Mirrors (novel)

Mirrors is a young adult psychological thriller novel by American author Kara Thomas, published in 2020. The story follows Iris Hollow, a teenage girl who returns to her abandoned hometown, Pinyon, after her older sister, Grey, disappears. Pinyon was evacuated years prior due to a mysterious illness that caused residents to experience vivid hallucinations and paranoia. Iris is determined to uncover the truth behind Grey’s disappearance, as well as the secrets of Pinyon and the events that led to its abandonment.

The novel explores themes of family secrets, mental illness, the power of suggestion, and the unreliability of memory. Iris grapples with her own history in Pinyon, including a traumatic event she struggles to remember, while simultaneously navigating a present filled with unsettling discoveries. The town itself functions as a character, its desolate state reflecting the damaged psyches of those who once lived there. The mystery unfolds through Iris's investigation, interwoven with flashbacks that gradually reveal the true nature of the illness and the circumstances surrounding Pinyon's downfall. The title alludes to the deceptive nature of appearances and the distorted reflections of the past that haunt the characters.