I gave this book a try because I randomly found The family game and loved it but this one was truly dreadful.

It literally reads like a mood board.
An author had a million different unfinished ideas that were completely unrelated to each other and just said fuck it, I’ll make them stick by filling the gaps full of daddy issues, thoughts and descriptions.

There are too many unnecessary characters, A TON of descriptions and thoughts or feelings and random memories. Like girl, you’re probably dying in an extreme makeover escape room why the fuck do I have to read about your childhood memories from a trip to a beach that for some reason just now resurfaced?
Why do I need to know the full layout of a freaking island?

Then the actual revelation of the "mystery" is not very revealing like we literally don’t get to know pretty much anything.
We just skipped 2 years ahead with no idea how anyone got there, none of the people behind any of this or how they did all of that, not even the level of the involvement of daddy dearest in all of this.

I could not find a single redeeming thing in this, even if you throw all logic out the window it makes zero sense.

Thank you NetGalley and Quercus Books for the digital ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s the first Catherine Steadman book I have had the pleasure of reading and it won’t be my last.

This was a real page turner and made my anxiety shoot through the roof. At times I was petrified!

Nina’s father has not long passed away when she receives a letter from a second Estates Law Firm informing her father had left her a property on the British Virgin Islands. Nina is confused as to the property as her father had never talked to her about it. Intrigued she heads to the Island to see what this house is. It soon becomes apparent this house harbours a plethora of secrets.

The story follows Nina as she works out what the house is about and also of Maria a previous occupant of the house as well as a few other characters.

I really liked the characters and was rooting for them all. The big twist at the end was such a shock I had to remind myself who this person was but then, ahh it all made sense!

This is a fantastic book and an absolute summer must read!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Quercus books for this digital arc!

Clever, creepy, and faster paced than any previous Steadman novels.

Told by two different women and set beautifully the only thing missing here for me was actual surprise. The ending was a little too predictable and I just wish there had been more from Maria’s side.

I always enjoy a thriller by Catherine Steadman, but I do usually have to remind myself that they're often quite domestic and can sometimes take a while to get going. But boy, Look In The Mirror is not messing around. This one had me gripped from the beginning, and things get dark quite quickly so I was immediately hooked by this story!

With two narratives told alongside each other, I was really curious to put this puzzle together - to know how these stories would come together, what was really going, and who the "bad guy" was in this very surreal situation. Because I had absolutely no idea why these things were happening, and I absolutely loved it!

I was a little disappointed at first when we didn't get to see Maria's full experience as the story, instead, focused on her turmoil afterwards, but I soon realised that all of the gritty details were being saved for later, and I loved it when we finally got to see what went on. What unfolded had me holding my breath in complete shock and suspense. The atmosphere is absolutely brilliant, and I had so much fun following this wicked game of twisted sadism.

I've knocked off half a start on my rating as I didn't enjoy the end, but I knew that this was coming. I couldn't think of any way that the story could have wrapped up and left me satisfied, so I already prepared myself to quickly forget about the end and instead focus on how good everything else was!

This is definitely a book you might have to take with a pinch of salt and certainly isn't the usual for Catherine Steadman. But if you like thrillers with a dark popcorny twist, then you'll find Look In The Mirror immensely enjoyable!

Nina, who has recently lost her father, learns that she has inherited a house in the British Virgin Islands. She had no idea her father owned this state of the art house. Maria is a nanny for the rich and arrives at a job, however the clients do not show. She has one rule not to enter the basement. Will temptation become too much?

This was a very entertaining thriller and not what I was expecting. At first I carried on reading as I had no idea what direction the story was heading and later on I was glued to the pages with the action and twists and turns. Not wanting to give too much away, I found the action scenes intriguing and cleverly thought out. The overall story, as well as the characters, is well written and creates a dark, creepy atmosphere.

Although the story started quite slowly, it picked up a lot by the half way mark, where I found I enjoyed it a lot more. Even though some parts were a bit unbelievable, it did not take away from the enjoyment of this thriller and instead created a twisty, crazy ride. I would definitely recommend picking this one up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

this book was so creepy but so addictive!! i absolutely love thrillers based on escape rooms and this was written so brilliantly. obsessed!!!!

Catherine Steadman’s Look In The Mirror ranks alongside M. W. Craven’s The Mercy Chair, as one of the most addictively readable books I have encountered so far this year.

The story opens with a dual storyline. When Nina’s father dies, she inherits a gleaming dream vacation home in a balmy tropical paradise, one she had no idea existed. The house is extraordinary: state-of-the-art, all glass and marble. She is confused as to how her sensible father could ever have had enough money for this and why he never told her. Desperate for some answers, she agrees to visit the house.

Meanwhile Maria, once an ambitious medical student, is now a nanny for the super-rich. The money’s better, and so are the destinations, like her new assignment in the British Virgin Islands. When her wards fail to turn up at the luxury house, Maria begins to make herself at home, spending her days luxuriating by the pool. There’s just one rule: ‘Don’t go in the basement’. As both women’s timelines intertwine, dark secrets start to unravel, and one thing quickly becomes clear: nothing could have prepared them for what they are about to encounter.

Catherine’s intriguing plot quickly draws you in and after a couple of chapters you are keenly turning the pages to find out what is going on and what will happen next. The book is quite cleverly structured, and Catherine skilfully unfolds her story in a way that keeps the tension at a high level. There are plenty of twists, and a good amount of excitement, as both Maria and Nina find themselves battling for their lives.

Both Maria and Nina are well fleshed out and interesting, and their actions are credible. Their characters grow as the book progresses, without ever slowing the pace, and their personal reflections add some good depth. The other members of the cast are also well done and fit nicely into the story. Also adding interest is Catherine’s usual interesting insider information on the lives of the rich and famous.

The book moves at a terrific pace, which is helped by Catherine’s use of short chapters and alternating viewpoints, and her naturally easy going narrative style. I really liked the first person narrative of her The Disappearing Act, but I think that the structure and flow is better this time around.

Towards the end the book’s central premise requires a generous suspension of disbelief, but not enough to stop Look In The Mirror from being a compelling read.

This was a creepy & unsettling read and I loved it! It’s one that starts off quietly and then all of a sudden, the pace has picked up and you don’t know what’s happened & what’s going on. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself hooked after the first few chapters, and I found it to be just so easy to read - definitely hard to put down.

I really liked the dual narration of the story. We have Maria, a nanny waiting for her family to arrive at their luxury holiday home, and Nina, who knew nothing of the house she inherited after her father died. I thought they were fantastic and I really enjoyed their reactions to the situations they found themselves in. At the start, I thought I had an idea of what was going to happen, but I could not have imagined what was to come - this had me on the edge of my seat & my heart racing! I had to know what was going to happen to Maria & Nina, how they were linked and if they would survive.

What did I just read? 😳

Look in the mirror by Catherine Steadman was one of those books I knew I had to read. I hit that request button on Netgalley so quick.

When Nina's father dies she gets more than she is bargained for on so many levels. She is left something she never knew existed - a holiday home in the British Virgin Islands. But this home may look amazing from the outside but inside it is hiding many horrors and secrets. Maria is waiting for her family to arrive at that very same home. But when days pass and no one turns up she starts to worry and this is when things go pear shaped. What is the connection between both women?

Look in the mirror follows the story of both Nina and Maria in alternating chapters. I enjoyed reading the points of view of both women. An absolute page turner and one that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. This novel is darker than I imagined it would be but I loved it all the same. I enjoyed putting all the puzzle pieces together and trying to see how both Nina and Maria are connected.

Thank you Quercus booms and Netgalley for a gifted copy of the book for my honest book review.

Rating: 4.0/5

This is my first experience of Catherine Steadman's work, but I doubt very much that it will be my last. I was attracted by the premise: Nina, a 34 year-old literary academic has unexpectedly inherited a dream house in the British Virgin Islands. Nina had always been close to her late father, but she had no idea that he had ever visited that part of the world - let alone owned such an astonishing property in a desirable and exclusive location. If she wasn't even aware of this, then what else might she be about to learn about her father's life.

In spite of being drawn to "Look in the Mirror" by its synopsis, the actual content of the novel delivered something quite different to what I was anticipating. The opening chapters of the book are somewhat unconventional and slow-burning - which is not to say that I ever became bored or impatient for the plot to quicken. However, as the narrative develops the story moves from being an intriguing slow-burner to a suspenseful mystery thriller and then develops further into an all-out action adventure. "Look in the Mirror" never fails to make for compelling reading, though personally, I found the action elements to be the least convincing and had the impression that the author felt least at home penning these sections. Although they were still enjoyable and were consistent with keeping the plotline progressing in an appropriate fashion, these parts struck me as a touch more derivative and with more clichéd use of language. In the overall scheme of things, this observation is a relatively minor point and should not detract from the fact the author has successfully delivered a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience Indeed, she should be applauded for incorporating elements from various genres into the mix. I will certainly be watching out for Catherine Steadman's next offering.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

WOW WHAT A BOOK!! A book full of surprises and kept me guessing till the end! I loved the fight Nina had and the ending she got. This book was a real roller-coaster of events and i loved it! If you are looking for a twisty thriller then this one is for you!

Look In the Mirror by Catherine Steadman is described as an addictive thriller.

The story revolves around two women who ostensibly have no connection to each other.

We have Nina, an introvert, who has been recently bereaved following the death of her father, a brilliant but flawed individual. She is finally wrapping up the final details of his estate in the UK, when she receives a letter, stating that he also owned a house in the British Virgin Islands. Her father has also left funds for her to fly first class to the Islands to claim this part of her inheritance. When Nina arrives there she finds no ordinary house, but an edifice of marble and steel built into the rocks, which her father has named after a chess move they are both familiar with.

We then have Maria, who has suspended her medical degree studies to be a high-class nanny for the uber-wealthy. She has been engaged on a new contract, in a new marble and steel house with everything digitally controlled. The family didn’t appear at the time agreed, but Maria has been instructed to wait. There is one abiding rule…..Maria must not attempt to go through a locked door in the basement.

The story is told from the point of view of Nina, Maria and another character Joon-Gi who is responsible for the complicated electronics in the houses.

We soon get to know what the connection between the two women is. This is not a straight-up thriller, but more horror with a slight dystopian theme as the women find themselves up against impossible odds.

The chapters are reasonably short, but I did find the theme and tension a little repetitive and found myself wishing the author would just get on with it. This means that the ending when it comes feels rushed and there are unanswered questions.

So the story doesn’t quite work for me. However, if you love survival against all odds stories, you will love this. Many thanks to NetGalley, Quercus Books and Catherine Steadman for the ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

3.5 Stars
In Catherine Steadman’s latest novel, "Look In The Mirror," readers are whisked away to a tale of unexpected inheritance and hidden secrets. When Nina’s father passes away, she discovers a stunning vacation home in the British Virgin Islands that he never disclosed—a stark contrast to the modest life she knew him to lead. Meanwhile, Maria, a nanny to the affluent, finds herself stranded in a luxurious mansion with mysterious instructions not to venture into the basement. As their stories unfold, Nina and Maria navigate through layers of intrigue and danger, uncovering a web of puzzles and high-stakes challenges that threaten to unravel their lives.

I must thank Netgalley, Quercus Books, and Catherine Steadman for providing me with an ARC of "Look In The Mirror" in exchange for this review.

Having previously read Steadman’s "Something In The Water," which left me underwhelmed, "Look In The Mirror" was a pleasant surprise. The plot is far more engaging, weaving together suspense and mystery with characters I found much easier to connect with. The inclusion of high-stakes escape room elements added a refreshing twist, setting it apart from typical thrillers.

The narrative predominantly follows Nina, an introverted academic grappling with the sudden loss of her father and the startling discovery of his hidden property. Maria’s subplot, intertwined with Nina’s, adds depth and tension to the story, though their connection isn’t immediately clear. This dual perspective enriches the storytelling, keeping readers guessing as to how their paths will intersect.

However, despite its strengths, "Look In The Mirror" stumbles notably in its conclusion. The ending felt rushed and disjointed, leaving loose ends that undermined the carefully built suspense. The narrative, which had been steadily building towards a climactic revelation, veered off course, delivering a resolution that felt contrived and unsatisfying. This lack of cohesion detracted from an otherwise promising storyline.

One of the notable drawbacks of "Look In The Mirror" is its tendency towards far-fetched storytelling. Throughout the narrative, the plot takes improbable twists and turns that strain credulity. From the unlikely inheritance of a luxurious vacation home in the British Virgin Islands to the mysterious rules and dangers lurking within, the story often demands a suspension of disbelief.

While a certain degree of escapism is expected in thrillers, "Look In The Mirror" pushes beyond the boundaries of plausibility, especially towards the climax. The introduction of high-stakes escape room elements and the increasingly intricate web of puzzles border on the fantastical, detracting from the grounded tension that initially draws readers in.

Moreover, the resolution of key mysteries and the motivations behind certain characters' actions feel forced and hastily constructed. This disjointedness contributes to an overall sense of the story being rushed and underdeveloped, failing to fully explore its intriguing premise in a believable manner.

In conclusion, while "Look In The Mirror" offers moments of suspense and intrigue, its reliance on far-fetched plot devices ultimately diminishes its impact. Catherine Steadman's ambition to create a gripping thriller is evident, but the execution falls short in maintaining a realistic narrative flow and satisfying conclusion.

A Paradise..?
What is this paradise? Well, absolutely nothing is as it seems in this wholly immersive and tension fuelled suspense. When Nina inherits what appears to be a dream house in a veritable paradise, she had no clue that it existed at all but she certainly doesn’t know that dark secrets are there just waiting to be unleashed. With a stunningly well imagined backdrop, a well crafted cast of characters populating a tense and pacy plot littered with twists and an unending underlying vein of menace this is an edge of seat, gripping read.

Catherine Steadman has always been a hit or miss author for me but there is something about her books that I am always drawn to and because of this whenever she has a new release, I am very interested in reading it.
And boy am I glad I read this one!!
This is going to be a tough review to write without giving away any spoilers because this is a wild, twisted book! I went into this pretty much blind and I really suggest you do too, because if you read any spoilers before I think this might spoil your experience of it.
The mystery had me immediately intrigued and the writing style yet again drew me in. I was fully invested right from the start and it held my attention right until the very end.
So without giving too much away this book was wild. It took a turn I wasn't expecting (but I LOVED) and it really did remind me of a couple of my favourite films. A slight hint? This does veer slightly into horror territory (but not supernatural/paranormal)
I also did like the setting of the book being in the British Virgin Islands. I have never read a book set there before so that was another plus it had going for it.
This was so full of heart pounding tension that at times I had to remember to breathe!
I loved it all. This was my favourite book by this author so far and I can't wait to see what she writes next. Highly recommend!

WOW. This was literally the most addictive and binge worthy thrillers I have read for a long time …. I read this in two sittings and raced through the pages. So many thrillers with similar well worn plots so it was a joy to discover one that broke the blueprint. An unusual, modern plot , told on a dual timeline with compelling twist LOOK IN THE MIRROR ticked all the boxes and kept me up far too late as I couldn't resist another chapter which became another 3 which became 5 as it was unputdownable. Brilliant

When Nina's father dies, she inherits a gleaming dream vacation home in a balmy tropical paradise - one she had no idea existed. The house is extraordinary: state-of-the-art, all glass and marble. How did her sensible father ever have enough money for this? And why not tell her about it? Desperate to uncover why he hid such a big secret, she decides to visit.

Maria is a nanny for the super-rich and is given a new assignment in the British Virgin Islands. But when her wards never show, Maria begins to make herself at home, spending her days luxuriating by the pool. There's just one rule: Don't go in the basement. But her curiosity might just get the better of her...

This book is WILD! Think twisted AF escape rooms which you haven't signed up for and throw in multiple characters with different roles, and you ain't got a clue who to trust in this mad novel.

After an initial slow start for the basis of character building of Nina and Maria, the reader is sent full throttle into a maze of intrigue and suspense. I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!

Thank you to NetGalley for this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Look in the Mirror is full of great captivating writing combined with fast paced storytelling and a memorable ending. It is a fairly fast read with some excellent characters and a very suspenseful plot.

A high-tech property situated in the Carribean is inherited by Nina; she had no idea it even existed… A subterranean locked door with a room no one can access!

This deviously dark, fast paced page turner had me on the edge of my seat. Intriguing, nail bitingly clever with despicable games.

I was never able to second guess where this story was going to go…

Unnerving, unsettlingly and gloriously horrifying!

‘Death opens a lot of strange boxes… you can’t hide anything once you’re gone’

‘Life is the ultimate prize’

Perfect for those who enjoy:
- Nail biting stories
- Ridiculously clever novels
- Being unable to second guess
- Locked door thrillers

With thanks to Quercus and Netgalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

I absolutely tore through this one and stayed up far too late reading. Snatched work breaks in the garden between meetings to get through another chapter. It’s pacy and mysterious from early on - girls Dad dies leaving her a house she never knew about in a country she didn’t know he’d even been to - tell me more.

It’s when she gets to the house to find out more that this books takes a complete turn. It’s quite the surprise. Almost a book of 2 genres - family mystery and then suddenly a horror thriller. I think you could either love it or hate it for that reason. I know plenty of people who probably would have stopped reading halfway through but I was invested and I have a strong disposition haha.

The later parts are totally unbelievable and I noticed a few continuity errors in places but I forgave them because I just liked it, simple.

The ending was satisfying and made me smile although quite stupendously fortuitous and not quite believable.

Would definitely recommend and read more by this author.