October 2020

THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR is a debut thriller. Rose Carlyle lives in New Zealand, and the book was a #1 bestseller there when it came out in August. I love this description of it: “It’s a thriller with identical twins, fast yachts, tropical harbors, secrets and deceit, sex and crocodiles.” I read it floating in the pool and looked up thinking that I was on my way to the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean; her descriptions were that dead-on.

In the book, Iris and Summer are mirror twins, which means they are completely identical but physically asymmetrical. Iris, who has always been envious of her sister's perfect life, joins Summer on a sailing trip that goes awry. When Iris returns to land, she is assumed to be her sister and lives out the life she has always wanted. How long does she have until she is discovered, and what will the consequences be?

The setting in the Seychelles was inspired by an unplanned stop there for Rose and her family as they were on a trip across the Indian Ocean --- a trip that took a year. There was a mishap with the boat, which had them dock in the Seychelles. When Rose went to write this book, that stop on their adventure came to mind. She also has sailed from New Zealand to subantarctic islands on two scientific expeditions, so the writing on the water is crystal clear (pun intended).

The twists here are so well done; it’s hard to believe that this is a debut. You will reread parts to see how certain events unfolded. Rose already has her next book written and is working on a third. Good news for thriller readers!