Title: The Girl in the Mirror
Author: Rose Carlyle
Published: August 4th 2020
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Pages: 368
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary
RRP: $29.99
Rating: 5 stars
An edge-of-your-seat debut thriller with identical twins, a crazy inheritance and a boat full of secrets. Who can you trust? Absolutely nobody!
Identical twins only look the same …
Beautiful twin sisters Iris and Summer are startlingly alike, but beyond what the eye can see lies a darkness that sets them apart. Cynical and insecure, Iris has long been envious of open-hearted Summer’s seemingly never-ending good fortune, including her perfect husband, Adam.
Called to Thailand to help sail the family yacht to the Seychelles, Iris nurtures her own secret hopes for what might happen on the journey. But when she unexpectedly finds herself alone in the middle of the Indian Ocean, everything changes.
Now is her chance to take what she’s always wanted – the idyllic life she’s always coveted. But just how far will she go to get the life she’s dreamed about? And how will she make sure no one discovers the truth?
Written with the chilling suspense of The Girl on the Train and Before I Go to Sleep, The Girl in the Mirror is an addictive thriller about greed, lust, secrets and deadly lies.
Review:
‘Mirrors don’t change what’s on the inside.’
I am so glad I both requested Rose Carlyle’s debut novel and I pushed it to the top of my never ending review pile thanks to a wonderful fellow book reviewer. The Girl in the Mirror delivered one of the most explosive and shocking end paragraphs to a novel I have read in years! Rose Carlyle’s first novel is a compelling psychological thriller that explores twin dynamics, relationships, envy, greed, betrayal, duplicity and pretence. The Girl in the Mirror is a dark and salacious tale that I consumed from the very first word to parting sentence.
Meet identical twins Iris and Summer. The sisters are true beauties and each is the mirror image of the other. However, underneath this veneer of beauty lies dark secrets and resentments. Iris has always been jealous of her twin sister Summer’s charmed life. Despite this resentment and envy, Iris loves her sister Summer deeply. When Summer calls for help Iris dashes to her aid. When Iris is asked to take charge of her family’s beloved yacht by Summer, it seems like an easy enough task for Iris, who is a natural sailor. But something life changing happens on the yacht, deep in the Indian Ocean, which will have far reaching consequences for the sisters and those who surround their lives. The Girl in the Mirror is about seizing opportunities, deception, life aspirations, fortune grabbing and hidden truths.
With so many review books coming my way, it is often quite a gamble to take a chance on a new writer. Auckland based author Rose Carlyle’s debut novel The Girl in the Mirror proved to be a book that I needed to take a chance on. This novel delivered in measures, it is an absolutely amazing debut. I’m sure I will be recommending this one for some time to come. The Girl in the Mirror has earned a firm spot on my list of favourite reads of 2020.
By now you are probably wondering what all the fuss is about! Well it appears I’m not the only one to realise just how fantastic The Girl in the Mirror is. Rose Carlyle’s debut has been subject to a bidding war to secure exclusive film rights, which doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. The Girl in the Mirror is definitely film material. This book is clearly making early waves, but the positive buzz around this novel is substantiated. I don’t think I have encountered a more compelling novel about such a mixed up, delusional and strange twin dynamic. This one seemed to go beyond anything I’ve read about the bond between two twin sisters, who are the mirror image of each other. We learn that while there are moments of shared love and connection, there is a much darker side to twin dynamics. One of the twins in this case is inherently bad, she upstages her sister at all costs, she pulls the wool over everyone eyes and she is just one rotten egg! Carlyle explores themes of hatred, rivalry, resentment, spite, malevolence, resentment, deceit, desire, treachery and intrigue. It makes for a puzzling, thrilling and often heart stopping read. There are plenty of twists and turns for the reader to contend with, some of which I anticipated and others were absolutely jarring! Save yourself for the finale, which will leave you reeling and questioning the novel as a whole. Perhaps you may even re-read parts of the book to help you come to terms with what a game changing end was delivered by Rose Carlyle!
I am aware that this is a vague review, as I am attempting to skirt around many of the major aspects of this novel, especially in regards to plot details in an attempt to avoid spoilers. I loved how the characters in The Girl in the Mirror were somewhat trustworthy, other times they proved to be completely volatile and unpredictable. The setting was rather cosmopolitan and exotic, pulling the reader into the Indian Ocean, sultry Thailand, the magnificent Seychelles and back to Cairns in Australia. There was also a great look into the art of sailing thanks to the family yacht, which provides the essential backdrop for the central plot complication. The relationship dynamics were fantastic and the moments of double jeopardy flexed my mind! The psychological insight Carlyle offers into a rather mixed up family unit obsessed, plagued by an inheritance claim really heightened this deranged twin dynamic! My thoughts were often cast back to a television series I enjoyed called Ringer, which offers another example of the dark side of twin relationships. The Girl in the Mirror is a perfect example of a very dysfunctional and utterly deranged twin relationship.
I can easily see why The Girl in the Mirror has already wowed audiences, it is a meritorious debut. I’m not sure how Rose Carlyle will top this one, but I’m sure I’ll stick very close by for her next novel.
The Girl in the Mirror by Rose Carlyle was published on 4th August 2020 by Allen & Unwin. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.
To learn more about the author of The Girl in the Mirror, Rose Carlyle, visit here.
*Thanks extended to Allen & Unwin for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
