Book Review: DARK MIRROR by Barry Maitland

Dark Mirror, the most recent of Barry Maitland’s Brock and Kolla mysteries, begins with Marion Summers collapsing in the Reading Room at the London Library. She dies a short while later, spurring an investigation headed by Detective Inspector Kathy Kolla. When the autopsy reveals that Marion was the victim of arsenic poisoning, Kathy is off and running along with a cast of supporting characters that include family members, fellow university students, university professors, a librarian, a library patron, a forensic pathologist, and a host of others—including Kathy’s boss, Detective Chief Inspector David Brock.

The storyline intrigued me with many unexpected twists and turns, as did the forensics. Although the secondary characters were well-crafted, I personally would have preferred fewer of them—especially since I suspected whodunit before the end of the story.

Maitland’s dialogue is crisp and his plotting and writing skills leave you wanting to know what happens next.

My rating: (4 Star) Read it in a couple of sittings, in between other IMPORTANT stuff I had to do. You’ll really enjoy it.

Dark Mirror will be released in hardcover on October 6, 2009 by Minotaur Books.
ISBN 978-0-312-3839902

Visit the author website at: http://www.barrymaitland.com/ or contact Anne Gardner, St. Martin's/Minotaur at (646) 307-5553 or anne.gardner@stmartins.com.