Dark Book Review: The Other Side of the Mirror
Review By Casey Douglass
The Other Side of
the Mirror is the noir tale of Detective Carl Duggan and his
duties in a depraved city. As you might expect, it starts with a body
being discovered: a pregnant nineteen-year-old woman found washed up
on the banks of the river. It’s not long before other dead bodies
are found in other locations, their demise causing much
head-scratching for the Detective. If this wasn’t enough, someone
also appears to be killing gay men, which adds an extra touch of
menace to the already foreboding city.
The first thing that I
noticed upon beginning The Other Side of the Mirror, was the
appeal of the location it is set in. Not that I’d want to go to a
city like that, but the seedy, corrupt bleakness just sets in, even
from the very first pages. The river Styx runs through the city,
splitting it into two parts: the East and West. The West side is
wealthy, the East side run-down and poor. “Poor filth and rich
filth, separated by an expanse of ebony water.” The river itself
gained its nickname from the number of bodies that have been pulled
out of it. A nice touch. Definitely more intriguing than “The River
Shopping Trolley” or “Condom Estuary”.
Carl lives on the East
side but events see him having to cross the East and West-linking
Steel Gate Bridge a number of times, hating it every time he does. He
views the East side as more honest in its depravity, and that the
West side is just “crime with a more expensive price-tag”. Much
like in the real world, money paves the way for a variety of averted
eyes and sins being washed away. I enjoyed the split in locations and
the parallels to other ‘split’ elements in the story. As much as
I enjoyed the city though, and the seeming perpetual snow and ice it was cloaked
in, I did get slightly tired of the “Once you come to the city it
doesn’t let you leave” vibe. But only slightly.
Carl, as a protagonist,
is a Detective not afraid to bend the rules, in no small part due to
him being one of only a few who aren’t in someone’s back-pocket,
which is ironic if you think about it. He has a decent heart, but
doesn’t hold back when violence is needed. He also treats the
victims and witnesses of crime with respect, which is more than some
of the others do. He balances a lot of spinning plates but
ultimately, I think, is ready to let them fall. As the story
progresses, things ramp up, and he becomes more disgusted with the
city and its residents than ever before.
The denizens of the
city are an interesting bunch, from a swashbuckling gang of rich
psychopaths to a religious hit-man, but not all residents are steeped
in violence. Some are just trying to get by, doing the best that they
can in whatever job they are lucky enough to have. Pimping,
prostitution and drugs are common, and homelessness too. If people
are sometimes up shit creak without a paddle, these unfortunates aren’t even
in a boat, and are struggling to keep their mouths above the brown
sludge that they are bobbing along in.
As far as the
narrative, I enjoyed it. There was enough happening to keep me
happily rolling along with events. The chapters are, for the most
part, short and punchy, and when things begin to intertwine, a few
pennies dropped in my mind. There were things I guessed, others that
I didn’t see coming, and the ending I kind of guessed but was only
half right, which is a result that I am more than happy with.
The Other Side of
the Mirror is an enjoyable noir murder mystery, set in a
flavourful location and peppered with degenerate characters and
struggling innocents. The action is swift and brutal, the
consequences seeding more discontent in an already dire city. If you
enjoy noir thrillers in settings like this, you should certainly
consider giving this book a closer look.
I was given a review
copy of this book.
Book Title: The
Other Side of the Mirror
Book Author: Lex
H. Jones
Publisher:
Hellbound Books