Fast paced page turner about a teenage girl accused of the brutal murder of her birth mother. Penny was found abandoned in a park by Grace and eventually adopted by her. While Penny was loved and accepted by her new family, she still struggled with past abuse and repressed memories. As these memories start to come out Penny develops multiple personalities, many of which have major behavior issues. When Penny is charged with a brutal murder that she has no memory of her family must try to unravel the mystery. Fast paced, full of twists and turns, this excellent novel is not to be missed.

Definitely an enjoyable read. A delightful twist and a great ending. It had good character development and kept me intrigued through the whole book.

Another good read from the author. You know there will be a twist but can’t put your finger on it. I enjoyed the DID aspect and the bravery of the mom and her sister. It definitely kept me guessing. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer was definitely a fast read and I had a hard time putting it down. The story revolves around a girl who has a Dissociative Identity Disorder. I found her story fascinating. Truly the only issue that I had with this book was the ending. For some reason, I wanted more of a cliffhanger or a shocker, and the ending was kind of a dud. Besides that, a solid 4-start book and I would definitely read other books by this author.

I really enjoyed this book, specifically all of the “alters” as different characters. The ending was quite an interesting twist.

Grace’s daughter Penny is in a psychiatric hospital, awaiting by trial on the murder of her birth mother. But Penny’s case is complicated by the fact that she has DID, or what is more commonly known as multiple personality disorder. This is an intense, twisting story that really kept me guessing right up to the end.

Oozing with suspense and twisty turns. This book is told through individual unique view points. It has an insightful plot that delves deep into what was commonly called multiple personality disorder. The story and the characters gripped me and I followed the storyline with bated breath. This book was a great psychological thriller: guaranteed to make you think and wonder while simultaneously making your heart pound.
This one is a fantastic read start to finish

This book was a bit of a let down. The overall story line was great. Penny is a teenager accused of murdering her birth mother, but she has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and doesn't remember anything about that night. Her adoptive mother Grace fights tooth and nail to prove Penny's innocence, recruiting an attorney, her sister in law, and her older sons into the mission as well. When Penny ends up at a psychiatric hospital, her new doctor Mitch is hesitant to confirm the DID diagnosis without seeing it for himself, and he dives right in prioritizing Penny's care.

The investigation, the research into Penny's alter personalities, and the plot twist were all well done. But there were secondary story lines that just didn't seem to mesh with the main plot. There were chapters from her brother Jack's perspective discussing making a movie about Penny that never really resolved itself. Mitch's backstory seemed to be there to show why he was so motivated to help Penny, but that wasn't really fleshed out. And there was a weird dynamic with her brother Ryan that was sort of just there also. The end result was a great storyline that was dragged down by unnecessary subplots.

The Perfect Daughter was quite the page-turner. It kept me guessing until the very end. Penny has come to live with Grace and her family when she was just 4. They found her alone in a park in the rain screaming. Turns out Penny has Disassociative Identity Disorder (DID). The book does have a lot of information regarding the disorder in the book, so don't worry about not having all the facts on the diagnosis. Penny is found holding a knife with her birth mother brutally killed. Penny is sent to a psychiatric hospital while she awaits trial and that part of the book is so crazy. I was just flipping along and couldn't put it down. Grace is Penny's biggest fan and will fight until the bitter end. This was a 5 star read for me and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for a gifted ebook arc. This is my honest review.

This was my favorite D.J. Palmer book. The book explores DID or Dissociative Identity Disorder. Penny is arrested for killing her birth mom, Rachel, and has no memory of doing it at all. Her adoptive mother Grace believes her and is will do anything to prove it.

Penny is sent to Edgewater State Psychiatric hospital and is put under the care of Mitch McHugh. Mitch explores all of Penny's alters, Eve, Chloe and Ruby. Did one of them kill Rachel? Does she really have DID or is she faking it? You'll have to read to find out. The ending left me speechless!

This is a brilliant, edge of your seat thriller that I think many people will enjoy.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another snowstorm, another book devoured in one day. DID, or Dissociative Identity Disorder, is the major theme of this terrific mystery.
Penny is a teenager who was found wandering in a park as a.five year old. She was adopted by a loving couple and their two sons. After a few years, signs of other personalities emerge and as she enters puberty the troubles start. At the age of sixteen she is found covered in blood, with a knife in her hand, and her dead birth mother beside her. She is sent to a sanitarium for crimminals to get treatment and await trial. Who will help Penny remember what happened the night of the murder and possibly save her life? Will it be her psychologist, her brothers, her lawyer, or her mother. The final revelations will astound you!

I had higher expectations for this book as this author’s previous books were soooo good! While this book was not bad, it seemed to drag a bit for me. Penny was found by the perfect family at the age of 4 in a park abandoned. When she is adopted by the new family they certainly were not aware of her past turmoil. The book starts with Penny being found at the apartment of her birth mother covered in blood and being arrested for her murder. This book goes back and forth and deals with multiple personalities of this young girl and at times gets to be repetitive. However, the last few chapters reveals what really happened that night and the twists and turns made it worth reading. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and #NetGalley for the ARC. #ThePerfectDaughter

An excellent thriller! I especially appreciate the extensive research that must have gone into this book. I will be thinking about this story for months!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A mother and son are shocked to find a small child abandoned in a park on a cold, rainy night. They take her home, clean her up and call authorities. When no one claims the girl, Grace Francone believes it's a sign from above. This is the daughter she's always wanted, and the family is elated when the adoption goes through. With two sons and now a daughter, everything is perfect . . . until it isn't.

Years later, a knock at her door leaves Grace flabbergasted and in denial. Her adopted daughter has been arrested for murder. Penny was discovered in shock and covered in blood, standing over the mutilated body of the birth mother she's never known. Grace is horrified and dismayed as evidence quickly mounts against the young teen. When Grace finally speaks with Penny, she's alarmed to find it's not Penny talking to her, but Eve - one of the alters that have surfaced over the years since Grace brought Penny into their home. Grace believes Penny has Disassociate Identity Disorder; however, after several sessions with psychiatrists, her diagnosis remains undefined. Penny is relegated to Edgewater Psychiatric Hospital for observation and study while awaiting trial for murder. Convinced of Penny's innocence, Grace hires an attorney and begins an investigation of her own unknowingly rattling some old cages. If Grace can't prove Penny has DSD - meaning she can't be held accountable for her actions, then she'll be convicted and sent to prison or . . . someone is framing her for murder. Who?

A young teen's identity crisis and a family in turmoil spiral out of control in this dark, startling thriller. As Grace tries to save her daughter from life in prison, her family and world fall apart around her. Through skillful prose, Palmer tells the story of a protective mother's secret guilt - her worry that she may have invited catastrophe into her family when she chose to make Penny her own and her determination to make things right. Told through multiple points of view, readers are charged with discovering the truth. Is Penny's disorder real or an elaborate ruse? Is she mentally ill? Or a murderess?

The Perfect Daughter delves into the social stigma and prejudice surrounding mental disorders and the public, legal system and health professional's tendency to doubt the existence of DSD. Clearly, Palmer has done intensive research into Dissociate Identity Disorder including typical treatment options as well as the often horrifying conditions of mental hospitals of old. Through past/present chapters, Palmer expertly weaves an edgy, complex, taut story elevating the pace and intensity as readers race toward a surprising ending. The emergence of Penny's alters during trial is fascinating - a window into the psyche of a emotionally fragile girl. Penny either has DSD, or she's a skilled psychopath. The Perfect Daughter is a riveting, intense, highly entertaining thriller. Highly recommended to fans of suspense and psychological thrillers!

I was really involved in this book. I have always been fascinated with DID. I believe my mother suffered with this disorder but is was called multiple personality disorder then. This author did an awesome job of explaining how a person acts with this disorder. I felt for the whole family as everyone tried to cope with the reality of Penny’s upcoming trial. There was enough proof throughout the book to believe that several people could have killed Rachel. I was so immersed in this book that when the twist came, I was shocked! I will not spoil it. You will have to read this book yourself and decide if you are as shocked as I was.

Do you like thrillers?

Do you like a psychological twist on your thrillers?

Do you like a compelling family drama mixed into your psychological thrillers?

Do you like a teenage girl with multiple personalities who may have committed murder tossed into your family drama-style psychological thrillers? (Yeah, I said murderous multiple personalities.)

Well, look no further, THIS is the book for you!

WOW! I needed to stand up and be productive today, but when D.J. Palmer’s newest book is in my hand, resistance is futile. I was glued to my chair. This book would not let me move.

Plot: So, Grace comes home to find that her daughter, Penny (that’s one of her names, anyway) isn’t home. A few minutes later, the cops show up saying that a very bloody Penny has just been arrested for murder. Grace is all, “Sure, but did Penny do it, or was it one of her other personalities. ‘Cause we’ve had issues.”

Yeah.

Did she do the murder? How many people exactly are living in this chick’s head? Can the family survive all the murderous hoopla? Is Grace strong enough to support her daughter while she’s the subject of an intense investigation? Will a troubled doctor be able to help Penny? Will Penny’s brother, who is making a film diary about Penny’s...problems, figure out the truth?

Guys, D.J. Palmer is the real deal. He shines at writing believable characters. Those characters can be men, women, troubled teenaged girls, or concerned brothers. He breathes a spirit into every creation of his mind, and consistently offers his readers living, breathing characters that will stick with them long after they’ve finished the last page. I can’t get enough.

If you haven’t read his stuff, grab Saving Meghan or The New Husband and read those before, during, or after you read this one. Just do it!

4.5 Stars

“Ever heard the excuse ‘the Devil made me do it’? Well, what if you’re the devil?”

Grace was a mother blessed with two sons but longed for a daughter. Her prayers are answered in a most unusual way…a child has been abandoned in the park…a young girl so traumatized she is unable to speak. Grace immediately bonds with the girl, and they name her Penny. While finding love and security amongst her new family, Penny’s trauma still emerges by transforming and splitting into various personalities…and one of them could prove to be deadly…

Holy jaw-dropping endings Batman! I’ll not spoil the fun of all the psychological twists and turns in DJ Palmer’s newest thriller in a review, but I will say this is a story that not only delves deep into the psyche of the mind, but also the lengths a parent will go to save their child and the unconditional love needed to care for one with mental illness.

Another fantastic read by DJ Palmer! Loved and highly recommend!





**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

I do not know that I can write how much I LOVED this book... You will become riveted from page 1 and not want to stop reading. This book dives into DID (what most of us know as Multiple Personality disorder) all the while trying to prove that it is a real diagnosis, while capturing you in with the delving of a crime. I found the author to have written very believable characters, and must have done a huge amount of research to fully understand the mental health aspects that drive this novel. I wanted to read this book all the time, but life called... LOL.

For the love of dog, could you please pick a POV!?!?! I was so confused I would sometimes have to flip back to the beginning of the chapter to figure out who was talking. Way too repetitive. Could use some editing for repetition. Oh, did I mention it was repetitive.
Not the worse ARC I've gotten, but I remember enjoying this author's previous book, but this one was just meh, although it did elicit more than one "WTF?!?!?"

This is the 3rd book I’ve read by this author and it is by far the authors best work yet! The Perfect Daughter is a thriller that has a twist to the storyline that I would of never anticipated. It’s the story of Isabella Boyd, who at the age of 4 is found alone and abandoned in a park. Grace and her 2 sons find her and Grace instantly falls in love and wants her to become part of her family. From there the story goes on to tell of a murder and Penny (former Isabella) is accused of the crime. The murder victim just happens to be Penny’s biological mother, Rachel Boyd. All evidence points to Penny’s guilt but due to Penny having split personalities due to trauma suffered from her early childhood, everything is very confusing. Did she do it or is she telling the truth? It takes hearing from all her different alters to find out what really happened and who is actually guilty. This was a story that held my interest and had me reading late into the night. It’s definitely one I’d recommend as I truly believe that this is D.J. Palmer’s best writing yet. I’d like to thank Danielle Prielipp, Senior Marketing Manager at St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the invite and NetGalley for the arc to read, review and enjoy. I’m giving this a 5 star rating.