Pre-order HALL OF MIRRORS today!

It's a magical moment when you first set eyes on the cover of a book. Hall of Mirrors was no different. I've been lucky to have the same talented designer for all my novels, Derek Thornton of Notch Design. He understands how to tap into the themes and visual motifs of the book without overwhelming the viewer.


It's time: Pre-order Hall of Mirrors today!

An exploration of misogyny, race, and homophobia, this novel is a twisty, atmospheric noir about DC in the 1950s, the age of Joseph McCarthy and the Lavender Scare, a decade when politicians used fear and bigotry to harness power—a time we thought we’d left behind.

Whether you're a fan of The Savage Kind, Judy and Philippa’s dark coming-of-age story, or you’re new to the trilogy, this novel is accessible. In other words, you don't need to read the first book to get this one—although they make an attractive pair on your bookshelf!

Also—and I’m so excited about this—if you order from Fountain Bookstore, my local indie bookseller, I'll sign and personalize your copy before it’s sent to you. Cool.

Now, more than ever, pre-orders help determine the success of a book, so I appreciate your support, and I promise you, this mystery has some serious surprises in store for you. I dare you to guess the final twist!


John, tell us more about this novel.

So glad you asked! : )

From the book jacket:

When a popular mystery novelist dies suspiciously, his writing partner must untangle the author’s connection to a serial killer, in award-winning John Copenhaver’s new novel set in 1950s McCarthy-era Washington, DC.

In May 1954, Lionel Kane witnesses his apartment engulfed in flames with his lover and writing partner, Roger Raymond, inside. Police declare it a suicide due to gas ignition, but Lionel refuses to believe Roger was suicidal.

A month earlier, Judy Nightingale and Philippa Watson—the tenacious and troubled heroines from The Savage Kind—attend a lecture by Roger and, being eager fans, befriend him. He has just been fired from his day job at the State Department, another victim of the Lavender Scare, an anti-gay crusade led by figures like Senator Joseph McCarthy and J. Edgar Hoover, claiming homosexuals are security risks. Little do Judy and Philippa know, but their obsessive manhunt of the past several years has fueled the flames of his dismissal.

They have been tracking their old enemy Adrian Bogdan, a spy and vicious serial killer protected by powerful forces in the government. He’s on the rampage again, and the police are ignoring his crimes. Frustrated, they send their research to the media and their favorite mystery writer anonymously, hoping to inspire someone, somehow, to publish on the crimes—anything to draw Bogdan out. But has their persistence brought deadly forces to the writing team behind their most beloved books?

In the wake of Roger’s death, Lionel searches for clues, but Judy and Philippa threaten his quest, concealing dark secrets of their own. As the crimes of the past and present converge, danger mounts and the characters race to uncover the truth, even if it means bending their moral boundaries to stop a killer.

Early praise for Hall of Mirrors

“A searing portrait of a treacherous era and the extraordinary characters who navigated through it at their peril. Hall of Mirrors is equal parts stylish noir and heart-breaking testament. I couldn’t put it down.” —Carol Goodman, two-time Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning author of The Bones of the Story

“The second in the Nightingale trilogy, following The Savage Kind, is a mystery, but the historical elements add complexity as the author explores issues of passing as straight or White, concealing an identity at a time of physical and emotional violence toward LGBTQIA+ and Black people.”—Library Journal, starred review

“Copenhaver keeps things moving at a relentless pace as he introduces multiple narrators and a plethora of plot twists. Queer history aficionados will find the depiction of the period’s antigay political paranoia fascinating. This series deserves a long life.”—Publishers Weekly

“A Rubik’s Cube of a period mystery—readers will become increasingly obsessed about the intersection of a biracial ghostwriter seeking justice for his dead partner and two fans who have been on a hunt for a serial killer. Prevailing McCarthy-era attitudes about race and sexual orientation inform the story, yet characters reign supreme. By the end of Hall of Mirrors, I cared desperately for the well-being of all three, seeking to embrace their truth under oppressive circumstances.” —Naomi Hirahara, Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning author of Clark and Division

“The very best mysteries blend reality and imagination into a cocktail where no single ingredient overpowers another. In his delicious new novel, Hall of Mirrors, John Copenhaver stirs together a twisted criminal and two pairs of lovers in the glamorous atmosphere of 1950s Washington, DC. Indulge yourself!” —Sujata Massey, internationally bestselling author of The Mistress of Bhatia House

"With Hall of Mirrors, Copenhaver deftly toes the line between harmless voyeurism and the type of subversive curiosity that turns fans into predators. You float through the story, an unseen guest watching everything unfold, noting all the beautiful period details that anchor the narrative in the 1950s - brass bar carts, bold wallpaper - until all at once, you realize that this perverse kind of observation may have led to the death of an innocent man. If Architectural Digest started a True Crime Beat, Copenhaver would be the magazine’s star writer.” Ava Barry, author of Double Exposure

Praise for The Savage Kind

"Philippa Watson and Judy Peabody, the nervy teenage duo at the center of John Copenhaver’s delicious trilogy opener The Savage Kind, each bring loneliness to a friendship that burns with intensity from the get-go. Their fascination — or is it obsession? — with each other, and with crime, begins after the death of a fellow student and the disappearance of a beloved pulp-fiction-loving teacher. To expose the darkness and rot beneath his tale, Copenhaver peppers it with literary allusions — Greek tragedy abounds, as do allusions to Wuthering Heights, classic poetry and contemporary detective fiction. But this 1940s noir homage would not succeed if it weren’t for Judy and Philippa’s chemistry, which promises to deepen — and perhaps combust — over two more books." —Sarah Weinman, The New York Times Book Review

"John Copenhaver’s dark sparkler of a second novel, The Savage Kind, tantalizes from its first pages. With rich period detail and a sneaky subversion of storied noir tropes, it brings to life the delicious intricacies of teen female friendship and the slippery line between identification and desire, between desire and desperation." —Megan Abbott, award-winning author of The Turnout

"Wow. The Savage Kind is evocative, seductive, and rivetingly creepy. John Copenhaver proves he is a brilliant talent, and this gorgeously unsettling story of power, control, gaslighting, and murder is not to be missed." —Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today Bestselling author of Her Perfect Life

“Copenhaver does a magnificent job of capturing the ever-shifting nature of teenage girls. Intelligent, bold, and passionate, Philippa and Judy are bursting with the possibilities of who they may become. The Savage Kind accomplishes a self-aware nostalgia, reveling in the good memories while shining a light on the more sinister aspects of the past. The result is a suspenseful and thrilling novel unapologetic in its revitalization of classic elements of crime fiction and its appreciation for complicated, morally gray women seeking agency over their lives, using whatever means possible to do so.” ―Supriya Saxena, Zyzzyva

“A gripping coming-of-age story set in 1948 propels the character-driven The Savage Kind, which explores the unresolved sexual attraction between two teenage outcasts, quiet Philippa Watson and opinionated Judy Peabody. John Copenhaver's second novel (after the Macavity Award-winning Dodging and Burning) captures the awkwardness of teenagers grappling with identity and a need to belong.” —Oline Cogdill, Shelf Awareness

“Perfect for readers who love a historical fiction feel with a true mystery at its core, John Copenhaver’s The Savage Kind is a beautiful homage to film noir and an intricately woven tale of murder, secrets, jealousy, and everything we love to find in traditional mysteries.” —Marla Warren, The Nerd Daily

“The Savage Kind, John Copenhaver’s new crime novel, has so many twists that most readers will conclude before the end that they have before them a Gordian knot. But this one does not need to be slashed; instead the author carefully unravels all the gnarls so that by the conclusion, the two teenage sleuths are revealed in all their brutal reality —Eve Ottenberg, The Washington City Paper

The Savage Kind was terrific—dark, twisty, fierce, well worth the wait. It’ll be fascinating to see what those two are up to in the next book!” —Neil Nyren

“John Copenhaver is proving himself to be a force of nature in the crime fiction community.” ―The BOLO Books Review

“Copenhaver’s tale unfolds via breathless diary entries from both girls, strung together by an anonymous narrator in 1963. A profusion of devastating twists complements the pulp-noir tone and keeps readers on tenterhooks, and a tentative romance between Judy and Philippa adds depth. Megan Abbott fans, take note.” ―Publishers Weekly

"Copenhaver’s latest is jam-packed with noir themes and plot twists. Sure to please fans of queer fiction and twisty mysteries." ― Library Journal

"Fans like me of John Copenhaver’s debut novel Dodging and Burning will be thrilled with The Savage Kind which, like its predecessor, wraps a page-turning story in elegant prose. Once again, in Judy and Philippa, he has created compelling and morally complex characters who are both appealing and appalling. The Savage Kind is an exciting and riveting tale told by one of crime fiction’s emerging talents." —Michael Nava, author of the Henry Rios mysteries

"The Savage Kind is a superbly multi-layered mix of a dizzyingly twisty murder mystery, a poignant coming-of-age love story, and a psychologically astute exploration of the blurry lines between infatuation, love, and obsession. John Copenhaver is in top form, using an inventive structure to create a haunting and wonderfully atmospheric page-turner. I loved this book." —Angie Kim, bestselling author of Miracle Creek

"Clever girls with dark leanings ... powerful DC families hiding dangerous secrets ...The Savage Kind is a new take on femme fatales in a dazzling 1940s noir wrapper. Copenhaver will have you guessing till the very last page." —Alma Katsu, author of Red Widow and The Deep