The Other Side of the Looking Glass by Kathleen Harryman #Suspense #books

This is definitely not a new plot idea, but it’s still one of the most interesting to pursue. As far as suspense tropes go, it’s one of my favorite.

The Other Side of the Looking Glass by Kathleen Harryman released in June in the Roantic Suspense genre.

She wakes up to a life she doesn’t recognize…
And to a husband she can’t imagine loving.

Kate find herself in a hospital with no memory of who she is or anything about her life. Everything is blank.

An attractive, well dressed and obviously wealthy man stands there claiming to be her husband. Yet, as she first looks into his cold eyes, she wonders how she could have loved and married the man.

As Kate is taken home to her luxury mansion. she realizes her ordeal is just beginning. Life with the controlling Liam, her husband, is more than she bargained for.

Then, her memory starts to come back and the truth emerges…

Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29038407-the-other-side-of-the-looking-glass

Chapter Three

LIAM

Opening the file, I look at Pete’s report. While a sister is mentioned, there are no photographs, nor is there an age or date of birth. At the time, this missing information didn’t bother me. Now, it sends anger slithering through my veins. The answer to the problem of Kate’s coming death should have been contained in this file, not left to a chance encounter. The oversight is going to cost Pete, but for now, I smile. The sister isn’t just Kate’s younger or elder sibling. No, she is her twin. Her identical twin.

I flip through the photos I have taken, cropping and enlarging the woman’s face on the screen. There is no telling them apart. For the first time since getting Kate’s cancer diagnosis, my body relaxes.

The waitress sets my gin and tonic on the table and I dial Pete’s number.

“I’ve sent you a number of photos. You need to start explaining why you failed to tell me that Kate has an identical twin sister.”

Pete owes me, and I am collecting my debt – plus interest.

No one feeds me incorrect information without paying the price, and Pete is about to discover that price. With Charles leaving to go live in some godforsaken remote place in Scotland, there is no one to stop me.

The phone echoes with the urgent fumbling of a man not prepared to accept his fate. My lips grow thinner.

“Well, I haven’t got all day. Frankly, I’ve waited long enough. How many years is it since you compiled the information on Kate for me?” I don’t wait for Pete to answer. “I’ll tell you, Pete. Six years. Six years, and in that time, you never bothered to check that the information I paid for was complete. You know I’m not a tolerant man, Pete. Tolerance is for fools, and I will not be treated like a fool.”

“You didn’t specify how far back to go, so I only did a preliminary scan of the time before Kate was taken in by her aunt. I did inform you about the sister. The aunt sold her to a couple who couldn’t have children. You weren’t interested in the sister at the time.”

I put down my glass with a thud. The occupants of a table near me look over but are soon engrossed in their conversation once again.

“Don’t you ever try and weasel your way into thinking that this is my fault. It’s not going to go away that easily. The issue here isn’t whether I was interested in the sister at the time or not, it’s that you should have done your job properly. You didn’t, you were sloppy, and now you owe me.”

“Mr. Thornton…” Pete stutters, and I can sense him gathering his excuses.

“I wouldn’t go down that road if I were you, Pete. People like you are ten a penny. You have no living relatives, no wife or children. It’s fair to say no one will miss you.”

“Are you threatening me?” Pete sounds stunned.

The poor man really is stupid, despite being an excellent private detective. If he thinks his sloppy work won’t have any consequences attached to it, he’s a silly, silly, silly man.

“No, Pete, I’m not threatening you. I am telling you that you have twenty-four hours to finish getting all the information on Kate and her sister. And, to clarify – when I say all the information, I mean down to blood type and pimples, or you can kiss your existence goodbye. I hope I have made myself understood.”

AUTHOR BIO:Kathleen Harryman is a storyteller and poet living in the historically rich city of York, North Yorkshire, England, with her husband, children and pet dog and cat.

Kathleen first published a suspense thriller in 2015, The Other Side of the Looking Glass. Since then, she has developed a unique writing style which readers have enjoyed and is now a multi-published author of suspense, psychological thrillers, poetry and historical romance.

The Story behind The Other Side of the Looking Glass

by Kathleen Harryman

Being an identical twin isn’t always as cool as it sounds. People are often unable to see the actual person in front of them, just the external image they see. Any differences in each twins character is explained away before the brain can process the person, they are talking to isn’t who they think it is.
This is what gave me the idea for The Other Side of the Looking Glass. Liam Thornton cannot accept his wife is dying. When he learns she has an identical twin sister, the answer to his predicament becomes clear. He doesn’t have to accept his wife terminal cancer diagnosis and replaces one sister with the other.
Twins may look the same, but they aren’t, not deep inside. We have our own personality and quirky ways just like everyone else. It is what separates us. I am not saying being a twin isn’t useful at times. Rather than walk long miles home I have received lifts from my of sisters friends, unaware that I am not her. It is amazing how easily one identical twin can step into the life of the other, without question. How often do we forget simple things? And so any missing information is explained away, because the person sitting next to them visually is their friend, who is having an off day. And we all can relate to off days.
There is the matter when I am out with my sister when people begin to play the ‘spot the difference game’ as I call it. This game is somewhat unsettling, as eyes stare with intention to see what visual differences can been found. I know from personal experiences how animals must feel in a zoo.
For Liam Thornton in The Other Side of The Looking Glass it isn’t just about replacing his wife with her sister, it is about controlling the twin. He may think the leverage he has over her will keep her inline, however it will not stop each sisters’ personality differences from emerging and putting cracks his well thought out plan.
To ensure each main voice was heard the Other Side of the Looking Glass is told from multiple POVs, which provides the reader with a depth of knowledge and connection to each of the main characters.
The different POVs of the sisters is useful in highlighting the differences in the sisters characters. It also highlights their similarities, which most sibling possess.
Ultimately The Other Side of the Looking Glass is a love story. Though there is plenty of intrigue, suspense and many twists to enthral the reader.
Praise for the authors handling of the multiple POVs:
“An incredibly spun tale told through the eyes of several characters. Harryman’s control within the character’s point-of-view created a well-developed storyline. The writing was crisp, concise and well-done! Because of that, the book was so realistic as if it was probably ripped out of the headlines. Fantastic work!”
“I liked the way the book was set out in chapters of the various characters points of view”
“Because the book was written in multiple POVs, the reader gets a bird’s eye view of exactly how evil Liam is.“

Author links:

https://www.kathleenharryman.com/

https://www.facebook.com/WriterKH

https://www.instagram.com/kathleen_author/

https://twitter.com/KathleenHarrym1

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14972849.Kathleen_Harryman