Classic mystery meets hardboiled cop story and spins off somewhere else. There are lots of layers. Ideal for fans of quirkiness, who like a close read to spot the clues.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

I was interested in this book because of the two vastly different characters, Penny Coyne and Johnny Hawke. I could not imagine how the two of them would end up working together to solve a murder.
The plot was definitely imaginative, and very well written, and the ending did have a twist to it that I was not expecting.. Without including spoilers, I would have to say that this isn't a genre of book I would normally choose, as it wouldn't be my preference, but I can understand a lot of people thoroughly enjoying it.
A very interesting book, but sadly not my taste.

Slow burn but another great read from Brookmyre.

Lots of moving parts that weave together to keep you wanting more.

Interesting characters as always!

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 crime with a Miss Marple character, and a hard-boiled LAPD maverick in another writer’s territory – Michael Connolly, whom I ‘fess I have not read.

The two murder solving sleuths have their own territory of investigations to solve, but, by accident, the hard-boiled one, investigating a high profile not-quite-as-clear-cut-as-it-might-seem suicide within the movie industry, will find himself following a strange lead to Scotland, the home of the elderly librarian of Miss Marple-ish mould.

When I started this, with individual chapters either ‘in the style’ of the elderly sleuth, or in the more brutal, world-weary wisecrack dialogue of the cynical, street wise, sailing close to the edge of legal Hollywood tec, I was almost not sure whether to continue. The third person, but pastiche in style, writing, seemed a little clunky, a little contrived. However, I continued, and later points of view, and chapters, seemed to be better written.

Without delivering too many spoilers, I began to realise that the early ‘clunk’ made far more sense, and something completely different – and hugely confusing – was going on. Yes, I did begin to guess quite a lot of it, though not all. Not only do we have style within a genre mash-ups, we also have entire genre mash-ups

Brookmyre is actually taking quite a lot of risks here, not ALL of which completely work, at least, not for me, because one of the casualties became that I was slightly more invested in ‘what the heck is going on’ than in fully connecting to character. Though, again, there are sound authorial reasons for this, as the ending hove into view.

I’m certainly interested to read more by this author. And happy for my introduction on digital ARC

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 publishers for the opportunity to give it a go!

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 as there was slightly too many. When the two storylines were seperate, I did enjoy the police storyline more as I felt that is was more fleshed out then Pennys, but upon reading the ending that did make more sense.

I did find that they seemed to get a lot of information very easily as people just seemed to offer them information, but again this was all explained at the end.
The whole matrix/ video game really threw me at the end and I wasnt sure about it, but then I started to get with it.

The Cracked Mirror by Chris Brookmyre
I have read very many Chris Brookmyre novels before and this is certainly a very different departure to his usual writing. I wondered how he could meld together an Agatha Christie style novel and a character straight from a Michael Connolly novel but he manages it amazingly well.
The story opens in Scotland in a small village where Penny Coyne an 82 year old woman feels her memories are slipping gradually out of her reach. She is known as the local sleuth solving seemingly unsolvable murders. She is invited to a lavish wedding in a local castle and initially has no idea why she has been invited. Meanwhile there is another storyline which introduces a maverick LA cop called Johnny Hawke. He has the bad habit of losing his partners and the death of his newest partner causes him to flee to Scotland in search of a lead. On the eve of the wedding the bride apparently commits suicide and Johnny teams up with Penny Coyne to solve her possible murder.
I find it fascinating how he has managed to link these two very different characters working together to solve an increasingly confusing series of murders. It is a very well written and gripping story and I found the ending very satisfying and it answered all of the questions which I had been posing all the way through. It is a story within a story etc.
I will definitely be recommending this fascinating book to my various book groups and if you can cope with a large number of different characters you will really enjoy this novel. Many thanks to the author, Net Galley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Found this a really enjoyable read.
Things seem a bit disjointed at the start, with two storylines interspersed, like reading a quiet cosy mystery and 60's noir American cop thriller.
I enjoyed the classic crime nostalgia of this, and the juxtaposition is intentional, with these styles and storylines amalgamating as the characters join forces.

Difficult to say much more without spoilers, for me this was fun, unexpected and a bit of a wild ride.
I would recommend this to both fans of classic crime and people who like quirky mysteries and plots within plots.
I'd also suggest going in without too many expectations and sticking with it if you get put off at the beginning.
I found the ending warm and satisfying, I anticipated several of the twists but some still got me!

Overall I would say this was cleverly plotted, well executed and a homage to classic crime with a quirky twist.

Clever...oh so clever! When I started this novel, I couldn't see the link between an aging Scots woman, Penny Coyne, who assists the police in investigations, a la Miss Marple, and Johnny Hawke, an LAPD detective, who is happy to bend the rules despite the fact that this often leads to the demise of his partners, When they finally meet, their shared purpose is revealed and they find themselves working closely, but uncomfortably, together. Their investigation is going well but all is not as it seems.
I loved the relationship between the two main characters and the well-developed plot which veered off in a totally unexpected direction. ;m off to look for CB's backlist!

I have read many Christopher Brookmyre books over the years, so was excited to get my hands on this. Clever writing, as always, but a rather odd mix of styles, which lacked pace in places. I've reread many of the author's works as I have enjoyed them so much, but don't think I'll be rereading this one. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review of the book.

To describe this book in one word, I would say it was slow-paced. Although it started with a face that made it a bit boring initially, it eventually picked up. This was my first time reading this author, and I must say the writing was excellent. However, I was able to predict the twist, so it wasn't a great surprise for me. Although the order of events may seem deceiving, I had been told to expect a massive plot twist that would shock me. In my opinion, many people would enjoy reading it and give it a five-star rating. Unfortunately, it didn't hit the right place for me, and that was the only issue I had with it. The book is excellently written with a well-structured plot and intriguing vocabulary. The ambiance of the story is enjoyable and the multilayered plot demands attention from the reader. The dialogue is a standout feature of the book. However, I am hoping for something different from the author in the future to keep me surprised.

In The Cracked Mirror we follow Penny Coyne, an 80-year-old investigating a murder in Scotland, and LAPD cop Jonny Hawke, who's in trouble after his partners keep dying. Their paths cross unexpectedly, leading to a mix of mystery and science fiction.

At first, the story seems unrelated, but it gets intriguing as Penny and Jonny's worlds collide. However, things take a strange turn in part three, turning into science fiction, which might confuse some readers.

Overall The Cracked Mirror offers a unique blend of mystery and sci-fi, though the sudden shift in the story spoilt it for me. If I had known it was this genre I probably wouldn't have chose it as it made me feel cheated out of a great ending. Up until then I was fascinated with how the two worlds came together and each character adapted to fit in to each others worlds.

Blimey! I need a rest after reading this book. There is a real mix of genres that weld together oddly but well at the same time, and the reason why does become apparent and by then it doesn’t matter, as the book has just gripped me. A gentle, quiet beginning with a friendly tone that lulled me into feeling secure and knowing where I was. That serenity was exploded with a death in LA and the action moved from rural scotland to Hollywood, and then back, and then back. The twists, and lack of coincidences take some getting your head round, but it is worth reading with care and the author hand hold a and signposts along the way. This was a mad read in such a good way and I highly recommend,

A great book, merging styles from classic detective noir and Agatha Christie sleuths. The plot plays across two continents and focuses on the different moral stances of the two protagonists and the reasons for them. Cool ending and resolution.

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 ‘Country of the Blind’, et al – surrendering entirely to his writing and characters, I was positively ecstatic to enjoy an ARC of ‘The Cracked Mirror’, courtesy of Little, Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley.
True to form Mr Brookmyre loads the scales to guarantee the pages keep turning in this mixed genre novel. A Scottish Miss Marple character and a ‘Make My Day’ type US detective are thrown together in cleverly woven scheme, which not only solves murders but slides in AI, psychology, a dabble with philosophy. Corruption, greed, power, secrecy and the nature of reality layer and integrate with the splendid array of characters and events – and (to brag a bit) I worked out who, how and what. I’d love to describe how I did it, but that would be a spoiler, wouldn’t it?
Read and enjoy another Brookmyre success.

Having 15 successful murder investigations in the village under her belt, octogenarian Penny Coyne finds herself involved in another.
Meantime, Johnny Hawke, maverick, mouthy LA cop has been sent, on his home turf, to confirm a recent suicide.
It might sound unlikely that these two sleuths and their cases would ever intersect, but they do and then the fun starts.
The Cracked Mirror is an unusual, clever and immensely entertaining read. While the multi layered plot demands full attention (as does the huge cast of characters), complete suspension of disbelief is cushioned by this writer’s trademark spikey, dry dialogue and the delightful company of Lieutenant Hawke and Ms Coyne.
This read was a real winner for me.

Great characters and an unique storyline! I haven't read any of the authors other work but after finishing this one, I will definitely be doing so.
We follow two very different detectives who meet at a wedding and eventually end up working together. They both have different ways of doing things which causes some clashes but intertwines with each other as well, Some of the interactions are funny and you find yourself hoping for them to solve the crime.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for this ARC.

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 did!!
Really enjoyed the book. Great characters and loved the storyline. Brought into the modern day world very successfully.
Highly recommended.

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 of an Agatha Christie novel, but the story is far from that.
There is two storylines firstly set in Scotland 80-year-old Penny Coyne has just come back from her holidays and has started investigating a murder where a body is found near a local church.
She has also been invited to a wedding, but she doesn’t know who invited her.
LAPD cop Jonny Hawke doesn’t always work by the rule book, but his boss has sent him to investigate a possible suicide with a new partner in toe. But the problem when Johnny gets new partners, they end up dead and that’s what just happened. Johnny is suspended but carries on with the investigation under his own steam which leads him to Scotland where he meets Penny Coyne.
When I first started reading this, I often wondered what relevance with the two characters was as they are so different from each other, and I did think if this was a mistake in the book. But As I carried on this storyline became intriguing and I was enjoying it mostly until we got to part three. For me I thought that style of the writing then changed dramatically after that, and I got so overwhelmed with the characters. I started losing interest and I nearly didn’t finish it. But I carried on, although the ending was a bit weird, I enjoyed he conclusion. 3.5 stars from me.

Two completely different detectives working on different investigations eventually come to work together when they meet at a wedding. This is an entertaining story that turns rather bizarre towards the end. I loved the two main characters. Their interaction was very amusing. I was a bit unsure of the silliness but it all worked out eventually and the ending was surprisingly moving. So all in all, this book has a bit of everything in it and it was an enjoyable read.