Smoke in Mirrors by Jayne Ann Krentz Published by Tantor Media on January 7, 2002
Genres: Romantic suspense
Pages: 272
Format: Audiobook
Source: the library (Hoopla)
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Also by this author: Copper Beach, Dream Eyes, River Road, Secret Sisters, Eye of the Beholder, Lost and Found, Sharp Edges, When All the Girls Have Gone, Smoke in Mirrors, Falling Awake, Hidden Talents, All Night Long, Untouchable, The Vanishing, Sleep No More, The Night Island, Flash, The Golden Chance
Charming, seductive scam artist Meredith is dead, and the job of proving that death was no accident is left to Leonora Hutton, who has always been there when Meredith needed her. Thomas Walker has something to prove about Meredith, too -- that the million-dollar inheritance she left Leonora was embezzled from a college endowment fund entrusted to his brother. He gives Leonora two choices: Turn the money over to him or be named an accomplice to Meredith's crime. Leonora makes the blackmail mutual. To gain her cooperation, Thomas must help her investigate Meredith's death, which shows some uncanny similarities to the supposed suicide of Thomas's brother's wife, who had also worked in the campus building known as Mirror House. Their first clue is a folder of clippings about an unsolved murder in Mirror House 30 years ago, so academic librarian Leonora secures a job cataloging the building's vast collection of antique mirrors and books about them, to search for reflections of that past case in their present situation.
Smoke in Mirrors tells of a looking-glass world, where academic jealousy, murderous rage, and deadly passion are superimposed, and nothing is as it seems.
Typical Krentz — and that’s a good thing
Novel review:
I really enjoyed Smoke in Mirrors. Leonora and Thomas are both interesting characters, if fairly typical of a Krentz hero and heroine. Librarian Leonora’s loyalty to her friend Meredith’s memory isn’t naive or deluded; she understands clearly who and what Meredith was, but she will doggedly pursue answers about Meredith’s death anyway. Thomas is a craftsman but also an investment whiz; his loyalty to his brother Deke is as strong as Leonora’s to Meredith. He’s less wounded and broody than most of Krentz’s recent heroes. Thomas and Leonora’s similarities—characterized by integrity, clear-sightedness, intelligence, tenacity, and a deep-seated loyalty to family—is an important part of why their relationship works despite the differences in their education and careers. The supporting characters fit well within the story, and the secondary romance plot featuring Deke and Cassie is a nice touch. Leonora’s strong-willed, matchmaking grandmother Gloria is a delight, as well.
On the mystery side, this one is also typical Krentz, and I mean that in a good way: plenty of twists and skillful misdirection kept me guessing right up until the end—or rather, they did the first time. This time around, although I had largely forgotten the plot since my last reading, I must have retained enough subconscious memory that I had vague suspicions about the villains from the moment each showed up… but that didn’t detract from the fun at all!
(Review based on my 2017 review of the hardcover, revised and updated)
Audiobook narration:
Gina Marie Davies does a fairly good job at conveying the emotions and twists and turns of the story, and clearly differentiates the various character voices. However, I felt she over-emphasized too many words or phrases, and her voice for Leonora is a little more nasal and less rounded than I prefer or expect in a romantic heroine. I also had to listen at 1.2 speed because the original speed of narration was slow—again, not something I expected in a fast-paced romantic suspense novel. Nonetheless, I enjoyed revisiting the story in audio format.
Challenges: Audiobook Challenge 2026; COYER 2026: Out to Lunch Again; Library Love Challenge 2026
About Jayne Ann Krentz
The author of over 40 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense, often with a psychic and paranormal twist, in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print.
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
Ms. Krentz is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington.
Pseudonyms: Jayne Ann Krentz, Amanda Quick, Stephanie James, Jayne Bentley, Jayne Taylor, Amanda Glass.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- Audiobook Challenge 2026
- COYER 2026: Out to Lunch Again
- Library Love Challenge 2026
Anne - Books of My Heart
I’m half and half on this author. Some work for me and some don’t. This one sounds like a good one. Wonderful review!
Lark@LarkWrites
I like the sound of this one!
Lark@LarkWrites recently posted…Head Fake by Scott Gordon