There is a massive amount of things to love about this book but I’m struggling to put my finger on why I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I think the main reason was I kept getting confused with the large amount of characters and had to re read certain parts but I’m sure that is all down to me and my problem having a short attention span at times.
I loved the humour and I particularly loved the character Penny Coyne she was so well written and had an acerbic wit about her and with the combination of LAPD cop Johnny Hawke they made a fantastic pair!
The book was beautifully crafted and well thought out with an intriguing plot it’s my first by Chris Brookmyre and I look forward to reading more from him in the future.
My thanks to NetGalley and Little,Brown Book Group UK for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

"What stops Johnny is a promotional display for a novel called The Cracked Mirror by Alex Gillen. A poster is touting it as a number one bestseller, nominated for several awards, but what catches Johnny's eye is that it is published by RoadMiles Press: Lillian and Miles Deacon's company."

What starts as two separate murder mysteries - cosy crime with an elderly female protagonist (Marple-esque Penny Coyne) in a Scottish village and hard-boiled noir in LA with a male cop (Bosch-esque Johnny Hawke) - slowly draws together, until parallels can be seen. Initially written in two quite different styles, as becomes their genre variations, the writing style also melds as the connections between the characters and the plot emerge. Clearly written by an experienced author, this is a creative and complex take on crime fiction, poking fun at itself whilst hiding its many layers and dropping clues little by little. As a crime fiction fan, I really enjoyed this but can't say more about the plot without risking spoilers, although I was pleased with myself for predicting the main concept twist before it was revealed (about 3/4 the way in, so not early!). My only criticism and why I haven't given it five stars, is because I found the repeated scenarios and number of characters difficult to keep track of and with less of both it could have been a more concise novel. But I am splitting hairs, because this is well worth reading. My first by this author but it won't be my last.

Fans of Brookmyre will realise from the outset that he is (of course) not writing a Marple homage; apart from the fact that he has his own inimitable style and usually far-from-cosy-plots, the sentence structure and vocabulary are too complex to fit this genre, and the slightly too-real child abuse motive for murder at the end of chapter two reinforces this. It is still a bit of a jump from the twee Scottish village of Miss Penny Coyne to the harshness of L.A., and the bitterness of bould Johnny Hawke, but even here, the very obvious pastiche of Sam Spade (and any number of silly weekly detective TV shows) is a bit off. But Brookmyre runs the two stories side by side, skillfully drawing the reader into both mysteries, while also keeping us guessing as to the connection between them.
I thoroughly enjoyed both the journey and the eventual denouement (small hint, Brookmyre ties it all together with his long-time penchant for technology). The mix of the two detective styles was refreshing and fun, and brought something new to the genre and, all in all, this was a really fun read - as is to be expected from Brookmyre, who rarely disappoints.

Took a bit of getting used to. Mash ups seem to be a trend at the moment. I have read this author before and enjoyed the books. I'm wondering if this might work better as a TV series although the book was good

Cosy crime meets American thriller in this complicated mystery. I’ve never read anything by Chris Brookmyre before and so had no idea what this going to be like.
I loved both of the protagonists and enjoyed the relationship that grew between them as they were forced to work together to solve the puzzle of an apparent pattern of murders that looked like suicides. The plot was complicated to say the least with a lot of people to keep track of with their family relationships as the Penny Coyne and Johnny Hawke discover that a similar scenario has happened several times before. Suspension of belief is also required as some of the events seem very unlikely.
However, everything comes together in an inventive final section that I didn’t see coming at all but explained everything, even the little things that almost seemed to be clumsy writing.
This was an inventive mystery that demanded a lot of concentration but with two brilliantly written characters and great settings.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and am grateful to Net Galley and Little Brown Book Group UK for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Utterly original, layered, and entertaining, this genre mash-up mystery is a witty, twisty, joyful experience.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

It took me a while to grasp this book and I struggled to get into it but I loved how it ended up. Clever.

Chris Brookmyre continues to defy genre stereotyping - I'm never quite sure what way his stories are going to go, but I've come to expect a thrilling, exciting read and this new book did not disappoint. I did find it difficult to get into at first, as we are introduced to two apparently random storylines, one featuring maverick LA dectective Johnny Hawke who is investigating a suicide which may be homicide, and the other a prim Scottish spinster, Penny Coyne, who, Miss Marple-like, is about to solve the eighteenth murder case in her small Perthshire village.
There's a feeling of confusion for the first few chapters, but then the story explodes when the two come together at a wedding that ends in tragedy and their investigations mire them deeper and deeper into a shady world of corporate criminality.
The deaths are brutal, the violence never far away, the humour dark and sharp.
If you find the characters and settings for each a little stereotypical, there's a reason - for the plot of this audacious story is anything but! As always Brookmyre surprises and delights with twists and turns that will leave you just on the edge of iunderstanding what is going on.
Be prepared to suspend belief and enjoy the roller-coaster ride with his beguiling protagonists,

Please read till end as updated now I finished I added a star
Ok so I got quite confused at times ,lots of sibling different family same scenarios
I did enjoy the surprise of the concept in sense of pattern of murder but struggled to recall which sibling was with which family and then the whole buisness side of each family and I took awhile to read this
Its ok
It’s too convoluted and appears to try too hard somehow ,I did like the partnership of the two detectives
I very near the end but taken me so long wanted to get review in and I doubt will be a hugely twisty ending ,if there is I will update the review
Kinda guess motive has to be past related
Don’t wanna give too much away
It’s long and hard read really keeping up with alll the characters and I’m used to story’s that do have many in them just this was a hard read personally and became a bit of a chore and memory Excercise
Ok wow ! I ahe. Had to adjust this to four stars and yes cause of the end
Worth all the plot charcaters donvulted business talk ,it’s worth it and it all makes sense and I so get the title
Ty again so much and glad I didn’t give up


Ty netgally publishers for allowing me this opportunity though as always

This book begins with a Miss Marplesque Penny Coyne, based in Scotland, in typical cosy crime style. Crashing into the story comes Johnny Hawke a hard bitten, maverick LAPD detective. These opposites unite at a Scottish society wedding and a series of murders continue. Hard to say more without spoilers but there’s an unexpected twist for the unlikely duo. An unusual and inventive novel.

Just as I thought that I knew where this book was going it all got a bit weird. It certainly could be called genre busting but I had to go back a few times and reread bits to be sure what was going on. This did make my flow of the book a bit disjointed. Possibly all a bit too clever for me .

I enjoyed the book and loved the mystery solving of the crimes but did start getting confused when it went into another reality and lost me slightly! I guess I wanted it all to have happened but knew there was something 'off' but wasn't quite sure what.

Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this book. I didn't like the characters and found the story too far fetched. I gave up about 45%, therefore this will be the only review given.

Thank you to Netgalley, Little Brown Book Club UK and Chris Brookmyre for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. How can you possibly review this book without giving anything away? A mind bending, genre busting book that everyone will be talking about. I dare you not to like this. 4 stars

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

Loved this
fiendishly twisty turny
Gripping

What an amazing book! It starts off like a cosy mystery but don't be fooled - this is no Miss Marple adventure. Before long an LA police detective is thrown into the mix and when Penny Coyne, who's already solved 15 murders in her quiet Scottish village, accompanies Lt Hawke back to California, things start to turn really strange. Reality shifts and changes and neither of the main characters know quite what's going on. Throw in an elusive tech millionaire and a couple of families from hell and you'll be doubting your own sanity.

The resolution is very clever but it's impossible to say much about it without giving too much away.

If you like something a bit different, something that bends the rules while honouring the tropes, give this a go. I loved it.

Once I got my head around the two different stories: one of a LA detective who was called in to investigate a seemingly simple suicide case and the other of an octogenarian Scottish lady whose village were reeling from the news that a local had been found murdered in the church, I was hooked. The coming together of these unlikely pair had me chuckling at their interactions. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although I think I should have kept some notes of all the various characters to refresh me as they popped up throughout the book. I was intrigued and I think this could be a great film/ TV drama. Well done Chris Brookmyre!

This was well written and original. It starts out as 2 distinct different stories written very differently before combining into one murder mystery, or is it? I will definitely remember it and recommend it.

I was enjoying this book up to about 80% when it went weirder than it was before. The two characters of Penny Coyne and Johnny Hawke make a great double act and bring the 'Agatha Christie' and 'Michael Connolly' parts together nicely. Full of twists and surprises and I did enjoy it. An interesting cross genre book which was well written and well developed. But I don't think I would want t read another like it. With thanks for an e-ARC to read and review - it didn't state that it was unproofed but it was full of typos and a couple of bloopers.

Chris Brookmyre’s *The Cracked Mirror* is an enthralling crime novel that intertwines intricate plotting, layered characters, and sharp social commentary. Known for his distinctive blend of dark humour and suspense, Brookmyre once again delivers a compelling narrative. There are comparisons with Richard Osman’s *Thursday Murder Club*, and Michael Connelly’s *Bosch* series.

The novel opens with Penny Coyne, a retired schoolteacher with a penchant for puzzles, discovering a cryptic note alongside a dead body near her local church in the rural Scottish village of Kilchrist. The note hints at long-buried secrets and a past crime,.This propels Penny into an investigation that quickly becomes more personal than she anticipated.

Parallel to Penny’s story, we meet Johnny Hawke, a seasoned LAPD detective whose recent actions have left him on forced leave. Johnny’s narrative begins with him receiving an unexpected inheritance from a distant relative in Scotland, drawing him across the ocean to a land that is as foreign to him as the concept of a quiet life.

As Johnny arrives in Scotland, his path crosses with Penny’s. Their investigations intertwine when they discover that the murder Penny is investigating and the inheritance Johnny received are two ends of the same tangled web of deceit and betrayal.

The plot thickens as Penny and Johnny uncover clues leading them to a decades-old unsolved case involving a missing heirloom, a forbidden love affair, and a secret society with ties to both the Scottish and American underworlds. As they dig deeper, they find themselves facing not only the complexities of the case but also the shadows within their own lives.

The novel’s climax is a high-stakes confrontation where Penny and Johnny, with their complementary skills and perspectives, unravel the mystery. They expose a conspiracy that challenges their understanding of justice and retribution, forcing them to confront the moral ambiguities of their work.

Brookmyre’s prose is a masterclass in balancing humour and gravity. His characters are richly drawn, and their inner worlds are as compelling as the external mystery. The novel’s strength lies in its ability to maintain a brisk pace while allowing for moments of introspection and character development.

When placed alongside Richard Osman’s “Thursday Murder Club,” “The Cracked Mirror” presents a darker, more complex world. Osman’s series, set within the confines of a retirement village, is a delightful romp through the world of amateur sleuthing, marked by its light-hearted tone and endearing characters. In contrast, Brookmyre’s work is a more nuanced exploration of the genre, weaving together elements of traditional mystery with the grittier aspects of crime fiction.

Michael Connelly’s “Bosch” series stands as a pillar of the genre, known for its unflinching portrayal of detective work and the moral ambiguities that come with it. “The Cracked Mirror,” while sharing the procedural detail of Connelly’s work, distinguishes itself through its dual narrative and the cultural juxtaposition of its settings.

Final Thoughts: “The Cracked Mirror” is a testament to Brookmyre’s versatility as a writer. It is a novel that will resonate with aficionados of crime fiction who appreciate a story that can both entertain and provoke thought. With its clever plot and memorable characters, Brookmyre’s latest offering is a reflection of the genre’s potential to evolve and captivate.