Years have passed since the sweltering summer of 1997 - the summer Karen Clarke fell under the thrall of beautiful, captivating Biba Capel; the summer she fell in love with Biba's brother, Rex, and the summer which ended with two men dead and one in prison.

Alice, Karen and Rex's daughter, is now older than her parents were in 1997, and opening her own vintage clothing boutique in North London, thanks to a not insignificant investment from Rex and Karen. 'The things we do for Alice,' they remark ruefully. But Alice doesn't know the half of it. She remembers visiting her father in prison when she was a child, and she's well versed in her parents' version of events - that Rex is a good man who did a bad thing. But there are some details that Rex and Karen have kept hidden, secrets buried so deep that they should never see the light of day. And then the phone calls start, an anonymous note is delivered to Alice's shop, and a strange, yet familiar, woman appears.

In the interest of full disclosure, I'll note that I actually read The House of Mirrors before The Poison Tree, not realising that it was a sequel to Erin Kelly's 2010 debut until I had finished it. This new installment certainly functions as a standalone novel, with plenty of time dedicated to flashbacks to 1997 and the summer of Karen, Rex and Biba. For readers who are unfamiliar with The Poison Tree (or who read it so long ago that they have forgotten much of it), this is essential; those who read the two books back-to-back would likely find the retread frustrating. Having now read both books, at times it even feels like it's been a while since Kelly read her own book: all of the major 1997 plot points are played as big reveals, yet they were already established in the first book. This means that, whichever order you read the two books in, you are in for some clever twists and turns which are then underwhelming the second time around.

The main parallels between the two books - aside from the characters - are the mystery elements and the setting. The summer of 2022 serves as a mirror to the sweltering days of 1997, and the author uses pathetic fallacy adeptly. We feel the tension and intrigue building alongside the climbing temperatures, and we sense that we are building to a dramatic climax in the way that the close, sticky air of a heatwave must ultimately be broken by a storm or cold front. In terms of the new mysteries, there are plenty to keep the reader engaged: Who is The Woman? Is it her who has been trying to contact Alice? Is Karen right to distrust Alice's partner, Gabe? Everyone is keeping secrets from each other and, should they come out, things will never be the same again for any of them.

Alice replaces Karen as the main protagonist of this book, and I enjoyed her as a character. The vintage shop was a nice tie-in to Biba and I liked how Kelly opened each of Alice's chapters with an Instagram-style #ootd run-down; it was great attention to detail and really helped establish Alice as a distinct character. I also thought that Kelly used her to create some clever misdirection, playing on the reader's likely assumptions from her own inner monologue and her interactions with other characters.

Unlike in The Poison Tree, we get to hear Biba's perspective. In that book, Biba was at once the most interesting character and the most unlikeable, and having the opportunity to account for herself does nothing to redeem her. Rex continues to be something of a non-entity, and it was a shame not to see more of the impact losing Biba had on him, having seen how devoted he was to her - and how responsible he felt for her - in the first book.

Some of the plot twists are predictable but plenty were completely unexpected. There was lots to keep the reader guessing and I found the switching between Alice and Karen's POVs worked better than the two Karen timelines of the first book. The ending, I thought, was perfectly pitched.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A sequel to The Poison Tree which to be honest wasn't one of my favourite reads. I started this with a bit of a dread expecting it to take some getting into like the last one, but wow I was hooked from the start! Well paced and written from different POV's I just loved this book and couldn't believe it was written by the same author. So much better with lots of twists and turns.

More than twenty years after the summer of 1997 and Karen and Rex (who's now changed his surname to Clarke) are still together, and Alice has grown up and opened a vintage clothes shop in London. However, just as she prepares to open the shop to the public, a verbal slip up by Rex, referring to The Night Of, has Alice questioning what happened in 1997, and if the official events are true. To make matters worse for Karen, Alice's new boyfriend Gabe, who Karen neither likes nor trusts, has managed to become involved in Alice's secret investigation. And then there's Biba, who still has the power to surprise all these years later. But what will Alice uncover, who will survive, and will Karen's secrets be exposed?

I'm so glad The Poison Tree got a sequel, although this can easily be read as a standalone. This time the narrative is mostly shared in the first person by Karen and her daughter Alice, but we finally get to hear Biba's story, and to meet newcomer Liss. Again we have drama, tension, and Karen's ever-increasing paranoia as her distrust of Gabe grows and she learns of Alice's investigation into the past. After all this time, not even Rex knows the whole truth. But this time around Alice, Gabe and even Biba have secrets of their own, and one's which can change everything. This is tense, fast-paced, absorbing, enjoyable, and I suspect it will stay with me for as long as the first book did.

Another page-turning, 5 star read from Erin Kelly. This book is a sequel to the poison tree, so make sure to read that first. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy

This is a twisting, turning, psychological thriller I just did not want to put down.
Hard to do a synopsis without plot spoilers, so will just recommend it to anyone who loves the kind of crime thriller that keeps you guessing and wondering all the way through.
Believable characters, very pacy prose and a very satisfying read. I can see this working as a great television drama series.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an advance review copy of this novel.

A great and interesting story which I was very impressed with. Cleverly written I read this very quickly. A new author for me which I always love. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I didn’t realise until 70% way through the book I was actually reading the sequel! Not that it mattered as the book stands well as a stand alone. I’ll have to read the other now too. The book follows the story of a married couple Rex and Karen who are settling their daughter into her new business selling vintage clothing in her shop Dead Girls Dresses. We learn that in 1997 it was “The Night Of” when her father shot his sister’s boyfriend and neighbour. The Capel family seemed beset by tragedy. Rex’s mother a famous actress and model had taken her own life and his sister had been declared dead after committing suicide. The book follows the multiple secrets that each person in this family has, each with the ability to implode the family and the lengths they will go to to keep those secrets buried.

I absolutely loved this book. The writing literally kept off the page with gothic twists and turns. The characters were flawed, full and in turns unlikeable. I was completely invested in what happened next. First but definitely not the last book I’ll read by this author.

I purchased a copy but it felt like there was just something missing to make the characters relatable. Good read but not for me unfortunately.

Wow! I was totally gripped by this unusual & original story. The characters had depth & I so wanted to find the ‘Dead Girl’s Clothes’ shop. There were little twists & turns constantly & it was a very interesting take on family loyalties & connections as well as a kind of murder mystery. You need to read it!!

I love Erin Kelly.!! This was absolutely addictive

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review

This book was so addictive! Amazing sequel to The Poison Tree that I didn't know I needed!
Great crime/mystery that I think will really hit home with a lot of people.

Erin Kelly delivers another gripping and atmospheric thriller with The House of Mirrors, a novel that masterfully blends psychological suspense with rich, immersive storytelling. From the very first page, the tension is palpable, drawing the reader into a world where nothing is quite as it seems.

Kelly’s prose is elegant and evocative, bringing both the eerie setting and complex characters to life. The novel is full of twists and turns, keeping you second-guessing every revelation. The psychological depth of the characters adds another layer of intrigue, making their motivations feel believable even when their actions are questionable.

While the pacing slows in some places, the novel’s compelling mystery and haunting atmosphere make up for it. The ending is satisfying, unexpected yet fitting, leaving just the right amount of ambiguity to linger in your mind.

Overall, The House of Mirrors is a well-crafted, intelligent thriller that will appeal to fans of slow-burning psychological suspense. A strong 4 stars!

Absolutely loved The House of Mirrors. If ever a book deserved a sequel The Poison Tree did and this does not disappoint. It was so good to find out what had happened to the various characters over the years and to be introduced to new interesting people. There’s a lot happens in this but no spoilers here, I just recommended you read it and love it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review and to Erin Kelly for a great piece of work-you have a new fan.

The follow up to The Poison Tree and just as good. Plenty of twist and mystery to keep you reading. Good characters old and new, excellent plotting..You don't have to read the first book but it helps. Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this review ARC.

A thrilling read that will keep you guessing from the very first page. A book that you will find hard to put down once you start.

Sorry, but I didn’t enjoy this book at all. I didn’t find it interesting or exciting and it seemed to take forever to get to the end. Not my cup of tea at all I’m afraid.

When it comes to deeply involving, twisty thrillers, Erin Kelly is in a league of her own. The House of mirrors is a magnificent mystery that begs to be read in a single sitting but deserves to be pored over slowly, every word savoured. Possibly the finest thriller you'll read all year

Although I found the story a little slow to get into, it ramped up well and was eventually going at breakneck speed. Once up to speed I found it hard to put down.
The story leads you in and keeps you gripped with shocking twists and turns. The ending is excellent.

The author clearly loves fashion and her descriptions of clothing and the aesthetics were intoxicating. 

I did find that it felt a little jumpy in places and although the perspectives from multiple characters was quite innovative I did find it a little confusing at times (that could just be me though!)

What did I just read! It was so blooming good. If I could give more than 5 stars I would. I can't believe I have already read a top 5 book of the year. Maybe even the best book of the year!

This book tells the story of Karen, Rex and their daughter Alice. And the mystery of what happened to Rex's sister Biba. Rex has been in prison for the murder of two men, one in self defense and the other accidental. He got out of prison when Alice was 10. Biba his sister has been missing since the night of the murders, missing presumed dead. What happened the night of and where is Biba

The character of Karen, well she was a bit of a Karen. At first I did not like her but as I grew to understand her. I kind of got her although I still didn't fully like her. Alice I absolutely loved her. She was such a well rounded character, I completely got her need for the truth. And just to put the mystery of the night of to bed. Rex and Liss were also two great characters. You could feel Rex's pain through the pages and Liss her need for answers.

This book is so intriguing, it's a proper page turner. I was completely engrossed. I was gasping out loud at parts that I did not see coming. With the way this book ends there better be a follow up. I need to know what happens next. I need more Alice, Liss, Rex and Karen in my life!!!!

This is the first book by Erin Kelly I have read. Where has she been all my life! I need more!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for allowing me to read this fabulous book.

In a book where everyone has a secret, starting with the double murder by Rex whose daughter Alice suspects it was actually his sister Bibs who he did time for. Meanwhile, Alice’s mother Karen has secrets of her own which Alice’s activist boyfriend seems determined to uncover. I really enjoyed this book, especially as I got further into it and most secrets unravelled. A highly recommended read.