When Ada Brant was a little girl, she witnessed the murder of her mother by her father's hands and has never been the same. She still bares the emotional scars twenty-five years after the incident.
She's a crime novelist and professor when her uncle, an ex-FBI agent, brings in two colleagues who need Ada's help as a local analyst. A serial killer is on the loose in Seattle, and if Ada doesn't face her demons and do something, who knows why might be next?
In J.J. Stone's first novel, The Mirror Stage, you're immediately tossed into Ada's messed up world of hurt and death. You meet Ada, and she seems like a pitiable character...until you get to know her. She's strong, stubborn, resilient and deeply scarred...but also deeply clever. She's a leading lady with a brain instead of great boobs, and that's what I liked most about her.
Then you've got Agent James Deacon, who's the biggest jerk you could imagine, but he has his own demons, which you'll learn about as the book goes on. He's a jerk, but he's a kind, good-looking jerk, and that makes him an unlikely but excellent male lead.
Even the killer has a story, one you'll have to read to understand.
The supporting characters, like Brenda and Dade, are great. Even the dog, Tiny, is likable. There's also a character that only makes a small appearance, Janice, that I think we need to look out for in the next two books.
The plot is straightforward, at first. It then begins to take a road so winding you'll need a map to follow. No one is safe, and the killer is on the run. I love thrillers and crime novels, and this one is one if my favorites now. The cliffhanger at the end will keep me on my toes till book two is released.
While there were some editing errors, I loved this book. A great, fast-paced read!
5/5--you need this on your TBR list!
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