I am beyond delighted to be on the blog tour for In Her Shadow by Mark Edwards today. Before I tell you what I thought, here is the all-important blurb.

The Blurb

Isabel’s life seemed perfect. Successful business, beautiful house, adoring husband. And then she was dead.
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?

My Thoughts

Mark Edwards has really turned up the chill factor for In Her Shadow as this book is part ghost story, part crime novel, part thriller. A difficult feat to pull off but Edwards has done it with style.

Four years ago Jessica’s sister Isabel died and the family had believed it was an accidental death. When Jessica’s daughter Olivia starts to talk about things she couldn’t possibly know about her aunt, Jessica begins to doubt that her sister’s death was an accident.

In Her Shadow is a twisty book about family secrets, obsession and manipulation. If you thought The Retreat was spooky, you haven’t read anything yet! In Her Shadow has all the creepiness of his last novel and more. Much more. Edwards has used techniques used in classic horror films and books to give In Her Shadow that spine-chilling edge and it certainly makes the hairs on your arms stand on end.

Edwards confirms his place as the king of red herrings as he once again threw me completely off course in this book. In Her Shadow is an incredibly compulsive thriller and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what had happened to Isabel. Split into two parts, the end of part one had me saying ‘Oh my God’ out loud and desperate to discuss it with another reader. In Her Shadow is another real page-turner.

Edwards cleverly builds up the story by switching between present day and past. These sneaky peaks at what went before ensure that you are kept guessing and second-guessing all the way through the book.

It is clear as the story progresses that Edwards has been influenced by the recent ‘Me Too’ campaign. The incorporation of this theme gives In Her Shadow a contemporary and relevant edge. He deals with this issue in a manner that shows he has researched the issue of sexual harassment and the impact it has on its victims along with the methods used by the perpetrators.

There are a few books out at the moment that combine crime thriller with a supernatural element and In Her Shadow holds its own in originality and storyline. Gripping, goosebump-inducing and just overall great, In Her Shadow is another fantastic book by Mark Edwards and fans and new readers alike will not be disappointed.

In Her Shadow was published on 4 October 2018 by Thomas & Mercer. You can get a copy HERE.