Karen, Rex and their now grown up daughter Alice. She wants answers to her parentage…. Lots of twists and turns gripping read

House Of Mirrors by Erin Kelly is a follow on book from The Poison Tree, and follows Karen, Rex and their little girl Alice.
Rex is finally out of prison, so Karen has gone to collect him with their daughter so they can be a family finally. Biba is a dirty word…
I loved seeing what had happened to Rex and how Karen had coped with having a little girl alone.
Alice grows up and is just like Biba in more ways than one. She has a flair for clothes, but has turned that into having a shop and selling vintage clothing.
I loved the fact that we had little snippets of news about the past, to send your thoughts in a different direction. It was great!!
All in all, it’s a great story, lots of mystery. I’m hoping there may be more. We’ll have to wait and see!.
Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton Books for the opportunity to read this arc copy via Netgalley. My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley,#HodderStoughton,#Erin.Jelly.

A twisty thriller but not her best one for me. I liked all the gothic elements and the vintage clothing but I just didn’t connect with any of the characters. Probably me.

A fabulously written gripping story that was a pleasure to read. I would absolutely recommend this book, it was brilliant

House of Mirrors is a second book to The Poison tree, which I haven't read. It didn't feel like I missed out though. There was enough character development and premise to allow me to enjoy the book as a standalone.

I did get confused at the start though, as I though Biba was a shop not a person!! I loved Alice's shop and the dynamics between the messed-up family. And felt intrigue pulled through the story to keep my interest. I loved the twists and really found it a page turner!

Well it looks like there may be a third book about Karen, Rex and Alice, having read The Poison Tree it was easy to get right back in the drama however it can also be a standalone novel. Karen and Rex have a beautiful daughter called Alice who has just opened a vintage clothes shop everything seems perfect until Alice delves back into the past which Kate is very worried about as there are so many secrets that will ruin their lives.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughtob for an ARC

Having read the prequel , I found this title to be more enjoyable and feel that it could even be read as a stand alone. The author creates an intriguing mystery with (some) of the characters from the first novel. The mystery of why events of the past seem to be resurfacing are explored and we gain more insight in to the past traumas. Definitely worth persevering with this follow up, even if you struggled with the first.

I was given a copy of The House of Mirrors by Erin Kelly from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's a tricky review as this sequel had some wonderful moments, but I found various elements patently implausible.

Kelly has a knack for dialogue and a fine vision for storytelling. This book plays with the idea that podcasters don't understand that true crime affects people and isn't a joke. Alice, the daughter from The Poison Tree, has a passion for fashion and a thrill for true crime, which motivates her. She also has a boyfriend who seems untrustworthy, a typical red flag in Kelly's novels. We then return to Karen and Rex (still an excellent name), who live in Suffolk and seem to struggle financially, only there are many, many references to Waitrose purchases and champagne buying, which didn't seem all that necessary. As the story weaves along, the past appears ready to be upturned. As we enter Part 2, we need new characters who take the story in a new direction.

The new action plays out well, although none of the characters are convincing. I'm discussing a minor spoiler here, but it drove me nuts during Chapter 43, where one of the characters just happened to have her passport in a safe deposit box. It felt so wholly invented to push the storyline along. Whilst the story reached its natural end, the epilogue was so well-written that it made me think that so much of the action led up to that twist. (Minor spoiler alert: don't read this if you haven't finished the book: would the information regarding the train journey be available online? I doubted that too. It would have been a payment, not an itinerary.)

Erin Kelly remains a writer who understands dialogue, logistics and desperation. When the plot doesn't quite fit, she tries new ways to inspire the reader to read on, and you escape, for a while, from reality.

The House of Mirrors by Erin Kelly is a masterfully woven psychological thriller that keeps readers on edge with its tangled web of secrets, lies, and suspense. Set in the summer of 1997, the story begins when Karen, a reserved and studious young woman, meets Biba, a free-spirited and glamorous aspiring actress. Their encounter sets off a chain of events that leaves two people dead, another in prison, and a past that Karen has spent years trying to bury.

Now, years later, Karen is married to Rex, a man who has served his prison sentence for his involvement in the tragic events of that summer. They have a daughter, Alice, who runs a vintage clothing shop in London. While on the surface, the family seems ordinary, the weight of their past casts a long shadow over their seemingly perfect lives. The family has made a pact to never speak of the past, particularly the name Biba, and to ignore the darker, unpredictable side of Alice’s nature that occasionally surfaces.

However, when anonymous notes start to arrive at Alice’s shop, it becomes clear that the past is not finished with them. As the secrets of 1997 begin to unravel, Karen and Alice are forced to confront the dark truths they have long buried. The tension builds as we see the parallels between the past and present, and the creeping suspicion that one of them may be on the verge of repeating history.

Kelly’s writing is sharp, with layers of intrigue and suspense packed into every page. The narrative is rich with subplots that keep the reader guessing, and Kelly excels in creating a sense of foreboding and paranoia. The characters, though wrapped in glamour and charm, are fully realized and relatable, making their dark secrets and flaws all the more chilling. There’s a sense of realism in their relationships, and as the story unfolds, the characters’ vulnerabilities become even more apparent, adding emotional depth to the psychological drama.

What makes The House of Mirrors particularly compelling is Kelly’s ability to stay several steps ahead of the reader. The plot is carefully constructed, with unexpected twists that leave the reader questioning who can be trusted and what is truly at the heart of the family’s tragic past. The slow unraveling of secrets is both thrilling and heartbreaking, making this a gripping and thought-provoking read.

In true Erin Kelly fashion, the novel is an exquisite tale of suspense, where the past refuses to remain buried and the consequences of hidden truths loom large. The family’s secrets, combined with Kelly’s brilliant storytelling, make The House of Mirrors a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and intricate character studies.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Am lyfr diddorol, doeddwn i wir ddim yn siŵr beth i’w ddisgwyl pan ddechreuais ddarllen ac nid wyf wedi darllen y llyfr blaenorol ond ni wnaeth hyn amharu ar y stori gan fod digon o wybodaeth yn cael ei darparu!
Cawn gymeriadau di-ri gyda’r stori yn neidio rhwng safbwynt mam a merch, ac ambell gymeriad arall gan adrodd hanes un teulu llawn helynt. Troeon cwbl annisgwyl a digon o gyffro!

What an interesting story, I really wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading and I haven’t read the previous book either but this didn’t have an impact on this story as enough details were given of the history! We meet various characters as the story jumps between mother and daughter and a few other characters to tell the tale of a family full of troubles. Completely unexpected twists and lots of excitement!

Another thrilling read by Erin Kelly!
Full of mystery and murder what’s not to love!
Have read a lot of Erin’s books and this one might just be my new favourite!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC

This is set over 2 generations, new relationships, old secrets, a missing sister, a murder. Who is telling the truth, who calls Alice’s shop? Is Gabe who is says he is. Twists and turns, truth and lies, a new relative. A really good story. I think I should have read The Poison Tree 1st as I think this follows on.

Set in the late 90's Karen and Bibacouldn't be more different.

One dowdy one sexy they are good friends and their differences do not get in the way.

Murder, mystery and mayhem are what this book is about. It is twisty and unpredictable.

It is brilliantly written and the story was divine. I loved how I thought I had guessed but then excited that I had not .

Superb

The tragic events of a summer decades ago continue to reverberate through the lives of those who lived through it, leaving in its lingering wake a toxic legacy.

Although Karen would like to forget everything that happened with her one time companion Biba, having moved forward with the life she has chosen alongside her husband and daughter, the past is not so easy to leave behind her...

A suspenseful Gothic thriller that holds the reader's attention throughout, this is worth a read and gets 3.5 stars.

Wow if you think a story couldnt possibly get any better, this sequel crashes through the stratosphere. Its utterly all encompassing, thrilling and riveting. I loved every page and each new character and setting, brilliant.

Another brilliantly crafted psychological thriller, picking up a decade or so after The Poison Tree ended.

Alice has a passion for sustainable fashion and a fixation with true crime podcasts, having grown up knowing her father was in jail for murder for the first ten years of her life.

Rex and Karen married after his release, but they eschewed his infamous family name and remain constantly vigilant of reporters dredging up the past.

Alice is desperate to learn more about what really happened, but when she begins to receive strange calls at her new shop they worry that the reporters have picked up the scent.

Karen is desperate to keep the past secret, and is convinced that Alice's new boyfriend is not all he seems

This book is chock full of EVERYTHING. I couldn't get enough. As the chapters weave between time, events and different characters, the reader is presented with every despicable aspect of human relationships. Love and lies, murder and mayhem, family history and layers of mistakes, failures, more lies and gallant gestures. Alice is starting on a new business venture, backed by her parents Karen and Rex. Rex's sister Biba disappeared years ago, presumed read after what appeared to be suicide.......that night had ended badly with two people dead.......Rex served time for that and eventually Biba was formally declared dead, though no body was ever found. Just an earring found on the seabed some time later.
Alice is fixated on crime and murder, listening to podcasts while she works.....questions posed, sometimes answered.....Criminoids, they call themselves, delving back in to unsolved murders and other crimes. Little does Alice know, she is at the centre of an untold and very well hidden story including a crime - no, crimes - that could blow her world into tiny, sharp shards. This is by far the best book I have read this year.

This has been so carefully plotted and the story unfolds layer upon layer. Kept me gripped from start to finish, knowing that there was more to come. I didn’t realise until the end that it was a sequel to The Poison Tree (which I’ve not read) and it can definitely be read as a stand alone.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

This is a very good read, there is lots going on and so many secrets, surprises and twists! I thought I had guessed everyone's secrets and worked out some of the twists but I was wrong every time. I didnt realise until after I had read this book that it is s a sequel to The Poison Tree (which I have not read) so if you have read that one, then, I don't know, but maybe you know about some of the secrets. I would say the books works very well as a standalone.

Alice is a spoiled brat but that doesn't detract from the story. All the characters are strong and easily distinguishable and the events are believable. It is a good, solid, well written book, well paced and keeps your interests throughout. The ending was a surprise and also rather tantalising!

The author is very good at plotting, i had previously read The Skeleton Key and it is a great read too.

Another brilliant book from the pen of Erin Kelly. The House of Mirrors is actually a sequel to The Poison Tree but it is so well written that it can be read as a stand alone. The chapters are narrated by different characters to allow the reader to see their point of view, their secrets and flaws. Thus building the layers of the story beautifully. There are twists and turns every few pages and a finale you'll never guess If you want a mysterious gothic thriller with all that as well this is the book for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.