Review for "The Other Daughter" by Shalini Boland
Available to read and review on NetGalley

What to say apart from WOW!! WHAT A BOOK AND WHAT AND ENDING!! Rachel took her eyes off her daughter for a few minutes and the she is kidnapped from a play area. Could happen to anyone in this world sadly enough. As a mother of 3 this would be my worst nightmare. However years later Rachel is approached by a lady called Kate who has just moved into town. When Rachel meets Kates daughter she is transported back in time to her missing daughter. An absolutely gripping psychological thriller which I couldn't put down. A true page turner that kept me in suspense until the firework ending which I did not see coming. I'd never heard of this author until I read this book but she is definitely in my favourites now!! Highly recommend this book to fans of any good book especially thrillers, suspense, mystery and psychological books. Rated 5/5 on Goodreads and Amazon.

A decent thriller, I found myself very invested in this book from the start. An excellent premise although the ending was not as satisfying as Shalini Boland’s booka usually are. Still worth a read.

There is no surprise to any of my fellow book friends when I say that I am a huge fan of Shalini Boland books and every time when I think I have figured out the answer to the crazy psychological thrillers that she writes... BAM.. the major plot twist gets me every time! 

I sit there slacked jawed and have to scan back a page or two to make sure I read and processed correctly. 

The Other Sister does not disappoint, in fact I had to re-read the plot twist twice! It is a page tuner that grabs on to your heart strings and doesn’t let go throughout the entire book! 

I highly recommend this book and all of Boland’s stories as she is one of the more talents thriller writers I have found!

Thank you to Bookouture and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this  book. I have read other books by this author and this one did not disappoint. This mystery centers on the abduction of Rachel's daughter, Holly. Several years after the abduction, Rachel meets Kate who has a teen-age daughter named Bella. Rachel is convinced Bella is her missing daughter. So begins the mystery of finding out what really happened to Holly. I liked this story, and the ending was a great twist! Another winner by this author!

Where to start with this review?! The first chapter is absolutely gripping, as I was reading it I was thinking what the hell, just stop, what you are doing! Obviously I can't say too much without ruining the story. However, the first chapter set the tone for the whole book. The Other Daughter is a story that had me gripped, I read it at break neck speed because I just had to know what the ending was going to be.

I had a lot of sympathy for Rachel but at various times I was confused by her actions and the choices she made. At the same time how should a character react when they find themselves in her situation! I so wanted to find out what the outcome of her dilemma would be. 

I am a massive fan of Shalini Boland's books, she is definitely an author who I know will always deliver just the type of story I enjoy. I am sure I have said this before about her writing, but she has a really knack for delivering the kind of plots that have me thinking to myself "What the **** is going on?!" The Other Daughter is certainly one of my favourite reads by this super talented lady. 

As this is a book that it would be very easy to give spoilers away on, I am going to make this a short and probably over gushy review! I will just finish by saying if you are looking for a read that you will not be able to stop reading and will have your mind working over time trying to figure out what is going before the dramatic conclusion, then this is the book for you! It is without a doubt one of my top reads this year and I am so excited to read more from Shalini Boland to see what her mind comes up with next!

Shalini Boland has been one of my go to writers for a long time now and she never disappoints. This is a great story with an ending that just threw me for a loop. Very engrossing, fast-paced, and suspenseful.  Highly recommend!

I’ve loved all of Shalini Boland’s books and this one certainly didn’t disappoint! I was hooked from the start and read it in 2 nights. A brilliant story with an unexpected twist. I was kept thoroughly engrossed all the way to the end! Absolutely recommend!

The other daughter is based on every parents worst nightmare. And it could easily happen to anyone.
A child is abducted from a busy shopping centre in London and so the story begins.
Fast forward to the present day. Rachel, boyfriend Matt and their children Jess and Charlie are living a normal family life in Devon when the arrival of the Morris family in this close knit community sends Rachel into meltdown. She is hiding a terrible secret, for it was her eldest daughter that was abducted years ago and she’s never told a soul. Rachel is convinced the eldest Morris girl, Bella is the spitting image of her missing daughter Holly  and that Kate Morris is the abductor.
The narrative switches between the past and the present so that the reader is drip fed the backstory of events leading up to the abduction.
As the horror unfolds the author captures perfectly Rachel’s increasing panic, desperation and paranoia to unmask Kate’s crime, forcing her to act totally out of character. The tension is pitched just right, increasing with each outlandish action Rachel embarks on until the big reveal. Immensely readable, I devoured this book almost in one sitting, knowing that the author was completely leading me up the garden path!! Such a brilliant twist when it came that I was mentally berating myself for being so easily hoodwinked.
Easily a 5 star read for me. This was definitely a page turner!
Thanks as always to the author and publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read by Shalini Boland,  but it will not be the last! I absolutely loved it!! It was a short read, which had me worried at first, but it ended up being exactly what I needed. It was short while still including everything you really need to know about the characters to feel connected to their story. The plot was slow at times, which worked in its favor. I felt like I had to keep reading and finished this in less than a day. The twist at the end was amazing. I read a lot of mystery/thrillers and this is nearly up there with some of my favs.

I have read and reviewed a few of Shalini's books now.  I haven't quite read all of her books but I am getting there.  Those of her books I have read, I have enjoyed.  I read the synopsis for 'The Other Daughter' and it certainly sounded like the intriguing sort of psychological thriller that I love to read.  I grabbed a copy of the book and a cup of tea before settling down to read the book.  I did enjoy reading 'The Other Daughter' but more about that in a little bit.
As with all of Shalini's books, I was drawn into this story from the first page onwards.  Reading 'The Other Daughter' became extremely addictive and I found it extremely difficult to put the book down for any length of time.  The book had developed a hold over me and it was a hold that I didn't want to break.  I had my own suspicions as to how the story would pan out and conclude and of course I had to read on to discover if I was on the right track or if I had the wrong end of the stick entirely.  The pages turned increasingly quickly as my desperation to find out what happened steadily grew and grew.  Towards the end of the book the page numbers passed by in a blur and all of a sudden I was at the end of the book, which I was disappointed about.  I don't mean that I was disappointed with how the story ended but I was enjoying the author's writing style, the characters and the storylines so much that I just wished that the story had continued for longer.
'The Other Daughter' is well written.  Shalini certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and draw you into her web.  Once she has your attention, she will not let it go.  She keeps your attention by keeping the characters interesting, the storylines plausible and by messing with your head a fair bit.  I didn't want to miss a single second of the story for fear of missing out on a clue as to what was going to happen.  Shalini uses such powerful and vivid descriptions that I really felt as though I was part of the story myself.
Reading 'The Other Daughter' was much like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns that you would find in a bag of fusilli pasta.  There were moments where I almost had to read through my fingers as I feared what was going to happen next or what was waiting for me over the page.  This book certainly messed with my head somewhat.  
In short, 'The Other Daughter' is another fantastic book from Shalini.  This book had me gripped and I was on the edge of my seat throughout the book.  I will definitely recommend this book to other readers.  I can't wait to read more from Shalini in the future.  The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

This is the latest book by one of my favorite authors of psychological thrillers.  
     A toddler is kidnapped from a shopping center and the mother and father makes the usual press conference urging the kidnapper to please bring their daughter back but with no results.  The mother leaves town with a younger daughter and finds a new life with another man.  She meets another woman and her children while picking up her children from school and is convinced that the oldest daughter is her kidnapped daughter.  
     I totally enjoyed this book and almost understood the mother driving herself and everyone around her crazy while trying to prove that it was her missing daughter.  
     The ending came as a total shock which I expect from this author.  I highly recommend this book and thank NetGalley for letting me read this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great read, really enjoyed how everything unfolded. There was a shocking twist as well which I wasn't expecting at all. There were a few times I wasn't sure where it was going and started to feel so sorry for Rachel. I obviously don't want spoilt it for anyone but it was really gripping from around 50% through and I needed to keep reading to find out what happened!

Thank you to the publishers & Shalini Boland for an ARC in exchange for a review on the Blog Tour!

This was the first book I've read by this author and I was excited to dig in! The story started really well, engaging, tense, lots of plot early on. After the brilliant opening I found myself skim reading to get to 'the point'. There was an awful lot of repetition and some of the dialogue was unbearably dull. When the twist came, I had mixed feelings. I wanted the story to be more layered, more complex, so that when the shock factor kicked in it would truly shock me. An OK read.

This was the first book I’ve read by this author. 
It starts out with a frantic woman driving down the highway in a manic state.  She ends up at a busy London shopping mall, where she proceeds to abduct a young toddler as the child’s mother is having coffee with a friend. 
The story is told back and forth from what we assume is the two different women’s stories. 
The story moves rather fast and keeps you turning the pages while still seeming very predictable; so you think. However there where parts that did seem to drag for me in some parts. I’m usually pretty good at predicting what’s going on. I don’t want to give too much of the story away. I’ll just say it takes a really big twist towards the end that you don’t see coming. I did enjoy this one and it was very quick read for me. It is set in England and I do like how she refers to things there compared to the US. 
I rated this 3 stars because I felt it was lacking in the buildup to the end. But overall I did enjoy this book.

How does this author do it?
Another fantastic read, another cracking book from her...
I must admit my eyes light up when I see a post saying she has a new book coming out....
I don't think I'm alone on thinking this either.....

Shalini Boland is an author you know you are going to get a cracking read from, a book where you just won't want to leave it down until the very last page is turned.

When I first read this book blurb, I thought now that is a little different....
Imagine something so horrible as to have your daughter taken and then thinking you see her again.
You would be checking your own sanity levels wouldn't you.

We meet Rachel who is a brilliant character, trying to pick herself up and move on from a very traumatic event in her life, the abduction of her daughter Holly.
How do you even move on from that, I've no idea..
One day at the school gates she meets a new mum Kate dropping her children off to school and in one swift moment, Rachel believes Kate's eldest daughter Bella is her missing child Holly.
This novel is engrossing, the story so brilliantly told.....I kept thinking where can she possibly take this story...
It absorbs you into the lives of Rachel and Kate.
You are kept guessing for sure and left wondering but when you come to the end, you're thinking "OMG I didn't see that".....

A brilliant psychological thriller that will have you at the last page before you know it.....
Well done Shalini, when is the next one out....

It’s been nine years since Rachel’s daughter Holly was snatched from a playground aged two and never found. Rachel has a new partner, Matt, however, she has never told him about the abduction, in fact, he is unaware that she even had a daughter previous to meeting him.

Her world spirals upside down when she meets Kate at the school gates. When Rachel sees Bella, Kate’s oldest daughter she is convinced that the child is actually Holly.

The suspense builds as Rachel goes on a quest to find out if the child is hers. She puts herself in danger and becomes obsessed with finding out the truth. When Matt finds out about Holly he is shocked but hugely supportive, however, as Rachel’s actions become more compulsive he fears for her mental health.

This is such a page-turner and kept me awake until the early hours. The story is told from two timelines with well-developed characters and a plot that draws you in from the first page. I love this author and she rarely disappoints, this was everything I would expect and more. The ending took me completely by surprise, one of those ‘hang on a second!’ moments that are so rare these days.

The Other Daughter is expertly written with a compelling storyline and vivid characterisation. A must-read for lovers of crime fiction.

Well I wasn’t expecting that!  It’s the sort of story that you have to keep reading to get to ‘the point’, but when you get there, it’s not at all what you expected.

Rachel Farnborough is living a quiet life in Dorset, with her kids, Jess and Charlie, and boyfriend Matt. She has a secret – which she has been holding onto forever.
She lost her eldest daughter, Holly, at the age of 3, who was taken by stranger, while she was chatting with her friend, at a shopping mall.

One afternoon, Rachel meets a new school mum, Kate and her teenage daughter Bella. 
Rachel’s world is instantly turned upside down – she’s seen Bella before. She’d recognize that face anywhere – it’s her missing daughter, Holly.
Everything is similar: the color of her eyes and hair, the shape of her face, and even the freckles on her nose. How can two kids have some uncanny resemblance?

Rachel is driven to deranged behaviour towards Kate and her family. From befriending them, to suspecting their motives, to stalking them, Rachel leaves no stone unturned so that she can prove that Bella is her missing daughter Holly. She vows to find out everything she can about this family and eventually getting proof that Bella is Holly becomes her obsession.
She eventually confides in Matt, from whom she has hidden the secret for years. However, will this strengthen their bond as a couple, or push them apart?

Told alternatively between the then and the now, and from the points of view of Catriona (the lady who abducts Holly) and Rachel; this was a gripping read.
You feel Rachel’s pain, yet you understand Catriona’s mental condition that led her to do what she did.
The guilt of losing your child, from right under your supervision, was well-portrayed. Will the parent ever survive the trauma - having constant thoughts about the missing child, whether they are alive and taken care of, or are they hurt and the wrenching of your heart when you know you cannot protect them.  

My heart went out to Rachel. 
Can we really wish for something to just be true, if we just believe in it hard enough? Will the pain and anguish be worth it for everyone? 
Is Bella really her Holly?

The writing packs a punch. 
You witness the declining mental health of the protagonist in an exceptional well-written manner. The effect it has on both families, the misunderstandings, their interpersonal relationships and ultimately the feeling of helplessness and brokenness.  
The twist in the end is mind-blowing – and I guarantee that you wouldn’t have seen it coming.

Wow another awesome book from one of my favourite authors.  I always look forward to Shalini Bolands books because she is such a great story Weaver, love, loss, anger, intrigue and OMG moments all appear in her books and The Other Daughter is no exception.

Rachel lives in a quiet Dorset village with her partner Matt and their 2 children.  Rachel lives with a heartbreaking secret from her past - her eldest daughter was snatched from a mall in London and never seen again.  

A new family move into the village and as Rachel befriends them she is introduced to their eldest daughter who appears to be the image of Rachel's missing daughter.  Rachel is certain this is her daughter and over the following weeks sets out to prove it.

What ensues is a devastating discovery with far reaching consequences.  

A brilliant rainy day read - you'll need all day as you won't be able put this book down.....
Thanks to Bookouture, Netgalley and Shalini for the advance copy.

This is my second psychological thriller by this author, and like her previous book 'The Marriage Betrayal' this story explores a family tragedy, with two main points of view, and lots of plot twists that make reading it, a mind-blowing experience.

The story begins with Catriona in the past. She is emotionally distraught, something terrible has happened, she finds herself at a shopping mall, and after a while, a young child catches her attention.

Rachel tells her story in the present, she meets a new mother at school, their children become instant friends, but when she meets the older sibling, she cannot believe her eyes. She resembles the child she lost eight years previously.

This is a story of secrets, obsession and tragedy. Neither viewpoint is reliable, and whilst most of the information relayed from the two points of view seems plausible, you are constantly waiting for the twist that says you are wrong.

The characters have many flaws, Rachel is hard to like, even though you empathise with her situation. She trusts no one, and you wonder why she has kept her secrets for so long.

This is an emotionally gripping story, with relentless suspense, that draws you in and keeps you reading. There are some less plausible parts to the story, but this is a psychological thriller, told by unreliable protagonists, you cannot expect events to be conventional.

The twists are well constructed and keep y0u guessing, and the trademark ending makes you gasp, even though you knew it was coming. 

Not to be missed if you love the twisty turns of a good psychological thriller, with a seemingly normal domestic setting.

 I received a copy of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in return for an honest review.