Mirrorland

By: Carole Johnstone

Narrated by: Katie Leung

Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

“Unnerving.” —People

“Unsettling...unlocks its mysteries slowly.” —The New York Times Book Review

“A dark, twisty, and richly atmospheric exploration of the power of imagination” —Ruth Ware, author of The Woman in Cabin 10

“Beautifully written and told with a watchmaker’s precision” (Stephen King), Mirrorland is a thrilling psychological suspense novel about twin sisters, the man they both love, the house that has always haunted them, and the childhood stories they can’t leave behind.

Cat lives in Los Angeles, far from 36 Westeryk Road, the imposing gothic house in Edinburgh where she and her estranged twin sister, El, grew up. As kids, they invented Mirrorland, a dark, imaginary place under the pantry stairs, full of pirates, witches, and clowns. These days, Cat rarely thinks about their childhood home, or the fact that El now lives there with her husband, Ross.

But when El mysteriously disappears after going out on her sailboat, Cat is forced to return to 36 Westeryk Road, which hasn’t changed in twenty years. The grand old house is still full of shadowy corners, and at every turn Cat finds herself stumbling on long-held secrets and terrifying ghosts from the past. Because someone—El?—has left Cat clues: a treasure hunt that leads them back to Mirrorland, where the truth lies waiting...

A brilliantly crafted story that “feels like the love child of Gillian Flynn and Stephen King” (Greer Hendricks, #1 New York Times bestselling author), Mirrorland is a propulsive, gripping debut about love, betrayal, revenge—and the price of freedom.

©2021 Carole Johnstone. All rights reserved. (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

Started out great

I really enjoyed the first three quarters of the book, but then the story bogged down. I think it should have ended at least 2 hours before it did.

Meh

It drags A LOT. I often found myself wanting the story to get to the point. I think to create more suspense it holds its secrets for too long. There are lots of interesting scenes and interesting writing but it all adds up to MEH.

Beautiful

This book is beautifully written. The performance is spot on. The story is fascinating. Get this book.

Very enjoyable

I enjoyed this story so much. I think that it dealt with intense life trauma respectfully and gave power to women who had so much going against them. The story was intriguing and heart breaking and heart warming. The narrator brought the characters to life wonderfully. She was the perfect choice. This is one of the best books that I have listened to in quite a while!

Fantastic thriller

This book is both beautiful and terrifying and keeps you guessing until the very end

Great story but hard to keep up

It's a really good story but you need to pay attention. A lot of bouncing back and forth. Still worth my credit.

Bravo to the narrator.

This book was a recommendation from Georgia (one of the lovely ladies from My Favorite Murder) and I cannot believe this is Carole Johnstone’s debut novel. Incredible. I finished it in two days! And the narrator is *chefs kiss* brilliant. I could listen to her talk all day.

Inventive and original

While I didn't completely love this book, and there were a few details that I found a little lazy (mostly to do with the dead woman's husband), it is overall a fully imagined world with interesting characters who reveal themselves only slowly.

thank you Georgia!

Holy moly! didn't see that coming. kept me guessing till the very end. LOVED IT!

Mirrorland Is Like No Other

I really enjoyed the rollercoaster ride into & through the storyline & characters!!

I stared the book and couldn't stop listening!

A story of so much, from love, abuse, childhood abuse & how effectived their lives as adults. The family relationship between sisters, friends & a puzzle that needs put back together in the hardest way possible....by remembering a past one sister chose to bury & forget.
The way for her remember though is to go back through to Mirrorland & why the sisters created it.

5 stars all the way & worth the credit 100%.

The narrator was good as well, but she had something missing & I couldn't put my finger on it.