I love the way Catherine Steadman writes. I could read her writing on almost any topic and enjoy it. That said, the plot of this one was unusual and a surprise! I don't want to spoil anything by giving it away but I also kind of wish I had known going in what this might be about. So, if you are like me, read on for a SPOILER....

...this mystery is basically about a real life, deadly escape room with a series of life-threatening challenges. There are intertwining narratives which are well done and link several disparate (and desperate) characters together in their plight to escape the house.

The ultimate mystery of how our heroine's father (who designed the house) was involved was a little disappointing to me ultimately, but the rest of it was pulse-pounding, thrilling, well-written and fun.

Another tip about Catherine Steadman: she's also a voice actress. She has read "Something in the Water" as an audiobook and did a lovely job. If this one comes out as an audiobook I totally recommend listening, and I think it would be especially scary read by the author.

Four and a half stars and can't wait to see what this author writes next!

I've been a long time fan of Catherine Steadman, but I can't say this is my favorite of her books. I liked it, of course, but it a) felt awfully far-reaching at times, and b) had slight tinges reminiscent of an Eli Roth movie that came out years ago. That said, I always appreciate Steadman's writing- she's undoubtedly extremely talented. She is, and will remain on my must-read list, and yeah, I will recommend this book, even if it comes with my own brand of warning. It's worth reading, but just allow yourself to suspend disbelief at the appropriate times.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this eARC. The story centers around two women, a mysterious glass house in the BVI and their alternating stories at the house. There is a locked door in the basement of the house with warnings to not go down or try and enter. The reader is left with a puzzle trying to figure out the connection of the women, the house and ultimately what is in the basement. This book was a wild ride and the plot was a little outrageous, BUT that is what made it a thrilling, page turning read. I found this one to be binge worthy. 3.5 stars rounded to 4 due to the cleverness, thrills at every turn of the page that you’ll be racing towards the end.

Oh boy. I don’t want to give up any spoilers but this is one dark & disturbing read.

Not a mystery, suspense, yes.
Outright scary, yes.

Will you come to fear & doubt the rest of humanity?

Perhaps.

Worth your time but buckle up for the ride. 😧

Catherine Steadman’s best yet - Look in the Mirror bends ever so slightly out of suspense and into the horror genre. It was enough to keep me on the edge of my seat and finishing the book in less than 24 hours. I kept picking it back up anytime I had the chance, trying to find connections between the two storylines and guessing at how it would all come together.

A perfect binge read for this summer on the beach or by the pool - you won’t want to put it down.

What a diabolically clever plot! This is a terrifying locked house mystery full of the types of puzzles and cyphers this author is famous for. I personally have a love/hate relationship with technology. After reading about this integrated smart home, I’m prepared to move off-grid. The setting is in the British Virgin Islands. The theme of this story will grab you early on and doesn’t lose momentum. There were a few small clues I put together but did not come close to guessing much of the stunning outcome. There are a variety of characters from sympathetic to evil. There are heroes and villains, goodness, human kindness and depravity. This novel ticks all of the boxes a great thriller needs: action, suspense, realistic, emotional, thought provoking, surprises and unexpected twists.
Nina’s father has recently passed away and his estate includes a secret island home. Nina is about to learn her exceptionally intellectual father had a life she never imagined. Meanwhile Maria is catering to the entitled wealthy as a nanny. She has a traumatic immigrant backstory. The chapters alternate between them and as the plot progressed more individuals are included. I don’t want to give any of the amazing plot away, just read it! I’ve read most of Ms. Steadman’s novels and this is definitely my favorite yet.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Advance Reader’s Copy of “Look in the Mirror” by Catherine Steadman, Ballantine Books, tentative publication July 30, 2024. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

Intense! You're father dies of natural cause and leaves you his estate. You're wealthy, but there's a mystery house in the Caribbean. You visit it only to find it has a locked door and some malfunctioning, high-end technology. At the same time, chapters alternate and readers learn about another woman who's visited what appears to be the same house at either a different time period, or a similar house at the same time period. Both women are trapped by the house, and different people try to save them. Who should we trust? What an awesome kickoff to the book... Look in the Mirror borders on thriller and horror, and as the story begins to unfold with its clues revealing the truth, the book gets stronger in some areas but a little messy in others. Loved the premise, but figuring out why people are either lying or doing certain things is never quite explained. Murder for murder seems a little much if there's no backstory. Some comes, but ultimately, I felt this missed the mark on what could have been a 5-star read. Still worth reading and I will continue to pick up Steadman books!

Always anxiously awaiting Catherine Steadman's books. Telling two parallel stories, that shockingly come together, when a woman inherits a home in paradise from her father. As usual, these characters are wily and all will become known!

While I'm a fan of Catherine Steadman's previous work, "Look in the Mirror" fell short in several areas.

Character Development: Nina's initial possessiveness towards her father and the intensity of their relationship felt unnecessary and overshadowed the central mystery. (Weird Daddy Daughter Dynamic).

Originality: The plot felt derivative, drawing heavily on popular media like Netflix's "Squid Games" without offering a fresh original take.

The ending: Completely predictable and clichéd. It felt rushed and lacked the suspenseful build-up present in Steadman's previous work. Think "Lifetime movie" level of predictability.

Lastly, Catherine Steadman's latest novel, "Look in the Mirror," exhibits a thematic similarity to the popular Netflix series "Squid Games." While "The Family Game" also drew comparisons to the film "Ready or Not," this repeated use of elements from existing media raises questions about the originality of Steadman's work. Is Steadman simply out of original ideas, or is there a pattern of derivative storytelling emerging here? Only time will tell.

Thank you to NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
* Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ballantine Books
* Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 30, 2024

What a fun ride! Look in the Mirror is the perfect quick thriller for a beach or patio. I went in not knowing anything and that’s what made me like it more. I truly didn’t know what to expect or what would happen next. It gets right to the action and doesn’t stop. The end wrapped up a little too quickly though. It builds to a climax which I felt was just cut short. I definitely recommend this one for your summer reading list. Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC!

I have to say this book took me by surprise. Revolving around Nina and Maria who both have weird experiences in a house in the British Virgin Islands, things are not what they seem!

This thriller had me flipping the pages so fast trying to figure out what was going on. I loved how the chapters were short and ended on mini cliff hangers. I thought this was very well done. What a fun and exciting read!

That ending also had me like 😳

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-copy in the change for my honest review.

***I received an ARC from Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for my honest review.***

From the author of “Something in the Water” comes a book just as unique and exciting, “Look in the Mirror”. Under the guise of an estate to be collected following her father’s death, Nina is seeking an inside look at the father she thought she knew. What she ends up finding is a whole lot more than she bargained for.

What I loved about this book:
🫶🏼 Quick read!
🫶🏼 Unique plot
🫶🏼 Relatable main character
🫶🏼 Intertwined stories

What I could have gone without:
❌ Loose threads left untied
❌ Random love story
❌ Villain’s change-of-heart felt abrupt

Overall, if you’re a fan of Catherine Steadman, you won’t want to miss this thrilling read!

This novel tells the story of a mystery house on Virgin Gorda that is part panic room, part home automation nightmare. It is told from the POV of two women who inhabit the house at different times, which you don't really figure out until later in the book. I don't think I am spoiling things here. The two women are there under somewhat different circumstances: one is the daughter of the person who built the house, the other a nanny who has been hired to attend to an absent family. Their trials and tribulations drive the novel's plot. The mystery becomes more annoying as you read about their circumstances, and while I mostly enjoyed the book, I thought it became more and more unbelievable which detracted from the situations portrayed. I still recommend the book for mystery lovers.

⭐️ 3.5

This was a good psychological thriller that kept my attention until the very end! I really liked how at first glance, you think the characters have nothing to do with each other, but you discover quickly how their lives become intertwined.

I felt that the pacing was a bit off towards the end and I would have loved to have spent some more time wrapping up details and specifics before it was over. That being said, I still did like the ending and did not see some some things coming.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend to anyone looking for a creepy thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat!

I am a huge fan of Catherine Steadman and this one didn’t disappoint. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC of this whirlwind.

The multiple points of view, stakes that kept getting raised, and the subtle plot twists kept this book moving so well. I didn’t put it down, I read it in a few hours! The idea of the house was unique but I think my favorite part was the ending, more specifically the epilogue. I won’t say anymore but usually the end is where you’re disappointed with thrillers, so I am pleasantly surprised. 10/10 recommendation from me for this one.

3.5 stars. I’m not really sure how I felt about this one. I did read it very quickly and was hooked on finding out what happened. But it was a little underwhelming for me.

I love Steadman's books and this was excellent! When Nina's father dies, he leaves her his elegant house in the British Virgin Islands. She never even knew this home existed so she's excited, albeit very curious about why he kept it a secret. When she gets there she is delighted to see it is beautiful and the scenery is amazing...until odd things begin to happen. And in an entirely different scenario, Maria is "invited" to a home as a housekeeper but when she arrives, it seems to be deserted as she awaits the guests she is sure will appear any moment. The novel vascillates between these two women as they each navigate their way through very odd circumstances that neither understands. This is one of those great books that keeps you on your toes as just when you are certain you've figured it out...you immediately know you are wrong! This one kept me awake at night as I had to get through it quickly (and I may never go on vacation again--well, for sure not alone)!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I loved this book. It was a tour de force of a book, and I had to stay awake a couple nights to read a few more pages. I loved the way the characters were woven together in this story. It was so well told that it was very easy to visualize everything taking place. This book will stay with me for some time. Props to Catherine Steadman!

Thank you Netgalley, Catherine Steadman, and the publisher for this e-ARC.,

Wow! This book was excellent! It is such a clever, unique concept and I was on the edge of my seat for about 75% or more of it.

It alternates chapters among a few different characters, each chapter ending on a cliffhanger, which made it difficult to stop reading. I was up late a few nights because I couldn't wait to see what would happen to each character.

The suspense, and intensity was giving me anxiety, in that perfect way a good thriller does. I feel like so many thrillers are alike these days, so I was very pleased to read this one and get a new experience.

This is a story I went into with no expectations and that made it even better. The middle to end is where it got really good but the build up until then was more than enough to keep me interested.