I really liked Cat and El as characters and I desperately wanted Cat to be okay and to succeed. I loved the spooky, scary house and everything it kept throwing up even though Cat is a grown woman. Really happy to have been part of the tour!

A suspenseful psychological thriller with dark fantastical elements

When her estranged twin sister El goes missing after venturing out on her sailboat, Cat returns from the life she has built-in LA to their childhood home in Edinburgh, where El now lives with her husband Ross. Whilst the police hunt for her sister, Cat is forced to confront the memories that being back in her home for the first time in years drags to the surface - including memories of the imaginary Mirrorland, a fantastical world of pirates and magic that the girls created to escape from the dark reality of their real life. When Cat starts finding strange clues scattered around the house, she begins to wonder how well she can trust her memory of her childhood and starts to realise that not all the ghosts from her past were imaginary.

This was an atmospheric gothic story with an underlying feeling of suspense and tension running through a plot packed with genuinely surprising twists. The storyline switches between the present day and flashbacks to Cat and El as children, slowly building up a sinister picture of what went on in their youth as Cat remembers it whilst exploring her old home. The bond between the twins is strong but complex, and the author does an excellent job of highlighting the depth and layers of their relationship, including the complicated connection they both have with Ross, their childhood friend and El’s future husband. I thought the contrast between the innocent fantasies of Mirrorland and the dark reality of the girls’ real childhood was excellent and added to the suspenseful feel of the book – you know something genuinely terrible is going on but aren’t quite sure what exactly it is until the end. This is appropriately mirrored in the present-day sections, with an anxious Cat unsure who she can trust, and the tension expertly builds up to a shocking but satisfying ending.

My main issue with this story would be that the fantastical elements were occasionally a bit difficult to distinguish from real life, and this combined with an unreliable narrator meant that I found myself struggling to figure out exactly what was going on at times. I also thought that the first part of the book took a little while to get going, and for the first few chapters, I found it hard to engage with the fantasy. Unfortunately, without the necessary background, Mirrorland doesn’t seem as interesting or important as it turns out to be, and I remember thinking that it didn’t seem particularly unusual for a pair of siblings to be playing make-believe and not being sure why the story needed so much detailed information about it or why Cat was remembering it in such a disturbed disjointed way. However, after a while, all of it falls together and the rest of the book is excellent.

In conclusion, this was a unique and enjoyable story that packed some unexpected twists into its complicated plot. I would be interested in reading more from this author.

Daenerys

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of this book to review.

When I first read the synopsis I was excited to read the book. It sounded like the perfect thriller with magical realism entangled in the story. It sounds great, isn’t it? Indeed, the book is great although it has its flaws.

The story starts a bit strange. I was taken aback and I needed 3 or 4 days to pass the 20% milestone. But oh, gosh! I am so glad I didn’t give up on it. If you are reading this review because you are in the same situation I was and you are trying to make up your mind whether or not to DNF it – keep reading. I was on the edge to DNF it, and I’m so glad that I find it hard to DNF a book and kept reading instead.

Cat and El are mirror twins, exact copies of themselves. When little they created an imaginary world called Mirrorland. Its only purpose is to hide them from their abusive granddad. In the Clown Café, Boomtown, The Satisfaction and the rest of the Mirrorland imaginary places, they felt safe, untouchable. But when Mirrorland started to fail them and it wasn’t their safe heaven anymore, they caught the last ship and sailed to their freedom and their second life.

In their first life, they were inseparable, during their second life they grew apart which lead to Cat leaving and starting a new life in America. Now, 12 years later, she has to go back to her childhood house in Edinburgh because her sister went missing. And there is Ross, of course, their only childhood friend, Cat’s only love, and El’s husband.

With a throwback to their childhood, the author tells a dark tale of abuse and domestic violence. Things that most likely transferred to the grown-up El’s life and probably El couldn’t make it out alive this time.


Here we have Cat as our narrator and I loved that. The unreliable narrators are my favourite ones. I didn’t believe her till the very end. There is something in her that makes you want to push her aside and ask someone else what the hell is going on. It is a twisted and dark story. It makes you doubt yourself and your senses. I lost an idea of what is real and what is not. The author did a great job of planting the seed of doubt and I questioned everything Cat does. I felt that something is off and I just couldn’t put all the pieces together. She is so sure that El is lying and she is alive and playing her games. But when a body is found, she takes the path down memory lane, trying to remember things she wanted to forget. All of this to help her finding sister’s murderer. The El’s disappearance reminds me a bit of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, and I am from the minority of people who don’t like the book. But there may be a reason for El disappearance. Shortly after Cat arrives in Edinburgh, she starts to receive emails leading to clues hidden all around the Mirrorland. These clues are part of El’s diary and their only purpose is to make Cat remember. Receiving all these things she is more than sure that her sister is not dead. But why does she want Cat back in Edinburgh? Back to their old house? Back to the life, she ran away from 12 years ago?

I have to admit that I find the writing style hard to follow. The switch between past and present definitely needs more polishing and it is a bit confusing at times, especially if you listen to the audiobook. But once you get used to the style it becomes easier, but still a bit tough. With this in mind, you have to be careful, paying attention and invest yourself in the book. Why? Because if you distract yourself for a second you may miss something.

I kind of know how the book will end, I felt it in my guts. But the ending, similar to the beginning, isn’t great. It put me off. They catch El’s killer, but the story goes on. Honestly, I lost interest and the last 15% of the book was as tough as the first 20%. But I did enjoy it. It has its slow moments and its rollercoaster ones. It has a complex plot full of twist and unexpected turns every mystery and thriller lover will devour in no time!

Not sure how, but I’ve overlooked feedback on this book which I read a while ago. It’s unusual in that for a while, I was unsure what was going on. The story wasn’t exactly confusing, but it was difficult to understand whether it was truth, fantasy, make believe and how it was all going to start panning out. But then it suddenly started to gel and the relationship between past and present and the lives of the twins began to fall into place. It’s a very clever story that starts to mess with your head because it’s so different.

I liked the main characters and there’s skill in the way events unfold leading to a conclusion I didn’t expect. Carole Johnstone is an author I haven’t come across before, but I’ll happily look for more from her.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

Catriona (Cat) & Elice (El)were identical twins. Years before there was a falling out & Cat went to America but now she is back in Edinburgh. El has disappeared in her sailing boat & is presumed dead- but Cat would know if she wasn't alive wouldn't she? Coming back to the house where they grew up & where El lived with her husband Ross- someone close to both of them. Ross also is convinced El is alive but can they convince the police. But then Cat starts getting strange cards & emails- this plus going back to a house of memories where the twins lived a strange fantasy life with their neurotic mother & dour granddad soon has Cat questioning many things.

This is an often confusing story & I often struggled to work out what was real & what was fantasy. The writing is wonderfully atmospheric & draws you in almost without realising it-before I knew it I was totally hooked. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book- it will be a while before I forget it!

I really enjoyed this one. This was a slow paced mystery that just slowly and methodically unravels and reveals itself to you in such a well paced manor. Initially a little confusing to get into as you try to tell apart the real from the imaginary, this book eventually reels you in and captures you in a web of lies, half truths and buried secrets that it keeps you reading to find out the truth. The reveals are tantalising but never quite give you the whole picture so you have to keep reading to find out more and more.

The imaginary world created by the twins in there youth is dark and mysterious and a really inventive way to convey the story to the reader as Cat rediscovers what was part of the game and what had more sinister connotations. It gives this book an almost horror like feel as the lines between imaginary and reality blur for Cat as she tries to work out what has happened to her sister. Is her disappearance just another game or something more sinister itself. The unreliable nature of all the characters and their memories just adds more to the tension. It was really good seeing the flash of childhood memories as they changed for Cat, as she replayed them and restructured them as her understanding grew. I really got a sense of all the clues piecing together and conclusions changing as we uncovered more and more about the sisters relationship, their childhood, Mirrorland and beyond.

I just found the writing, pacing of the twist turns and reveals, as well as the plot itself to be excellent. I am a little biased at the setting I don't live very far from Leith links and Newhaven harbour where the twins grew up, so I could really picture the layout of the townhouse and how Mirrorland would fit into it. The plot itself had you double guessing yourself, it was occasionally spooky, occasionally shocking and overall entertaining.

Wow! At the start of the book I felt like I was walking through a thick mist, not really knowing what was happening, but by about halfway the mist starts to clear and I was left with a lot of 'Ohhhh!' moments! All the way through the book I was questioning what everyone's motives were, were they who they said they were, and coming up with crazy theories partly because of the fantasy world of Mirrorland. I just didn't trust anyone, it really messed with your head! I thought I knew what the ending was going to be but the actual ending I never would have guessed, which was great!
If you struggle at the start with the fantasy world keep plodding on because it really is worth it!

I have never read a book where I have so many thoughts and feelings.
Told from the perspective of Cat, with the book beginning just as Cat finds out her estranged twin sister has gone missing we follow her as she tried to untangle the web of half-truths and clues her lost twin, El has left for her.
What begins and a mystery quickly turns into a thriller with so many twists and turns it will leave your head spinning.
I really enjoyed the flashbacks of the twins in their bizarre make-believe world of Mirrorland, I thought it was an interesting way to tell the tale from a child's point of view. I also really liked Cat and enjoyed her as the storyteller as well as unraveling the mysteries along with her. However there was just so much packed into this book, it really needed to have been double the length or some of the many, many twists edited out. There was so much going on with apparently not a lot of thought, there were so many plot holes that although they didn't affect the outcome of the book or my enjoyment they still niggle at me now that I have finished the book. And overall I did enjoy the book, I think to read it to its full potential you need to be along for the crazy journey and not overthink the mystery too much.
This book comes with many trigger warnings that I suggest you look them up - I am hesitant to give them all for fear of ruining the storyline but just to name a few... child abuse, rape, domestic violence, drug abuse, alcohol abuse.

I’m really not in the habit of not finishing books, but this book really beat me.
I found it so confusing at the beginning with the imaginary world of Cat and El’s childhood that I had to give up on it.
So not one for me, but lots of good reviews so do give it a chance if it sounds like your style!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me review it.

This is an incredible novel - one I shall be recommending to anyone I know that loves a great story. The characters are compelling, interesting and well written. The concept of the book brilliant and exciting - I swear I was holding my breath for much of it. It is drama, child and adult psychology, it is abuse and love and there are wonderful twists. Read it!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this tense and intriguing thriller, a story about sisters. Overall a great read.

I've had this on my TBR for a while, but I'm so sad I hadn't gotten to it sooner! It was so intruiging and I was constantly kept guessing at what would happen next!

I loved the prose style, the breadth of imagination and the gothic Edinburgh setting. Unfortunately though, this didn't quite come together for me, and I found much of the middle section a bit of a drag. I'd certainly read Carole Johnstone's next book though.

I really enjoyed this book. The perspectives of the sisters, working out what was real and what was not, and what actually happened kept me intrigued and guessing until the end. Recommended.

When her sister Ellice disappears off her boat in the Firth of Forth, Cat returns to their childhood home in Leith. As she tries to discover what happened to her sister, the events of the past come back to haunt her. Will the secrets of their Mirrorland home finally be told, and do they hold the key to El’s tragedy?

Mirrorland is a strange story, and one that at times seemed to be over complicated. Even with the map at the beginning, I still found it difficult to navigate through the house, with all the strange room names and the characters to be found there. Deciphering who was real and who imaginary in the memories of their childhood just added to my confusion. Even at the end, I still wasn’t totally sure exactly what had gone on.

Possibly a little too clever for its own good.

This was a very dark complex menacing storyline with very dark and twisted characters. Mirrorland by Carole Johnstone was an interesting and intriguing story.
Highly recommended

REVIEW
MIRRORLAND | CAROLE JOHNSTONE

With Mirrorland I had expected an almost fantasy meets reality story in the vein of The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert. However, what I got was something much darker. A twisty, intensely atmospheric, psychological gothic thriller whose twists about a missing twin and dark family secrets that won’t stay buried, keep you guessing to the end. It is a book about imagination, and the stories we tell to protect ourselves from the harsh realities of life. It’s a story about buried secrets, family and the echoes of childhood that impact our adulthoods. It’s a fascinatingly, complex debut.

Mirrorland is beautifully written and incredibly detailed. But it is a slow burner, whose pace will not appeal to everyone. With chapters encompassing the past, the present and the imaginary world of Mirrorland, it is hard at times to keep track of all these story strands, but for a debut author Johnstone does an astonishing job of knitting them all together for an astonishing ending.

A very clever, intense, psychological thriller debut ⭐️⭐️⭐️out of 5

Ever start reading a book and find yourself struggling to pick it back up? I've been fighting a slump all year and I really didn't care for the beginning of Mirrorland. The imaginary and real worlds blend together mid sentence and I just wasn't getting on with it.

I was a quarter into my Netgalley copy and after a week without reading it Dave invited me onto TheWriteReads tour so I forced myself to pick Mirrorland back up and I am SO GLAD.

I found Cat and Ross hard to like at the start and I seem to have read too many missing sisters in fiction lately but WOW does this story take a turn.

There's a fun little map of Mirrorland in the front of this book and you're going to need it, the imagination packed into the sisters' world is mind blowing for two little girls. As you learn more and more about their lives and their mother you come to appreciate just how much they needed the escape.

Mirrorland gets darker and darker as you read on, you'll be desperate for answers. Why did El and Cat fall out so catastrophically? What happened on THAT historical night? And what really happened to El? Everytime you think you've guessed it I guarantee you'll be wrong.

I don't provide trigger warnings in my reviews but for those who need them I'd advise you to look them up for Mirrorland before you go in, or feel free to drop me a message.

Mirrorland is told in first person POV by Cat via both past and present timelines punctuated by diary entries and emails.
The writing is easy to follow once you get into the rhythm of switching between reality and imagination, uncovering the truth alongside Cat had endeared me to her character by the end.

Mirrorland is an intense ride that I highly recommend, I will definitely be looking for more by Carole Johnstone in future.

I gave this book 4 stars because it was well written and cleverly written but I still can’t decide if I loved it or not.
It’s the story of twin sisters El and Cat. They became estranged and haven’t kept in touch for twelve years.
Cat returns home after her sister disappears while sailing her boat. Mysterious letters and emails start arriving with clues for Cat to discover what has happened to El and who is responsible.
The story jumps between the present and their childhood adventures in the mysterious world of Mirrorland, a secret and sometimes scary fantasyland created within their house .
As suppressed memories begin to return the truth about the far from perfect childhood El and Cat experienced is revealed.
As the book progresses the reader learns the truth about El’s disappearance and justice prevails. However, a clever twist at the end proves otherwise.
I enjoyed the book but towards the end got a bit bored with the stories from Mirrorland and just wanted the mystery of El’s disappearance resolved. At times I couldn’t differentiate between “then” and “ now” which made me very confused at times.
Good book but too much Mirrorland for me. Look forward to more from this author.

Mirrorland, the debut novel from Carole Johnstone, is a mind-bending, inventive, unusual and quirky book which absolutely blew me away. It’s about twins Ellice (El) and Catriona (Cat) who as children are as close as can be but as adults have drifted apart with El remaining in their native Edinburgh and Cat moving to LA. They haven’t spoken in over a decade and Cat has remained in the US, but a phone call from Edinburgh telling her that El has gone missing has her boarding a flight and returning to her family home.

No. 36 Westeryk Road is an imposing and foreboding place filled with memories of Cat’s childhood with El. As girls they lived a fantastical life, spending their days letting their imagination run riot, re-naming bedrooms The Kakadu Jungle, The Clown Cafe, The Donkshop and The Princess Tower and creating an imaginary world. Running under the house is a secret passage, used in the past by servants to access things like the wash house, but for Cat and El it is a secret world they named Mirrorland. This was a place where they pretended to be on a ship, sailing to an island to find their father, a swashbuckling sailor. They had a whole cast of shipmates, brought straight from their imagination and they’d spend hours down there playing and inventing stories.

El’s disappearance has devastated her husband, Ross, and he is fearing the worst. She took her boat, the Redemption out and neither she nor the boat have been seen since. It is looking like she has died at sea, but Cat, her mirror twin is sure she is still alive and when she starts receiving clues to a treasure hunt from somebody who knows too much about Mirrorland, she feels surer than ever that it is El sending them. But is it?

Returning to the house unleashes a whole host of memories on Cat and Johnstone takes us back in time, building Mirrorland and throwing us straight into the action. I have to confess to being very confused initially and I didn’t really understand what I was reading but I am so pleased that I persevered because the pay off was worth it. It is a fantastical world which feels incredibly real and I could almost feel the ship listing in a storm and was there in the Clown Cafe with the twins. Vivid and creative writing brings this world to life and provides important context for what is happening in the present.

A thriller wrapped in a gothic fantasy, Mirrorland is such a fun read, despite some dark subject matter. Once I ‘got it’ I was fully invested and unable to put it down, mainly because of its quite wonderful plotting. The writing is pin-sharp and precise, every word weighted to ensure maximum impact and to challenge perceptions. The characterisation in particular is excellent and my feelings towards Cat changed page by page which I loved, finding her a complex and three dimensional character.

A treasure hunt, time jumps, a fantastical world, characters who leap off the pages and ingenious storytelling mixed with a thriller make this such an inventive book. It almost feels like a giant puzzle, filled with clues and dispirit parts which only show the bigger picture once you stand back and it has made me want to re-read it as, although I did work out some of the ending, I want to see what clues I missed. It is SO clever and come highly recommended from me.