This standalone book absolutely shocked, amazed and captivated me from the very first page. A complex storyline with intriguing characters it will compel you to read deep into the night. A must for all thriller lovers and my thanks go to Netgalley, Avon books and the fabulous Helen Fields for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Are you ready to delve into the mind of a killer? You better be prepared... not everyone makes it out alive!

Helen Fields ability to write captivating and thrilling books just gets better and better!

The Shadow Man is her first standalone novel since writing the Perfect series. Whilst we are given two brand, spanking new characters this story actually takes place in the same constabulary as her previous novels and features the monstrous Superintendent Overbeck (Overlord!) and even the same chief medical examiner Alisa! For the fans of the Perfect series (like me) this just makes it even better!

The two new characters we are treated to in this book are brilliantly written and paired up. Similarly to Turner and Callanach, Connie is your strong female lead. Supremely intelligent when it comes to profiling, strong willed and is certainly no wallflower. But, for all of her ‘Rocky’ outbursts she is absolutely fabulous, a breath of fresh air to an otherwise male dominated sector and I very much hope she makes another appearance soon.

This book had me hooked from the get-go. It’s a creepy, pulse-racing read that is so tense I found myself holding my breath. Had Connie not followed her gut/instinct rather than wait for clues I do think Fields might’ve struggled to rein this plot into line. But theory chasing aside this book is absolutely brilliant!

Thanks so much to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read The Shadow Man by Helen Fields. I loved this book, from the moment I picked it up, until the end. This is a stand alone, written by one of my favourite writers.
Talk about creepy! This is probably one of the best books I have read all year. Shadow Man is a perfect title for this book, as the killer really is in the shadows. This sick individual does horrific things, to get what he thinks is his "Perfect Family!" Helen Fields brings serial killer to a whole new level and Fergus Arris fits the bill. He sure kept American Profiler/Forensic Psychologist Connie Woodwine and DI Brodie Baarda on their toes!

The Shadow Man is a gripping thriller which I could not put down. The story is compelling and the perpetrator of the horrifying crimes is sinister and made my flesh creep. It is not for the faint hearted but for all lovers of crime thrillers it is a must.

I wish I could give this latest book from Helen Fields 6 stars. It is brilliant. From the first sentence I knew it was going to be excellent and I wasn’t disappointed. This is a stand alone book after the brilliant Perfect series. It is a gritty tale introducing DI Baarda and criminal psychologist Constance Woolwine. Connie is a great character, feisty and straight talking and hopefully this will be the start of a new series. Thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the opportunity to review this brilliant novel.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This was a great thriller, with a great storyline and good characters. Wasn't the best I have read but saying that I enjoyed it.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an unbiased review.
Having read all the DI Callanach books to date and become a fan of them, I was perhaps a little apprehensive about this publication as it would introduce totally new characters from Ms Fields.
I needn't have worried, this standalone publication was a superbly written book and I have no hesitation in giving it five stars.
Dare I hope for more to follow for these characters ?

American profiler and forensic psychologist Connie Woodwine and DI Brodie Baarda from the Met Ops Team are assisting the Edinburgh based Police Scotland team following the disappearance of Elspeth Dunwoody, this is followed by further disappearances and this the hunt is on for ‘The Shadow Man’.

Wow. That start! Talk about perch on the edge of your seat, hardly daring to breathe as the nightmare unfolds. 0 to 60 in a nanosecond! I think it’s fair to say that Helen Fields has my attention immediately. Woodwine and Baarda make a fantastic team, they’re yin and yang, as they try to track down a horrifyingly mentally ill, delusional and demonic monster. The interaction between them works so well, Connie is straight talking, shoot from the lips and Baarda is ever polite but there is sharp good humour between them which works really well and relieves tension. The victims actions are interesting and I don’t want to give much away but one of them proves to be both brave and resourceful. There’s desperation, shocks by the bucketload as a maniacal fantasy is constructed. It’s creepy, ghoulish, shivers up the spine and jaw dropping in intensity. Thankfully the pace alters and gives you time to catch your breath before your head explodes and then builds up again. The end - what can I say except it’s beyond tense, it’s tragic and sad. I love the ultimate finale with Connie and Baarda and I sincerely hope that the author does not confine them to a one off. They are tremendous characters, I’d love to read what they do next.

Overall, I think you can tell I think this book is good! It’s gritty, dark, so well written, the plot is well paced and you have no idea what is going to happen next. It has some very original and creative elements that add an extra dimension to the storyline. This is Helen Fields best book so far in my opinion. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Avon Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I am a massive fan of the DI Callanach series of books so was excited to read this!

Really enjoyed the story but especially liked the characters - there's surely a series in Connie Woolwine and Brodie Baarda. I also loved that some of the secondary characters from the Callanach books make an appearance.

Breathtaking. My favourite of Helen's yet! Deliciously creepy and atmospheric, it will stay with you long after the last page is turned...

Firstly thank you to net galley for the opportunity to read this book. Secondly, wow! This is not my first Helen fields book. Ive read the perfect series so was a bit worried how id feel without the usual characters ive grown to love. But let me tell you, this standalone was not a disappointment at all. Connie is badass and i hope and pray helen will continue her story. This book is based upon the story surrounding a few people who end up going missing. Connie is an American forensics psychologist who does her best to figure out whats going on in the mind of the kidnapper, along with detective brodie baarda. This book should 100% be made into a film, i was literally on the edge of my seat waiting in anticipation for what was about to happen. I cannot rste this book enough. It was creep, amd extremely clever. I would to see more books with the characters in because i thought they were brilliant. Massive hats off to helen fields for this masterpiece

Wow! A 4.5 stars read for me. I could hardly put the book down and I will definitely be seeking out her other books in the "Perfect" series.

I loved the dynamic and chemistry between Connie Woolwine and Brodie Baarda, although I would have liked to have seen more character development but I hope the author will bring them back in another book. Also, I felt some confusion with the timeline as it seemed that the investigation was moving at a different pace than the action involving the victims.

All-in-all, this story progressed from being somewhat creepy to disturbing and then ramped up to full-blown terror! I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for providing this ARC.

Ok now that's what I'm talking about in a Mystery/Thriller book!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!
I ❤'d this book!! So GOOD!

I am such a big fan of Helen Fields Luc Callanach series so i was thrilled to get the chance to read this and it was just as amazing as i hoped. Connie is a brilliant, complex character and following her as she unraveled the crime was exhilarating. I couldn't remember the last time i was so tense reading the climax of a thriller. I had no idea what was going to happen.

A read that sends chills up your spine, this is not a DI Callanach story but a standalone thriller

3 People have been kidnapped and placed in a windowless house with little hope of escape, A psychologist is helping the police by trying to get into the mindset of the kidnapper and assist in the search for these missing 3

A thrilling read and one that needs very little feedback to make others want to read

This has gone straight into my top five of 2021 . A marvellous masterpieces of suspense, terror and mystery that will leave you knowing at your knuckles and checking under the bed. Someone’s collecting people and not in a good way either, he’s a dark and deranged person who wants to fulfil his horrendous plan. A plan that involves kidnap and murder, his objects are kept locked away and terrorised into play acting his sick desires. Can he be stopped before he inflicts even more hurt and pain or will his plans grow to fruition. A dark , unsettling , psychological thriller that will leaves its taint on you long after you put it down. Be prepared to be shocked, upset and thrilled as you follow the story to its climatic conclusion. Bloody brilliantly written and a one to watch out for next year.

Profiler Connie and detective Baarda investigate a kidnapping of a wealthy woman in Edinburgh. There are another kidnapped victims and it seems the cases are connected.
Connie has some interesting researching methods and her relation to Baarda is effective.

The story is very dark, the perpetrator is obviously very sick man, with tortured soul and he only wants to have a proper family. The lives of the ones he'd chosen are his oxygen.

Gripping and scary story.

My first time reading anything by Helen Fields and if her other books are like this then I am definitely going to enjoy reading them. Connie is an interesting quirky character and bounces well against Baarda who at the start seems a stickler for the rules.. It says it's a stand alone book but there are hints of another story hopefully. It's well written and the storyline although not original has a different angle to it. Definitely worth reading.

For me who is more of a cozy crime reader this book made me feel breathless with tension. It taps into your primeval fear of being trapped. Not the sort of book to read before bed. But I kept picking it up to read more. I did enjoy it but I’m a scaredy cat so read it with the light on.

This standalone from Helen Field is really different from her Callanach series, but exactly the same as in it does not disappoint.
I was gripped from the beginning.
Its set in Edinburgh and centers around a man who abducts people to build his perfect family, he has taken others in the past though for one reason or another they didn`t fulfill their role.
So now he has three people Elspeth, Maggie and Xavier.
They are all unconnected but now find themselves trapped together and held hostage by a man who could snap at any point.
They know they are in a dangerous situation but escaping is never going to be easy.
Will they make it? Can they all survive?
The case falls to Detective Brodie Baarda, on loan from the Met, investigating the disappearances and deaths of people in Edinburgh. He`s aided by an American forensic psychologist DR.Connie Woolwine.
With their investigation throwing up few leads Connie decides she needs to make a personal appeal the kidnapper.
Will she be able to draw him out into the open or will the madman draw her into the shadows with him ?
This is a truly dark read that kept me turning the pages late into the night.
I could easily read more books featuring Baarda and Woolwine, such an easy recommend.
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon books for the chance to read this as an ARC.