Reader reviews

'Fans of Barry Maitland's Brock & Kolla series have had a wait on their hands.  The last book - Spider Trap - was released in 2006, with a standalone book Bright Air in 2007. Leaving aside the eagerness with which we fans wait for the next book in a favourite series, there's also the slight nagging doubt always - has the wait been worth it? ... DARK MIRROR is everything that fans of this long-running series are going to enjoy, and the wait definitely wasn't wasted.  Strong sense of an unexpected gem of a place (and another location from Maitland's London that you just want to see for yourself); a good police procedural with a touch of the personal; some moving on in the lives of the central characters; and a motive that's all too human and whilst sad, is also surprisingly cruel - it all just goes to remind the reader yet again about the futility of cold-blooded murder.' - Karen Chisholm

'The drama starts in earnest in the first chapter.  What an introduction!  It bodes well for a story of intrigue and mystery.  Who would have thought a quiet lunch in the park, adjacent to the reading room of the Library, would lead to such a varied collection of people spanning generations, yet all interconnected by clever plots, diverse settings and  an amazing range of subjects.  We meet low class thugs, thinking police, academics and the aristocracy.

Maitland has managed to meld the classicism of the nineteenth century with present day London into a tale that leaves the reader with the observation that  human nature never changes, no matter what the century or the situation.  His research into the scandalous lives and suspicious deaths of the Pre-Raphaelites is extensive and yet, touches of “The Godfather” demonstrate the author’s ability to combine past and present into a well crafted tale with a “poisonous” theme running through.' - Rosanne Gager

'Brock is a kind and considerate and always demands the best from his team.  Kathy is dedicated, driven and lives to work.  The more interesting the case the more determined she becomes to help solve it.  Pip is young, brave and eager to impress Kathy, by going beyond the call of duty.

The plot thickens and you never know which way it will turn.  Who would want to use arsenic to poison someone and how to you acquire it?  What a nasty and painful way to die. Why kill the mysterious Marion?  Or, did she commit suicide?  Who was the father of her unborn child?  Kathy just can’t let this case go. She has to try and solve the mystery of both Marion and Tina’s poisoning.

As always the plot is thick with many villains.  It was a bumpy ride with lots of twists and turns to add to the excitement.  Brock and Kathy are at their best and the story is as suspenseful as ever. Barry Maitland has done it again.  This superb thriller will keep you guessing until the very end.  I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.' - Kathy Vandenhurk

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