Did the dressmaker’s mirror fall on her four-year-old son and kill him? Or did the young boy die because a genetic mutation caused congestive heart failure? Liebman, granddaughter of the dressmaker and a longtime genetics professor, plays medical detective and learns the truth. Her sleuthing starts after her pregnant, seemingly healthy 36-year-old niece inexplicably dies one day when her heart simply stops beating. Modern humans evolved around 200,000 years ago, and sometimes a disease mutation is handed down generation by generation. That’s the case in Liebman’s family. Luckily, the Ashkenazi Jewish author didn't inherit the genetic variant that thickens the wall of the heart’s left ventricle. She now speculates that her grandmother concocted the mirror story so her sons, including the author’s dad, wouldn’t be shunned by potential marriage partners. Possible partners may well hesitate to wed someone who might have a dangerous genetic mutation. Liebman beautifully conveys her love for her family, her faith, and her research. Part genetics primer and part memoir, this is a richly compelling read.  

                                                —Booklist