Mirror Dead

by Magda McQueen

Mirror Dead is a thoroughly contemporary novel which demonstrates the rude health of the ghost story at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

When Simon falls for fairytale-obsessed Rose, he sees a chance to move on from his girlfriend’s death the year before. But can he trust Gray, the cross-dressing ghost of his twin brother, who shares his body and sees Rose as lunch? They set out to infiltrate her life, but soon find that they have bitten off more than either of them can chew.

Rose has thorns. Her psycho ex is one of them. And her unstable sister has a secret agenda with an Angel that is every bit as dangerous as Gray’s. . . .

Jacket artwork, 'Miracles of Nature', by Adam White.

Sewn hardback book of 254 pages with silk ribbon marker, head and tailbands, and d/w.

Limited to 300 copies.

Genres: Horror

254 pages, Hardcover

First published August 31, 2017

Reviews

[Nimue Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This an intense story; dark, violent and yet often funny in a twisted sort of way. The author has a brilliant way with words, with lots of neat and insightful turns of phrase that made me chuckle as I went along. The story is utterly engaging. The characters are flawed, failing, sometimes terrible, but aside from Gray are never completely irretrievable or preposterously grotesque. It's a story that demonstrates the scope for human compassion and warmth even in situations of utter shit and misery. There's hope here, but nothing so straightforward as redemption. A great piece of paranormal writing that will keep you guessing right up to the end. Highly recommended.

[Mabh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pass the pineal colada and maybe one of those green scarabs, because I need a break and some refreshments while I absorb what I just read. Mirror Dead is billed as, “a thoroughly contemporary novel which amply demonstrates the rude health of the ghost story at the beginning of the twenty-first century”. I find that, while accurate, this description doesn’t do this remarkable book justice at all.

A ghost story with a difference, Mirror Dead, without giving too many spoilers, explores the ghosts we carry within ourselves, not just the ghosts of those unfortunately unborn, but perhaps the ghosts of regret, missed opportunities, and the hauntings we create for ourselves through obsession, resentment, and jealousy. There is something about how this story is constructed which reminds me of Neil Gaiman’s work. There’s a darkness, a marvellous morbidity with an irresistible lure of unexpected colour and imagination. But against this unique and beautifully crafted backdrop appears a cast of completely believable, exquisitely flawed human characters.

Our protagonist begins the book as almost a shadow; struggling, weighed down with grief and burdened with what I found to be a very unexpected guest. As the story develops, so does Simon, coming alive in more ways than one. His nasty little surprise develops right along with him, but in a very different way, becoming ever more unhinged and wild. The supporting cast are just as compelling; the thorny Rose; sensual, smart, and not taking any of your shit, thank you very much. Shelley, the unlucky but ever optimistic friend, who seems to get the sticky end of life more than seems fair. Stefan, the nauseously nasty ex, who becomes a character you truly love to hate.

And then there’s Miranda, the link between this world and the fantastical world created to represent the residing place of angels and the dead. The way McQueen describes this realm is somewhat reminiscent of South American Day of the Dead traditions, and something more visceral, with a touch of unique modernity and a kind of organic steam-punk feel that just relentlessly pulls you in. From the delightful bar-man with his odd eyes and worm-like hair, to the flame-maned naked angel, the imagery is simply stunning. Someone needs to buy the film rights to this book because, my word, what a visual spectacular it would be.

This is a book that I am going to immediately read again, and there have only been a handful of those in my entire life. Part ghost story, part horror, a dash of love story, this book is an intensely modern examination of the psyche but without ever being pretentious. Written with a deliciously dark humour that keeps the story rolling along, this book is a rare treasure. McQueen is definitely an author to watch out for, I can’t wait to see what she’ll write next.

[Laura Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mirror Dead is a good bit darker than the fiction I usually read but I quite enjoyed it - I think it's the dark sense of humor that threads its way through this unusual tale that kept it from being too heavy for me. I mean, if you're possessed by the ghost of your own dead twin, you're likely to develop a bit of a fatalistic view of life, right? I found the storyline to be interesting, then compelling, then surprising. The twists and turns are all fascinating, but what really got to me is the look inside what it means to be human and to relate to other human beings. The book doesn't have a happy ending in the conventional sense but it has what I require in a good story: redemption. And a reminder that quite often, we already have what we need to be happy; all we have to do is recognize it.

[Nick White · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a clever and sophisticated book. The shifts between point of view and tense are skillfully mastered, creating an atmosphere which is dream-like in intensity. You can feel the pain and pleasure of these characters. The dark humour only adds to a great story, expertly told.