Cover Image: The Shadow Man

The Shadow Man

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Member Reviews

I always thoroughly enjoy Helen Field’s books and this was no exception.
A standalone book, this had all the chills, twists and all round brilliant story line of all of her other novels.
Couldn’t put this down, I’m only sorry it’s not part of a new series, Woolwine and Baarda make an amazing pair!

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This was a really fast paced story and I finished it in one sitting. Easy to follow and it kept me gripped to the end.

I love reading books surrounding psychology and mental health issues and this one didn’t disappoint 😊

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A decent if a bit far fetched read!
I shall go reading others in Fields backlist as intrigued to see what else she has written.

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A good gripping read. I've enjoyed the author in her previous guise so I know I would probably enjoy this one too. This is set up that it could be a series, although I'm not sure if this has happened. i will definitely look up if this is the case and read more.

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Alright, folks, let's dive into the eerie world of "The Shadow Man" - Helen Fields' first standalone thriller! We're in Edinburgh, with the Police Scotland's Major Investigation Team (MIT) on the case. Meet Detective Inspector Brodie Baarda, fresh from Eton and now in Edinburgh due to staff shortages. And there's Dr. Connie Woolwine, a forensic psychologist from Massachusetts, joining the investigation too.

We got Elspeth, Meggy, and Xavier all locked up in a flat. Now, Elspeth's the wife of a fancy-schmancy Scottish socialite, Meggy's just a young schoolgirl, and Xavier's the latest kidnapping victim. But hey, who's the creepy abductor, and what's the motive behind all this madness?

Let me tell ya, right from the get-go, I was hooked like a fish on a line! "The Shadow Man" is full of spine-chilling creepiness and hair-raising moments that'll keep crime enthusiasts glued to the pages. And folks, it's no cozy crime - this one's gritty and dark, so buckle up!

Now, here's the real treat - DI Baarda and Dr. Woolwine, quite the odd couple, I tell ya! Their working relationship's like a rollercoaster, and I loved every twist and turn.

But you know what really stole the show for me? The captives! Elspeth, Meggy, and Xavier are the icing on this thriller cake. Their actions and struggles, so intense and jaw-dropping, had me on the edge of my seat!

Helen Fields' writing is top-notch, and she gives us a triple treat - the law's perspective, the victims', and The Shadow Man's. And yes, we know who the baddie is, but trust me, that doesn't spoil the fun. The perpetrator's unpredictable and wicked, keeping us guessing all the way.

Now, I gotta warn ya - some scenes are pretty graphic and gory, but they add to the thrill! And that ending, oh boy, it's a mind-blower!

So, if you like your crime fiction dark, disturbing, and filled with tension, "The Shadow Man" is a must-read! Helen Fields nailed it, and I highly recommend it to all my fellow crime enthusiasts. Five stars, no doubt about it!

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A stand alone novel from the author of a popular series, Helen Fields amps up her writing skills in THE SHADOW MAN. She starts in the middle, three starngers held captive together, no reasons, no connections, just....you're here. The investigative team must work both backward in the history of similar crimes and forward as they try new methods to solve and rescue the captives. With several twists and a couple of big surprises, Ms Fields demonstrates what makes her series so popular.

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I had such high hopes for this book and really thought I was going to be in for an action packed book after reading the synopsis

Unfortunately this novel felt quite flat for me. There was so much character building and I felt like the book was more about Connie.

I did enjoy it to an extent. The kidnapping scenes and getting to know the reason why those people were chosen

I would read more by this author. But unfortunately I think I just went in with too high of an expectation

I will not be posting a link or publishing this review. Online

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Good potential, but for me it didn't live up to the hype. There were some disturbing sections, but they to me felt grim rather than interesting. Just not my sort of book unfortunately

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There was something about this that I couldn't quite enjoy. I enjoyed the storyline, certainly something I've not come across before, so perhaps it was the characters. I always like to hope that there's a character that I'll like and cheer on, but there wasn't in this book. Worth a read though.

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This was my first Heather Fields book and I absolutely loved it! I am usually not a fan of multiple perspectives, but this one was done really well and each perspective added an important element to the story that had it all come together so well.

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I absolutely loved Helen's "Perfect" series, and couldn't wait to start this one. It really wasn't my shot of whiskey, but still made for good solid reading, and I will read something by Helen in future again.

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A fantastic stand alone thriller from this author, I love her series and her stand alone was no different, full of drama and suspense and fabulous twists!

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This was fast read that I didn't think I would like but I was hooked from the first page. I could not get enough of the writing style

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Unfortunately I had to DNF this one at page 160. I loved Helen Field’s Perfect series, and highly recommend it, but I was disappointed by this book. It was quite slow and it was taking me a long time to get through it. Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me, but I’m looking forward to reading more from Helen Fields in the future.

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Hard to put down and so descriptive. Very unnerving and totally engrossing! I recommend this to anyone looking for a good story, especially this time of year!
Pure perfections

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Great plot to get yourself lost in. This book has everything. A real fast paced thriller. Will get your heart racing on more than one occasion. Very well written. Highly recommend this book

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This novel deserves 10 stars if it was at all possible.
Helen Fields is an excellent writer with unique storylines and twists in every novel but this one, this takes the award.

This story had me gripped by the 2nd chapter and anytime I wasn't reading, I was thinking about what could possibly happen next in this book.

Stop wondering if this book is for you because it is. You will enjoy it and it will leave its mark on you.

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Dr Connie Woolwine, please come back in a series - you are too good just for this standalone thriller. A man driven to the brink of death, literally, wants to go out in a big way. A way that Connie has to interpret as a forensic psychologist on loan to the Scottish police who are frantically trying to solve a kidnapping. Really well written and I was following the story as if my life depended on it. Please make it a series, please.

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The Shadow Man Helen Fields
I'm digging out the 5 stars for this book as it has everything I love in a book. I love books where you get everyone's perspective, especially the bad guy!
I loved the alternating paragraphs.
I loved the pace of this book, and thought each character was brilliantly written.
I loved knowing what was happening as it happened, as you read each character in first person narrative. The bad guy and Meggy were especially well written.
Helen is fast becoming one of my favourite authors, I can always rely on her to draw me in and keep me there until the end.

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This was amazing. Most kidnapper/serial killer books are subpar, but this one definitely tops the cake.

I really enjoyed that the author put actual psychology in the book. And the multiple POVs let the reader really delve into the story and see how different angles of it.

I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes thrillers.

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