Wow! This book is one into which you fall and are completely absorbed by it! There is not a dull moment, sentence, or paragraph. Told in multiple perspectives, it is ever evolving and keeps you guessing all the way through.to the explosive end! Thoroughly researched and meticulously written, this one will stay with me for some time.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve read by this author and The Perfect Daughter is no exception! The climax was exciting and the book kept you intrigued throughout. Can’t wait for the next one Palmer releases!

Wow.. my mind is blown.⁣
⁣
Penny is found covered in blood, with the murder weapon, and a dead body in a catatonic state with no idea of what happened or how she even got there.⁣
⁣
This story was a fantastic, page turning psychological thriller. D.J. Palmer had to have done immense research on DID to write this incredible story that was so well done. ⁣
⁣
I am always so captivated by thrillers involving a mental health illness. The amount of confusion, anguish and loneliness those suffer with DID must be profound and I truly feel for them.⁣
⁣
The way that you learned about each of Penny’s alters over the course of the story, and how and when they were created was so intriguing I just wanted to know more. I needed to know if she killed this person. ⁣
⁣
Her family truly stuck by her side, her mom did everything in her power to dig up the truth and it was amazing.⁣
⁣
Dr. Mitch struggled with his own demons of depression, and his son with addiction, and he did everything he could think of to try and help Penny and it was just such a wild ride.⁣
⁣
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫⁣
Thank you @stmartinspress for an ARC for my honest review. #bookstagram #books #theperfectdaughter #psychologicalthriller #thriller

I feel badly to say this, but this was just an ok read for me. It kept me interested, but not invested in the story or the characters. I easily put the book down and made myself finish it so I could review before the publication date. The ending did take me by surprise, but it took too long to get there. It was well researched and informative. I’m sure that fans of D.J. Palmer will love it.

OK so I love love love ok maybe I should use the word love maybe more like I am fascinated with books that take place in ominous mental hospitals, and that is where D.J. Palmer takes us in The Perfect Daughter. I feel when it is being set in a mental hospital you are going to get so much more to the story and that is exactly what I got. Everyone has demons they are fighting in this story and the way D.J. Palmer portrays them kept me glued to my kindle. I wasn't sure who was "nice" and "true" and who was bad. Which left me with a pit in my stomach as I was reading. I enjoyed The Perfect Daughter and look forward to read more from D.J. Palmer!

I’d like to thank St Martins Press and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Perfect Daughter’ by D J Palmer in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

When Grace Francone’s adopted daughter Penny is arrested for the murder of her birth mother, her Attorney Greg Navarro needs to persuade the court that she has mental health problems and is suffering from multiple personality disorder. Dr Mitchell McHugh is treating Penny in a state psychiatric hospital and together with Grace they discover the truth about Penny.

‘The Perfect Daughter’ is a disturbing psychological thriller about a young woman who suffers from multiple personalities whose character can change from quiet and loving Penny to0 Eve, Ruby or Chloe. It’s well-written with a plot that’s difficult at times to read due to the subject matter, with twists and turns leading to a shocking conclusion that I didn’t see coming. This is the first of D J Palmer’s novels I’ve read but I’ll certainly be looking out for more.

Sorry to say, I did not like The Perfect Daughter. The story felt very disjointed to me. The storyline held promise but I couldn’t connect with any of the characters. Most of the story didn’t make much sense and was very unbelievable.
I’m sure there are others that will like this book, just wasn’t a hit with me.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

I found The Perfect Daughter an interesting read. I haven't had any experience of mental illness myself but felt it was handled in a very realistic way. I didn't find any of the characters likeable so I struggled with that. Reading other reviews I can see I am in the minority but it just wasn't my favourite.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC.

I thought I knew where the ending was going and boy was I wrong! What a twist of an ending! The book had me hooked. I knew very little about DID. The book was great at explaining and made it seem very realistic. The book jumpstarts from the first chapter and doesn't let up. I liked the multiple narrators in this book, it gave a lot of different perspectives. There were lots of possible plot twists and yet I still didn't see it coming. I definitely recommend this book for a great read. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Penny is a teenage girl arrested for the brutal murder of her birth mother, Rachel. The catch is that Penny suffers from a mental illness called DID, formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder. Penny's adoptive mother, Grace, insists that Penny is innocent, even though she was found at the crime scene, holding the murder weapon and covered in blood. Thus begins the search for answers as to who the killer is. Was it Penny, or one of her alters? Is she guilty or innocent by way of insanity?
Not only was this a good mystery/suspense novel, it was informative about mental illness and trauma. Once you start reading, you won't want to put it down!
Thank you to #NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of #ThePerfectDaughter by #D.J.Palmer

The Perfect Daughter by D. J. Palmer is a fascinating psychological thriller that tells the story of Penny Francone, a sixteen-year-old girl charged with murder after police found her holding the murder weapon next to the body.

I love that the story primarily focused on Penny's mom, Grace, and her determination to advocate for her daughter, who was previously diagnosed with D.I.D., aka Multiple Personality Disorder, instead of placing the reader in the mind of Penny, which would have been confusing at best. Grace is relatable in her focus and unrelenting pursuit to prove that her daughter did not commit the crime. This kicks off the family theme that can also be seen with Penny's psychologist, Dr. Mitch McHugh, and his son Ryan, who is in a rehab facility. Even though McHugh treats other people's children successfully, he is as helpless as any other parent when it comes to his child. Through these two intertwined stories, unconditional parental love rings loud and clear. It is an uplifting note in an otherwise twisty turny tale with a jaw-dropping conclusion that I never saw coming. The thriller plot left me breathless, and I felt compelled to read every word of the story with an unprecedented focus.

Penny's brother, Jack, has 1st-person narrated chapters interspersed throughout the story, which partly discussed the documentary he was making about his sister and partly read like letters to Penny as she went through this ordeal. Jack is my favorite character throughout, primarily because of his unwavering support and his foresight to find out and talk more about this controversial mental health disorder that his sister suffers. This gave a docudrama slant to the story, which I found intriguing.

I love the way mental health disorders are treated in this book. Both sides explained, the diagnosis process shown, and the struggles portrayed so realistically that if not for the mystery plot, I would think that I was reading a case study.

This is a must-read book if you are interested in abnormal psychology or are looking for a compelling psychological thriller to escape for a weekend. Pick it up, read it, pick your jaw off the floor when you're done and have a new appreciation for parents with children who suffer from mental health disorders.

This book really had me hooked up until the end. I really enjoyed the multiple personalities plot but the twist at the end was so far fetched. It just didn’t make any sense. Up until the end it’s a great read.

The Perfect Daughter is a thriller about Penny, a teenage girl with multiple personalities. Grace and Arthur, Penny's parents, took her to multiple psychiatrists and many thought that she was faking it. Grace never believed them. Dr. Mitch McHugh has helped Penny, but as they all dig deeper into Penny's personalities, they uncover dark and shocking secrets that put all their lives in grave danger.

I wanted to read this one so that I could read how it ended! I couldn't put it down. Loved this thriller, with its progression and the way the suspense is built up. I enjoyed the characters and the plot.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What would you do if your daughter murdered someone? What if she had DID, dissociative identity disorder, more commonly known as multiple personality disorder? What if nothing is as it seems? This mystery is intriguing on many levels; not only the murder aspect, but in trying to process the intricacies of DID and how it operates within this character, and then exactly how it came to be in the first place. It’s fascinating and leads this tale down some unique paths to be sure. The twists in this mystery are akin to those within a mind, and nothing prepared me for the outcome. Well done.

Finished up The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer just now. I had an advanced reader copy that has been on my kindle awhile and I’d started hearing murmurs about how good it was. Murder? ✅ Suspect with multiple personalities? ✅ State mental hospitals? ✅ When 16 year old Penny Francone is found standing over the body of her biological mother covered in her blood she is immediately arrested for Rachel Boyd’s murder. The only problem? She doesn’t remember what happened. A page turning thriller that looks more closely at dissociative identity disorder and whether or not Penny is suffering from mental illness or whether she is a cold blooded killer. Out on April 20th!

https://amzn.to/3dadlmg

I truly liked this. It was a very good psychological thriller and a real who dun it. I thought I had it figured out so many times but it turns out i was pleasantly surprised. I would have screamed to the mountain how amazing this is but i felt it was a bit longer than needed.

Book Review: The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer
Published by St. Martin's Press, April 20, 2021

4.25 Stars.

Following "Saving Meghan", author Daniel Palmer pens another uber-thriller that keeps the reader guessing. With a final twist that leaves you stumped in your favorite reading nook!

Swampscott, North Shore, Boston.

Sixteen-year-old Penny Isabella Francone, adopted daughter of Grace Francone, is arrested for homicide.

Rachel Boyd of Lynn, MA, Penny's birth mother, has just been brutally stabbed twenty-five times to near decapitation. With the woman's blood found splattered all over the teen's face, body and clothes, and an angry email exchange that ensued just before the incident in evidence, Rachel's death is an open-and-shut murder case.

But for adoptive mom Grace, this simply cannot not be.

Penny is her perfect daughter.

Adopted when she was four years old under providential circumstances, the former Montessori preschool teacher and owner of "Big Franks", an oceanfront pizzeria, is adamant and resolute.

Penny is innocent.

Along with Ruby, who speaks with a British accent, Chloe, an A-student perfectionist, and Eve, a precocious, alluring and aggressive teen, who'd all joined the Francone family when Penny was twelve.

All of them live inside Penny…

To the rescue, counsel Greg Navarro, a "Big Franks" regular and reputable local North Shore attorney, former Navy, and former chief public prosecutor.

Plus Dr. Mitch McHugh, Penny's doctor at Edgewater State Hospital where she is confined. A former Mass General employee, Dr. McHugh does have his own personal issues, and is still pretty much on the fence and skeptical of her disorder and identity alters.

DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) isn't legally a valid diagnosis. McHugh, along with many others, question if Penny simply has an antisocial personality disorder, playing everyone along with invented identities and excuses. He has to determine if she is deranged or damaged, sick or evil.

Then comes Day 11 of Penny's murder trial.

And a lost four-year-old girl who'd gone into hiding, emanates.

Right on the witness stand.

And shakes up her entire world.

Who's your daddy, Penny?

This is the second brilliant D. J. Palmer book I've read. But unlike "Saving Meghan". a 5-star read which grabbed me, the build-up to the final twist in this novel tilts a bit to the non-sequitur side, and does feel a tad abrupt and contrived. I wouldn't be surprised if, for a few readers, the ending just doesn't cut it and eyes roll with incredulity.

Nevertheless, this is one quasi-medical, family suspense thriller I thoroughly enjoyed, and recommend.

Reviewed based on an ARC from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley.

Grace has returned from a run to find her sixteen year old daughter, Penny gone. She has no idea where she could be. She then sees a police car with its lights on. The two men walked up her walkway. Grace opens the door and Detective Jay Allio from the Lynn Police Station introduces himself along with Sergeant Brent Adams. They asked her if Penny Francone was her daughter and then told her that she was arrested and was at the Lynn Police Station. They told her that they believe that she killed a woman and its a homicide. They also told her that Penny was found covered in blood and that she is calling herself Eve and that was not the name found on her driver's license. She also does not remember anything that happened. They said that she killed a woman named Rachel Boyd, which is Penny's birth mother.

Penny then ends up in a psychiatric hospital. The day Penny came into Grace's and Arthur's life it seemed like a miracle. She was found abandoned with a mysterious past. But as Penny grew up her actions were disturbing and personalities emerged. They find out that she has DID, which is Dissociative Identity Disorder. But as Grace and Dr. Mitch McHugh dig deeper they uncover dark and shocking secrets which puts their lives in more danger.

This book was like a roller coaster ride! It is an awesome psychological thriller. It deals with mental illness. It had me guessing till the end. It also has a courtroom drama in it and thats when it gets so Crazy! OMG! It was so shocking. I could not put it down. I loved the twist near the end that I did not see coming! It was a great jaw dropping moment! This is the best book that I have read by this author and it won't be my last. He hit this one out of the ball park.

I want to thank Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and the author for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. (less)

"The Perfect Daughter" by D.J. Palmer is a Psychological Thriller.

Grace and Arthur Francone adopted Penny when she was four years old. Grace found Penny abandoned and crying in a park. Grace had always dreamed of having a daughter and with a mission to make it work, Penny was welcomed with open arms not only by her new parents, but by Ryan and Jack, her two brothers, as well.

Life for this family became very interesting with the addition of Penny. Over the top interesting!

At sixteen years old, Penny is found in her birth mothers apartment covered in blood, a knife in her hand, her birth mother dead. It's obvious that Penny is the murderer and she's arrested at the scene.

Psychiatrist, Mitch McHugh is assigned to observe and diagnose Penny while she is held in a high security state psychiatric hospital pending trial. Did I mention Penny has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)? Multiple personalities? Which one is the murderer? Grace is convinced it may be someone else...

Psychological Thriller is not my preferred genre. I've tried over and over again to love them. But, I just know there is one out there with my name on it. One I would eventually connect with. After so many attempts, I'm due a winner! Right?

Truth is, folks, I was fooled again! Yes, I wanted to keep reading it the further I was into it. I was drawn in by the "whodunit" suspense that continued through the story. The ending was twisty and I felt satisfied. Yes, everything felt pretty good!

Then, after I took time to reflect and gather my thoughts, something changed for me. Jotting down my notes, I realized I disliked more about this story than I liked! Ouch!

- I wanted more meaningful background on Penny growing up. Not just snippets.
- There was too much unnecessary personal information about Dr. Mitch. Way. Too. Much.
- I wanted more interaction between Dr. Mitch and Penny. There just wasn't enough IMHO.
- Penny wasn't the only family member who was disturbed. This family had issues.
- I'm trying to find a single character I liked. I tried. I failed. This alone is a deal breaker for me!
- The epilogue should have been about Penny, right? So, what was up with that?
- The kitty issue was very disturbing. Period. The end.

I could go on....but I won't. I thought I liked it...but I don't. I'm not giving up on Thriller's because I just know that one marked for me is still out there somewhere and I'm determined to find it!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and D.J. Palmer for a free ARC of this book. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This book is creepy, disturbing, and utterly addicting. After Grace’s adoptive daughter, Penny, is arrested for brutally murdering her birth mother, Grace embarks on a journey to prove her daughter’s innocence. The problem is she can only do so by showing beyond a doubt that Penny has multiple personalities and therefore cannot be held accountable for the crime. Many books about Dissociative Identity Disorder are cliched and overdone but D.J. Palmer has managed to create a compelling and realistic read. The plot moved in a direction I wasn’t expecting and the twists caught me completely off guard. I also really liked the characters and how the story was told from their differing points of view. Highly recommend!