Shattered
Mirror
by Iris Johansen is a paranormal thriller with a tease of
romance. What makes this book stand out is that the good guys/gals
are actually good and the bad guys are pure evil, without
any grey area.
Eve Duncan, a forensic sculptor, has the job of reconstructing
skulls for recognition. At her Georgia home, left in Joe,
her husband’s car, is a package with a skull burnt beyond
recognition Also, inside are two mirrors, one intact and one
shattered. It is threat sent to Eve that her family is currently
intact, but will be shattered as this killer goes after them
one by one. This villain has set up a complex plan to get
revenge by first going to New York’s Carnegie Tech where
Eve’s ward, 18-year-old violin prodigy Cara Delaney,
and her roommate, former child actress Darcy Nichols, have
residence. After Cara is attacked in their room Jock Gavin
comes to her rescue. He is someone designated to be Cara’s
protector but also became her best-friend. With danger looming,
Cara and Darcy agree to visit with Eve, Jo, and Michael their
six-year-old son. After their arrival, it becomes apparent
there is more than just a casual resemblance between Darcy
and the skull, which turns out to be Darcy’s twin sister,
Sylvie. Eve and her team must work quickly to discover who
is behind that murder and threats against her family before
the killer destroys all she holds dear.
She
had the profession as a forensic sculptor because “I
think it is honorable what she does. Most of the time the
work is done when a person cannot be identified. After the
restoration, it is used to circulate a picture for the public
to possibly recognize who was that person. Another important
aspect is the ability to give closure. Their loved one can
have a sense of who they were before the horrific act was
committed. I think Cara’s roommate Darcy went through
that process with her twin sister Sylvie.”
The
paranormal plays a significant role in this novel. There are
many characters who can communicate telepathically with each
other or those who have died. Eve is able to connect with
two of her birth children, Bonnie who lost her life, and Michael
who is the joy of Eve’s life. They can communicate their
thoughts without any sensory perception. The twins, Darcy
and Sylvie were also able to do this before Sylvie’s
death, and it appears they can do it in some form after her
death.
Being
fascinated with the paranormal the author feels “it
reaches beyond the scope of what we know and what we dream
of or can hope for. But my paranormal is never a horror story
like what Stephen King writes. The family is trying to keep
their young son Michael just a kid, but it is getting harder
and harder because Michael is Michael. I do like to keep his
talents a surprise, both for me and my readers because it’s
more fun that way. Because he is different it presents a whole
new world.”
As
in all Johansen, books family plays an important role. Eve
and Joe have unconditional love for those children conceived
at birth and those who became a part of the family formed
by love, not blood relations.
Johansen
commented, “Most of my books involve family because
I really believe in family. Eve and those around her circle
the wagons when one is threatened. Joe Quinn is now a detective
with the Atlanta Police Department. I made him a former SEAL
because they are tough, smart, and have incredible endurance
with a complicated lifestyle, especially after he becomes
involved with Eve. It is a very cold world out there but they
all realize as a family they can get through anything. In
my family, we are making an effort to be like the one in the
TV show Blue Bloods. At least once a week we get together
and make sure we are not all scattered to the four winds.
It is important that we stay together.”
This
story is highly suspenseful with interesting, witty, and intelligent
characters. The killer is a psychopath who does not worry
about collateral damage or the gruesome ways he goes about
murdering people. Readers will be on edge as they take a journey
with Eve and family to find the killer before he catches them.
Reviews
of the Eve Duncan series
Mind
Game #21
Shattered
Mirror #23
Dark
Tribute #24
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