... a page-turning tale ... a highly imaginative tale tinged with Hitchcockian tension and kinetic pacing ... Steadman’s deliciously provocative novel dishes up enough questions to fill the entire space devoted to this review. She cleverly cloaks them in more mysteries, turns and shocking revelations ... pits fascinating characters against each other and allows them to act on their worst impulses ... [Steadman’s] literary instincts are spot on, and the protagonists she creates feel as alive as some of the characters she’s inhabited on film ... This talent for inhabiting characters carries over into her writing: 'Mr. Nobody' and Emma Lewis, though invented, seem so real. 'Mr. Nobody' turns out to be somebody, and his unmasking makes for a delightfully compelling story.
...a mesmerizing psychological thriller ... In a series of exciting twists and shocking turns, Emma and Mr. Nobody come to discover they are connected in ways neither could have imagined ... Steadman’s story is wholly unique and exceedingly well executed ... The writing is as crisp as the story itself. Its decisive urgency will make readers desperate to find out what happens next.
Mr. Nobody, her new suspenser, has an entirely different mouth feel but is just as satisfying [as Steadman's debut novel Something in the Water] ... It’s a double puzzle, with Emma confronting her own past while helping her charismatic patient discover his. Great fun, told from shifting perspectives.
Emma...wants to stop something awful from happening. What does she want to stop? This and other questions are posed in the first chapter of this novel—questions that provoke curiosity in the reader and lay the groundwork for the unfolding drama in this complex story ... A clever story with a well-written and worked out plot, a window into the world of neuroscience and a meditation on consciousness and identity, Mr. Nobody is well-researched and meticulously plotted. A suspenseful read.
... a creepy and well-crafted thriller that immediately gets under your skin and continues to stay there right up until the stunning finale ... the tension that is set up due to the reader not knowing what directions the narrative will take almost outweighs the final reveal. It will be up to each reader to determine if he or she enjoys the journey more than the destination ... Whichever way you follow it and get sucked into its vortex of suspense, it will be hard to deny that Mr. Nobody is the very definition of a psychological thriller. Catherine Steadman has provided us with two novels that are sure to keep people talking.
Steadman strikes an engaging balance between character development and action in this satisfying, intricately plotted thriller that will appeal to fans of Sarah Pinborough and Ruth Ware.
Uncovering who Mr. Nobody is and how his past is linked to Emma’s creates the slow burn of a suspense thriller, speeding up as the truth is revealed, and building in intensity to a wildly fast-paced ending. British actress Steadman’s second novel contains the same strong writing style and surprising twists that attracted fans to her impressive debut.
Steadman once again brilliantly paces the action from the very first scene ... With each step, confusion descends, blurring the path forward with deliciously gothic twists. As in all good thrillers, lights unexpectedly snap out, a creepy house is hidden down a tree-woven lane, and long-buried secrets emerge ... A spellbinding thriller perfect for those dark and stormy nights.
... over-the-top ... Point of view shifts diminish the novel’s readability at times, but the elaborate plot, filled with seemingly impossible twists, drives to a suspenseful conclusion. Readers will look forward to Steadman’s next.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay[/caption]
