The Woman in the Mirror

A Novel

By: Rebecca James

Narrated by: Charlotte Newton-John, Katharine Mangold

Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Rebecca James unveils a chilling modern gothic novel of a family consumed by the shadows and secrets of its past in The Woman in the Mirror.

For more than two centuries, Winterbourne Hall has stood atop a bluff overseeing the English countryside of Cornwall and the sea beyond.

In 1947, Londoner Alice Miller accepts a post as governess at Winterbourne, looking after Captain Jonathan de Grey’s twin children. Falling under the de Greys’ spell, Alice believes the family will heal her own past sorrows. But then, the twins’ adoration becomes deceitful and taunting. Their father, ever distant, turns spiteful and cruel. The manor itself seems to lash out. Alice finds her surroundings subtly altered, her air slightly chilled. Something malicious resents her presence, something clouding her senses and threatening her very sanity.

In present day New York, art gallery curator Rachel Wright has learned she is a descendant of the de Greys and heir to Winterbourne. Adopted as an infant, she never knew her birth parents or her lineage. At long last, Rachel will find answers to questions about her identity that have haunted her entire life. But what she finds in Cornwall is a devastating tragic legacy that has afflicted generations of de Greys. A legacy borne from greed and deceit, twisted by madness, and suffused with unrequited love and unequivocal rage.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books

©2020 Rebecca James (P)2020 Macmillan Audio

Fabulous. it's a must read

Rarely do I take the time to type out a review or give 5 stars in every single catagory. this book was fantastic! it has it all and a narrator that is perfect for it, too.

If you like The Woman In Black 2

This book is for you, but if not, you'll probably hate it as much as I do. It was Woman in Black and Turn of the Screw. Nothing new, nothing interesting. The narrators are awful. It wasn't bad, but I will never return to Winterbourne.

Mostly a love story

Overall a good story. Both readers were excellent but the story just lacked the excitement and thrill of a ghost story. Mainly just a love story.

Some what predictable

Unfortunately it is predictable from the beginning to the end. It was entertaining don’t get me wrong. I wish that the ending was different.

Wow!!

Enjoyed the book. Not sure I like such a dark story. Characters a bit off putting. Without giving anything away I felt the book pull you in and you could not help but want to find out what happens.

So Glad I Hung in There

I had trouble getting into this book at first. If it weren't for the intriguing and promising prologue, I may have returned it. I'm glad I didn't!

I did not care for the American reader at all, but the British reader was excellent, and in fact, she is probably what kept me hooked.

I loved the historical part of this book, but anyone who loves Gothic mysteries would. I really have to think a book is FANTASTIC to give five stars, but while this was a good story on its own merit, nothing really stood out for me as being fantastic. I love a book that makes me think about it for the next several days after I finish it, but I'm not sure that will happen here. I'm just ready to find my next listen. That being said, it was still good enough for me to give it four stars.

Phenomenal

Truly gorgeous writing...this is an enthralling story in a stunning, stark, dreary location. It is spooky, and filled with interesting characters that are very, very well developed. The story is not outlandish or silly. It reads like a textbook example of true gothic writing. I was genuinely creeped out while reading this one and that’s always so refreshing. It’s one of those things that is always promised but rarely delivered in this genre. The narration is good. Solid. The British narrator is fantastic and speaks beautifully but the voice of Rachel is inconsistent. Sometimes good sometimes really not. This book is very much worth a credit and will give you a solid yet well thought out scare. Highly recommend.

Narrator! Unnecessary corner cutting....

Seriously? Why, why, why have an American do very bad English accent, (sounding like the American South) when you have an excellent English narrator ALSO performing on the same book? The jarring sound made it impossible to sustain my"willing suspension of disbelief:" the traditional bargin between the reader/listener and the author. Shame!

Beautifully dark

This story had me sucked in the moment I push play.A beautiful dark piece, that I highly recommend.

Overall a good buy

My only true complaint is that whichever lady read the American side of things… failed to properly read certain words. There were about three times I was fully taken out of the story because she mispronounced a word where I sat there thinking she legit didn’t know what she was reading. And I’m not talking about dialect, it was straight up wtf moments.