Overview

In Her Shadow follows a single mother whose life becomes entangled with that of another family through their daughters’ school friendship. What begins as admiration turns into fixation, as class difference, envy, and unspoken resentment slowly reshape the balance of power.

Writing & Voice

We found the writing controlled and precise. Candlish builds tension through small social details and restrained observation rather than overt drama. The tone stays measured, allowing unease to grow gradually.

Content & Perspective

The novel is rooted in close psychological observation. We stay largely within the narrator’s perspective, watching how insecurity and longing distort judgement. School gates, homes, and everyday routines become sites of quiet conflict.

Themes

The book explores class anxiety, female friendship, and obsession. It looks at how admiration can curdle into resentment, and how power shifts inside seemingly ordinary relationships. We were struck by how much is driven by what remains unsaid.

What Worked

• Slow building tension grounded in everyday life.
• Sharp social observation around class and aspiration.
• A tightly focused viewpoint that sustains unease.

Minor Quibbles

• The pacing is deliberately slow in the early sections.
• Readers wanting high action may want more overt twists.

Final Thoughts

We found In Her Shadow subtly menacing, using class tension, maternal insecurity, and everyday intimacy to show how admiration slips into control and quiet obsession.

Rating: ★★★★☆ / 5