Review: Mirror Skin by Eric Del Carlo

Seedy private detective and burnt-out ex-cop Nick Jordon receives a visit in the night. It’s his long-dead lover Dane, naked, his memories wiped, asking for help. Worse, Dane is being pursued by armed goons.

Together the onetime lovers flee, but now Nick must solve the craziest case of his life. How can Dane be alive? And want him back? To complicate matters, Nick starts to feel his old desire for his long-gone lover. But is this really Dane?

This book was nearly a five heart read for me. In fact I'll get why it wasn't outta the way first - it felt too quick... too short... too compact... I was greedy basically and wanted more. I couldn't believe it when I saw I was 50% through, I honestly thought I was within the first 10%. Now I'm not afraid to admit I like a hefty tome and a story (when well written) I can get my teeth into. I thought there was nowt worse reading-wise than struggling to read through a book that was boring to me as a reader. I was wrong, because at least on par with that, apparently, is settling into a good, well written story and realising you're halfway through already. I'm greedy, I know that, but this book could definitely have been a five heart read with a bit more content. More twists, a longer resolution and more struggle. 

What I did get, and what I did love, was a fab concept with excellent characters and excellent writing. It had a sort of noire feel to it with a sci-fi/futuristic twist. I liked it a lot. Nick, burnt out and drink fuelled is a great character and I could have done with a whole lot more of him. He was everything I want in a PD but I guess I wanted his struggle to be longer, harder. More dead ends, maybe. Yeah, I know, I want, I want...

Dane - Dane who'd been dead for ten years but turns up alive, naked, memory-less and without having aged a day, was the perfect opposite to Nick. Again I just wanted more. I loved his recovering 'memories', the dystopian world they lived in. I could definitely see the first part of this book as one story, with more twists and action as alluded to above and then the end part, in the jungle, as a second story - after all, Dane is still who he is. 

So I suppose basically what I'm saying is this; the book is well written, the author has a great style, great concepts and a uniqueness that I liked. This reader though wanted, needed, more. The story is like like fish 'n chips, bloody lovely but add that curry sauce and it's a whole new level. I wanted the curry sauce.

A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.
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