Finding Laura [Mass Market Paperback]

Kay Hooper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1998

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
who's the deadliest one of all?

It's an antique mirror that can reveal secrets...or tarnish the truth. And for struggling artist Laura Sutherland, buying it is only the first step into a dark maze of lies, manipulation—and murder. It brings Peter Kilbourne into her life and makes her the prime suspect in his fatal stabbing. Determined to clear her name—and uncover Peter's reason for wanting the mirror back—Laura will breach the iron gates of the Kilbourne estate. There she will find that each family member has something to hide. Which one of them looks in the mirror and sees the reflection of a killer? And which one will choose Laura to be the next to die?

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Kay Hooper crafts an intriguing tale of mystery, murder, and timeless love in Finding Laura. Laura Sutherland, a commercial artist and self-described loner, allows her best friend Cassidy to coax her into attending an estate auction at the home of the wealthy Kilbourne family. Cassidy plays on Laura's obsession with mirrors, telling her she'll probably find all sorts of them at the auction. To her surprise, Laura does find a mirror to add to her collection--one she has been searching for, without quite realizing it, all her life. She buys the intricate brass hand mirror for just a few dollars and returns home with her prize, which, she later discovers, is nearly 200 years old.

Despite the mirror's age, Laura doubts that it is particularly valuable, so she is surprised to receive a visit from Peter Kilbourne, the suave and flirtatious scion of the Kilbourne family, who offers to buy back the mirror for a ridiculous amount of money. Laura flatly refuses Peter's generous offer. For reasons she can't understand, the mirror means more to her than any amount of money.

Two days later, when the police show up at her door, Laura learns that Peter Kilbourne has been murdered and that she was one of the last people to see him alive. More incriminating, though, is the fact that Peter Kilbourne was seen at a motel with a woman matching Laura's description, which makes Laura the prime suspect in his murder. A determination to prove her innocence and a growing belief that Peter's death was somehow connected to the mirror he sought leads Laura to the Kilbourne estate.

Laura is drawn into the Kilbournes' world and finds herself immediately attracted to the enigmatic Daniel Kilbourne, a man much different from the suave playboy, Peter. While she researches the family and the tragic deaths that seem to haunt their history, Laura learns more about the mysterious mirror. Eventually, she uncovers a secret that threatens her life and that of the man she has loved across time itself.

This is a well-crafted tale from a talented author. The secondary characters' romantic subplots are quite entertaining and occasionally more interesting than the primary romance, which could have benefited from a more thoroughly fleshed-out hero. But the engaging story line, coupled with an ingenious ending, offsets this modest flaw, making Finding Laura a thoroughly enjoyable read. --Lisa Wanttaja

From Library Journal

Hooper's Gothic novels (e.g., Amanda, LJ 10/15/95) have sold more than four million copies. Here, a young woman is implicated in the death of the wealthy head of a Southern clan.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 370 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (July 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553571850
• ISBN-13: 978-0553571851
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.1 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #321,676 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

KAY HOOPER is the award-winning author of Sleeping with Fear, Stealing Shadows, and more than ten other novels of suspense and intrigue along with dozens of other books. She lives in North Carolina.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Finding Laurra by Kay Hooper, January 24, 2000

By 

"pahogue" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Finding Laura (Mass Market Paperback)

I read Finding Laura and found it to be a very good read. Other reviews have noted that there were to many characters and the plot was too easy. Sometimes, this is the way I like them. Not too fussy, just easy reading. This one surprised me and I found the mystery in it very clever but not overwhelming. There are those of us who don't want to be frightened out of our wits or inundated with such depth of plot that it takes away from the story. I truly enjoyed it!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Bit of Iris Johansen meets Psychic Phenomenom, February 13, 2003

By 

T. Bowen (Houston, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Finding Laura (Mass Market Paperback)

In "Finding Laura" Kay Hooper has mixed romance, mystery and fantasy for a great read. Our herione, Laura is mysteriously drawn to mirrors of all kinds and to one man, Daniel, for reasons she does not understand, but she can not resist these two things even though they both seem to be drawing her into danger including murder. The chemistry between Daniel and Laura jumps right off the page and grabs you and you will be envious of their passion and love. But will this overcome all the secrets that hide in Daniel's family, including a recently murdered brother and a family that does not appear to be mourning him? In the meantime Laura has moved into Daniel's family home which is ruled by the family matriarc, Amelia, whose husband (Daniel's father) was killed in an "accident" many years ago. Can Daniel be trusted? and why won't he tell Laura what he knows about the mirror that brought the two of them together. I'm not going to tell you because this book is definetly worth the read to find out. Very exciting and very satisfying ending.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All Kay Hooper's books are "keepers"!, July 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Finding Laura (Mass Market Paperback)

Laura went to an estate sale with a girlfriend and bought a brass hand mirror with a maze on the back. Hours later, Peter, from the estate, showed up at her door to buy it back. Laura refused. Peter was murdered later that night. Laura was the main suspect.

Laura went to the estate expecting hatred. But no one believed she had killed Peter. His grandmother, Amelia, found out Laura was an artist and arranged for Laura to paint her portriate. All Peter's relatives lived on the estate. The center of everything seemed to revolve around a four acre maze made of living greenery. It was a duplicate of the back of the brass mirror.

Laura met and began to know all the relatives. Amelia ran the house with an iron fist. Daniel ran the business and finances. Kerry was Peter's scarred and timid widow. Anne ran hot one minute and cold the next. Madeline was the mother and was not mentally fit. Joesie was Amelia's personal assistant. Alex was the family lawyer. Landry was the detective investigating Peter's murder.

Every one of them had a motive. Every one of them had an alibi. Who killed Peter? Who would die next?

***I did not know until the last few pages how appropriate this title was. I am usually so good at solving these murder mysteries. This time; however, I found myself accussing everybody! I love the writings of Mary Higgins Clark and Sidney Sheldon. For others who like them, buy this one in hardback! Kay Hooper has written a Keeper!***