In Her Shadow

by August McLaughlin

One woman locked in a basement, nearing death and longing for escape. Another baffled by the inexplicable symptoms wreaking havoc on her life. Both are lost and alone, yet somehow connected. And time is running out...

Near the tenth anniversary of her parents’ unexpected death, Claire Fiksen, a lovely young Harvard-grad and gifted psychologist in Minnesota, develops bizarre symptoms of an eating disorder that threaten her fledgling career, her relationship with a handsome young medical student, her grasp on reality and, soon, her life.

When her beloved grandfather reveals that there may be more to her parents’ death than she’s realized, Claire’s pursuit of healing becomes a desperate search for answers as she delves into her family’s sordid past. Meanwhile, someone is watching her every move, plotting to draw her into his own twisted web of misery. Claire has something he needs, and he’ll stop at nothing to obtain it. 

Every step Claire takes brings her closer to the truth and danger. And her life, she discovers, isn’t the only one at stake.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Fiction, Horror, Romance, Ebooks

264 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 16, 2012

About the author

August McLaughlin is a journalist, author and host/producer of Girl Boner Radio, which was named “one of the best sex podcasts you should be listening to” by Romper and one of the top feminist podcasts by Bellesa.

Her articles and expertise have been featured in Cosmopolitan, The Washington Post, O: The Oprah Magazine, DailyOM, Forbes, Shape and more. August has presented for TEDx Women and the Centers for Disease Control headquarters, ghostwritten hundreds of works for gynecologists and physicians. She’s also a trauma-informed certified sex educator with related expertise in eating disorders and ADHD.

Reviews

[Lynn Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely intense and gripping. A thriller that left me shaky.

[M.G. Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

August McLaughlin’s psychological thriller “In Her Shadow” is a page-turner that leaves the reader guessing what will happen and fulfills the anticipation with a surprising, unexpected twist at the end. The novel tells the tale of Claire, a Harvard-trained psychologist whose insecurities stemming from her parents’ premature deaths exacerbate a series of actual or perceived events that trigger a relapse of an eating disorder and acute anxieties. The plot is a series of vignettes about Claire and a mysterious woman held captive by a sadistic man. It’s woven into a tale that begins broadly but narrows to an exciting – and startling – conclusion. Although the reader is initially left wondering how two very different stories are interconnected, as the plot progresses, McLaughlin links the subplots in a stunning finale.

I really enjoyed this novel. McLaughlin put her heart and soul into this book and laced it with her own expertise in health, nutrition, and relationships, among others. She uses her insights to tell a believable if disturbing story. Even as it conjures questions of “Why would someone do such a thing?” it reminds one of true stories from around the world that are even more bizarre and tragic than what her thriller portrays. The plot pace is fine, and the story moves along. McLaughlin wrapped up the story’s loose ends in a crisp conclusion that addressed unanswered questions to this reader’s satisfaction. The story begs for a sequel to unravel the aftermath of the tragedy that unfolded.

I found myself second guessing the characters’ choices at times, wondering why they did this or didn’t do that and whether their choices were believable. McLaughlin addressed some potential plot holes, such as explaining the police’s delayed response to a missing person’s report. She leaned heavily on her deep understanding of health and nutrition. While Claire’s eating disorder was a central aspect of the novel, I thought a bit overdone to focus so much on food and drink when some references didn’t seem to add to the plot.

I highly recommend August McLaughlin’s book and give it 5 stars. I look forward to reading more books – and hopefully a sequel – from this talented novelist.

[Amy Shojai · Rating 4 out of 5]

IN HER SHADOW captured my imagination from page one, from the deft characterization especially of Claire--a driven yet subtly damaged protagonist--to the tormented mystery viewpoint character (later revealed).

Without revealing/spoiling the ending--I did guess the relationship of the two women and their torturer about halfway through, yet was never sure until the finale confirmed my suspicions. I would have liked to see more of what made the "bad guy" so unrelentingly evil as he seemed sort of mustache-twirling cackling-laugh devilish over-kill, yet at the same time was such a totally creepy ooky-type (especially before named) that the author seriously creeped me out. Bravo! Some of the secondary characters could have been more fully developed, but the main characters--Claire, the mystery woman, Gramps especially--were heartbreaking and real.

Reading this story as the characters spiraled faster and faster out of control was a fascinating and masterful study in psychological manipulation--a dance of mongoose and cobra--with the innocent finally gaining the upper hand but at what cost to their own souls? This debut thriller shows talent and promise for even greater work to come. Thriller readers will love August McLaughlin's IN HER SHADOW!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thrilling first book by August McLaughlin that will keep you reading late into the night! The story is about two women, one held captive by a very fiendish man. Her story is very disturbing, some parts were very hard to read, heavy on the creep factor. The other woman is a therapist having a difficult time with her life, both physical and emotional. The story goes back and forth between their lives, at first seeming to be two very different stories. As the tale unfolds however, she begins weaving these two women's lives together, until you realize the abductor is now at work in both their lives. While I initially had some difficulty getting into the story, by mid-book I was totally enthralled, and on the edge of my seat! Very well told story which is full of surprises, and will keep you guessing, but it all comes together in the end, for a very satisfying read. Good first novel, and I look forward to reading any subsequent books by this author.

[C.C. MacKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic debut!

Fans of Mr King and Mr Koontz will love In Her Shadow.

Psychological thrillers are not my usual reading candy but once I was immersed in the story, I couldn't stop reading until the bitter end. The author's main characters are well developed and linger in the mind - the sign of a good author.

This is an edge of the seat read with parts that made me wince. Eating disorders are always heartbreaking and the author doesn't pull her punches in tackling the psychological fall out either.

I can't wait to read August McLaughlin's next work.

Well done!

[Bill Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

August McLaughlin expertly blends the suspense and intrigue of an excellent, conventional thriller with the quieter but equally heart-wrenching terror of living with an eating disorder in a way that makes "In Her Shadow" a one-of-a-kind, richly and uniquely rewarding read. Captivating from page one, the tension builds steadily, very quickly making the story all but impossible to walk away from. Ms. McLaughlin's prose is elegant and eminently readable, and she displays the skills of a masterful storyteller. I'm already eagerly awaiting the follow-up to this exceedingly strong debut.

[Jess Witkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I knew August McLaughlin could write from following her blog, but DANG!!! This book is both creepy and poignant. August takes incredibly serious issues, such as eating disorders and abuse, and she webs them into a psychological thriller that is HARD TO PUT DOWN! This book will invade your dreams! Once you start it, you'll have to finish to learn how Claire's story ends.

A truly fabulous debut novel by a talented writer! I can't wait for more.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found author August McLaughlin's first novel gripping! The book focuses on two different women. Claire is a psychologist who suddenly begins having nightmarish dreams and her patterns of eating begin to change for no reason. The second woman (whose name we do not know) has been held captive for what we believe is most of her life. Without spoiling the story I won't say any more except this is a great thriller. It was a page turner and a book I didn't want to put down.

[Mike McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an advance copy and from a certain point could not put it down until I finished it. From the beginning it gets you going , but then it just takes off and you are along for the ride. I actually felt like I had been running around and got winded when I was finished. Fun, shocking, and I learned a lot about some issues I was not familiar with. A great story.

[Coleen Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Her Shadow hooked me from page one. It's a tense, psychological thriller packed with family secrets and well, crazy!! But it also weaves unique details and elements--like the eating disorder--that elevate the entire story. Amazing debut!

[Tulay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Psychological thriller.

Was hard to connect everything at the beginning, but kept going. Many senseless violence and loss of life. Cold Minnesota winter and trying to survive after finding each other.

[Lisa Hall-Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Kept me guessing til the very end.

[Viggo Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an important book! There are people around the world that really need to read it, to better understand what some people are going through. I'll try not to spoil the plot, but there are two big subjects in this book that people in real life are a "prisoner" of. And I feel August really managed to describe those issues really well. I think this book can really help people that are in these kinds of situations, or help people that are close to them, understand what they're going through.

There was some minor things that didn't feel right. By that I mean, a few words that should have been edited (maybe typos), sentences that should have been re-arranged, and thing like that. But they are just minor things (it's just that when I saw them, I couldn't get them out of my head), the book itself and the story was great. It's a really great novel, and I hope to get more from August (if she can put her Girl Boners down ;))

I was very confused at the beginning, as it's told from the perspective of mor than one person! Not for everyone, but I highly recommend this book!

[DMREAnne · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all I would like to say that I read a lot of crime mystery books, so I am not unfamiliar with violence. Michael Connelly’s books are at the top of the list. So my distaste for this book isn’t because I can’t read about crime in a novel setting. This book, however, was just over the top with senseless loss of life, rape, and child abuse. Just one horrendous event perpetuated by a psychopathic villain after another. I almost put this down a number of times, but I tend to stick it out with books, and I wanted to see how it all ended. Although some consider this a page turner, I found it rather boring. In fact, when reading it before bed, it actually put me to sleep faster than most crime novels do. As a warning, if you purchase this book and begin to find the fairly explicit sex and violence disturbing, it only gets worse.

I would have given this book a one star review, but it peaked my interest enough in a few places to get me to finish the book.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another book that I found out about on Pinterest. Where I got a lot of recommendations before the days of booktok.
I read this back in 2013, and this book still sticks with me. If someone says' they enjoy reading thrillers, mystery, suspense I ALWAYS RECOMMEND THIS BOOK.
This book had me hooked from page 1. The twist and turns and the unexpected ending left me on the edge of my seat the entire way through the book.
Another book that i would take everywhere i went and would read at any moment of down time I had.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

[Judith Boger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a "Love-Hate" relationship with this book! It was so intense, graphic and nail-biting at times. At first, I was at sea wondering where & how the plot was going...then it started going at full speed. You know that you are really "in" the book when you want to help take someone down! Things that didn't fully make sense in the beginning (and sometimes in the middle!) all come together in the end.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't read this before bedtime...

...or around mealtime. It can get gross in some areas.
A suspense filled story with lots of twists & turns & a serial killer. The guy is a real sick dude. What he does is beyond gross, beyond sick, hence the warning about putting some time between reading & bedtime.
This one will keep you turning pages, though.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

in her shadow

The story was good, and somewhat confusing. It is definitely a thriller, which usually do not read. It is very graphic!

[Melinda VanLone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read psychological thrillers very often. It's not that I don't like them, I do. It's that they tend to keep me up at night and turn me into a shivering pile of goo. I have a very active imagination, and it comes alive when I read. As in, really alive. So alive that I see things streak across the room and hide under the bed, the better to grab me later when I'm trying to sleep. So when I pick up a psychological thriller I have to be ready for about a week of paranoia.

In Her Shadow is the debut novel by August McLaughlin. Did it keep me up at night? Yes! Did it creep me out with thoughts of what people will do to one another? Hell yes. It took me to dark, scary places and turned out the light, then twisted a knife in my back.

I liked it, in other words. It did everything a thriller should do, particularly this kind. There's underlying subtext of eating disorders and child sexual abuse that are dark, horrifying, and aren't even worst part of the story. It travels a deep, dark, winding road into crazy.

First Line: "She gulps the swig of poison like an eight year old inhaling cough syrup—nose plugged, eyes squeezed shut, her face pulled into a tight round ball. Toxic, metallic tasting vapors trail the liquid down her throat, filling her with venomous stench and nausea. Swallow, she instructs. Gulp. Breathe. There, that's it. She did it.

She trembles on the floor, her sweaty back pressed against the bedside, awaiting action. The wrapper from the candy bar he forced into her mouth lies on the floor beside her, crumpled like an odd bit of wrapping paper on Christmas morning. No celebrations today, though. Well, maybe after."

These first lines hooked me for so many reasons. Why is this girl killing herself? Why had someone forced her to eat a candy bar? What the heck is going on? Enough to keep reading, and enough to set the tone for the whole story. Horrifying. I'm there with this girl immediately.

Another thing I loved about this story was the hint of something paranormal or supernatural or psychic going on. No, it's not a fantasy book. But it has just enough weirdness to grab my attention and not let go.

One word about the structure. I've mentioned it before, several times, that I'm not a fan of present tense. This novel is entirely in present tense. It really did bother me all the way through the story, but...I almost thank the author for it. Why? Because I was so freaked out by the story that the present tense pulled me away enough to enable me to finish reading it. I know, I'm very strange. Here's the thing...to me, present tense is meant for screenwriting. It's distancing. It puts the reader at the point of view of a camera looking at a scene, rather than allowing the reader to become part of the scene. That generally drives me crazy, because I want to crawl inside my stories and live there. I can't do that if I'm way out in left field with the camera.

The only time present tense works for me is if the story is dialogue heavy. It's just not as noticeable if it's full of talking bits, which makes perfect sense since, after all, it's meant for plays and movies (mostly talk).

This story is not dialogue heavy, and it's not an action thriller. This is a psychological thriller, so the mind plays a huge part and dialogue doesn't. I was constantly tripped up by the "s" at the end of words. Yes, it bothers me that much.

That said, I wouldn't discount the story for my personal preference and like I said, in this case it let some of the tension off the hook for me and let me enjoy the story instead of clutching my Kindle as melted into a quivering tiny ball in the corner. Besides, I could see this as a movie and in that case, half the script is already done.

If you like dark psychological thrillers, give this one a try. Bet you can't put it down!

[Ellis Shuman · Rating 4 out of 5]

By definition, a psychological thriller is a thriller with a heavy focus on the unstable emotional state of its characters. This book, the debut novel by August McLaughlin, certainly meets that definition. There are two parallel stories that leave you wondering not only where the plot is going, but how stable the two women are. What is their connection, and what will bring them together? The mystery begins to unravel, some of it is not easy to accept, and there are also elements of psychological horror.

When I first saw the cover of the book and its compelling title, I wondered why the image showed a shadow of a man, which would lead one to think that the wrong pronoun was used. As the plot progresses, the main characters desperately try to escape the shadow of the man who seeks to do them harm. But I think the shadow also refers to the sinister and dangerous aspects of the main characters' personalities. The two women are not only escaping the villain of the story, but also from the disorders that haunt them. Only by fleeing to physical safety can they also achieve mental freedom.

It's a gripping ride, not always a pleasant one, but it's one that will keep you quickly turning the pages until you reach the very end.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

August McLaughlin masterfully weaves together the disparate tales of two young women who have suffered unimaginable abuse. One is held hostage for years in solitude, being forced to endure medical procedures she doesn't understand, and which only make her ill. The other lives freely, but suffers daily from the pain of her parents death years earlier in an auto accident. Fits of terror abound. A recurring eating disorder wreaks havoc. She discovers she's being stalked. The other young woman, objectified and physically molded into a hideous creature by a lunatic, plans escape from her captor. The two stories proceed, each woman unaware of the other. The evil force responsible for the torture begins to act in ways that draw and bind the narratives together. The pace quickens, the violence, sexual and psychological, grows more intense. Perverse. Unimaginable. The panic and terror created are out of control. Fleeing into the wilderness becomes the only true chance for protection from The Beast, who follows relentlessly. Replete with clever, entertaining phrasing throughout, this story will grab you from the first sentence and stay in your mind until you do the proper thing – turn each page until you reach the last one.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Campy thriller. Some disturbing imagery, not intended for young audiences. I would probably give this one an R rating for language, violence and sexual content.

Book Descrption from Amazon

Starts off very slowly, mostly due to the shifting viewpoints. The build-up takes up nearly half the book and I did find that it wasn't holding my attention nearly as much as other books. The middle did pick up, so if you can make it to the middle...it gets better. At least for a little while.

Unfortunately it doesn't end well. It had a very campy horror movie feel to it. Though I don't believe the author intended it, I was actually giggling several times during what should have been the climatic triumph of good over evil. I guess there are just so many times and ways you can kill the bad guy before it just gets funny.

The loose ends are neatly tied into a bow and it seems as though everyone is going to live happily ever after. Good light reading. Something to take to the beach or for a long plane ride.

[Charissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This thriller was intense. Each chapter switches off between two different characters and most of the book I was trying hard to solve the riddle of the mystery person. Were they real? Were they a memory? I won’t give away the plot, but this mystery drew me in and captivated me. The author has dealt with eating disorders in real-life, so the disease shown in her characters was very real, and I could connect with it (even though I have no problem liking food like these girls). That was fascinating. The villain in this book is evil, raunchy, despicable...yet able to wrap people around his fingers and get them to do his bidding. He seems invincible...and believes he is. You might believe so too as you read it. There is a lot of graphic abuse talked about in this book— It’s not for the weak. But if you can get past that content, the story sucks you in, and will make you feel like you’re watching a scary movie—where you want to close your eyes and say, “Run!” to the main character, Claire. It’s hard to close your eyes in a book though—it kind of stops all action...except your mind (and sometimes that’s worse).

[B.L. Hewitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Her Shadow, is a dark and disturbing tale, not of the supernatural, but something even worse, the possibility that it could be true.
McLaughlin begins the tale with a series of disturbing and ever intensifying dreams. Dream’s of shadowy figures that young Claire Fiksen can’t identify. The distressing dreams bring on strange medical conditions that frighten the young girl. A psychologist herself, she tries to self analyze and set aside her fears as anxiety over the anniversary of her parent’s death, which also coincides with her birthday.
The author builds and creates ever-growing suspense without ever revealing the villain in the early part of this story. It’s a page turner from chapter 1, and once the villain is revealed the terror only grows.
This one is too good to give out spoilers on the clever plot. If you like a mystery, with a little terror, believable characters and a great twist ending, In Her Shadow is a must-read.
With the unbelievable occurrences unfolding in Cleveland, this story not only goes bump in the night, but is a truly disturbing and chilling reminder that that story is true, and this one could be as well.

[Gina Fava · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always intriguing, at times disturbing, and other times touching, In Her Shadow is a psychological thriller that delves into the minds of the psychopath and his victims that leaves the reader guessing for much of the story, while weaving a poignant look at the problem of dealing with an eating disorder throughout the narrative.

Suspense builds from the start, and never lets up until the end. The unraveling family secrets lend an air of mystery that’s both sinister and surprising. The author is adept with dialogue and language; the use of metaphor is spot on and enhances the story. While the characters are fairly typical, the issues with which they’re presented are not, and it’s clear that the author researched the body-image topic well and handled it with sincere sensitivity.

I’d recommend this novel to anyone looking for a story that does not let up until the thrilling end, and that handles a serious issue amid mysterious and terrifying circumstances with heartfelt aplomb.

[Stephanie Saye · Rating 4 out of 5]

IN HER SHADOW is a dark, psychological thriller that does a clever job of keeping you on the edge of your seat. In fact, the story’s twists and turns kept me up well past my bedtime on several occasions. However, this isn’t your typical airport thriller; this novel represents so much more. Ms. McLaughlin bravely takes the reader deep into the frightening world of eating disorders, sexual abuse and mental illness. At several points in the book, I actually felt like I was in the mind of Claire, battling my way through a gripping disease that’s both very much emotional as it’s physical. It gave me great insight into dangers of eating disorders and the devastating effects on the body and mind. I applaud Ms. McLaughlin for bringing this deadly mental health issue to light. It’s one thing for a work of fiction to move a reader, but it’s quite another for it to raise awareness on an important societal concern. With IN HER SHADOW, Ms. McLaughlin has managed to do both quite well. I look forward to more novels from this talented author.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claire Fiksen has an eating disorder that seems to get worse as her 26th birthday and the 10th anniversary of her parents death arrives. Along with that are the nightmares that show someone, perhaps herself, being attacked. She feels she knows the attacker somehow but she can't see his face.

Claire finds herself being stalked and the nightmares get worse. As she seeks solace with her boyfriend, Hank, her best friend, Elle and her grandfather, her life begins to spin out of control. Who is following her? Who are the people in her nightmares? Why do they feel so real? The answers to these questions will shock and surprise everyone.

Please be aware that there are explicit scenes of rape and vicious attacks involving a great deal of blood. Definitely not for the squeamish.

A good, exciting story that will keep the reader on the edge their seat for a great deal of the time. I can't give it 4 stars because it is a very unsettling story that made me somewhat uncomfortable but it was hard to put down also. If I could I would give it 3 1/2 stars though.

[Christopher Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stellar debut for August McLaughlin! August McLaughlin takes the 'Creepy Crown', as the ending of this book creeped even ME out! Not Dean Koontz creepy. Not Stephen King creepy. No wicked ghosts or telekinetic girls. This creepiness stems from humans being creepy. This is not a 'nice' book. This book is a series of short, sharp shocks that leave you afraid to read the next chapter. But you do. Again. And again. Here's a hint at how this books keeps pulling you deeper... I read the first half ***on my iPhone***. I thought I'd never do such a thing, but the iPhone allowed me to breathe between page flips. I had to finish in hard cover, as I read the entire second half in one sitting outdoors. I had to go inside for the ending to ensure that I didn't miss something for the sweat in my eyes. One blink, one squinting skim, and you've missed something important. You DO NOT want to miss a line... (Excerpt from my 5-star review on Amazon, 7/13/13)

[Alissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

A kindle freebie that sounded interesting and had excellent reviews. I am certainly the minority on this one. I do like a psychological thriller every once in awhile but I do prefer it to be somewhat believable. The twin sense was a bit overboard, reading people's thoughts is far fetched, talking to animals is just ridiculous! Not sure what the eating disorder had to do with anything. after being locked in a basement for 10 years I would think Jill would have different issues other than feeling obese. I would've like the back story to be developed a bit more as well. And I would like to know the name of this cell phone company that was so super helpful in a minute. My cell phone company gives me the run around when I call to make a change on my own phone and this cell phone company gives out GPS locations.

[Black Butterfly · Rating 1 out of 5]

THIS BOOK WAS DESCRIBED AS A PSYCHOLOGICAL-SUSPENSE-THRILLER . . .REALLY? I TRIED TO LIKE IT, JUST COULDN'T SO CONFUSING, FLAT CHARACTERS, UNBELIEVABLE DIALOG (please tell me people don't really talk like that) AND DISJOINTED STORY LINE. I FIGURED OUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS (story switches back & forth between the two) AROUND 7%. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS THE SHARED STUPIDITY AMONG ALL THE CHARACTERS THEY WERE ALL SUPPOSE TO BE WELL EDUCATED PEOPLE. THEY MADE SOME OF THE MOST DUMB-ASS DECISIONS YOU COULD IMAGINE. THAT TO ME WAS SCARY THEY WERE DOCTORS OMG PHYSICIAN HEAL THYSELF, I PRAY THERE ARE NO REAL DOCTORS THAT DUMB. CREEPY! THE ENDING WAS KINDA A LET DOWN AND CORNY. I LABORED TO FINISH THIS AND IT WAS NOT A LABOR OF LOVE. UGH! ;-(