I REALLY liked Catherine Steadman’s Something In the Water from 2018, so I was happy to receive a copy of her latest, Mr. Nobody, from Random House-Ballantine and NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

The protagonist, Dr. Emma Lewis, is a psychiatrist who has been to examine a man who has apparently washed up on a beach. Maybe he is the rare “specimen” who  is really in a fugue state. The problem is that the location in Norfolk where he has mysteriously appeared, holds horrible memories for her.

The narrative is told primarily from Emma’s POV, and along the way there are clues to the answers Emma is trying to unravel. TBH, I enjoyed the story, but was kind of “meh” when I was finished. The characters, especially Emma and Rhoda, are well drawn and the suspense is great.  

At the end, we learn what happened that led Emma to leave this same town fourteen years ago and why she has worked hard to cover all evidence of her life since then. has taken great pains to cover all traces of her past since then.

Four stars. I was hoping for a five (like Something In The Water), but not quite there. I look forward to Ms. Steadman’s next book!