Elspeth Dunwoody has disappeared. Elspeth is the Daughter-in-law of a very powerful and influential businessman so no expense is being spared in finding out what happened to her. Edinburgh’s MIT have brought in DI Baarda from London a Kidnap Specialist and Connie Woolwine an American profiler.
No witnesses and no forensic evidence means they are at a dead end. Then a young girl, Meggy Russell, is seen being bundled into a car outside her school and Baarda and Woolwine can’t help but feel that her abduction is somehow connected to Elspeth.
When a young paraplegic man is taken they finally get a lead but it’s clear the kidnapper is escalating and becoming reckless. Why is he taking random people and what does he want with them. Connie has a theory but no one is listening and time is running out.
I love the DI Callanach books and wasn’t sure about a stand alone but WOW! This is brilliant. So well written you can feel the tension.

I am not familiar with the author or her other novels, but the synopsis sounded interesting. The shadow man has three victims locked in a flat. How do they escape this nightmare?

And this is a nightmare.

A woman has vanished into thin air, and a dead woman has been found in her flat. The book has three plotlines of the case: Dr Connie Woolwine an American Psychologist/profiler brought in on a missing persons case in Edinburgh. The Shadow Man himself and his side of the story makes disturbing reading, and from inside the house and how the kidnap victims cope.

This is a very dark novel with some of the terror implied rather than described which almost makes it more disturbing. The Shadow Man and his victims make good characters, I just found Connie Woolwine a bit to kooky for me, but this did not stop me enjoying the novel, or hoping for another case with her on it.

Interesting take on Edinburgh with parts of it that don’t come up very often in novels which delighted me as its my home town.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC in advance of an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon and Helen Fields for the advanced copy.

Wow, wow and more wow. I will have read close to 150 books this year. It is in my top 3, if not my #1 favourite book of the year. I had just read her DI Luc Callanach books back to back and loved them. This topped these. I honestly did not think there was a variation on lead characters in crime books I had not seen before. Yes, this was a first, wow (back to that word) I loved the new take. As far as I am aware this is a standalone, but if it is not, the number one book I will be after is a second instalment.

A psychological thriller set in Scotland with a DI and a psychologist in the lead. The plot and the crux of the story is new and unexpected. About halfway through I thought I have picked up the wrong genre, but was happy to be proved wrong. Some parts are too graphic and dialogues coarse, which I feel could do with some toning down. I would like the author to make this a series.

I need to start by thanking NetGalley and the publisher for my eARC for my honest review. I am a huge fan of Helen Field’s DI Callanach series,and I jumped at the chance to read this stand alone novel. Strong similarities in characters, overall strength, suspense and mystery, this is darker! I cannot say how clever and exciting this novel is. I look forward to her next already.

Wow, what an amazing read. I was gripped to this fast paced story and couldn't put it down till i finished

The creepy main character Fergus really freaked me out but I loved the whole book and read most of it in one sitting!

I'm clearly at odds with almost all of the other reviewers but this book just did not cut the mustard for me. The writing was good, always is with Ms Fields, but the story, albeit dark, just felt completely unreal, unlikely and unbelievable. I didn't take to the American forensic psychologist - too brash - or the detective Baarda - not really focussed. As for the perpetrator, his diseases, imaginary and otherwise, and the victims, just nope. I could easily have given this a 2* but was feeling generous. Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review the stunning new novel from #HelenFields, author of the "Perfect" series featuring DI Callanach.

"The Shadow Man" is a venture into new territory for Ms. Fields, and she absolutely nailed this one" I read the first half in one afternoon sitting, totally ignoring all of the other books on my shelf.

With the introduction of Connie Woolwine, a forensic psychologist, and DI Baarda of the Edinburgh Major Investigation Team, we embark on a deep, dark mystery that starts with a scream; the neighbors certainly heard that.

Elspeth Dunwoody, wife and mother, has simply disappeared from Gayfield Gardens, and the scream from Connie alerts the entire neighborhood - so how is it that there are no witnesses to her disappearance?

This we are introduced to The Shadow Man. A man who is convinced that he's dying - any day now - and has nothing to lose as he starts the collection that will make up his family: a wife (never mind if she's already married, that doesn't matter), a daughter (so what if he father is frantic to find her after her daylight abduction) and a brother(?) - we're not certain of the purpose behind the brazen, violent abduction of paraplegic Xavier.

Connie and DI Baarda have their hands full trying to link these three cases with others - the disappearance of a homeless woman, the murder of a young mother in her bed... and they're stymied almost every step of the way by a police force that just cannot see how they all connect.

Elspeth, Meggy and Xavier are being held in an upstairs flat with painted-on windows and no access to the outside, at the whim of Elspeth's 'husband' Fergus. Or is he Fergus? As the mysteries start to pull closer and closer together, the depth of his depravity is slowly unveiled. But as a (possibly) man, what does he really have to lose? All they know is that they have to escape before he kills them all!

Ms. Fields slowly builds the atmosphere to a fever pitch and a climax that is as chilling as any I've ever read.

Along the way, she nods slyly to her other series, mentioning that MIT is short-staffed due to one member 'working on the Continent with Interpol' and another on personal, medical leave. And she brings DS Overbeck into the mix.

Ms. Fields introduces us to two interesting 'conditions' within the course of her story: Dr. Woolwine is achromatic, which means she sees the world in black-and-white only, as a result of a childhood injury. And we explore Cotard's Syndrome within the context of our villain.

All in all, this is a thoroughly engrossing book which I would highly recommend.

4.5*
Gore score 🗡🗡
I loved the perfect series so I was pleased to get a chance to read this Netgalley arc of this stand alone novel.
I really enjoyed this book.
The shadow man has collected 3 victims Meggie, Xavier and Elspeth
They don’t know where they are or why.
I didn’t think that the blurb is very strong for this novel. It wouldn’t entice me to purchase the book. There is a spoiler in the blurb thanks a lot! Please remove it. No point reading about the girl escaping if you already know she is going to turn up dead.
I like the cover, quite eye catching.
The main character is Connie is a brash American forensic psychologist who has her own dark past. I Like the relationship developing between her and Baarda.
Of the characters I felt a bit sorry for Fergus the villain of the story initially.
Elspeth was a bit of a wimp, but when she had some one to be responsible for she stepped up. Meggie is feisty I like her attitude.
Oh what a clever twist just when I was thinking this part isn’t working for me!!!!! An explanation followed by my immediate re connection.
It looks like this could become a series, I do hope so, but hope that the setting stays in the UK.

As a huge fan of Helen Fields’ DI Callanach series I was super excited when I got approved to read her new novel The Shadow Man. A stand alone novel, The Shadow Man is a dark creepy ride into the mind of a madman. You are introduced to The Shadow Man as he kidnaps a woman. Brought in is forensic psychologist Dr. Connie Woolwine from America to assist DI Baarda in locating the missing woman. However, the case they are on turns into so much more. Its the kind of story that you can’t put down and find yourself reading late into the night. At times I found myself getting freaked out by sounds in the house as I read. But I couldn’t stop reading it! I do hope that this is only the beginning of a new series! Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC!!!

A good and interesting read!

I would recommend this to everyone who loves a good story with captivating characters! Definitely a good read!

I ended up not finishing this book. I couldn’t get myself to enjoy it. I tried four or fives times and just couldn’t get into the characters or the plot line.

Dr. Connie Woolwine, a profiler, and DI Baarda are tracking down a kidnapper and his victims. It is a fast pacing thriller and I enjoyed it.
Thank you NetGalley for this copy.

Firstly a big thank you to Avon for my copy to review on netgalley . Im a huge fan of Helens books , i was very excited to read her first stand alone.

This is devilishly creepy and terrifying. She writes crime perfectly. You are engrossed straight away and hooked till the last page.

Fantastic charactars especially connie the forensic psychologist who i wouldnt mind meeting again. Shes a brilliant strong woman who has her own way of cracking a case. Through her mind we get to see the mind of the shadow man.

This is chilling and captivating.

Highly recommend if you want a read that is haunting and gets under your skin.

Published 4th February 2021

A well developed story with so many twist and turns.
This story had some great characters and one hell of a creepy baddie. The detail put in to make the villain as creepy and scary as possible was amazing. (Side note trigger warning, if you have a teeth phobia ,as I do, the graphic details about teeth falling out will be horrible) I really enjoyed the details of this book and the plot. The author did a great job with this story. My only critique is that it was a little long and drawn out and there were areas I found myself skimming to get back to the good stuff. But overall it was a good story.

I really enjoyed this book. Character development was good. The plot was very interesting. Not a lot of typos.

Thoroughly enjoyed this latest book from Helen Fields. Having read all of the Luc Callanach books I was intrigued by the latest two offerings. I loved These Lost and Broken Things and was excited to have a chance to read The Shadow Man. Connie Woolwine is a true force of nature and an excellent new central protagonist. I hope we get to see more of her. I absolutely loved this book.

I really enjoyed it!! 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.

There is so much to this story; it's a great read and would highly recommend.

Wow, another brilliant read from Helen Fields. Introducing no nonsense, straight talking Forensic Psychologist Connie Woodwine this stand alone thriller is beyond creepy. The mind of a debased serial killer is laid bare as hope for his captives fades. I really hope this will be the start of a new series.