THE WOMAN IN THE MIRROR – Rebecca James
Minotaur Books
ISBN: 978-1-250-23005-8
March 17, 2020
Historical Mystery

Cornwall, England – 1947 & Present Day

In 1947, Alice Miller is hired to be the governess for the de Grey children, Edmund and Constance, whose mother died several years ago. Their father, Captain Jonathan de Grey, is dark and brooding and refuses to discuss the death of his children's mother, or what happened to the previous governess. The estate, Winterbourne. is isolated, though Alice has made a couple of friends in the nearby town, but they're mum about what's going on. Alice soon finds herself attracted to the captain, but he doesn't return her affections. Alice finds the children somewhat strange, leaving her uneasy, especially when mysterious things begin to happen—like the blurry image of a woman floating along the cliffs behind the estate. It appears Winterbourne is haunted.

In present day New York City, Rachel Wright is stunned to get a letter from an attorney in England that she's inherited an estate in Cornwall called Winterbourne. Rachel was adopted as an infant and has no idea who her parents were. Is she related somehow to the late inhabitants of Winterbourne? With nothing to hold her in New York, she flies to London, then drives to Cornwall. Winterbourne is sadly neglected, but that doesn't stop Rachel from staying there. She learns that it was Constance de Grey who willed the estate to her and that the woman and her brother didn't interact much with the locals, preferring to be alone together. Rachel feels that Constance wasn't her grandmother, but somehow knew who she was. Will Rachel learn the truth? What about the mysterious moans and groans that permeate throughout Winterbourne? Especially from the old mirror that is the centerpiece of the mansion.

THE WOMAN IN THE MIRROR is a suspenseful tale that will keep readers glued to their seats. The story goes back and forth from Alice to Rachel—and is at times eerie in its telling. Life hasn't been easy for Alice and she sought a new life at Winterbourne. It's clear that the death of the children's mother and the prior governess are connected in some way. Soon, Alice learns that both women committed suicide. There is also a creepiness as though someone is out there tormenting the women of Winterbourne. Is Alice next? What about her feelings for the captain?

Rachel meets a local man, Jack, who gives her more info about Winterbourne. As she works to clean out the house, she becomes more intrigued by its history. In THE WOMAN IN THE MIRROR, the clues are laid out slowly for readers, until you're finally engrossed in what happens to Alice—and Rachel. Nothing good ever seems to happen at Winterbourne. Is Alice the grandmother of Rachel, and if so, what happened to her and to Rachel's mother?

THE WOMAN IN THE MIRROR starts out slowly, but soon builds tension. Suspense fills the pages, along with a touch of paranormal and a romance between Rachel and Jack. Will everyone come out alive? Find out in this spellbinding tale.

Patti Fischer