The Cracked Mirror by Chris Brookmyre
I have read very many Chris Brookmyre novels before and this is certainly a very different departure to his usual writing. I wondered how he could meld together an Agatha Christie style novel and a character straight from a Michael Connolly novel but he manages it amazingly well.
The story opens in Scotland in a small village where Penny Coyne an 82 year old woman feels her memories are slipping gradually out of her reach. She is known as the local sleuth solving seemingly unsolvable murders. She is invited to a lavish wedding in a local castle and initially has no idea why she has been invited. Meanwhile there is another storyline which introduces a maverick LA cop called Johnny Hawke. He has the bad habit of losing his partners and the death of his newest partner causes him to flee to Scotland in search of a lead. On the eve of the wedding the bride apparently commits suicide and Johnny teams up with Penny Coyne to solve her possible murder.
I find it fascinating how he has managed to link these two very different characters working together to solve an increasingly confusing series of murders. It is a very well written and gripping story and I found the ending very satisfying and it answered all of the questions which I had been posing all the way through. It is a story within a story etc.
I will definitely be recommending this fascinating book to my various book groups and if you can cope with a large number of different characters you will really enjoy this novel. Many thanks to the author, Net Galley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Found this a really enjoyable read.
Things seem a bit disjointed at the start, with two storylines interspersed, like reading a quiet cosy mystery and 60's noir American cop thriller.
I enjoyed the classic crime nostalgia of this, and the juxtaposition is intentional, with these styles and storylines amalgamating as the characters join forces.

Difficult to say much more without spoilers, for me this was fun, unexpected and a bit of a wild ride.
I would recommend this to both fans of classic crime and people who like quirky mysteries and plots within plots.
I'd also suggest going in without too many expectations and sticking with it if you get put off at the beginning.
I found the ending warm and satisfying, I anticipated several of the twists but some still got me!

Overall I would say this was cleverly plotted, well executed and a homage to classic crime with a quirky twist.

Clever...oh so clever! When I started this novel, I couldn't see the link between an aging Scots woman, Penny Coyne, who assists the police in investigations, a la Miss Marple, and Johnny Hawke, an LAPD detective, who is happy to bend the rules despite the fact that this often leads to the demise of his partners, When they finally meet, their shared purpose is revealed and they find themselves working closely, but uncomfortably, together. Their investigation is going well but all is not as it seems.
I loved the relationship between the two main characters and the well-developed plot which veered off in a totally unexpected direction. ;m off to look for CB's backlist!

I have read many Christopher Brookmyre books over the years, so was excited to get my hands on this. Clever writing, as always, but a rather odd mix of styles, which lacked pace in places. I've reread many of the author's works as I have enjoyed them so much, but don't think I'll be rereading this one. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review of the book.

To describe this book in one word, I would say it was slow-paced. Although it started with a face that made it a bit boring initially, it eventually picked up. This was my first time reading this author, and I must say the writing was excellent. However, I was able to predict the twist, so it wasn't a great surprise for me. Although the order of events may seem deceiving, I had been told to expect a massive plot twist that would shock me. In my opinion, many people would enjoy reading it and give it a five-star rating. Unfortunately, it didn't hit the right place for me, and that was the only issue I had with it. The book is excellently written with a well-structured plot and intriguing vocabulary. The ambiance of the story is enjoyable and the multilayered plot demands attention from the reader. The dialogue is a standout feature of the book. However, I am hoping for something different from the author in the future to keep me surprised.

In The Cracked Mirror we follow Penny Coyne, an 80-year-old investigating a murder in Scotland, and LAPD cop Jonny Hawke, who's in trouble after his partners keep dying. Their paths cross unexpectedly, leading to a mix of mystery and science fiction.

At first, the story seems unrelated, but it gets intriguing as Penny and Jonny's worlds collide. However, things take a strange turn in part three, turning into science fiction, which might confuse some readers.

Overall The Cracked Mirror offers a unique blend of mystery and sci-fi, though the sudden shift in the story spoilt it for me. If I had known it was this genre I probably wouldn't have chose it as it made me feel cheated out of a great ending. Up until then I was fascinated with how the two worlds came together and each character adapted to fit in to each others worlds.

Blimey! I need a rest after reading this book. There is a real mix of genres that weld together oddly but well at the same time, and the reason why does become apparent and by then it doesn’t matter, as the book has just gripped me. A gentle, quiet beginning with a friendly tone that lulled me into feeling secure and knowing where I was. That serenity was exploded with a death in LA and the action moved from rural scotland to Hollywood, and then back, and then back. The twists, and lack of coincidences take some getting your head round, but it is worth reading with care and the author hand hold a and signposts along the way. This was a mad read in such a good way and I highly recommend,

A great book, merging styles from classic detective noir and Agatha Christie sleuths. The plot plays across two continents and focuses on the different moral stances of the two protagonists and the reasons for them. Cool ending and resolution.

Having been a fan of Christopher Brookmyre’s books for a long time – seduced by titles such as ‘Boiling a Frog’ and ‘A Big Boy Did and Ran Away’ and ‘Country of the Blind’, et al – surrendering entirely to his writing and characters, I was positively ecstatic to enjoy an ARC of ‘The Cracked Mirror’, courtesy of Little, Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley.
True to form Mr Brookmyre loads the scales to guarantee the pages keep turning in this mixed genre novel. A Scottish Miss Marple character and a ‘Make My Day’ type US detective are thrown together in cleverly woven scheme, which not only solves murders but slides in AI, psychology, a dabble with philosophy. Corruption, greed, power, secrecy and the nature of reality layer and integrate with the splendid array of characters and events – and (to brag a bit) I worked out who, how and what. I’d love to describe how I did it, but that would be a spoiler, wouldn’t it?
Read and enjoy another Brookmyre success.

Having 15 successful murder investigations in the village under her belt, octogenarian Penny Coyne finds herself involved in another.
Meantime, Johnny Hawke, maverick, mouthy LA cop has been sent, on his home turf, to confirm a recent suicide.
It might sound unlikely that these two sleuths and their cases would ever intersect, but they do and then the fun starts.
The Cracked Mirror is an unusual, clever and immensely entertaining read. While the multi layered plot demands full attention (as does the huge cast of characters), complete suspension of disbelief is cushioned by this writer’s trademark spikey, dry dialogue and the delightful company of Lieutenant Hawke and Ms Coyne.
This read was a real winner for me.

Great characters and an unique storyline! I haven't read any of the authors other work but after finishing this one, I will definitely be doing so.
We follow two very different detectives who meet at a wedding and eventually end up working together. They both have different ways of doing things which causes some clashes but intertwines with each other as well, Some of the interactions are funny and you find yourself hoping for them to solve the crime.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for this ARC.

Wasn’t sure whether this could work. The premise of a Miss Marple type character and an American private detective, coming together to solve crime, But it did!!
Really enjoyed the book. Great characters and loved the storyline. Brought into the modern day world very successfully.
Highly recommended.

I have read several previous novels of Chris Brookmyre’s novels, so I was curious to find out about his new novel The Cracked mirror. The title reminds me of an Agatha Christie novel, but the story is far from that.
There is two storylines firstly set in Scotland 80-year-old Penny Coyne has just come back from her holidays and has started investigating a murder where a body is found near a local church.
She has also been invited to a wedding, but she doesn’t know who invited her.
LAPD cop Jonny Hawke doesn’t always work by the rule book, but his boss has sent him to investigate a possible suicide with a new partner in toe. But the problem when Johnny gets new partners, they end up dead and that’s what just happened. Johnny is suspended but carries on with the investigation under his own steam which leads him to Scotland where he meets Penny Coyne.
When I first started reading this, I often wondered what relevance with the two characters was as they are so different from each other, and I did think if this was a mistake in the book. But As I carried on this storyline became intriguing and I was enjoying it mostly until we got to part three. For me I thought that style of the writing then changed dramatically after that, and I got so overwhelmed with the characters. I started losing interest and I nearly didn’t finish it. But I carried on, although the ending was a bit weird, I enjoyed he conclusion. 3.5 stars from me.

Two completely different detectives working on different investigations eventually come to work together when they meet at a wedding. This is an entertaining story that turns rather bizarre towards the end. I loved the two main characters. Their interaction was very amusing. I was a bit unsure of the silliness but it all worked out eventually and the ending was surprisingly moving. So all in all, this book has a bit of everything in it and it was an enjoyable read.

I liked the book however , I was not able to finish it as it’s was not gripping . I lost interest . But would like to read it on a later date. That for the opportunity to read the book to publisher and netgalley.

Found this difficult to read for a few reasons. I’m not very good at remembering names and there are so many in this book!
Also, I hate bad language and it had way too much of it.
But the premise of the story was good and I enjoyed the way it turned out.

Because Brookmyre is a brilliant writer, this novel is a triumph. Two characters, completely different, one a Scottish woman, Penelope Coyne in the style of Agatha Christie, and the other an LAPD cop, Johnny Hawke. Two different styles of writing and tone involving the solving of crimes. I know I'm being obtuse by not giving more details here, but to do so would give away too much. Suffice to say, this truly is a brilliantly written crime novel in which Brookmyre flexes narrative muscles in a way that is unique. Highly -- *very* highly -- recommended. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the privilege of the ARC.

I have read most of Chris Brookmyre's books both as a solo writer and in collaboration with his wife and have enjoyed them all, This was no exception although I have to say at the outset it is not my favourite, Nonetheless there is a lot to like in this highly original crime story,,

We start off in Perthshire where 82 year old Penny Coyne has been invited to a wedding. She doesn't know why and is finding life a little confusing. Meanwhile in LA, Johnny Hawkes has been suspended from work but in true noir style he ignores this to go off and investigate on his own. His sleuthing takes him to Perthshire where he meets up with Penny.

What I liked about this book: It is very original with a carefully worked out plot. The plot is very clever and original, Both Penny and Johnny are engaging characters. I especially enjoyed the bits set in Scotland and I really liked the humour throughout.

What I wasn't so sure about: I did find the story confusing at times. Perhaps it was the number of characters, I couldn't keep track of them but that is probably because it's an e-book. It's harder to flick back through e-books than through real books. I'd recommend this to readers who already like Chris Brookmyre's works but I'm not sure that if it was the first I'd read by him, that I'd go on to read more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

This really confused me at first. It opens with an elderly Scottish librarian who has returned from a trip to find that there has been a murder in her village. Naturally we pin her down as the sleuth from the set genre of Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes. Penny has a strong relationship with the police force and is known to solve many of their cases. Within a few chapters we seem to jump into a completely different realm. I had to check I had been sent the correct document. We are in LA and our protagonist is a brash, no rules, soon to be an ex detective. There is a suicide/murder that he is determined to solve. Brookmyre knits the two genres together when Jonny's clue takes him to Scotland for a wedding which results in an identical suicide/ murder. Penny is there although she has no idea why she should have been invited. The two join forces in solving the mystery and hunting down the killer.
Throughout the novel there are several hints that things are not as they seem to be when Penny, an extremely likeable character appears to know places and directions in America she claims not to have visited. The plot thickens as they get closer to the solution but boy are there twists and turns along the way. I have to admit I guessed the twist three quarters of the way in but as was invested in the characters I had to keep reading.

This book unites two very different styles, the comfy crime genre with Sci fi fiction brilliantly. It was a breath of fresh air and well executed.
Highly recommend and thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

Not for me - I’m disappointed that I didn’t warm to this book. The concept is quirky and I liked the sound of it. As it turns out I was just frustrated during reading and I didn’t find it pleasurable. Thank you for the opportunity to read it