Leslie Kain
Author of Secrets In The Mirror
Works by Leslie Kain
Tagged
This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and (if not signed in) for advertising. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms.
Secrets in the Mirror is a compelling, twisted tale of family dysfunction that kept me glued to the pages. Even when I could sense a tragic development coming (some of them managed to really catch me off-guard), it was like seeing a train hurtling toward a cliff and hoping that it would stop in time. I couldn’t watch, yet I couldn’t look away—like in a movie where it’s so tense you peer at the screen through your fingers. Kain’s literary style unfolds the story in layers, revealing bit by bit why the characters are the way they are, what drives them, what they really want. Their increasing depth made it clear that “bad guys” aren’t always all “bad,” and “good guys” sometimes slip off their pedestals, too.
No doubt Kain’s background in psychology informed the details of conflict and personal growth, the struggle to overcome impossible odds that weaves through every page of this book. In addition, the author’s familiarity with Boston fed descriptions clear enough to see the scene’s setting without overdoing the detail. Her style is succinct. One scene or episode flows naturally into the next, sometimes leaving small details a mystery to uncover later in the story. I like that Kain doesn’t tie everything up with a pretty bow at the end. Not all stories have happy endings, and even some that do can be bittersweet. Kain spins a tale that left me breathless, not to mention thankful that my own life is not nearly so chaotic or challenging.
Secrets in the Mirror will keep you turning pages, watching that train lurch toward the cliff and wondering what it will take to stop it. If you enjoy stories based on family drama, you won’t want to miss this book.… (more)