Book Launch: Monster in the Mirror by Janasha Prabhu

Join us for an event with Janasha Prabu to celebrate the release of her debut, Monster in the Mirror!

Dark, twisty, and atmospheric debut thriller for readers of The Quiet Tenant and The Butcher.

Her uncle was a serial killer. The town whispers, could she be a killer too?

On the night Jiah Rai was found cradling her girlfriend Georgia's dead body at the bottom of Wailing Cliff, everyone suspected her. There wasn't enough evidence to charge her, but the town refuses to forget. Murder must run in the family. Jiah's uncle was a convicted serial killer, and while he died behind bars, his legacy lives on in Jiah and her sister. It doesn't matter that they've lived in Dumont their whole lives—they have never fit into the insular white community, and perhaps they never will

But legacy isn't done with Jiah just yet. A few years later, a threat from Georgia's brother threatens to crumble the shaky peace Jiah has rebuilt. Desperate to feel safe again, Jiah decides to take matters into her own hands and seeks support from her best friend, Estrella. After all, Estrella has been there for Jiah ever since they met after Georgia's death. But when Estrella never shows up to a dinner party, a series of texts lead Jiah to the beach below, where she finds a body positioned exactly how her uncle displayed his victims over a decade ago. The killer mocks Jiah, hinting they know about her secrets, too. But is Jiah really the monster Dumont thinks she is? As Jiah hunts the killer, she begins to realize she might be unable to save the next victim…and that she may not want to.

Janasha Prabhu is a graduate of the University of Illinois with degrees in chemistry and computer science and is a fellow of the 2024 LitUp cycle through Reese’s Book Club.

She has adored horror ever since picking up her first Goosebumps book as a kid and enjoys incorporating her experiences as a queer woman of color, her love for animals, and her interests in cooking into dark and twisted stories.

Janasha currently lives in Chicago with her partner and their three cats—Grimm, James, and Harpo—and loves catching the latest horror movie, cooking a new recipe, or playing video games when she’s not writing.

Accessibility: This event is hosted at the bookstore, which is a wheelchair accessible space. Masks are strongly encouraged for this event but not required. We have one industrial air purifier, two smaller air purifiers, and four ceiling fans throughout our space. Seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis. To request ASL interpretation for this event, please email events@womenandchildrenfirst.com by no later than 14 days before the event. For other access needs please email events@womenandchildrenfirst.com.