Monster in the Mirror

by Janasha Prabhu

Dark, twisty, and atmospheric debut thriller for readers of The Quiet Tenant and The Butcher.

Her uncle was a serial killer. The town whispers, could she be a killer too?

On the night Jiah Rai was found cradling her girlfriend Georgia’s dead body at the bottom of Wailing Cliff, everyone suspected her. There wasn’t enough evidence to charge her, but the town refuses to forget. Murder must run in the family. Jiah’s uncle was a convicted serial killer, and while he died behind bars, his legacy lives on in Jiah and her sister. It doesn’t matter that they’ve lived in Dumont their whole lives—they have never fit into the insular white community, and perhaps they never will.

But legacy isn’t done with Jiah just yet. A few years later, a threat from Georgia’s brother threatens to crumble the shaky peace Jiah has rebuilt. Desperate to feel safe again, Jiah decides to take matters into her own hands and seeks support from her best friend, Estrella. After all, Estrella has been there for Jiah ever since they met after Georgia’s death. But when Estrella never shows up to a dinner party, a series of texts lead Jiah to the beach below, where she finds a body positioned exactly how her uncle displayed his victims over a decade ago. The killer mocks Jiah, hinting they know about her secrets, too. But is Jiah really the monster Dumont thinks she is? As Jiah hunts the killer, she begins to realize she might be unable to save the next victim…and that she may not want to.

Genres: Thriller, Horror, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Adult, Suspense

352 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 20, 2026

Reviews

[GCR | Book Realm]

ARC provided by Sourcebooks.

Monster in the Mirror never pulled me in. The premise did not grab my attention, and as the story continued, I kept waiting for something to make me care, but it never happened.

The pacing felt slow, I never connected with the characters, and there was not enough tension or emotional impact to keep me invested. By the end, I was finishing because I had already started it, not because I was curious about where the story was going.

This was simply not the right fit for me.

I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy slower, more atmospheric stories and do not need a strong hook or immediate character connection to stay interested.

[Amanda]

this one was unfortunately a miss for me. the pacing was slow, & i had a hard time getting fully pulled into the story. i’d find myself getting slightly intrigued, only for that feeling to fade right after. i just kept feeling like i needed more from the story, & unfortunately i just didn’t get it. there weren’t any real shocking twists or momentum that caught me off guard like i was hoping there would be.

overall, this was an okay-ish read. although it wasn’t a perfect match for me, i’m sure there will be readers out there who enjoy this one more than i did!

thank you netgalley & sourcebooks landmark for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Haley Turner]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book. All opinions are my own!

2.5⭐️. I really wanted to love this one because the premise sounded so interesting, but unfortunately it just didn’t work for me.

This was such a slow burn, and the long chapters definitely did not help. I kept waiting for that strong hook or twist that would make me desperate to keep reading, but it never really came. There wasn’t enough tension or suspense to keep me invested, and I never really connected with the characters either.

I think the biggest issue for me was that I just wasn’t curious enough about where the story was going. There were times when I found myself pushing through, not because I was dying to know what happened next, but because I had already started the book and wanted to finish it. And for a thriller, that’s just not what I’m looking for.

The premise had so much potential, especially with Jiah being connected to a serial killer and then finding a body displayed in the same way as her uncle’s victims. I was really hoping that would lead to some seriously creepy moments, shocking reveals, and twists that would keep me guessing. Instead, the story felt pretty predictable for me and didn’t have nearly as much tension as I wanted.

I will say that I don’t think this was necessarily a bad book. It just wasn’t the thriller I was hoping it would be. I needed more twists, more tension, shorter chapters, and a stronger sense of urgency to keep me locked in. There was definitely an interesting idea here, I just wish the execution had kept me more invested.

[Meg]

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this eARC!

Im giving this 2 stars because I read this whole book and I still don’t think I could tell you what it was about. The premise was intriguing and a large part of why I requested it on Netgalley- but the execution was lacking. Once the story did wrap up and the twists and turns were revealed, the logistics behind the story didn’t add up and I was left with questions.

Additionally, the main character was exhausting. Her relationships with the people around her felt so random and two-dimensional, especially her friendship with Estrella. It’s weird to me that she is her best friend but doesn’t know much about her…

Also this is a minor issue but don’t we think it’s weird how every person in her life looks the exact same? Everybody has dark hair and similar eye colors…just a small detail but started to feel repetitive.

[Caroline | dogtailsandcrimetales]

★★

Jiah Rai's life is shattered the night her girlfriend, Georgia, dies. Was it a tragic accident or something far more sinister? When Jiah is found holding Georgia's body, her hometown of Dumont is reminded of another monster: Jiah's uncle, the infamous Doppelgänger Murder, a convicted serial killer. A few months later, Jiah's best friend, Estrella, is found murdered, and once again, Jiah is the one to make the gruesome discovery. Does the murder gene run in families? Could it run in Jiah?

This debut promised a dark, twisty, atmospheric story. NetGalley categorizes it as a Mystery & Thriller, while Goodreads lists it as Horror and Thriller. The blurb even compares it to The Quiet Tenant and The Butcher, two of my favorite dark, twisty thrillers. Needless to say, I was excited to dive in!

Unfortunately, Monster in the Mirror wasn't the right fit for me. I can overlook a few rough edges in a debut, but I found myself distracted by a number of inconsistencies and plot holes, ranging from character relationships to investigative procedures, that I wish had been addressed during editing.

I also went in expecting some horror based on the marketing, but I never really found those elements in the story. It certainly has a dark, heavy atmosphere, largely because the main character, and sole narrator, is struggling with profound depression.

That said, readers who enjoy unhinged thrillers and don't mind overlooking a fair amount of implausibility may have a better experience with this one than I did.

Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Janasha Prabhu for a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

[YanaKeii]

The synopsis pulled me in but the story itself did not hold my attention. I did finish it out just to see if my theory was correct and it wasn't, which is a good thing.

Jiah and her family grew up with the dark side of having their uncle be names as a serial killer forecasting a dark shadow on their family. Now, there is a copy cat along with Jiah being accused of murder as well.

The story progresses with some antagonizing from local community members but also does not keep a pace (for me) that had me sitting to finish in one book.

The ending was much better really picked up although the twist could have came sooner and the finale could have been grander. I did like the plot of it all but wish their was more emphasis on that part of the storyline.

Overall, not a bad read.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark via NetGalley

[Meg]

I was very intrigued by this book but it was a let down for me.
The book opens with some brief but graphic animal torture, and this is not the only time it happens.
Jiah has a lot going on. Her uncle was a serial killer, her girlfriend was murdered recently, she has a violent stalker, and a bunch of other personal issues. Unfortunately, all these just felt messy, rather than exciting.
I didn't think the characterization in this novel was strong. There was too much happening, but it also felt slow. Sadly, not for me.
Thanks netgalley for the opportunity to read the eARC.

[Amanda Ibrahim]

Dark and twisty.
I wasn’t sure if I should trust the narrator or not, which I think is a sign of a well done unreliable narrator. At one point I almost walked away without finishing it, but the ending was not really surprising but it was satisfying so I’m glad I pushed through.

[circa1q84]

(read this with an ARC via netgalley)

I've been on the hunt for more queer stories in the thriller/horror genre and the premise of this book immediately grabbed me. I was especially interested in reading about a Desi sapphic woman, the sole protagonist Jiah, as I've realized I've never had the opportunity to read from this pov and what a shame that is!!

The beginning of the novel does a great job steeping you in the atmosphere of the location, a small, isolated town on the Long Island coast. And the opening chapter kicks off with a visceral gut punch. I really wanted to get to know Jiah and her sister, Lila, to learn more about how their psyche has been affected by growing up related to an infamous serial killer, the shame by association. Also, Jiah gets points for being a loving cat owner! There are also two generally really creepy jump scares that gave me chills when reading, which is no easy feat!

Ultimately, at the end of the book, I felt the way Jiah did about the people in her life, like she still didn't know much about them and should have asked more. I wanted to see more about Jiah and Lila's struggle with feeling like pariahs. For some reason it comes across that only Jiah feels this burden and Lila never quite seems to think about it, which made Lila feel rather two-dimensional. I admittedly completely forgot about their parents because they never physically show the whole book, not even for an in scene phone call when shit is going down, and I started to think maybe they were dead and I had misread until they're briefly mentioned again at the end. There's a few other promising characters, David, Kennedy, the Sheriff, but they never quite feel developed.

Even their serial killer uncle is largely unknowable, his motives and intentions never really being discussed analytically, nor pseudo-imagined by Jiah. I had hoped his presence would feel threaded throughout the novel but I couldn't tell you what he sounded like. They never even had a conversation with him (that would have made for a creepy scene!).

We're also told the whole town is watching to see if the sisters are actually psychos too, but we don't really get to see this very much. The pressure of watching eyes of the towns people feels for the most part absent. I would've liked to see more of a struggle, more interactions in town, her at work (she doesn't work the whole novel), more whispering, a council meeting calling to evict her, prejudice (for instance what if her crush Kennedy's family said she couldn't be around Kennedy's niece Grace etc), just more palpable fear and wariness around them both.

For the most part the writing is pretty straight forward, and I think the author does a good job physically moving her characters around the town and pacing the plot. Yet I did struggle with the frequent similes (sometimes 2 a page) and oddly reused adjectives. The result was that a lot of the similes ended up feeling weak upon impact because "it was like something but also like something else or also something else" and everything was velvet, so therefore nothing was.

One small callout, at one point Jiah recalls a story she heard as a child and it is extremely sexually explicit. I was confused how this was a story that would be told to a child. Perhaps if she told us who told it to her or where she heard it (could've been a good one for killer uncle to tell) then I could've understood where it was coming from. In a similar vein, we know Jiah's ex Georgia named their cat Madeline and she knew that was her name immediately. But why? Why Madeline? We're missing that crucial context to finish fleshing out the backstory, to make it feel real and lived in. That was a prevalent feeling throughout the text, the bones are there, it just needs a little more meat.

Lastly, I understand this is a "hide the truth for the big reveal tactic," but two of the more pivotal moment of the book occur off page and then we're clued in later. This felt a bit disappointing to me as I think those moments could have been better served in real time to let us sit with the weight of them. Namely, the first pivotal moment, would have allowed for a much more interesting psychological read of Jiah had we been clued in from the jump. And looking back, I don't think her mental state quite reflects the aftermath I would've expected, and that it could've gotten more cerebral, although I could see the actions I had missed that were hinting to the truth (nicely done!).

All in all, I walked away wishing there have been deeper characterization as I so badly want to know a character like Jiah and think her world could be much richer.

*I'm not going to rate this on a star level because I think debut authors can benefit from feedback but the stars are not always an accurate source for that.

[Kayla]

Can murder run in the family? When Jiah is found with her girlfriend's dead body the small coastal town of Dumont is convinced she’s the killer. Her uncle was a serial killer after all. But ultimately there's not enough evidence to convict her. So years later when another person in Jiah's life shows up dead in the exact same way her uncle used to display his victims the town begins to spiral around Jiah again. There's a copycat killer on the loose and they know Jiah's secrets. It is up to her to clear her name and make sure her secrets are safe too.

This book was a proper whodunit murder mystery with some twists and turns. Great for fans who like mystery with a plot like Lisa Jewell fans. Mystery is the main plot but you also have so much more in this book. Like what happens to a person when they've been harassed and turned into the town pariah? Sisterly relationships. Should one have to atone for family crimes? And the internal struggle of learning to believe you're worth more than what you've been through.

I enjoyed this book. It definitely leans more mystery than thriller so if you're in it for the serial killer murder aspect know that this is not that book. I don't think the plot twists were jaw dropping and overtly shocking but they were enjoyable, even if slightly predictable, but there is nothing wrong with being predictable. And the pacing is steady and it feels very intentional.

The true heart of this book is in the characters and the narrative. I loved Jiah, Kennedy, and Estrella; they were all dynamic characters. Especially Jiah, I found her character growth in the story to be super rewarding and she was an intriguing character throughout. Estrella is also a little freak and I love her for that. The representation in this book is also lovely. I really enjoy POC and LGBTQ characters existing without making either of those things the identifying characteristics of the characters. The writing of this book is delightful. “In the end, the blood did leave a stain.” From the moment I read those words I knew I was going to enjoy Janasha Prabhu’s writing. The book is as thoughtful as it is compelling. There’s this idea that there’s these stains on Jiah’s life and she’s trying so hard to get those stains out, but maybe it’s useless, maybe it’s not. And that is exactly how I’d describe this book to someone. This book is the stains in Jiah’s life.

Objectively, it does take a minute to get into this book. I'd say it was around chapter 5 or so that I really locked in. I do think the back of the book promises a slightly different experience (especially with the highlight of the serial killer uncle) it feels like the book might go in another direction. But if you go into the book with the understanding that it's not a high stakes murder-thriller-twists-and-turns and honestly relatively little is explored into the uncle serial killer then you might be able to enjoy this book for what it is.

This is a great mystery book if you’re looking for a summerween vibe as it’s set in a coastal town or just straight autumnal mystery vibes. It’s a classic whodunit with a little bit of horror and just mentions of serial killer elements without the aggressive blood, gore, and body horror (there’s a little but not a lot.) You don’t know who to trust and inherently you trust no one because of that. So the book feels eerie like someone’s always lurking and watching. And you’ll find yourself squinting looking for clues between the lines. I also highly recommend this as a book club book because there is so much under the surface of this book that deserves to be unpacked and highlighted. This was a solid book that I would recommend for mystery lovers.

[hannah ⊹ ࣪ ˖]

3.5 ⭐ | For the most part, I enjoyed this, but it left me feeling a little conflicted. Monster in the Mirror is definitely less of a fast-paced thriller and more of a slow burn psychological mystery that leans heavily into its atmosphere, trauma, and the weight of reputation. I think if you're expecting constant twists and action, the deliberate pacing may take some adjusting, but readers who enjoy character-driven suspense will likely find plenty to love about this.

The strongest aspect of the novel is undoubtedly its setting. Dumont feels oppressive in the way only a small town can, where gossip becomes truth and no one ever lets the past stay buried. That constant sense of being watched hangs over every moment, making it easy to understand why Jiah is always looking over her shoulder. Her family's history, combined with the town's prejudice, creates an interesting exploration of how quickly people decide who someone is based on where they come from rather than what they've actually done.

Jiah herself is... complicated. She's guarded, often frustrating, and not always easy to connect with, but I think that's intentional. Well, I hope it was intentional. She's carrying years of grief, suspicion, and unresolved trauma, and the story never tries to make her a perfectly likable main character. I appreciated the morally gray direction her character took, even if some of her decisions tested my patience.

Where the book lost me a bit was in the middle. The mystery occasionally felt like it stalled while focusing on Jiah's internal struggles, and I found myself wanting the investigation to take center stage more often. If I wanted a character study, I would've chosen a different book. I wanted more thrill and less internal dialogue. There were also a few moments that stretched the believability of the story, and one subplot involving perceived animal harm made for an uncomfortable reading experience, even though it ultimately had more context than it initially seemed. And to be fair, I was warned about the animal moments, so while I wasn't surprised it was happening, I still wasn't a huge fan.

That said, the final quarter elevated the book. The reveals felt earned instead of relying solely on shock value, and I enjoyed seeing seemingly unrelated pieces finally click together. The ending raises interesting questions about justice, revenge, and whether someone can ever truly escape the story other people have written for them, and the epilogue leaves things on an unsettling note.

Overall, while Monster in the Mirror didn't completely blow me away, it kept me interested enough to want answers, and the payoff made the slower journey worthwhile. It's a thoughtful, atmospheric debut that blends psychological suspense with literary themes, even if the pacing occasionally keeps it from reaching its full potential.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this eARC!

[Karolina Reads]

Dumont is the kind of town where everyone knows your name, your business and probably what you ate for breakfast… but somehow nobody knows the actual truth. This book had me walking into this little nightmare town thinking “Okay, something is VERY off here” and honestly? That feeling never really left.

Jiah Rai is not your typical “everyone root for her immediately” main character and I actually liked that about her. She’s messy, guarded, complicated and carrying a whole suitcase full of baggage that nobody should have to drag around. The entire town already decided who she is before she ever gets a chance to speak for herself and watching her fight against that was frustrating, heartbreaking and sometimes had me yelling at my book like “Girl… I need answers. Please stop being mysterious for five seconds.”

The atmosphere? Chef’s kiss. 👏 This book knows how to make you uncomfortable in the best way. There’s this constant creepy little cloud hanging over everything, like you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop. The secrets, the suspicion, the small town gossip… honestly, Dumont needs a group therapy session because everyone is carrying something.

The beginning was a little slow for me and I had to really settle into the story before everything clicked. There were moments where I wanted to grab the book and say “Okay, we get it, the vibes are creepy… now tell me what’s happening!” But once the pieces started coming together, I was much more invested and curious about where this twisted little road was taking me.

What I appreciated most was that this wasn’t just about solving a mystery. Underneath all the suspense, there’s a story about identity, family, trauma and what happens when people decide your fate based on someone else’s actions. Jiah’s journey is complicated because she’s complicated and that made her feel real.

This was a dark, moody, character driven thriller with a seriously unsettling atmosphere. It wasn’t the kind of book that had me sprinting through pages at 2 a.m. but it kept me curious and invested. Janasha Prabhu created a story full of secrets, doubt and enough tension to make me side eye my own reflection for a minute.

To be honest this was a 3.75 ⭐️ for me.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and Janasha Prabhu for allowing me to read this advanced eBook before its release through NetGalley.

Monster in the Mirror releases on October 20, 2026.

[Sarah]

⭐⭐⭐¼ 3.25 Stars
The premise of Monster in the Mirror immediately pulled me in. Give me a thriller involving a serial killer, a small town full of suspicions, and a woman who can’t escape the shadow of her family’s dark past, and I’m intrigued. The idea that Jiah is constantly viewed through the lens of her uncle’s crimes, with the entire town seemingly convinced that murder must “run in the family,” was such a compelling setup.

I especially enjoyed the layers of suspicion surrounding Jiah. After finding her girlfriend Georgia’s body, she’s already been branded guilty in the eyes of the town, despite there not being enough evidence to charge her. Years later, when another body is discovered staged in the same way as her uncle’s victims, the mystery becomes even more personal. There were definitely moments when I wanted to know what was really going on and who Jiah could trust.

Unfortunately, I think this book was missing that extra spark that would have made it a five-star thriller for me. The pacing felt slow, and I struggled at times to stay invested in the story. With such an intriguing premise, I found myself wishing the tension and momentum had been stronger. I wanted that constant I need to know what happens next! feeling, but the story didn’t quite get me there.

That said, the concept itself is absolutely one of the strongest aspects of the book. The questions surrounding family legacy, guilt, perception, and whether someone can ever truly escape the reputation of the people who came before them gave the story some interesting depth.

And can we talk about the cover? Because it is GREAT. I know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but guilty as charged. 😂 That cover definitely caught my attention and made me want to pick this one up in the first place.

Overall, Monster in the Mirror had a premise I was genuinely excited about, but the slower pacing made it difficult for me to stay fully engaged. I think readers who enjoy atmospheric mysteries, family secrets, and thrillers centered around the question of whether someone can escape their family’s legacy may find more to love here than I did.
**Thank you NetGalley & SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this ARC in exchange for my honest review**

[Rhiannon Cheyenne Cheyenne]

Monster in the Mirror - Janasha Prabhu

I love slow, atmospheric creeping thrillers. I love the writing style. I thought it was quite beautiful at times, especially with its descriptions. I love how representation this story is with its main characters like Jiah, Estrella, and Lila. I specifically like that the representation in the story is ‘own voices’ or for those who don’t know it means that the author is writing representation that fits their identity. And while I think representation and any capacity is needed, it is especially needed from those who are a part of the own voices tag. While this is a thriller, the author also talks about themes like racism being by BIPOC in a majority white community, grief, toxic relationships and more. I think these issues are written and discussed really well. I like how there are hints of Jiah being an unreliable narrator, and how as the reader you don’t even know if you should trust her point of view. When you combine that with the creeping slow pace of the book it keeps you hooked and wanting more. It keeps you wanting to turn those pages to figure out all the twist and turns. I’m looking forward to see what else this author writes in the future, especially if they’re atmospheric thrillers like this one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Out of 5 Stars ⭐️

🌶️ / Spice Rating ☀️

# of Pages 🌙

Reading Dates ✨8/3/26 - 8/7/26

Release Date 🌟 10/20/26

Format 💫 Gifted Digital Copy

Series 🌙 Unknown/Not Applicable

Genre/Tropes ✨ thriller

Triggers ⭐️ Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse and use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Racism

Representation 🌙 Queer representation, BIPOC representation

Favorite Character ☀️ Jiah and Lilia

Favorite Line 🌟 ‘Two years ago today, Georgia Graves died. My entire world gone in the blink of an eye.’

Vibes 💫 the quiet tenant, the butcher

Moods ⭐️ tense

[Rae B B Reads Thrillers]

Monster in the Mirror by Janasha Prabhu is a dark, atmospheric thriller that asks a deceptively simple question: Who is the monster when everyone has something to hide?

The coastal setting was one of my favorite aspects of this book. The cliffs, isolation, and constant sense that something sinister was lurking just beneath the surface created exactly the kind of atmosphere I love in a thriller. Add in complicated relationships, buried secrets, unreliable perceptions, and characters who exist firmly in the moral gray, and there was plenty here to keep me intrigued.

The pacing was a little uneven for me. The middle slowed down enough that I found myself wanting the story to move forward more quickly, and there was one particular storyline involving perceived animal harm that was difficult for me personally. Even with the eventual context surrounding it, it affected my overall reading experience.

But the final act really brought this one home.

Once the reveals started coming, seemingly disconnected details began clicking into place and earlier moments took on entirely new meanings. I especially appreciated that the twists weren’t there solely for shock value, many of them actually recontextualized things we’d already seen.

What ultimately worked best for me was the moral messiness of it all. The book doesn’t wrap everything up with a neat distinction between good people and bad people, victims and villains, justice and revenge. By the end, those lines have become incredibly blurred.

And that epilogue? Exactly the dark little finishing touch I wanted.

The slower middle kept this from reaching a higher rating for me, but the atmosphere, character dynamics, morally gray choices, and strong final act made Monster in the Mirror a solid 4-star read.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Arpitha Sanjay]

I was genuinely intrigued by this one because a queer thriller felt like a combination I hadn't explored before. The premise immediately caught my attention- Jiah is believed to have killed her girlfriend, Georgia, largely because of her connection to her serial-killer uncle. And when similar murders begin happening again in Dumont, the story sets up what could have been a really intriguing mystery.

Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, something just didn't click for me. I kept skimming through the pages expecting the story to give me that "something big that would pull me in", but I wasn't getting the suspense or twists I was hoping for. The pacing felt quite slow, and from what I read, the book leaned more towards an atmospheric thriller than the kind of twisty thriller I usually gravitate towards.

I actually loved the setting and parts of the premise, but I struggled to connect with the characters. Many of them seemed to have fairly similar physical descriptions, which sometimes made it difficult for me to distinguish between them, and Jiah's relationships with the other characters felt a little shallow to me. I wanted those connections to have more depth, especially considering how important they seemed to be to the story.

Maybe this is simply a "me-not-the-book" situation..😐, because I can see this working for readers who enjoy slower, atmospheric mysteries. But for me, the pacing, character connections, and lack of the suspense I was looking for eventually made me realise that this just wasn't my vibe.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Janasha Prabhu, and Sourcebooks for giving me the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Monster in the Mirror. Although the book didn't quite work for me personally, I'm grateful for the chance to discover the story and share my honest thoughts. 🤍

[anne]

4⭐️

let's say this immediately: i had a blast.

pitched as an atmospheric mystery/thriller where we follow a woman whose uncle was a serial killer, monster in the mirror is a slow paced, small town mystery where you can feel prejudice and everyone's eyes watching you.

i was scared that the author seemed at first to include vague representation, but it became more clear later on that the mc is a mixed south asian/white lesbian. and it's an own-voice story!

even though i picked it up for the mystery, i'm actually surprised by how much character focused it is. i think this is something to be aware of, because i have seen many readers be disappointed that not much happened or were complaining the plot was all over the place. i would only say that it's less of a real thriller book and more of a mix between literary fiction and mystery/thriller.

i was pleasantly surprised that the story focused on a lesbian mc, because we so rarely see this genre include us. it depicted not only a main romance as a side plot, but also a past toxic relationship that i thought was important to show. lesbian relationships can be the most beautiful thing in the world, but they're not exempt from manipulative partners.

i found the ending a little bit easy and predictable, but it didn't take too much away from my enjoyment of it!

finally, i also had a thought that it would make a great tv show because the thrilling aspects are sprinkled throughout the book and we sometimes have jumps in time, but they're not too jarring.

i read this e-arc thanks to netgalley and sourcebooks landmark publishing but all opinions expressed here were my own!

[Tiffany’s Tomes]

Thank you to author Janasha Prabhu and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Monster in the Mirror, available October 2026.

I loved the premise for this one, we are following Jiah who is being haunted by her serial killer uncles past mistakes. The entire town thinks she’s responsible for the death of her late girlfriend and now a copy cat killer has emerged, recreating the work of her uncle.

As always, this will be spoiler free!

Unfortunately I’m calling it quits at 60%. I feel like I’m walking on a one way road to no where. The pacing is extremely slow and for a thriller, this is very uneventful. The first couple of chapters were good, the author did a wonderful job drawing the reader in and setting the stage with mystery and misery. As the story progressed we lost that air of mystery and started to lay the misery on thick.

There’s little character development for Jiah, she spends much of her time coasting through her depression. Which makes sense, her girlfriend died, the town thinks she did it, and now she’s having these issues? I’d be depressed too. That being said her mood is heavily carrying the story and it’s going no where at all snails pace. Her relationships all feel two dimensional whether that’s the love interest, family members or so called best friend there really isn’t any depth to them and makes them hard to believe.

Overall, I found this one was not for me as much as I wanted it to be. While the story is dark, I was hoping for more in terms of thrills.

⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️5

[Kimberly]

Nice little mystery.

This was an interesting premise that offered mystery, and other themes such as finding your identity and dealing with internal trauma. In a small town, everyone seemingly knows everyone else and the gossip is all over by the end of the day. However, not everyone is as they seem and it’s only a matter of time until someone else finds out what skeletons are in their neighbour’s closet.

The pacing and darker elements of this book were interesting that kept me turning the page. It was more than just a mystery that kept you guessing as to “who dun it?” The main character, Jiah, is not the simple small town girl who is shocked and appalled. She is very deeply flawed and complicated, trying to find her own way in life. The mystery itself was really deeply embedded in this town’s decision to judge someone before they ever get to decide for themselves.

My only complaints were that it was a little slow for the first half of the book, and I found myself skimming at certain points. Jiah is the only fleshed out character, and personally, it usually takes a lot more than the main character to keep me going. I wish there had been more to the secondary characters beyond their only reason to exist is to provide surface level depth. The second half of the book picked up more and definitely made up for the first half.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced readers arc.

[Ginger Sewell]

Monster in the Mirror follows Jiah Rai, a woman who has spent years living under the shadow of her uncle, a convicted serial killer. After Jiah is found holding the body of her girlfriend, Georgia, at the bottom of Wailing Cliff, suspicion immediately falls on her—even though there isn’t enough evidence to charge her. Years later, another body is discovered staged in the same way as her uncle’s victims, forcing Jiah to confront the past and figure out who is behind the new murders.

I really liked the premise of this book, especially the idea of someone trying to escape the legacy of having a serial killer in their family. Because that aspect was what initially drew me in, I expected the story to be much more connected to the serial killer and his crimes. Instead, that part felt more like a backdrop than the main focus, and I found myself wishing we had learned more about him and the original murders.

Overall, this was a slower read for me. It took me longer than usual to get through because I kept feeling like the story was missing that extra something that would completely pull me in. Some of the chapters also felt a little too long, and there were points where I started losing interest rather than getting that “just one more chapter” feeling I love in a thriller.

The premise had a lot of potential, but I was hoping for more suspense, more twists, and a stronger connection to the serial killer storyline. It wasn’t a bad read by any means—it just didn’t quite deliver the thriller experience I was expecting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Joselyn Moreno]

So this one came with camp netgalley, and I don't regret choosing this one.

it was very atmospheric with this little town and the serial killer thing, it did a great contrast between how they see Jiah our protagonist vs people like Clark and David, and it shows us that even when we say it don't some privileges stand still in time for certain people.

We have complex characters definitely that added a layer to the story, because we have trauma, resilience, and so many emotions at play in people that are trying to survive to hang on to their lives and don't let the opinions of others displaced them or take advantage of the narrative, even if it was hard.

Then we have a red herring elements here and there, i have to admit at some point I mistrusted everyone in that town.

Can't say I was surprised with who the killer was at the end, but it was vague enough that I didn't jumped to the conclusion right away, I had my suspects, some very off mark.

When you get to the end all the pieces make more sense, the little things click into their place and it's like how didn't i see this before, but very good construction of the mythos around Bill, I definitely read a book on him too he sounded like a very disturbed killer.

Totally recommended if you like twists, vague descriptions of what's going on and keep you on edge.

[J M]

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this free copy of "Monster in the Mirror."

With so many intertwining relationships and plot lines, it's definitely eye-popping!

Jiah is at the center of all the suspiciousness, so everyone wants to believe the worst of her. Of course, since Jiah's and her sister Lila's uncle was a convicted serial killer, the town thinks that it must genetic, right?

- Jiah's former girlfriend Georgia falls to her death - accident or did Jiah push her?
- Jiah is being threatened by Georgia's brother Clark - and he's getting VERY vicious.
-Jiah's friend Estrella and Jiah's new girlfriend Kennedy - would you REALLY want to get TOO close to Jiah?

Then Estrella is found dead, and the murder scene has the same features as Uncle Bill's killings. Can Jiah find the killer?

I would like to make just a few comments that I thought would have enhanced the story for me:
- I didn't really feel the strong connection between Jiah and Kennedy
- I would have liked Jiah to tell us more about her relationship with Georgia so we can understand why she's so angry and scared all the time.
- And this might be silly, but I wanted Jiah to be nicer to her sister Lila.

The strongest part of the book was the beginning and how that loop is not closed until the very end - but it was FANTASTIC!

[Emmy]

I was drawn to Monster in the Mirror because it sounded like it would be an emotional thriller which is my favorite. The twisted family past, the suspicious death of Jiah's girlfriend and a brother bent on revenge sounded like the perfect set up to make me cry by the end but unfortunately for someone expecting a book like Simone St James or Noelle W. Ihli this was not that. What was promised as a grieving woman chasing down a copycat killer was more an emotionally withdrawn and reclusive woman not being left to move on in her isolation.

There were some good points of the story especially the flashbacks to the victims of her uncle, but I really expected more focus on Jiah's uncle and left a little disappointed we did not learn more about him or Jiah's parents and grandfather. The plot was a little jumbled and after the book finished I see why some parts were really emphasized but I didn't love them. Then Estrella's character I'm still confused on. All that said, I enjoyed the book well enough and don't regret reading it just was not what I expected when I picked up this title.


I received an ARC of this book as a part of #CampNetgalley and want to thank Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC.

[George Stull]

A dark, refreshing thriller that hits hard from the very first page.
The author wastes no time dropping you into the center of the story through Jiah, a protagonist surrounded by death and terror. Her uncle is a serial killer. Her previous girlfriend died in what might have been an accident. Now, she is balancing an overly protective, cryptic relationship with her sister, a new girlfriend, a best friend, a cat—and a stalker who crosses some truly insane boundaries.

While the title leads you to anticipate that Jiah might be a monster herself, the reality is far more interesting. Rather than driving the plot as a traditional victim or an outright villain, she feels almost peripheral to the escalating chaos around her. It’s a wonderfully refreshing way to frame the narrative.

The book doesn’t shy away from dark places, skillfully exploring themes of family commitment, trauma, grief, and revenge through Jiah, who is an exceptionally well-written and believable character. While a few elements felt a bit under-explained—or slightly far-fetched for a grounded, non-supernatural thriller—the pacing never lets up. It delivers all the twists, turns, and creeping suspense you could want, keeping you turning pages right to the end. You won’t be disappointed.

[Sara Beatriz]

Monster in the Mirror definitely surprised me. I genuinely didn't see the plot twist coming, and I always appreciate a thriller that can still catch me off guard.

That said, the main character was incredibly frustrating. I found her difficult to connect with, and her decisions often left me more annoyed than invested. The pacing also felt a little uneven for my taste. Some sections dragged while others moved very quickly, which made it hard to stay fully immersed.

The strange part is that I can't quite pinpoint what didn't fully work for me. The plot itself is solid, and the writing is good, yet something about the execution kept me at arm's length. It wasn't enough to ruin the experience, but it stopped the story from becoming truly gripping.

Where the book really shines is the ending. Everything comes together in a satisfying way, and the final act is by far the strongest part of the novel. Looking back, I think the payoff was worth the journey, even if the road there felt a bit inconsistent.

Overall, I still think this is a good psychological thriller, especially if you enjoy unpredictable twists. It just didn't completely click with me, despite having all the ingredients that usually make me love this kind of story.

[Allix]

the thing I enjoyed most about MONSTER IN THE MIRROR was how atmospheric and dark it felt. it definitely felt like a psychological horror novel rather than a standard mystery/thriller, and the first chapter sets that vibe up immediately, which I appreciated. I thought the prose was fine overall; Jiah is definitely an unreliable narrator, but it felt very obvious to me that she was unreliable because of her trauma, which made her feel different from other unreliable narrators I have come across.

I also appreciated Jiah’s point of view, and while her head was not a particularly pleasant place to be, I really empathized with her and was rooting for her throughout the story. she’s traumatized by her past experiences and by the reality of being who she is in a small town, and I thought those parts of her were handled very well.

the ending fell a bit flat for me, but I think that’s down to how many mystery/thrillers and horror novels I’ve been reading lately; my brain might be a little oversaturated, and that’s not the book’s fault! I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys a slow building psychological horror/thriller.

thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC!

[Brittney]

One phrase: serial killer secrets come home 🔪🌊

A beachside body posed exactly like a serial killer’s victims from over a decade ago?

Immediately yes.

Jiah is pulled into a terrifying mystery when Estrella never shows up to dinner, and a trail of texts leads her to a body staged just like her uncle’s victims. Then the killer starts mocking her, making it clear they know things about Jiah too.

I love the sound of this setup. Family darkness, buried secrets, copycat murders, a killer playing mind games, and a main character who may not be as innocent as everyone wants her to be.

That final question, whether Jiah can save the next victim or whether she even wants to, is chilling.

✨ Tropes and vibes:
🔪 serial killer ties
🌊 beachside body
🧩 copycat murders
👀 secrets and lies
🖤 morally messy FMC
📱 ominous texts
🕵️ murder investigation
😱 psychological suspense

📚 Read this if you like:
Dark thrillers, serial killer mysteries, morally complicated main characters, family secrets, copycat crimes, and stories where the investigator might be just as unsettling as the killer.

This sounds dark, tense, twisty, and deeply unsettling.

#ThrillerBooks #MysteryThriller #HorrorReads #BookReview

[Kath Green]

First of all, thank you Net Galley and Sourcebooks for the ARC. This book started out great. It grabbed my attention with the storyline and the main character, Jiah is cool and flawed and I enjoyed following her story. Things start to get a bit confusing, but I actually don't mind that because I like when an author trusts the audience to figure things out. The two storylines with Clark and David were easily confused at times and I struggled with keeping them straight but who wouldn't? Two generic white men with generic white men names who are both absolute dicks? But maybe that was intentional. Maybe I need to think on that more. The ending was good, I'm happy with how it turned out but then the author did something that immediately turned me off. The ending of the book absolutely spoon-fed the reader every little detail. It made it so tedious to read. If you have told a good story, the readers shouldn't need that and I think the author told a good enough story that most of the ending was easily figured out. There were a few things here and there that required answering but at the same time, why? Sometimes it's fun to leave it up to the imagination. Overall, it was an okay book and I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either

[Ingrid Stephens]

Her uncle was a serial killer. So of course the town thanks that she could be a killer too. The usual "guilt by association".
When her girlfriend dies falling of a cliff, they blame Jiah. But with no proof, just their prejudices, nothing is done.
Then her best friend is murdered in the style of her killer uncle. And again they want to blame Jiah.
I wanted to really like this novel but I think the premise promised more than the book delivered.
The story was overall well written but to me (and this is my personal opinion only) the characters never came to life. Even with Jiah being queer, and the additional attraction of a lesbian romance, I still didn't care for her.
The story is a very slow burner. Something I like in a romance story but not so much in a thriller/mystery. I like things to happen more quickly and with more emotion and feeling then what I found here.
I don't fault the author. It is all on me that I just had no feeling or passion for the slow moving story or could make myself care if Jiah was gguilty or who would die next.
If you enjoy a slow moving mystery then I do recommend this. Just wasn't for me.
Thanks to @netgalley and Sourcebook Landmark
for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Angela Mellor]

Monster In The Mirror was a book that didn’t quite grab me all the way through.
Jiah lives in a small town where rumours are believed. Since she found her girlfriend’s body in suspicious circumstances she has been thought of as a murderer, this is largely because of her uncle being a serial killer and died in prison. People think this trait is hereditary and although there wasn’t enough evidence to convict her of Georgia’s murder the town still believes she’s guilty. Another murder has happened mimicking her uncles ways, Jiah tries to find the murderer whilst dealing with her inner demons.
This was an ok read for me, I liked the characters and the setting but I wasn’t a fan of the switching of timelines which happened a lot at the beginning of the book and it could have been made clearer if you were reading them or now as I did get a little confused. The plot got stuck a little around halfway and there were no big moments that would have moved it on a little faster for me. I liked how Jiah was portrayed and how she had to deal with family trauma and identity.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks, Landmark for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.