Grieving the loss of her father, Nina Hepworth struggles to find closure while dealing with his estate. She comes upon a letter addressed to her which gives details of a house in the British Virgin Islands that has been bequeathed to her. Having had no idea that her father owned such a property, she flies to the Caribbean to investigate. Meanwhile, Maria Yossarian a medical student and nanny has landed at the home of her latest job assignment in the BVI and awaits the family’s arrival. She is instructed that she has full run of the property with two exceptions…she cannot leave the property on her own and she is to stay out of the locked room on the ground level of the home. Told in the voices of both Nina and Maria, the novel progresses and it soon becomes apparent that there is something very sinister about the house and in particular ,the locked room. This was an edge of your seat thrill ride that I absolutely could not put down! A 5 star read for me that I highly recommend!

4 stars

After LOVING _The Family Game_, I couldn't wait to get my paws on this newest thriller from Catherine Steadman. It's another banger!

Readers meet Nina, the m.c., when she has just lost her father. Their relationship is extremely close. She's an only child, and her mother died when she was quite young, so the two have really only each other. They strengthen this bond through a lot of hangout time and game playing (the fun kind, not the toxic relationship version). When Nina's father dies, she's alerted to some shocking information: a surprise home he owns, that she's now inheriting, in the BVI.

While Nina and her father are close, she's surprisingly insecure about their relationship and the mysteries surrounding her father when he's gone. Without him there to ask, she has only her own wherewithal to try to get her questions answered, and this is how she ends up in the BVI scouting this surprise new boon.

The events that follow are absolutely wild and very fun to read, and they make for a compelling thriller AND mystery. While there was one element I did not love about the end (keeping it vague so as to avoid spoilers, but it has something to do with Nina's dad's awareness of certain situations before his death and the handling of that), I really enjoyed the pacing and overall concept.

I was a fan of Steadman's upon entry and remain that way upon my triumphant exit from this one. Happy problem solving, Readers!

I was thrilled (pun intended) for a chance to read and review Catherine Steadman’s latest effort, “Look in the Mirror.”

Nina, a prestigious professor, discovers her father has recently passed away and left her a home in the British Virgin Islands. Seeking to know more about her dad, she visits, only to discover one last gift—her father left her a puzzle with potentially dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, the reader is introduced to Maria, a nanny to a wealthy family, who faces her own puzzle with similar lethal outcomes.

Steadman has excellent control of both Nina and Maria and keeps the novel moving at a lively pace. The setting of the island and these spooky houses help heighten the tension. The reader is kept constantly on her toes—especially trying to figure out how Nina and Maria’s stories intertwine (and they do). I wasn’t as thrilled (pun again) with the ending, which wrapped things up in a slightly predictable way. Overall, this is an enjoyable book that will stand out in a very crowd field of thrillers and I recommend it.

My thanks for Catherine Steadman, the publisher, and Net Galley for a chance to read such an intriguing book.

This was the ultimate cat and mouse game. There were so many twists and turns, and nothing was as it seemed. When Nina’s father leaves her an island home, she has no idea what she’s walking into. Was her father brilliant or mad? Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my review.

This thriller drops you right into the action as you follow two different women, Nina and Maria, as they encounter increasingly strange occurrences in a secluded tropical home. Short chapters packed with plot and often ending in cliffhangers make this almost impossible to put down. Very few answers or explanations are given until well after the halfway point, and I honestly enjoyed what a weird, strange ride this was.

Even though the final reveals were a bit convoluted, I felt like this was an author trying something completely new, and overall, this felt like a fresh take on the standard thriller. Also, this feels like a case where you should go ahead and judge this book by its excellent cover. Highly recommend this one when you want a quick and wild read.

Many thanks to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Well, 'Look in the Mirror' is a riveting page-turner with many action-packed chapters that keep your heart in your throat, your nails bitten, and have you jumping in your seat. It presents a perfectly designed locked-room mystery concept, although some of the twists are foreseeable and a few are a bit far-fetched. Nonetheless, it promises a lot of excitement and thrill!

You'll find yourself immediately drawn into the mystery, like a puzzler trying to gather the pieces and guess connections between incidents and characters. You'll be easily hooked, going with the flow, and crossing your fingers for your favorite characters to make it out alive.

The main story centers on two women with no apparent connection. One of them is Nina, a British academic and introvert who lived a secluded life with her father until the age of 34. After her father's recent passing, she discovers he also owned a house in the British Virgin Islands, left to her in his will. Skeptical at first, Nina decides to investigate her father's past and the secrets hidden within the house.

The other character is also named Nina, a medical student who works as a nanny for wealthy families to afford her school expenses. Her latest job takes her to a secluded mansion where she's instructed not to enter the locked basement. However, when the family she's supposed to work for never arrives and an electrical malfunction unlocks the basement, Nina realizes she's in for more than just babysitting duties.

What's the connection between these two women? What's happening in the houses they inhabit? Are they part of a dangerous game, puppet masters, or merely pawns?

Overall, despite some explanations being too far-fetched, I found the creativity in designing the specifics of the escape rooms more original than 'Squid Game,' and I thoroughly enjoyed the wild ride. I would round up my rating from 3.5 to 4 adventurous, heart-throbbing, twisty stars as a fan of the author.

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."

This is the first book in forever that I have read in one sitting. I kept telling myself "just one more chapter" until the book was done. This novel was truly the definition of un-put-down-able! And although it's only February, I'm going to declare this the best book of 2024. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

#LookInTheMirror #NetGalley
Nina, still grieving from the loss of her father, discovers that she has inherited property in the British Virgin Islands—a vacation home she had no idea existed, until now. The house is extraordinary: state-of-the-art, all glass and marble. How did her sensible father come into enough money for this? Why did he keep it from her? And what else was he hiding? Maria, once an ambitious medical student, is a nanny for the super-rich. The money’s better, and so are the destinations where her work takes her. Just one more gig, and she’ll be set. Finally, she’ll be secure. But when her wards never show, Maria begins to make herself at home, spending her days luxuriating by the pool and in the sauna. There’s just one rule: Don’t go in the basement. That room is off-limits. But her curiosity might just get the better of her. And soon, she’ll wish her only worry was not getting paid.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for giving me an advance copy.

This book begins with two seemingly separate story lines involving two very different young women. The story toggles back and forth between a young nanny and young academic who had just lost her brilliant father. The nanny waits for her new family to arrive in a luxury home in BVI with only one stipulation - DO NOT enter the locked room in the basement. The other young lady finds out her father apparently owned a home in BVI she has never heard about. How do these two stories connect? The truth is horrifying and the ride through the book is full of drama and excitement. The reader does not know who to trust and what is actually happening until the very end of the book. I enjoyed the switching between characters and read the whole thing in a day.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book early!

I've enjoyed other thrillers by Catherine Steadman, and this one was my favorite thus far. The reader is drawn in from the beginning as "Nina," the main character, learns she has inherited an exclusive property in the British Virgin Islands, both constructed and owned by her father. This inheritance comes as a shock to Nina, who experiences ambivalence about visiting the property- sad as she feels her father may have had secrets, but also curious about this mystery house. She was raised to enjoy the challenge of games and puzzles and wants to understand more about her father as well as the house itself.

The chapters initially alternate between Nina and a second protagonist, "Maria," who is a bright young adult making her way in the world as a nanny to the wealthy, as she puts her schooling on hold. She too is a problem solver and has a history of loss and resilience.

There was enough character development of these woman, as well as a supporting character, to make me care about their outcomes, something at times missing in other books of this genre. Concern for the characters added to the tension of this page-turner.

I would have given the book 5 stars had the ending not been wrapped up in way that felt a bit too inconsistent with the characters- and a bit too easy. But I don't want to give any spoilers.
I would highly recommend.

Catherine Steadman simply does not miss.

I love all of her books, and this one might be my favorite. I'm normally not a fan of multiple perspectives, but if anyone can make them work, it's Steadman. Sure enough, somehow she made each narrative equally suspenseful. The start of every chapter felt like a welcome return to a storyline — even if it did steadily raise my heartbeat.

I read a lot of thrillers, but it took me quite some time to understand what was happening. And even then, I still wasn't sure how the book would end. It's unusual to find a new twist to this genre, but again, I'm not surprised Steadman is the author to do that. My only complaint is that I couldn't put the book down and I finished it in a day — and now I probably have to wait a while until her next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy of this fun thriller! I'm a huge fan of the author, Catherine Steadman.
This book was fun going into without too much information on the plot.
The main character Nina recently lost her father, a brilliant mathematician and civil engineerher. She is notified that her father left her a house in the British Virgin Islands. Desperate for more closure and information on her brilliant father, she travels to see the house before deciding what to do with it. When she gets to the impressive house on a very remote island she starts to realize there is more to the house than she first assumed.
Wirhout giving too much away, the first half of the book was especially fun and exciting to read. It was tricky understanding who to trust and what the purpose and background of the house was. I really enjoyed Nina's character. She was smart, practical, and easy to root for. The other main character Maria was really interesting. She was more driven with instinct than Nina's calm perseverance and intellect
The alternating perspectives kept the plot fast-paced and interesting, especially in the first half.
I think my only complaint is there might have been too many additional narrators as the book went on, especially towards the last quarter of the book. It felt a little convoluted and I wanted a little more but still I overall loved the book. It was a complex and clever thriller and I highly recommend it!

I enjoyed this book! It was twisty and surprised me many steps of the way!

At first, I could not figure out how this story would come together. You have Nina, a 34 year old woman living in London whose father recently passed away. He left her a property on the Virgin Islands that she had no idea about. Then you have Maria, a nanny who is saving money to go back to med school. She is a nanny for the rich and when she arrives, the house keeper gives her the rules and expectations, one being to not go in the locked room in the basement. She is waiting for the family to come but when they never arrive, things start to become clear that something is not as it seems.

That is all I can say before giving up all the details and spoiling the story! Things really aren’t as they seem but they do come together really well. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and the storyline. It was a quick read, definitely a great summer thriller.


Thank you to Netgalley, Ballantine books and Catherine Steadman for this arc in exchange for a review.

Pub Date: July 30, 2024

My fifth read by Catherine Steadman. The previous four have all been solid four stars, and this one got dangerously close to going all the way, but a few logistical snafus in the end kept it at four.
Still impressive. A most impressive solid performance in a genre so overpopulated by trite clichés that I’ve all but given up reading it. I make exceptions for Steadman. Totally worth it.
Behind the prismatic cover of this book lies a tale of deceptions centered around an unexpected inheritance and a particularly tricked out basement. It’s impossible to tell how much is too much in discussing the plot here, and so to avoid giving anything away, let’s just say this is a novel of extreme survival and leave it at that.
Steadman got a knack for detail which usually hampers (and needlessly bulks up) these sorts of thrillers, but in her work comes across seamlessly and, at times, literary. It is also commendable that she chose to do something different from the usual (missing child - driven mother, spouse with secrets, friends with a decades old secrets reunite, etc.) genre presets. And she gets the suspense just right, keeping you turning pages.
It was the ending that left a lot to be desired here. From the neatness of the bow with which it was all tired up to some questionable logistics. Nevertheless, the book is very entertaining and very much worth a read.
Please stop now if you haven’t read the novel. I’d like to discuss those logistical snafus without accusations of giving too much away. Okay? Okay, thanks.
So, our presumably very intelligent protagonist doesn’t do a lot of work verifying her mysterious inheritance before jutting off to the remote island, does she?
But more importantly, her allegedly brilliant and lovely father has no qualms designing a place clearly meant for nefarious purposes. Moreso, he seems more or less okay with it so long as it doesn’t affect his daughter. Moreso, he in fact suspects it may affect his daughter (this is during Lucinda’s visit) but nevertheless does nothing—NOTHING—to warn his daughter about this possibility or prepare her in any way, BUT he does rely on Lucinda’s good graces and kindness enough to ask her to avoid involving his daughter. In other words, he’d rather depend on someone with a proven track of evil deeds than simply warn his beloved only daughter. Interesting. And finally, why would a witness protection program relocate British citizens to the smaller towns, US? Isn’t the entire point of it to make people disappear? How’s putting a foreign national in a staunchly monolingual, socially conservative south of the country generally bewildered by accents going to help them blend in?
Anyway, those are just some things that didn’t make much sense. Still a very fun read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

When Nina’s beloved father passes, she finds something surprising in his will....a house located on a small island in the Caribbean. Nina knows is so confused- why did she not know about this property? The only way to learn more is to travel there.

Interspersed with the stories of other characters located on the island, Look In the Mirror is by far the creepiest story I have ever read! If you like thrillers, look no further. This is one of a kind and will haunt you even in broad daylight! Thank you Catherine Steadman, I hope I can sleep tonight!
#randomhouse #ballantine

Wow. A deadly escape house designed by the protagonist’s own father, each room named after a verse in “The WasteLand” and the protagonist an Oxbridge literature professor. Extremely high concept, but it works. 3:5 rounded up.

Look in the Mirror is very dark, suspenseful, and twisted. The beginning started out strong, but then the middle got a little convoluted. I think I just don't have a dark mind so some things were hard for me to grasp. There is not much character development so be aware if you enjoy connecting with characters this may be difficult to do in this story. The setting and house where the majority of the story takes place are thoroughly described and it was easy to immerse myself in the story. I read this in one sitting, it was very hard to put down. If you like dark thrillers you will love this one!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“Look in the mirror” is the new suspense thriller by Catherine Steadman. The book is told in alternating points of view by Nina and Maria who are both trapped in a house on an island in the Caribbean. I read the book quickly as it was suspenseful and I wanted to know what the hell was going on as it wasn’t clear until about 70%. Then once I realized where the plot was going, it quickly got campy and went downhill. Overall, it was interesting, just disappointed in the execution.

I was thrilled to receive this approval. I immediately dove head first into reading Look In The Mirror. I will have to say that the first 20% of the book, I couldn't put it down. Then, unfortunately, things begin to become quite repetitive and boring for me. I think I am more of a character development person when it comes to reading my books. I have to get to know the characters to feel any empathy for them or even get invested in the story. There was not any real character development in this book. If you are into architecture/design, and enjoy descriptive details along that line, then you'd love this book. I felt that all I was reading about was the house that Nina's father has left her in his will. Yes, Steadman did a fantastic job with this, to the point where the house itself almost felt alive. I just got terribly bored. I had a hard time continuing, honestly. I am going to give this 3 stars, as I do not feel it was horrible enough to give it any lower, but not mind blowing to be near a 4 or 5 star read for me.

This is an unhinged popcorn thriller that I could not put down! Catherine Steadman has a dark, twisted imagination, and she knows how to write a fast-paced story. Although the plot is fluffy, this is also a bloody and violent popcorn thriller so readers should be aware. Look In the Mirror follows 34-year-old Nina, a Cambridge professor who inherits a mysterious house on the British Virgin Islands after her father's death. When Nina arrives at the house, she soon discovers that her father, a life-long lover of games and puzzles, has left one final puzzle for her...and it has dangerous, deadly stakes. Meanwhile, a young woman named Maria, normally a nanny for rich families, finds herself alone in the BVI in a pristine summer home. Maria's warned not to go into one room in the basement of the house...but Maria can't resist. And when she pushes a mysterious button in the basement, she's left to contend with a deadly puzzle of her own. Of course, Nina and Maria's stories are connected.

While some of the twists in the book were predictable and others were far-fetched, I couldn't put this down! This moved lightning fast, so Catherine Steadman gets major points for that. As with some of her past books, though, I thought some of the plot points hinged on entirely ridiculous backstories; some of the rationale in the book was flimsy, though perhaps that's not so important when suspension of disbelief is key to enjoying the entire plot. Also, I will say, even though Maria and Nina are supposed to be intelligent, they both choose to push the button in the basement...and if we've learned anything from horror films, it's never push the button! If neither of them took that action, there would be no story — but it's inconsistent with their characters.

Still this is a book to read for the story and not the character development and what a story it was! This is a fun, bloody, twisty ride...and you'll want to look in the mirror after reading it to make sure no one is there, watching you.