Mirror, Mirror by J.D. Robb, Mary Blayney, Elaine Fox, Mary Kay McComas,
Ruth Ryan Langan – a Review

Links to order Mirror Mirror: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Description:
Once upon a time…
 
In a world far removed from the days when fairy tales were new, five bestselling authors spin versions that take the classic stories into a new dimension. You’ll recognize Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and other enduring characters, but they’ll exist in realms beyond your imagination, where the familiar is transformed into the extraordinary and otherworldly. 

Returning novella contributors J.D. Robb, Mary Blayney, Mary Kay McComas and R.C. Ryan (The Unquiet) are joined by newcomer Elaine Fox in this interesting collection of fairy-tale–inspired stories of romance and intrigue. Robb’s Eve Dallas must track down a pair of missing twins in a Hansel and Gretel police procedural, “Taken in Death.” Blayney’s wish-granting coin entwines a pair of lonely adventure seekers in romance beyond their lives as a servant and a sergeant in her charming 1816 fantasy, “If Wishes Were Horses,” which gives a nod to Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Fox introduces a charming ghostly television reporter to the woman who buys his haunted house in “Beauty, Sleeping,” a clever, turned-on-its-head version of Sleeping Beauty. McComas’s phenomenal modern retelling of “The Little Match Girl” gives a too-generous activist and the cop who thinks he’s too old for her a chance at love in “The Christmas Comet.” In Ryan’s Cinderella tale, “Stroke of Midnight,” a teacher travels to her father’s hometown in Ireland, falls in love, and nearly lets her wicked stepmother ruin everything before an improbable conclusion. Though varying dramatically in approaches to the theme, each novella successfully captures the spirit of magic and happy endings.

Review:

Mirror Mirror is 5 novella’s, each by different authors.  Each story is slightly based on classic fairy tales. Generally, I would not read this book, since I only like novellas from authors I usually read.  Since I am a J.D. Robb fanatic, I of course had to read this book, since the first story is hers.

Taken in Death by J.D. Robb is another can’t miss book with my all time favorite heroine, Eve Dallas, and her equally super hot husband, Roarke.  In this story, sort of a take on the fairy tale Hansel & Gretel, Eve is called in to investigate the kidnapping of two young children, and the murder of their nanny.  We learn early on that the children were kidnapped by their mother’s sick evil twin sister, who the children call “the bad witch”  The children, a boy and a girl, play a big part in this book.  They are frightened, as the ‘witch’ threatens to eat them, but the twins are smart enough to leave clues along the way without their tormentor finding out.

In a race against time, Eve, Roarke, Peabody, and their team, must find the children before ‘the witch’ kills them.  Eve always puts herself in danger to either save or bring the killer to justice, as our Eve always “stands for the dead”. This was an exciting short story, and I enjoyed spending time with Eve, Roarke, and her fabulous team of the best recurring characters in the literary world,

If Wishes were Horses by Mary Blayney is a take on Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  It is a story of a servant, Martha, who owns a special coin that grants wishes to others, but unfortunately never to her.  Martha works as a maid in a mansion, with many rooms.  Each night she checks out the chairs or bed to see which is the most comfortable for her to sleep in, since most are empty during this wartime story.  When the major comes home, he brings his sergeant, Jack, to help temporarily as his valet, while he recovers.  It is Jack who discovers Martha in the rooms, where she doesn’t belong. This is an unlikely but very nice romance, with a little push from the famous special coin.  A very nice story. 

Beauty, Sleeping by Elaine Fox is a take on Sleeping Beauty.  This was a turnabout, as the man, Michael had a curse put on him by an jilted one night stand.  He spent over 20 years locked in his house as a ghost, as everyone presumed him dead, since he disappeared.  At the time he disappeared, Cassondra, a 5 year old girl, watched with the news about the missing man.  She thought he looked like her Prince in her books.   Years later, she buys that mansion, and soon suspects it is haunted.  What follows is a cute romance, as Michael slowly begins to become corporeal,  and the two of them fall in love.  Another nice story.

The Christmas Comet by Mary Kay McComas is a take on the Little Match Girl.  Natalie is the heroine of this story, as she is a very compassionate person who spends her life, working two jobs to help those in need. Natalie is well liked, except for one bitter police officer who doesn’t believe in helping the misfortunate, and gives her a hard time. 

Miles is another cop, but a good one who always keeps an eye on Natalie, trying to protect her from the dangers surrounding her. He cares about Natalie, but since he is 10 years older, Miles thinks he is too old for her.  One night, her car is hijacked and Natalie is stuck in the freezing weather.  Praying for help, the Christmas Comet makes an appearance and Miles comes to her rescue.  The is a nice romance, and a great ending, with someone Natalie helped coming through for her at the end.  Very nice story

The Stroke of  Midnight by R.C. Ryan is based on Cinderella.  After Taken in Death, this one turned out to be my favorite story in this book.  So well done.  Our heroine Sydney lives in a poor community, and holds two jobs, both of which help out those who need her help.  Everyone loves Sydney, except her stepmother and stepsisters.  Every chance Margot, the stepmother, gets, she brings down Sydney.  Then one day she comes into some money as a gift, and pursues her late father’s wishes to visit his home town in Ireland. On the flight to Ireland, she meets a nice young man, Cullen, who happens to be  going to same town, Innismere.  What follows is a beautiful story of Cullen showing her Ireland, and both of them falling in love. In a bit of magic, Sydney found her Prince and a happy ending. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher