Review of Mystery of the Man in the Mirror

[Susan Kihleng]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Mystery of the Man in the Mirror" by Dennis Sanchez.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Thirteen-year-old Jake and ten-year-old Darlene have just moved into the Santa Fe Building Lofts on Los Angeles’ Sixth Street. They will be living in their uncle’s loft with their parents until they can find more permanent housing near their father’s new job. Facing a long, boring summer ahead while their parents are away at work, the two children begin exploring the old building in search of something to do. Jake comes across an old skeleton key and finds it fits the lock of a door to a private detective agency on the third floor. Jake and Darlene are shocked to find a man trapped within a mirror inside the office. The children learn the man is Detective Archer Wolfe, who was framed eighty years earlier for a murder he did not commit and received the death penalty. The last moment he remembers was his execution. Eager to be a part of the mystery, Jake and Darlene waste no time hunting for clues, determined to prove Archer’s innocence and clear his name. Jake and Darlene realize the skeleton key is the one link between the past and the present timelines and that they can use it to cross back in time at various locations around Los Angeles. But time is running out as they learn they only have a limited time to exonerate Archer and set things straight.

Mystery of the Man in the Mirror by Dennis Sanchez is a young adult mystery novel involving time travel, suspense, and unsolved crimes. There was a great deal to love about this book. The plot was unique and grabbed my attention from the start. It also had a healthy dose of humor added. I loved the descriptive language throughout the book that painted a clear picture in my mind of the setting. The author included fascinating details when describing the sights and sounds the children encountered when they were in the past. I could envision the old-fashioned telephones and typewriters, the clothing and hairstyles of the 1930s, and the mannerisms and slang of the time. I felt almost as though I had traveled through time myself.

I found nothing to dislike in Mystery of the Man in the Mirror. I love the concept of the children traveling back in time to solve a mystery. The author pointed out that people in the past viewed Jake and Darlene as adults rather than children. He also mentioned that they could not see, feel, or taste food, drinks, or anything consumable. I expected it would be addressed at some point, but it was not. However, this did not take away from the overall enjoyment of the storyline.

I enthusiastically give Mystery of the Man in the Mirror a rating of four out of four stars. I loved this book from beginning to end and truly hope that Mr. Sanchez is considering writing a sequel. I found several grammatical errors in this novel, but as they are all minor errors involving misplaced commas, I am not deducting a star. There was no profanity in the book.

Mystery of the Man in the Mirror was written with adolescents in mind, but I believe adults will also enjoy this book. I recommend it to readers who enjoy a good mystery or time travel story. Readers will not be disappointed in this peculiar yet fascinating novel.

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Mystery of the Man in the Mirror
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[Tendy567]

I love mystery books. A man who received a death penalty but ends up trapped in a mirror? O would like to find out how that happened. Thanks for the informative review.

[Aisha Yakub]

From your review, I think this book would well suited for adults too. Great review.

[Bayu Noviyanto]

After reading the review, I feel like reading it and plus there is an element of mystery, I like it. great review

[Itz Savaga]

Wow! This book sounds captivating I would love to know more on what happened with Darlene, Jake and the detective so I would love to read this book. Great review.