I found this a strange story. It is a story of loss and abuse and a search for a life which is free of the past but I found the endless breathless repetition of similar scenes from that past rather wearing. The story of the present is tense and full of uncertainty as the main character tries to make sense of the situation and the reader is pulled along with her search for the truth. As she does this, she remembers and revisits the past.
The truth of the past is revealed almost as an aside and many of the implications must be imagined by the reader.
Recommended

I was blown away by the imagination of the story and the atmosphere it contained. A psychological thriller with elements of fantasy, but above all totally gripping. The suspense mounts throughout and only relents at the very end. Is 36 Westeryk Road in Edinburgh haunted? Is Mirrorland just a figment of the imagination? Finding out is an amazing journey. I found it totally original and hadn’t read anything quite like it before. I recommend it for anyone who likes a mystery, a thriller or even a well written, well plotted book!

It took me a long time to get into his book, in the beginning I found the different characters confusing and really not that interesting. It did get better though and I found I did quite like the stroyline and how the fictional characters were linked to real life people. I enjoyed the journey cat went on and how pieces of her traumatic past were slowly revealed. Not one I'd go back to but an enjoyable read nonetheless.

This is all sorts of twisty turney,with difficulty knowing what is the truth.
Mainly as our main character can't tell what the truth is,having been brought up on stories and myths.
The house is beyond creepy,and as the truth finally emerges,it's stranger than I was imagining.
This book is dark and suspenseful,and a blinking good read... having me puzzling over the who's and the why's far after I'd put the book down for the night.

I’m really grateful for the opportunity given to read this arc and thank the publisher for the personal invitation to read and review, but having read 20% of the book, I am struggling to engage with it and have to admit that it’s not for me. That’s not to say that the writing isn’t good (it is!) or that the story line isn’t a good one. So I’m really sorry, but I’m going to admit defeat and give up.. 3 stars for the quality of the writing.

A complex book, with many plot twists and turns, that is enjoyable and reads well. I would recommend it to those who like a good thriller and a mystery as well. Cat is searching for El, because she is her identical twin. What she discovers is memories that she thought she had forgotten, and a whole lot more. I don't want to spoil the ending, so the reader will have to read it for themself, especially if they enjoy a complex thriller.

This is a well conceived, carefully written book. The description of identical twin sisters, Catriona and Ellice, varies from reality to the amazing other world they created for themselves as children to escape from the realities of their upbringing. In the mix is the boy, Ross, who figures large in the story. Cat as she is known leaves El to hide in California from all that is troubling her. She returns when her sister disappears and that is the theme of a gripping, compulsive read. Bit by bit, the truth emerges to take the reader to a rewarding climax. This is not just a story of a damaging childhood and later pursuit of a missing person. The context that has been created is psychologically impressive and testing of the imagination. Set in Edinburgh mainly, the author uses that setting to advantage. I recommend this book strongly. It is a very significant achievement and contribution to fiction.

Great thriller, with so many plot twists, right up until the end. Kept me guessing, then changing my mind. Had to read in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. A real page turner, that reminded me a little of the film 'sleeping with the enemy', and the great novel 'flowers in the attic', coming together. Well written and definitely worth a read.

It seems unfair to the author to say I was surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this but it’s the truth. Cat returns to her childhood home after her twin sister El goes missing and has to sort which memories are fact and which are fiction. At first I thought Mirrorland was a bit gimmicky but I really got drawn into the story as a whole and from the half way point I was totally engrossed. There was much here that surprised and at times shocked me and I never felt like I had it all worked out. I hope this is a great success and I can’t wait to see what the author Carole Johnstone does next. Highly recommended.

For the first few chapters of Carole Johnstone's "Mirrorland" my initial thoughts were, "what on Earth is this?" From the start of the story with 2 terrified young girls on the run,one with a blood-soaked jumper, then flashbacks to voyages on sailing ships,the Tooth Fairy ,scary Clowns,Pirates and hiding in Native American Teepees amongst other things being thrown at the, in my case mightily confused, reader. The latter all occur in the imaginary world created by those girls, identical twins El and Cat, being the Mirrorland of the title. Also part of the girl's Mirrorland world are a variety of imaginary characters and neighbour Ross ,the boy next door to their home at 36 ,Westeryk Road on the outskirts of Edinburgh.
After their escape the girls grow apart then become totally estranged. 12 years later Cat,now living in America, learns that El has disappeared and returns to Edinburgh and the old family home that Ross and El have bought back. As events spiral out of control Cat finds herself pulled back into the past and not least into the scary and surreal Mirrorland which still exists for those who know where to look.

From the barrage of bizarre images and 2 very different timelines,from the fantasy world of childhood to a police investigation, a quite amazing psychological thriller emerges and it's hard to believe that this is Carole Johnstone's debut novel. As the story unravels mysteries of the past are explained, the behaviour and motives of more than one character are seen in a totally different light.
As I got into the book I was reminded very much of Stephen King ,then on reading the "Acknowledgements" at the end I read that Ms Johnstone cites him not only as an influence but also as the person who via his book, "On Writing " inspired her in her career as an author.

It took me a while to get into this book with all kinds of seemingly unrelated events from past and present being narrated,some in the words of the girls childhood imaginations but as things slowly came together I was totally gripped ,and extremely impressed,. This is a very clever piece of writing with some great twists that works on many levels. The characters are believable and complex, not least the relationships between the girls and those close to them. It's atmospheric, horrific,clever, confounding ,frustrating (Cat's ongoing inability to take good advice from anyone) and even quite moving.
If you like Erin Kelly,Tana French or even Stephen King you'll love this.

Thanks to Carole Johnstone, HarperCollins UK and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Cat and El grew up in a stately stone manor in Edinburgh. The house was full of hidden corners and nooks, strange shadows and crumbling decay. The sisters played a make believe world there, one they called Mirrorland, a place where they could hide from the things that frightened them. Years later, Cat is forced to return when El disappears. She must go back to Mirrorland to follow the treasure map that El left for her to uncover the secrets of their past. Atmospheric and Gothic in nature, this book’s central and most important character is Mirrorland itself

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for granting me an e-galley of Mirrorland to review!

Cat and El are identical twins supposedly able to sense even the slightest pain in one another. Throughout their childhood, they spent their lives inside a fantasy world Mirrorland - a world populated by pirates, outlaws, clowns, and prisoners. One fateful day, something happens and they had to leave behind Mirrorland forever. After being estranged for twelve years, however, El has disappeared and Cat finds herself returning to Mirrorland where El returned with her husband Ross (a mutual friend Cat knows all too well). While El is presumed dead, Cat is suddenly thrown into Mirrorland once again for a treasure hunt bearing the prize of her sister's fate.

Every chapter in Mirrorland brings about a new surprise, each revelation making me question what is real and what is not. The fantasy that is Mirrorland is deeply rooted in Cat and El's childhood, blurring the line between reality and fantasy. Mirrorland's present timeline forces Cat to increasingly drag out memories in Mirrorland and reconcile them with the horrific reality of what happened the day they left Mirrorland. Many painful and uncomfortable truths are brought to the open as Cat and El's relationship is also dissected, bringing light to how the events in Mirrorland have affected them.

The writing in Mirrorland is scarily atmospheric to the point I felt I had to take some breaks to reorient my sense of reality, but at the same time the book is incredibly gripping. Many of the stories, the adventures had in Mirrorland are imbued with darker truths touching on horrible abuse, love, betrayal, and familial bonds (e.g. motherly and sisterly love). Not one aspect of Mirrorland is wasted: it is chock-full of subtly planted arsenals to change the narrative; and just when I thought I had the truth all figured out, another information I'd dismissed as a throwaway line for "worldbuilding" in Mirrorland returns to add yet another massive piece of the puzzle I've no idea how large. The chills and misdirections are well-planned, although some of the revelations in the book may prove uncomfortable.

Carole Johnstone's Mirrorland is a perfect blend of fantasy, mystery, and thriller as Johnstone takes the presumed innocence of childhood fantasy and rips it apart - showing the dangers of letting others shape your imagination. Mirrorland had been Cat and El's safe haven, and the degree to which (and how) it went horribly wrong is the true tragedy of the book. Ultimately, Mirrorland is a story of loss, healing, and recovery from tragedy, years of abuse, and manipulation.

#Mirrorland #NetGalley
An unputdownable read.
Cat and El created as children. A place of escape, but from what?Now in her thirties, Cat receives the shocking news that her sister has disappeared. Forced to return to Edinburgh, Cat finds herself irresistibly drawn back into Mirrorland. Because El has a plan. She’s left behind a treasure hunt that will unearth long-buried secrets…
I loved El and adored Cat. This is a must read by Harper Collins.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Harper Fiction for giving me an advance copy.