Mirror Image

By Dennis Palumbo

“MIRROR IMAGE, “a complex, erotic novel of suspense, is the first in a series of mysteries featuring Dr. Daniel Rinaldi, a psychologist who consults with the Pittsburgh Police. His specialty is treating victims of violent crime—those who’ve survived an armed robbery or kidnapping, but whose traumatic experience still haunts them. Kevin Merrick, a college student and victim of an armed assault, is one of these people.A fragile, troubled kid desperate for a role model, a sense of identity, Kevin has begun dressing like Rinaldi, acting like him, mirroring his appearance. Before Daniel has a chance to work this through with his patient, he finds Kevin brutally murdered. Stunned, he and the police suspect that “he, “not Kevin, had been the intended target. Feeling responsible, Rinaldi is determined to help find the killer, who’s begun leaving death threats for the psychologist. His journey takes him through a labyrinth of friends and colleagues, any one of whom may be the killer. It also includes an affair with a beautiful, free-spirited Assistant DA with secrets of her own. And when Kevin’s identity as the estranged son of a Bill Gates-like biotech giant is revealed, the investigation of his murder turns into a national story…even as another person turns up dead. A page-turning novel of suspense, “MIRROR IMAGE “weaves together a puzzling mystery, full of unexpected twists, with an intense, erotic love story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
• Release date: May 27, 2010
• ISBN: 9781615952397

Dennis Palumbo

Formerly a Hollywood screenwriter, Dennis Palumbo is now a licensed psychotherapist in private practice. He’s the author of a mystery collection, From Crime to Crime, and his short fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, The Strand, and elsewhere. His Daniel Rinaldi series includes Mirror Image, Fever Dream, Night Terrors, Phantom Limb, and the next Rinaldi thriller, Head Wounds, was published in February 2018.

Reviews for Mirror Image

[bookswoman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ridley Pearson is quoted on the cover of this book "A standout mind-bender! This guy can write!" I couldn't agree more, he can write and he does a stellar job of proving it with this first-in-a-series book. In fact, I can't wait for the 2nd book to show up!

Dr. Daniel Rinaldi is a psychologist in Pittsburgh. He is in private practice but also consults for the police. When one of his patients is killed right beside his car, Dan is determined to find out who killed him and why.

There are lots of twists and turns to this story and in some ways it is a little more "hard-boiled" than I normally read, but I zoomed through it because it is so well written. You care about Dan, you also care about Kevin the lost soul who was killed. It is also full of suspense and puzzles and some basic truisms in life. All in all an outstanding contribution to the mystery field.

[joannsmithainsworth · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Slow start, then it got interesting and stayed that way to a satisfactory ending. Surprise ending, too.

[crazyjster · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mirror Image, by Dennis PalumboWell I have to say, this has been by far the best book I have read this summer! It is full of plot twists and turns, mystery and suspense, and enough of a great story to keep you guessing how the story really comes togeather until the very end. It is very well written and entertaining, mixing psychology and mystery. I like the fact that the only predictable part of the story was who the main character was going to sleep with. I liked the fact that the story elluded to “good' characters in the story as possibly being “bad” making me second guess. I rarely get to read a book that sucks me in and gets me to think beyond just reading words on a page.

[enyl_9 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Hot-shot police consultant and renowned psychologist Dr. Daniel Rinaldi is in the spotlight once again, this time the good doctor is a the center of a murder investigation involving his patient,the mysterious Kevin Merrick. Minutes following their last session, Rinaldi enters the office garage and finds an assaulted and dying Kevin lying beside his car. Rinaldi’s initial assumption is that Kevin was a random victim, until he realizes that Kevin has switched the doctor’s jacket for his own. Lately, Kevin had began to mirror Dr. Rinaldi’s mannerisms; he adopted glasses similar to Rinaldi’s, when his vision was normal, he grew a beard shaped like the doctor’s and he began to wear the same styles and brands that Rinaldi wore. It must have been a case of mistaken identity, with the doctor as the intended victim. When the police discover that Kevin Merrick is really Kevin Wingfield, the son of a billionaire, the ensuing confusion and continuing threats directed at the doctor, force Rinaldi to conduct his own investigation. Can Rinaldi identify the killer in time to save his own life?In Dr. Daniel Rinaldi, Palumbo has created a humble, unconventional, wise-cracking, bad-ass psychologist who readers won’t mind hanging out with. A crime victim who specializes in treating traumatized crime victims, Rinaldi is a poster-boy for the boy from the hood who makes good. Readers will look forward to future stories starring the notorious psychologist, police consultant, and former pugilist. Rinaldi promises to have as much excitement and adventure in his private life as he has in his professioal life--- his best friend and potential sidekick is schizophrenic. Readers will enjoy going along for the ride as Rinaldi uses both his wits and his fists to solve crimes

[knittingmomof3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

From My Blog:High-powered attorneys, affairs, CEOs, buy-outs, mentally unstable patients, and murder are just a few glimpses into Mirror Image by Dennis Palumbo. Daniel Rinaldi, a clinical psychologist, has been in private practice since leaving Ten Oaks and is also a consultant for the Pittsburg Police Department. His friend and the Community Liaison Officer sends patients his way who have been victims of violent crimes as these types of victims are Rinaldi's specialty, and this is how he came to treat Kevin Merrick. Rinaldi is known to work outside the strict confines of the practice much to the dismay of some of his consulting doctors at Ten Oaks. When Merrick is found viciously stabbed to death the police call Rinaldi in for questioning, alternating between believing he committed the murder and believing he was the intended target. Death threats begin to mount as do legal actions and questions about Rinaldi's practice, and it does not help his case that his best friend Noah, happens to be a paranoid schizophrenic. Mirror Image is not only a well-crafted suspense thriller, but also one that makes the reader pause and think. The plot twists and turns in just the right places certain to delight any suspense fan. Palumbo creates an elaborate and extremely detailed ensemble of characters and definitely proves how easily one can be deceived. Mirror Image will not only capture the reader's attention, keeping the reader actively engaged in each line of inquiry and twist but make the reader want to learn more, rendering the reader incapable of putting the novel down. Yes, it is that good. I was truly stunned to discover this was Palumbo's debut novel. High marks all around. I would not hesitate to recommend Mirror Image to anyone looking for a faced paced, intelligent suspense thriller.