The Woman in the Mirror, by Cathryn Grant

The Woman in the Mirror

By: Cathryn Grant

Published July 01, 2016 by D2C Perspectives

The Blurb:

A fabulous and very dark exploration of the twisted and neurotic minds of the residents of a cliff-top bungalow.

A gripping, page-turning journey, peeling back more and more layers through tantalizing revelations of the past.

Noreen Palmer describes herself as sweet and responsible, but she can't stop lying about the things that happened in her bungalow perched on a cliff above the ocean.

When Alexandra Mallory and Jared Brady rent rooms in Noreen's precariously situated home, the danger of falling over the cliff is the least of their fears.

Noreen's escalating threats force Alex to uncover Noreen's secrets and right a terrible wrong.

Quote: “Alexandra Mallory is a hypnotic sociopath, using her elusive appeal to get what she wants, and to kill those who deserve to die.”

My Review:

I chose this book on a whim, which turned out to be a good choice. A dark, contemporary tale, the twists and turns make what could be a rant on misogyny and abuse into a many-layered mystery you never quite get to the bottom of. Set on the foggy central coast of California, the house perched precariously on the edge of the crumbling cliff is almost an allegory for Alex’s character: looks beautiful and feels dangerous.

The storyline is compelling, doled out in bits and pieces. Each time you have the pieces to one puzzle, another has reared its head. Every character is a riddle you finally begin to understand as the novel progresses, even “sweet, responsible” Noreen. Behind that facade is a scary woman.

Alex is honest to the reader about her secrets, although she doles them out over the course of the novel. She is a risk-taker, and from the outset, she doesn’t hide that she thrives on the more dangerous side of life. I also felt that Jared had more secrets than he was telling.

There is no sharply defined line between good and evil in this tale. There is no black or white; you are definitely on the darker side of gray. Obsession, power, twisted logic, and retribution all play large roles in this story. Each character has a skewed sense of morality they are willing to stretch to achieve their goals.

The author’s voice is unique and the narrative flows smoothly, although the switching of POV between Alexandra and Jared is occasionally jarring. But overall, it works. I had a hard time putting the book down, reading it straight through, and staying up late to finish it.

The ending is surprising, but when you look back, it fits perfectly. I highly recommend this book to readers of dark, contemporary fiction.

The Husband's Secret, by Liane Moriarty

Re-blogged from Best in Fantasy, originally published Aug. 16, 2015

Today we talk about The Husband's Secret, by Liane Moriarty. This is not fantasy by any means, but it is an excellent read, and I enjoyed the heck out of it. Released in 2013 by Berkley, and Penguin in the US, this book is currently a #1 bestseller at Amazon, and Moriarty is listed in the top 100 authors there. 

First the Blurb:

At the heart of The Husband’s Secret is a letter that’s not meant to be read

My darling Cecilia, if you’re reading this, then I’ve died. . .

Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive. . . .

Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret.

My review: This book is about loss and grief in Sydney, Australia--but it could easily have been set in Seattle or London and it would still feel true. These women are people you feel you know, and while they are not always likable, they are always true to who they are.

Several characters in the book have secrets they hold on to that they eventually reveal. The concepts of guilt and betrayal loom large in this tale, driving it to the shocking conclusion. Ethics and morality shift and bend under the stress, and three good women do things they consider heinous, and each finds ways to justify it.

The Berlin Wall is referred to throughout the novel as Cecelia’s daughter, Esther, works on her school project. And in fact, we learn that Cecilia met John-Paul on the day the Wall finally came down. The Wall is symbolic of many things in this tale, as Tess also has a connection to it.

Rachel is pinched and afraid to love anyone but her grandson. Her son is devastated by the loss of his sister and hurt by his mother’s distance. No matter how he tries, he can’t get close to her.

These are complicated women, faced with an unbearable situation. The actions and the final resolution is completely true to the characters. This is a slow-moving tale action-wise, but it literally tears through the emotional gamut. I give The Husband's Secret four and half stars.