I didn't know where this was going for a good chunk of the beginning, but the anticipation of figuring out what was happening behind the locked door kept me reading. Without giving too much away, I felt that the thing with Nina's dad and Lucinda seemed a bit clunky and I wanted more answers.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Holy moly, Batman, this one kept me up late at night reading because I just had to know what messed up thing would happen next. This book is full of twists and turns and had me feeling claustrophobic at some points.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review of this book. I went into this thriller with low expectations and came out very surprised. It was fast paced and very unique. A written Saw-lite with just enough gore to make it interesting without being overly disgusting. And some great twists at the end! There were a few places where I needed to suspend reality but it was honestly worth it for me. The characters were interesting and decently well-rounded for the genre. Overall very enjoyable!

Hell yes 10/10!! Love!! Could not put down! Could not sleep until it was finished! In my opinon, I liked this better than Something in the Water.

I could not for the life of me get into this book. I think it was the writing style and how unrelatable and cold the characters were. Felt like there was not much character development so I wasn’t invested in them at all. The premise sounded interesting but this one is definitely a slow burner. I had to stop about 70% in because I was forcing myself to finish. I’m probably in the minority for the ratings for this 🤷🏻‍♀️I loved the family game so I had high hopes for this and they fell flat.
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC

I’m a big fan of Steadman’s work. I was so happy this new title did not disappoint. It was fast paced and intriguing. I became invested in the book’s characters right away. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was an exceptionally creative story that kept me engaged from start to finish. I flew through this book, rooting for each of the characters presented and constantly wondering what exactly was going on. I highly recommend this book! Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read this wonderful book as an ARC.

This author has written OK-to-pretty-good domestic thriller type things, so I figured I’d read this since I got it early from NetGalley. I really enjoyed it; it’s stressful and fun.

Nina’s father has died and left her a massive house in the Caribbean she never knew existed. A massive house with a secret basement. With no spoilers, stressful situations ensue.

It’s the kind of book where someone gets a note that says “Don’t go downstairs” and they promptly… go downstairs. But if they didn’t I suppose the book wouldn’t exist. God bless dumb, curious people.

There were so many spelling and grammar errors, but I gotta assume that’s because it’s an uncorrected proof. I’d recommend it. It’s what I’d call a ‘beach read.’

Some thrillers feel the same as the one before. NOT THIS! WOW!!! This was really great. I love this author’s writing style and the twists had me shook. 10/10! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Nina Hepworth is getting over the death of her father when she learns that he has left her a vacation home in the British Virgin Islands that she never knew about. It’s amazing and gorgeous but why would he keep it a secret?

Maria Yossarian is a former med student, now a nanny for the 1%. She is on her last job before being set for life, but the kids haven’t shown up. While she is waiting she takes advantage of the house but she isn’t allowed to go in the basement? Why? And how do Maria and Nina’s paths cross?

There are chapters narrated by Nina, Maria and some additional characters. I had no clue where this story was going for the longest time, and then when I did, that possibility had crossed my mind, but I had dismissed it. Good, twisted tale. Recommended.

Exciting, Invigorating, Terrorizing. This book captures a range of emotions.

Once you start this book, there is no escaping. It holds you tight and there’s no letting go until the end when your heartbeat finally slows down. It’s a rush.

Nina is shocked when she finds out she has inherited a luxury beach home in the British Virgin Islands. She thought she knew everything about her father as they were close but when she read the will, there was now another side of him that she was about to learn. It’s electrifying as she enters into a world which is foreign and frightening.

The timing of all the key elements makes this book flow perfectly. The characters certainly had my attention all the way through. I imagine it will be one book that will be talked about especially by those that love a good thriller.

My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of July 30, 2024.

Where, oh where to begin reviewing this solid 5-star read!? Ok, it's fair to say that I spent more than half the book wondering where the heck it was going. No clue. Never saw any of it coming! When I finally learned what was happening, it was SO far-fetched, and I was just like NO WAY this could ever happen. But it was just so dang much fun to read, and the characters all had so much heart and I ugly cried at the end and was just a huge ball of emotions and didn't want it to be over.... but I digress. The story opens with Nina inheriting an amazing beach house from her father that she never knew he had. We also meet nanny, Maria who has been hired to work in a beautiful beach house. What do these women have in common? As I said, it takes a while to figure it out, but you will not be able to put it down while you are getting to that point! And when it's all said and done and you are thinking how ridiculously unbelievable it all was and wiping away tears at the same time, you will think...hmmm.... with the way this world is going, maybe it could happen. Well I don't want to give anything away. Just see for yourself! Catherine Steadman has steadily grown to become a favorite of mine. I really think this is her best yet and cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Catherine Steadman and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for this much appreciated ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication.

I really enjoyed this one, perhaps my favorite by Steadman, who has rarely disappointed. The pacing in this was great and I loved how the stories weaved together (justice for Maria, though…). I do wish we got more as to why the father built the house/how it ended up being turned over. That felt a little underdeveloped and rushed. The epilogue was a nice little bow, though.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A bat-shit crazy, sadistic AF kind of thriller that you do NOT want to miss! Steadman has been knocking them out of the park lately with The Family Game and now this one. Her earlier books were good but nowhere near this new level of mind-blowing greatness. I was certainly not expecting where this story led at all. You will probably be a little confused at first, bouncing back and forth between Nina and Maria's POVs and feeling like things just aren't making sense. This is intentional and it will all become crystal clear to you eventually. My only gripe is that the ending felt cut short. I wanted a little more elaboration on the final moments. This book was pretty damn close to perfection in my opinion. I absolutely loved it and HIGHLY recommend!!

Thank you to the author, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!

This was a wild ride! I read it in one sitting. One does have to suspend some belief to go along with the story (wouldn’t there be some sign in England that your father owned a home in another country? Taxes, his UK will?) but the story was creepy and a lot of fun. I think what saves the book is that she is a very capable writer and the style is more literary feeling than you get with a lot of thrillers. Everyone feels like real people and the book reads like it’s for adults.

My big question (beyond why some main characters ended up in the US) is what happened to Lucinda’s dog, Penny?

I really enjoyed the book!

I loved The Family Game so I was very excited to get my hands on this. The book did not disappoint. I was on the edge of my seat biting my nails wondering what will happen next.

Nina’s father passed away and she inherited a vacation house from her father. She has to fly to the island to take a look at the house and get it ready to sell. Meanwhile Maria is on the island waiting for her new nanny job to start. I am wondering how these two storylines intersect. Let’s just say it was NOT what I thought. This was original and hard to put down. I suggest you get your hands on this thriller asap.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this advanced readers book.

This is deeply fucking fucked-up. I loved it. Here are some additional words to meet the minimum requirements for this process.

"Look in the Mirror" is compelling and dark. I love the fast-pace of the story, and having no idea of where it was headed. Recommended for readers who love twists and turns and for fans of Catherine Steadman's previous novels. This is a great book to dive into when you have some time because you will not want to put it down. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is the hardest type of ARC to write a review for! Dark, fast paced, unexpected thriller where having NO clue what's going on is why the reading experience is so fun. But it makes it challenging to review because I don't want to give anything away.

I'm a huge Catherine Steadman fan and this book might be my new favorite of hers. I think fans of her previous works - especially The Family Game - will like this one. This is a completely action and plot driven novel so anyone looking for a ton of character development will be disappointed. I found it easy to connect with the characters despite this due to the book being so fast paced and I wanted to find out what the heck was going on!

I think there were some aspects of the plot left a bit unfinished while others also came together too cleanly which prevents me from giving this 5 stars.

Overall, a very fun and unique thriller and just what I needed in my reading slump. Be careful when you start this... I read it in one sitting!

As a child, Nina's father often played puzzle games with her. Now he has passed away, and she learns that he has left her a house in the British Virgin Islands. As the story u folds, the reader learns more and more about puzzles her dad played with her and why he did so. 4 stars.