WOW!!! Just WOW!! I could not put down this book. I can usually figure out who is the villain but not this time. I was totally surprised. Don’t start reading this book if you don’t have a lot of time. I highly recommend this book. I received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This book started out a bit slow for me. But then as you get to know Eve, Chloe, Ruby and Penny, the intensity increased and I had a hard time putting this book down. There were so many hints along the way that came together well at the end in a jaw dropping fashion.

This book had a lot, murder, pyromania, multiple personalities, and everything that could potentially go with those scenarios.


Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the arc.

"The Perfect Daughter" by D.J. Palmer was an interesting read for me. While I enjoyed the elements of suspense, the focus on the medical condition: Dissociative Identity Disorder seemed to overwhelm the book at some points for me. Some moments I wanted the focus to back off on the medical jargon a bit so I could be more immersed with the story.

With that being said, it was an extremely well written book and one I think many will enjoy. I enjoyed getting to know Penny's several different personalities; however, I was not that into so much focus on being if the court would buy into her DID.

I would definitely read more from D.J. Palmer just one that was so focused on a particular medical condition.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of "The Perfect Daughter" by D.J. Palmer in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read other books by this author and loved them. But I did not care for this one. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters and especially grew to dislike the mother. She’s completely neglected her life and other children. If I had to read about the pizzeria going under and her not caring again....it just didn’t work for me.
I do give credit to the surprise ending. They got me there. But nothing else worked for me. The book felt like it was written for a younger audience. The court scene where the judge called a recess and it actually says, “that means they take a break”? I had to suppress a major eye roll before continuing.
Thank you NetGalley for the early copy of The Perfect Daughter.

Very well developed characters and an extremely engaging story. Well thought out and very suspenseful story line that keeps the reader guessing until the final twist! This is the book to read this year! Highly recommended!

Great book! Couldn’t wait to read it, and it didn’t disappoint! Grabbed my attention within the first two chapters, and then I didn’t want to put it down. Excellent character development - I think that every reader will find a character to whom they relate. I enjoy books where there is character development, and then also a surprise, and this book provided both! Looking forward to reading more from this author!

What?!? I did not expect that. A truly thrilling ride from start to finish. Another excellent book by D.J Palmer. Will have you on the edge of your seat from the first paragraph. Well done.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc

Grace found Penny alone at a park at the age of four, abandoned and frightened, and from that moment on she claimed her as her own. No one knows what Penny suffered as a child with her birth mother, Rachel, but as a teen Penny reveals multiple personalities, or alters. Then one day Penny is found covered in blood in Rachel's home, and Rachel is lying dead at her side.

Grace will reveal how far she is willing to go to save this daughter that she chose that day on her playground. Her two sons watch from the sidelines, torn with their own feelings about Penny who has brought their family to this moment. One of the sons, Ryan, has a first person point of view that runs through the story as he occasionally looks at things in real time, and this provides an interesting viewpoint. The story moves fast and it is wonderful to see Grace's defense of her daughter, unwavering and strong. She enlists two others in her fight: Dr. Mitch McHugh, Penny's doctor at the facility she has been put in, and Navarro, a lawyer Grace met many years ago who is willing to help her fight for Penny's release. They don't see much of Penny while she is in Edgewater; it is her alter Eve, strong and tough, who protects Penny from the hardships of a mental asylum. Eve seems resigned to serving time in prison and Grace has to wonder, was it Penny acting as Eve who killed Rachel?

The book moves very fast and eventually we end up at the trial. Here there is a big revelation that I didn't see coming. It is a bit of a shock moment, but not totally unbelievable or far fetched. Looking back you can see the crumbs of clues that could have led you to this knowledge.

I really enjoyed reading The Perfect Daughter. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC. I gave this a strong 4 stars!

The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer was a suspenseful thriller about a young girl diagnosed with multiple personalities who was found covered in blood, with a knife, standing over her birth mother's body. But the question is...is she really the killer?

Penny, who was found in a park and adopted by her parents, Grace and Arthur when she was four years old. Growing up, Penny had always been a different child and she was eventually diagnosed. There were several personalities that she exhibited...Ruby the British girl; Chloe the perfectionist; Eve the take charge, angry girl and possibly more? Grace is determined to prove that Penny was not responsible for the murder, As the case continues, even Penny's diagnosis comes into question...is she really even sick or just manipulative? This one had me staying up late at night to find out what would happen next! A thrilling novel that wrings every last big of emotion from you as you read through the trauma and trial that these characters must endure to get to the truth.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I have a rule when reviewing books: If I figure out the ending too quickly, I won’t give more than four out of five stars. I wish I could give an extra star for how amazingly D.J. Palmer kept this one under wraps. I am so incredibly impressed. Usually, when I’m this surprised by an ending, it’s because the author tried so hard to make it surprising, there’s no real connection to the story. A well-done ending is one that comes out of nowhere - but also doesn’t. Like when you rewatched The Sixth Sense and said, “I totally see it now.” Just like the perfect ending crafted in this book.

Grace Francone, a single mother of three children, knows her daughter Penny suffers from dissociative identity disorder (DID). She has become well-accustomed to the ups and downs that come with raising a child who struggles with a mental illness. She knows they will weather troubling times, but even in her worst fears, she never expected one of those to be a murder charge. Unfortunately, the physical evidence linking Penny to the murder of Rachel Boyd appears insurmountable and when coupled with the memory lapses that tend to accompany DID, even Grace has to admit that Penny is likely facing a lifetime behind bars.

As Palmer takes us into the world of DID, the reader meets not only Penny, but her alters: Ruby, Chloe, and Eve. One by one, we become familiar with their unique traits and habits. It is a rare family that hasn’t been affected by mental illness in some way and as Jack, Penny’s older brother, describes what it was like to grow up with Penny and her alters, we are given a rare glimpse into a normal family. One that struggles, that adapts, that perseveres.

Remarkable work. Palmer takes hugely difficult themes (there is a side story of addiction, as well) and tackles them beautifully, with empathy and professionalism, creating an absolute work of art. Brilliant.

This one releases in April 2021 and is easily going to be one of the best books of the year. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Huge thanks to DJ Palmer, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the ARC. So grateful for the opportunity to rave about this beauty.

Great great book. I really enjoyed this book. Two days to read book.. Enjoy every book this author has written.

D.J. Palmer delivers another compelling pscyological thriller that keeps you guessing until the end. Penny is a teen that has been diagnosed with Disassociative Identity Disorder (DID), what used to be called Multiple Personality Disorder and she is in a psychiatric hospital and charged with murder. All of the evidence points to her, but the interviews with some of her different "personalities" paint a different picture. Grace, Penny's mother is determined to save her daughter and prove that she did not commit this heinous crime. I really enjoyed this book and the shocking revealations that come out.

The Perfect Daughter is an edge of your seat thriller that will leave you guessing until the end. Penny was found with a knife in her hand and covered in blood by her biological mother's body. Her adoptive mother Grace believes there is no way Penny could kill any one. The story is told an alternating view point between third person with the story unfolding and first person with Penny's brother narrating the events as he prepares to make a film about Penny. I found myself going back and forth on Penny's multiple personality disorder and whether she could commit murder or not. The Perfect Daughter is not my first D.J. Palmer book so I knew a twist was coming but the ending caught me off guard and was an unexpected twist to the story that came out of left field. The Perfect Daughter is a shocking thriller that guarantees D.J. Palmer a spot on my must read author shelf. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

From the reviews I've seen, readers either love this book or are rather puzzled by it. As I read The Perfect Daughter, I felt uncomfortable, discombobulated, and at times uninterested and bored. Other reviewers have found this psychological thriller to be brilliant, fascinating and addictive.

Penny is found at the scene of a vicious murder, covered in blood, blood matted in her hair, and blood pooled all around her. Her mother Grace is called to the police station where Penny is being held on murder charges. Penny has no recollection of the evening's events because...she's either a social psychopathic killer and liar, or she has multiple personalities. Yes, like Sybil.

Penny does seem to have alter egos. There's Chloe, straight A achiever, Ruby, a posh girl with a British accent, and Eve, a hardened and bristly young woman. Penny is committed to a state psychiatric unit and a new psychiatrist, with issues of his own, tries to discern whether or not these alternate personalities are a clever strategy by Penny to avoid prosecution. Grace and her two sons try to help solve the mystery as well. Grace in many ways seems unbalanced than Penny.

While the premise of the book seems really amazing, the reality of it is that because these psychological problems are so complicated, there is a great deal of "telling" and explaining going on. Most scenes involve the interested parties sitting at a table discussing the case. The ending is certainly a surprise, although we never did find out the name of the book!!

Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for an advance digital review copy. This is my honest. review.

If you want a book with twists, turns and a surprise ending, you will enjoy this one. Rachel Boyd's teen-age daughter, Penny is arrested covered in blood and holding a knife over the body of her birth mother. Was it Penny, or was it Eve, or maybe it was Ruby. Penny suffers from DID or Dissociative Identity Disorder and has multiple personalities. Penny is sent away to a mental hospital. I am not a big fan of stories dealing with multiple personalities and I felt this story was a little convoluted and confusing at times. Otherwise, it is a very well-written book and I always enjoy D. J. Palmer's books.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a decent read for me. The mental illness aspect was very interesting and dealt with in a respectful and realistic manner. I was completely engaged through at least the first half. The second fell a little flat for me. The expected last minute character twist was not stunning but the overall story was still good.

*Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer is dark, disturbing, and brilliant. The reader cannot help but be drawn in to the mystery of who killed Rachel Boyd. The only thing the reader knows is that sixteen year old Penny Francone was found at the scene covered in blood and that Rachel was her birth mom. The reader has to decide if Penny is the victim with a sad history of mental illness derived from childhood trauma or is she faking the more serious symptoms to help get her aquitted from cold blooded murder? I came to this novel having already completed a lot of psychology courses and almost every episode of Law & Order: SVU so this book was right up my alley. I have studied dissociative identity disorders (DID), more commonly known as multiple personality disorders. Penny was a fascinating and complex character. Palmer is a master at crafting each of her alternative identities “alters” from the young child named Chloe, the perfectionist, Ruby with the British accent, and fearless, outspoken Eve that seemed to manifest and take control whenever Penny needed protection. As the doctor stated, “what a horribly disorienting, isolating, and confusing condition it must be” to suffer from DID including the loss of place and time when she switches to alters. I enjoyed the sessions with “Penny” at the Edgewater hospital because I was intrigued with how her mind worked and what things might trigger her alters to emerge. I loved the other flawed characters like Mitch and Adam and other secondary characters like Vince and Maria that could be potential suspects in the murder. The reader is constantly guessing, who do I believe? Who has something to gain by lying? I enjoyed the way the author incorporated the perspectives of other family members and how they served as ally and amateur detective to try and find the truth. I appreciated how this book included honest conversations and portrayals of both mental illness and addiction to help people truly understand the impact of the disease on the person and the impact of the anger, grief, helplessness, and hope experienced by the people who love them. Some readers may think this book is a slow burn at times, but I would ask them to keep reading until her case goes to trial. I thought I knew the direction things were going, but it was an absolute rollercoaster at the end and I was pleasantly surprised. Granted, I still have questions and cannot wait to talk to my book club friends. Highly recommended! Thank you to #netgalley and St. Martin’s Press #ThePerfectDaughter

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy. I was initially fascinated by this book, due to my long interest in multiple personalities and how memories are compartmentalized. I was particularly intrigued by the theory that children have multiple personalities as they are growing. - I have always wondered about memories where I can 'see' myself in the memory. I. was interested in the efforts of the mom and the doctor to bring out the alter personalities to get to the truth, The multiple points of view worked with the vibe of the story. I figured it out shortly before the reveal, so no bombshell moment for me. I thought the courtroom scene was over the top. I gave this four stars due to the strong first half of the novel.

The Perfect Daughter by DJ Palmer has once again greatly satisfied my reading experience.
Mr. Palmer has once again written a brilliant and compelling novel. He has researched his subject material thoroughly. A+, Mr. Palmer.
Multiple personality dissociative disorder is a disorder characterized by the presence of two or more personalities. Normally caused by trauma each personality may exhibit a unique identifying name, history and certain identifiable characteristics.
Do you believe it’s real or not? Whatever your belief is will keep you turning the pages.
As a nurse for over 40 years... I can assure you it’s a true diagnosis.
Thank you to DJ Palmer and St. Martins Press for a digital ARC.
Congratulations, DJ Palmer.

I enjoyed the author's other book, The New Husband, and thought I'd give this one a try. At some points I felt like I was getting a medical lesson in DID (dissociative identity disorder) but it was also interesting at the same time and you can tell the author did a lot of research. It was a fast read and I couldn't wait to get to the end. The author did a good job of making it exciting and introducing an element of fear in it as well. I do wish there was more explanation of the ending from the POV and motivation of the villain. Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy!