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Look In the Mirror

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🎧Listening Length 8 hours, 13 minutes

Nina, still grieving from the loss of her father, discovers that she has inherited property in the British Virgin Islands—a vacation home she had no idea existed, until now. The house is extraordinary: state-of-the-art, all glass and marble. How did her sensible father come into enough money for this? Why did he keep it from her? And what else was he hiding?

Maria, once an ambitious medical student, is a nanny for the super-rich. The money’s better, and so are the destinations where her work takes her. Just one more gig, and she’ll be set. Finally, she’ll be secure. But when her wards never show, Maria begins to make herself at home, spending her days luxuriating by the pool and in the sauna.

There’s just one rule: Don’t go in the basement. That room is off-limits. But her curiosity might just get the better of her.

And soon, she’ll wish her only worry was not getting paid.

320 pages, Hardcover

First published July 30, 2024

538 people are currently reading
51.7k people want to read

About the author

Catherine Steadman

11books5,349followers
Catherine Steadman is an actress and writer based in North London, UK. She is best known for her role as Mabel Lane Fox in Downton Abbey and is currently filming on the new Starz television series 'The Rook'. She grew up in the New Forest, UK, and lives with a small dog and an average sized man. Something in the Water is her first novel.

(source: Amazon)

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,024 reviews
Profile Image for Nilufer Ozmekik.
2,919 reviews57.1k followers
September 1, 2024
Well, “Look in the mirror� is riveting page turner with many action packed chapters that makes your heart stuck in your throat, biting your nails, jumping on your seat with perfectly designed locked room mystery concept even though some of the twists are foreseeable as some of them are little far fetched, it still promises a lot of excitement, thrill!

You find yourself imminently drawn into mystery, like a puzzler trying to gather pieces, guessing connections between incidents and characters, hooked in easily and going with the flow, crossing your fingers for your favorite characters to make it alive.

The main story centers on two woman with no particular connection. One of them is Nina, a British academic, introvert, lived in a secluded life built with father and her at the age 34. She recently loses her father, dealing with his belongings in England but when she gets a bizarre phone call informs her that her father also had a house in British Virgin Islands- Gorda and he left him to her, she barely believes what she’s told even after the realtor company compensates her flight, accommodation expenses to travel to the island urgently.

When she sees the house built on a rock, state of art, all glass and marble, she realizes that would be her father’s latest project. But how an ordinary civil anger can own this kind of property that only ultra rich people can afford? Could her father have secret life and identity that perfectly hidden from her? She’s determined to find out the past of her father and the secrets the house hold within.

The other character is Nina, a medical student works as nanny for super rich people to afford her school expenses. She gets her latest gig that may be her latest job as she’s planned. She’s sent to a secluded mansion with lots of amenities she is approved to use, with the instructions she is forbidden to go to the basement where is already locked, waiting for the family arrive but when the family she’s gonna work for never appears in the facilities, an electrical malfunction results the lock of the secret basement room’s open, she realizes she’s not in this house for her babysitting chores, there’s something more sinister awaiting her that she has to fight or flight.

What’s the connection of these two women? What’s going on at the houses they are residing? Are they part of a dangerous game, puppet masters or just the pawns of this game?

Overall: even though some explanations are too far fetched, I found the creative mind to design specifics in escape rooms is more original than Squid Game and I fully enjoyed wild ride that made me round up 3.5 stars to 4 adventurous, heart throbbing, twisty stars as a fan of the author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing / Ballantine Books for sharing this thrilling book’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.
Profile Image for Cindy (leavemetomybooks).
1,360 reviews1,124 followers
August 27, 2024
It's like the family from The Family Game bought a vacation house. YIKES.

After this book, Catherine Steadman has officially joined my Riley Sager/Frieda McFadden club � I go into reading each of their books already 90% knowing I’m going to end up annoyed, but can’t help myself because I’ve really enjoyed at least one other book by each of them, and I keep hoping for a repeat because they always have THE BEST premises (and I have FOMO, and I am a dumbass who never learns her lesson).

Anyway� I *do* think fans of The Family Game, will also really enjoy this one, so hopefully that is you, and you will love it!

* Thank you to Ballantine Books for the NetGalley review copy. Look in the Mirror publishes July 30.

If you want to read a halfassed recap of the book with one million spoilers and probably (definitely) some mistakes, scroll way down. If you don’t want to read spoilers, please do not scroll way down or look behind the spoiler tags, and probably also don’t read any comments because those tend to get spoiler-y too after a while.

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Profile Image for Kaceey.
1,411 reviews4,262 followers
June 2, 2024
Nina’s father just passed away. It was always just the two of them. Now alone in this world, she’s wrapping up the final stages of settling his estate. After opening a letter, Nina is stunned to learn her father owned a home in the British Virgin Islands. That home is now hers!
And she thought she knew everything about her father. But when did he buy this property? And why didn’t he ever tell her. Now Nina is south bound to lay eyes on this mystery property, hoping to find some answers.

Maria has a rather lucrative enterprise. She takes on short term contracts as a nanny for the ultra-wealthy around the world. Just a few more gigs and she can live comfortably in New City and begin medical school that was previously out of reach.
Her latest assignment is for a father of two small children. But upon arriving at the secluded estate the man and his kids are nowhere to be found.
All she has is a contact phone number and a large list of rules.

So how do these two storylines intersect? Never in a million years could I guess how this storyline was going to play out. And I’ll just bet most readers will also be as shocked as I was!

An extremely fast-paced thriller that I flew through in only a few sittings. I was all but obsessed with discovering how this was going to end.

If you enjoyed the previous book, The Family Game by this talented author then you are in for a treat!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine
Profile Image for Chantal.
866 reviews900 followers
July 31, 2024
This book is a wild ride! It has two points of view and jumps between slightly different timelines. At the heart of it, there's this mysterious house with a hidden basement full of challenges to complete. That's all I can say without spoiling too much.

Now, let me tell you, this book is a good one. The plot is gripping, and you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat, trying to figure out what's happening. It might not be Steadman's best work, but it's definitely entertaining and worth a read.
Profile Image for Rachel Hanes.
645 reviews809 followers
April 4, 2024
So this book was not what I was expecting� this was definitely different. I will say that this was a decent read, but not my favorite by Steadman.

After Nina’s father dies, she receives a letter stating that he owns a three- bedroom Beachfront Estate in the British Virgin Islands. Nina and her father were very close (or so she thought), and she never knew that he owned this property. Nina now has to go to the Islands and visit this beautiful house that she knew nothing about. When Nina arrives to the house, she learns that the house (mansion) is called Anderssen’s Opening - which is a chess move that her father taught her about many years ago. ♟️

We then have Maria, who is a nanny that works for the very wealthy. She gets to the house where the family never shows up. She only has one rule at the mansion that she is staying at- Do not go into the locked door in the basement. Well, enquiring minds do want to know�

This story is told in alternating POV’s between Nina, Maria, and Joon-gi (the electrician on the scene). I will say that I did enjoy Maria’s chapters the best. The rest of the story was a little too outlandish for me. I do enjoy thrillers and suspense, but this book had more of an escape room/survivor vibe. So if you like games with lots of rules, then you will enjoy this book.

I would also like to point out that this was a fairly short read with quick chapters. However, the ending was very abrupt and rushed. There were also some twists at the very end that were thrown in to try and redeem this story, but they didn’t quite work.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and the author for an ARC of this book in which I had the pleasure of reading. Publication date: July 30, 2024.
Genre~ General/Women’s Fiction (Adult), Mystery & Thrillers
Profile Image for Teres.
168 reviews501 followers
October 12, 2024
A thrilling page-turner that began unraveling at the 85 percent mark. Still, kept me reading til the wee hours of the morning.
Profile Image for Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme).
657 reviews572 followers
August 12, 2024
Oh. My. God. A delicious mix of Steadman’s last book, A Family Game and the crazy train feel of Everyone Is Watching, Look in the Mirror was the epitome of fast-paced. Well, aside from the slow burn start, that is. Even it, however, added to the plot as it built a depth to this novel with poignancy and breathtaking character development. Together with deft plotting, mind-boggling twists, and a wild, twisted premise, I fell in love with this novel hook, line, and sinker. But then, given that Catherine Steadman wrote it, was there ever any doubt?

Speaking of the plotting, with an ever ratcheting level of suspense and palpable tension, the chess-like vibe brought a definite smile to my face. With multiple POVs and two gripping timelines, their ordeals easily kept me firmly in the dark until the biggest of the big jaw-dropping reveals. But the characters easily matched the storyline step for step all things considered. After all, the two central narrators of Maria and Nina were smart, strong, ferocious women who grabbed my attention right from the start. And while the plot was hardly true-to-life (only in the best possible way) every persona in the cast felt utterly genuine—even the villains.

I do have to make one clarification. While I’ve noticed in quite a few reviews that this book has been characterized as horror, I firmly believe it was no such thing. Was it dark? Most definitely. At the same time, I felt it was instead the definition of a psychological thriller. Not overly graphic or even horror adjacent, if you loved either of the books that I named at the start of this review, you’ll surely love this one as well. Now that I’ve addressed that small annoyance, let me wrap up my glowing assessment.

All said and done, I’m still reveling in how this book managed to keep me off balance from beginning to end. With cliffhanger chapters, crystal clear identities, and a sinister feel, the level of unease was absolutely dialed up to ten as the plot unwound before me. All I know is the nerve-shredding dread was seriously no joke. Neither was the mind-blowing epilogue that shocked me when I thought I could no longer be shocked. So if it wasn’t already obvious, I wholly recommend this novel. Addictive, bingeable, and a masterclass in thrills and chills, you don’t want to miss out on this cracking good time. Rating of 5 stars.

SYNOPSIS:

Nina, still grieving from the loss of her father, discovers that she has inherited property in the British Virgin Islands—a vacation home she had no idea existed, until now. The house is extraordinary: state-of-the-art, all glass and marble. How did her sensible father come into enough money for this? Why did he keep it from her? And what else was he hiding?

Maria, once an ambitious medical student, is a nanny for the super-rich. The money’s better, and so are the destinations where her work takes her. Just one more gig, and she’ll be set. Finally, she’ll be secure. But when her wards never show, Maria begins to make herself at home, spending her days luxuriating by the pool and in the sauna. There’s just one rule: Don’t go in the basement. That room is off-limits. But her curiosity might just get the better of her. And soon, she’ll wish her only worry was not getting paid.

Thank you to Catherine Steadman, Random House, and NetGalley for my complimentary physical and digital copies. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: July 30, 2024

Trigger warning: death of a parent, forced captivity
Profile Image for LIsa Noell "Rocking the chutzpah!".
734 reviews506 followers
May 11, 2024
My thanks to Random House Publishing, Catherine Steadman and Netgalley.
Well, I suppose that I could now be considered as a Steadman fan. This woman somehow manages to give me some fantastic book vibes.
I was thoroughly enjoying this book, until some neighbors pissed me off and I ended up having to kill them.
Oh no! Sorry. That was where this story took me. My neighbor's don't need to die, they just need to move to Texas or Florida. I keep sticking stamps and postage to their foreheads, but?
Listen man. In all truth? I've been having difficulties keeping track of books and reviews.
I've just been sick for I guess long enough that I've lost it. I'm trying to wind down this review stuff. I'm hoping that by the end of the year I'll have caught up on all my Netgalley reviews.
I've nearly recovered from my last surgery. Unfortunately, I've got the same issue to deal with at the end of summer. My thumb bones are sick and tired of living contained! They are now attempting escape! Bastard bones!
After kayaking this summer, they can work on me again. Until then? I'll deal with the pain, just to again get out on the water.
As for the book? 😍
Profile Image for Dennis.
978 reviews1,941 followers
March 28, 2024
Did Catherine Steadman enter into the world of...horror!?! I am a big Catherine Steadman fan after loving her last book, THE FAMILY GAME. If you enjoyed that book and especially the ending with the crazy chaos, you'll love her newest book, LOOK IN THE MIRROR. I can't go into the synopsis too much since there's MAJOR TWISTS that come out early on that I did not expect, so just trust me when I say, if you liked the last quarter of THE FAMILY GAME, this book is your jam!

Treading lightly, Nina Hepworth just found out that her father has left her an estate in the British Virgin Islands in his will. Her father has recently passed away and Nina has never heard of this property—super luxurious, state-of-the-art smart home, with all the highest quality design and aesthetics. Why did her father keep this house a secret from her? Our other notable character (but there's definitely a few others who you'll be introduced to) mentioned in the synopsis is Maria. Maria is a nanny for the wealthy elite and is currently assigned a new job with a family living on a beautiful coastal estate. However, when the family doesn't show, she quickly makes herself at home. There's only one rule, don't go in the basement.

It's so hard to talk about this book because of the way it develops, so just hear me out! This book definitely teeters into horror territory (not in the supernatural sense) than her other domestic suspense/thrillers. This book is definitely batshit crazy in all the best ways and I have the dark circles to prove it! This book won't be for everyone, especially if you did not like the ending of THE FAMILY GAME. Ugh, I wish I could say more. TRUST ME! LOOK IN THE MIRROR further proves that Catherine Steadman is an auto-read author for me and I can't wait to see what she has next for readers.
Profile Image for JaymeO.
552 reviews584 followers
July 30, 2024
“Whatever you do, do not go in the basement.�

Maria is a nanny hired to mind the children of a wealthy family at a smart house on a tropical island. She is given the instructions that the door with the blue light is off limits, but she should try to enjoy herself until they arrive. When the family doesn’t show, Maria’s curiosity gets the best of her and she opens the basement door.

Nina’s father just passed away and she is still grieving. When she is told by the solicitor that her father left her a house on an island in his will, she is shocked. She did not know of its existence. Curious, she flies to the British Virgin Islands to check it out. While she finds signs that her father did live there, something is not right about this smart house. Why is the door with the blue light locked?

How do these two women’s stories connect? What is in the basement?

Look in the Mirror is a fast-paced thriller filled with an intriguing game of cat and mouse. I read the first 75% in one sitting and couldn’t wait to get to the reveal. Unfortunately, the twists are ill-constructed and underwhelming. If chapter 50 is meant to be a twist, it just simply does not work. This book has so much potential, but it quickly loses steam due to several plot holes. The first 75% is an easy 5 stars, but the ending just receives a generous 2 stars.

The house is a creepy character and I immensely enjoyed this aspect of the book.

3.5/5 stars rounded down

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC of Look in the Mirror in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for James.
Author20 books4,243 followers
May 19, 2024
Intense! You're father dies of natural cause and leaves you his estate. You're wealthy, but there's a mystery house in the Caribbean. You visit it only to find it has a locked door and some malfunctioning, high-end technology. At the same time, chapters alternate and readers learn about another woman who's visited what appears to be the same house at either a different time period, or a similar house at the same time period. Both women are trapped by the house, and different people try to save them. Who should we trust? What an awesome kickoff to the book... Look in the Mirror borders on thriller and horror, and as the story begins to unfold with its clues revealing the truth, the book gets stronger in some areas but a little messy in others. Loved the premise, but figuring out why people are either lying or doing certain things is never quite explained. Murder for murder seems a little much if there's no backstory. Some comes, but ultimately, I felt this missed the mark on what could have been a 5-star read. Still worth reading and I will continue to pick up Steadman books!
Profile Image for megs_bookrack.
2,049 reviews13.3k followers
April 29, 2025
**3.5-stars**

After Nina's beloved father passes away, she learns that he left her a property in the British Virgin Islands. A property Nina didn't even know existed.

She's thrown for a loop by this information. She felt like they shared everything with each other, but apparently he had been keeping some secrets.



Curious about this hidden side of her Dad's life, and hoping to find some answers, Nina travels to the BVI to check it out for herself. What she finds couldn't be further from her what she expected. It seems nothing like her Dad.

An impersonal, uber-modern, waterfront property, all glass and marble. Cold, almost clinical.

How did he even afford it? Something doesn't add up. Nina is anxious to settle in and poke around. If she's gonna figure this out, she's gonna need to dig deep.



Maria is a nanny for the super rich, which often includes staying in exotic resort locations. Her new gig, set in the BVI, should pay enough for it to be her last job.

When her new charges don't show up at the anticipated time though, she's told to just settle in and enjoy herself. Though it's difficult at first, ultimately she does just that. What else is she gonna do while she waits?

As she starts to let her guard down, she begins to notice things that lead her to believe, maybe she shouldn't. She was given one rule, not to go in the basement, but as her curiosity grows, that starts to feel like an impossibility.



Look In the Mirror is another novel that I had a difficult time rating. I was so into this in the beginning. The intrigue of Nina discovering she inherited a luxury property that she didn't even know that her father owned. I wanted to know everything about that.

The other perspective, Maria, was also quite compelling, but the story itself managed to go off the rails for me at the end. I just did not care for the direction it ultimately went, and I'm pretty burnt about it, if I'm being honest.



There were some great twists along the way though. I also felt Steadman had a good amount of intensity added to the mysteries of both perspectives.

For me, there was a point where one of the characters gets themselves beyond the circumstance in which we initially found them. It was after that point that it started to lose my interest. It sort of sucked a bit of the intrigue out of it.

With this being said, it was a pretty even split right down the middle for me. The 1st-half was like a strong 4, maybe even a 5, and the 2nd-half was a high 2 or 3. I think 3.5-stars is a fair portrayal of my overall experience with this one.



I do feel like this author always shows great creativity with her plots. She's not afraid to take risks and I appreciate that. Sometimes her stories hit with me, other times, less so. Nevertheless, I'll always pick them up.

Thank you to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm looking forward to seeing what Steadman comes up with next!
Profile Image for Nikki Lee.
469 reviews355 followers
July 31, 2024
📚Happy Publication Day📚

🔥Book Review🔥
- Look In The Mirror by Catherine Steadman

Nina is left a gorgeous smart home secluded in the British Virgin Islands when her father dies. She’s baffled as she had no idea the house even existed.

When she arrives, the home is immaculate. Strange thing is, it appears someone has been living there.

Maria is sent to care for a family and kids on a ten day assignment at the same house. Only no one has showed up. One instruction she was given was not to go into the basement.

Told in three POV. Crazy stuff happens and things get wild! Many times I asked myself What in the hell is going on here? Close to the end I realized this story reminded me exactly of another book but told in a different way. I can’t tell you which, you’ll just have to find out.

One thing that I didn’t like was that lots of things were overly detailed. Some stuff elaborated for two pages that could have been explained in a paragraph or maybe two. What I did like was the fact that I couldn’t put it down!

Out July 30th. Thank you Ballantine, Catherine Steadman and NetGalley for the opportunity!
3.5 ⭐️ raised to 4

#book #bookstagram #catherinesteadman #booknerd #readmorebooks #thrillerthursday #books
Profile Image for Dee (Delighting in the Desert).
531 reviews129 followers
August 5, 2024
4.5 stars, rounded down for a couple loose threads (no spoilers). M'kay, I really, really enjoyed this one - it was beyond twisted, nothing was as it seemed & there was no way to tell what was going on 🤯🤯🤯 VERY fast paced, with shifting POV's, not too many characters in this way, way beyond "Locked room" thrill ride. Very impressed with Steadman here, who's really developing her writing chops - I've decided that she definitely deserves to stay in my "Auto=read" authors & will be looking for her next release, for sure!! Highly recommend to thriller readers!
Profile Image for Jenny.
417 reviews445 followers
March 13, 2024
The story revolves around two seemingly unrelated women. Nina, a 34-year-old Cambridge professor who unexpectedly inherits a mysterious house in the British Virgin Islands following her father's passing. The house is a modern marvel, shrouded in mystery and secrets that kept me guessing with each turn of the page. And then there's Maria, a medical student working as a nanny with ambitions and a penchant for adventure, who finds herself embroiled in a web of enigma when her latest gig takes an unexpected turn.

Steadman weaves a complex tapestry of multiple narrators and timelines, leaving me utterly spellbound. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, she'd throw in another twist that left me gasping for breath. However, I couldn't help but feel that some of the plot points relied a bit too heavily on implausible backstories.

Characters, Nina and Maria leap off the page with their intelligence and flawed humanity. Sure, they may have made some questionable choices (cough pushing the button in the basement cough), but isn't that what makes them all the more relatable? It's like watching a horror movie and yelling at the characters not to go into the dark basement—except in this case, curiosity wins out, and the consequences are deliciously spine-tingling.

"Look In the Mirror" is a daring story of secrets, lies, and the blurred lines between reality and illusion. So if you're looking for a read that'll keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you questioning everything you thought you knew, do yourself a favor and dive into this book. You won't regret it.
Profile Image for emilybookedup.
533 reviews9,239 followers
August 6, 2024
i liked this! Catherine Steadman is (in my opinion) an underrated thriller author and i’ve enjoyed all her books.

this reminded me a lot of her recent hit thriller, THE FAMILY GAME. if you liked that one, pick this up! a lot of similar elements and vibes.

this grabbed my attention immediately but overall is more of a slow burn thriller and felt like a reality show meets squid games meets an escape room� it got intense!!! 👀 i did notttt expect it to go the way it did or even end the way it did, so that got some points in my book! as someone who reads them 24/7, unique thrillers are always hard to come by.

my main complaint is there wasn’t a shocking “twist� here which i typically crave in my thrillers. that likely would have soared it up to 4.5, but i still recommend this. its under 300 pages and a perfect binge-by-the-pool-thriller!

thanks to Randomhouse for the gifted copy! can’t wait to rank her books!
Profile Image for Tonya.
677 reviews146 followers
August 9, 2024
This thriller is twisted and shocking in all the right ways. I could definitely see the story play out on Netflix. I enjoyed the different POVs and how they cleverly came together in an unexpected way. Over-the-top, original, with many nail-biting moments describe this engaging page-turner. It's fast-paced, entertaining and intense. Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my copy.
Profile Image for Meagan (Meagansbookclub).
643 reviews5,563 followers
June 4, 2024
Liked it for the first 30% and then it burned out and flatlined to the end. I don’t mind an unhinged storyline, but the writing was too wordy, the pacing was off and on, and too many alternating pov. Shame on me for having high hopes after liking The Family Game. Bummer!
Profile Image for Kimberly R .
317 reviews
July 5, 2024
Nina Hepworth inherits the house from hell from her father.
Maria is a new nanny staying there waiting for the owner and kids to arrive and wondering why they are not. She has been warned to stay away from the basement but her curiosity eventually gets the best of her. They are in for the fight of their lives as they struggle to survive. This action packed story kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing.
Thanks NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this ARC that will be released July 30, 2024!
Profile Image for Jessica Woodbury.
1,848 reviews2,886 followers
May 19, 2024
Steadman's last book, The Family Game, was really enjoyable. This, however, feels incredibly phoned in. There was a while there about 1/3 of the way in where I thought "I have absolutely no idea what's happening, everything is bananas, this is fun," but then suddenly poof! All gone. Once we get oriented to what is actually happening this is no longer fun, it's just ridiculous. As I like to say about this kind of book, the problem isn't being silly, you can be really over the top and silly, but it has to be fun. If it isn't fun, then what's the point?

If you are not going to read it and just want to know why it is so ridiculous I will happily tell you after a spoiler tag.
Profile Image for Julie (JuJu).
1,045 reviews207 followers
August 8, 2024
"Look in the Mirror" is like a locked-room mystery on steroids! You definitely need to brace yourself for this thrilling journey.

QOTD: Have you ever been in a high-tech house?

As a dedicated fan of Catherine Steadman's work, I eagerly await her latest ARC. Her debut thriller, "Something in the Water," was one of the first books I reviewed on NetGalley and remains one of my all-time favorites. The five-star thriller completely blew me away, and I feel a bit of a personal connection to Ms. Steadman as we both embarked on a type of literary journey together.

When I first encountered the premise of 'Look in the Mirror,' I was immediately drawn in. The story captivated me and left me pleasantly perplexed � in the best way possible. It's one of the most enthralling and original mysteries I've come across!

Nina and Marie take turns narrating most of the book. You know these women are connected somehow, yet it's not immediately obvious. This intense and twisted tale features a high-tech house in the Caribbean, locked rooms with ominous warnings, hidden family secrets, and more!

Thanks to Ballantine/Random House Publishing for providing this ARC VIA NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

#LookintheMirror #CatherineSteadman #BallantineBooks #RandomHouseBooks #NetGalley
Profile Image for Stacey.
339 reviews46 followers
April 12, 2025


Hunger games meet escape rooms.

Shortly after Nina's father passes away, she is contacted by a lawyer stating that she has inherited a house on a remote island. Unaware that her father owned another property, Nina's curiosity gets the better of her, and she plans to stay in the home. However, there is one rule for those staying in this house.

Never go in the basement.

So far, those who have come to the home before Nina have not been able to keep this rule. Will she? And what will Nina discover about the father she thought she knew in the process?


___________________________________

This is not one of my favorite Catherine Steadman books, but it is still an engaging story. The ending does make me wonder if there will be a sequel. 🤔
Profile Image for Lynn Peterson.
1,091 reviews241 followers
August 28, 2024
3.5. This was a claustrophobic read. I liked the puzzles that needed to be solved by the daughter of the man who built the house and the action surrounding it. Love the setting in the Caribbean island of Virgin Gorda too. I guess I was a little stumped by how calm the couple of participants were like the main character never really getting mad at her dad throughout the whole thing. Still an overall enjoyable book.
Profile Image for Chelsea | thrillerbookbabe.
639 reviews937 followers
May 31, 2024
I’m sorry WHAT. This book was literally nothing like I thought it would be, in the very best way. Thank you so much to Catherine Steadman and Random House for my copy of this book. It was about Nina, a woman who has just lost her father. Still grieving, she finds out that she has inherited a house in the British Virgin Islands that she had no idea existed. Nina has so many questions about how her father had money for this property and what the purpose of it really was.

Then there's Maria, a nanny to the super rich. She takes a job that will have a huge payout, but the family never shows. Maria starts to enjoy herself, waiting for the family and enjoying their beautiful house. There is just one rule- don’t go into the basement. But why? And how long can she really stay away?

Thoughts: This book is nothing like I could have ever imagined. The story was so fast paced and I couldn’t put it down. Nina was a strong character, and I really liked Maria as well. The premise was a true mystery, and I had no idea where the story was going. I can’t honestly say much without spoiling it, but this book was WILD. It almost had an element of horror to it, besides being a unique thriller.

If you enjoyed her book The Family Game, you will love this book as well. The ending was a bit far fetched, and there were some things just happened to work out, but it was such a fun read. If you liked the movie The Game, this book is perfect for you. 4.5 stars!
Profile Image for Catherine.
434 reviews70 followers
March 16, 2024
This is a story about Nina and Maria, two women unrelated to each other who find themselves trapped in a mansion in the British Virgin Islands, but at different times, and for different reasons. This book is told from multiple points of view in differing timelines, which was a little confusing.

It’s unclear what’s happening or why until about 75% into the book, although I had a vague idea of what was going on. By the time you find out what’s actually happening, you’re beyond caring about how it’s going to end. This entire story was far-fetched and poorly executed. The ending is unsatisfying, much like the entire book. This was a huge flop for me.

*Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for this advanced copy. Pub date: 7/30/24.
Profile Image for Andrea | andrea.c.lowry.reads.
796 reviews70 followers
August 15, 2024
What in the wild and crazy breath holding ride did I just read!?!

I’m keeping this review short because I went into the book blind and I think that is the best way to go. Basically even saying anything about the characters is going to lead to a spoiler.

This is one of those books that is so easy to find yourself caught up in from the very first page. It’s also one of those books that gets your heart rate amped up and makes you feel like you’re getting a good cardio workout in while reading, and I live for these types of heart pounding thrillers.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:

Suspense
Tension
High stakes action
WTF moments
Mystery
Multiple POV
Twists

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?

Completely binged this book in less than 24 hours. Saying it was propulsive is an understatement!

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

If you are looking for a fast and entertaining read that takes you on quite the adventure, then you need this book.

Thank you Ballantine Books for this gift to copy and exchange for my honest opinions
Profile Image for ܴë.
624 reviews973 followers
March 16, 2025
rich people are so stupid
Profile Image for Jennifer *Nottoomanybooks*.
434 reviews54 followers
August 5, 2024
If you enjoyed The Family Game, you will like this one too!

It is a bit of a slow burn in the beginning. Nina’s father dies and she learns she has inherited a second home he has on an island that she had no clue about. Exciting right? When she gets there, things seem off. Especially the one room in the house that remains locked. What is in there you ask? You will have to read to find out, but let me tell you�. It is a crazy ride with something a WHOLE lot bigger going on than you could ever imagine!
Profile Image for Malia.
Author7 books649 followers
April 26, 2025
This was a quick, entertaining read, but of Steadman‘s Books, it is probably my least favorite. It is very fast paced, and yet I never really connected to the story and found the ending a bit absurd. Nonetheless, she is an author whose work I almost always enjoy and I’ll certainly keep an eye out for her next one.
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