Such a fun, fast read! This is my first book by Catherine Steadman. The title doesn’t really do the book justice.

Nina has recently lost her father, the only family she has left. He left her a mysterious house on the British Virgin Islands. She never knew it existed. Once she gets there she can immediately see that her father designed the house, a few of his personal effects were there.

There was a mysterious locked basement room. We switch between two primary points of view. Nina and Maria. Maria is a nanny to high end clientele and is also in the mysterious house with the locked basement door, which at some point became unlocked.

I felt like this was a study on class. The elite rich, their boredom and the things they do to try and erase that boredom. Gave me The Purge vibes.

For fans of escape rooms, thrillers and mysteries.

"Look In the Mirror" by Catherine Steadman is a gripping psychological thriller that explores themes of identity, memory, and deception. The story follows Liz, who is recovering from amnesia after a traumatic accident. As she unravels the mysteries of her past, she discovers unsettling truths that challenge her perception of reality.

Steadman's writing creates an atmospheric and suspenseful tone, keeping readers on edge as Liz delves deeper into her memories. The characters are complex and engaging, adding layers of intrigue to the narrative. The plot twists and turns, leading to a surprising and satisfying conclusion.

The novel skillfully navigates themes of trust, betrayal, and the fragility of memory, making it a captivating read for fans of psychological suspense. Steadman's storytelling prowess and intricate plotting ensure that "Look In the Mirror" is a compelling and thrilling journey from start to finish.

4.5 stars rounded up. The number of times I gasped out loud or my jaw dropped is uncountable 😂 this book was so nuts, just like this authors last book, it had me in a chokehold from the very beginning, no slow burn here!! There was one detail about the house that is bothering me and stopping me from a five star rating, so hurry up and add this to your TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for this ARC! "Look in the Mirror" by Catherine Steadman is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of identity, memory, and deception. The story follows Liz, a woman recovering from a traumatic accident that has left her with amnesia. As Liz pieces together fragments of her past, she begins to suspect that her life before the accident may not have been what it seemed.

Steadman's writing is atmospheric and suspenseful, creating a sense of unease that intensifies as Liz's memories resurface. The characters are compelling and multi-dimensional, with Liz's journey of self-discovery at the heart of the narrative. The plot unfolds through twists and turns, keeping readers guessing about the truth of Liz's past and the motives of those around her.

The novel skillfully explores themes of trust, betrayal, and the fragile nature of memory. Steadman maintains a taut and suspenseful pace throughout, building towards a satisfying and surprising conclusion.

Overall, "Look in the Mirror" is a captivating thriller that will appeal to fans of psychological suspense. Steadman's skillful storytelling and intricate plotting make this a compelling read that keeps readers engaged until the final page.

Amazing thriller packed with mystery from page one.
Who wouldn't want to find out you've been left a seaside magnificent home, aka villa, on a tropical Caribbean island with all upkeep and maintenance paid for?
Nina is beyond thrilled and surprised, when she receives a solicitors letter informing her that her father left her such a getaway home in his will.
As she accepts the invitation to go at once and visit her new home away from home, the thrills begin and absolutely never stop. Riveting action that keeps you flipping the pages in rapid fire succession.
Definitely a one sitting story.
Who should she trust as unexplained "things" start happening? Who is really a friend and who is not?
The characters are so well scripted and defined, they could be standing right next to you as you read.
A fascinating premise with a plot that follows it.
Super read.

Locked room mystery set in a beautiful mansion, this book had a fast pace and kept me guessing the whole time! Nina is a college professor who has just lost her beloved father. Her mother died when she was very young and she has no siblings and no close friends. After his funeral she receives a letter stating she inherited a big home her father owned in the British Virgin Islands. Nina is shocked because she and her father shared everything-how could he own a house she didn't know about? She decides to go see the house and figure out what to do with it. Only when she arrives something seems off. She receives mystery notes telling her to get out and their is a mysterious room that can't be opened.

The book then alternates with the tale of another woman; Maria. Maria was in medical school when she realized her college debt was getting too high. She takes some time off to do temporary nanny positions for wealthy clients which earns her a good salary. She is offered a two week nanny job at a beautiful home in the British Virgin islands; only when she gets there the family isn't there. She is all alone and her contact person tells her to enjoy the beach and pool which she does; but as the days go by and no one shows up she is suspicious. And there is a mysterious door she is told to never open. How these stories and women connect is the heart of this mystery.

I would have liked to know a bit more about the women especially why two young women (Nina is 34 and Maria in her 20's) have no friends of any kind. I did like the fact that both women were strong and resourceful and determined to figure out what was happening. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.

Look In the Mirror is a quick moving mystery thriller that will be perfect for a vacation or staycation read. I flew through this quickly and went in without reading much of the synopsis, I recommend you do the same if this book sounds fun to you.

When Nina's father dies, she finds out she is inheriting a large home in the British Virgin Islands- a place she never knew her father had even been to. So Nina travels to BVI and trouble begins. Told in almost alternating perspectives of Nina and Maria, a young nanny at a mysterious assignment, seasoned thriller readers will see where this book is going but that won't make it less tense!

This is a plot forward, puzzle kind of thriller, with minimal character development to keep the story concise and well paced. I have previously read and enjoyed The Family Game and Something in the Water, also by Catherine Steadman, and I'd say this is in between the two in terms of the style of the plot. This is a good choice if you like isolated settings and a few loose ends.

3.5 rounded up to 4

I'm a bit torn on this one because story-wise it was good and what I've come to expect from Steadman. However, I went into it blind and if I had known what was going on I would not have chosen to read this one. I think it's important to note that while there is no over-the-top torture or gory scenes in the escape rooms, this should come with trigger warnings for kidnapping and human trafficking. I did finish it, but thought it wrapped up a bit too neatly given everything that happened. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This had an interesting escape room/survivor vibe to it. I did enjoy the multiple POVs. It was a nice quick read with short chapters which I love. I did feel the twists were a little too much, and didn’t work well with the story in the end.

I think that all authors (well, a lot of authors) should use Look in the Mirror as the example for how suspense should be written. There was no need for gore or substance abuse or infidelity or any of those things to cause conflict. It was pure tension with fast pacing, and just so good.

One of the best books of the summer for sure.

Nina has just lost her beloved father who raised her. She feels untethered and unmoored. Then she is notified that she has inherited a property in the British Isles that she knew nothing about. The house is amazing and very modern, but things started to get strange with all the technology that controls the house. And there’s a secret area that beckons to Nina to explore. Things get pretty wild from there! A terrific, enthralling read!!!

Thank you #netgalley and #randomhousepublishing for an early copy of Catherine Steadman’s “Look In the Mirror”. I’ve considered Steadmans previous books before but I have never taken thr plunge to read one. I’m sorry to say my first experience was a little disappointing. The book started out very interesting. We are reading two points of view. Nina who has just lost her father and is finding out he left her a lavish property on a remote island in the British Virgin Isles, and Maria, a down on her luck live in Maid who arrives at the property only to find the owners haven’t arrived and won’t be there for a few days. She is told to enjoy the amenities but NOT to go in the basement. Interesting set up and the story starts out as a fun roller coaster ride but lacks the character development it takes to make you feel attached and concerned for either woman in the book. Then though it kept me entertained the ending was jumbled and thrown together and didn’t make enough sense for me to buy into the story.

Thank you to @BallantineBooks and #NetGalley for the digital ARC of #LookInTheMirror. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I've read and enjoyed several of Steadman's novels. This is a decent thriller told from multiple POVs with enough suspense to keep you up late turning the pages. But the premise was a little too dark for me - unsuspecting people are tricked into an elaborate escape room/survivor type "game" as entertainment for the wealthy. For the record, I would not be smart enough to make it out alive :)

Dark than expected, but quick-paced and well written with main characters you can root for. Not may favorite title by this author, but I'll keep reading her stuff.

I have enjoyed previous Catherine Steadman books, so was so happy to get approved to read Look in the Mirror early! This book was a wild ride. Nina's father passes away and she finds out that he has a big, fancy vacation home in the BVIs that she's never known about. She goes to see it and things absolutely go off the rails. Nina's chapters alternated with Maria's, who was hired to take care of a rich family's vacation home but told to never enter a certain locked room in the house. Will temptation win out?!

The book kind of plodded along until the last ~25%, when it all of a sudden turned into breakneck speed. Some of the twists were absolutely far fetched and had some holes, and the story ended up being a cross between Survivor and an escape room. Things were pretty tidily wrapped up but the ending fell a little flat for me. Overall, I enjoyed this book enough to speed through it, and can't wait to see what the author comes out with next! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A fantastic thriller!

Nina has just lost her father. Through the grief, an envelope is left unopened until, after all arrangements have been made and wishes executed, she recalls it. Her father, whom she was solely raised by and loved and knew like the back of her hand, left her a home in the British Virgin Islands. A place she never knew him to visit let alone own property. She inquires about this strange letter and is told to come down to BVI to see for herself. Everything has been arranged so, at no cost to her, she leaves London for blue waters and sandy beaches.

Maria is a fighter. A strategic thinker. When she realizes she can be a nanny for the Uber wealthy and completely fund her medical degree, she puts a pause on school and decides to save. She’s given an opportunity of a lifetime. Or, at least, one that will complete her school funding. She jets off to her next assignment. But the family she is to nanny for never arrives. And the mysteriously locked biometric door she was given explicit instructions never to enter is - suddenly - unlocked.

I was curious to see how these stories would intertwine and wasn’t the least bit disappointed. It was gripping and anxiety inducing in the best way.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise was interesting enough and it’s certainly a unique one. Unfortunately, the genuinely cool idea behind the book doesn’t make up for the fact that this book is horrendously slow, only to become fast paced and confusing at the end. There were far too many POVs alongside a flash forward ending/epilogue to quick explain what happened. It didn’t feel concrete. Between this and the multiple grammar & typing errors, I felt like I was reading a first draft, rather than something that will be released shortly. I couldn’t find myself attached to the characters and it felt like the book was more focused on some elaborate twist than helping the writers enjoy the ride.

Turbulent waters give no reflections. Neither do shattered mirrors. All you see is a distorted Fun House jagged image.

Well, now. I felt like a victim of whiplash throughout Look in the Mirror. By my calculations, it gauged 3 Stars and then struck upwards at 4 Stars and then back again. Ebb and flow. Catherine Steadman succeeded in keeping her readers confused and clueless throughout. That's usually a sought after element in a topnotch thriller. But being constantly on the other side of those glass walls while looking in was a constantly shifting position. I liked it. I didn't. I liked it.

Nina Hepworth is sitting with her grief. She's lost her adored father. Now comes the news that she has inherited a luxurious glass domicile in the British Virgin Islands. Who knew? How could her father have kept such a long-guarded secret from her? She's on the next flight to peruse the property. And from the moment that she arrives, a billion questions settle before her.

Steadman flips the switch and we meet Maria. Maria is originally from Columbia and had attended Cornell Medical School. She's found that being a nanny to the rich and famous deposits more in her bank account. She happens to be on the island of Gorda the same as Nina in the present. Maria waits for the arrival of her new family in a fabulous gated glass mansion. They never show. Maria explores the house for clues. And yes: Don't go into the basement rings out.

Between Nina and Maria, Maria was definitely my fav. Different kinds of smart. Different kinds of actions and reactions. Catherine Steadman knows how to inject massive tension into her novels. She does that here. But the gong of confusion seems to ring louder. Look in the Mirror has all the elements of a reality show on steroids. The ending becomes rushed. But then a trip to the British Virgin Islands seems appropriate about now since this one is due to publish 7/30/24. Pass the sunblock and ice up those Margaritas.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Ballantine Books/Random House and to Catherine Steadman for the opportunity.

Ok so I had gotten to 75% of this book on my kindle and I had NO idea what was going on….but I was completely engrossed and could not turn pages fast enough! This was EXCELLENT! It has everything a good thriller has: confusion, a character you are rooting for, terror and a spooky locale! Nina’s father, a man she loved dearly, dies and she learns that he may have had a secret life that proves he is not the man she thought he was. Maria is a nanny for the Uber rich, living a transient lifestyle without anyone tracking her movements. Joon-gi is an electrician with dreams of moving to Miami. All find themselves in Gorda in the British Virgin Islands and then the game begins. This book was so good and this author rarely disappoints!

Way out there, but entertaining.

Nina, single and in her mid-thirties, a professor at Cambridge who has just lost her father whom she adored, is startled to learn that he owned property in the BVI and has left a „generous“ house to her. Desperate to hold on to any thread of him, Nina sets out for the BVI. But once she arrives at the house, she quickly realizes nothing is what it seems.

Maria, meanwhile, works as a short-term nanny to the uber-wealthy to put away money so she can finish med school. But when her latest employer and his two kids never show up, she begins to suspect something else is at work - and it might have to do with the locked room downstairs.

Alternating mostly between Nina and Maria‘s POV, the first third of the novel was very enjoyable. Nina‘s loss felt raw and real and very reminiscent of when I lost my own dad. More importantly, the pace was fast, and the mystery of the house - and Nina and Maria‘s connection - intriguing.

However, things started going south for me once we find out more about what‘s going on because while some things (the mirror, for starters) are extremely obvious, the mystery as a whole becomes more and more far-fetched, never more so than in its conclusion. While the story was definitely original, suspenseful and imaginative, it also developed more and more holes as it went on, focusing on thrills rather than a coherent story and ending in a rushed, unbelievable resolution. The characters also turned into caricatures with no real development, mostly Nina; all we know about her is that she acts like she‘s some old, sad spinster with nothing in her future despite being only in her mid-thirties, with a significant inheritance and a job at a very prestigious institution. Not helping her case: a completely unbelievable romance and the fact that her father, for all her idolizing of him, actually sounds like a pretty rubbish dad, although beloved by everyone and admittedly a genius.

That being said , I actually think this would make a great action movie because it is fast-paced, entertaining and twisted. A quick, easy summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballatine for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

„Look In the Mirror“ is slated to be released on July 30, 2024.

YOU HAVE TO READ THIS!!! I have loved Catherine Steadman’s writing for years, especially The Family Game. This one was very scary, at times moving toward horror. It’s about a woman who learns that her father had a secret home in the BVI. She goes to the home and finds that it has all sorts of puzzles and games that lead to the truth about her father. Twisty and completely addicting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC!