Black Mirror

By Nancy Werlin

A compelling thriller from a National Book Award Finalist author

Frances Leventhal refuses to look in the mirror; she can't bear to face her reflection. She has hidden from herself and everyone around her for such a long time, and now that her brother Daniel has committed suicide, she can't help thinking that it's somehow her fault. If she hadn't been so caught up in her own pain, maybe she would have noticed her brother's. It's time to stop hiding—to reach out to Daniel's friends at their private school. Daniel had been deeply involved in Unity Service, the charitable group on campus, and Frances is determined to join the group and to make amends.

But something's not quite right about Unity, and soon Frances finds herself in the middle of a puzzle too ominous to ignore. Exactly what are the Unity members trying so hard to hide? And why does no one else on campus, adult or teen, seem suspicious of them? This time Frances won't scurry away to hide. The memory of her brother is at stake.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Release date: Apr 14, 2003
• ISBN: 9781101640142

Nancy Werlin

NANCY WERLIN was born in Massachusetts, where she still lives. In writing for teenagers, she always strives to combine the emotional intensity of a coming-of-age story with the page-turning tension of a suspense thriller. Nancy’s books have won numerous awards and accolades, including the Edgar award for The Killer’s Cousin, which was also named one of the “100 Best of the Best for the 21st Century” by the American Library Association. Her most recent book, The Rules of Survival, was a National Book Award Finalist. Visit her web site at www.nancywerlin.com

Reviews for Black Mirror

[bluemopitz_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love mystery novels, and this is a pretty good one. Parts of it were a bit too easy to figure out, but then the author threw in some great curve balls that kept me from figuring out who-done-it until the end. This book might be used in curriculum about finding yourself and feeling like an outcast.

[kissmeimgone · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Mesmerizing book that took my breath away. I just couldn't seem to set it down! I'd recommend this book to anyone. A murder mystery that keeps you guessing til the very end. =]

[sharp3_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Synopsis:After Frances’ brother Daniel committed suicide, Frances decides to honor his legacy by joining the charity organization, Unity Services, which Daniel worked with. Her act is largely born out of guilt for his death, because Frances felt that she was too wrapped up in her own depression and self-hate to notice that her brother was hurting. As Frances tries to integrate herself in with the other members of Unity Services, Daniel’s girlfriend Saskia starts a campaign to make Frances’ life at school unbearable in an attempt to force her to quit volunteering at Unity Services. At the same time Frances starts to notice that something isn’t quite right with the organization at Unity Services and begins to suspect that the charity organization is a front for an elaborate drug ring. Review:Werlin’s narrator (Frances) is extremely easy for teenagers and pre-teens alike to identify with. Her self-image and vacillating self-confidence makes her an ideal candidate for YA readers who need to know that their feelings are universal. That being said, I found the book to be an interesting read and enjoyed the vivid description Werlin uses to bring her world to life. Unfortunately, Werlin's narrator reinforces the image of the perpetual teenage girl who is consistently unhappy with herself.

[kewpie_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Frances and her brother attended an exclusive prep school on scholarship. While she didn’t fit in or feel comfortable, her brother had a large friendly group of friends connected to a charity organization. When he suddenly dies of a heroin overdose, Frances joins his organization to get to know his friends better. Instead of befriending them, she becomes suspicious that her brother might have been murdered – and the club was involved somehow in his the crime.

[slightlyfan · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Wow. This book was very boring and slow. I didn't feel that Werlin put as much into this one as she had to her other novels. This book was said to be a page turner and a thriller. I really gave this book a try, but didn't find it that way. The real mystery didnt come in until at least half way through. I really couldn't finish it. I will probably pick this book back up and try it again some day, but I really didn't find it thrilling or mysterious. I just found it boring and long.