All I can say is wow! I loved this story and will be reading more by Catherine Steadman. She focuses in on two women who spend time in the same house, but this isn't any normal house. The suspense, the puzzles, and the unraveling of the crime all kept me reading. I highly recommend this book! I received a copy of this book from Net Galley.

Whoa! What a crazy ride this book took me on!

Pros: I was on the edge of my seat for the entire second half! You could tell something was fishy in the first half, but I couldn’t figure out the twist(s) personally. I also like the multiple viewpoints throughout, but was having a little trouble with the timeline initially - this got cleared up really well several chapters in. Holy smokes though! What a concept, and to me at least, an original concept. Really well written and thought out.

Cons: I didn’t have any

5 stars/A

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! It’s a cross between psychological thriller and the Saw movies…if that’s even a thing. If you like puzzles and mysteries and family secrets then you will love this book too!

I really enjoy Catherine Steadman’s writing. The way she just drops you in the middle of everything. Also the short chapters are THE best because she makes you want more and before you know it, you’re done with the book! I loved her other book, The Family Game and I felt some of the same intensity and unreliable some of the characters were. Action packed, thriller, scary and so much more. I really enjoyed this book and I’m so exciting to keep reading more from Catherine Steadman. Thank you NetGalley, Catherine Steadman and Ballantine Books for this digital copy!

Could not get through this one fast enough!! I was so intrigued and on the edge of my seat the entire time. Looking forward to more!
(Unfortunately this title is not eligible for an Amazon review).

This book was very compelling. It was hard to put down! I found the storyline very interesting, the pacing was also well done. The ending was a little abrupt, but I think it worked. I appreciated the twists at the end. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I have enjoyed Steadman's other works so I was excited to read this one. I was hooked from the beginning when the MC finds out she inherits a secret house that she didn't know about on an island. What ensues is a frightening escape room mixed with the movie "Saw". Read to find out if she makes it through. I absolutely devoured this one! Definitely recommend.

ARC releasing 7/30. Nina's father dies and she finds in the will that he left her a luxury home on an island that she never knew existed. Upon entering the home, she is met with a house of horrors. This was slow and I had a hard time making much sense of it. It was various character POV that I felt unnecessary and didn't feel like anything was explained well. This had great premise but poor follow through.

Woooo this kept me on the edge of my seat! The second half of the book I was having heart palpitations. This was a very fun read. I am a little confused by the last chapter but still a great read.

I read "Something in the Water" and thought it was an interesting story, fast-paced, but a bit outlandish and predictable. I feel similarly about Catherine Steadman's new book, "Look in the Mirror." It captured my attention right from the start, and I didn't want to put it down. I liked both main characters (something I didn't really feel in "Something in the Water), and I enjoyed the back-and-forth between their storylines. Sometimes, alternating narratives can be confusing, but the format really worked for this book.

Nina is 34, a Cambridge University professor, and grieving her father's death, when she discovers he left her an estate on Gorda, part of the British Virgin Islands. She is shocked because there is no way he could have afforded this. He was a civil engineer, academic and crossword puzzle creator. And why didn't he tell her? Especially since she had been living with him for years and they were very close, as her mother had died after complications from childbirth. She flies to Gorda and the BVI lawyer, James, takes her to the spectacular glass and steel house built into the rocks. But as she looks around, she is comforted by things her father had owned, including a special book, “The Waste Land,” that her mother had gifted her father years ago. Wandering throughout the house, she finds a locked door in the basement, but James has no idea what is behind the door.

The other protagonist, Maria, is a medical school student who put her studies on hold to earn money as a nanny for wealthy families. She shows up for a two-week job at the house on Gorda – the reader later learns this was before Nina’s trip to the island – but the house is empty. The woman who arranged the nanny job, known only as “the woman with the too-tight chignon,” tells Maria the family will show up any day and to maker herself at home. Maria is only cautioned against trying to open the locked door in the basement. Hmmmm, what do you think happens?

At first, I thought the story would progress in one direction, but there were twists and turns that, while difficult to believe, at least made the plot exciting. I won’t give anything away, but there are definitely white-knuckle moments that will keep you reading!
A good summer vacation read if you can overlook the too-convenient plot twists.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ePUB ARC.

#LookintheMirror #NetGalley

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Look in the Mirror by Catherine Steadman (July 30, 2024 Release)

This had me in the first half, but when there was maybe 20% left I was absolutely flabbergasted. Honestly , that feeling was reminiscent of The Family Game also by Catherine Steadman. You have all this build up where you want to know what is going on, and then once it is revealed it’s like throwing a pie at a fan and watching the pieces fly around the room. What’s gonna stick where? I’m frustrated that this is how thrillers have been ending lately. I won’t say what it is that happened, but if you read a lot of thrillers you can probably sus it out.

It’s not even that it was a bad book, I really was hooked into it, but so much happened so fast that you get a little muddled up. That’s why I’m not giving it a full four stars. I’m not sure every view point was needed, because beyond the two main women you have three randoms that are just there to explain what’s going on outside of a house, but BARELY.

If you like fast paced popcorn style thrillers without too much that makes sense in the end, here ya go :)

Spoiler : Plus, there’s some romance plot happening behind the scene, where you don’t actually get to see these people connect and fall in love, but they end up married in the epilogue. Is that a spoiler?? I don’t know.

Thanks NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this Arc.

*4.5 stars rounded up*

Do houses have secrets?

Nina’s safe academic life has recently been upended by the loss of her father, & in the process of setting his affairs in order she realizes she has inherited a house she never knew he owned - it’s a beautiful slice of paradise, but why exactly did he keep it hidden from her?

Maria has dealt with all sorts of eccentric requests & strange rules over the course of her tenure as a nanny to the uber-wealthy; when her latest charges never show up & she is left alone in a gorgeous home, she starts to wonder what exactly is in that forbidden room in the basement…

This story was a puzzler fit for the likes of Nina’s genius riddle-loving father; I loved following along as these two women discovered more & more about the mysterious circumstances they found themselves in, & incorporating more than just their POVs into the story kept the pace quick & gave readers a more well-rounded picture as events transpired. I’ve read one of Catherine Steadman’s novels (& one short story) in the past & own the other three: I definitely need to bump them up higher on my TBR list because this one had me holding my breath in suspense!

Thank you to NetGalley & Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What would you do if you thought after your father died, that he kept part of his life hidden from you ? Would you try to unravel the mystery of who this man was or portrayed himself to be…. What if it was all just a lie to get you into a situation that could be inescapable?

This book has some wild twists and turns …. And will you be able to tell who the real villains of this story is? Making friends is hard but also making sense of the past and the reality of some people’s decisions and how they affect you also is difficult. Would you be able to walk away from the curiosity of figuring out why there is a locked door in the house and even entering it?

I liked this story! I think it was drawn out a bit towards the end, but I did like the dual POV with all the different stories that all tied into each other. I’m sure this novel will be a hit!

Kept me on the edge trying to figure out what was happening and how all the connections tied together. Catherine did a great job keeping the guessing going… and then the epilogue 🤯

Wow! From the start, I knew this book would be interesting. The synopsis sounded great, but I was hooked by the author’s writing style right away! The story had a great alternating voice and the “locked door” aspect of it was fantastic! This read kept me interested from beginning to end!

Upon the death of her father, Nina learns she is inheriting a home in the British Virgin Islands that no one, including herself, knew about . Shocked and full of questions, she travels there to complete the paperwork and view the secluded home herself. She soon begins to question if she really knew her father at all and her sense of dread slowly builds the more she learns about this house on the rocks with a locked door that no one seems to know what, exactly, is on the other side.

Intense, original, and shocking. This was a real page turner by an author who always knows how to reel in her readers. Two female perspectives are laid out for us, and as we follow their journeys, we slowly learn right along with them the shocking realities of this so-called luxury home and the reason for the locked door. I highly suggest that if this is the first review you are reading, leave it at that so nothing will be spoiled for you as to what happens next. This author is at the top of her game with this one, so meticulously written with the suspense high and the clues all falling into place at each exact moment. I highly recommend this one and give it the perfect five stars it deserves.

Thank you, Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group, for this ARC.

Catherine Steadman’s latest thriller, “Look In the Mirror,” takes readers on a suspenseful journey filled with mystery, intrigue, and unexpected twists. Set against the backdrop of a luxurious vacation home in the British Virgin Islands, the novel explores the consequences of inheritance and the hidden truths that lie within family legacies.

The story follows Nina, who inherits a stunning vacation property following her father’s death. As she delves into the secrets surrounding the house, she uncovers unsettling truths about her father’s past and the mysterious origins of the property. Alongside Nina is Maria, a nanny for the wealthy, whose own curiosity leads her to explore forbidden areas of the house, setting off a chain of events that threatens to unravel everything.

Steadman’s skillful storytelling keeps readers on the edge of their seats, with each chapter unveiling new layers of deception and suspense. The vivid descriptions of the tropical setting create a palpable sense of atmosphere, immersing readers in the opulence and intrigue of the story.

One of the novel’s strengths lies in its complex characters, particularly Nina and Maria, whose intertwining narratives add depth and dimension to the plot. Their motivations and vulnerabilities make them compelling protagonists, driving the story forward as they navigate the dangerous secrets hidden within the vacation home.

However, while “Look In the Mirror” offers plenty of thrills and suspense, some readers may find certain plot twists predictable or familiar within the genre. Additionally, the pacing occasionally falters, with certain scenes feeling drawn out or repetitive.

Overall, “Look In the Mirror” is a gripping thriller that will appeal to fans of suspenseful fiction. Steadman’s adept storytelling and compelling characters make for an engaging read, even as the plot occasionally falls into familiar territory. With its blend of mystery, suspense, and intrigue, this novel is sure to keep readers guessing until the very end.

Escape room type thriller perfect for fans of action based novels. The authors previous work Family Game was more based on family dynamics while this one is not.

"Look in the Mirror" takes safe rooms and escape rooms to a new level. I was not expecting the intricacy and complexity of the scheme in which Nina and Maria unwittingly find themselves entangled. Alternating between Nina and Maria works well, especially as the timeline is kept somewhat vague, raising the possibility that they are both at the luxury villa (and death-trap) in the British Virgin Islands together, just missing each other. I enjoyed the various puzzles that were employed in the story which Nina had to solve, and which connected her to her deceased father, making the scheme more personal to her and therefore more entertaining to those who orchestrated it.