In a Dark Mirror

I didn't realize this was based on the Slender Man crime until I started reading, but I noticed the similarities within the first couple of chapters. Knowing this made the book a little less suspenseful, since I'm familiar with the case and assumed this story would play out similarly, but it was no less riveting. I was hooked from the first page and couldn't stop reading until the end. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending; I wish we had gotten a slightly more dramatic climax, but otherwise I loved this dark and twisty phycological drama.

I just finished listening to In a Dark Mirror by Kat Davis and here are my musings.

Maddie and Lara are the best of friends. They share a love of horror stories and fanciful imaginings. But Lana thinks 12 is too old for playing pretend. She wants them to be more grown up and serving Him is the best way to do it. He sits in the shadows watching... Waiting... He talks to Lana. Maddie doesn't want to believe it but she can't help thinking maybe Lana might be telling the truth when she thinks she sees him too and Maddie doesn't want to lose her most important friendship even when Lana tells her they must sacrifice a human girl for him.

Ten years later, Maddie is released from the institution she served 10 years in after she was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the crime. Coming home to a mother who fears her is hard enough without trying to reintegrate into a town where the crime happened. For closure, Maddie goes online to see what was said about her back then but instead finds an online community dedicated to Him. Getting pulled in to helping these girls not end up down the path she did, Maddie takes the dangerous step of immersing herself back into Him.


This book was so creepy and the narrator absolutely nailed it for me. I think it heightened the enjoyment for me.
YIKES!! I remember the story that this was based on, I am a mother of an 18 year old and she talked non stop about the online stories of slender man and this story does an excellent job of sticking to the facts of the case while making a gripping story of the aftermath. I had chills up my spine listening to this book. It's set in the past with the story giving us the lead up to what happened in the woods and the current day with Maddie being released. The book gives us an insight to the dangers of social media for kids especially ones with mental health issues.
The book was well researched and brilliantly executed. I was so immersed in the world I didn't stop listening at all. It's my kind of mystery thriller that ebbs on the cusp of being a horror. I am here all day for that.
You can't help feeling bad for the girls too, especially Lana and her declining mental health for which Maddie was the only one to see the change but she was too young to understand or to do anything about it. The book was epic and it's 5 stars from me.


Thank you @brillancepublishing and @netgalley for my gifted copy.

This wasn't quite what I expected, but that isn't a bad thing. In a Dark Mirror is more psychological than anything else and I really enjoyed it.

Maddie and Lana are very interesting characters, both loveable and yet not. They definitely give mixed feelings but the author does well with that. I'm also a lover of mixed POVs and the way this switches back and forth was perfect for me and flowed well.

Definitely a good Spooktober read, especially for those who don't like scary but like a little creepy and eerie. I sincerely appreciate Lavender Public Relations and the author for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.