This standalone (as far as I know) book sits beside Fields' Luc Callanach (Ava Turner) series, again set in Edinburgh. Other than the brash Chief Superintendent Overbeck, none of those characters are introduced here. Instead, because of the workload of Edinburgh's Major Incident Team, DI Baarda has been called in from London to assist in a murder/kidnapping. Along with him is Dr Connie Woodwine, a brash American criminal psychologist. They are looking into the disappearance of one woman, and quickly link it to the death of another and find that they are on the hunt for someone with issues.

Connie is a fairly stereotypical academic, clinical type as she has virtually no people skills on the surface, issuing demands and attacking conversations head-on in a very un-British way. And yet when we see her interviewing witnesses, such as a young girl who saw a schoolmate be abducted, she is suddenly very tactful and sensitive. In this way, she is both an interesting, complex character, but also a much seen cliched one. She has a tendency to do an awful lot of telling during interviews, explaining to all in the room the theory of her approach to the interview. While this was interesting, it took me right out of the book as something completely unnatural, and read more as a brain dump of the author's research for the book. A little more show, less tell as usual would have worked well here.

Baarda is similarly familiar, a dedicated career cop with marital problems (his wife having an open affair with another officer).

Together, the pair piece together few clues and start to evolve something of a profile for the man who has been kidnapping people. However, I felt this aspect didn't yield results until quite late on, all progress up to that point (next to none) was through standard police work/luck.

The antagonist here was interesting, but nowhere near as dark and mysterious as the blurb makes him sound. We're not talking Hannibal Lecter here, just a confused man with a fairly typical upbringing. Fields essentially cottoned on to an interesting medical/psychological condition and pieced together a plot based on it. While this was enjoyable, it made it somewhat crime-by-numbers.

A good book, but left me longing for Ava Turner's more likable policing style.

I’m a fan of the author having read a few of her thrillers so I was really looking forward to The Shadow Man. I loved the premise and the book sounded like something I could really get into. The storyline is not 100% original and I’ve read books with a similar premise before but there’s something hugely enjoyable about the way the author tackles it. The Shadow Man ticks all the boxes of a great thriller for me. The book is very dark and intense at times and I got caught up in the story.

The Shadow Man storyline is an interesting one and something like this always grabs my interest. It is graphic in places and so well written in that respect that I found myself cringing. There is a good amount of twists and turns but done in such a way that the reader is always in the know so not as much element for surprise as you would like. Dr Connie Woolwine is an interesting character and you get to know her very well. Really liked the dynamic between her and the lead Detective Baarda. The story is told in the first person and it’s great to see from each characters point of view. I was gripped by this plot but it just wasn’t giving me that wow factor and was a little long and drawn out for an outcome that was somewhat of a let down. I did enjoy it and would recommend it but there just wasn’t enough going on.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read and review this ARC that was published on the 4th of Feb.

The shadow man is collecting his victims and up to now nobody has ever known of his existence. But then he picks the wrong woman and everything he worked for is in jeopardy. Great story, I thoroughly enjoyed reading, dark and twisted.

My favourite read of 2021 so far!! I honestly was hooked in from the beginning right until the end!


The shadow man is centred around a man who is on the haunt to create his very own family. Elspeth, Meggy and Xavier all find themselves kidnapped and held captive. Dr Connie Lambert is an American criminal psychologist works alongside Detective Baarda to profile the suspect and find the victims before it's too late.

What I loved about this crime thriller is we got to follow the criminal investigation along side the journey of the victims. I actually enjoy it when we know who the suspect is from the begining what we had to work out was what was his rationale was. I honestly loved the psychological element that was woven in throughout the story.

There wasn't really a lead protagonist, Connie was probably it if I were to pick one. Connie was a very interesting character. A psychologist who had her own experience with mental illness which often is written about as most people who work within the system have had experience within it. Connie was quite funny and super intelligent. I loved her if I am honest. Plus her relationship with detective Baarda was written well and played out extremely well.

I must say this book isn't for the faint hearted and it was quite graphic at times but it was a breathe of fresh air to have all the gore stuff kept in with no filter. There was the odd moment I had to stop reading and just take a moment to re centre. But it's written so well and very descriptive.

There were some really funny lines which lighten the highness of the book and some heart breaking lines aswell.

I want to just write the entire plot of this story because I loved it so much. There is so much going on in the book but yet the plot is so well written and developed. It's more than a crime thriller and that's what elevates it from good to omg I want to read it again straight away! What I will say is I already liked Helen Fields but this book made me a fan. Would I recommend it yes! To all my fellow crime/thriller/psychological lovers this is the book for you!! Easy 5 stars

Thank you to netgalley, Avon publishers and Helen Fields for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my fair and honest opinion, I hope Connie and Baarda get made into a series!!

I didn’t like this book. It was boring and slow. I would not read anymore by this author. Not my cup of tea book. Thank you

DNF. I didn't quite fell into the story. Maybe was not a right time or maybe it just wasn't my cup of tea. The beginning was boring if I compare this book to the other thrillers i've read.
Thanks you NetGalley for this arc.

Ms Fields has a very sick mind to come up with a book like this - I loved it !
A very good main character in Dr Woolwine paired with DI Baarda (echoes of Luc and Ava from the Perfect series but quite different [1]) and a twisted adversary in Fergus.
Connie's insights into his psyche are a bit unbelievable but it's just such a tense excting story you get carried along. Hope this is another new series as I really like the characters.

[1] Thanks to Helen Fields for the freebie short stories, but when are we going to have a new full-length novel about them ? Please !!!

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this title. I love Helen Fields Callannach series and this standalone is still just as fantastic. I was drawn in from page one and had to keep reading till the very end. I hope this will become a series too as the chemistry between the two main characters is great.

Helen Fields has a mesmerising, somewhat enchanting ability to immerse one into a story which plays through your mind like a motion picture, overtaking your senses and transporting you entirely to the scene which she sets.

This novel saw the kidnapping of various people and followed their time held hostage. Their captor, a monster of sorts has the worst delusions conceivable, ones I had never considered a possibility- for we generally choose to avoid all connection with death, attempting with anti ageing creams, spinach smoothies and yoga to preserve each cell. Not in the case of Fergus- a walking depiction of death, rotting inside and out, metaphorically and literally; who plucks people from their lives and disposes of them as soon as they exhaust his purpose.

The persona of Connie, an American psychologist profiler, with a fascinating history, was crafted brilliantly to pull this story together, working well with DI Baarda.

Helen Fields has a high level of emotional intelligence which is apparent in her writing. A candid honesty is conveyed in the description of thoughts or situations which is refreshing. I really appreciated seeing a child being portrayed realistically in terms of their intelligence, resilience and language.

An author who has her finger on the pulse of the world around her and the people who inhabit it; and incorporates the mirror image of reality into her works of fiction.

He has killed one woman and kidnapped 3 people but why? He leaves no trace and nothing out of the ordinary stands out. He has not asked for a ransom. Can they be found before he kills again?
This is another great read from Helen Fields. It is full of suspense and tension. It is gory and a bit unbelievable in places but that completely adds to the story
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for granting me an Arc in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed the book.

The writing style is very similar to her other books. Even our favorite "Overlord" makes an appearance, which makes it feel even more familiar.
I did have a bit of a hard time at first with Connie. She didn't really feel very likable. Maybe because she had a very American vibe over her and it just felt out of place. But during the story she began to grow on me.

The psychological aspect of the story is great, yet again. Fields really outdone herself with it and I can't wait to see if more books in this series will shop up. I will absolutely read those as wel!!

THE SHADOWMAN by Helen Fields
4/5

First he took Elspeth to be his bride, then he took Meggy to be his daughter and Xavier to be his brother. A family to call his own and he has no intentions on letting them out alive.

The story is told from Connies perspective, a psychologist whose helping a detective solve these disappearances
And from Fergus’ perspective whose kidnapped these people to be his family who also suffers from a mental condition (I won’t say because I think that will spoil the book) that has caused him to go crazy over the years.

I’ve read a lot of crime thrillers and murder books where nothing shocks me. Except for this. This book was so twisted and creepy that had me feeling disgusted and had me going ‘wtf’.
I think the author done a good job at depicting Fergus as a mentally ill character and not just a cliche crazy psychopath.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc copy

He's the shadow of a man and yet, he's strong enough to capture his victims.

How does he do it?

Helen Fields has given us a quite dark and disturbing tale. One that for the most part kept me entertained.

A woman, Elspeth, has been abducted, and to find her Connie Woolwine, an American forensic psychologist, and detective Brodie Baarda have teamed up. Connie is making a profile of the psychopath and soon she learns that the body of a woman named Angela has a connection with Elspeth's abduction. Connie knows there has to be a reason for these women to be selected. She and Baarda know time is running out. Will they find her in time?

The Shadow Man had some quite gruesome scenes that made my stomach queazy. My imagination ran wild with all the things The Shadow Man did. Same with some of the discoveries that were described. The last showdown was terrifying.

Connie was a great character! Someone smart, unflappable, and resourceful.

I will like to see her back with Baarda for another investigation.

Cliffhanger: No

3/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Avon Books UK via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to @avon_books and @netgalley for a copy of The Shadow Man by Helen Fields for review, all opinions are my own. This book is out now in the UK and available in Canada on Tuesday!

We all know my love for this author and it continues with The Shadow Man, an extremely dark thriller you have to read to believe. As with everything this lovely lady writes, go in knowing it’ll be dark and the worst criminal acts known to man so you are ready. The Shadow Man collects his victims. Kidnaps them and keeps them locked up. It’s up to an America criminal psychologist, Dr Woodwine and DI Baarta to figure out why they were chosen and where they might be.

The Shadow Man is a standalone police procedural, something I don’t read too much of because learning all the character backstory for the police can distract a lot from the more exciting police side of things and I definitely found that true here. But the parts of the story from the perspective of the victims and the perpetrator would have been too much without it so they were also welcome breaks. I would have liked to see the police side more focused on solving and less about development.
Other than that, definitely a really quick and dark read. The perpetrator in this one is extremely unique and incredibly fascinating to read. Love to see that as an avid police procedural reader.

The Shadow Man is a unique crime thriller, spiced with supernatural undertones and a horror scene waiting to befall those caught in a killer’s path. The hunt for the Shadow Man is a formidable investigative task as his kidnapped victims share no similarities and whose lives have nothing in common.

Even though the Shadow Man is planning to kidnap with meticulously researched precision, it doesn’t stop the death toll mounting with collateral damage. The kidnapped victims include a woman, Elspeth, a man, Xavier, and a young girl, Meggy. His sinister plan for them has a very disturbing purpose, and they start to discover hidden secrets in the building where they are held captive – and they haven’t been the first. The Shadow Man himself is emaciated looking yet has an incredible strength that belies his appearance. Initially, I felt this was a major plot hole, but you must let the supernatural element play out for the truth to be revealed. In saying that it still never sat right with me and does stretch the believability stakes.

The diversity of the kidnapped victims is impressive, how their personalities change and how their relationships evolve due to their ordeal, is extremely well-drawn. The threats on them and the fear of vicious retribution, should they displease him or if he tires of them, keeps the suspense in top gear.

Following the murder of Angela and the kidnap of Elspeth, an American forensic psychologist, Connie Woodwine and DI Brodie Baarda are brought in to assist Police Scotland in the investigation. Connie utilises her profiling skills to get inside the mind of the kidnapper/killer if possible and has a very straight-talking style to her demeanour. Brodie is reserved by the book but has marital issues that Connie jumps on. The male-female police partnership format in police crime thrillers is a standard formula, and one of the major aspects by which the story will stand or fall will be how their relationship and personalities blend. In Helen Fields' book, she crafts compelling characters with fascinating characteristics and interesting backgrounds, although I would like to see Brodie developed more and commanding more of the storyline. I can see this team working in a series.

In the first half of the book, certain aspects of the narrative challenge the believability of the story and not all of them are dispelled in the second half. The momentum of the story does not waver from the very first page to the last, and the suspense, danger, terror, frustration and pressure to solve the case before the killer concludes his plan creates an engrossing and entertaining story.

I would recommend this book and I would like to thank Avon Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of the audiobook in return for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this psychological thriller! This is a page-turner that if you put it down you can't wait to pick it back up. Story line is a little different, which was great! This book could be an episode of the T.V. series Criminal Minds. You know right away who the bad guy is but what makes him tick and how do they catch him before he kills more is the question (and it is answered). I would like to read books about the cases that the forensic psychologist takes on....she is a great character! Thank you #NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book. - another winner!

You will definitely be on the edge of your seat and scared out of your mind!! I had chills the entire time I was reading this book!! A definite must for creepy thriller fans!!

Dr. Connie Woolwine is a forensic psychologist from America, hired by Police Scotland to assist in the investigation into the kidnapping of Elspeth Dunwoody in Edinburgh. Connie pairs up with Detective Inspector Brodie Baarda in what at first feels an unlikely partnership but which actually has some moments of humour which was most welcome in what I felt was a dark and, in parts, disturbing read.

As “the shadow man” collects more victims, Connie and Baarda find themselves in a race against time to rescue his captives - Elspeth, Meggie, and, Xavier. More used to profiling serial killers, Connie is baffled by the lack of similarities to usual kidnapping cases and needs to delve into the depths of the unimaginable to solve the case.

This is definitely a book that will stay with me for a long time, and was certainly much darker than many in the mystery and thriller genre. That said, it was a great read with excellent characters, a gripping storyline and a heart racing ending.

Many thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the review copy.

EXCERPT: A sleeping woman watched over by the stranger who had hidden for hours in the shadowed bay of her bedroom curtains. That's all there was to the scene. He was a spider, patient and unmoving, poised to drop and stun his prey. There was no malice to it, only need.

ABOUT 'THE SHADOW MAN': He collects his victims. But he doesn’t keep them safe.

Elspeth, Meggy and Xavier are locked in a flat. They don’t know where they are, and they don’t know why they’re there. They only know that the shadow man has taken them, and he won’t let them go.

Desperate to escape, the three of them must find a way out of their living hell, even if it means uncovering a very dark truth.

Because the shadow man isn’t a nightmare. He’s all too real.

And he’s watching.

MY THOUGHTS: Chilling and creepy! I did a read/listen of The Shadow Man and even the voice of the Shadow Man gave me goosebumps!

I had never heard of Cotard's Syndrome or Walking Corpse Syndrome which is a rare mental disorder in which the affected person holds the delusional belief that they are dead, do not exist, are putrefying, or have lost their blood or internal organs. One of the consequences of Cotard's syndrome is self-starvation because if you're dead, you don't need to eat. And this is what our 'Shadow Man' suffers from.

Fields has written a gripping story which is told from the perspective of The Shadow Man, his abductees, and American Forensic Psychologist Connie Woolwine who is working with Detective Baarda to find Elspeth. Even though we know from the outset who the Shadow Man is, Fields keeps the tension ramped up and the pace frantic as Baarda and Connie try to piece together what is happening, often clashing in their views.

There's a lot of really crazy stuff going on in this book, but nothing that is going to require the reader to suspend belief.

If you are looking for a fast paced, exciting chiller-thriller, this is it!

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#TheShadowMan #NetGalley #helenfields @Helen_Fields
#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #psychologicalthriller #suspense

THE AUTHOR: Helen is a former criminal and family law barrister. She currently commutes between West Sussex, Scotland and California. She lives with her husband and three children.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Avon Books UK for providing me with both a digital ARC and an audiobook of The Shadow Man written by Helen Fields, narrated by Robin Laing and Cathleen McCarron, for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...