Back in the 70s I was fascinated with the book Sybil as well as the movie starring Sally Field. Some years later a rape trial in my local community drew a lot of attention because the victim claimed to have multiple personalities. It is no wonder that The Perfect Daughter grabbed my attention right away. Apparently there are still skeptics of whether this is a bonafide disorder. The author's use of several perspectives was a great way to present the story of The Perfect Daughter. The unexpected twists kept me turning the pages to a masterful ending. I will definitely be checking out more books from this author. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance copy to review.

Title: The Perfect Daughter
Author: D.J. Palmer
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Thriller

The Perfect Daughter is one of those thrillers that will have you interested from the very first sentence and the very first page! It begins dark and gory; with a suspect covered in blood and no memory of what happened, so you know it’s going to be good!

The Perfect Daughter is a thriller that explores the truth or lies behind a teenage girl’s multiple personality disorder; more specifically dissociative identity disorder (DID).

It’s a nightmare for mother, Grace, to have her teenaged daughter Penny locked up in a decaying psychiatric hospital, charged with murder. The only question is: Did Penny do it? Or one of her other personalites: Chloe, Ruby, Eve; or is she lying? Grace is determined to get to the bottom of things. With the help of Dr. Mitch McHugh they dig deeper and deeper until they uncover dark and shocking secrets in the past. Are they all in danger!?

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ This one wasn’t my favorite. It kind of drug in the middle and was very repetitive. I’m not a big fan of mental illness thrillers, so it’s probably more of a it’s not you it’s me situation. I also didn’t care for the her brothers and their narrated chapters didn’t offer any knowledge, paranoia, or suspicion like maybe they were intended. They simply didn’t work for me.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for honoring my request to read and review this eARC. #gifted

Out today 4/20/21 Happy Publication Day!

The Perfect Daughter is a psychological thriller. It is my second book by this author.

There are three characters that narrate most of the story. The main narrator is Grace (3rd person POV). Then we have her son Jack (1st person POV). And we have her daughter Penny's psychiatrist, Dr. Mitch McHugh (3rd person POV).

Grace and her husband adopted Penny when she was a young child. But Penny has multiple personalities. And one of these personalities might have committed a serious crime.

This book focuses on a mother trying to help her troubled daughter. But it also shows us how this affects the whole family.

The beginning of this book was exceptional. I was completely invested in the story. But then a new POV was added (the brother). And this was a miss for me. The middle of this book was just okay. I wanted more to happen and much faster. Although I really liked when they added Dr. Mitch's POV.

But the last part of the book was so good. There were parts of the book that were a bit gruesome. And the epilogue wasn't my favorite. But the author did such a good job bringing the story together. Overall, I was completely riveted by the end. I was in awe. It was so amazing. So this brought the rating up to 4 stars.

To be clear, I have read three of D.J. Palmer's book, and this one was my least favorite. The Perfect Daughter gets a 2/5 stars from me. Thank you to St. Martin's press and NetGalley for the ARC.

The plot of this book has so much potential, but it fell short for me. It was too technical in terms of pychology verbage and I felt like the story dragged on for a 100 pages more than it needed to. The story revolves around a Penny, a girl with DID, and the murder of her mother. It follows Penny throughout the pre-trial process, her stint in a mental facility, and concludes with the trial/verdict. The ending was a bit of a shocker but very unrealistic in my opinion. D.J. Palmer's knowldge of the legal process and creativity are on display throughout the book, but it was too much for me.

Without a doubt, one of the best books I have read this year! Kept me on the edge of my seat through the very end. Highly, highly recommend this one!

4.5 ⭐️‘s
Palmer just keeps getting better and better, as he continues in his fathers footsteps. When sixteen year old Penny is found holding a knife, covered in blood, standing over a dead body, the case looks cut and dried...but not so fast...Penny has been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Order, and has multiple personalities. As Penny has absolutely no knowledge of the event, did one of her alters commit the crime? Or is it much more sinister and Penny is an Academy Award winning actor? Can her attorney get her off on an insanity plea? Her adopted mother Grace, believes in Penny’s innocence, but is there any chance to save her? With unreliable narrators, a murder, a mental hospital and an outstanding court case, this book was extremely difficult to put down until the final page was turned! Well done, Mr. Palmer!

When Jack and Grace adopt 16 yr old Penny, they get more than they bargained for. This is an intense, dark physiological thriller with many twists and turns. It gives the reader a lot to think about. It was a bit convoluted, at times, and there are a lot of theories to sort out. It’s a very interesting plot. I enjoyed it. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest review

Penny was adopted, as a child, by Grace and her husband. Grace had found her abandoned in a local park and believed it was "meant to be." She already had two sons, so she looked at Penny as the final piece to complete their family. Initially, Penny assumes the role as the "perfect daughter" without issue. Then things start to change. Over time, Grace begins to realize that Penny has DID, where many different personalities reside within the same individual.

Then Penny is accused of a brutal murder and all of the evidence seems to point to her with little ground to challenge it. Grace refuses to give up. She believes Penny when she says she has no memory of the murder. What ensues is a great deal of work on the part of Grace and the doctor from the mental hospital where Penny is staying. It's really interesting as they get to know each of the personalities and start to put the events together that created them.

This was a clever book. A domestic thriller with some meaty twists.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

The psychological aspect that surrounded multiple personality disorder (Dissociative Identity Disorder), the affects it has on family and the who-dunnit touch of murder and suspense had me pretty engrossed for the majority of this novel. I had the ability to listen to the ALC from Macmillan and read the digital arc from St. Martin throughout the day.

I really liked the multiple POVs and how they were executed between psychiatrist, mother and brother. I think I connected most with the psychiatrist, Mitch. He brought a unique medical understanding of DID as well as a doctor/patient appreciation that drew on the different identities residing in Penny. The big reveal wasn’t a huge ‘whoa’ but I still found it intriguing and liked the way the author tied up a lot of the loose ends. For me the real storyline surrounded Penny and her other identities. How they managed the circumstances and reflected on the different types of ‘personalities’ we all have inside of us was absolutely intriguing to me. Some areas are a bit slow and I did feel that some of the plot line could have been shortened, a less is more type situation, but I still highly enjoyed the overall journey I took through Palmer’s novel.

The narration is told in tandem by January LaVoy and Dan Bittner. LaVoy effectively brought out the different emotional states of each identity as well as the mother in a realistic manner that kept me guessing motives. Her voice for the different identities was very well done and crafted individuality among them throughout the entire audio. Bittner was able to tug at my heart strings through Mitch. Don’t get me wrong I liked he sleuthing side of the brother, but Mitch just takes the character cake for me. He elicited so much humanity as a character and Bittner brought that persona to the table through his narration.

I’d peg this as a slow building read that digs at the heart of DID and sprinkles a little light on drug addiction too. It’s easy to get lost in the characters and the need to know the outcome. The reveal may be easy for some to figure out, but I was left in the dark for a good majority. I would recommend this to those who enjoy a psychological thriller that not only has suspense and mystery but looks deeper into the psychological side of things.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and listen to this novel for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. True rating 3.5/5.

Special thanks to the author, St Martins Press and NetGalley for the review copies!

Multiple personality disorders, haven’t heard that theme in awhile have ya? That’s because it takes a special writer to be able to convey the story so well, that it’s believable. Then they have to be able to spin a whole plot around that story and have it all fit perfectly. And that my friends, is what D.J. Palmer did with “The Perfect Daughter”, the story, the characters, everything about this book was sooo good!! I absolutely love a good psychological twist novel, the brain is truly a wild organ and I’m amazed daily by it.

Penny, or actually her alter, Eve has been in a place called Edgewater for the past year awaiting trial for the murder of her birth mother. When psychiatrists try to get to the bottom of the story, different personalities start to come out and weave a tale as old as time. Lies, truths and complete deceit are big themes in this story and it becomes hard to put down.

Truly enjoyed it and definitely recommend. Also, today (April 20), is PUBLICATION day!! Congratulations to D.J. on another awesome read!

Shocking, addictive and fantastic.
Holly madness, this story was a complete crazy and wild ride.
I really enjoyed The New Husband by this author so when I saw this one I knew I had to read it, and it blew my mind.
I loved everything about this book, the pace was a little slow at first, but the chapters were short so it was really easy to read. And the ending was jaw dropping.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC.

http://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeepleasemx

In this book a teenager named Penny has been accused of murdering a woman. As a young girl, she was found abandoned in a park by a woman named Grace, along with her husband and two sons, who ultimately adopted her. Over the years it became clear Penny struggling with her mental health and she was diagnosed as having DID, or Disassociative Identity Disorder. There’s a few “alters” to her personality as they’re called, and the cold-hearted, irritable alter named Eve is currently at the forefront.

Penny is kept in a psychiatric hospital awaiting her trial while her mom, a lawyer, and her psychiatrist try to figure out if Penny committed this murder and if she was in her right mind or if she was suffering a psychotic break. As Penny’s doctor wrestles with his own struggles, both himself and that of his son, he works tirelessly to reach Penny’s alters and get the truth about herself and her past and figure out what happened the night of the crime. Are Penny’s “alters” a result of abuse and her traumatic childhood, or is she simply a psychopath with no remorse and no emotion, capable of brutally murdering someone?

The ending definitely shocked me but I thought it was an awesome twist. This was dark, intriguing, chilling, and gruesome.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for my copy.

Penny, 16, a troubled teen who has fun afoul of the law before, is charged with the brutal murder of Rachel Boyd after she is found standing over the woman's body with the murder weapon in hand, covered in her blood. The victim has been stabbed 25 times. Though the police are sure they have the right perpetrator, Penny's adoptive mother Grace is determined to do what it takes to save her daughter from a life in prison. Following the charges, Penny is placed in the Edgewater State Hospital, a pyschiatric hospital which is part of the Massachusetts Department of Correction, while she awaits her trial.

Her adoptive family (at least some of them) thinks Penny has multiple personalities and has DID Dissassociative Indentity Disorder) and therefore should be ruled incapable of standing trial. Her mother also believes that there's a chance that she is innocent. Penny is facing 50 years in prison, and if she must be incarcerated, her mother would prefer she be in the hospital where she can get the help she needs and once better, can come home.

The Perfect Daughter was not as good a read from DJ Palmer as I have come to expect from him. While the story-line is interesting, and full of possibilities, the execution falls flat. The reader hears of the various opininions within the medical community as to whether DID is a valid diagnosis, and then multiple doctors disagree as to whether Penny does or does not meet the criteria. We learn that a psychiatric hospital, while it may be the best option for housing someone who may not be able to realize criminal actions are wrong, is not a necessarily a good or safe option. After all, there are criminally insane people living there who are not always in control of themselves, and they are guarded by corrections officers who may have some issues of their own.

Then we spend time meeting each of Penny's alters, who they are, what their personalities are, and could they be the one who committed the crime or has evidence that Penny is indeed innocent. The book quickly became repetitive, and at some point, not really caring about the individual characters, I just wanted this overlong read to be over.

There are many reviewers who think this is one of the best books that they've ever read, which proves the subjectivity of the review process. We all are entitled to our opinions, and they don't have to agree. As is always the case, you ultimately have to decide whether you are interested in reading the book or not.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read a review copy of the book. All opinions stated in this review are my own.

“The Perfect Daughter” by D.J. Palmer is an absorbing psychological thriller about Grace and her daughter Penny, who was arrested for murder. Grace begins fighting to fight for her daughter in any way she can. The emergence of her daughter having multiple personalities do not make this an easy task. WHAT?! DID YOU SAY ALTER PERSONALITIES?! Yes, Penny suffers from multiple personality disorder more commonly known as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DiD).

The Perfect Daughter was very well researched in regards to mental health and multiple personal disorders AKA Dissociative Identity Disorder. The exhaustive research actually shows this mental health condition in a positive light and is sympathetic towards these misunderstood individuals.

The book starts off pretty interesting. The reader learns about the arrest, Penny’s diagnosis and her integration into the family. Somewhere in the middle, the book’s pace slows down as the story hovers over Penny’s treatment and investigation, which was fine because the mental health condition was fascinating. The pace quickens in the third part of the book.

I was rather absorbed by this story. The ending of the book had many loose ends that were wrapped up way too quickly with a nice red bow. I really would have liked to see a different type of ending for such an absorbing book.

“The Perfect Daughter” is a thriller that follows a teenage girl with multiple personality disorder who is accused of murdering a woman. She has limited recollection of that night. While I suspected a book based upon such a topic would be a wild ride that continued to build upon suspense, the first 70% of the book is focused so heavily on the psychological aspects, I found myself waiting for the juicy parts to really begin. The first part just bored me a bit because there was soo much background with not as much action that I would have liked for such a book. This was solid, but not one of my favorites so 3 stars ⭐️. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

The Perfect Daughter is a thriller that explores the truth or lies behind a teenage girl's multiple personality disorder, from D.J. Palmer, the author of The New Husband. Grace Francone never dreamt she’d visit her 16-year-old daughter Penny in the locked ward of a decaying state psychiatric hospital, charged with the murder of a stranger. She had feared her adopted daughter had dissociative identity disorder but she had never once been violent. There was not much question of her daughter’s guilt. Police had her fingerprints on the murder weapon and the victim’s blood on her body and clothes. But they didn’t have a motive. Grace blames herself, because that’s what mothers do—they look at their choices and wonder, what if? But hindsight offers little more than the chance for regret. None of this was conceivable the day Penny came into her life. Then, it seemed like a miracle. Penny was found abandoned aged four at a deserted Park in Swampscott, Massachusetts near the Francone home. With a mysterious past, it felt like fate brought Penny to her, and her husband Arthur. But as she grew, Penny's actions grew more disturbing, and different "personalities" emerged.

Arthur and Grace took Penny to different psychiatrists, many of whom believed she was putting on a show to help manage her trauma. But Grace didn’t buy it. The personas were too real, too consistent. It had to be a severe multiple personality disorder. One determined psychiatrist, Dr Mitch McHugh, helped discover someone new inside Penny—a young girl named Abigail. Is this the nameless girl who was abandoned in the park years ago? Mitch thinks Abigail is the key to Penny’s past and to the murder. But as Grace and Mitch dig deeper, they uncover dark and shocking secrets that put all their lives in grave danger. This is a compulsive, superbly woven psychological thriller with a complex plot and alternating points of view that allow the tension to be ratcheted up excellently. It handles the issue of MPD in a sensitive yet thoroughly gripping and absorbing manner and explores the impact it has on the Francone's fragile family dynamic. The complicated nature of these relationships is addressed superbly throughout as one of Penny's brothers, Jack, had accepted her and the other, Ryan, held nothing but contempt for his sister. An addictive and original thriller.

This is the second book I read by D.J Palmer and I loved them both.
This story starts a bit slow and I was slightly confused at the beginning till I realized that part of the story is been told by one of the brothers who is collecting material to make a movie about his sister multiple personality disorder. Shortly it gets better and better as you read on to a point that it becomes hard to stop reading. Within the story you get a feel for the shortcomings of our mental health system. We have a bit of family drama and court procedures. It is informative about drug addiction and mental health. How parents tend to blame themselves in these case. The what if question often comes to mind? All this together made a great psychological thriller with a lot of twist and an unsuspected ending.
Highly recommend this book.

The Story: Sixteen year-old Penny Francone goes missing but is later found in the victim's apartment alone, covered with blood, and holding the murder weapon. She is arrested for murder and has all the motive to commit such violent crime. Penny's mother, Grace, believes it was not her who did it but one of her alters as Penny has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). While waiting for her trial, Penny is being treated by Dr. Mitchell McHugh who does not believe in DID. But both him and Grace are working together to uncover the truth about Penny and what they soon find out will change everything they thought they knew.

My thoughts: This is a WOWZA story! It is my first book by this author and will not be my last! I absolutely loved the plot that centers around DID and also explore other mental health issues. It was really well done.

I always enjoy a story that is told from different POVs. Penny's character is so believable and I was going back and forth forming my own theories about her and the entire plot! This book really hooked me right from the beginning and was unputdownable. Every chapter ends with a cliffhanger and this me so invested in the story!

I ended up enjoying this thriller more than I'd expected! Excellent writing, twisty plot and an I-did-not-see-it coming ending, this is a must read book!


Pub. date: April 20th 2021

***Thank you St. Martin's Press, author D. J. Palmer and NetGalley for this review copy to read and review.***

What a wild roller coaster ride that was! I love a good psychological thriller, especially one loaded with shocking secrets and lies. After a somewhat slow build up, this book then really took off.

In “The Perfect Daughter”, sixteen-year-old Penny Francone is arrested for a murder. She was found covered in the victim’s blood and holding the murder weapon. What would otherwise seem to be an obvious conviction is complicated by the fact that Penny suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID, AKA Multiple Personality Disorder). But does she really? Or is this all an elaborate manipulation?

Penny was adopted by Grace and Arthur Francone after she was found abandoned in a park. Her mother Rachel was a drug addict and her father was not known. Penny immediately became a loved member of Francone family.

The story is told from the perspectives of Grace, Penny’s adopted mother; Jack, one of Grace’s biological sons; and Dr. Mitchell McHugh, the psychiatrist assigned to Penny’s case in the state mental hospital.

The characters were well written. I especially liked Dr. Mitchell McHugh. Penny’s alters were easily identifiable as she transitioned from one to another. But you are still guessing as to whether this is all just a hoax. I thought the author did an excellent job with explaining the complexity of DID.

I was kept guessing until the end. Was Penny really the killer? Or was it one of her alters? I really enjoyed the entire book. There are subtle hints dropped along the way.

I received an advance e-galley of this book by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley. Opinions expressed here are my own.

A psychological drama with an ending you will not be expecting. The Francone family is torn apart when their daughter Penny is accused of murder. The story is told in multiple character voices which lend to its poignancy. The author does a really great job of explaining all the medical and legal terms while keeping the reader focused on turning the pages. It is definitely a book to add to your must read shelf.