In the crumbling seaside town of Hawksbridge, Shona finds kinship with the eccentric Gifford family living illegally in a derelict building. Their stories of survival give her the courage to paint again―until she discovers a body wrapped in carpet, and everything starts to unravel.
Richard knows her secrets. He's documented every shameful detail of her childhood, from the fire she set at fifteen to the deaths that followed. Now he's weaponising that knowledge, jeopardizing her relationships and her future.
But Shona has learned something important from the misfits of Hawksbridge: sometimes the only way to break free is to embrace the darkness you've been running from.
As New Year's Day dawns, Shona faces a choice that will define who she really is. Because some shadows can't be escaped―they can only be owned.
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Our Shadow Selves by V G Lee was published on 26 March 2026 by Muswell Press. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour
I went into this novel totally unprepared for what was inside. It's a novel that is quite unsettling and that feeling lingers long after you’ve put it down. It's not a quick thrills, shocking story, it is more atmospheric than that, there is an eerie, slow-creeping tension that seems to be in every corner of Hawksbridge, a town that feels as decayed and haunted as the people inhabiting it.
The author really plunges the reader into the darkness in this story, not just in plot but in tone. Shona is a compelling, deeply flawed protagonist, and the way her past hangs over her gives the story a constant sense of unease. It feels menacing; that idea of secrets being known and used, and that psychological pressure really makes this book work well. There's a real feeling of dread at times, the reader kind of knows that is coming and fears it!
The relationships are fabulous, especially with the Gifford family. Nothing is entirely safe or secure, and that tension makes the novel feel claustrophobic in a really clever way. The crumbling setting mirrors the characters’ lives, creating a world that feels vivid but also a little deranged!
While the pacing is a little slow to begin, it really is worth it. As things begin to unravel, the story tightens its grip, becoming increasingly intense and difficult to put down. The final chapters are particularly gripping, with a sense of inevitability that feels both satisfying and disquieting.
Overall, this is a dark, moody read that leaves a feeling of psychological unease and deals cleverly with moral ambiguity. Recommended for fans of dark, eerie thriller that seem to get under the skin.
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VG Lee is the author of five novels and a collection of short stories.
She is a judge for the annual Polari Prize.
She lives on the South Coast
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