Mystique in the mirror (BL Thriller) : A Psychological LGBTQ Romance of Hauntings, Forgotten Memories, and Dark Secrets in a Psychiatric Hospital

by Patrick Rangsimant

Eighteen-year-old Alan’s life is far from ordinary.
With a chronic illness stealing his memory piece by piece, he writes every moment in a notebook—because if he doesn’t, it’s gone. Living quietly with his researcher father, Alan has learned to find happiness in small things… until the day a shadowed figure appears in the mirror behind him.

What begins as a fleeting glimpse soon turns into a waking nightmare—sleepwalking, strange dreams, and a growing terror of every reflective surface. The doctors call it hallucination. Alan isn’t so sure.

When his father admits him to a psychiatric hospital under the care of the enigmatic Dr. Nin, Alan meets Win—a cheerful boy with a mysterious past. Their connection sparks something deeper than friendship, but the closer they grow, the more the walls of reality begin to crack.

In a place where trust is fragile and secrets run deep, Alan must confront the haunting figure in the mirror and uncover the truth linking his father, Dr. Nin, and Win. The answers lie buried in forgotten memories… and in the dark history of the hospital itself.

Mystique in the Mirror is a slow-burn LGBTQ psychological romance with paranormal suspense, perfect for fans of The Locked Door and Call Me by Your Name—where love, loss, and the supernatural intertwine in a haunting story you’ll never forget.

411 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2025

About the author

Associated Names:
* รังสิมันต์
* Patrick Rangsimant
* หมอตุ๊ด
* อุเทน บุญอรณะ

Reviews

[Max Molina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.3 / 5

SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers for the plot and themes of the book.

As a native Spanish speaker who read the translated English version of this Thai novel, I was pleasantly surprised by the reading experience. The translation felt like a light read, which made it easy to follow and understand, even for someone who might not have complete fluency in English. I particularly appreciated that the translator included helpful notes defining some key vocabulary and terms—a thoughtful touch that improved comprehension.

I went into Mystique in the Mirror with no prior expectations, and as this is my first work by Patrick Rangsimant, I was genuinely impressed.

What struck me most was how beautifully the author wove together elements of horror using the point-of-view (POV) of a character experiencing dementia, the Capgras delusion, and Alzheimer's disease. The narrative cleverly utilizes the confusion and altered reality associated with these conditions to build a genuinely terrifying and suspenseful atmosphere. However, the book doesn't just use these elements for shock value. By the end, the story sensitively addresses and sensitizes readers to these serious medical conditions/illnesses.

Furthermore, the integration of the Boys' Love (BL) relationship is excellently handled. The author expertly normalizes the same-sex couple within the plot, allowing their relationship to be a natural part of the story's fabric. This approach is incredibly refreshing; it shows that stories can feature same-sex partners and still offer a deep, complex narrative without relying on clichés or making the characters' sexual orientation the sole focus of the plot.

Overall, I was surprised in the best possible way by the depth and emotional resonance of this thriller. I will definitely be seeking out more works by Patrick Rangsimant.

[Hoong · Rating 2 out of 5]

I find the BL content extremely unconvincing and unrelatable for gay readers, but it likely does wonders for the BL readers who have their own valid agenda for consuming this genre. I struggled to finish it because Ransimant's BL, "My Ride," impressed me beforehand. As a psychological thriller, the protagonist's descriptive narration has some illogical thinking, and it bored me. There is too much fantasy for me to relate to in my life when meeting cisgender Thai gay men, but I am impressed that BL tropes abound to draw in the intended audience. The epilogue explains what the author intended to do, but without it, it has loopholes as a psychological thriller. Watching just one episode of the series adapted from this work, I noticed that there were more intense BL tropes to lure in BL viewers, but they did not resonate with me, who held it up to gay genre standards. I am curious to see how well this gay author can produce this BL genre content compared to Sammon, whose semi-fantasy novels are good without the BL content being irritating to a gay reader like me. If he can break into this genre with this writing, then good for him, as it'll be more lucrative than the gay genre.