This story was a bit hit and miss for me. I struggled with the fantasy of Mirrorland in the beginning until I really started to understand what had happened in the family's past. Identical twins El and Cat are the central characters who seem to have lived their childhood in a fantasyland as a way of dealing with what is happening in their lives. Falling out as they got older resulted in Cat moving to L.A. only returning when El goes missing on a trip out in her boat. Foul play or suicide is the question asked when the boat is discovered scuttled with a body inside. Fingers are pointed at El's partner as domestic violence is hinted at and Cat is thrown once again into Mirrorland as emails and notes with clues force her back.into the past. Such a gripping, enthralling read that I found I could not put the book down. I thought I knew what had happened and then a twist would throw me off course. The ending however was not what I expected and I felt maybe the author was struggling to come to a conclusion as it seemed to drag on. Personally I would have been satisfied with what I thought was the ending several chapters earlier but for a debut novel the whole thing was stunning.

This is a book I really struggled with there was so much to like about it but I just didn’t seem to be able to connect with the characters and storyline. The premise of the book was fascinating and very different but I felt myself losing interest at times and I was never quite sure of the fantasy elements and I did find myself skipping over those parts.
There is a lot going on in this book and it’s certainly unique and beautifully written I particularly liked the the police investigation side to the book and it had good twists and a most satisfying ending. I have a hit and miss affair with fantasy and I think this was part of the reason I struggled with the book and I think many others will enjoy it more than I did.
My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction, The Borough Press for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a clever book. It is not the easiest to get into - the literary descriptions, the unreliable protagonist, the bewildering, imaginary kingdom, all are very difficult to weave together at first, and you do wonder just what sort of tale you are getting yourself into.
You can't really say too much more without spoiling the unravelling, however, I would strongly recommend reading this novel in as few sittings as possible.
As you become absorbed in the world of Mirrorland, earlier confusions are explained and I'd say just after the halfway point, the author starts to bring out her aces and raise the tension. That's when you realise you are reading a novel of imaginative brilliance, trickery and bedlam. Mixed in with a huge dose of tragedy and suspense.
On the surface, it's a small scale story of identical twins with wild imaginations, growing up in an Edinburgh home, but when you're allowed to see beneath that surface, it's a psychological rollercoaster with elements that will stay in your mind long after the final pages.
My one slight criticism is the very final chapters felt a little incongruous in some way, however, I can't really explain why. Maybe it was the sunshine!
An impressive feat of fiction.

Mirrorland is part fantasy and part reality.
Set in Edinburgh, El and Cat grow up in an imposing house where they create a fantasy land - Mirrorland' to escape to. Years later the twins fall out and Cat moves to America until she receives news the El is missing. However Cat doesn't believe this, she thinks El is playing one of her games. Her return home is where the novel really begins.

The novel was complicated and had lots of dark twists and turns, however, i did feel that at times it was a bit 'too complicated.'

This is one of those books that you have to persevere with as the story is told between the present day and the memories of Cat growing up in Mirrorland with her identical twin sister, El. The girls grow up in a fantasy land inhabited by Bluebeard, Blackbeard, witches, pirates, clowns and the tooth fairy. Their imagination took them on many adventures over land and sea with their friend Ross who lived next door.
One night, the girls turn up on the harbour late at night, scared and covered in blood but would only give their names. This was the start of their second life where they grew up in Rosemount until they were old enough to have to leave the care system. Eventually Cat moves away and loses touch with El until, 12 years later she hears that El has gone missing. Returning back to their childhood home where El lived with their old friend Ross, she starts receiving cards that lead to a treasure hunt, forcing her to remember the final days of their old life.

The story itself is quite good but it does get confusing as the lines between reality and imagination blur so that Cat isn't really sure what's real any more.- at least until the final clue. There are many twists and turns that drags you into the fantasy and the secrets and lies between the family.

I really couldn't get into this book, maybe it was the characters that I couldn't relate to, or maybe it was the fantasy world and unbelievable story but I found it a very easy book to put down. I'm sure a lot of others will enjoy it - but I'm sorry, I didn't.

This was a genuine surprise for me in terms of enjoyment and how much it grabbed me. Whilst I thought the premise was interesting, I was prepared for something which felt a bit of a novelty - what I wasn't expecting was a novel I struggled to put down at bedtime.

I'll be looking out for more by this author. Highly recommended.

The most dangerous stories are the ones we tell ourselves…..

September 1998 we meet Cat and El, identical twin sisters who, hurt and bleeding have made their way to the docks to find a pirate ship to run away on.

Flash forward to 2018. Cat is returning to Edinburgh from L.A her twin sister El missing at sea, presumed dead. Her husband Ross distraught, living in Cat and El’s childhood home. However, all is not what it seems. El had a plan and has left behind a treasure hunt to unearth long-buried secrets, forcing Cat to confront the reality of her childhood.

I loved this book, I was gripped from the prologue and became more so as the story twisted and turned. I was forced to question what was real and what was imagined and I was desperate to find out what was going on!

I will definitely be looking up further works from this author in the future!

Mirrorland was my first read of February and my gosh did it set the bar for the rest of the months reads, it was everything I needed before I knew I needed it. The bond of sisterhood has always been a special one but in many it harbours darker feelings, one of jealously, competition and layers of rage. We are introduced to two identical twins, Cat and El, we are tail-spinned into their childhood where they regular retreat in to an intriguing world that they have both named Mirrorland. Like a mirror, I could immediately see the way both girls differ, Cat appears the weaker of the two, the more submissive you could say, whereas El holds all the card and power, cruelly so.

This debut brings all my favourite themes to the table, spinning them perfectly into a phenomenal gut punch of a gothic thriller with a deliciously dark dashing of psychological thrill. I devoured this read in two evenings, it was truly phenomenal. From the differing characteristics of our main ladies, to the intoxicating claustrophobic feel of the novel - I knew from chapter one that I was in, so in. Mirrorland is a darkly suspenseful tale, one that ties both aspects of a gothic fairy-tale with a tasty swirl of Gone Girl.

This debut won my heart with it’s lashings of obsession, toxic sisterly relationships and ingrained shared trauma. Carole has crafted a dark, hazed world that is blurred with unreliability and a storyline which will make you feel psychologically conflicted in terms of whose side you should be on. None of the characters are particularly likeable by default but you do become invested in them, their lives and the mystery that whirls around them. Mirrorland is a book that you’ll find yourself utterly compelled by, hypnotised by the unfolding storyline and the flashbacks of life in Cat’s mind, this is one read you’ll find yourself drowning in, gasping for breath as every chapter washes over you.

My recommendation is that you pre-order this gothic chiller and begin it as soon as it lands on your door mat - grab a sweet tea, cuddle up and enjoy!

Officially mind-blown. 🤯 MIRROLAND had more twists and complex turns than Nemesis at Alton Towers Theme Park!🎢

This was not an easy read. It’s dark, tense and had me on my toes for the whole time. It’s such a creative and mysterious story, and really creepy. 😱 You have to pay attention when reading this or you are going to miss a crucial piece of the puzzle. Gradually as you are reading, the pieces start to fall into the place and you really are in a scary place. Honestly, you have one twist and then BAM another then another....💥 It’s a lot to process so take your time. The final twist is so good!!! The writing is very immersive. I was in that old house, in those rooms visualising the fantasy world the girls created. Parts are soooo sad too. 😭 The book explores ALOT...love, family, betrayal, lies, what is the truth and what is fiction?! My brain still hurts. 🤣 MIRRORLAND is a gripping and intriguing psychological thriller/gothic/magical realism...book. 😅 I can’t really define it. It gave me the same feeling when I first read GONE GIRL...what did I just read?!!! ITS DARK. I’m still scratching my head. 😆 How is this a debut?!! I hope this is made into a TV show or film.

What a mind twisting, erratic, and non-stop journey of a book. I wasn’t sure what I expected from Mirrorland but I got much more than I bargained for.
First of all I LOVE an unreliable narrator, I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s something about a writer being able to tap into a frenzied brain and make the story make sense that excites me. Cat is as unreliable as they come she can’t tell fact from fiction at the best of times, never mind at times of great stress that see her transplanted back into her childhood home. This story took twists I imagined and twists I didn’t see coming at all, it kept me on my toes until the very end and left me in that, now familiar, book hangover state that is the mark of an unforgettable story.

This is a fantastic psychological thriller! Johnstone excels at leading the reader through an increasingly twisty plot and lots of clever reveals, from the perspective of a confused and traumatised narrator. I appreciated how Johnstone wove past and present, stark reality and a seductively comforting fantasy world, to explain El's childhood and coping mechanisms. I could picture both the physical bricks and mortar of the family home, and the fictional elements and stories the twins imagined. Creepy, compelling and clever. A very satisfying read!

I found this really quite clever and quite chilling at times. You just never know what goes on behind closed doors. Certainly nothing is quite what it seems.

I'm not sure what category this even fits in. Fantasy, sort of, more escapism.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for my ARC in return for an honest review.

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
A gritty and dark story which will draw you in and not let go. The writing is good and the characters are not what they seem.
A good read.

This is a book to boggle the mind but in a good way!
36 Westeryk Road looks like an ordinary house on the outskirts of Edinburgh even if it is large.
The inside of the house is a completely different matter.
Cat and El grew up in the house but Cat couldn't wait to leave but years later when her sister goes missing she is forced to return to Westeryk Road to help find out what really happened to her sister.

As children, Cat and El spent their days in Mirrorland, a magical land filled with pirates and treasures.  As an adult Cat learns the disturbing news that her sister has disappeared, and must return to their childhood home, and Mirrorland.  It seems El has left her a treasure hunt, just like she did when they were children, and Cat must follow the clues to find out the truth of what happened to El.

I've had this on my NetGalley shelf for a couple of months now, and finally gotten around to reading it!  I have mixed feelings, and have to say it's one that might not appeal to everyone.

Starting the book I found it a bit difficult to get into, and did struggle with the storyline for quite a while.  I think that was because I found it difficult distinguishing between what was real and what was fantasy, and trying to picture Mirrorland in my head was very difficult.  I've seen a few people describe this as magical realism, at least for this part, but I don't feel that description fits.  Mirrorland to me was a pure fantasy world, created by two young girls with very active imaginations.

As the book progresses and Cat reveals more about her childhood it becomes much clearer to see what is going on.  The distinction between reality and fantasy is easier both to see and to understand.  In this respect I think Johnstone did a fantastic job, she really brought it back for me and finished strongly.  As you find out more about what is going on it becomes clear why the first part of the book is written in such a way, and that the confusion is deliberate.

As a whole there is a lot to unpack in this one, and there is a sense of unease that runs through the book.  You're never sure which characters to trust and how reliable Cat is as a narrator.  It makes for an interesting reading experience because you're never sure who you're really rooting for. 

Ultimately I had mixed feelings about this one.  I started out not sure about it at all and thinking it was going to be a bust, but Johnstone really brought things back during the last 30-50% of the story.  I'm going with a 4* rating, because I think once you understand what is going on the beginning of the book makes a lot more sense.  It's definitely worth a read, just bear in mind that if you're confused early on things will become clear.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Where do I even start with this book!!! Seriously it was mind blowing, with so much happening that You won’t know what is true and what’s imaginary.

Mirrorland follows mirror twins sisters Ellice (El) and Catriona (Cat) who created an imaginary world in the basement of their childhood home, that they called Mirrorland. But as the twins grow up they go their separate ways. Cat moved abroad to start her new life in California while El stays behind in Scotland and marries their childhood friend. But 12 Years after Cat leaves El goes missing and cat returns to find out what has happened, and the rest you’ll have to read the book to find out!!!

The book is a little slow to start but once it gets going around 15% on the Kindle I couldn’t get enough of it. This definitely isn’t your standard mystery, thriller. You’ll have to pay extra attention to details and you can’t skip anything because trust me you’ll definitely miss something if you do. This book had so many twists that you just won’t know what to believe.

Throughout the book the story switches between past and present day, most of the time without warning. Normally I struggle when authors do this but Johnstone has done it in such a way that it works well and actually helps to understand what’s going on, as it provides a lot of back story within the past sections. I did have my suspicions as to what happened to El and how the book would end, but there was also quite a lot of twists that I really didn’t see coming.

I thought the characters were good and developed well as the book progressed but there was something missing for me and this held me back in liking them fully.

After the initial slow start this really ended up being a really good debut novel, and would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a chilling, psychological thriller.

I would like to thank both NetGalley and the publishers The Borough Press, HarperCollins UK for my eARC in return for an honest and unbiased review.

This is a very twisted psychological thriller that weaves real life around a childhood fantasy theme. It starts in 1998 when Ellice and Catriona, twelve year old mirror twins (not identical but having some mirrored traits), turn up at a harbour in Edinburgh with no clues as to where they have come from and they aren’t telling. Little is written about the next few years as they are placed in a children's home. Once they are eighteen they are housed in a bedsit and suddenly Ross, who had been part of their childhood, is back on the scene, There is a fight over Ross which El wins. She goes on to marry Ross with Cat not even being invited to their wedding. Cat moves to Venice Beach, California and hasn’t been been in contact with El since leaving Scotland. Then twelve years later she gets a phone call from Ross to say that El is missing, presumed drowned.

Cat returns to Edinburgh, to their childhood home which Ross and El bought after their marriage. It’s a cavernous Victorian villa with a servant's bell system, hidden rooms and entrances. The children have names for the different areas such as The Clown Cafe and The Kadadu Jungle. A door in the back of the large pantry takes them to Mirrorland, which is the large covered alleyway beside the house. In Mirrorland they have Three-Fingered Joe Saloon and a cluster of Lakota Sioux teepees and various other parts of their fantasy life.. We learn more about El and Cat’s childhood and how the fantasy games interweaved with a strange and abusive upbringing under the ‘care’ of their mother and grandfather.

There are many twists and turns and I did have to suspend disbelief at various points, not helped by Cat being an unreliable narrator.. There were times where I was not clear if the narrative was in present day or a flashback as the two were not always signalled clearly in the writing and went straight from one to the other. I’m not particularly keen on unreliable narration and magical fantasy stories but there was enough intrigue and twists in this story to keep me turning the pages as I wanted to know the outcome. It did end in a way which I found satisfying too.

With thanks to NetGalley and HarperFiction for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had mixed feelings about ‘Mirrorland’. The premise was really interesting and unique. I’m just not sure the reality of the novel met my expectations. The beginning was slow, but I was really hooked by 70% of the way through, the gradual reveals and twists really built the tension. Unfortunately though, it did lead to an anticlimax and the end of the book felt a little flat.

Despite this, because it was particularly unique, I recommend giving this book a try. This book just wasn’t the right fit for me..

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oooh what a great thriller!

Mirror twins Ellice and Catriona have vivid imaginations, brought up by their grandfather and mother, they often escape to "Mirrorland", an imaginary land in the basement of their house. Roll forward to when they are adults, Cat returns from her new home in the US because El has disappeared... the story becomes more and more gripping with each piece of memory that Cat manages to slot back in place, and nothing is quite what it originally looked like.

This is a completely original thriller with a cast of gripping characters; it got me a couple of times with really good twists which I just did not see coming. What a read!