What would you do if you suspected your child had multiple personalities, or Dissociative Identity Disorder?

What would you do if that same child was also accused of murder?

The Perfect Daughter explores what one mother would do if both those cases were true. Penny was abandoned by her birth mother, Rachel Boyd, when Penny was only four. Grace, her adoptive mother, found Penny in a park and brought her home to care for her, and eventually adopted her. Now, Penny has been diagnosed with DID and is accused of killing Rachel.

Penny’s story digs deep into her brain, showcasing one of three alters and their separate characteristics. There’s Eve, the brash, rough, protector. There’s Chloe, the perfectionist. And there is Ruby, the sweet British girl. All of these girls live inside Penny’s head. But is Penny really good at acting and lying, or is she really suffering from DID?

As her doctor, mother, and lawyer all try to navigate what happened the night of Rachel’s murder, they also uncover new information about DID and how Penny’s brain seems to work. None of her alters really know much about the other, aside from the fact that they exist. None of the memories from one alter seem to be apparent in another. Trying to figure out how to reach each alter and recall the memories associated with it is the challenge Dr. Mitch faces in order to help prove Penny really does have DID and may not be responsible for Rachel’s murder.

I won’t go into more detail than that because I don’t want to give the ending away. I did enjoy this book, and I was surprised that none of my initial theories seemed to be the right answer to the murder mystery. I did eventually guess what was happening, but it was very much in the last probably 10% or so of the book. Great twist, great surprise.

I can’t necessarily say I liked any of the characters. I don’t know that I really felt much of a connection to any of them, except maybe Grace, because I am also a mother and would do everything I could to protect my children. I think it was hard to connect with Penny because of her multiple personalities. I also think at one point I thought that almost every single character either killed Rachel or was an accomplice to Penny killing Rachel, so that makes it kind of difficult to like and connect with a character.

The plot was medium to slow paced, and I do feel like at times I was wishing the story were a little faster. But ultimately, it balanced out and the information in those slow spots ended up being vital to the ending.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. 5 stars, recommended to anyone who likes legal and medical thrillers.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and DJ Palmer for the review copy (and the box of swag!) All opinions in this review are my own.

Grace has just had her worst nightmare come true - her adopted teenage daughter Penny is found standing over a dead body (Penny's birth mother) holding the murder weapon. What makes it even harder is the fact that Penny isn't your average teenage girl. Penny has been diagnosed with Dissociate Identity Disorder (previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder). Grace knows that docile Penny could not have committed the murder - but could one of her alters have done it?

Penny is sent to a criminal psychiatric facility while awaiting trial, and one of her alters takes over. Grace knows she only has until the trial to prove that Penny has DID (one of her doctors doesn't agree) and find out what really happened that night. Luckily, Penny has a new doctor on her case. He is willing to try some out-of-the-box techniques to try to pull out the different alters - and maybe even figure out what happened to Penny that caused the fracture of her personality in the first place.

As a psychologist, I was extremely excited to read this book. DID is a highly controversial diagnosis in the mental health field and I feel that negative portrayals in media have contributed to this rift (as well as the general public's lack of understanding of what DID really is, what it looks like, and how it is treated). On the whole, I thought this book did a pretty good job portraying DID, albeit in a sensational scenario, but I felt that it was a more comprehensive view of what DID can look and sound like, and the goal of treatment. There were certain things that I didn't necessarily agree with, but I also recognized that some steps needed to be taken to further the story. I enjoyed the wild ride and plan to check out other books by this author in the future :)

Wow! This book was completely fascinating, not only from a psychological perspective, but also a legal one! I would have liked if it dived a bit deeper in how exactly would you prosecute or defend someone with multiple personalities? Especially if only one of the personalities was "on trial".

My biggest critique about the book was that I predicted the twists before they happened - in one case really early in the book, and that's always disappointing. The other thing that would have been helpful is at the beginning of each chapter, there was a sub-title of who's point-of-view that chapter was written from. So "Dr. Mitch" or "Jack" or "Penny" or "Grace" or whatever. Mostly the Jack chapters had me thinking "Wait, who's this? Oh right it's Jack."

But overall the plot had me sucked in, and I definitely want to read more from DJ Palmer!

Wow! D.J. Palmer has crafted another amazing thrill ride of a book! I really enjoyed The New Husband and I knew this book wouldn’t disappoint. I kept guessing every step of the way whether Penny was truly guilty or just an innocent victim of her multiple personality disorder. I could barely put this book down. I highly recommend reading this book if you want a non stop well plotted thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to provide my honest feedback.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press, Netgalley, and DJ Palmer for this book in exchange for an honest review. This was an honest did she do it or not type of book. Did she have DID? You’ll have to read it to find out. I really enjoyed this book and enjoyed the characters. I give it 🌟🌟🌟🌟. A must read and so far I have not been disappointed in any of his books.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press, Netgalley, and DJ Palmer for this book in exchange for an honest review. This was an honest did she do it or not type of book. Did she have DID? You’ll have to read it to find out. I really enjoyed this book and enjoyed the characters. I give it 🌟🌟🌟🌟. A must read and so far I have not been disappointed in any of his books.

This book was so riveting that I couldn't put it down. I kept saying one more chapter, but before I knew it, I was at the end. I love the twists & turns throughout the book. Penny (aka Eve, aka Ruby, aka Chloe) was such an interesting character. I felt like the author did an excellent job with researching multiple personality disorders. Grace (Penny's adopted mom), Jack & Ryan (Penny's adopted brothers), Annie (Grace's sister-in-law), Dr. Mitch, & others were also good characters that made the story well rounded. I highly recommend reading this book if you enjoy suspense.

OMG I just finished reading The Perfect Daughter and my mind is truly blown!!!!!!!!!!!! 70% in I thought I might have the killer right but nope I was dead wrong!!!! DJ Palmer is a mastermind at writing thrillers!!!!!! He is one of those rare authors that can shock any thriller fan with the way his stories turn out. Some thriller books you can figure it out especially if you're a thriller fanatic but not DJ Palmer's books!!!!!!!!! I highly recommend this book to all thriller fans & everyone else too. Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for my early copy

The Perfect Daughter was amazing! I love D. J. Palmer's writing and this storyline was right up my alley.

"Is she Ruby? Is she Penny? Is she Chloe? Or is she lying...?"

This book opens up with 16-year old Penny being charged with the murder of a stranger. She was found in the victim's house covered in blood and holding the murder weapon. Open-and-shut case, right? Not so much. Penny has apparent mental instabilities possibly caused by a trauma from her childhood so she has been locked up in a psychiatric hospital awaiting trial. It seems that Penny has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID - formally known as Multiple Personality Disorder). Does she really have DID though? Or is she a psychopath who is really good at manipulating people?

Penny's mom, Grace, is willing to do whatever it takes to help her daughter. Grace works with psychiatrist Mitch McHugh to extract all of the information they can from Penny and her alters about the night of the murder.

I was immediately drawn into the characters and storyline of this book. It started out intense and didn't let up. I just had to know all the answers! Grace and her sister-in-law, Annie were a bad-ass duo who definitely did some questionable and dangerous things in order to help Penny. I also loved the journal entry aspect coming from Penny's brother, Jack. He is working on making a film about these events so he writes directly to Penny. Jack's part upped the creepy aspect of this book!

Psychology has always been something that interested me so when I read the synopsis and saw that Penny may have DID, I was intrigued and it did not disappoint! I really enjoyed reading all about Penny and her alters throughout The Perfect Daughter. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers, but especially to those who would enjoy this psychological aspect!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-arc of The Perfect Daughter in exchange for my honest opinion!

The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer was full of twists, turns and the kind of intense scenes that have you questioning your predictions and unable to put the book down! The character development was strong, the story line believable and engaging. I definitely recommend this book.

D. J. Palmer does it again! This is the 3rd book I've read by this author, and I have yet to be disappointed. This is another solid psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Like its predecessor, Saving Meghan, The Perfect Daughter is centered around an often hotly debated psychiatric condition: multiple personality disorder (with Saving Meghan it was Munchausen/Munchausen by Proxy). As someone who studied psychology in college this was very entertaining to read, and felt very authentic. The subject matter was, in my opinion, handled very realistically.

This was a solid 4 stars for me. It was a very tight, well-written story with all the twists and turns and questions and uncertainties I've come to expect from this author. While I ultimately wasn't *shocked* by the final reveal, it wasn't something I had figured out immediately. It was a very enjoyable ride, and I will definitely continue to keep up with this author!

Wow, my head is spinning after reading this excellent thriller from D.J. Palmer.

Teenager Penny Francone has been arrested for murder. Found at the scene and covered in the victims blood, it seems a slam dunk case. But Penny suffers from Disassociative Identity Disorder, also known as Multiple Personality Disorder. She has no recollection of being at the scene or the murder. Is one of her “alters” responsible or is Penny making the whole thing up and the real culprit?

The adopted daughter of Grace and the late Arthur and sister to Jack and Ryan, Penny was the daughter Grace always wanted and never had. The daughter of a drug addict, Penny found her when she was four years of age, abandoned in a park and took her in. She is convinced her daughter is innocent.

Penny is placed in a secure psychiatric hospital, Edgewater State Psychiatric Hospital while the case is being built. Under the care of a new doctor there, Dr Mitch McHugh, a man with his own troubles and a son who is an addict, he sets out to try and prove whether Penny does indeed have DID or is a manipulative psychopath.

This one will have your head spinning(in a good way). An unreliable narrator in Penny, you are left trying to piece together her memories from different alters, trying to make sense and time of them. As the trial date draws nearer and Grace and her family try to prove Penny’s innocence, there are many story arcs that very cleverly interweave and somehow all end up making sense in the end.

A real page turner and a non sensationalist look at the well trodden “split personality” disorder subject, this is a brilliant story and read. I was on edge from pretty much the first page until last. Very well written characters, some red herrings and some very intricate story telling, this is an author at the top of their game and they have knocked it out of the park with this one. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.

The Perfect Daughter is a psychological thriller that will definitely keep you guessing from the beginning all the way to the shocking conclusion! The premise of a mentally ill teenager accused of killing her biological mother was very intriguing and kept my interest throughout the book.

This book by D.J. Palmer is absolutely amazing. It is thrilling, full of the jaw dropping moments, page turning, and keeps you up late into the night wanting.....no, 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜......to know what’s coming next. The characters are absolutely perfect their roles and the plot line completely engulfs you and makes you a part of the story. Five stars does not do this incredibly written book justice. Once again, 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗲𝗿 has created a beyond 5 stars, out of this world thrilling novel that will leave you begging for more instantly. Fabulously done and thank you, St. Martin's Press, for letting me review this incredible novel!⁣

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Author/Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*

WOW! What an amazing novel! I was hooked from beginning to end. The writing is excellent, the story flowed well, the characters, especially Penny, are skillfully crafted and developed. You could not only relate to them, you found yourself completely invested in every one of their stories! Definitely full of suspense and mystery and twists the reader won't see coming. DJ Palmer is a master storyteller! BRAVO!

The Perfect Daughter was an intriguing book as the exploration of multi-personalities has always interested me since reading Sybil in high school. Since the 70’s, mental health counselors and advocates have made great strides in understanding a multitude of mental health disorders and their treatment.

Midway through the book, my interest waned as so much info seemed repetitive. I am not sure how much Ryan’s chapters needed to be a part of the book or the plot line. His part seemed extra and not necessary for the plot to work.

The ending of the book seemed to wrap up quickly. So much time through incarceration and then the trial moves quickly. Satisfactory ending makes the read worthwhile. Glad I read the book, but not none of my favorite reads.

What a fantastic mystery! I couldn't put this twisty story down and I loved that I couldn't figure it out! This is the story of Penny... and Eve, Ruby and Chloe. The amount of research Palmer did into Disassociative Identity Disorder, is evident as the reader explores this world where Penny is being accused of murder. Told in different points of view, the story grabbed me and kept my interest the entire iride. I loved that I really had no idea exactly where things were going and the way that the author explored DID was really interesting. I can't wait to read another book by this author! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion!

You know the book is really good, when you get sucked in, right from the page 1. That’s what happened to me while reading The Perfect Daughter. The author has done such a marvelous job writing this mystery, thriller book where it kept me guessing till the end, who the suspect was!

Penny a 16 year old teen is arrested for the murder of her birth mother Rachel! Penny suffers for dissociative identity disorder (DID) where a person has multiple personalities which are called as alters. Penny is found with blood on her clothes and hair along with murder weapon in her hand. She has no memory of committing the act, but she could be plain lying or one of her alters could have done it. Now it is up to her adoptive mother Grace, Dr Mitch and lawyer Navarro to figure out if Penny or one of her alters Eve, Ruby or Chloe did the act or was it someone else who is hiding in plain sight.

I am not a big mystery thriller fan, but this book!! Oh my, it got me hooked from the beginning and was not able to put down the book a bit! The story is very captivating and kept me on edge throughout the read!

This was a 5 star read for me and I recommend this book for anyone out there who is a fan of mystery, thriller or plain love of mother daughter and the extent a mom can go to find hope for her daughter!

Thank you NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and D. J. Palmer for a gifted copy of this galley in exchange of my honest review!

The Perfect Daughter is about Penny who suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) being accused of her birth mother, Rachel, murder while her adoptive mother, Grace, fights for her innocence.

I really enjoyed the short chapters and the mystery kept me on the edge of my seat but there was so many side stories I could’ve done without and some things got repetitive.

I am not familiar at all with DID so it was interesting to learn about that (even thought the author said somethings were altered). Some parts were far fetched and not believable but overall, the ending took me by surprise and wrapped up well (even if unrealistic).

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

My first read by DJ Palmer and this did not disappoint.

The story starts off with a murder, and a teenage girl with multiple personality disorder. Unaware of what happened, the teen is found at the scene of the crime, covered in blood and her prints on the weapon that killed her birth mother. Sentenced to a stay at a psychiatric institute awaiting trial, Penny and her alters work with Dr Mitch to help uncover what happened.

Told from multiple POV, the story vacillates between narrative of the mother, the doctor and Penny’s brother Jack.

The thing that impressed me the most about this book is the authors sensitivity and dedication to portraying Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) and Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) in an accurate and sensitive manner. These conditions are often exaggerated in Hollywood and Palmer does a great job of shedding light and sensitivity to these commonly misunderstood conditions.