I actually liked this book, but it’s a copy/paste of the Slender Man stabbing that took place in Wisconsin in 2014 (30 minutes from where I live) — and the author hasn’t acknowledged that the novel was inspired by this true event. I have a problem with basically plagiarizing a true crime and not giving credit.

I had the same issue when I read WHAT WAITS IN THE WOODS by Kate Alice Marshall, but this one is even MORE similar to the events of the Slender Man stabbing.

If I’m somehow missing that the author was transparent with where this idea came from, I will come back and update this review because this is my reason for giving it two stars.

I was really looking forward to reading this, the description sounded great. Once I started reading though...
To say that the author took inspiration from the actual crime (the slenderman stabbing) that took place is an understatement. There are so many details that are near identical (I will list below to avoid spoilers for those who want to read this book.) Which ultimately may not have been the biggest issue for me if the author didn't write in sexual content of the 12 year old that was the victim, in the book and in real life. No where in the description nor the beginning of the book is it mentioned this is inspired by this case. in fact it actually states that "this is entirely a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental" yea okay.

Now this is just my opinions so take it with a grain of salt but as someone who is partially familiar with the actual crime, I could not separate this "fiction" from the actual attempted murder because the author chose to include so many near identical details. So while reading this "fictional" story my mind was on the real people this happened to and i could not get past the authors written sexual scenes on the victim who was TWELVE masturbating and giving blow jobs. MAJOR ICK.

Am I being too harsh? possibly. BUT I myself tend to avoid fiction based on true crime because often I find it to come across disrespectful. I wish this had a little blurb informing that this was inspired by a true crime and I likely would not have picked it up.

SPOILERS BELOW -book vs real crime similarities (dont read past this point if you dont want spoilers)

Book: Maddie and Lana have a sleepover to carry out their plan to kill Sage. Lana has visions of HIM and they must sacrifice someone to be able to go live happily ever after with HIM. They were going to do it as Sage slept at night but changed their minds. Next morning they all went outside for a walk to the park a game of hide and seek, then told Sage to lie own and proceeded to stab her. Sage remained conscious while Maddie and Lana said they are going to go get help (not actually) Sage crawled to a path where she was eventually found by a dog walker. Police discovered Maddie and Lana walking down the road on their way to live with "HIM."

The REAL LIFE crime: basically all of the above except HIM is SLENDER MAN. the victim was found by a cyclist.

Book: "the knife missed puncturing the wall of her heart by no more than milimeter." Sage said in an interview she would thank Maddie and Lana for giving her direction in life. Surviving the attack makes her want to go into the medical field.

IN REAL LIFE CRIME: "One stab wound missed a major artery by less than a millimeter." Victim said in an interview with 20/20 she would thank her because she wouldn't have the life she has now if things didn't happen how they did and how it's made her want to pursue a career in medicine.

that's quite a lot of coincidences in my opinion.

And lastly, what was up with the sketchy stepfather lol? I'm not really sure what was the point of his character along with his son... whos crimes seemed to be severely downplayed??

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for sharing a digital copy with me. As always, opinions are my own.

Inspired by the 2014 Slender Man case, this novel sees the fantasies and pretend play of two young girls change from harmless play to deadly crimes.
I liked how the author gave us a look inside both girls' minds (both as children and adults) and she made their actions believable in the context, while also keeping their voices distinct and timelines clear.
My only criticism would be that there are some slower parts and the climax was a bit underwhelming.
Overall, I would recommend for anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers.

This wasnt really what I expected but still finished it and enjoyed it, it got darker than expected at times so take that with warning.

I love how this starts out with Maddie just thinking about Maddie. She relives her days locked up and she thinks about about how people perceive her now. She does not at all think about her victim. It really gets you into her mindset and sets a tone.
Honestly this one is too well written. I know it is based on a true story but it reads like the author is really close to the actual story. It gave me chills.
I loved it but it made me profoundly uncomfortable.
Than ending though!

This book was HOLY COW WHAT DID I READ!

This was a very well written book and it follows a 12 year old perpetrator and the victims and each point of view. This read more of a thriller or maybe a mystery more than any other genre. This was definitely an interesting read that kept you engaged and wanting to read more.

Some of the parts in the book seem far fetched but for the most part a good read.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

I thoroughly enjoyed In a Dark Mirror! It had some level of psychological thriller with a cult-ish vibe, plus a level of redemption that I think we all want to read. Definitely worth it if you're looking for something to capture (and maybe disturb) you.

AN intriguing tale of a toxic friendship that leads to murder and the aftermath of the crime. I didn't realize that this has origins in the real life Slender Man case but don't worry- you don't need to be familiar with that to understand this. The dual time line of 2007 and 2017 works well, the characters are well drawn, and Davis manages to maintain a bit of suspense. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

What a surprise! This is more than just a book that fictionalizes the Slender Man attack; it's an exploration of identity, a coming-of-age story about three girls blossoming into young womanhood in three very different ways and with three very different results. Are we who we were when we were kids? When do we become our true selves, and is there forgiveness for who we used to be?

The before and the after of a horrible crime are explored by Kat Davis in "In a Dark Mirror". Based on the real-life "Slender Man" stabbings from 2014.

In 2007, best friends Lana and Maddie were on the edge of puberty. Maddie has been developing quickly, with physical changes, while Lana has remained somewhat immature, pushing to continue the make-believe game in her backyard. A new family moves into their neighborhood, with a girl their age. As expected there is a push and pull to add Sage into the friendship. Lana has always been haunted by a strange figure, but now HE is making demands and promises if the girls will just do one thing.

In 2017, Maddie has been released from the state hospital. She's been away for 10 years and will need to adjust to all of the changes - both in her family and town. Her new stepfather is pushing for her to get a job quickly. She starts working at a local garden center, trying to rebuild her life. She does manage access to the internet and finds a message board full of members who are all believers in HIM.
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I loved this. Kat Davis has taken a story that has been told many times and managed to dig in and humanize the perpetrators and the victims. It was easy to get into the uncomfortable body of a 12-year-old Maddie, to not understand why she has certain feelings of jealousy or want. Sage is an interesting character, she's a bit more...experienced than the other girls, and that easily makes her a target.

There is a pretty good twist in this one, without being ridiculous. Everything was slowly revealed, in a perfect cadence.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

It’s quite an unusual niche of psychological fiction, but one I really enjoy. Children who killed or committed serious violent crimes, released from institutions a few years later, trying to cope with real life in a world they aren’t prepared for - The First Day Of Spring, The Wicked Girls and The Rumour are a few that come to mind.

In A Dark Mirror tells Maddie’s story, ten years ago she convinced by best friend Lana that they had to make a human sacrifice to appease Him, the mysterious figure Lana sees lurking in the dark.

The story is told through a fairly even split of the present, with Maddie trying to adjust to her new life and freedom, and the past, and lead up to the crime. We also learn a lot about their victim.

There’s a good depth in both past and present, I especially liked the online cult that has built up around Him, and Lana and Maddie’s crime. It’s not the fastest book, but it kept me engrossed. It’s closer to Lucinda Berry’s deeper psychological dramas than to a faster, twisting psychological thriller.

Thought provoking and haunting, and very good for this niche of fiction.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley

A decade-old crime unites its devoted fans in a haunting novel about delusions in the dark and the dangerous games children play.

This was really atmospheric and well-written. It reminded me of Little Monsters by Kara Thomas (in a good way).

3.5

First of all, thank you to Netgalley, and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!

True crime isn't usually my kind of read, but I was hooked on this from the start. The story is told at a great pace, and the way it's written combining present day and past, when the crime happened, makes readers want to keep going for more.
For me, Kat Davis was really able to capture the girls' inner lives, and transmit the fear and confusion they were feeling, as well as their resolution and reasoning behind committing such a crime.
The reasons why I didn't give this 4 stars were, first, after reading up on the actual Slenderman Stabbing, I thought this was too close to the real thing, and I would have expected a fictionalized retelling to be a bit more different. And second, there's a plot detail that never gets explained, and I would have liked it to be.
Still, I really enjoyed reading this and would totally recommend it.

I didn't expect myself to like this book as much as I did, but it definitely captivated me from start to finish!

Having grown up in Wisconsin during the time of the original Slenderman stabbing, I was extremely intrigued by the premise of this book - but I also was wary, knowing that my expectations could be too high. I also was worried that, given the characters, the book would feel too YA for my liking. I didn't love the timeline jumping, nor how the book ended, but the way that the author wrote the adolescent timeline and the multiple POVs, allowing the reader to really see how the minds and lives of the girls wove together, made it that much more haunting and believable.

All that said, I ended up not being able to put this book down - it was a super quick read - & would recommend it to other psychological thriller + true crime junkies!

This novel was captivating from the moment I started reading it. It tells the story of Maddie and Lana two friends that are bound together by the proximity and quirkiness. Maddie is still dealing with her mother and father's divorce, While Lana's parents are still together, it's clear that Lana's family, as perfect as it seems, had cracks within it's foundation. Sage, a new girl in the neighborhood, attempts to befriend the two 'weird' girls on her street, but after committing a cardinal sin of girl friendship, Sage's fate is sealed.
This story is clearly based upon the 'Slenderman Stabbing' and really delves into Maddie's character as she's released from the psychiatric ward after 10+ years. It takes the reader on a journey through Maddie's past as she remembers what led to her downfall and her present, and how she tries to make her amends. The climax was very anti-climactic. I was really disappointed that the peak was so lack luster, but also, the outcome seemed somewhat appropriate. Overall, it kept me turn pages, I was highly invested in the plot and in Maddie's salvation. While there were some disappointments, it was also a really engaging read. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

When I tell you this book took me for a RIDE. I throughly enjoyed this book so much. I loved the perspective of the characters .

I love reading fiction books about young people who commit a crime and how they cope with that later on as an adult so this book was perfect for me!

Maddie is 22 and has just been released from a mental health institution where she has been since she was 12 when her and her best friend Lana commited a pretty awful crime. At the time they were convinced they had to provide a sacrifice to please a supernatural being only Lana can see. A tall man with a white faceless face who appears in mirrors and is known as “Him”.

The dual timelines shows how Maddie adjusts to life in the outside world whilst giving flashbacks to the lead up to the crime and an insight into Lana and Maddie's friendship.

I found this to be such a compelling and addictive read. I loved both timelines and as I had no idea this was a fictionalised version of a true life crime I loved all the details. Maddie and Lana are both fascinating characters and the book is really well written! Definitely recommend picking this one up in June when it's released (also it's on kindle unlimited if you have that!)

Thanks, @netgalley for my advanced copy! When I began reading this story, I had no idea about its connection to the Slender Man case. I quite liked the plot, but I found myself constantly checking how much of the book I had left. It didn’t draw me in like I had hoped it would based on the title.

I’m not sure how much the characters relate to the individuals involved in the actual Slender Man case, but I found, Maddie, one of the main characters in the story to be incredibly annoying. I think mainly because of how blindly she followed Lana without question.

Overall, I think this is something you should read if you’re a fan of true crime and/or of the actual Slender Man case. I would be interested to see how they actually compare.

This was a thriller/horror with an interesting premise, but it didn’t manage to keep my attention, nor was it particularly memorable. Told in dual timelines of past and present, it tells the story of a crime committed by two girls on the cusp of adolescence, and how one of the perpetrators deals with re-adjusting to the world after her release from inpatient hospitalization. I didn’t know this was a fictionalized version of a true crime story (which would have made me less likely to pick it up; I prefer fictional thrillers, and am really not a true crime person), and in general I felt like I got less from the present-day storyline than I wanted; I thought it would be more of a focus for the book given its prominent presence in the synopsis, but in fact the book was largely about the flashbacks to the past.

In the end, not exactly my cup of tea; but I think it was a mismatch between book and reader, and especially if you’re a true-crime enjoyer, you may feel differently! Thank you to Thomas Mercer and Netgalley for the advance copy.

This is a hard review to write because the plot has so much potential. I was really intrigued by the premise of how Maddie would respond to reintegrating into society. I was especially interested in the online community aspect and how that would play out.

Unfortunately for me, probably two-thirds of the book takes place in 2007. Additionally, it jumps between perspectives, so we really only get a small piece of Maddie in the present timeline. This was frustrating and unnecessary; we knew what happened in 2007, so why was so much of the book recapping it?

There were a few strong twists, but they were diluted by the emphasis on the past. I think the plot would have been much stronger if it was told only in the present tense, and with the additional perspectives used sparingly.

All of that said, it was still compelling and well-written.