Description

 Mirrorland

Set against the backdrop of the sprawling city of Los Angeles, Cat’s life seems worlds away from the eerie and enigmatic 36 Westeryk Road in Edinburgh. This imposing gothic household had a haunting presence in her memories, as it was the place where she and her estranged twin sister, El, spent their childhood.

Together, they created Mirrorland, a secret world hidden beneath the pantry stairs, where their imaginations ran wild with tales of pirates, witches, and clowns. However, as the years passed, Cat distanced herself from their shared past, rarely giving it a second thought. Little did she know that her sister, El, now resides in that very house with her husband, Ross.

The tranquility of Cat’s life is shattered when El mysteriously vanishes after setting sail on her boat. Suddenly, Cat finds herself compelled to return to the place she had long left behind – 36 Westeryk Road. Stepping foot into the grand old house, she is immediately transported back in time, as if the past twenty years had never happened. The house, with its labyrinthine corridors and hidden nooks, still holds its secrets tightly, waiting to be unraveled. At every twist and turn, Cat stumbles upon long-buried truths and encounters the chilling specters of her past. It becomes evident that El, or perhaps someone else, has left behind a trail of cryptic clues, leading Cat on a treacherous treasure hunt that ultimately leads her back to Mirrorland, the very place where the truth lies in wait.

Mirrorland is a tale that weaves together themes of love, betrayal, redemption, and revenge with masterful precision. As the story unfolds, the intricate web of relationships becomes increasingly entangled, blurring the lines between reality and imagination. Cat is forced to confront the power of her imagination and the consequences it holds. The price of freedom becomes apparent as she delves deeper into the dark recesses of her past, unearthing buried secrets that threaten to consume her. With each page turned, the tension builds, propelling the reader forward in a relentless pursuit of the truth. Mirrorland is a gripping debut that explores the depths of the human psyche, reminding us of the enduring power of imagination and the lengths we will go to protect the ones we love.

“This ambitious blend of psychological suspense and horror casts a powerful light on the liberating power of imagination.” —Publishers Weekly

“Melds intricate family dynamics into a gripping mystery with the undercurrent of a gothic novel.” —Oline Gogdill, Shelf Awareness

“Johnstone pulls out all the stops in creating an atmospheric mystery.”—The Big Thrill

“An inherently riveting and compulsive page-turning suspense thriller about the power of imagination and the price of freedom.” —Midwest Book Review

“Carole Johnstone’s debut feels like the love child of Gillian Flynn and Stephen King. In Mirrorland, nothing is as it appears and the kaleidoscope twists and turns will have you frantically turning the pages until you reach the gasp-out-loud ending.” —Greer Hendricks, #1 New York Times best-selling co-author of The Wife Between Us

“A dark, twisty and richly atmospheric exploration of the power of imagination” —Ruth Ware, author of One by One and The Woman in Cabin 10

“A dark and twisty thriller told with a thumping heart and extraordinary tenderness—Mirrorland is as much a celebration of imagination and its escapism as an examination of trauma and its echoes.” —Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Mercies

“A sinister study in estranged sisterhood and the shapeshifting powers of repression and denial. Thick with propulsive twists and immensely readable.” —Sue Rainsford, author of Follow Me to Ground

“Thrilling, dark, and propulsive, Mirrorland is an unsettling shape-shifter of a novel. This is a story about a mysterious death and a long-buried secret, but it’s also a fascinating, terrifying portrait of how we seek refuge in our imaginations—and how easily imagination can be confused with reality.” —Anna Pitoniak, author of Necessary People

“An intricate, brilliant puzzle of a novel where past and present, fantasy and reality, are all clues that one twin must decipher to uncover the fate of her missing sister and the secrets of their shared past. It’s Gone Girl meets Rebecca . . . atmospheric, tightly plotted and utterly gripping, a must read for fans of Ruth Ware and Gillian Flynn.” —Sarah Pinborough, author of Dead to Her and Behind Her Eyes

“An unnerving thriller. . . . Fantasy and reality intermingle when a twin returns to her childhood home to search for her estranged sister. As Cat roams the creepy house, memories of an imaginary world the twins created spring to life.” —People Magazine

About The Author

Carole Johnstone, a highly acclaimed writer, has been recognized for her exceptional storytelling skills through her award-winning novels, Mirrorland and The Blackhouse. Hailing from the picturesque Highlands of Scotland, she draws inspiration from the breathtaking landscapes that surround her. However, it is the untamed beauty of the Outer Hebrides, a collection of wild islands, that truly captures her heart.