A Mirror Murder by Helen Hollick
Eighteen-year-old library assistant Jan Christopher’s life is to change on a rainy Friday evening in July 1971, when her legal guardian and uncle, DCI Toby Christopher, gives her a lift home after work. Driving the car, is her uncle’s new Detective Constable, Laurie Walker – and it is love at first sight for the young couple.
But romance is soon to take a back seat when a baby boy is taken from his pram, a naked man is scaring young ladies in nearby Epping Forest, and an elderly lady is found, brutally murdered...
Are the events related? How will they affect the staff and public of the local library where Jan works – and will a blossoming romance survive a police investigation into murder?
About Helen Hollick:
First published in 1994, Helen became a USA Today Bestseller with her historical novel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK) with the sequel, Harold the King (US: I Am The Chosen King) being novels that explore the events that led to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Her Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy is a fifth-century version of the Arthurian legend, and she writes a nautical adventure/fantasy series, The Sea Witch Voyages. She is now branching out into the quick read novella, 'Cosy Mystery' genre with her new venture, the Jan Christopher Murder Mysteries, set in the 1970s, with the first in the series, A Mirror Murder (due to be published in early 2021) incorporating her, often hilarious, memories of working as a library assistant.
Her non-fiction books are Pirates: Truth and Tales and Life of A Smuggler. She lives in an eighteenth-century farmhouse in North Devon, runs Discovering Diamonds, a review blog for historical fiction, and occasionally gets time to write...
Review
I absolutely adored this book. It’s what cozy crime should aspire to - fun, funny, heartfelt, mystery, red herrings and romance! It was a delight to read. I completely fell for the character of Jan. I felt such an affinity to her - I wish I was a librarian, detective, young thing in the 1970s! I’m so happy that this is going to be the start of a new series as it’s one I will definitely be reading.
Jan is young librarian and is the ward of her uncle and aunt. Her Uncle Toby is a DCI in the local police force and picks her up one night from work and driving the car is his new bagman DC Laurie Walker. It’s love st first sight! On their first date, whilst walking home they see the door ajar at the house of one of Jan regular readers at the library and come across her murdered! A young baby boy has also been taken from a pram and there is a flasher in Epping Forest. Are the incidents all related?
Jan reminds me of myself in a way - curious, a lover of books, a romantic at heart and all wanting to find out the reasons behind circumstances. Although, I limit myself to reading rather than real life sleuthing! But she is also fun to be around - her aunt is also a hoot. It doesn’t seem as if she has many friends, thinks herself plain and hasn’t dated anyone seriously. Until DC Walker comes along and young love emerges from the story.
I liked how the clues were there to find during the plot. Cozy crime to me needs to be easy to follow, allows you to relax and bask in the knowledge that you know what is going on! I will admit I was wrong with the flasher though. I was totally thinking the same as a certain character. I loved the resolution of the story and it would certainly be a book I would recommend to people. In fact, I think this series will stay on my radar for awhile to come!
