I was so looking forward to reading this book I loved it, I hated it, I loved it and it drove me nuts!
BUT, the storyline is compelling and keeps you interested with more twists than a Curly Wurly!
A new Helen Fields police procedural with characters Dr Connie Woolwine, a fiesty, American forensic psychologist and DI Baarda, a ''think before you act'' kind of person.. They make a cracking team!

You can glean from the fly cover what this book is about and I am not going into the story.....that's for you to find out..... READ IT, if you are into psychological thrillers, you will not be disappointed!

I give this a 4 star rating for the storyline alone.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF READING AN ADVANCED COPY OF THIS BOOK

Another spine-chilling book I read this year.

The Shadow Man is kidnapping people left and right. No one knows what happens to them but those who have seen him say that he looks like death.
Connie Woolwine, an American forensic psychologist and DI Brodie Baarda of the London Police get together to track the disappearance of a woman in mysterious circumstances. What they find and how they do it forms the rest of the story.

But I want to talk about the Shadow Man here. If you have ever wondered what goes on inside the head of a kidnapper (or a rapist or a murderer), this is the book you have to read. This absolutely riveting, edge-of-the-seat, nail-biting (I think I will run out of adjectives) thriller is sure to capture your attention from page 1 and you can not put it down till you know what happens in the end.
Absolutely delighted 5 stars to the book. Will look for other books by Helen Fields.
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC.

Wow!!! The Shadow Man by Helen Fields thriller had me reading late into the night. The book is thrilling and haunting as it delves into the scary, but very real, mind of a mentally unstable man. The characters are all very well developed and realistic. The shadow man is abducting women, children, and men... but what is his reasoning and what does he want to do to them? Chilling psychological thriller that is a must read.

This was a fun, quick chilling read! Well written, full of suspense, and thrilling! Had lots of the fun twists and turns, and some gasp worthy shocks! Definitely one that is hard to figure out, so don’t want to accidentally spill anything! If you love psychological thrillers, I recommend this one, as it’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat!

What a gripping on the edge of your seat book. Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. Connie tells it like it is. She doesn't sugar coat things and that probably rubs people the wrong way but I like it. Connie teams up with DI Baarda to find a missing woman. The case takes on one bizarre turn after another. The story telling goes back and forth between the kidnapper, Connie and the victims in the book. I liked the book, it was refreshing to read about Connie and DI Baarda. You learn about Connie's past a little in this book which is what shaped her to become the person she is now. The kidnapper was very interesting to read about. I hope there are more books with Connie and DI Baarda in the future.

*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily giving my honest opinion*

What a book, absolutely loved it.

Brilliant psychological thriller which is full of suspense which is right up my street.

It’s hard to review without giving much away but if you like thrillers then give this a go

What better way to spend lockdown by reading a Helen Fields novel!!! It's an inventive story full of strange characters like Fergus, for instance, who is sick in body and mind. A dead woman, a missing wife and mother and then a schoolgirl are missing. Are the situations related? There's so little information forthcoming. Connie and Baada have to investigate if there are possible connections. Connie is convinced that she's looking for kidnapped women and not bodies. Are her instincts correct? Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK.

An excellent well written read which kept me involved in the story line with good descriptive characters. For me personally it wasn't an edge of seat thriller and I could put it down but overall I enjoyed it and can recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Thrown together by terrible circumstance, three strangers must try to escape one man’s insanity.

From the police point of view, this situation is difficult to comprehend, let alone solve for the Shadow Man seems invisible.

I loved the way the story and the tension built terrifyingly slowly, as we suffer along with the victims as they try to understand what is happening to them and why.

This gripping and seriously gruesome story wound itself around my throat and refused to let go, long after I finished reading...

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing book!

Fergus is terminally ill and dying, but before he leaves this Earth, he wants a family who’ll miss him. He decides to create his own makeshift family by kidnapping victims and forcing them to play house with him. Of course, his captives are none-too-happy with this predicament, so they are desperate to try and escape him.

Meanwhile, Detective Baarda and forensic psychologist Connie Woolwine are in a race against the clock to find them before it’s too late.

Wow. The Shadow Man by Helen Fields is a truly unnerving page-turner filled with a compelling cast of characters.

I found the police procedural aspects of the story particularly well-thought out since the author has first-hand experience as a criminal law lawyer. I also appreciate that she did extensive research to make the psychological profiling aspects of the story as convincing as possible. It really paid off, adding a sense of realism to each page.

All and all, I recommend The Shadow Man for fans of phycological thrillers, and I know the blurb says this is a standalone book, but I truly hope to see more of Dr. Connie.

A truly atmospheric novel that will chill readers to the bone. The plot moves quickly and is told from multiple perspectives, giving readers insight into one deeply disturbing mind. Not for the slight of heart as the narrative is quite descriptive in nature. Dark, gritty, and downright elusive. Everything this genre should be. Loved it.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #TheShadowMan which was read and reviewed voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
#helenfields #psychologicalreads #leavethelightson #avonbooksuk #bookish #tbralert #readreviewrepeat #bookstagram #bookblog #booktweets

My first read by this author. I liked the cover and the title reminded me of The Whisper Man plus early reviews were very positive.

Nearly the first half of the book was a bit of a chore for me mainly because of the creepy perp/plot was not engaging me as much as I’d like but the investigative chapters held my interest.

Then there was an introspective moment at the halfway point about one of the characters that brought this story out of the ‘Shadow’ for me.

The second half of the book was quite good in building this story to an effective, powerful ending.

Excellent writing. Intriguing characters are always so important and the story ended with my two favorites. I do feel another title may have fit better but this was still a good one.

A definite recommended read! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity in exchange for an honest review.

Having read Helen Fields previous books, I obviously looked forward to this one and was more than pleased to receive it via netgalley. However, I found it different from her previous work, but no less enjoyable once I got into it.
If it had been by a previously unread author, I might not have ventured further than the opening chapter or two, but knowing what the author was capable of I plodded on and as mentioned enjoyed the read., even although the eventual outcome could be considered somewhat predictable.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for the ARC of this book.
Have read books by Helen Fields before but this one exceeded all expectations.
The characters were absolutely fantastic and the storyline was so different that it made a really amazing read. I felt like I really knew Baarda and Connie and I hope their relationship develops.. I appreciate this was written as a stand alone book but I do feel it could go further. The kidnaps are linked by Connie and her sheer determination to find the victims is admirable. I would love it if the author would write another book featuring these characters. Is worth more than the 5 stars I have given it.

Woahhhh... It’s not often I come across a psychological “syndrome” I’ve never heard of before but Helen Fielding has introduced me to a new one! Fergus is vile, despicable, complex, creepy, somewhat pathetic and will remain one of those fictional serial killers that stays with you for a long time.

The descriptive passages of death and decay and the torment and relentless attempts of the captives to escape are written brilliantly.

This is a clever, terrifying rollercoaster of a tale. Read it immediately if you like psychologically twisty stories that will haunt you in your dreams! I’ll definitely be reading more from Helen Fielding.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Shadow Man starts off slowly, but when it picks up it keeps you gripped until the end! Dark, creepy, with a truly unique psychopathic antagonist, it gives a look into a side of human nature that you'd rather remained hidden.

Dr Connie Woolwine is a great character - a feisty, impulsive American with a tough exterior, but as some of her story is revealed we see a softer side to her. Teamed with the stoic Detective Baarda, who thinks before acting, it's interesting to see their relationship develop.

This is so well written - you are immersed in the world of both the antagonist and his victims, you experience their fear as they watch his descent into madness and discover exactly what he's capable of. A great read I highly recommend.

What a creepy story! If you love twists and turns with some eerie creepiness thrown in, look no further! I loved it! These are my favorite cold weather reads! The Shadow Man might keep you up at night...

I've been meaning to start the D.I. Callanach series for ages now, so when I saw Helen Fields was having a new stand-alone coming out in 2021 I just couldn't resist the temptation to finally try her work. I have to say that I'm most definitely a fan now! Thriller fans: make sure to add The Shadow Man to your 2021 wishlist, as you will be in for an absolutely thrilling as well as shocking ride.

I'll keep things short to avoid spoilers, but what I can say is that in The Shadow Man you will find yourself an extremely fascinating and terrifying serial killer in the spotlight. Being able to get a glimpse inside his head and learn more about the reasons behind the way he is and why he does what he does is absolutely intriguing. Definitely kuddos for originality here! The other character in the spotlight, forensic psychologist Connie Woolwine, makes for an excellent counter character too and I loved both her kick-ass personality and personal background with the achromat details. The cast of characters overall makes for a very interesting mix and with the help of different POVs we get a full perspective of the different angles in play.

The plot and building up of suspense was solid, and I really liked the focus on the psychological angle suplementing the police investigation. Connie and DI Baarda make for a great team and I liked how some of the bantering made for a great balance in between the more shocking scenes. There is also plenty of action in The Shadow Man, and the writing makes it really easy to just keep turning those pages. Fast, suspenseful, disturbing and action-packed: you won't find a boring minute as you sit on the edge of your seat and keep your fingers crossed they will able to stop him before it's too late.

All in all, The Shadow Man is an excellent crime thriller featuring an unique and shocking serial killer I won't forget any time soon. Highly recommended if you enjoy the genre!

I liked that the Shadow Man had a unique villian. However, I've realized any detective viewpoint novel isn't for me. I enjoyed the storyline and was completely engrossed with the victim focused chapters, but found myself not as interested during the detective POV chapters. It's not the book, it's me. I loved the ending!

An utterly mesmerizing thriller. Fergus, a sick and twisted man, is stalking and capturing people to create his own person family. Creepy and edge of your seat thriller. Fields has outdone herself with this one.