Mirror Lake

This book was well written with an interesting premise that was original and witty with endearing and well developed characters. I havent read anything like this before and I really liked it. I also LOVED the front cover.

Juneau Black’s Mirror Lake is the third full-length novel about the creatures of Shady Hollow. (There is also one short story so far.) This is a small American town inhabited by creatures, all living together in harmony (apart from the occasional murder – but that’s never motivated by speciesism). Yes, I know, I know: how can rabbits and foxes live alongside each other in peace and harmony? Equally, why would they wear clothing? And how can, say, a fox and a bear have a romantic relationship? Just suspend your disbelief gland and accept that they do.

Dorothy Springfield insists that Edward, her husband, is dead – even though he’s standing beside her, talking to her gently. Vera Vixen, the local ace reporter, scents a story and also does want to help Dorothy. Is Dorothy imagining things or has her wife’s intuition told her something? The whole town can see it’s Edward and Dorothy does have a history of ummm… episodes. Why would Dorothy say this? Is it connected with Edward’s mother’s death the previous day and the now disclosed contents of her will?

It’s a well-written undemanding whodunnit with a nice sub-plot featuring a famous author coming to the local bookstore, Nevermore Books, for a signing session. This hero definitely turns out to have feet of clay. Black neatly skewers a certain tiny minority of authors who perhaps focus too much upon themselves and not enough upon their readers. I read this cosy book in a few hours, under a warm duvet, before going to sleep, refreshed in both body and mind.

#MirrorLake #NetGalley