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Look in the Mirror

Win a free print copy of this book!

22 days and 02:13:52

10 copies available
U.S. only
Rate this book
When Nina’s father dies, she is left something in his will: a gleaming dream vacation home in a balmy tropical paradise.

Still grieving her father's death, Nina learns 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?

Once an ambitious medical student, Maria 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. But her curiosity just might get the better of her—and soon she’ll wish her only worry was not getting paid.

320 pages, Paperback

Expected publication July 30, 2024

About the author

Catherine Steadman

8 books4,874 followers
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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5 stars
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268 (47%)
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128 (22%)
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33 (5%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 385 reviews
Profile Image for Nilufer Ozmekik.
2,589 reviews52.7k followers
May 5, 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 Kaceey.
1,268 reviews4,009 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 Rachel Hanes.
583 reviews501 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 LIsa Noell "Rocking the Chutzpah!  .
686 reviews417 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 James.
Author 20 books4,075 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 Nikki Lee.
320 reviews178 followers
May 9, 2024
Happy Thriller Thursday but everyday is Thriller 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 Dennis.
890 reviews1,817 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.
440 reviews430 followers
July 9, 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 Jenny.
180 reviews301 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 Cindy (leavemetomybooks).
1,230 reviews680 followers
May 16, 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 Kimberly R .
290 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 Chelsea | thrillerbookbabe.
582 reviews848 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 jess.
732 reviews19 followers
February 26, 2024
This thriller drops you right into the action as you follow two different women, Nina and Maria, as they encounter increasingly strange occurrences in a secluded tropical home. Short chapters packed with plot and often ending in cliffhangers make this almost impossible to put down. Very few answers or explanations are given until well after the halfway point, and I honestly enjoyed what a weird, strange ride this was.

Even though the final reveals were a bit convoluted, I felt like this was an author trying something completely new, and overall, this felt like a fresh take on the standard thriller. Also, this feels like a case where you should go ahead and judge this book by its excellent cover. Highly recommend this one when you want a quick and wild read.

Many thanks to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Meagan (Meagansbookclub).
531 reviews3,471 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 Books_the_Magical_Fruit (Kerry).
742 reviews53 followers
April 14, 2024
This is a PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER among psychological thrillers! Wow! I tore through this from this morning to the early afternoon. There've been some books recently where my eyes kept straying to the bottom right of my iPad to see how far along I was—not so with “Look in the Mirror”. It’s brilliant.

The ever-changing viewpoints start slowly at first, between Nina and María (no Pinta? Lost opportunity there 😄). I have read enough fairytales to know not to go into *the one room off-limits*, especially if it’s located in the freaking BASEMENT, so María’s POV gave me a lot of anxiety. I’d like to think that I would be perfectly content to while away my days in paradise and never give in to that temptation. Would this be a good thriller if María were like me? Nope. You may make your inferences here.

On the other hand, Nina finds out about a Caribbean house she’s just inherited from her father, and it completely blindsides her. She, of course, jumps at the chance to solve the mystery of how he could have concealed this purchase from her, and she promptly flies to the British Virgin Islands. However, as Nina begins some digging, something’s not quite right about all of this.

Then the cryptic messages start appearing. Are they warnings…or threats?


Wooooo, you will be utterly shocked! Steadman had me doing a double take more than a few times in this story. I’ve been waiting for an exciting, original thriller for a little while, and this DELIVERS. Be sure to grab a copy on July 30!

I received an e-copy from NetGalley and Ballantine Books (thank you so much!), and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Mandy White (mandylovestoread).
2,366 reviews678 followers
June 29, 2024
I really don’t know what to say about Look in the Mirror. Did I like it.. yes I think so. Was I confused for much of the time… yes I was. Was it nuts…absolutely. It was nothing like the book that I thought I was reading, but in a good way. If you liked The Family Game, you will love this crazy ride.

We read about 2 women in the same house on a remote island in the British Virgin Islands. Maria, a worker and nanny, and Nina, whose father built the house and has left it to her in his will. But this is no ordinary house. Strange things start to happen and both women fear for their lives.

It is a faced paced and shocking story that will keep you hooked until the very end.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Ballantine for the advanced copy to read. Publishes on July 30th.
Profile Image for Matt.
717 reviews153 followers
April 16, 2024
a bit of a slow start but once it picks up around 1/3 of the way through I could NOT put it down! I had NO idea what was happening here and definitely did not expect that reveal! It almost borders on horror territory, and expands on the direction of Steadman’s last book (Family Game). I really enjoyed this, and the author has become a consistent auto-read for me!
Profile Image for Jessica Woodbury.
1,756 reviews2,576 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 Sara Ellis.
442 reviews13 followers
March 1, 2024
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.
Profile Image for Martie Nees Record.
730 reviews167 followers
June 27, 2024
Genre: Escape Room/Mystery and Thriller
Publisher: Random House
Pub. Date: July 30, 2024

“Look In the Mirror” is a dark, escape room horror thriller. The story revolves around two seemingly unrelated women: Nina, a 34-year-old Cambridge professor who unexpectedly inherits a mysterious, luxurious house in the British Virgin Islands. In alternating chapters, we meet Maria. She’s taking time off medical school to save money by working as a nanny for the ultra-wealthy. When she arrives at their home, which is more like an upscale vacation hotel, she waits for the two kids she will be babysitting to arrive. But as days pass and they’re still not here, she lets down her guard, begins to enjoy herself, and hangs out at the pool, overlooking the magnificent ocean views. There is a blurring between illusion and reality. The reader understands that both of them share a similar terrifying experience, but the reader does not know whether they are taking place in the same house or an alternate reality. The premise is interesting enough; however, the far-fetched twists bothered me. Yet, not enough so that I didn’t want to keep reading to figure out what was happening to Nina and Maria. This is a good beach read if you don’t mind the creepiness.

I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.

Find all my book reviews at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list
https://books6259.wordpress.com/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/review
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr
https://www.amazon.com/
Profile Image for Catherine.
394 reviews67 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 Kori Potenzone.
891 reviews81 followers
March 17, 2024
Kinda freaking out over here …

I pray I can do this book AND Catherine Steadman, justice with my book review .

I’m a huge fan of Catherine Steadman, in case you can not tell. I have read them all, Mr. Nobody, The Family Game, Something in the Water, The Dissappearing Act, to now, Look in the Mirror.

I literally squealed in delight when my approval email came in. How did I get so lucky ?

I will tell you one thing, Look in the Mirror, does not disappoint . Not that a Steadman, book ever could but just WOW! This book exceeded my already high expectations and left me in udder disbelief.

The character development was on point, the storyline was narrated with precision and the twist? Well, you are going to have to read it to find out but I promise you, it will leave your jaw on the floor .

In true Steadman, fashion, there is no way you could rate one of her books less than 5 stars without it being considered criminal. So here it goes, Look in the Mirror, breaks the 5 star scale and soars to my number one spot for thrillers.

Teaser:

When Nina’s father dies, she is left something in his will: a gleaming dream vacation home in a balmy tropical paradise.

She’ll find out the hard way that what you inherit from those you love can end up costing your life in this heart-pounding thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Something in the Water.

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.
Profile Image for Brianna Crowder.
44 reviews
February 25, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy of this fun thriller! I'm a huge fan of the author, Catherine Steadman.
This book was fun going into without too much information on the plot.
The main character Nina recently lost her father, a brilliant mathematician and civil engineerher. She is notified that her father left her a house in the British Virgin Islands. Desperate for more closure and information on her brilliant father, she travels to see the house before deciding what to do with it. When she gets to the impressive house on a very remote island she starts to realize there is more to the house than she first assumed.
Wirhout giving too much away, the first half of the book was especially fun and exciting to read. It was tricky understanding who to trust and what the purpose and background of the house was. I really enjoyed Nina's character. She was smart, practical, and easy to root for. The other main character Maria was really interesting. She was more driven with instinct than Nina's calm perseverance and intellect
The alternating perspectives kept the plot fast-paced and interesting, especially in the first half.
I think my only complaint is there might have been too many additional narrators as the book went on, especially towards the last quarter of the book. It felt a little convoluted and I wanted a little more but still I overall loved the book. It was a complex and clever thriller and I highly recommend it!
Profile Image for KimmiAnn.
182 reviews32 followers
February 23, 2024
I was thrilled to receive this approval. I immediately dove head first into reading Look In The Mirror. I will have to say that the first 20% of the book, I couldn't put it down. Then, unfortunately, things begin to become quite repetitive and boring for me. I think I am more of a character development person when it comes to reading my books. I have to get to know the characters to feel any empathy for them or even get invested in the story. There was not any real character development in this book. If you are into architecture/design, and enjoy descriptive details along that line, then you'd love this book. I felt that all I was reading about was the house that Nina's father has left her in his will. Yes, Steadman did a fantastic job with this, to the point where the house itself almost felt alive. I just got terribly bored. I had a hard time continuing, honestly. I am going to give this 3 stars, as I do not feel it was horrible enough to give it any lower, but not mind blowing to be near a 4 or 5 star read for me.
Profile Image for AndiReads.
1,310 reviews152 followers
February 25, 2024
When Nina’s beloved father passes, she finds something surprising in his will....a house located on a small island in the Caribbean. Nina knows is so confused- why did she not know about this property? The only way to learn more is to travel there.

Interspersed with the stories of other characters located on the island, Look In the Mirror is by far the creepiest story I have ever read! If you like thrillers, look no further. This is one of a kind and will haunt you even in broad daylight! Thank you Catherine Steadman, I hope I can sleep tonight!
#randomhouse #ballantine
Profile Image for CAROLYN Wyman.
609 reviews30 followers
April 2, 2024
Look In The Mirror by Catherine Steadman is a fast paced thriller. This was my first read by Catherine Steadman and it definitely won’t be my last. I started reading not having a clue what the book was about, other than a thriller. The Cover and title caught my attention and I’m extremely glad that it did.

The book begins with Nina dealing with the death of her father. When she is contacted about her father’s will, she receives a major surprise. She inherits a house on a beautiful secluded island worth a ton of money, a property she never knew existed, with an interesting name. The house is called Anderssen’s Opening named after a chess move. The surprises don’t stop after discovering that her father helped design the house. The house is gorgeous, and entirely state of the art, and fully stocked with all of her favorite items. As she explores, she finds different things that were her father’s treasured possessions. When she begins to get eerie warnings, she starts to wonder if this is really a paradise.

The book is told from two points of view for the most part, the main two being Nina and a woman named Maria.
Maria was hired by a company to be a temporary live in nanny, she is told she can get comfortable, but not to go into the locked basement. When the clients are delayed, she takes advantage of the beautiful pools, until the power begins to flicker and curiosity gets the best of her. Her foray into the basement, takes her down a dangerous and dark path where getting out may be the only way to survive.

Other characters and points of view are interwoven into this heart pounding story.

This fast paced suspenseful thriller keeps you engaged from beginning to end with surprises coming from all directions. What connection do the women have? And who is leaving the cryptic messages? And most of all, what is in the basement?


Look In The Mirror. It’s creepy, edging on horror in this puzzling book, where only the strong and extremely clever will survive. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but Look In The Mirror exceeded my expectations. If you are looking for something that’s a fast paced surprise waiting to happen, than this book is definitely it and you won’t be disappointed. Freida McFadden fans will love the dark twisted surprises and secrets that keep you glued until the very end.
Profile Image for Shruti morethanmylupus.
843 reviews47 followers
July 8, 2024
This was a really good thriller. I didn't fully predict most of the twists, which is always a big win for a thriller. I had absolutely no idea what was going on throughout a lot of the book - but in the best, edge-of-your-seat way not in a this-was-too-confusing-to-be-fun way. Wha an excellent, twisty thriller ride.

I've seen some reviews saying it required a lot of suspension of belief, but I disagree based on sufficient news stories of what we know happens. I can't say more without risking spoilers, but your mileage may vary in this vein.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Profile Image for Vicki Willis.
906 reviews62 followers
July 6, 2024
What a great read this was! I spent the whole book wondering what was going on!? It hooked the reader immediately and had a fast pace to it. The chapters alternated POVs but did not let the reader know the timeline or how or when they would intersect. The setting on a beautiful island with a mysterious house was excellent and ramped up curiosity and tension. There were several parts of the book that had my heart pounding and I was terrified. I had several ideas of what I thought could be going on, but none of them proved correct. I ended up surprised in the best way. The ending was a little rushed, but it was a satisfying ending that fit the book. I have read several books by this author and this one is my favorite!
Profile Image for Cassie.
246 reviews9 followers
March 4, 2024
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
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