Reviews

This exciting debut novel, by for me a wonderful new author, is a truly suspenseful and gripping book. Story-telling is of a superb quality, and besides that all the characters involved in this thrilling story come vividly to life to make this book such a joy to read. The story is mainly based in York, and it starts off with Kate in hospital while suffering from amnesia, before she's taken home by her husband, the cold and calculating Liam. It's a fast-paced thriller in which our main characters Kate and Liam are playing a game of cat and mouse, and where also a lot of growing chilling anxiety will touch the lives of all those who'll have to face this same dangerous predator Liam. The clever and intriguing part of this story is, that it is about identical twins, and where the first Kate has left Liam, on the pretext on having cancer and not long to live anymore, and who's now heading with her lover Charles to Scotland under her new name Jessica Ripley, this second Kate who leaves the hospital, is in reality called Chrissie, and she's to replace the first Kate and satisfy Liam while her life is being controlled by him. On the other hand there's of course the cold, manipulating and lethal Liam, who will do anything within his power to keep people under his control by forcing them to do what he wants them to do, and if they don't they will finally face a dead end. What will definitely follow is a really suspenseful story with some captivating turns of events, and where the plot and the ending will eventually surprise everyone, but I'm not going to spoil it all by telling you, no if you want to find out then my advice to you is, get yourself this amazing book and enjoy it all from start to finish. Very much recommended, because this very talented lady author has delivered us an adventurous gripping tale, and one that I would like to call as: "A Very Captivating Debut Thriller"! ~ Amazon Customer

On the Other Side of the Looking Glass is a suspenseful psychological thriller by Kathleen Harryman. This story grabbed my attention right from the beginning. Imagine waking up in hospital with no memory of your life. And not only do you have no recollection of your husband, but he is someone you immediately dislike. You have a gut feeling that something isn’t right. Due to your situation, though, you must go home with this man and live your life as his partner. Kate finds herself in this predicament and you will feel for her from the outset of this novel. I did find the circumstances surrounding the protagonist’s amnesia a little too convenient. However, the story was so gripping and filled with tension, I found I couldn't put it down. A great fast-paced book for mystery and thriller readers. ~ Amazon Customer

have always been a fan of psychological thrillers and the premise of this book sounded really interesting. The book is narrated in alternating points of view from the main characters. From page one, I identified with “Kate” who wakes up in a hospital bed having no idea who she is. When she meets Liam, the man whom she’s told is her husband, she doesn’t believe that she’s ever seen him before. Her gut isn’t buying the story she's been told. But there are photos of her wedding and much more … so, she has no choice but to go with him. Before she even leaves the hospital, she knows this is not a nice man. He insists that she wear heels, designer clothing, and makeup … just to go home. And that’s only the beginning … Because the book was written in multiple POVs, the reader gets a bird’s eye view of exactly how evil Liam is: what he has done to get what he wants, what he will do, and how his sick, sociopathic mindset places no value on anyone’s life but his own. I really enjoyed the author’s storytelling, characters, and wit. As the story advanced and the plot became more complex, I was never lost or confused. I just wanted to keep turning pages. ~ Amazon Customer

The Other Side of the Looking Glass is suspenseful women’s fiction about survival, control and ultimately the power of love. It is told in multiple points of view and broken up in chapters with the main POV in each chapter title separated by character name. It opens in a hospital with a woman who cannot remember why she’s there or what happened, it goes further on to examine amnesia when Kate cannot remember who she is. Her thoughts are scattered and piecemeal as she tries to discover who she is. She is initially terrified, and of course who wouldn’t be? But then specific details, about laundry, fashion, and other things come into play about what she understands, and what she knows begins to surface. When Kate, the main character meets her husband Liam that same day, a switch goes off and rather than a happy homecoming, she immediately doesn’t trust or feel any love for him, but she cannot remember why. Eventually we find out the reason and it’s not what you think! The second she is discharged to return home there are many details as to what kind of life she leads. It looks like a fairy tale. Luxurious car and house, a handsome husband, paired with her own aesthetic beauty and all the things money can buy. But she and her husband live separately in different wings of a mansion. He also tells her what to wear, what to eat and when to do it. Control. “I would break her spirit, rip her apart. I was quite looking forward to it.” -Liam This section of the story often reminded me often of, Sleeping With The Enemy, a novel that speaks so brilliantly about this particular kind of private struggle and the fear that comes with it. It was engrossing and terrifying to watch the marital relationship unfold. There are some scenes with Liam that might be triggering for anyone who has endured psychological of physical abuse. "If I didn’t think, then I didn’t feel, and if I didn’t feel, well, I could survive this." There was times that Liam seemed so ruthless and cold that he was barely human, but then his weakness for Jake, the old family caretaker made him real for me. If I hadn’t personally known a few men like Liam in my lifetime, I might have had a tough time believing anyone could be so wealthy, power hungry, callous, and unfeeling, but unfortunately a human can be. We go on to hear the inner thoughts of each main character, primarily, Kate, Liam, and her estranged sister Chrissie. There were a few plot holes that felt a bit unlikely, the reason for the amnesia and the twist that came forth from it, and finally Liam’s ruthlessness when it came to dealing with his external problems. But more importantly, I was entertained by the drama, the search for self, the strength that two women, both survivors had inside their hearts to get back up and to turn horrible situations into something meaningful -- to find love and peace after the war. Jenny was a character I grew to love: the peacemaker, the loyal sister, the mother and finally the friend. I’ve always wondered about the family behind the monster. It was interesting to have someone like Liam who was almost soulless, empty -- to have a sister like Jenny, so full of love, forgiveness and kindness. If you enjoy stories written from a female Point of View, dramatic situations and stories about women finding their true North again, this one’s for you! ~ Amazon Customer

When I downloaded this book I didn't know what to expect. One word WOW it was fantastic. I couldnt put it down. A fantastic story really got me gripped. I have now downloaded Kathleen's next book and can't wait to read it and hopefully many more from this author. ~ Amazon Customer

Finally, a decent suspenseful thriller that hasn't been given the hard sell and the blurb force fed on you! In my opinion this exciting mystery is as big as any of the major names/titles flooding the psychological/thriller market at the moment and deserves a lot more attention than it's probably receiving. "The Other Side of The Looking Glass" by Kathleen Harryman was intense, intriguing, well paced and an absolute pleasure to read. It didn't take me long to read it and I found it impossible to put down due to the tension that was created mid way through the story. Without a doubt once you start reading this truly intriguing and entertaining book you'll want to read it all in one go anyway. As the story starts to unfold and the pieces of the jigsaw start coming together, the tension and the suspense grows and you start to really fear for the characters lives. When beautiful Kate wakes up in hospital after falling down some steps she can't remember who she is. Her husband Liam tells her she lives in a luxury mansion with a privileged life and he is going to take her home to recover. She doesn't trust him and instantly dislikes him. However, her ordeal is only just beginning as controlling Liam ensures she dresses and acts to his desires telling her she was always compliant and should still be. But as her memories start to return, is she really Kate, and how far will obsessive Liam go to keep her under his command? With no one to help her she's truly alone. How long can she continue to live as a prisoner in her own home that's controlled by a powerful and dangerous man? I liked the way the book was set out in chapters of the various characters points of view, it's impossible not to hate Liam, he really is portrayed as an obsessive bully. My favourite character was Jake, a lovely man with a heart to match. The ending definitely left me with a lump in my throat and I'm pleased that the author chose to end the story that way. Although some could say the plot was a little fanciful and far fetched, I would argue that most thrillers are, they are fiction after all, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and as quite a quick read I would happily recommend it to thriller readers young and old but keep in mind that while Kate is under Liam's control it can get distressing. The author isn't new to me, her other book "When Darkness Falls" was also brilliantly written with an excellent storyline and with both these stories being set in York - which I'm familiar with - this also added to the enjoyment. A fabulous 5 stars for superb book. ~ Amazon Customer