Bookseller Reviews
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Worlds Collide and Genres Explode!
A crime thriller that will blow your mind!
The Cracked Mirror takes the rulebook, tears it up and reimagines it to create a truly in-genius thriller full ... READ MORE
Unexpected But Brilliant
4.5 stars. When I read the synopsis and it said genre bending, I was intrigued about a composite of cosy crime and hard boiled crime, which it was….. But t... READ MORE
Synopsis
You know Penny Coyne. The little old lady who has solved multiple murders in her otherwise sleepy village, despite bumbling local police. A razor-sharp mind in a Sunday best hat.
You know Johnny Hawke. Hard-bitten LAPD homicide detective. Always in trouble with his captain, always losing partners, but always battling for the truth, whatever it takes.
Against all the odds, against the usual story, their worlds are about to collide. It starts with a dead writer and a mysterious wedding invitation. It will end with a rabbit hole that goes so deep, Johnny and Penny might just come to question not just whodunnit, but whether they want to know the answer.
A cross-genre hybrid of Agatha Christie and Michael Connelly, The Cracked Mirror is the most imaginative and entertaining crime novel of the year, a genre-splicing rollercoaster with a poignantly emotional heart.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
- ISBN: 9780349145792
- Number of pages: 512
- Dimensions: 234 x 164 x 50 mm
- Weight: 740g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allA mind blowing trip between murder mistery and sci fi
This really confused me at first. It opens with an elderly Scottish librarian who has returned from a trip to find that there has been a murder in her vill... READ MORE
Clever storytelling and writing! Reminded me of nesting Russian dolls...!
Though you have never met them before this book centres on two characters you probably "know". There's the tough LAPD cop, Johnny Hawke, who will get his ... READ MORE
When two worlds collide
How is it possible that two detective's, from very different backgrounds, end up meeting?
That possibly, their separate cases, are strangely entwined?
... READ MORE
Ok
I’ve read and enjoyed other books by this author but “The Cracked Mirror” just did not do it for me. I almost gave up at the beginning- it only started to ... READ MORE
Fantastic!
An octogenarian Scottish librarian and a tough LAPD detective teaming up to solve a murder? I was intrigued by the unusual premise and the fact that it did... READ MORE
What a great read!
Wow! Wow! Wow! I started this wondering how could CB mix Agatha Christie and Michael Connolly ( as the book has been described) . What a story! Johnny Haw... READ MORE
A brilliant, surprising, beautifully crafted book of the kind that only comes along once in a very long time.
There’s a fine line between genius and madness and though this book will mess with your head, Chris Brookmyre undoubtedly comes out on the side of genius.
... READ MORE
wonderfully imaginative
Finished this at the weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it!
Having only read the author's historical crime novels written with his wife under the pseudonym Am... READ MORE
Mixed feelings
I have read several previous novels of Chris Brookmyre’s novels, so I was curious to find out about his new novel The Cracked mirror. The title reminds me ... READ MORE
A genre-defying culture clash detective puzzle
I was debating with myself how much I could actually say about this book, but the blurb does it neatly for me:
You know Penny Coyne. The little old lady w... READ MORE
Brilliant!
I was sent a copy of The Cracked Mirror by Chris Brookmyre to read and review by NetGalley. What a brilliant read! I loved the way that the two different... READ MORE
Twisting murder mystery
This is a twisted murder mystery crime thriller. There is a lot going on, in fact I want to thank the publisher that they give us the full book and don’t s... READ MORE
First for me from this author
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and look forward to reading more. I liked the clever concept of two separate investigative stories running ... READ MORE
Pay attention, you may think you are solving a crime
A well crafted tale. Starts out as a detective mash up and leads you gently through the incremental steps to a science fiction mystery.
Stick with it - good plot development!
It took me a while to get into this one as it very much felt as I was reading two completely separate books for a while. The contrast between Johnny LAPD a... READ MORE
There are, clearly, two ways to solve a murder
I have loved murder mysteries since my formative years when I would sneak my Mum's Agatha Christies. Not sure I fully understood the finer points, then, bu... READ MORE
Clever and gripping
Love Chris Brookmyre’s books and I loved this new offering even more so. It had the usual Brookmyre dark humour however this one was ‘cleverer’ as it was... READ MORE
A little drawn out
A very different book to anything I have read previously. I chuckled at the title as doing a search on my Kindle the second book in the search was Agatha C... READ MORE
What a mashup
When I requested this audio title, I forgot that I’d already read an early review copy of the title. I’ve submitted review for that, which I’ve copied belo... READ MORE
A cleverly constructed crime thriller
I haven’t read this author before but what a belter of a book to start with. A standalone crime thriller which mixes a hardened LA detective & a wee biddy ... READ MORE
Not for me!
I appreciate that this is a very clever book but it was far too complex and complicated for my little brain. Sorry, but thanks to NetGalley and the publis... READ MORE
Disjointed
I unfortunately found it difficult to engage with this book. The opening chapters paint a delightful Agatha Christie style murder mystery in Perthshire wit... READ MORE
An audaciously clever genre-bending thriller from a master of his craft
The Cracked Mirror is my first 5 star read of 2024, however, it's a tricky one to review as saying too much about the plot or even the characters runs the ... READ MORE
Wow Wow Wow!
Wow! Wow! Wow! I started this wondering how could CB mix Agatha Christie and Michael Connolly ( as the book has been described) . What a story! Johnny Haw... READ MORE
Miss Marple meets Bad Boys
Delighted to share the Cracked Mirror by Chris Brookmyre. This story revolves around Penny Coyne and Johnny Hawke. Penny, an elderly librarian in a quiet v... READ MORE
A very cleverly plotted mystery utilising a combined genre narrative.
Rating: 4.3/5
A couple of years ago Chris Brookmyre wrote "The Cut", which presented an unlikely alliance between a 72 year old former movie make-up ar... READ MORE
The denouement is so worth the wait.
I started this book and wondered what all the threads were leading to. Read quite a bit more and wondered why I was bothering to read it at all.
However... READ MORE
Very clever
This is my first read by this author, so I wasn't sure what to expect, being drawn in by the sideways reference to Agatha Christie in the title.
I felt ... READ MORE
Miss Marple meets LAPD!
Delighted to share the Cracked Mirror by Chris Brookmyre. This story revolves around Penny Coyne and Johnny Hawke. Penny, an elderly librarian in a quiet v... READ MORE
A unique whodunnit
A thoroughly enjoyable whodunnit with a unique twist. If you imagine Marple meets Bosch you’d be on the right lines. Quality writing with a very clever plo... READ MORE
Chris Brookmyre is an insta buy author for me, and this is no exception. Deftly executed, a fun, pacy thriller with a great twist. I absolutely loved it.
Chris Brookmyre is an insta buy author for me, and this is no exception. Deftly executed, a fun, pacy thriller with a great twist. I absolutely loved it.
Excellent
The Cracked Mirror is an amazing success for Chris Brookmyre. He takes all of the tropes of the classic crime mystery and combined them with the modern pol... READ MORE
Cosy crime meets police procedural.
I enjoyed this novel very much. I found the book impossible to put down, and I was very antisocial while I was engrossed in it.
For the first few chapt... READ MORE
Quirky and clever cross-genre crime.
This is a tough one to review without spoilers, but here goes:
I really like Brookmyre, but found myself confused at the start of this book- there seemed... READ MORE
An enjoyable read
Two completely different detectives working on different investigations eventually come to work together when they meet at a wedding. This is an entertain... READ MORE
Okay read
Michelle
1,441 reviews
141 followers
April 29, 2024
I have read several previous novels of Chris Brookmyre’s novels, so I was curious to find out about... READ MORE
Brookmyre on top form
Love a good Chris Brookmyre novel and this is one of those. Miss Marple meets Harry Bosch by way of Douglas Adams! Mystery, thriller, cosy crime, crime noi... READ MORE
Golden-age / hard boiled thriller mash up
Brilliantly inventive bringing together of a miss marple style character and an LAPD cop - apparently in the style of Michael Connolly, who I’m not familia... READ MORE
Miss Marple mash up!
Brookmyre has thrown away the rule book for this one. How is it possible for a mash up of Miss Marple and modern day LAPD to come together in a single volu... READ MORE
And when they met, it was moider!
Have you ever finished the entire run of a particular crime series and then looked at the next author with dozens of books with the same sleuth and thought... READ MORE
Another winner from Brookmyre. Brilliant.
As a long time fan of Brookmyre’s writing, Jack Parlabane being one of my favourite fictional characters ever, I jumped at the chance to review this via Ne... READ MORE
Two seemingly different time lines and sleuths - you won't want to stop reading
I loved this book! How are murders in Scotland and California connected? Two rather different protagonists work on the cases. A lovely twist brings the t... READ MORE
Brilliant read
This really confused me at first. It opens with an elderly Scottish librarian who has returned from a trip to find that there has been a murder in her vill... READ MORE
The Cracked Mirror great mystery with a twist
At first I thought this was like an Agatha Christie novel which I don't like particularly. An Octogenarian sleuth who solves murders in a little village in... READ MORE
Genius!
Took me a while to warm to this book, I couldn't adjust to the two different stories. As the story went on however and the two characters started coming t... READ MORE
Love a good Chris Brookmyre novel and this is one of those
Miss Marple meets Harry Bosch by way of Douglas Adams! Mystery, thriller, cosy crime, crime noir and Sci-fi, this book covers many a genre. Entertaining pa... READ MORE
Expect the unexpected
To be honest, as I sit down to write this review I’ve absolutely no idea what’s going to come out of my fingers. ‘The Cracked Mirror’ is unlike anything I’... READ MORE
Very clever
With many thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily
Oh this is such a clever... READ MORE
Nothing is what it seems
I had not read any of this author's book before and had no idea what to expect. I found it pacy and complex.
An Agatha Christie- type Scottish lady with a... READ MORE
Another great offering with an interesting twist for current times.
Another excellent offering from Chris Brookmyre, it felt a little different to his usual offerings but still with his usual flair and interesting twists to... READ MORE
A 'cracking' good read.
I am always really excited to see a new Chris Brookmyre novel, partly because I never know what will be inside. The Cracked Mirror did not disappoint alt... READ MORE
A Blended Novel
Two detectives stereotyped from Agatha Christie and Michael Connelly should not be in the same universe but what happens when they cross each other’s path?... READ MORE
Suprising
You know Penny Coyne. The little old lady who has solved multiple murders in her otherwise sleepy village, despite bumbling local police. A razor-sharp min... READ MORE
Definitely worth a read!
The Cracked Mirror revolves around LAPD detective Jack and local crime solver Penny who work together to unravel a series of murders . The story is full of... READ MORE
Superb. Classic Brookmyre.
As a long time fan of Brookmyre’s writing, Jack Parlabane being one of my favourite fictional characters ever, I jumped at the chance to review this via Ne... READ MORE
something a bit different...
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 throw... READ MORE
Superb!
I enjoyed this novel very much. I found the book impossible to put down, and I was very antisocial while I was engrossed in it.
For the first few chapte... READ MORE
inventive, clever and captivating
An imaginative and original crime thriller that briefly confused me then won me over and thoroughly entertained me.
It features possibly the most unlikel... READ MORE
It's everything it's cracked up to be
Every mystery is touted as 'twisty' but this one really deserves the title!
Initially, the two storylines and styles are worlds apart, but this is an ... READ MORE
Fantastic and unique
Law-abiding amateur sleuth Penny Coyne and gruff rule-breaking LA detective Johnny Hawke form an unlikely alliance to solve a series of apparent suicides t... READ MORE
Ultra complex crime thriller
There are a lot of subgenres subsumed within the crime thriller genre, each with its own conventions; albeit with blurred boundaries. Mergers are not unco... READ MORE
An excellent read!
I liked this book and enjoyed the combining of the two genres. I was somewhat confused at times with the various characters and had to reread in order to c... READ MORE
An Absolute Must Read for Anyone Who Enjoys Crime Fiction
Absolutely amazing, this is both fantastic and fascinating. It’s difficult to review because saying anything at all gives away plot points. All I can say i... READ MORE
Wow
Just finished the Cracked mirror and I am in awe. Layer upon layer of entertainment. So complex, so rewarding, so intelligent. It has everything. An off-th... READ MORE
Oh this is good
The Cracked Mirror is a story with many layers. As described in the blurb, it unites a tough LA detective, Johnny Hawke, with a seemingly genteel Scottish... READ MORE
Good stuff
I like all this authors books. I have been reding and collecting his work for years. I particularly like his Parlabane series, a real hoot.
This book ia genius
I am big fan of Brookmyres books, I like his writing style, the references to politics / pop culture and a little Glasweigan that often pops up. This book ... READ MORE
A truly mind-bending, brilliant mystery!
Miss Marple meets Michael Connelly could be an easy tagline for award-winning Scottish author Chris Brookmyre’s superb new novel, but that distillation sev... READ MORE
Excellent mashup of styles.
‘The Cracked Mirror’ by Chris Brookmyre,is certainly a bit different from your run of the mill police police procedure or amateur sleuth stories.
The... READ MORE
Great read!
Wasn’t sure whether this could work. The premise of a Miss Marple type character and an American private detective, coming together to solve crime, But it ... READ MORE
Just WOW
WOW what an edge of the seat mystery thriller The Cracked Mirror by Chris Brookmyre is. This is my first time reading a book by this fantastic author.
... READ MORE
Make your day - Crack this if you can.
Having been a fan of Christopher Brookmyre’s books for a long time – seduced by titles such as ‘Boiling a Frog’ and ‘A Big Boy Did and Ran Away’ and ‘Count... READ MORE
Brilliantly written and unique.
Because Brookmyre is a brilliant writer, this novel is a triumph. Two characters, completely different, one a Scottish woman, Penelope Coyne in the style o... READ MORE
Something Very Different From Chris Brookmyre
The beginning of Chris Brockmyre's ,"The Cracked Mirror", threw me completely. 2 stereotypical characters from different crime genres are brought together ... READ MORE
Everything it's cracked up to be
Every mystery is touted as 'twisty' but this one really deserves the title!
Initially, the two storylines and styles are worlds apart, but this is an ... READ MORE
Cool transatlantic sleuthing.
I have read most of CB’s books though recently it was the Ambrose Parry collaborations , so when I started reading this novel and met the spritely 82 year ... READ MORE
Holly Golly!!
With many thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily
Oh this is such a clever... READ MORE
The Cracked Mirror is a 'cracking' good read.
I am always really excited to see a new Chris Brookmyre novel, partly because I never know what will be inside. The Cracked Mirror did not disappoint alt... READ MORE
Great read, very original.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book with no obligation to review.
This is very inventive indeed. At first I was not s... READ MORE
Mind-blowingly clever
Chris Brookmyre in top form with this roller coaster of a murder mystery that’s mind-blowingly clever and laced with his usual dry wit.
Penny Coyne (drea... READ MORE
A terrific read!
4.5 rounded up
“ A cross genre hybrid of Agatha Christie and Michael Connelly”… and yes, it’s definitely that. Meet Ms Penelope Coyne, she’s in her 80... READ MORE
The Cracked Mirror
The Cracked Mirror revolves around LAPD detective Jack and local crime solver Penny who work together to unravel a series of murders . The story is full of... READ MORE
Not what you think it is
After a few novels which were enjoyable but not earth shattering, it’s great to see Brookmyre experimenting again. This one plays with different facets of ... READ MORE
A rollercoaster read!
I loved the sound of two drastically different detectives colliding and working together in The Cracked Mirror by Chris Brookmyre. The idea of a Miss Marp... READ MORE
Miss Marple meets Marlowe - or is it just my imagination?
Found this a very intriguing read but did require some perseverance, some bits I got and some I didn’t, well least not until the end. The meeting of the tw... READ MORE
Another cracking piece of writing from a brilliant writer
Delighted to report that my 100% enjoyment of Chris Brookmyre novels, however different they are from each other, remains complete. I loved this curious bu... READ MORE
Clever plotting
This book caught my eye because I enjoy reading Agatha Christie and Michael Connelly, and I'd just finished reading my first Christopher Brookmyre book. I ... READ MORE
Cracking!
Chris Brookmyre is known for his originality and The Cracked Mirror is probably even more unique than his last dozen or so novels. Even reading the blurb u... READ MORE
The Cracked Mirror by Chris Brookmyre
The Cracked Mirror by Chris Brookmyre is the meeting of a Miss Marple type investigator and a hardened LAPD homicide detective, who came together to find o... READ MORE
The Cracked Mirror
With this book, Chris Brookmyre has not just rewritten the rules about crime novels, he has completely smashed them, torn them up, not even bothering to re... READ MORE
Too many strands to keep track of
I’ve enjoyed Chris Brookmyre’s previous books such as A Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Black Pencil and more recently The Cliff House, so I was excited to r... READ MORE
A bonkers concept delivered masterfully
Thank you to the author, publishers Abacus and NetGalley UK for access to this as an advance reader’s ebook. This is an honest and voluntary review.
Two... READ MORE
A LA homicide detective and elderly librarian want to solve murders.
Penny Coyne is an elderly lady living in Scotland and Johnny Hawke in America. Their lives are about to collide following deaths in their home towns. This ... READ MORE
The Cracked Mirror
I could not have been more excited when I saw a new book was going to be published by Chris Brookmyre. After reading and absolutely loving The Cut a few ye... READ MORE
Cracking!
Chris Brookmyre is known for his originality and The Cracked Mirror is probably even more unique than his last dozen or so novels. Even reading the blurb u... READ MORE
Entertaining and Enthralling Crime Novel
Chris Brookmyre’s *The Cracked Mirror* is an enthralling crime novel that intertwines intricate plotting, layered characters, and sharp social commentary. ... READ MORE
Brilliantly witty and entertaining genre busting read
Okay, So never have I found an opening line for a blurb more appropriate that this one. You really do need to forget what you think you know. I can’t comme... READ MORE
It's definitely one of my 2024 favorites.
It's challenging to describe this book without giving too much away, but The Cracked Mirror hit all the right notes for me. I was so engrossed that I finis... READ MORE
Forgot what you think you know!
I was expecting this to be Miss Marple meets Die Hard, and I feel we all lulled into this thinking….I was wondering how on Earth this was going to work, ho... READ MORE
two worlds collide
Penny Coyne is a sweet old lady who lives in a Scottish village and has a history of solving a series of murders that have puzzled the local police. She's ... READ MORE
Highly original
have read most of CB’s books though recently it was the Ambrose Parry collaborations , so when I started reading this novel and met the spritely 82 year ol... READ MORE
An unique entertaining mashup of genres.
‘The Cracked Mirror’ by Chris Brookmyre,is certainly a bit different from your run of the mill police police procedure or amateur sleuth stories.
The... READ MORE
two worlds collide
Penny Coyne is a sweet old lady who lives in a Scottish village and has a history of solving a series of murders that have puzzled the local police. She's ... READ MORE
Really good, great twist!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book with no obligation to review.
This is very inventive indeed. At first I was not s... READ MORE
disappointing
I usually really like Chris Brookmyre's writing, and enjoy a story that tinkers with genres and narratives, but sadly, for me, this didn't really hang toge... READ MORE
A thrilling story with an audacious plot
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, exci... READ MORE
Mind-Blowingly Good
ease:
Chris Brookmyre in top form with this roller coaster of a murder mystery that’s mind-blowingly clever and laced with his usual dry wit.
Penny C... READ MORE
Staged murder mystery
A rough around the edges LA cop is sent to check out a suicide, he thinks it doesn't smell right and investigates. but things go wrong and his partner dies... READ MORE
Unusual
A week after finishing this novel, the storyline is still playing on my mind. I just cannot forget the twists and how the story eventually played out.
We... READ MORE
A Different Kind of Murder Mystery
It starts with Penelope Coyne (an elderly ‘Miss Marple’ figure) becoming aware of a murder in her small Scottish village. A man has been strangled in the c... READ MORE
Marple meets Bosch with creative direction from Nolan
Have you ever finished the entire run of a particular crime series and then looked at the next author with dozens of books with the same sleuth and thought... READ MORE
unique, original, and unlike anything I’ve read before
Unique, original, and unlike anything I’ve read before are statements that get overused in reviews. However, for me they truly apply to The Cracked Mirror.... READ MORE
Unexpected
The Cracked Mirror is a gripping and twisty story, and, hopefully, I will manage to talk about it without giving too much away. In Los Angeles, LAPD detect... READ MORE
Superb
Come for the high concept, stay for the vivid, relatable characters and their strange world.
The Cracked Mirror unites a tough, rule-breaking LA detective... READ MORE
Absolutely brilliant!
In the quiet Scottish village of Glen Cuthar, 80-something Penny Coyne has a reputation for solving crime. In Los Angeles, police officer Johnny Hawke has... READ MORE
Not that crime novel
'This is not that crime novel', says the publisher's blurb for The Cracked Mirror, and they're not wrong; perhaps the least strange thing about this book i... READ MORE
Cracked Mirror
I was looking forward to a good, meaty crime novel, but I was disappointed! After a string of unlikely and puzzling events the truth of what is actually t... READ MORE
Mind blowing trip across mystery and Sci fi
This really confused me at first. It opens with an elderly Scottish librarian who has returned from a trip to find that there has been a murder in her vill... READ MORE
Glorious Mash up
The Mirror Cracked. Review
What a glorious mash up of two and more, completely different stories and opposing genres! You think-how can he possibly ma... READ MORE
It all made sense in the end!
I enjoyed this book, I thought the plot was interesting and the pacing was good. I did however find that I was getting confused between all the characters ... READ MORE
Overwhelmingly twisty rollercoaster, perhaps a little too much so!
This was…different, and I came and went a little with my appreciation. Here is a mash up, as the publisher blurb indicates, between a cosy Christie type cr... READ MORE
An Intriguing and Cleverly Written Story.
You know Johnny Hawke. Hard-bitten LAPD homicide detective. Always in trouble with his captain, always losing partners, but always battling with the truth,... READ MORE
mystery mystery mystery
A well crafted tale. Starts out as a detective mash up and leads you gently through the incremental steps to a science fiction mystery.
Oh so clever!!
I've read all of Chris Brookmyres previous books and for me this is up there with his best. I absolutely loved it! I loved the cross-over in genres, the pl... READ MORE
Brookmyre at his brilliant, bonkers, best
Loved this. Complex, clever, funny and absolutely crazy in parts. This, for me, was a return to the Chris Brookmyre of old where you'd start with something... READ MORE
A rollercoaster of a ride
My first book by Chris Brookmyre and I have to confess I wondered what I was reading at the beginning! The book starts with two totally unrelated stories w... READ MORE
A MISERABLE read. Convoluted story and daft ending.
Totally Boring. Absolute Drivel. Difficult to follow. Poor editing. A lack of structure and no core storyline. I have not read other novels by this author... READ MORE
Brilliant
Very clever book … will get you going in different directions
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