Look in the Mirror by Catherine Steadman

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.

Published by Ballantine
on July 30, 2024

Review:

This is my first book by Catherine Steadman. I’d heard great things about “Something in the Water” (which I have but have yet to read), so I was excited to check this one out. I will admit that I had no idea what was going on for about the first half of the book and kind of struggled to stay engaged, but then it all started to click. At this point, the plot picked up and pulled me back in, and didn’t let go until the last chapter.

The story focuses primarily on a woman named Nina who unexpectedly inherits a luxurious vacation home in the British Virgin Islands after her beloved father passes away. The house is massive, and she had no idea that her father had this kind of money. As she grapples with the shock of this revelation and tries to uncover why her father kept this property hidden from her, Nina finds herself drawn into a web of secrets and deception that threaten not only her mental health but also her physical well-being.

Among a few other characters, we also meet Maria, a young woman who occasionally acts as a nanny for the wealthy. The gigs are typically easy and pay very well, providing Maria with plenty of money to pay her rent while she finishes college. Her latest assignment has taken her to a lavish estate with strict rules and a mysterious basement that is off-limits. As Maria becomes increasingly curious about what lies behind the door she is forbidden to enter, she soon realizes that her life may be in danger.

It doesn’t take long for us to figure out that Nina and Maria are in the same house, but what isn’t clear is when each of them is there until much later when we find out just how much danger Maria is in. This is also about the time we realize that Nina is about to fall into the same trap. This connection between Nina and Maria becomes clearer as the story progresses, and it’s a key element in understanding the plot. What was especially confusing, though (at least at first), was why this was happening. Once the reveal came, it all made sense, but damn, I was confused in the beginning. Once everything started to click into place and the narrative started to make sense, I was fully engaged and found the last half of the book to be pretty suspenseful. The tension really ramps up as we learn more about this dangerous game of cat and mouse with unknown adversaries.

The luxurious vacation home and what happens inside are pretty complex, and with each chapter, the games intensify. The fact that all of this is taking place in a house of horrors, while outside, the surroundings are lush and peaceful with breathtaking views makes it all the more unsettling. The writing is strong, and the puzzles involved are pretty complex, so kudos to the author for pulling them off. I honestly wish it hadn’t taken me so long to get into this one. As I said earlier, though, I was all in once it started to click for me, and the last half flew by.

Though it had a slow and rocky start (and confused the hell out of me), I eventually found this to be a gripping thriller that had me buzzing through the last half. You’ll likely enjoy this one if you like a good puzzle and a twisty plot and can get past the slower beginning. While it ended up being about something completely different from what I thought it would be, it was a fun ride, and it all paid off in the end.