Full review online in mid February..

THE SHADOW MAN is a standalone novel by Helen Fields, best known for her "DI Callanach" police procedural series. This is also an investigative series, with Dr Connie Woolwine, a profiler from the US and DI Baarda heading up the investigation. As the two work together to track down kidnapper and victims, they learn to trust each other’s ways of working. It’s clear that the author has set up the narrative to allow a bond to develop between these characters but there’s little in the dialogue that persuades the reader that this could really happen. There is also an implausibly Americanised dialogue of the Scottish characters throughout, and some truly gratuitous descriptive detail. Some things are far more powerful by being left to the reader’s imagination and this reader progressed from feeling engaged and interested to a little repelled. Still, it was well written and interesting, if a little different from what we've come to expect from Fields.

The Shadow Man by Helen Fields is a terrifying novel that will keep you intensely focused on what will happen and who the “shadow man” really is. I have read most of Field’s DI Callanach series and love her writing style and her ability to ensure that the characters seem accurate as well as the fluidity of her writing. That said this is a stand-alone novel and I have found that she does seem to take great care in ensuring the reader understands the background as well as keeping you in suspense wondering what would happen next. The three main Characters are Maggie, Elspeth, and Xavier. All three have different backgrounds and now they have thrust into a situation where they must fight to free themselves. They awaken to find that they are trapped together and there is one person that is holding them captive, the shadow man. Enter a US profiler and the detective who is heading the case and you the reader will find yourself wondering if there is any way out for them. I promise you that this one will be very hard to put down. It will keep you on the edge of your seat. While I felt that her writing was different in this book vs the series, it did not disappoint at all.

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

An original story line, good to see an author come up with something new. A rather grisly story, going back over a number of years. Pretty scary if this particular illness does exist. All comes to light in the gritting fínale. This story has everything.

A VERY dark read! Complex, intriguing characters, compelling plot one and good dynamics between partners make this a stand out read of the year so far. I hope there's another to follow

This is a standalone thriller by author Helen Fields whose DI Callanach series I really enjoy. This is a great read that I instantly got into, excellent characters and an interesting plot. This book kept me reading deep into the night wanting to know how it was going to finish.

The Shadow man abducts people and keeps them locked up in an house, there are no ransom notes but he just wants them to stay in his home. There are signs in the house that they are in danger and must escape to survive. There is so much more to this story but wary of giving to much away so will only add this is a great read and would highly recommend.


I would like to thank both Netgalley and Avon Books UK for suppling a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Avon Books and Netgalley for this advanced copy of Helen Fields new standalone The Shadow Man. Wow, absolutely amazing!!! From the first page to the last, this story grabs you and doesn’t let you go.An absolute page turner of a book and spine tingling brilliant!!Set against the back drop of Edinburgh, the characters and the city literally come alive on the page. You feel every emotion the characters go through. This is 5 stars all the way!!

This is my first Helen Fields book that I have read so I didn’t really know what to expect but she has gained herself a new fan because of this book . The story is a great thriller from the very beginning it pulls you in and keeps your attention page after page . The characters are great and you really start to feel and care for what’s happening. it really is a great dark read especially at this time of year and I look forward to reading other books Helen has to offer . 5 stars it’s everything you want for a read like this .

I haven't read any of Helen Fields books, but after reading this, I might.

This is about the Shadow Man and it freaked me out. He just takes people and keeps them locked in a house. I really don't want to give too much away about this, but when I tell you this kept me up at night..it really did.

There are three characters trapped in the house and they must work together to get out. Trust me when I ay this will keep you on your toes and keep your heart pounding!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon books for the Arc in exchange for my honest opinion

400 pages

4 and 1 / 2 stars

American forensic psychologist Dr. Connie Woolwine and London Detective Brodie Baarda are investigating the disappearances – and deaths – of missing people in Edinburgh. Connie has an annoying potty mouth.

The reader knows the identity of the perpetrator from the get go. He is very ill, but determined to fulfill his “mission.” While at first his abductions are carefully planned, as his illness and psychopathology progress, he takes more chances.

More people disappear and the tension in the story increases. Meanwhile, the captives make a horrific discovery. Their fear grows. Connie decides to make a personal appeal to the kidnapper. Will it work? Or, will the madman come after her?

This book is very well written and plotted. The transitions are also well done. The novel is a nail-biter for sure. I had to stay up late to read what happened to the unfortunate kidnapped souls. While it is true that there is much discussion of the kidnapper's psychology, I found that part particularly interesting. There are more things under heaven and earth...The story is rather gruesome in places, but I think it is only to illustrate the severity of the kidnapper's illness.I have read many of Helen Fields' other books, but I think that this one stands out. More please, Ms. Fields. (I agree with another reviewer who said that a standout and very well fleshed out character is Meggy.)

I want to thank NetGalley and Avon Books UK/Avon for forwarding to me a copy of this very fine book for me to read, enjoy and review.

So tense so chilling a book that grabbed me from the first pages&Kept me reading late into the night,Abook that I will be recommending to all thriller lovers I know a five star read,#netgalley#avonbooksuk

I love the Helen Fields' books so I was excited this was a stand-alone and it didn't disappoint! This one involves 3 captives, a wife, a 12-year-old, and a wheelchair-bound young man who are kept captive by their kidnapper never really knowing why they were taken. It alternates between their harrowing journey and the two chasing them. Connie, the psychologist, is a most interesting character who can't see colors but can intuit personalities by her intense questioning techniques. Fergus too, is an interesting study in mental illness and the pace never lets up in this procedural. I'm hoping there's a sequel as I'd like to read more about them!

I love all of Helen Fields work, and this book was not a disappointment. Different in tone and style to her Callanach thrillers, nonetheless an excellent read. Nightly recommended

WOW! This was absolutely terrifying and a book I would suggest reading with all the lights on, windows and closets closed! I was instantly drawn into this book with two different Points of view from the killer and a criminial profiler and lets just say that the killers point was so terrifying i almost had to check my closet and windows before bed and i absolutely stayed up way too late finishing this book! I read the whole thing in one night!

The shadow man abducts people and locks them in a house with no windows and only one door that he can lock and unlock. He leaves no ransom note or reason behind why he kidnaps Elspeth, Meggy, and Xavier but poor Angela fought back and lost her life for that brave act.Meggy is an absolutely brilliant character that isnt afraid to fight back! There are truly gruesome scenes but it only adds to the mystery that is the shadow man.

Ill leave the rest of the plot for you to read and decipher but i cant say much more without giving away the story.

Helen Fields has a new fan and i look forward to much more!
Thank you for the opportunity to read this absolutely terrifying novel!

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the arc, which I have enjoyed reading.
The Shadow Man by Helen Fields is a gruesome psychological thriller and is a thrilling, haunting book about the work of Harris Povey and his latest three victims. The police team with D I Baarda and his boss, Detective Superintendent Overbeck and the profiler Dr. Connie Woolwine make an interesting, and creative team, all of whom are interesting characters. I would enjoy reading more of the stories and challenges of Baarda and Woolwine in the future.
Highly recommended.

This is my first Helen Fields book and I’m hooked. I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. I loved Dr. Woolwine’s character and how she was able to profile the killer/kidnapper. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read another Helen Fields’ book!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. This book started off really good, I couldn’t put it down. Then it started to get slow. It seemed to be going on forever. A good storyline, not too pushed on the main character but the others where great. Not one for me to be honest.

OMG This is a scary book. I believe that the research is accurate and this syndrome which drives the story is real and what a frightening concept.
The perpetrator is a really scary person and the situations that arise are nightmare inducing!
In spite of this I was really hooked and was desperate to pick the book up again to find out more.
The investigating team felt very Helen Fields with clear thinking and team work. The two main characters being very supportive of each other.
Highly recommended -- if you like to be horrified!!

Helen Fields has done it again another brilliant book. She seems to always write a total page turner and this is no different. Again a great set of characters the new team adds a whole new dimension as they are not both police but one is a profiler.
To say too much would give the story away but needless to say the Shadow Man is a great character that is truly scary. This is one of Helens most terrifying books that keeps you reading right the way through to say it is a page turner is an understatement.

4.5 stars ⭐️ Holy CRAP, y’all! This book was so beyond creepy. There were several times I had to stop reading or turn my head like I was actually seeing what was happening. I can handle a LOT but this one got to me. Such an amazing story and great characters. Definitely add this one to your list!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Brilliant storytelling with a cracking pace. Can’t wait to read book two about Dr Constance and Detective Baarda. Loved them both. Thank you for the read NetGalley. Highly recommend Helen Fields.

Wow what an edge of the seat thriller! Grabbed me from the first page and kept me gripped until the end.

The book is set around Edinburgh.

When Elspeth Dunwoody disappears, leaving her shoe behind to show she was taken, the case becomes all hands on deck as she is the daughter of the head of a global tech company with many political contacts.

Connie, an American forensic psychologist, is employed by the police to provide a profile of Elspeth’s kidnapper. She joins DI Baarda who is investigating.
As they are following leads, a young girl is kidnapped from outside of her school and it becomes clear to Connie that it is the same kidnapper.

I don’t want to give anything further away with the storyline but it is a dark and addictive read which will have you reading well into the night!

Highly recommended.
Due for release 4/2/21
Many thanks to Avon and NetGalley for an advance copy in return for an honest review

After being a huge fan of the 'perfect' series I was eagerly awaiting this release. It didn't dissapoint!
Its beautifully written and builds suspense, whilst introducing you to characters both old and new.
I loved the nod to the perfect series with the setting in the foreboding Edinburgh and the return of superintendent Overbeck.
The hints of vulnerability in Connie, coupled with her fierce nature leave you both vying for her success and concerned for her safety.
But the masterpiece of this book is the Shadow Man creating a human so demonic but still retaining the believable human qualities has been done to perfection leaving me truly chilled.
A fantastic new addition to the crime fiction world.
Many thanks to netaglley for this wonderful book.

This was my first Helen Fields novel and I now want to read more of her work. This was a well-written and creepy thriller.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The main character in The Shadow Man is a forensic psychologist named Connie Woolwine who has been called to Edinburgh to help solve the missing person case of Elspeth Dunwoody. Connie's partner in sleuthing is Detective Inspector Baarda. Connie is a unique character in that she has a unique perspective of the world- partially because she is an achromat (can't see colors) and partially because of her own past psychological traumas. This is a woman who is not afraid to get up close and personal with the dead to see what they can tell her. Edinburgh is a perfect setting for this dark and brooding mystery. As the story progresses, several other people disappear. Are the cases linked and if so, what can Connie deduce from each case that will help her find a connection to the villain? I don't want to give away anymore details accept to say that this was a rewarding read which kept me at the edge of my seat. I hope that this is the first book in a series because I would love to read more mysteries with Connie and Detective Inspector Baarda!

Brrrr! This book completely froze my blood cells, taking tour inside the criminal’s mind and as you discover how his dysfunctional mind works, how he chooses his preys, stalking and watching, if you’re not a tough one who cannot digest gory, dark, terrifying way of story telling, please just drop the book and run! That’s not your cup of Earl Grey, for sure!

Luckily I don’t like tea but I always keen on reading darker, challenging, complex stories just like this one. I already packed more adult diapers just in case before diving into this journey.

At the beginning we’re introduced the perpetrator, after a few glimpses make us realize his motives, we learn he is sick ( not only mentally but also physically) but he needs to finish his passion work. So we’re not sure his health conditions can prevent him to finish what he started. He wants his legendary name “ Shadow Man” leaves a memorable trace when he’s gone!

Dr. Connie Woolwine, an American forensics psychologist and Brodie Baarda, a London detective, team up to solve the missing person cases in Edinburgh. Their relationship dynamic and quirky characteristics( especially talkative forensics Ms. Woolwine has some similar qualities with Annette) reminded me of Katherine Engberg’s Tenant series detectives Werner and Korner.

Elspeth,Meggy and Xavier are three characters from different backgrounds.They’re captivated at some unknown place, their each moves are monitored by their hunter. They need to find a way to escape but how?
As the number of the cases is increasing, eventually the pressure on the detectives are getting higher. They have to find a way to stop them but how?

What if Connie attracts the perpetrator’s attention, acting like ideal candidate to be abducted. Well, her plan may work but also may drag her to the most dangerous places she cannot ever imagine.

Click! Click! Click! You hear the sound! I keep ordering more DI Callanach series! I enjoyed the author’s riveting writing style, high tension building of the story and memorable characterization including shadow man. She portrayed the sick mind of a character with a realistic, objective and also horrifying approach.

I cannot wait to read more works of the author sooner.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for sharing this arc with me in exchange my honest opinions.

#TheShadowMan #NetGalley
I loved it.
Helen Fields has done it again. She's written a wonderful Book with great suspense and twist. Although I was right somewhat about the ending but she completely blown me away.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for giving me an advance copy of this book.

The Shadow Man by Helen Fields is a dark psychological thriller. The dynamics of the police team are interesting, seeing how the characters work together and develop throughout the book - it was even great to have Overbeck back! I have read all of Fields’ other books and highly recommended this one.

This story is dark, twisted, and quite brilliant. It grabs you right from the beginning and you just can’t put it down. This author writes some incredible stories and this one is just as good...if not even better. If you love suspense and thrillers then make sure this is on your list. It does not disappoint!!

Oh my! This was both exciting and creepy as hell. Having read a great many thrillers over the years, the scariest tale of all was when an author peeped into the mind of a psychopath to reveal the darkest of thoughts residing there. And nobody could do it better than author Helen Fields. There was suspense at every step, and the dark lanes of the subplots twisted every few corners of the book.
The plot had three people who were taken by a ruthless kidnapper and locked in a house with no windows. Then on the other side of the spectrum, there was Connie a psychologist trying to get to the truth and finding the connection between the kidnapped. This was a police procedural but felt more like a thriller as the excitement ratcheted up every few pages.
The characters from the kidnapped to the police team were etched in detail. To see the kidnapped showing courage brought a singular warmth in my heart coiled around the fear if it would enough for their survival. The author knew how to keep the suspense in the prose, where all the scenes appeared seamless when the truth was finally revealed.
An exciting but completely scary book, I have to admit. It would have been better if there were not one of my midnight reads. Read it during the day if you want to avoid nightmares.

The premise of this book is a woman’s worse nightmare...and I loved it! The writer knew how to tap into the fears in the mind’s of women. I would definitely recommend this book to someone because every thriller reader likes to read a book that makes their ultimate terror tangible.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Fergus who is dying decides two kidnap three people. They are Elspeth,Meggy and Xavier. They have tried to escape to no avail. This book has so many twists and turns. Kept me interested until the last page.

This is a stand-alone book by Helen Fields, author of the DI Callanach books which I love, and wow what a rollercoaster of a ride this book is, I couldn’t put it down. The story revolves round The Shadow Man, who kidnaps firstly Elspeth, a young mother, then Meggy a 12 year old and lastly Xavier a young wheelchair bound man. The Shadow Man is seriously weird taking them to a flat he has made in the upper story of his house and there they remain locked up. They have no idea where or why they are held? The three of them must try to escape in order to survive, a feat that seems impossible. In their endeavour to escape they uncover gruesome secrets. Detective Brodie Baada a London detective, and American profiler Dr Connie Woolwise are investigating their disappearance. Helen Fields paints a truly remarkable picture of a man who is a psychopath, not a pretty picture. She also depicts Edinburgh, transporting you into the darker areas. Her prose flows effortlessly as the story with all its nuances unfolds.. A real page turner of a book even if some of the story is a bit hard to digest. A book I would have no hesitation in recommending another cracking read from a Helen Fields. Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the opportunity to read this ARC

A huge thank you to Netgalley, Avon and Helen Fields for a copy of this outstanding book in return for an honest review.


"The paint had run, as if the windows themselves were crying at the sickness of the world they hid."

Sickness doesn't even cut it! The horrors throughout this book are so awful its so good!
Fergus is a very ill and very messed up individual and having a lot of the book in his perspective was bloody fantastic!

"Fergus Ariss waited to see if this time, at last, he would stay dead."

Connie and Baarda are an amazing couple of characters, I really really hope to see more of these two.

Fantastic story! 5* highly recommend

This is the best book I have read for quite a long time. It kept me hooked throughout. The characters are great and you really start to feel and care for what’s happening. it really is a great dark read especially at this time of year and I look forward to reading other books Helen has to offer .

A five star read!! A brilliant new character in Dr Woolwine and also a very creepy villain. I like the way a character from the brilliant DI Callanach series is in the book also. Would love to see this as a new series. #NetGalley#TheShadowMan

This is a standalone novel from Helen – whose Perfect detective series I LOVE – and golly, it is clever. A man, woman and child are locked in a flat, put there by someone who wants them for themselves – and shows no sign of letting them go. This shadow man is a ghostly figure but all too real for his prisoners. It’s up to detectives and a specially flown in aid to work out the shadow man’s motives and background, and ultimately, what he plans to do with the unlikely trio. It is quick, it is clever and it is shocking in some areas – literally hand over mouth shocking – but the depth of research and quality of writing is exceptional. Please Helen, write all the books.

When I read the book blurb, I thought we would be looking into the perspectives of the captives. But this book features less of that.

The only thing I liked about the book are the psychology bits and the climax. Rest of the plot is jagged because of the POV shift. The author didn't handle them well.

But still a pretty good book and a really good lead character.

Wow, this book is dark! Seriously creepy and disturbing throughout. The characters are all fabulous and play their role to perfection. I really hope this is the first of a series for Connie as she is brilliant.

Dr Connie Woolwine is called in to a case in Edinburgh to work with detective Brodie Baarda in the disappearance of a well known local woman, Elspeth.

Elspeth is being held hostage and is soon joined by two others who are all looking to escape the evilest of nightmares, the Shadowman. He is always watching and waiting for them to make the wrong move.

Helen is one of my favourite authors and the ‘Perfect’ series is by far one of the best. So when Avon kindly sent me a copy in exchange for a review it certainly made my day and I devoured it over a few days. Beware the first chapter is not the best to read when you’re in bed alone!

A great story keeping you gripped from start to finish and leaving you wanting to know what happens next...

Did I just discover a new author ? ✔️✔️
Have I ordered the Perfect Series (all of them ) between reading this book. ✔️✔️

Dr. Connie is my hero. I love her. Write more about her please. She is so kickass🦸🏼‍♀️and cool 👩🏼‍💻I really feel like we would be BFFs. I need to see where this goes with Baarda.

So she is a super smart , super quick ,forensic psychologist who profiles serial killers and does all sorts of other neat stuff. I could write a paragraph on just that. Baarda seems to be a badass cop, and together they try to find Fergus who believes he’s dying , and before he does he needs to create the perfect family. But things don’t work out every time for him so he’s killed a few along the way. Elspeth, Meggy and Xavier are the perfect family to him.

You meet all sorts of cool characters (whom I hope to meet in her other books that I have on the way📬).

I love these types of books. This book is not for someone who can’t take gory details. But I love them.

DEF A 5 STAR READ. Get this book when it’s available , it was amazing.
Thank you NETGALLEY AND HELEN FIELDS!

I am such a big fan of Helen Fields Luc Callanach series so i was thrilled to get the chance to read this and it was just as amazing as i hoped. Connie is a brilliant, complex character and following her as she unraveled the crime was exhilarating. I couldn't remember the last time i was so tense reading the climax of a thriller. I had no idea what was going to happen.

A read that sends chills up your spine, this is not a DI Callanach story but a standalone thriller

3 People have been kidnapped and placed in a windowless house with little hope of escape, A psychologist is helping the police by trying to get into the mindset of the kidnapper and assist in the search for these missing 3

A thrilling read and one that needs very little feedback to make others want to read

This has gone straight into my top five of 2021 . A marvellous masterpieces of suspense, terror and mystery that will leave you knowing at your knuckles and checking under the bed. Someone’s collecting people and not in a good way either, he’s a dark and deranged person who wants to fulfil his horrendous plan. A plan that involves kidnap and murder, his objects are kept locked away and terrorised into play acting his sick desires. Can he be stopped before he inflicts even more hurt and pain or will his plans grow to fruition. A dark , unsettling , psychological thriller that will leaves its taint on you long after you put it down. Be prepared to be shocked, upset and thrilled as you follow the story to its climatic conclusion. Bloody brilliantly written and a one to watch out for next year.

Profiler Connie and detective Baarda investigate a kidnapping of a wealthy woman in Edinburgh. There are another kidnapped victims and it seems the cases are connected.
Connie has some interesting researching methods and her relation to Baarda is effective.

The story is very dark, the perpetrator is obviously very sick man, with tortured soul and he only wants to have a proper family. The lives of the ones he'd chosen are his oxygen.

Gripping and scary story.

My first time reading anything by Helen Fields and if her other books are like this then I am definitely going to enjoy reading them. Connie is an interesting quirky character and bounces well against Baarda who at the start seems a stickler for the rules.. It says it's a stand alone book but there are hints of another story hopefully. It's well written and the storyline although not original has a different angle to it. Definitely worth reading.

For me who is more of a cozy crime reader this book made me feel breathless with tension. It taps into your primeval fear of being trapped. Not the sort of book to read before bed. But I kept picking it up to read more. I did enjoy it but I’m a scaredy cat so read it with the light on.

This standalone from Helen Field is really different from her Callanach series, but exactly the same as in it does not disappoint.
I was gripped from the beginning.
Its set in Edinburgh and centers around a man who abducts people to build his perfect family, he has taken others in the past though for one reason or another they didn`t fulfill their role.
So now he has three people Elspeth, Maggie and Xavier.
They are all unconnected but now find themselves trapped together and held hostage by a man who could snap at any point.
They know they are in a dangerous situation but escaping is never going to be easy.
Will they make it? Can they all survive?
The case falls to Detective Brodie Baarda, on loan from the Met, investigating the disappearances and deaths of people in Edinburgh. He`s aided by an American forensic psychologist DR.Connie Woolwine.
With their investigation throwing up few leads Connie decides she needs to make a personal appeal the kidnapper.
Will she be able to draw him out into the open or will the madman draw her into the shadows with him ?
This is a truly dark read that kept me turning the pages late into the night.
I could easily read more books featuring Baarda and Woolwine, such an easy recommend.
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon books for the chance to read this as an ARC.

After a woman is found murdered in her home and another goes missing, Dr Connie Woolwine a phychological profiler and DI Baroda must search for a very cunning and twisted suspect. A page turning detective thriller. How are will you go for a " perfect family"?

Yet another brilliant book from the very talented Helen Fields. Not a Callanach story but has some of the characters from the Perfect series in it. Telling the story of a man Fergus who without giving too much away is extremely creepy. A superb idea for a story and well executed. I really liked that Overbeck and Ailsa Lambert were included in it.. It is a novel which causes an unpleasant feeling of fear and unease and may keep you awake at night. I loved it