What a fabulous unpredictable read this was. Sophisticated psychological thrillers with realistic, unlikeable characters are what Erin Kelly excels at. I had no idea this novel was a sequel – this was revealed in the afterword and didn’t say what it was a sequel to! – but from other reviews I found out that it follows The Poison Tree, the author’s debut. I read that in 2016 but although I remember enjoying the book, none of its details lodged in my mind. The House of Mirrors therefore works perfectly well as a standalone. Set mostly in London and Suffolk, it’s a suspenseful tale of family and dark secrets, with interesting ventures into vintage designer fashion and eco-warriors. Some of it is narrated by Karen Clarke, a cautious middle-aged woman who is hiding something, while the story is also told by her headstrong daughter Alice, who is starting to question the truth of the events which led to her father being imprisoned and her aunt going missing. I thought the epilogue twist was great. I’ve read nearly all of Erin Kelly’s thrillers and I think this is one of the best.
Thank you to the publisher Hodder & Stoughton for the advance copy via NetGalley. The publication date is 4th April.