There was nothing that I didn't like about this book. It is incredibly well plotted to the point that you won't be able to guess what's going on until the end (even for someone who reads lots of thrillers as much as I do). Melanie Raabe is amazing in this genre, and I can't wait to read her next book!

This was a good psychological thriller, and I enjoyed it. After Norah moved from Berlin to Vienna, she's confronted by a homeless woman who tells her that she will kill a man on Feb. 11, a significant date for Norah already. She tries to let it go, but then she meets a man called Arthur Grimm, the alleged victim. She starts to wonder if she will actually kill a man, making one of her worst fears come true, and remembering what happened on the Feb. 11 in her past. It started a little slow, but picked up.

A solid psychological thriller. This book was a bit slow to start but once you get into it, it definitely picks up and turns into a page turner. I enjoyed the suspense and buildup up to the end. Thank you NetGalley.

A frighteningly slow build but so intriguing a once the intertwined plots started to snap into place. Lots of mystery and excitement through the pages. A fast read.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc

I found the plot to be very interesting but extremely slow. Not much seemed to be happening for much of the book. It picks up speed near the end and I will say that I was very impressed with the ending. The author did a good job tying the story together.

I had no idea where this book was going - was it horror? Suspense? Norah is walking down the street when a beggar tells her that she will kill a man on February 11 with her own free will. The man is someone she’s never met. Alfred Grimm. This book is a slow burn with a big payoff in the end.

After abandoning her job, her home, her boyfriend and her dog, Norah heads to Vienna. Soon after her arrival in Vienna, an old woman tells Norah that she will kill a man. Norah doesn't give much credit to the statement. Odd things start to occur, but by the time the final revelations are made, things will be more clear.

Norah has just moved to Vienna for a new start on life. She has had a bad breakup and is still trying to process the suicide of her best friend over 10 years ago. Not long after she arrives she runs into a homeless woman that tells her she will kill a man she doesn’t know of her own free will. This sets Norah on a mission to find out who the man is and why.

This book started out a little slow, but had lots of twists and turns, many I did not see coming. I thought the book was written well overall and kept my attention the whole time, I found the ending to be quite suspenseful and very different from the many other thrillers I have read. I will definitely keep this author on my radar and can’t wait to see what else she writes.

Thank you NetGalley for a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is one that I almost gave up, because the author had such an unique writing style. I’m flat I didn’t, as it truly was a captivating read, but it definitely takes some getting used to on stylistic. The characters were well developed and it was very much atmospherically written. This book had some good twists and turns, thrills, chills, and shocks, which is a must for me! Do highly recommend!

The Shadow was such an amazing book! I was about 25% through and had no real idea what was happening. But, I could not put it down and ended up finishing the book in the next sitting. Crazy good! It is a story about a woman that moves to Vienna and strange stuff starts happening. She meets a homeless lady that tells her she is going to kill a guy on February 11th and it just takes off from there. It is such a rollercoaster ride. The mystery is solid and unbelievably good. The characters were fantastic. I felt the tension rising with every weird thing that happened to Norah. The ending is the best, seriously shocking. One of the best mysteries I have read in ages.

This was a fast paced and atmospheric psychological thriller and I really enjoyed it. It centers on Norah, who moves from Berlin to Vienna after a painful breakup. Almost as soon as she gets there, she is confronted by a beggar on the street telling her that she is going to kill a man on a certain date- she is horrified, as that date holds memories for her, and her worst fear is taking a life. From there, all kinds of creepy things keep happening until we finally figure out what is really going on at the end of the book, which is brilliantly done.

The story started out a bit slow for me but once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. Much of the stuff that happened to Norah was just unsettling, versus actually scary, but that just added to the overall feeling of something being off, and the reader is trying to figure it out right along with Norah. Norah definitely made decisions that I (and probably most reasonable people) would not make, but the author gave us enough insight into her character to make these decisions feel at least somewhat believable.

There are a couple secrets revealed at the end of the book and the secondary storyline revolving Valerie was both surprising and interesting to me; it added to the overall story. While the culmination of the primary storyline is complex, I enjoyed the fact that this seemed like something that could have actually happened, despite the fact that it feels far-fetched. I always appreciate when an author takes something that seems like a stretch and makes it plausible.

Overall, I enjoyed this book greatly and read through the 2nd half of it in one sitting. The story is unique and the book is atmospheric, and the loose ends were all tied up nicely. I'd definitely recommend the book to those who like psychological thrillers, and encourage you to keep reading if it doesn't suck you in right away. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve never read anything by Raabe, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. This was a gem of psychological suspense with a lot going on. The protagonist is Norah, who has just moved to Vienna for a new job. She’s told a cryptic message by a stranger on the street and it unleashes a whole slew of crazy making events.

I loved Norah’s character and the way she is willing to fight for others who are unjustly treated. I love how she takes charge of her own destiny and stands up against tyranny. She is an intelligent, modern woman.

The plot was full of intrigue and held my attention throughout. The mystery began to unfold in little nuggets, but I was completely blown away by the ending, which was brilliant.

On the eleventh of February, you will kill a man called Arthur Grimm . . . With good reason. And of your own free will.


Well, that certainly is enough to wake up Norah! Who needs espresso when a fortune teller is telling you are going to commit murder on a certain date?

Norah Richter is starting over. She is a journalist and due to a piece she wrote, she has lost her job, her relationship and now she is ready to reinvent herself. She moves from Berlin to Vienna and starts a new job which she is happy to take on until a homeless woman approaches her and speaks those chilling words.

Norah's greatest fear is to kill someone so she is sure nothing will happen on February 11th since there is no way she will do what she is told. Although, February 11th does have a meaning for her. She lost someone dear to her on that day. But how does Arthur Grimm connects with any of it?

Quite an interesting story! Norah was in pain and dealing with a lot. However, I was upset she was getting all these signs but instead of carefully examining them, she was drinking, smoking and sleeping around too much. Her saving grace was her trusty friends who were there for her despite it all.

Every time, Norah described her surroundings, I was transported back to Vienna. I could feel the chill in the air and the threatening darkness.

Kudos to the author and to the audio performer for the atmospheric surroundings.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Spiderline via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Shadow by Melanie Raabe

There is so much foreshadowing and symbolism in this story. It's a work of art, in itself, with the gloomy, eerie, cold, atmosphere. It seems as if it's always nighttime, with descriptions of sounds and smells that bring back hazy memories of something sinister. 

Norah Richter has recently moved to Vienna, from Berlin. She's lost her job and is being sued for reasons we don't know. Her long term relationship has been destroyed and now she's living in a big, empty flat. Norah seems to exist in her mind, often not noticing things around her unless the smells, sounds, and visuals remind her of sad, terrifying past events. I want to think she's in the middle of some kind of psychotic episode but Norah seems to be a hard worker, very good at her job, and has some devoted long time friends. But she rarely sleeps and her dreams are filled with blood and being unable to fix things. She's taken up smoking again, drinks way too much, sleeps with strangers and then kicks them out of her flat the next morning. 

Strange things are happening, such as a beggar telling her, "On the eleventh of February, you will kill a man called Arthur Grimm . . . With good reason. And of your own free will." And then finding a tarot card that predicts death, being haunted by sights and sounds of Grimm, things disappearing or appearing in her apartment, her friends treating her differently or shunning her entirely. It's hard to know if Norah is a reliable narrator when everything about her seems so hazy and distant. 

This story is very entertaining and the atmosphere is the star. Sights, sounds, smells, and darkness play big roles in the telling of this tale. It's amazing how the story can seem one way for so long and then there is an about face and it's something else, something that I was prepared for because I paid attention to the signs...but even as I paid attention, I couldn't trust what I thought was happening. 

Thank you to House of Anansi Press Inc./Spiderline and NetGalley for this ARC.

One sentence synopsis: A young woman moves to a new city only to be caught off guard on the streets by a beggar who tells her she’ll murder a man named Arthur Grimm at a certain place and time and instead of ignoring this woman she digs around trying to figure out why and how she might kill this man.
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You might be able to tell from my synopsis that this one was bonkers to me. The actions made by the characters were absolutely crazy. It made for an exciting book because they were all so reckless but not one I would choose for a realistic story.
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If you’re a fan of domestic thrillers you might enjoy this one. It’s set in Vienna as well which makes for a fun read when it’s set outside of the US. This one is out now!!
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Thanks to #netgalley and #houseofanansipress on the DRC!

4.5 mind-blowing stars (rounded up for the ending)

For most of this book, I felt like I had lots of puzzle pieces, but I was missing the cover of the box to know what I was putting together. The ending was the box cover and all the brilliant answers!

Featuring a journalist who moves from Berlin to Vienna, Norah is ready for a fresh start. She leaves behind a mess from a previous story and a puzzled boyfriend.

A homeless woman delivers a dire prophecy and a whole host of strange things begin happening to Norah. Is the prophecy going to come true or was that just a random coincidence? As the fateful day of February 11 approaches, what will she do?

This one had a huge twist that really got me! It’s hard to tell you much more as each reader needs to get to the conclusion without knowing all the backstory!

The Shadow by Melanie Raabe (translated by Imogen Taylor) is a gripping psychological thriller, the third book by this very talented German writer.
I was hooked by the prologue, as an unknown character regards her fate by a frozen lake, and decides to take action, with the intent to “destroy Norah.” In the very next chapter, the reader is then introduced to Norah Richter, a news writer and journalist, who is driving from Berlin to Vienna to begin a new life away from her troubled past and her partner Alex. We learn that Norah believes in signs and prophecies. She is a loner and seen by her new co-workers as aloof and unfriendly. Conversely, she has a couple longtime friends from past years who live in Vienna and welcome her warmly.
This is just one of the contrasts we see in the personality and actions of this enigmatic character. Norah is at once dark, troubled, self-sufficient, and a woman of action, trying to get her life and future under control.
The rest of the characters in this novel are also a bit mysterious, but well-drawn and interesting. The story is told in a cinema verite’ style; the author is to be commended for her careful descriptions and evocative writing, as I could actually visualize each scene. There are some interesting side themes regarding the work of journalists and the world of performance art.
As the suspense builds, there are many false leads and twists; the ending was and was not a total surprise to me, but it kept my attention to the story and the characters until the very end of the book. While there are allusions to revenge, men who abuse women, childhood trauma and self-fulfilling prophecy, ultimately this is an excellent psychological thriller with a compelling and complex heroine.
An added pleasure for literary buffs is the many references to well-known works and quotes from famous authors sprinkled through the book.
I strongly recommend this book to fans of suspense, European writers, and stories centered on strong female characters. I will definitely be looking for Ms. Raabe’s previous books to read.
Thank you to House of Anansi Press, Inc. and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Bravo!!! 👏 Wow Melanie Raabe, what an amazing, well written book that sucked me right in and held me right up until the end! Another 5 ⭐️ read to start of 2021!

Atmospheric read ✔️
Psychological thriller ✔️
Mystery ✔️
Amazing layered symbolism ✔️

Norah has moved to Vienna, after leaving her boyfriend behind in Berlin, and soon after arriving, has a strange encounter with a mysterious woman on the street who prophesies that Norah will soon murder a man. Soon after, stranger and stranger things keep happening to Norah, and the man’s name, one of which she was previously unaware, keeps turning up somehow in her daily life.

Aaaah, I loved this!! This book shifted my perspective, I felt uncomfortable and unsure of what was happening or what I was reading, and I’m so glad that it did that. Norah went on a journey and I went right along with her, examining her and her life and her psyche. Throughout, I was so impressed with all of the symbolism but at the same time, was certain that through it, I had determined what it was all leading to. About halfway through, I thought it might prove to be a bit stilted in plot even though the writing was strong. Ya, well no, although I figured out one aspect of the book, I in no way figured out all the rest of what was coming for me, the truths and uncoverings kept hitting me in waves. I kept saying to everyone around me, ‘ohh this book is soo good!’

I keep saying my reads so far this year would be good for book club discussion and this is another one I would recommend for that. I can’t even get into all of the notes I jotted down while reading because all the pieces I gleaned along the way would end up being spoilers as this is such a well written puzzle that isn’t missing any of it’s pieces. It is a translation from the book originally written in German and was very well translated, there were moments of small blips sometimes in conversation that likely flowed much better in its original language but I really felt they just added to the atmosphere.

There are so many references from culture and literature and art and none of them are random or wasted and I will leave you with this one, ‘We don’t see the world as it is, we see it as we are’ ~Anaïs Nin

Thanks to my goodreads friend Jayme for putting this one on my radar, I +++highly recommend that you see if you can figure out the shadow 🖤

**Thank-you to House of Anansi Press Inc and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy, this title is available now**

Happy to include this twisty title that kept me off-balance as a reader in January's Novel Encounters, my monthly top ten roundup column of notable upcoming fiction titles for Zoomer magazine’s Books section. To read the feature, click on the link.

I was immediately drawn in by the writing style and by the character of Norah. I couldn’t tell if I liked her but then all the crazy starts happening and I couldn’t put the book down. I didn’t guess the big twist at all, which was really fun. Highly recommend this one.