The Killer in the Mirror

"Don't You Remember?"

By: David T. Wolf

Narrated by: India Williams, Porter Haux

Is she in love with a murderer?

Seventeen-year-old Margot McClain used to be witty, talented, and popular, but ever since a certain incident, she’s used her smart mouth like an insect-repellent to keep boys off her. That’s about to change.

When lost-looking new kid John Smith enrolls at her school, Margot mocks his fake-sounding name. Then she learns “John Smith” is the name the authorities gave him. He can’t remember his own--or anything else about his past. His plight weakens her resistance. She offers to be his confidant as he grapples with bad dreams and shards of painful and ugly memories. As those memories return, they reveal two different sides of his persona: a bleak outer shell and a sensitive inner core.

His history catches up with him when a trashy former girlfriend shows up with two thugs. They demand he help them rob the bookstore where he works, or they’ll tell the cops where he lives.

Why would the cops be interested? “Don’t you remember? You killed your mom’s boyfriend.”

The Killer in the Mirror is a mystery, a love story, an exploration of identity, and a journey into a past filled with pain and heartbreak that culminates in a murder trial that will decide which side of “John Smith” will survive.

©2022 David T. Wolf (P)2025 David T. Wolf

Compelling story and awesome voices!

The story is so great!!! Tension builds and falls in elegant breaths while compounding into a bigger picture. I especially enjoy the narrator who does Jonathan’s voice, he seems to capture the right amount of emotion without overdoing it! :) I also love hearing the original narrators voices for the main characters when the perspective changes. Such a cool detail!

Gripping storyline

This was an awesome book. The story line was very gripping. I usually have to skip to the end to see how it turns out for the sake of my anxiety but this story flowed so well I didn’t need to. The narrators are great! I liked how the MMC talked in second person. It really reality type of feel for how someone could go through life with amnesia. He’s living it, but it’s like he’s watching himself live it.

I thought it was nerve wrecking and also clever how the author incorporated the prosecutor who is running for office and portrayed them in a realistic light. A lot of times, they don’t care about the truth, they just need a win.

I marked the overall at a 4 because there are some places in the book where the audio is botched. There’s a point in chapter 4 where the audio goes out completely so part of an exchange between Margot and Antonia is missed, In chapter 28 there is a point where the audio overlaps and you’re hearing tsp different parts of the story at the same time. Finally, in chapter 45, you can hear a real life reaction from the narrator. Also, a lot of times you can hear ambient background noise while the narrator is reading.


I would definitely recommend it!

Teens, high school and memory loss

“The Killer in the Mirror” plays on traumatic memory loss, coping mechanisms, and teenage angst as author David T. Wolf combines each in a wild courtroom showdown that keeps readers on edge.

John Smith is just a name given to the young man wondering the streets of California because he can’t seem to remember his own. Homeless and hungry, he settles in as he attempts to remember his past. Living with other children without families and attending the local high school, John begins to reintegrate and start fresh. But, as memories begin to trickle back and unsavory characters show up claiming to know him, he’s drawn back to the life he incidentally left behind – or did he?

Margot McLain has her own traumatic past. Reinventing herself as she hides behind her mouth, she wants nothing more than to keep her distance from the new kid, and any boy to be honest. Yet, as they are drawn together, Margot and John begin to make an unlikely pair as the past starts rearing its head.

Wolf navigates teenagers, high school, and memory loss with the skill of a true professional. As he incorporates his signature crescendos, gapping bombshells, and twisted mystery, “The Killer in the Mirror” transports us to the foggy mind of a young man with an obvious past. Deftly showing off his ability to create suspense within the mind, John’s memories begin to take shape as Wolf unravels this from dueling points of view.

Using duet narration, “The Killer in the Mirror” weaves Margot and John into an unlikely friendship as two teens navigate the uncertainty surrounding them. Trauma, history, and secrets combine in a courtroom standoff for the ages.