This was a mind f*ck in the best way possible. Though there were parts of it that dragged a bit, at the end of the day this was an awesome mystery to unravel and I'm definitely going to check out what other books Catherine Steadman has written!

This is probably my least favorite book by the author. I LOVED "The Family Game" so I couldn't wait to read this. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into the book and didn't love any of the characters. Maria, was probably the exception. I was rooting for her from the start. She was so smart and level headed. She was the only one I was really sad about and not really invested in Nina. This was the house from hell. Everything about it was scary and deranged. It was a horrible haunted house that came to life. Why would people pay to watch stuff like that? I would have failed miserably at all the challenges. The book was definitely not what I expected. At the end, I kept wondering about Lucinda's dog and if she was OK. (I wasn't thinking about Nina, Joe or Nina. Just the dog) The real hero of the book was definitely Yang Joon-gi. There were many twists and turns. I kept wondering why Nina's dad would put her through this. Did he hate her??

Definitely recommend giving the book a try, especially if you enjoyed the author's previous books. This one just wasn't for me. I was a bit shocked when the truth about who was behind the house was finally revealed. I really hope there aren't actual houses like this one. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I could not put this book down. I was so intrigued with Nina’s father’s house and how she did not know about it before he passed away. The description of the house and the island brought it to life for me as I read. I could picture the large glass windows, the steep staircase to get to the house, and the glamour of the house itself. I enjoyed that I was taken on a room to room tour so as the story went on, I could picture exactly what Nina and Maria were seeing.

The other characters in the book are all small parts of the story but needed to make the story work. As each one was introduced, I tried to figure out what their parts in the story would be. Most of them, I did not figure out until the author wrote it. But once I knew, I could not go back and unsee who they really were.

Look in the Mirror is the first book of Catherine Steadman’s that I have read but I am already looking forward to reading more. I will recommend this book to any thriller reader.

I always enjoy Catherine Steadman's books and this one was no different. Nina's journey after her father's death and the instructions he gave her after were a puzzle and I was keen to see where it would lead her. This was a shocking thriller with so many twists that it left me reeling. I devoured this one greedily - if you know me, you know I love my disturbing books!

It’s really hard to decide what to say about this story. It’s horrifying, scary, suspenseful…and completely engaging! I couldn’t put it down. I had no idea how this would end. The journey was unbelievable!

3.5 stars. After Nina’s father dies, she receives a letter stating that he owns a three- bedroom Beachfront Estate in the British Virgin Islands. Nina and her father were very close (or so she thought), and she never knew that he owned this property. Nina now has to go to the Islands and visit this beautiful house that she knew nothing about. When Nina arrives to the house, she learns that the house (mansion) is called Anderssen’s Opening - which is a chess move that her father taught her about many years ago.
We then have Maria, who is a nanny that works for the very wealthy. She gets to the house where the family never shows up. She only has one rule at the mansion that she is staying at- Do not go into the locked door in the basement.

*(Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-arc.*

3.5 rounded up to 4. Look in the Mirror is the latest novel by Catherine Steadman. It is a suspenseful novel told from multiple viewpoints. Nina, whose father recently died, is surprised to find out she inherited a house in the British Virgin Islands. Maria, a nanny to the super rich, accepts a temporary contract for an unknown client.

I thought the first half of the novel was more interesting and full of tension. Ultimately I found the story of Maria to be more engaging. For me, the story lagged a bit about 3/4 through but did come to a satisfying conclusion with a good epilogue.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

3 out of 5 Stars!

When Nina’s father dies, secrets come to life. He was the owner of a house in the British Virgin Islands, one she was unaware of. This house is incredible, it is hard to believe it was kept a secret for so long. How did he come into so much money?

Maria is a nanny for the super-rich. Once a medical student, she dropped out to pursue nannying. It pays much more, and she gets to travel to tropical destinations. So when she is dropped off in paradise, alarm bells start to ring when the family doesn’t show up. She was told she could just relax, just don’t go into the basement.

“Look in the Mirror” by Catherine Steadman is a thriller that kept me up at night. I was not expecting the horror that I was reading! The first half gave me goosebumps, with crazy twists and horrific scenes. I will admit, this novel wasn’t what I was expecting in a good and bad way. This was a very fast-paced novel with multiple POVs, but left me very confused. This was a thriller more than a mystery, which bummed me out.

I wasn’t really a big fan of the main characters, Nina and Maria. Maria had the easiest job in the world, but fell for something I’m not sure if I would have. There were plenty of red flags for Nina, but she kept moving forward. Both characters were making decisions that left me frustrated, so it was really hard to like them.

The second half really cleared everything up for me, so if you are feeling confused in the first half I would recommend going! Not only was the ending worth it, but it was really shocking and thrilling!

Pick up “Look in the Mirror” by Catherine Steadman on July 30th, 2024!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books, Catherine Steadman, and Netgalley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This one was so fast paced to me! I was definitely spooked, and I think it was perfect for a quick summer thriller. I was looking over my shoulder at times because it had me so hooked. To be honest, I had no idea what was going to happen / how everything would play out for a majority of the book. Usually that bothers me, but I think it was really well done this way. I was so invested in the different trials and multiple storylines we were trying to solve that I didn’t think too hard about what was going on and really fell into the story. I think since there were a few different things at play here it got a little jumbled at times and would’ve had a bigger impact if they tied together earlier on rather than later in the book. But since I enjoyed the experience & ending, it felt like a 4 to me!

This book was a thrill ride that was so hard to put down. Then when I put it down, I kept thinking about it. It's hard to say too much about it without giving away all the twists, and there were a lot of them in this book. It's definitely not what you expect.

There are 2 main characters - Nina, whose father has just passed away and finds out that he has a 'secret' house in the British Virgin Islands; and Maria, a nanny to the rich, who has is waiting for a family to show up to their swanky rental, but never does. As the story goes back and forth between the 2 women, you know there is a connection there, and the author does a great job of keeping the reader intrigued and reading.

It's a fast-paced book that was very unique. Some parts seemed a little unrealistic at the end, but I still really, really enjoyed this one.

LOOK IN THE MIRROR is an unsettling, twisty thriller. There are a lot of details in LOOK IN THE MIRROR that could be make it a slow burn or sluggish read, but Steadman's attention to detail lends itself to keeping the reader engaged - I couldn't put this book down and had to know more. The alternating POVs also lend to the exciting nature of LOOK IN THE MIRROR. I don't want to give away too much of the story, and suggest going in blind. Steadman wraps up the various plot lines in a very satisfying way. A huge thank you to Ballantine for the advance copy.

Nina is left a home in the British Virgin Islands when her father passes. She goes off to discover so much more than just a house.

Nina, an English woman, is surprised to find that her recently deceased father has left her a massive beach house in the Virgin Islands. When she goes to check it out, she finds that her father has left her one last puzzle to solve.

Maria is a nanny for the ultra-rich; her newest assignment takes her to a luxurious vacation home… but the clients never show up, and there’s a locked basement that she’s forbidden from going into.

How these stories intertwine is part of the mystery, and Steadman weaves a complex narrative with shifting perspectives and lots of disjointed pieces to somehow fit together.

This is just as much a page-turner as ‘The Family Game’, with an immediate sense of dread, intrigue, and suspense. I had so much fun guessing what was going on, and never would have surmised where it ends up. Definitely go in blind because even the slightest spoiler could ruin this one.

It did remind me of a horror movie that I watched (I won’t say which due to the aforementioned spoiler situation), and while I really enjoyed the concept and had a lot of fun with it, I do wish it had felt like a fresher take rather than somewhat of a remake. That said, I’m probably in the minority of people who have even seen the movie and would make that connection.

The last quarter of the book is not nearly as strong as the first 75%, with the ending plodding along to a somewhat predictable finish, but the first 75% is 5 stars for the suspense and action. If you like thrillers and suspenseful mysteries, you'll enjoy this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Such an interesting concept and I had no idea where it was going for the longest time.

In this book, we start with two points of view- Nina and Maria. Maria is working as a "nanny" in a super nice house, but the family and children never show up. Nina finds out that her late father left her a house that she never knew about. Later we realize, the two houses are the same and there's some type of escape room in the basement.

The premise of the book is incredibly interesting, but I found that there was a lot of "fade to black" in terms of the action. Because of that, the book seemed short and incomplete almost.

However, Catherine Steadman's thrillers are always intriguing and good reads. It was a great beach read (which is exactly where I read it) but I may not be reading it again to do a close reading.

I reallyyy enjoyed Steadman’s last book The Family Game so was excited to hear when she was coming out with something new! The beginning had me hooked however it fell flat along the way.

It's another great thriller by Catherine Steadman. This book has a lot of twists and turns. The short chapters kept me turning the page and guessing the next move! The play on an escape room was very different than any other book I have read. I highly recommend this book and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing / Ballantine Books for sharing this thrilling book’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

Happy reading everyone!

I’ve really enjoyed stuff from this author in the past but YIKES was this a stinker. It’s about a woman whose father dies and leaves her a mansion on a tropical island that she had no idea existed. Of course everything is not as it seems - which in this case means lots of riddles to solve, smart house technology, escape room style challenges… all things I find painfully boring to read about. I kept going in hopes of an interesting reveal or payoff at the end but nope.

I absolutely love Catherine Steadman books. This was an ARC for me and therefore the first time I’ve read one of her books instead of listening to the audiobook. She’s a fantastic narrator and I kind of hate that I didn’t get to listen to this book, actually, but that’s beside the point.
I enjoyed the story and I thought the ending was pretty good. I am sure the whole design of the house and ways to escape might be far fetched, but I was able to enjoy the plot without picking it apart too much. I thought Nina was resilient and quite relatable. I wanted to understand the why of it all just as much as she did. It turned out a little different than what I expected, but was still entertaining.
I definitely recommend this if you enjoy unconventional locked room mysteries/thrillers. It felt a little bit like horror in some parts between the rooms and the overall feeling of being watched which I enjoyed and now I’m wondering if this is a new thing since The Family Game dipped its toes into some horror, too. I’m loving it!

A taut, competent thriller. Full of twists. I finished this quickly and felt the end was quite satisfying.

Thank you to NetGalley, PRH Audio and Ballantine Books for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! I was lucky enough to receive an ALC from the Penguin Random House Audio Influencer Program. @prhaudio #PRHAudio #PRHAudioInfluencer
All opinions are my own.

This was a super twisty locked-room thriller. I had no clue what was going to happen. In fact, at some points of the story, I was down right confused. The first 3/4 of this book were pretty good, but the last quarter of this book left me a little unsettled. It wasn't necessarily scary, but it was without a doubt creepy and left me quite unsettled. However, I would say the book ended on a pretty good note and if anything left the reader wanting more, and with a lot of questions.

Like her previous works, Catherine Steadman herself narrates this book. She has a very beautiful and soothing British voice. I will say that is rare for fiction writers to narrate their own books, as this is probably more common in memoirs. However, Catherine is a great narrator and I think it is awesome that she narrates her own books.


Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

********


If you are interested in seeing more of my reviews and other content feel free to connect with me here <3:

https://linktr.ee/bookreviewsbyjules (links to my Instagram, Goodreads, TikTok, Storygraph, My blog and Substack newsletter, etc)

If you are a publisher or author who has questions about my reviews (as well as questions about my stats, reach or engagement), please free to email me. I am also open to requests for book reviews from authors or publishers. Thank you again for taking time to read my review, and I hope you have a wonderful day!