass for being slow & uneventful (boring!). I thought at first it was to get to know the main characters Nina & Maria but no. I had a feeling that their storylines weren’t happening simultaneously but the book isn’t clear that they are actually happening in different time periods, which the author I’m assuming did purposely & normally I like that but instead of being twisty it was confusing & some missed opportunity. The more I think about it the more obvious the “twists” really were.

I’m also mad that Maria actually escapes & kind of turns into a badass & then just gets killed off. Dumb! Then finally around 75% the story gets exciting but the ending was odd/lacking & added to what I already felt was missing in the book, basically it didn’t save the book or make up for the boringness of most the book.

The plot had potential, although it’s kind of weird she did a game element storyline (with participants that can get injured or killed) in her last book The Family Game, just to turn around & do another book with the same basic concept.

I’ve read other books by Steadman & I feel like her writing in this wasn’t nearly as good as it normally is. Somewhat adolescent feeling at times & other times just plain bad writing. Super disappointed in this one unfortunately. Example on some writing I didn’t care for was when it was Joe’s POV, did the author or any editors actually read how it sounded out loud the way he was talking?! For an adult to talk like that it just read cringe.

I’m mad Maria was killed. Mad Joe was stabbed by Nina & there was zero conversation on that between him & Nina after the fact. Mad that Lucinda & James weren’t a part of the ending really. Been a long time that a book has left me hanging with its (lack of) storyline & felt so unfinished & incomplete.

Hopefully she turns it around with whatever she comes up with next.

Thank you to both NetGalley & the Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC, always appreciative of the opportunity to read an advanced copy!

𝙇𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙞𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙧
By Catherine Steadman

Thank you #ballantinebooks @randomhouse & @netgalley for my complimentary digital copy. My thoughts are my own.

There is no end to this author’s originality! I have loved every book she has written and this EDGE-OF-YOUR-SEAT THRILLER is no different!

NINA is grieving the recent death of her father when she learns she has inherited a beautiful and unique house (designed by her father) in the British Virgin Islands. Puzzled as to why her quiet, conservative father kept this house a secret from her, she decides to go check it out.

MARIA is a medical student-turned-nanny to children of the ultra-rich. She decides to take one last assignment before she returns to medical school. As she arrives at the stunning, state of the art mansion, she is surprised to learn her young charges aren’t there yet. She is instructed to enjoy the house while she waits; but she is given one rule, do not enter the locked room on the lower floor. At first, she ignores the mysterious room. However, as days pass without her employer’s arrival, her curiosity starts to get the better of her. When the door suddenly unlocks, she must decide whether she dares to enter the forbidden area!

Without divulging any spoilers, let me just say I was impressed with the ingenuity of the deadly traps invented by Catherine Steadman’s mind! The action in this thriller moves quickly; and it will definitely keep your adrenaline level rising as you read to find out what happens next. Don’t start this one late at night, because you won’t be able to put it down!

This book was so good!! Catherine Steadman’s last two novels have knocked it out of the park. (Check out my review of The Family Game here.) Look in the Mirror has a very similar feel to The Family Game, so if you liked that one I think you’ll like this one as well. I love books about puzzles, so this modern horror was right up my alley.

I went in blind and had NO idea what I was in for, and I highly recommend reading this book with no preconceptions. It was such a blast! I flew through it–this is certainly a fast-paced story–and loved where it took me. It’s quick and bingeable, so the perfect summer read.

I did want the characters to have a little more emotion about what was going on. I can’t say much without spoilers, but Nina didn’t seem to have much of a reaction once she figured out what was going on. Maria was freakishly calm as well!

Steadman deserves all the praise for another truly unique thriller.

BOOK REVIEW: LOOK IN THE MIRROR

I was hooked by the premise of this one and the first 1/3 or so had me totally on the edge of my seat! Nina is grieving the loss of her father when she finds out she’s inherited a state-of-the-art house on the British Virgin Islands. There’s just one rule there: don’t go into the basement.

LOOK IN THE MIRROR was mysterious and filled with action! It was a bit far fetched and while I enjoyed it, I don’t think this type of story resonates with me. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in but this one was definitely outside of the realm of what I typically read.

This one was filled with rich people doing crazy things so if that’s up your alley and you are willing to go for a wild ride, then pick this one up! I look forward to seeing what this author comes up with next!

4 stars.. dark & twisty.

Look in the Mirror kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time!

An addictive thriller with an atmospheric setting.

Highly recommend!

Thank you @netgalley & the publisher for my opportunity!

Anything by Steadman is an auto buy for me! Great thrill ride. It kept me entertained all the way through. Will recommend to friends!

I really enjoyed this book. The story pace was perfect as it introduced the characters and wove them into the plot.
The only strange thing that I kept coming back to, is that it so often reminded me of the book “Fear the Silence” by Robert Bryndza.

I've enjoyed previous books by this author, but this one had too many similiarities to a book I dnf'd earlier this year. Despite that, I was still interested in the overall plot and the puzzles one of the main characters needed to solve throughout! I think Catherine Steadman does a good job writing eeriness into her novels in a way that few other authors can do. I do feel as though I would've enjoyed the book more if the mystery went in a different direction than it did, but I still had a good time overall!

This was an excellent thriller. As I sat reading this book I found myself completely absorbed in the story. I could not put this one down and it was extremely satisfying finish at the end. I have read previous books by Catherine Steadman but this might her best. Go read this book you will not be disappointed!

After her father's death, Nina is surprised to inherit a beautiful house in the Virgin Islands. Intrigued by the prospect of finding out more about her father's mysterious past, she visits the property, only to find strange and threatening notes hidden throughout warning her to leave immediately and not enter the locked off basement. Meanwhile, Maria, ex-med student turned nanny, takes a contract at the same house but her clients never show up. Curious and bored, she decides to enter the forbidden basement without realizing what she's getting herself into.

Look in the Mirror is a compelling mystery thriller that I would classify as attention-grabbing but ultimately forgettable. At no point did I want to put it down, but I don't think the plot was especially unique nor do I think it will stick with me for a long time. However, if you're looking for an entertaining read, I'd still recommend it.

I could not put this book down! I finished it in one day. I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller. It was the first novel I've read by Catherine Steadman, but it certainly won't be the last.

After not vibing with Catherine Steadman’s debut, I was a little hesitant to pick this one up, but another bookstagrammer’s glowing review had me intrigued. Look in the Mirror was nothing like I expected it to be which is probably why it worked for me. I was drawn into the mystery of the situation and found myself invested in piecing together parts of the puzzle. Yes, it was a little far fetched at times, but honestly it was just a fun read. I suggest other readers go into this one blind as well and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me an e-ARC through NetGalley.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for this advanced copy.

I’ve read every one of Catherine’s books (save one), and “Look in the Mirror” is my new favorite! You know the suspense movies where the idiot character is doing something stupid and you just want to yell at the screen? Yeah, well, Steadman is a genius when it comes to writing these characters.

How great, you ask? So great, in fact, in the first couple of chapters I was feeling leery about this new novel — honestly worried it might actually become a DNF. I was thinking “oh no, I’m not sure about this one, but I love Catherine Steadman, what if this one doesn’t work for me, etc.” You know that feeling. The one where you adore the author and everything they write, but unfortunately, there’s just one that doesn’t quite work for you the way the others do — for whatever reason. Yeah, I was worried that was gonna be this one for me. But let me tell you … right about the time I was feeling that … BAM!

Steadman absolutelyyyyyyyyy HOOKED me! I could not stop until I knew how everything fit together. The way the multiple storylines tie together is brilliant! How you don’t truly know the full connection until the final pages. I absolutely INHALED this novel in one sitting. It’s a quick 8 hour listen at standard speed, so those of you who kick it up higher than 1.5 will fly through this one. And the best part … it’s narrated by the beautiful, British voice of Steadman herself. An audiobook narrated by the author who is an actor … *Chef’s Kiss*

If you one to squeeze in one more summer thriller before the season changes, this is the one for you! If you’re looking for a thriller to kick off spooky season, this one is for you. If you just like twisty stories that keep you on your toes, this is definitely one for you!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

This was a wild ride. This dual-narration follows two women. Nina is grieving her father and learns that she has inherited a Caribbean mansion from him. Maria is working as a nanny in said mansion, in a slightly different timeline. Both women discover that the house is not as it seems. I can't say more about the plot here, because it would otherwise spoil it. This was a gripping suspense novel that had me on the edge of my seat. Sometimes it was a very nervous grip, and I was worried about where the plot was going. But, it didn't get as dark as I feared.

4.5 stars rounded up! Nina receives a call after her father’s death, letting her know that she has inherited a house on an isolated island that she never knew existed. When she travels to stay in the house, things begin to go very wrong. I really liked this one! It was very fast-paced and really kept me interested (like I could not figure it out and I HAD to know what was going on immediately). I liked that we got multiple POVs; it really added to the mystery. I also liked the conclusion and how even the epilogues were a little twisty. If you liked the movie Escape Room, I think you’ll like this one (and that’s all I’ll say)!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for the opportunity to read before pub day! ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. LOOK IN THE MIRROR is out now!

Wow, I loved this book!!! It turned so much darker and twisted than I thought it would be. I will read anything Catherine Steadman writes!

Look in the Mirror is one of those stories that, as a woman, I find so creepy and terrifying. It would be difficult to write about it without giving away spoilers, so I will keep it brief. Nina receives a surprise inheritance from her father after his death, a vacation home in the Virgin Islands. There is also a woman at a Virgin Islands house that is experiencing very mysterious circumstances. As the reader learns more about what is happening, the more alarming the mystery becomes.

The theme of this book has been done before, but it never fails to get a reaction from me. I enjoyed the book and read it super quickly as I couldn't put it down until I knew what the resolution was going to be. Would recommend to both thriller fans in general, and fans of Catherine Steadman's previous books.

This book will keep you on the edge of your seat! Catherine Steadman does it it again! We follow two characters, Nina and Maria, as they find themselves in a beautiful vacation home with a troubling basement. Both are warned not to enter the basement, but how can they not!! With the two perspectives, we get to see how each woman came to be in this home and how they handle the mysterious house's basement. Thank you, NetGalley!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of Look In The Mirror by Catherine Steadman in exchange for an honest review. Note: I received this book pre-publication but it’s out now so you can get it!

Nina, an Oxford professor, is mourning the death of her father when she learns from his estate attorney that he has left her a home in the British Virgin Islands - a home she knows nothing about. Maria is an ex-medical school student who drops out when she learns she can earn much more money nannying for the super rich than practicing emergency medicine in New York. The only thing the women are told when they each arrive at their sumptuous digs are “don’t go in the locked basement room.” But, like countless young women in thrillers before them, they ignore the warnings.

This is Steadman’s fifth novel and it’s creepy, fast-paced and well plotted with a killer (!) reveal. Four stars.