I've not read this series so this was a perfect introduction (I know veteran readers might feel differently). Arthur Bryant's tour through his files brings him back to 1969 when he along with John May found themselves at Tavistock, a country house, to do one thing - keep an eye on Monty- and then things totally devolved! Sort of like the times. This has been compared to an Agatha Christie and that's fair. It's not too twisty, the characters are nicely drawn, there's some humor, and there's a fair amount of energy. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This was a good happily entertaining read with characters I'm glad to have discovered.

Few series have ever been as consistently entertaining as the 'Bryant & May' series by Christopher Fowler. And, unsurprisingly, Hall of Mirrors is another welcomed addition. The books are always fun and this one is no exception. Fowler turns back the hands of time and gives us a look at the early days of his dynamic duo. The story is a rewarding twist on the British country home mystery. And, as an added bit of whimsy, each chapter bears the name of a classic song from that era. Hall of Mirrors also features the best scenes of military humor since DR. STRANGELOVE.. This is a book which can be enjoyed by both long-time fans of the series and by readers finding it for the first time. I'm thankful I was given the opportunity to receive an advanced reading copy. #BryantMayHallOfMirrors #NetGalley

Lots of favorite mystery series eventually go off the rails, to the disappointment of devoted fans. Bryant & May have always been dependable, and even when going off the rails, as here, they don't entirely crash and they remain entertaining. This time around we go back in time in order to learn more about young Bryant and May, as well as the PCU. Just to keep things more off kilter we also find our heroes in the midst of a country house mystery. This probably won't be anyone's favorite B & M, but it struck me as fun enough.

Christopher Fowler’s Hall of Mirrors was an unexpected departure from his other PCU mysteries. The author takes the reader back to the early days of the PCU and Arthur Bryant‘s and John May’s involvement with its’ development. The detectives found themselves marooned in a country house murder with all its’ rules, phantoms and covert passaways. By placing the setting in the kaleidoscopic year 1969, it made the book most peculiar. It adds to the book’s storyline of being confused and not allowing the reader or the detectives to distinguish between truth and illusion.

Very thankful to netgalley and the publisher to allow me to read the ARC of this book. Enjoyed reading about how people were effected by the events of 1969 in the UK and US. Fowler allows the reader, in these strange times, to be taken out of themselves.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an eGalley of this novel.

This entry in the Bryant & May series is certainly not one of my favorites but it was interesting because of the background information it filled in for me. Just one example: now I know where Arthur got that old Mini he drove and drove in all those stories. This novel takes place in 1969 so Arthur and John are very young and the future of the PCU (Peculiar Crimes Unit) is already hanging perilously in the balance. Already the duo have a hard time staying on the good side of the person in charge of the unit and this thread will continue throughout all the novels.

Unfortunately the plot of this story is rather thin so spending all this reading time watching it evolve toward a solution took fortitude and a basic love for the characters. If you've ever wondered how Bryant & May would fare doing the country house mystery, now you have a chance to find out. Everything's in there: rambling dark house falling to bits, odd characters tied to the location for generations, a village population tied to the landed gentry and none too pleased about it now, characters gathered for a weekend house party but with lots of 'stuff' going on behind the scenes, awful weather. Add in Arthur Bryant and his inability to solve a puzzle because he's completely out of his comfort zone and you have a series of odd happenings which seemed to go on for quite a bit longer than strictly necessary. I'm glad I read it simply because I want to keep up with these characters, not because I especially liked this particular plot or seeing these characters transported back in time.