The Mirror Man

📚 I have to admit I was very intimidated by the shear size of this book. However, it is very fast paced, easily read, with short chapters.

📚 I didn't love the writing and thought it was quite simple at times with the majority of sentences beginning with basic pronouns.

📚 That said, it's been a long time since I have felt totally gripped by a book. It was a wee bit too gruesome at parts for me, but the story is too good! I'm tempted to go back to the first book in the series to fill in a few of the blanks about the main detective, Joona.

They do say that two heads are better than one and that certainly seems to be the case for Lars Kepler the Pen name for the husband & wife authors of ‘The Mirror Man’ the latest instalment of the hugely popular Joona Linna detective series.
The stats regarding book sales speak for themselves and will only increase with this forthcoming publication.
Gritty, thought provoking and unashamedly violent at times this book could be a difficult read for the uninitiated but to Kepler fans it’s nectar.

This is the first book I have read by Lars Kepler, and I really enjoyed it.

The story of the disappearance of a number of young girls over a period of years by characters called Granny and Cesar. National Crime Agent, Joona, is on the case and the book follows his investigations into their disappearance. He is a likeable character, who obviously has a back story but, as this is the first book in the series I have read, I don’t know what it is in detail. However, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book.

It is a very long book, and, I must warn you, it is not an easy read, but I finished it in no time as it had me hooked.

"The Mirror Man" is dark Scandi-noir with a side of masochism, slavery, drugs, brutality, torture, neo-Nazism kidnapping and people trafficing. What's not to like. This was a well written but I wouldn't recommend it to many people. I wouldn't say I liked it but I couldn't put it down. I have not read any of this series and that might of helped understand the major characters with all their "issues" and flaws and I probably will not read any more of them.

My first read of a Lars Kepler novel though 8th in a series that's clearly very popular. Positives first.

An undoubted page turner, it kept me reading to the end, fairly quickly too though over 500 pages. Can't complain about lack of tension, and plenty of action scenes too. There are twists, the Big One I guessed wrongly so kudos there.

Interesting lead detective, check. Even though I'm late to the books so don't have Joona Linna's backstory I warmed to this flawed, conflicted, damaged man and would like to find out more about him. Other characters, too, are given a good amount of depth so I cared about what happens to them.

The premise is promising, with an Author's Note to explain why the husband & wife team of authors chose to highlight the issue of sexual violence, trafficking and modern slavery, and femicide by partners or family members.

So why three stars? Well, I have a good tolerance for violence and graphic imagery and am most definitely not prudish, squeamish or overly sensitive; however, I am not comfortable when this difficult content feels gratuitous, which it did in this book. In particular I was unhappy about unnecessary details of sex and violence. Also there was a voyeuristic quality to some descriptions I found disturbing and adds nothing to the story other than salaciousness. In a book written twenty or more years ago I might not have noticed but not in 2022 I'm afraid.

Which brings me to another aspect I find troubling, that is the depiction of mental health and its treatment, another area where it's probably true to say we are now more aware of sensitivities around turning mental health issues into fodder for crime novels. This is lazy and can perpetuate myths or outdated ideas, leading to stigmatisation and lack of understanding. Particularly problematic when sufferers are more likely victims than perpetrators. This wouldn't have bothered me as much if it hadn't been for over-the-top graphic violence verging on torture porn that associates mental health issues with appalling violence and abuse.

Having said all that I wouldn't say no to reading more of the series so clearly the book did work for me despite my concerns.

This is a dark and unflinching look into a seedy underworld and murder. There is the usual damaged police officer, fractured family and seemingly elusive killer. This runs with a back story that the police can’t see of caged, trafficked girls. There isn’t that much new. Except it is gruesome. More so than usual. I like crime thrillers. I have read a lot of them. I am fussy about technique and writing style so will tire quickly of poorly written drivel no matter how compelling the story. This is fairly well written. It lacks nuance in style but the prose is not as staged as some poorer counterparts. However , Mirror man is unfortunately not a book I was able to finish. Parts of the book are great, I would very much like to know what happens at the end and I think I could have warmed to some of the characters. I got over half way through but it was just too much. The images in particular from an underground fighting / betting meet were so warped that I frankly decided I just didn’t need this my head. And at that point I closed d the book. I know there are many that will love this book. And that’s fine. It’s a shame to me that the authors decided to go more with hurling anything that would appeal and shock into the narrative, than actual storyline. If you want page after page of dark, sickening depravity, pick this. If you would like yo read crime that is expertly handled with characters you ache for and prose rhar is rich, go for something like Chris Whittaker’s ‘We begin at the end’ or that staggeringly haunting ‘Beartown’ by Frederick Backman. Sorry to be negative.

This book was provided by the publishers free of charge in return for a review