I just finished In Her Shadow by Mark Edwards and am sorry to say that this book wasn’t my cup of tea. I never read anything that deals with the paranormal and the first three quarters of the book was full of it.

It took me forever to get to the latter part of the book and I must admit that after that I started enjoying the book but for me that was a little too late.

I wouldn’t recommend the book but only because of the paranormal happenings. I rate it 3 stars because as said it was very good in the end.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Another Mark Edwards masterpiece with the characteristic chill factor. He is the master of weaving a complex plot which will have you on the edge of your seat.
Jessica has lived her life in the shadow of her extremely successful older sister Izzy. Izzy seemed to have everything- money, the perfect husband, house and job. Until one day she falls off the balcony and dies - or was she pushed?
When Jessica’s daughter starts talking about (and to) her Aunt, and relaying information she can’t know, Jessica wonders if Izzy is trying to tell her something.
Amazing book and highly recommended.

Another page-turner by the unstoppable Mr. Edwards. Deliciously creepy, disturbing and all-absorbing. Mark Edwards books are just getting better and better.

Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this ARC for which I have given my voluntary and unbiased review.

For four years Jessica has never doubted that her sister Isabel’s death was an accident. But when Jessica’s young daughter seems to know long-forgotten details about her aunt’s past, Jessica can’t shake the feeling that there’s a more sinister truth behind the tragedy.

As Jessica unearths disturbing revelations about her sister, and about the people she loved and trusted most, it becomes clear Isabel’s life was less than perfect and that Jessica’s might also be at risk.

Did someone murder Isabel? Are they now after Jessica and her family? The key seems to lie in the hands of a child. Can Isabel reveal the truth from beyond the grave, or is the answer closer to home?

This book is a page turner about family secrets, obsession, and manipulation. If you like classic horror films, suspense, mystery, or other thrillers, this book is for you.

This is cleverly detailed and cleverly written. Used to build strong horror and strong crime thriller. The overall concept of the book is strong and Mark Edwards is successful with his concept.

I am interested in reading some of his other books now that I have seen Mark Edwards’ writing. He has a distinct voice and a distinct storyline that is really interesting.

A great book by Mark Edwards. I was hooked from page 1. Ghosts, poltogyst, murder mystery, it's got it all. Shows how easy it is to get into a child's mind. Was Evies death, murder, suicide or an accident. Keeps you guessing all the way through. The whole family is affected by her death. Loss of trust affects their relationship. Even the answers keep you guessing. So is there an afterlife or not. Do the dead come back to make you look for the truth?

Wow, this book literally grabbed a hold of me and sucked me right in. I was gripped and sitting on the edge of my seat in eager anticipation as to what would happen next with ever chapter, right to the very end.

I thought the story was brilliantly well written and the characters are all so very well portrayed and believable. There are times when I literally didn't know who to trust, who was telling the truth and who was lying.

I was truly captivated and enthralled with this book and throughout reading it, I kept trying to piece everything together in my head, and figure it all out, and wondering how it would all end. Suffice to say I couldn't have been more wrong if I tried.  There were twists a plenty, that I literally didn't see coming.

This is one spooky and creepy psychological thriller that I won't be forgetting anytime soon.

Mark was a new author to me, but given how much I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this, I will definitely be looking to read his other books.

Mark Edwards has done it again, he is a truly remarkable author. His new books has a supernatural feel to it and is very dark compared to his other books, for this reason alone I love this book.

What can I say other than Mark Edwards is a phenomenal story teller! I have read four or five of his other books to date and each one is better than the last!

In Her Shadow is the story of Jessica and her sister Izzy who died four years ago. Jessica’s daughter who was unborn when Izzy died seems to have lots of knowledge about her Aunt but no one has shared this information with little Olivia so how does she know all of these things. Jessica is trying to process what is going on and wondering what really happened to her sister the day she died.

Edwards has a way of throwing a plot twist in the perfect spot to grab your attention and then leave you hanging and wanting more. The twists in this book are devine! The ending leaves you breathless once the truth is revealed!

A must read for fans of Edwards of thrillers with a slight paranormal twist!

In Her Shadow by Mark Edwards is a great story with many twists. I couldn't put it down, it was so good.

The story is about two sisters, Jessica and Isabel. But guess what? Isabel died 5 years ago, As the story goes on we get nearer to the day Isabel died.
Jessica is a mother of two. Things go normal when until her daughter starts to act strange. That is when things start to go out of control. Because the daughter knows thing she couldn't possibly know. And Jessica starts to wonder what really happened to Isabel 5 years ago. It was ruled as an accident but was that it really...

A huge thank you to NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book for an honest review.

IN HER SHADOW by Mark Edwards is a great suspense novel. I had never read any of Edwards's novels before but I will be on the hunt to read more from this great author.

Firstly I'd like to start by saying that I adore Mark Edwards as an author he has this ability to keep me engaged from the beginning to the end of all of his books though matter how good the actual plot turns out to be.

In this novel we follow Jessica our main character and her four year old daughter Olivia who happens to say that she has been communicated with by her dead aunt isabel whom fell of a balcony in her house five years ago but did she really fall or was she pushed?

Like most Mark Edwards novels there was a supernatural feel to this however unlike his other books I found this very dark and eerie but in a good way and this continued throughout. What did I not like about this? There was a little to much going on towards the last part and some parts were easy to guess but with that being said I still highly enjoyed myself reading this book. It discussed important issues that I feel are currently being raised in the media recently and it's important to tell this type of story.

Will I be reading more Mark Edwards books? Of course he's one of my favourite authors and I look forward to seeing what he comes out with next.

Mark Edwards proves once again that he is one of the most talented crime writers today. After the excellent ''Retreat'' that I greatly enjoyed, I was eager to read his new book and I was not disappointed. ''In Her Shadow'' is a superb psychological thriller playing with the notion of the supernatural element without eventually embracing it and also has an absorbing plot which makes it hard to put the book down. | read it almost in one sitting as I couldn't resist the urge to turn the pages in order to find out what happens next. The first half of the book hints on supernormal phenomena, thus making the reader believe that he is reading a ghost story but Edwards has lots of twists in store and the book turns to a mystery/thriller as it progresses. The development of the plot is well-crafted and it follows a steady not too fast, not too slow, tempo without becoming tedious at any time. The whodunit element is also present and you will constantly be trying to find the culprit as you are bound to change your mind many times throughout the novel. The narration shifts from present to past in a truly successful way, something that we rarely encounter in contemporary crime fiction books and this fact empowers my initial statement about the gifted writing abilities of the writer. I will not write anything specific about the plot, as it would spoil a great reading experience. Mark Edwards is on my top-10 crime writers and he is more than worth it.

Jessica and Isobel are sisters, that is until Isobel falls from a balcony at home and passed away at the scene, that was some years ago and it was classed as a tragic accident until Jessica's daughter Olivia starts to say things that only Isobel and Jessica would know. Olivia tells her mum that Isobel is telling her these things but Jessica doesn't know whether to believe her or not as she does seem to know things that at 4 she could never have remembered.When Olivia says that Isobel didn't fall from the balcony but she was pushed it sends Jessica reeling as there had never been any doubt about her sisters accidental death. Surely Olivia can't be talking to Isobel from beyond the grave but then there was a time in the past that made Jessica unsure of what was happening but she was concerned about her daughters welfare and has to get to the bottom of this no matter what secrets she uncovers. This
was all brought together seamlesly with a couple of false leads and twists on the way. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
Thank you to NetGalley for my copy

Wow, my first book from Mark Edwards is a solid winner!

A tale of two sisters. Isabel is young and successful, and one day, she is found dead after an accident. Years later, Jessica is still reeling from her sister’s death when her young daughter, Olivia, mentions secrets about Isabel’s past, things she shouldn’t know.

With that discovery, Jessica senses that there has to be something more to the story, and perhaps her sister has been murdered. She also has to reason to believe that she and her family are in danger. And just what does her daughter know? And how on earth does she know it?

I read In Her Shadow quickly, absorbing the tension and feeling anxious for Izzy, Jessica, and Olivia. I liked how Izzy is present within the story through flashbacks. There was breathing room in the writing for me to make my own theories, while that tension continued to ramp up and up. Red herrings and many possible culprits left my head spinning in the best possible way.

I’m cutting this review short so you can explore this treat of a read for yourself. I can easily see why this author has so many fans. In Her Shadow is a spine-chilling, smart, and overwhelmingly engaging psychological suspense that I recommend to ALL thriller readers.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer/Amazon Pub UK for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

I’m new to Mark Edwards and his books and this was a great book to start! I loved the suspense in this book and once I started, I couldn’t stop reading this book because I felt a real connection to the characters and how the story was not only going to end, but how it was going to unravel as well. I’ll definitely be reading more books by this author because this book was a great read! 4.5 Stars

Another fantastic book by Mark Edwards!
I thought this book was really different to his other stories, but I enjoyed it just as much. So many twists and turns in this book, I didn’t trust any of the characters but still didn’t expect the ending!
Five stars!

Did she fall or was she pushed? That is the question underlining the whole of In Her Shadow by Mark Edwards. Jessica was devoted to her sister and her death hit her hard. She has always believed it was nothing more than a tragic accident although her mother has always insisted there was more to Isabel's death than that. When Jessica's daughter Olivia starts telling Jessica all about things that happened to the aunt she has never met, the line between what is thought to be known and what is suspected start to blur.

It is fair to say that this book is quite creepy. Not in an obvious 'oh look there's a ghost' kind of way but in the slow building sense of unease that you get as you progress through the chapters. At first it is easy to dismiss Olivia's behaviour as the actions of a child with an imaginary friend. Would it be so unbelievable for that friend to be her aunt given how much Jessica adored her sister? Probably not. But when she starts to say things that she cannot possibly have known, sing songs that she has never heard and even foretell of tragedies which are soon to occur ... well you have to wonder if the child might just be haunted. 

There are no all out spook moments in this novel. It's not that kind of book. But Mark Edwards has created an unsettling atmosphere even in the most routine of actions, the simplest of conversations. It is always hard to tell with young children as they often say things in the most innocent of ways without understanding what they are saying or the impact it has, but the story is written in such a way that you always feel there is something just a little bit more than that.

Although largely written from Jessica's point of view the book is littered with chapters filling in Isabel's life in the months leading up to her death. Explaining the reasons whey she turned to drink, the very thing that made it so easy to believe her death was an accident. These passages are quite telling and lead you to a whole host of suspects if, in fact, it does turn out that her death wasn't quite so straight forward. And then there is Jessica's own investigation, her determination to get to the truth of how Olivia can know so much about a person she never met.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this book, elements that you may or may not see coming. Certainly I was suspicious of one or two characters quite early on. Perhaps not in the way they were written but there was enough to get my senses tingling and not to trust them completely. You will definitely be led up quite a few garden paths until you find the right door to go knocking on, and the person it reveals may well surprise you. And then there's that killer ending. Just when you think that everything is sorted, that you know what really happened ... Well, it wouldn't be a Mark Edwards book if he didn't deliver that last moment of uncertainty now would it?

As you would expect, the story flows smoothly, the tension ramping up and dying down as the action dictates. You now you re in for a great read when you pick up a Mark Edwards novel, and while the pacing may not have felt as fast as some of the other books I have read, the story is truly compelling and I still found myself at the end of the book really quickly. Now I'm a gal who loves ghost stories, the spookier the better, and this wasn't perhaps as skin crawlingly creepy as I like, but it did make me wonder, with enough suspense to keep me on edge until the very last page.

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of this author's psychological thrillers, never read a bad one. Thing is though, as the story contained within this book started to unfurl I had this horrible thought that maybe this one would buck that trend as it began to go somewhere I wasn't really wanting it to go. But, I trusted in the author, something told me that he wasn't about to let me down so I read on. Was my trust repaid? Heck yeah - and then some!
Jessica is married with two children, her sister, Isabel, died in an accident several years ago and the hurt around that has never left her, so it was with shock and horror when her youngest child, Olivia, appears to know much more about Isabel than she should. Olivia's behaviour gets even more bizarre when it also appears that Isabel is using her to try to speak to Jessica, and the message she is trying to convey is that her death was no accident. But the dead can't come back, or can they?
Whilst not as chilling to me as his previous books have been, maybe cos I don't have children, don't know, this book relied instead on its intricate plotting to keep me reading. And it did that very well. Along with Jessica, I took what was happening at face value and then delved deeper as we both tried to make sense of what was going on. I thought I had it all worked out quite early but, yeah, wrong; very wrong! Then, as things went on, I started to expand my list of suspects, but I never managed to rule anyone in or out until right up to the final reveal. Shocked! But, with the wonderful power of hindsight, yep, clues were there, the author just done me like a kipper; again!
As I write my reviews I mentally list all the things I need to make a good book a great read and, again, full house on that score. Characterisation - spot on; pacing - perfect; twists, turns and redherrings - spot on; secrets and lies - check. And a motive/reason/explanation that, well, very original indeed. I simply don't have the words to fully explain the amazing journey this book took me on. Suffice to say, his other fans will love it and, if you've never read him before, where have you been?
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I have read all Mark's books and I loved this one, even though I found it very different from his other books. Jessica lost her sister a few years ago when she fell off the balcony at her house. Jessica’s daughter Olivia, who is only four, is saying rather strange things about Izzy as if she is her imaginary friend. However, there are things she couldn’t possibly know or have heard at her age - so how does she know them?
This is a great read which poses loads of questions: What really happened to Izzy? Why is Olivia talking to her and hanging off the end of a balcony herself?
Mark Edwards is so talented. His addictive narrative sweeps you up and carries you away for hours. This book is a compelling read with good characterisation and a fabulous plot. It's a mystery meets supernatural ghost story. This book will creep you out, I did find the hairs standing on the back of my neck a couple of times and the story stayed in my head long after I'd turned the light out to sleep. If you haven’t read a book by Mark yet (and you must read them all) choose this one. It won't disappoint. I would highly recommend In Her Shadow.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my pre-publication copy.

I requested In Her Shadow after thoroughly enjoying Edwards' previous release titled 'The Retreat'. There's actually a cheeky little easter egg amongst the opening scenes of In Her Shadow that links the two of them together, if you do read both be sure to keep an eye out for it. I also own 'Follow You Home' but have yet to read it.

The main focus of the plot is to discover how Isabel really died. Was it an accident? A suicide? Perhaps she was murdered?

The pacing is steady to begin with, if not a little jerky. 66% into In Her Shadow I thought I'd guessed the entire ending and felt a little put-out. Thankfully I didn't have the details entirely right and so when the story ramped up at 75% I clawed back a little of my earlier investment. I say a little because looking back I realise I never really felt any desperation to find the answers.

The third person perspective switches back and forth between Jessica in the present, another character I don't want to spoil by revealing and her dead sister Isabel in the past.

Perhaps the time passing between Isabel's death and Jessica's discoveries was too long, maybe it was because I found Isabel to be shallow and uninteresting, but I think it's more the lack of emotional response in the living characters that made me lose interest. They didn't seem to care all that much so neither did I.

When adding to this an unrealistic car chase and some basic plot twists, even the question of supernatural involvement and a whodunnit wouldn't convince me to recommend this. In Her Shadow tries to be too many different things and ends up being nothing in particular.

If you haven't read Mark Edwards before please don't be put off entirely, just read The Retreat instead.. I promise that one's better.