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kayla_jade's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
‘His life was meaningless. How could he ever give it meaning again?’
Several bizarre deaths in England have Scotland Yard concerned. DCI Jack Hawksworth is reassigned from his role in Counter Terrorism to head up an operation to try to find any connections between the deaths. Hawksworth is promoted to Detective Superintendent to head up Operation Mirror and has a small team including DI Kate Carter, DI Malek Khan, and analyst DS Sarah Jones with whom he has worked before.
How is the killer identifying his victims? Some of them are criminals who have been released early from prison, but how would the killer know how to find them? There is nothing random about these deaths, but how can Operation Mirror get ahead of a serial-killing vigilante? Detective Superintendent Hawksworth uses some unconventional methods to get results, including speaking with a convicted serial killer and working with an ambitious young journalist.
The reader may know who is responsible for these deaths, but the members of Operation Mirror must find evidence that the deaths are linked before they can search for a suspect. And the killer is very careful not to leave behind any trace.
I read this book in two sessions. I was intrigued by the characters (this is the first Jack Hawksworth novel I have read, and I’ve added the first two books to my reading list) and by the actions of the vigilante. Ms McIntosh introduces a few twists in this rapidly paced story and there is plenty of tension as the story nears its conclusion. Can the vigilante’s actions ever be justified given the nature of the crimes committed by those killed? Do the ends ever justify the means?
Highly recommended.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Several bizarre deaths in England have Scotland Yard concerned. DCI Jack Hawksworth is reassigned from his role in Counter Terrorism to head up an operation to try to find any connections between the deaths. Hawksworth is promoted to Detective Superintendent to head up Operation Mirror and has a small team including DI Kate Carter, DI Malek Khan, and analyst DS Sarah Jones with whom he has worked before.
How is the killer identifying his victims? Some of them are criminals who have been released early from prison, but how would the killer know how to find them? There is nothing random about these deaths, but how can Operation Mirror get ahead of a serial-killing vigilante? Detective Superintendent Hawksworth uses some unconventional methods to get results, including speaking with a convicted serial killer and working with an ambitious young journalist.
The reader may know who is responsible for these deaths, but the members of Operation Mirror must find evidence that the deaths are linked before they can search for a suspect. And the killer is very careful not to leave behind any trace.
I read this book in two sessions. I was intrigued by the characters (this is the first Jack Hawksworth novel I have read, and I’ve added the first two books to my reading list) and by the actions of the vigilante. Ms McIntosh introduces a few twists in this rapidly paced story and there is plenty of tension as the story nears its conclusion. Can the vigilante’s actions ever be justified given the nature of the crimes committed by those killed? Do the ends ever justify the means?
Highly recommended.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
shelleyrae's review against another edition
4.0
It’s been more than a decade since I read the first two books to feature DCI Jack Hawkesworth, Bye Bye Baby and Beautiful Death, so I picked up Mirror Man with only a vague memory of the storyline, however it’s not necessary to have read either to enjoy this third instalment of the series.
Mirror Man begins when DCI Jack Hawkesworth is reassigned from his role as a Counter Terrorism International Liaison by Martin Sharpe, the Acting Chief Superintendent of the Homicide and Serious Crime Branch at Scotland Yard, to investigate a possible link between three bizarre murders. Given a promotion to Detective Superintendent and a small team to command which allows him to reunite with DI Kate Carter, DI Malek Khan and analyst DS Sara Jones, Jack is tasked to figure out if there is a serial killer loose in London targeting recently paroled criminals.
The reader knows who is responsible for the deadly string of crimes from the outset of the novel but Jack and his team have to find evidence to first prove they are linked before they even begin to search for a suspect. As a police procedural, Mirror Man works well. The murders offer little in the way of forensic evidence, the killer has been careful to leave no trace of themselves behind, so the taskforce must painstakingly investigate every possible piece of information. The killer’s goal is more obvious, a vigilante seeking his own form of justice, though his exact motivation is not known to the team.
It’s rare to be ambivalent about the capture of a serial killer, but when his victims include an unrepentant, violent rapist; an abuser who beat his wife to death; and the drunk driver who annihilated the man’s wife, daughter and granddaughters you can’t help but feel a little conflicted. I liked that McIntosh explores this morally grey area, as well as issues surrounding sentencing, rehabilitation, early parole and how they impact on the victims of crime.
Once again Jack finds himself blurting the line between his professional and personal life when journalist Lauren Starling gets wind of Operation: Mirror Man. Much is made in this series of Jack’s good looks which leaves women swooning in his wake, including Kate whose crush on her boss is still as florid as ever. At Kate’s suggestion, Jack also seeks advice from Anne McEvoy, his former lover, and serial killer, who is serving several life sentences after Jack exposed her in Bye Bye Baby. A psychologist and criminologist, she provides a profile that offers some insight into the case.
Though the reader is led to believe they have all the answers the police are searching for, there are several well placed surprises in Mirror Man. The pace and tension accelerates as Jack grows closer to identifying his quarry, and the lives of several characters are at risk.
With its provocative theme and well crafted plot, Mirror Man is a gripping police procedural, sure to entertain crime fiction readers.
Mirror Man begins when DCI Jack Hawkesworth is reassigned from his role as a Counter Terrorism International Liaison by Martin Sharpe, the Acting Chief Superintendent of the Homicide and Serious Crime Branch at Scotland Yard, to investigate a possible link between three bizarre murders. Given a promotion to Detective Superintendent and a small team to command which allows him to reunite with DI Kate Carter, DI Malek Khan and analyst DS Sara Jones, Jack is tasked to figure out if there is a serial killer loose in London targeting recently paroled criminals.
The reader knows who is responsible for the deadly string of crimes from the outset of the novel but Jack and his team have to find evidence to first prove they are linked before they even begin to search for a suspect. As a police procedural, Mirror Man works well. The murders offer little in the way of forensic evidence, the killer has been careful to leave no trace of themselves behind, so the taskforce must painstakingly investigate every possible piece of information. The killer’s goal is more obvious, a vigilante seeking his own form of justice, though his exact motivation is not known to the team.
It’s rare to be ambivalent about the capture of a serial killer, but when his victims include an unrepentant, violent rapist; an abuser who beat his wife to death; and the drunk driver who annihilated the man’s wife, daughter and granddaughters you can’t help but feel a little conflicted. I liked that McIntosh explores this morally grey area, as well as issues surrounding sentencing, rehabilitation, early parole and how they impact on the victims of crime.
Once again Jack finds himself blurting the line between his professional and personal life when journalist Lauren Starling gets wind of Operation: Mirror Man. Much is made in this series of Jack’s good looks which leaves women swooning in his wake, including Kate whose crush on her boss is still as florid as ever. At Kate’s suggestion, Jack also seeks advice from Anne McEvoy, his former lover, and serial killer, who is serving several life sentences after Jack exposed her in Bye Bye Baby. A psychologist and criminologist, she provides a profile that offers some insight into the case.
Though the reader is led to believe they have all the answers the police are searching for, there are several well placed surprises in Mirror Man. The pace and tension accelerates as Jack grows closer to identifying his quarry, and the lives of several characters are at risk.
With its provocative theme and well crafted plot, Mirror Man is a gripping police procedural, sure to entertain crime fiction readers.
carls2112's review against another edition
5.0
Jack’s Back!
BOOK REVIEW: Mirror Man | Fiona McIntosh ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Is one life worth more than another?
This is the third instalment in the DCI Jack Hawksworth novel and whilst it definitely can be read as a stand-alone I highly recommend reading the first two before delving into this one - not because you need the background but because the books are so damned good!!
Jack’s back and in charge of “Operation Mirror” trying to figure out if there is a serial killer on the loose (three seemingly unrelated murders with one connected fact - all the victims are convicted criminals), with his swoony good looks and baggage from his tragic past relationships Jack is the typical heroic Detective - he reminds me of Luc Cavagnah in the Helen Fields “Perfect” series (if you love police procedurals and haven’t read these I highly recommend them!)
I was delighted to see the return of Kate Carter as I love her as a character (equally as good looking as Jack - they really would make the perfect couple!) and loved the way Anne McEvoy features in this story. In a similar style to the other two books in the series we find out early on who the killer is and for me I love that I’m not waiting for a big twist/reveal, it really allows the writing to flow and the book stick to a genuine police procedural thriller genre.
A wonderfully crafted novel that I stayed up late reading late into the night. Thank you so much to Penguin for the copy in exchange for a review it’s the best crime thriller I’ve read in ages!
BOOK REVIEW: Mirror Man | Fiona McIntosh ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Is one life worth more than another?
This is the third instalment in the DCI Jack Hawksworth novel and whilst it definitely can be read as a stand-alone I highly recommend reading the first two before delving into this one - not because you need the background but because the books are so damned good!!
Jack’s back and in charge of “Operation Mirror” trying to figure out if there is a serial killer on the loose (three seemingly unrelated murders with one connected fact - all the victims are convicted criminals), with his swoony good looks and baggage from his tragic past relationships Jack is the typical heroic Detective - he reminds me of Luc Cavagnah in the Helen Fields “Perfect” series (if you love police procedurals and haven’t read these I highly recommend them!)
I was delighted to see the return of Kate Carter as I love her as a character (equally as good looking as Jack - they really would make the perfect couple!) and loved the way Anne McEvoy features in this story. In a similar style to the other two books in the series we find out early on who the killer is and for me I love that I’m not waiting for a big twist/reveal, it really allows the writing to flow and the book stick to a genuine police procedural thriller genre.
A wonderfully crafted novel that I stayed up late reading late into the night. Thank you so much to Penguin for the copy in exchange for a review it’s the best crime thriller I’ve read in ages!
angelahayes's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 Stars
Mirror Man (DCI Jack Hawksworth Book #3) by Fiona McIntosh.
Book Club Reading Challenge.
Review to come.
Mirror Man (DCI Jack Hawksworth Book #3) by Fiona McIntosh.
Book Club Reading Challenge.
Review to come.
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