3.75 stars.

What would you do if you ex-wife showed up at your door saying her daughter is missing and she's saying the girls your. Micheal and his Ex-wife Eric set off to find answers about her missing daughter, leaving his wife Angela at home with a lot of questions. This is a thrilling ride of a story of what happened to a young girl and all the people in her life that may know what happened. I thought it was a great story, very suspenseful until the end. I think I was expecting more twists.

Thank you to net galley, the author, publisher for the Arc.

Michael Frazier and his wife Angela were happily married and trying everything to get pregnant which would make their life complete. The strains of trying for this one important element for complete happiness was only made all the more tenuous when Michael’s ex-wife Erica showed up on his doorstep pleading for his help… She then dropped a bombshell that her nine-year old daughter Felicity was missing – and the bigger shocker he – Michael was her father!

Naturally, even though Michael was finding his new fatherhood was hard to believe there was a niggling fact that it might also be true. Against his wife’s objections, Michael had no choice but to try and follow the trail of crumbs that Erica’s story left behind. Could it be true and could the bond he had with his soul-mate Angela withhold the stretch to the limit suspense as more and more facts came to life?

This truly was an amazing suspense thriller with a plethora of characters all having this or that in common and fingers pointing all over the place as to who had kidnapped the child. The only reason this didn’t earn a coveted FIVE star review is that I felt that the end was a bit rushed and there were threads that seemed hastily brushed away or forgotten. However, don’t let this dissuade you from picking this up as SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER was a truly great and rapidly paced read!

Marilyn Rondeau

A different genre from what I normally read and wasn’t sure whether I would enjoy it. But it turned out to be an interesting and entertaining book. Well written although the characters were a bit different but maybe that was the intent. I would like to read another book before adding to my list of authors.

Expected publication July 10th!

I know we're always told to never judge a book by it's cover, but truth be told, the cover of Somebody's Daughter really grabbed my attention when browsing NetGalley and I couldn't help by request it. It is so simple, but has a mysterious edge that stopped me in my tracks.

Props to David Bell for his incredible writing. The concept of this book was great. An ex-wife a decade in the making showing up on the doorstep of her divorced husband's new home, proclaiming that her daughter is missing, and SURPRISE, she happens to be his ten year old daughter he didn't know existed. She begs him to help locate the missing girl. But he is going to have some competition for parental rights because the ex-wife's boyfriend also thinks he's the father. And a nearby woman thinks the girl might be her daughter who was kidnapped as an infant a decade ago. One thing is for certain; Felicity is somebody's daughter. But whose? And where has she gone? Find out in this new psychological thriller!

I really enjoyed this book. It was written over the course of a night, with each chapter functioning as a point in time across a timeline of the night. There were multiple story lines all going on at one time and the way they converged was fantastic.

I will admit I felt the ending was left a bit unresolved which is the reason I ended up giving this 4 stars instead of 5. I would have liked some of the loose ends to be wrapped up a little bit better, but overall it was a really great book and totally worth the read. Would recommend to anybody who likes a good twisty whodunit.

-I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley, David Bell, and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to review.-

I just finished reading Somebody’s Daughter by David Bell and thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked how each chapter ended in a cliffhanger and was told from a different point of view. I must say that sometimes the action seemed a little ludicrous with totally unbelievable reactions from the different characters. It seemed like some of the cliffhangers were forced just so it could end on this note. There were also a couple of characters who did things that nobody in their right mind would do but then again most of the time they were under a lot of stress so who knows what they would do in this situation. I wasn’t too crazy about the ending but that was probably the only way to go. I would gladly recommend this book to others and give it 4 stars. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

This was my first David Bell novel and I. am. hooked. I flew through this in a day as the secrets and lies in this book were so compelling, and I desperately wanted to know the truth. Complicated family relationships, devious exes, a missing child- there was tons to intrigue in this book, and it really delivered with tightly paced plotting. It's always fun to discover a new to you author with a backlist to jump into, and this book was a real pleasure.

David Bell does it again! Somebody's Daughter is a fast paced thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end. What we loved about this book was that every single chapter ended in a cliffhanger which of course makes you want to continue reading right away! This is why if you don't have the time to read through it fast, you'll go crazy with anticipation!
David Bell has a great knack for character development and plot twists. He is great at making the reader feel a part of the story. I truly felt my heart ache for Angela, an innocent party in this mess that her husband Michael has seemingly got himself wrapped up in! I felt betrayed by Michael, his mother, his sister, and Erica his ex wife as if I were Angela herself. Then there were times I felt drawn to Michael, feeling pain and heartache at how he was suddenly thrown into a situation he didn't expect or bargain for!
If you like suspenseful, thrillers that keep you guessing as plots thicken while you read, this is the book for you!!! We haven't read a David Bell book that we didn't love! Highly recommend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The marriage barely lasted a year, you've been divorced for ten. What drew you to your ex in college-her impulsive and carefree personality-became recklessness and immaturity after graduation. You realized the marriage was a mistake before the ink was dry on the license, but you gamely stuck it out in the hope she'd come to embrace the stable and predictable life you craved. But that just wasn't Erica-so you moved on and never looked back. Now you're with Angela-she has the same calm and dependable personality as you-everything Erica was not. Besides the happy marriage, you've made more money than you'd ever dreamed of, and live in a beautiful home. Life is great, just like you'd planned. There's just one small problem (ok, it's a really big problem, but you've spent so much time in denial you hardly notice the elephant in the room). Except when you do, which is every second of every day. The one thing missing from your perfect life-the thing you want more than anything-appears to be the one thing you can't have-a child. Then nearly a decade after you last saw Erica she shows up on your doorstep, hysterical and begging you to help find her missing daughter. But why would Erica turn to you after all this time, why ask you to search for the child? Because Erica tells you, her nine year old daughter Felicity is also your daughter-a child you didn't even know existed until this very moment. Erica claims Felicity was conceived in the waning days of your marriage, but she didn't learn she was pregnant until after you'd left and has been raising Felicity on her own since. Just the thought you could be a father-your dream come true-sends you rushing off with Erica to search for the girl. Somebody's Daughter is every parent's worst nightmare-your child vanishes without a trace. The plot moves at a breakneck speed-the entire novel takes place over a mere 24 hours. And while it's fast paced, Somebody's Daughter is full of holes-nobody behaves in even a remotely logical way. And you need the proverbial scorecard to keep track of all the players- besides Erica and Angela, there's Michael, for whom fatherhood seems to be as elusive as the Holy Grail, Felicity's teacher who appears to have an unhealthy attachment to her, Erica's ex boyfriend who claims he's Felicity's father, Michael's mother and sister who live in the shadow of another tragedy involving a child that happened nearly 20 years before, and the tough but tender female cop dealing with her own domestic drama. Everybody is hiding something, and the truth becomes a moving target. David Bell has been down this path before-he knows his way around a good mystery-but Somebody's Daughter misses the mark. It's got a great premise, but goes off in so many tangents you almost forget a child's life is at stake. With short, choppy chapters you can read Somebody's Daughter in an afternoon. There's worse things you can do with your time, but don't be surprised if you feel like something's missing. Perhaps a plot that makes sense?

This book is amazing! It is good from the very first page! I feel sorry for Michael and Angela. They have something else come up every turn they make. This book is gripping, and I could not put it down. Lynn's revelation at the end was mind-blowing!

I want to know more about the secondary kidnapping, and what happens to the other characters. Please tell me there will be a sequel!

Michael's ex-wife appears at his door asking for help in finding their daughter, a child he didn't know he'd fathered, who'd disappeared. This was an illogical story with all of the characters, police and civilians alike, running around after sketchy leads. Annoyingly short chapters that end on supposed cliffhangers made it hard to get into the story, plus the horrible dialogue and unbelievable motivation for stupid actions--I'm sorry to say this triller did not thrill me.

Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book - all opinions are my own.

Somebody's Daughter was a decent read for me, but fell a bit short of the mark on being fantastic.

Synopsis: A 9 year old girl has gone missing, and Michael Fraizer finds his ex-wife, Erica, on his doorstep begging for his help to find her - a child who she claims is his daughter. Unsure about whether Erica is telling the truth, he finds himself drawn into trying to figure out what happened.

The premise of this story was spot on for a plot that would grab my attention, but somehow I never found myself really sucked into this book, or fully engaged. At times, it felt like there were just too many extra plot twists layered on, that weren't really necessary - and more aggravatingly, were never really resolved. While I love good twists in a mystery, there were almost too many to keep up with in this story.

I also never clicked with any of the characters, largely because huge swaths of their behaviour often seemed implausible. While the premise of the situation would clearly lend itself to a high stress situation, it also felt like characters moved through a series of actions, decisions and rollercoaster emotions that would have played out better had the story taken place over several weeks rather than a day.

Not to say I didn't enjoy this book - I did. It was face paced, and the chapters flew by with little cliff-hangers that did lure me into reading well into the night to untangle the mystery of what happened. This book makes for some easy summer reading, if you are looking for a good mystery to fly through.

This is a classic whodunnit. I enjoyed this book. It was very fast paced and easy to read. The story is very engaging. I loved all the twists and turns. I found myself constantly trying to solve who took the child. Once you start this book you won't want to stop until you discover the answer. Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

David Bell does it again! Somebody’s Daughter is a fast paced thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end. What we loved about this book was that every single chapter ended in a cliffhanger which of course makes you want to continue reading right away! This is why if you don’t have the time to read through it fast, you’ll go crazy with anticipation!
David Bell has a great knack for character development and plot twists. He is great at making the reader feel a part of the story. I truly felt my heart ache for Angela, an innocent party in this mess that her husband Michael has seemingly got himself wrapped up in! I felt betrayed by Michael, his mother, his sister, and Erica his ex wife as if I were Angela herself. Then there were times I felt drawn to Michael, feeling pain and heartache at how he was suddenly thrown into a situation he didn’t expect or bargain for!
If you like suspenseful, thrillers that keep you guessing as plots thicken as you read, this is the book for you!!! We haven’t read a David Bell book that we didn’t love! Highly recommend! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I like the writing style of this author; short chapters, each left with an ending of suspense. This was not my favorite David Bell book. A lot in this did not seem to be very realistic. Lots of people pairing up to conduct their own investigations just didn't work for me. They're many characters to keep up with and at times I got them a little mixed up. This is an enjoyable suspenseful tale that will grab the readers from the beginning and quickly twist and turn all the way to the end.

Engaging throughout but the ending left me feeling …

When Michael Frazier's ex-wife, Erica, unexpectedly shows up on his doorstep, she drops a bombshell that threatens to rip his family apart. Her ten-year-old daughter is missing and Erica claims Michael is the father. Unsure whether this is the truth but unwilling to leave the girl's fate to chance, Michael has no choice but to leave with Erica.

What am I feeling? Let down, disappointed and incomplete. The book moved at a thrilling speed the whole time with these great little cliffhangers that had me reading just one more chapter. But the end was just blah! There wasn’t a “WOW!” moment and the answer to the biggest question asked during the telling of the story? I don’t feel readers are given that answer. I assume from the epilogue what the answer is, but I’m one of those readers that needs it in writing. Don’t make me guess, just give it to me straight.

Told over the course of one night from alternating viewpoints, the book is engaging and I think fans of Bell and mystery/thriller/suspense novels will enjoy this one. I read it in a day and would probably read it again.

I really enjoyed Bring Her Home so I jumped at the chance to read this! This book is about finding Felicity. The chapters are written in one of my favorite styles, multiple points of view. This works best for mysteries because the author can give just enough to make you want more then completely change pace with a new point of view. If done properly you will suspect everyone and nothing will be what it seems! This book is a page turner and it’s addictive fast paced plot makes it a quick read. Perfect summer suspense.

Somebody’s Daughter is the newest book written by David Bell, who also wrote Bring Her Home. This is a mystery/thriller about missing 10-year-old, Felicity. It begins when Michael Frazier’s ex-wife, Erica shows up on his doorstep. Michael lives a happy life with his wife Angela and they are desperately trying to have a baby of their own. However, their relationship will be tested after they hear what Erica has to say. She informs Michael that he is the father of Felicity and that Felicity was kidnapped. She needs Michael to help her find Felicity. Shocked and worried, Michael goes with her.

There are multiple storylines besides Micheal’s. His wife Angela is determined to discover the truth so this revelation doesn’t rip them apart. There is also Detective Griffin who knows what it is like to lose a child and will stop at nothing until Felicity is home safe. However, there are several twists and turns as the night goes on. Who is Felicity’s father? Is Erica telling the truth? And will they find her before it’s too late?

I was able to read this whole book on a plane flight. I was hooked from the very beginning. Every chapter ends with a twist to keep the reader engaged and wanting to turn the page. The chapters are usually pretty short and straight to the point. One sign of a good thriller is not knowing what is happening or who to trust. David Bell does this extremely well. I hate reading mysteries and knowing exactly what is going to happen. That was not the case here. There is always a sense of doubt.

The only issue I had is that I wasn’t really emotionally attached to the characters. I found them all interesting. However, I barely knew anything about Felicity. Erica was a struggle to read. However, I don’t want to spoil anything. I really enjoyed Angela. I felt all her reactions were genuine and realistic. She also truly cared about Michael. I also really appreciated the author discussing the emotional trauma of losing a child whether despite the age. He discusses child loss, miscarriage and even the trauma of dealing with infertility. Not many know how these things take a toll physically, mentally and emotionally.

I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy crime, mysteries, and thrillers. It will make the perfect summer read. It is quick and engaging. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. Definitely check it out!

Somebody’s daughter has all the elements of a great page-turner except, contrary to what is promoted by the publisher’s blurb, it did not make my pulse race. This is a somewhat suspenseful story built around the disappearance of a 9 year old girl, Felicity, and questions about the identity of her biological father. There is a large cast of characters but none of them really captured my interest.

However, the author did employ a tried and true device which kept me turning the pages. The end of most chapters, especially early on, closed with a cliffhanger. These twists cast suspicion on yet another in a growing list of suspects and introduced lots of subplots – some of which get resolved and some just fade away. Just as I was starting to feel annoyed by this pattern, the plot settled into the main task of finding Felicity. The actual identity of the perpetrator remained a mystery until near the end which was another plus. For these two reasons, I bumped up my rating from two to three stars.



FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Books, and David Bell for the opportunity to read his latest book - loved it! I'm a big fan of David Bell and his books never fail to keep me engrossed.

Michael and Angela are happily married and trying to conceive a baby, which is adding a bit of stress into their lives. One evening, the doorbell rings and Michael's ex-wife, Erica, is standing there. Erica states that her daughter is missing - a daughter that she says is Michael's that he knew nothing about. Leaving Angela at home, he goes with Erica to talk to a teacher she thinks may know something.

That starts the ball of intrigue rolling. Soon the police are at Angela's door and she finds out things about Michael she didn't know. There are many people being drawn into finding the missing child, Felicity, and all seem to have their share of secrets.

This book is told in short chapters and from multiple points of view, including the police, and you start questioning everyone. I couldn't put this down until the last page! As with all of Bell's books, highly recommended!

For sure, this book held my attention all the way through. In fact, it latched on so tightly that our dinner got put on hold for a little over an hour while I plowed through to the final page. But that said, I really never really "connected" with any of the characters (more on that in a bit). Besides that, thoughts of same concept, different author kept niggling at the back of my brain as I turned the pages.

Here's the deal: Michael Frazier is living the good life with his second wife, Angela, in Cottonsville, Kentucky; that they're trying, so far unsuccessfully, to have a baby is frustrating, but they're hanging in there. His first marriage to a kooky sort named Erica didn't make it much past a year, and they went their separate ways.

Until now. Suddenly, Erica appears at Michael's door, begging him to help find her missing 9-year-old daughter Felicity. Why Michael, after all these years? Well, Erica tells him, because you're Felicity's father. To put it mildly, Michael is stunned - and questions whether it's even true. Nonetheless, he just can't find it in his heart not to help, even when Angela - who's just as stunned as Michael, if not more - tells him he should stay home and let the police handle things. But Erica insists she must take matters into her own hands because the police aren't taking her daughter's disappearance seriously (after all, it's been most of a day and they haven't found her).

So off he goes. It is at this early point, I must add, that I wrote Michael off. Sure, I "get" (well, sort of) his concern over a missing child that might be his and his reluctance to leave an ex-wife in the lurch even though he thinks she's nuts; on the other hand, I just can't work up sympathy for people who totally ignore common sense. But then, of course, there'd be no story. So there we are.

Everything and everyone moves along quickly from then on, bringing a few surprises as chapters follow the progress and setbacks of Michael and Erica, Angela, Michael's sister Lynn and their mother, and the two primary cops working the case. Little by little, readers learn that every character comes with issues - some more related to the child's disappearance than others - and broken trust becomes a common theme among them all.

Most important, though, is whether or not they'll find the child (and the kidnapper) in time to save her. That, in fact, overshadows all else, adding an edge-of-the-seat tension that doesn't quit till the end. Overall, it's quite an enjoyable ride, reinforcing what I already believe: Given excellent writing, it's not necessary to fall in love with the characters to be happy that you've read a book. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an advance review copy.