Actually 3.5. This was a thrilling and fun read…but I am not so sure it pulled off that ending.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/202514059

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of Look in the Mirror.

4.5 stars

I went into this book blind and I'm glad I did. I had no clue what was coming! This was easily one of the best books I've read so far in 2024.

When Nina's father passes away, she is shocked to learn he had an estate in the British Virgin Islands. She travels to the BVIs to take possession of her father's estate but something isn't right at the house. Nina finds there is a basement not on the plans. What is it and where does it go? It's a puzzle she must solve and her life depends on it.

What in the Westworld did I just read? This was absolutely not what I was excepting, but I liked it! I'm not sure I would classify this as a mystery/thriller. Maybe a bit more of a light horror. There were times throughout this book where I was super confused, but I think that was part of the point. This book was different, unexpected, and fun. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest feedback.

Look in the Mirror by Catherine Steadman starts off from the point of view of a woman, Nina, whose father has died and left her a surprise property in the British Virgin Islands as part of her inheritance. Understandably confused, she makes her way to the luxurious vacation home from England to sort things out for herself.
Soon the point of view shifts to that of Maria, a nanny starting a job for a rich client in a high tech home. She is given instructions without having met the new client, including an ominous rule to not enter a locked room downstairs.
I always enjoy split narrative, but do typically find one point of view more interesting than the others, at least at first, and this book was no exception. I found myself more drawn to Maria’s chapters- what’s in that locked room? Why hasn’t her new client showed up yet? Is this the same house that was left to Nina?
It only took a handful of chapters to hook me completely, and I barely put it down, finishing in less than a day. I’ll admit, parts in the second half got a little far fetched, but that’s not a big complaint, because it kept things interesting.

Look In the Mirror is an exciting psychological thriller. I enjoyed the way the stories intertwined. Although I did feel that the ending was a little rushed. Regardless, it was an enjoyable experience reading this book. I will be reading more from Catherine Steadman.

Thank you to the author and publishers for this ARC!

Thank you NetGalley! I always love this authors books. This one was a pretty good read. The dual POVs and anything set on an island is good for me. Nina inherits an island home she had no idea her father had. Maria is supposed to be nannying at the home but her charges never show. A twisty thriller that kept me pretty hooked. The ending fell a little flat and rushed but still enjoyable!

Nina Hepworth has just lost her father when she finds out that he has bequeathed her a vacation home on the British Virgin Islands that she didn't even know he owned. She flies out to the house to see if there is anything left of her father there but what she finds is much more sinister. Maria is a live in nanny for the very wealthy. When she gets to go to a vacation home to take care of kids, she is overjoyed at the prospect. When she gets there however, no one is there, and when it seems like no one is coming she makes herself at home at what looks like a paid vacation. But is this house really all it seems to be? Alternating perspectives gives this book an eerie feel and an in depth view of what is going on in this seemingly perfect home.
The first part of this book was really intriguing. I really enjoyed Maria's perspective and what was happening to her really was thrilling. However, I feel like the middle to the end of the book kind of fell off for me. The pacing was weird and the writing style really didn't click for me. I feel like the end of the book wrapped up way too fast to the point that I really don't know exactly what happened. I think there were some details missing that could have tied this book together much better. I also feel like I didn't really know Nina at all. I really am a big fan of character development and I just didn't feel like she had any at all. Also, the "love interest" didn't seem to make any sense. I didn't understand his motivations or why he was even there in the first place. This book had a promising start but was a bit of a letdown for me by the end. 3 stars.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this digital ARC in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Experience non-stop action and suspense as you delve into the captivating narrative of "Look in the Mirror." Nina is unexpectedly bequeathed an exquisite and enigmatic house in the enchanting locale of Virga Gorda following her father's demise. Unbeknownst to her, he had kept this hidden gem a secret. Simultaneously, Maria, a dedicated nanny, finds herself immersed in the lives of two children within a stunning residence in Virgin Gorda. Through the intertwining perspectives of Nina and Maria, prepare to be both amazed and terrified by their compelling stories. With its riveting plotline, "Look in the Mirror" is a literary journey that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Thank you to Net Galley and Ballantine Books for the ARC to read and review!

LOOK IN THE MIRROR was an interesting read - I really enjoyed the premise and the opening setup of the two different storylines. It was fascinating how the stories intersected and uncovering the mysteries behind both Nina and Maria. The ending felt overdone and required an extreme suspension of belief, it fell a little flat to me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read and review LOOK IN THE MIRROR.

The idea of this book was unique and different. But I feel like it left me with a lot of questions. Nina’s father dies and she inherits a house in the Caribbean. A house she doesn’t even know existed. You don’t really know what’s been happening in the house until 70% thru a book. I think more clues could have been given.

SPOILER ALERT
What happened to Maria in the house? It sounds like she was pretty banged up and bruised but not much else is said. And who called the police at the end? Did Nina’s father really die? The epilogue also confused me. Was the story carried on? Or was it happening at the same time next door? Because of all my questions I only gave 2 starts.

Look in the Mirror was an absolute page-turner! A psychological thriller packed with action! From its intense plot to its well-developed characters, this book kept me hooked from start to finish. It's refreshingly different from anything I've read lately, and I appreciated the fresh perspective it offered. The twists and turns had me guessing until the very end, which is exactly what I look for in a good read! Highly recommend diving into this one.

This book started strong and kept me guessing, but the ending felt really abrunt and rushed. I wish we got a little more from Lucinda and a few other characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC of Look in the Mirror by Catherine Steadman.
Steadman’s newest novel is told from alternating points of view. The first, Nina, is mourning the recent loss of her father when she finds out she has inherited an estate in the British Virgin Islands that she was unaware that he owned. While seemingly completely out of character for her introverted father to have a vacation home, her curiosity gets the best of her and Nina travels to the BVI in hopes of finding answers.
Meanwhile, we also follow Maria, a young woman who has been hired as a nanny for a rich family, but after getting settled into her temporary home, the family never makes an appearance.
The stories eventually intertwine, as strange events begin to unravel the dark secrets of this wealthy home on the island.
If you’re a fan of Something in the Water or Family Game, put Steadman’s newest on your TBR list!

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

I was blind going in -- had no idea what to expect, and was rewarded with quite an enjoyable experience. The story was slow to evolve, but the author kept my interest, and I looked forward to continuing the tale.

Well-written with real characters, I liked this a lot, and would (will) read more from the author.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

Twisty and entertaining, this was a quick read. I can always count on Catherine Steadman to deliver interesting plotlines and Look in the Mirror is no exception.

I received an ARC of this book from Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback.

I sped through this book in about a day and a half. It is super creepy, super thrilling, super mysterious, and overall just super.

I saw in other reviews that this book is apparently reminiscent of a famous show, but I guess I am not familiar with the show! It somewhat reminded me of a horror movie franchise from maybe 15 years ago. But I won't say which to avoid spoilers.

It takes a pretty long time to figure out how the two main characters relate to each other. Meanwhile, the atmosphere is just growing and growing. I loved the descriptions of the house, the levels built into the rock, the private beach.

The author does a great job with characterization - both women have fully-fleshed-out backstories, and it just makes sense.

Another part that I will have to be vague about as not to spoil - Nina's father's hobbies, as well as Nina's knowledge, means the author really did a lot of in-depth research to come up with some of these scenes. I was impressed.

I took one star off because by the time we get to the climax, it's over in a matter of pages. I wanted more for the conclusion.

I really enjoyed this book and thought it brought a unique twist to a topic that has been captured before. It centers primarily on characters named Nina and Maria, with the former being asked to visit a mansion in the British Virgin Islands allegedly owned by her recently deceased father, and the latter visiting a mansion to nanny for a wealthy client. You do get other POVs as well, but these are the primary protagonists, and I found them both to be likable characters. The timeline related to both their stories is deliberately vague but comes together at the end.

While the focus of the story was primarily on an elaborate plan related to a set of mysterious basement rooms, the general creepiness and lack of understanding from the characters as to what was going on added to the tension of the story. The puzzles with which Nina was confronted were cleverly constructed, and the overall descriptions of the setting made it all easy to picture. I really enjoyed the storyline around Nina trying to figure out how her father was involved in the goings-on and questioning how much she really knew him- this added an interesting dynamic to the action in the story. I thought the end of the book was rather abrupt and ideally wished for answers to some of the questions I felt still lingered, but overall I was Ok with how it all ended, and I thought the epilogue contained a great surprise twist.

Overall, I really enjoyed this action packed book that was a mix of psychological thriller and mystery. I would definitely recommend to those who like those genres, even if you feel like you have read similar stories; this one stands out. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was definitely a book that kept me guessing, and I liked that! The story portrayed the main character as someone who was grieving the death of her father, a man she was close to, only to find he owned a home with it's very own secluded beach. The author does a nice job of showing through Nina's thoughts and actions how she deals with this surprising turn of events, that has some hair-raising consequences. The author really sets a fast pace for this story and I had trouble putting it down.

I previously read her book. Something in the Water and I wasn't sure I'd ever read another book by her. That particular book had a character that used the F word so often, I didn't want to finish it. I'm thrilled that she wrote this book without feeling a need to have caharcters curse like that!

This is a 4 star book!

This is a fast paced, locked room, popcorn thriller that I think a lot of readers will enjoy. If you enjoy Adrian McKinty novels, I think this will be right up your alley! For me, I wanted more character development and I felt like the multiple POVs sounded the same. The ending was very rushed and the “romance” came out of nowhere. That said, it’s exciting, quick, and action driven. The descriptions of the house are very cool.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Nina is shocked to find out she inherited property in the Caribbean. She decides to travel their to find out more information. This book was an enjoyable read.