Thanks to NetGalley, I’ve read a lot of books lately which I know next to nothing about. I read the synopsis, request the book, then by the time I get approved and get around to reading it, I’ve generally forgotten what the synopsis said. This has been quite refreshing as I’m a lot more unspoiled than I would otherwise be, not knowing even the basics of what a story is going to be about.

This was perhaps a mixed blessing in the case of The Daughter, as I was unprepared for the very emotionally distressing first part of the book. It’s very well written and really quite devastating. Readers should be aware that the story hinges on a very difficult topic, the death of a young child. This could have gone badly wrong but thankfully is portrayed with sensitivity and compassion.

I liked the character of Jessica, who at the start of the story is a young mother who feels somewhat out of place among the affluent, mainly older parents at her daughter’s private school. Jess is a devoted mum who wants nothing more than to keep her little girl safe. When something terrible happens to Beth, the consequences not only for Jess and her husband Ben but for others too will echo down the years... Seventeen years later Jess has rebuilt her life to some extent, but while the past will never go away, it’s now coming back to haunt her in ways she could never have expected.

I certainly didn’t predict the ending - though in true psychological thriller tradition, I had suspected absolutely everyone at some point - as the author no doubt intended. Lucy Dawson has constructed her plot very ingeniously and it really does keep you guessing. When the reveal came it was one of those “Oh, I should have guessed” moments.... but I didn’t.

There are some troubled people in this book who can act in bizarre ways, and I did find some of the behaviour of one character in particular hard to understand. Actually more than one when I think about it!

A great read which I would highly recommend, but do be prepared for some emotionally distressing moments.

Review will also be posted on Amazon and on my blog. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

3 hours ago I started The Daughter, and I am now sitting here gasping for breath, having not been able to move or put my kindle down or acknowledge any part of the real world for those three hours as I read this completely addictive and unputdownable book.

The first part is very emotional, and shows just what depth Lucy Dawson has with her writing, I was almost in tears at parts of it, and then as the story moves up to to the present day, it becomes creepier and at no point are you really sure just what the cause of it all is.

I certainly didn't expect or predict any part of the thrilling finale, which is what has left me so amazed at the story.

I don't think I can say any more about the plot than the blurb has, as I know I would give away the wrong information. What I will say is that every book I read by Lucy Dawson is more and more impressive, and I can't believe that I read this so fast and in one sitting, when I'm fairly sure I had other things I needed to do instead!

The Daughter will take you on a fabulous journey and make you wonder just what lengths you may be prepared to go to, to protect a loved one. It has reached under my skin and completely unsettled me, so I am completely blaming the author if I don't sleep this evening.

Although its probably a bit early in the year to state this, I suspect this could be one of the psychological thrillers of the year, I am that impressed by how little I was able to predict, and was just swept away in the story. In fact that first part makes me think the author could probably turn her hand to women's fiction just as well too.

It's not necessarily your typical psychological thriller, it had quite a different feel to it initially but all the background was very relevant and incredibly well written and was pulling me into the story, before the more unsettling behaviours were occurring.

This is definitely a must read for fans of the genre, just wow!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

For the most part, The Daughter is a fine read. A child has died in an horrific accident, and the parents, of course, are devastated. Dawson's descriptions of their emotions and earth-shattering grief are well-done.

The mother's secret about her daughter's father is at the core of this novel. Years pass, remarriages and new births happen, yet the loss of Beth colors all life's experiences for Jessie, Beth's mother. Guilt hovers over Jessie who questions every move she made (or didn't make) on the day Beth died. The vast majority of the novel concerns Jessie's emotions as she attempts to move on with a new husband and child. When mysterious occurrences, with undeniable links to Beth, begin to happen to Jessie and her family, the pace picks up substantially.

The character responsible for much of Jessie's turmoil is a surprise with the satisfying ending happening rather quickly.

Oh My God! Wow this book has it all, it was intense and had me gripped from the first page right through to the end. I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat absolutely riveted and unable to put the book down. It was heartbreakingly sad and full of emotion, despair and fear.

What a story! When I say this book had it all, it was dark in places, had moments of joy, had deep dark secrets, mental health issues and a very clever cold bloodied killer. You will never in a million years guess the killer it was hidden so well.

The characters were so believable, every single one of them you could feel sorry for, cry with, laugh with and empathise with.

I loved this book, it was a great start to my 2018 reading list. I highly recommend this book and give it a solid 5 stars.

THE DAUGHTER by Lucy Dawson is a psychological thriller that will keep you guessing right until the end…oh, and I forgot to mention have the Kleenex handy, as this novel will tear at your heart strings.

You lost your daughter. You will never forgive yourself. And now someone's determined to make you pay…

Seventeen years ago, something happened to Jess’s daughter Beth. The memory of it still makes her blood run cold. Jess has tried everything to make peace with that day, and the part she played in what happened. It was only a brief moment of desire… but she’ll pay for it with a lifetime of guilt.

Jess has now moved away and started a new life with a new husband and son. She wants desperately to put the past behind her, and start a new life…but that won’t be possible. Frightening things begin happening in her new home, and Jess knows that her past has finally caught up with her. Somebody wants Jess to suffer more…for her secrets of the past.

This is a fast-paced psychological thriller with a surprise ending that I didn’t see coming. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Bookouture via Netgalley for my copy.

This was a really gripping thriller. A truly heartbreaking start to the book and you feel the overwhelming grief of Jessica and Ben with their loss. Jessica has a heartbreaking decision to make on top of her grief and guilt. The story moves on 17 years and the theme changes to truly terrifying. You can sense the fear of Jessica as strange events occur leading her to believe someone wants her punished further. I thought the book had done well at 50% to wrap this book up but there is more to come with great spins and head messes along the way.

Lucy Dawson is a fantastic author! I was so excited to be approved for an early copy of this book to read and review in return for my honest opinions by Bookouture via Netgalley. This book certainly did not disappoint.

Something terrible happened to Jess' daughter Beth 17 years ago. Jess has moved away and started a new life but somebody is determined to make her life a living hell and expose all the secrets.

Such a great book with a twist that you won't see coming

This is an enjoyable psychological thriller, which examines loss ans greif and how differently it affects the people involved. Suspensful with excellent twists and ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this book although the theme is unsetlling when thinking of ones own loved and lost ones.

Something tragic happens to Jess's daughter.

To distance herself from the guilt she feels, she starts over. With a new husband and a young son, she still tries to make peace with herself.

But someone doesn't want her to forget the mistakes she has made or forgive herself for them. They don't think she's suffered enough. Someone is terrifying her and her family.

The first chapters are a heart-wrenching, one tissue won't be enough, tearjerker. And then 17 years later the fright begins. Who would want to hurt her? Ex-husband? Ex-Lover? Present Husband? Jess can't believe any of them would intentionally set out to hurt her.

This is a well written psychological thriller with twists and turns that don't quit. The ending is a never-saw-it-coming surprise. This is a compelling read that you won't want to miss.

Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of this compelling book. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I have mixed feelings about this book, so I am just going to be honest.I read the reviews before reading it, and had a preconceived idea of where it may take me.
There was the awful tragedy of Beth dying, which was so sad and so well written that I physically felt Jess and Ben’s pain. Then I began to struggle with the lies and deceit! I began to feel less sympathetic and more affronted that she started again and didn’t really care about poor Ben! Then the creepy stuff starts happening - and I am not going to lie, I felt really jumpy and knew I would have to read the whole book in one sitting!
Sadly I guessed what the big twist was way before it was revealed (but that maybe because I was looking for it based on the reviews!)
I didn’t really like Jess. I didn’t really like any of her friends, I certainly did not like Simon! So I give it a 3, but would prefer to give it a 3.5 - give it a read, it’s got some jumpy bits, a cute kid and a twist that isn’t that twisty if you spend the whole book looking for it.

*thank you to Netgalley, Lucy Dawson and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

4 stars.
Wow my final book of 2017 and I'm glad to say that I most definitely was not disappointed! This fast paced story grabbed me from page 1. I was probably a bit slower than most when it came to catching on to what the big twist was as I did not hit me until it was spelt out. (But I am feeling tired so let's say that was the cause) I was not expecting it though and I love books that have a twist that actually does shock you even if only for a moment or for days/weeks afterwards. This one keeps you wanting to read non stop. It was actually painful when I had to put down the last 10% for later in the day because I was just enjoying it that much. 

At the beginning, one of the main points of this story is told to us. Yet I still found myself taken by surprise still, just a little bit when the actual even really did happen. Like my brain didn't want it to be real so I was in denial about it. Yet no. It happened and you can't help but feel emotional.

I felt for Jessica, the mother of Beth who the story is mainly about. I could easily relate to her and her situation. It was an interesting read and at one point I remember thinking there was just one thing after another after another happening. I couldn't read it fast enough and I'm so so glad I picked this to end my year with. It's one that I will remember and eventually re-read. Definitely recommend.

I enjoyed this book, it was well written but a bit slow.

At first not sure what sort of. Book this was. Part ghost story, sad story, thriller and an adultery book..am reading a load of.books they are all different, but this one had a bit of everything thrown in.
Hope the next one will be as different as this one.

Well,after reading the other reviews of this book,I can definitely say that I am in the minority here.The synopsis and tag line sounded really promising but by the time I had finished reading it I just felt rather disappointed.Where was the shocking twist that I was promised and as for the ending,that just caused me to sigh and roll my eyes in exasperation at a certain characters behaviour.I also didn't like the main protagonist Jessica very much therefore I felt no connection or sympathy for her character.

The story is split into two parts and starts off seventeen years previously when Jessica was married to Ben.Something terrible happens to their five year old daughter Beth,the aftermath of which is heartbreaking and very very sad.The second part is set in the present where we find that Jessica has done everything in her power to move on with her life and now has a two year old son called James.She still harbours feelings of guilt over her part in what happened all those years ago.Only someone has decided that Jessica hasn't suffered enough and has started terrorizing Jess in her own home.The intimidation escalates and culminates in a final confrontation where the identity of Jessica's tormentor is revealed.Unfortunately I had worked out who her tormentors was earlier in the story.I was hoping it was another character,I mean after the way Jess had treated this person it would have been understandable if they had decided to get back at her in some way.

The Daughter is well written and has a cast of believable but mostly not very likeable characters.I never felt like not finishing the book,it just left me feeling disappointed and underwhelmed but that's just my opinion,I'm sure other readers will love it.

In the beginning it was sad, very sad. You almost felt the tears streaming out of the book. But little by little the story changes and the underlying sense of danger becoming stronger and stronger. Although the author tries very hard to make you hesitate about who the culprit is, I had guessed it rather soon. It is a pity but it did not really disturb me. It only proves what a good detective I would make. LOL.. She still kept a few twists up her sleeve.
Nice and fluently written book. I truely enjoyed it.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture.

Not bad but not great either. Writing is a bit amateurish and the characters need to be developed a lot more. I'm giving it three stars rather than two because it was interesting enough for me to finish it. But needs polishing and fine-tuning, in my opinion.

The Daughter' kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. As the first few chapters unfolded giving a heartbreaking insight,, the edginess crept in and it increased until the final twist - which I didn't see coming. This riveting story will definitely have you reading until the small hours.

This book pulled me in with that fabulous cover and of course Bookouture as the publisher! Speaking of Bookouture, I would like to thank you, the author and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy of this book! I am always so happy and appreciative when I am approved on NetGalley!

This was the first book I have read by Lucy Dawson and I was impressed! This book starts pulling at your heart strings with a major event that happens to sweet little 5 year old Beth. An event that makes you want to hug your kids tighter and not let go! I felt so badly for Jessica, the mother. Fast forward 17 years later. Jessica has tried to move on with her life and now has a two year old son and a new husband. There is a story behind Beth, with other characters involved but you will just have to read for yourself to find out what it is. Jessica still feels a bit guilty in her part all those years ago. Weird things start to happen to Jessica in her new home with her new husband and son. Just who is trying to torment her and why, did she not suffer enough? This was a great read with a nice twist towards the end that I very much enjoyed. I would like to look up this author's other books and all of her future work.

The Daughter is the first book i have read from Lucy Dawson and it won't be the last,this is an excellent psychological thriller that had me gripped from the first page.Jess is a relationship with Ben and had a daughter Beth seventeen years ago but when tragedy strikes Jess is forced to start her life afresh and meets and marries Ed.All is well until strange things start to occur in her new home and she realises that her past is coming back to haunt her ! This is a gripping story that races along and takes you with it,there are quite a few characters along the way that keep you guessing as to who the culprit is,the ending is a twist a never saw coming.An excellent 5 star read which i would certainly recommend to readers of this genre.

I was really impressed with The Daughter by Lucy Dawson. From the first page, I was drawn to the story and I couldn’t wait to finish it and find out what happened. It was a great thriller and I can’t wait to read more by this author.