What Unbreakable Looks Like was one of my favorite novels of 2020 so when I saw McLaughlin had another book coming out, I was quick to pick it up.

Scarlett, a 17 year-old girl, lives a sheltered life. Her mother is overprotective and paranoid, going so far as to run background checks on friends and boyfriends, run GPS tracking on her device, and never allowing her to go away with friends or meet family. When Scarlett learns that her biological father is the infamous Gentleman Killer, Scarlett's mother's paranoia and fear start to make sense. In prison and on his deathbed, Jeff Lake a/k/a the Gentleman Killer has one final wish - to see his daughter. And in exchange for the FBI's cooperation in making his final wish come true, Lake agrees to identify his final victims.

McLaughlin weaves complex and intriguing stories and Daughter is no exception. There were a couple plot points I was hoping would pan out or turn into twists that didn't happen but this was still a really great read.

It's amazing how well she can get in the teenage mind and I often felt transported back to high school with Scarlett's mood swings, quick quips, and self-centered attitude. I didn't particularly like Scarlett but her character felt authentic to me. Parts of Scarlett seemed young and immature for 17, but it fit with the narrative of living under such a protective mother.

Though it's billed as YA, McLaughlin writes for a much more mature YA audience. There is sex, drugs, rape, murder, and other mature themes that I don't typically associate with a YA read so I would be cognizant of offering to a young reader.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.

Do you really know your parents? What secrets do you think they have? Kate McLaughlin looks at a big secret in her new book, Daughter.

"Scarlet has the same issues every teenager has - until the FBI shows up at her door with a request. Her father, is notorious serial killer, Jeffrey Lake. He's dying and his last request is to see his daughter. If they bring his daughter to him he'll give the FBI the names and locations of victims that have never been found.
The problem is that Scarlet never knew that Lake was her father or who her mother had been. Her life is upeneded and she is terrified - but has a curiousity to see her father and to help bring closure to some victim's family. But what is Lake really after?"

This is a quick read from McLaughlin. The premise is a little crazy and the chaos around Scarlet's life is intense. McLaughlin gives us a terrifying serial killer in Jeff Lake.
You find yourself pulling for Scarlet and wanting to protect her. She shows you that she needs no protection. And much of it happens here in the Carolinas.

One big issue with this book - It is full of drug use, alcohol and casual sex. None of the characters have any boundaries or consequences. And that bothers me a bit. I realize that teenagers have done all of these things since the beginning of time but the casualness in this book is disconcerting.

Other than that - great story and great characters from McLaughlin.

Scarlet is a pretty typical teenager until one day she learns that her father is an infamous serial killer on death row. He’s dying of cancer and will only give the names and locations of his remaining victims to Scarlet if she'll come meet with him.

Overall I liked this book. It's a YA book but deals with some pretty heavy topics. It was an interesting and important perspective and the author takes pains not to romanticize the cult of serial killers or have the killer redeem himself in any way. McLaughlin is sensitive in the treatment of the murder victims and their families, as well as the "living survivors" such as Scarlet, her mom, aunt, and cousin. Scarlet's love story was somewhat underwhelming but provided some happiness and stability in her upended life.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Daughter by Kate McLaughlin

Published: March 8, 2022
Wednesday Books
Pages: 334
Genre: Thriller
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Kate McLaughlin likes people, so much so that she spends her days making up her own. She likes writing about characters who are bent, but not broken - people who find their internal strength through friends, strife, and sometimes humor. When she's not writing, she likes studying people, both real and fictional. She also enjoys playing board games with friends, talking, and discovering new music. A proud Nova Scotian, she'll gladly tell you all about the highest tides in the world, the magical creation known as a donair, and people who have sofas in their kitchens. Currently, she lives in Connecticut with her husband and four cats.

“I’ll be there whenever he wants.”

Scarlet thought her life was pretty average, except that her mom was overprotective. As in background checks on boyfriends overprotective. Until the past comes crashing down and rips old wounds open.

I enjoyed this book. I found the plot and writing engaging and interesting. The characters were all well developed, and I loved many of the themes.

I applaud making a huge point in making things about the victims, giving the victims their voice, and not focusing on their murderer. That was beautiful, powerful, and is spot on.

Scarlet was well written. Her development throughout the novel was fantastic. She found her strength, her voice, and her purpose. Gina also had excellent development, and you almost feel the weight get removed from her shoulders.

I found the premise of this book original and entertaining. I loved that it was less about Jeff Lake and more about Scarlet, Gina, and the victims. That was beautifully presented. This was a hard book to put down; the pacing was decent, the emotions were authentic, and the experience felt genuine.

It was evident that a lot of research brought this story to life, and the attention to detail was superb. There were a lot of very Bundy moments, which were well executed.

A definite must-read for any true crime fan!

Daughter by Kate McLaughlin is a young adult novel that really needs it’s own genre but I’ll toss this one in as a thriller read. The story though is part coming of age, part romance and then with some psychological elements thrown into the mix all with a serial killer as the cherry on top.

Scarlet has grown up being raised by her single protective mother and at almost eighteen she is a normal teenager worried about that cute boy and hanging with her friends. That is until the day two FBI agents show up at Scarlet’s house asking for her mother.

Scarlet’s mother then gives Scarlet gets the shock of her life, Scarlet’s father is none other than convicted serial killer Jeffrey Robert Lake. When Lake was convicted of fourteen murders Scarlet’s mother ran and changed their names. Now Lake is dying of cancer and wants to meet his daughter with the promise of giving up the names of even more of his victims.

After starting Daughter by Kate McLaughlin I had a horrible time trying to put this one down. The story really picks up pace once diving into the killer side of it and the pages flew by. I couldn’t possibly imagine what it would be like to get the news you’re related to this dark dark man and it was interesting seeing how the family dealt with that fact over the years and how the main character handled the news and the events happening afterwards. After this one I’ll definitely have to return to this author again.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I devoured this! Scarlet is your typical high schooler, has friends and a boy she’s interested in, but one day the FBI show up and she learns her father is a well known serial killer. Her father is incarcerated and dying and the only person he’ll spill his secrets too is his daughter.

This book was engaging, a bit disturbing, but well written. We get a sense of what it’s like to be known to a serial killer and the struggles of human emotions towards that saying “we can’t choose our family.” There’s some crude topics but I believe it added to the appeal of the story. There’s definitely some twists you won’t see coming.

Scarlet Murphy is typical teenage girl. She has a great group of friends and an overprotective mom and a crush on a boy at school. A knock on the door by the FBI has Scar's entire world spinning and makes her question everything she knows about her life. Learning that her father is notorious serial killer, Jeffery Lake, was nothing Scarlet would have imagined. Once his trial ended, Scarlet's mom and her left and changed their names.
Now suffering from pancreatic cancer, Lake's dying wish is to see his daughter and give her the names of previously unidentified victims. The visits to the prison get leaked and now a media storm emerges, causing several unpleasant encounters for both Scarlet and her mother. Along the way new friends would be made and a new relationship emerges that aims to keep Scar grounded.

Great story! I can't even imagine how I would react learning that my entire life has been a lie and that my father is a serial killer that is still imprisoned!

4 out of 5 stars. Thank you to St. Martin's Press - Wednesday Books for the e-arc for review.

Genre: YA Thriller
Tw: drug use, mentions of sexual assault, mentions of necrophilia, mentions of murder,

📝Short Summary:
It’s funny how your world can flip in a matter of seconds. One moment, Scarlett is living an average teenage life: great friends and a cute boy she’s interested in. Her dad is out of the picture but it’s ok because her overprotective mom makes up for the two. The next, the FBI informs her that her dad is around and is none other than the infamous serial Killer, Jeffrey Robert Lake. And that Lake is dying and will only give out the names and locations of his remaining victims on one condition: he will only talk to his daughter, Scarlet.

💭Thoughts:
Thank you so much @ntegalley and @stmartinspress for this ARC. This was my first Kate McLaughlin book and it was amazing! I admit at first, I thought the story was going a little too slow and I thought of “Dnfing” but I’m glad I continued because it was all worth it! I loved how “real” the book felt. Meaning, it focused solely on the family and victims of a serial killer. I felt like I was watching a crime documentary instead of reading fiction. The story is told through Scarlet’s POV (except the first chapter) which made me relate to her more and feel for her. This book touches on a lot of hard subjects(as seen in the trigger warning)but Kate McLaughlin did a great job with the writing and getting in the mind of a serial killer.

😍Overall, this book might not be for everyone but I recommend it if you are a true crime fan like me!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Daughter is a deliciously disturbing novel about a girl who finds out her father is a  psychopathic killer who will only give the names of his victims to her. He isn't just going to hand them over though, and what happens will leave you chilled and disturbed.

This was so good! It is well paced and packed with tension. I couldn't help but devour it as quickly as I possibly could. I was so invested in the communication between Scarlet and her father. The atmosphere is so creepy and unsettling it just puts you in a chokehold where you need the rest of the story.

Where this book lost a bit of momentum for me was at the end. Things went on a little long for me but that is just a personal preference. I prefer more of an abrupt ending with a couple lose ends rather than a clean, well explained ending.

Overall, I enjoyed this so much. Try this one if you're looking for a psychological thriller with a creepy psychopathic killer who also has a God complex.

Daughter by Kate McLaughlin is a gripping, haunting, and absolutely mesmerizing story of a teenage girl who learns she is the daughter of an incarcerated serial killer. He is dying from cancer and wants to see her before he passes, promising to give the names and locations of his victims yet to be discovered if she comes. This is a story that I just loved. I think it captures all the nuances of this horrific scenario to perfection. I also loved that the author's inspiration was imagining a life for Ted Bundy's daughter by his wife, Carol Anne Boone. That fact adds realism to an unimaginable story. The premise and the interaction between Scarlet and her father reminded me a little of Prodigal Son, the tv series, but only faintly in the way she stood up to the monster that's her father.

I lastly loved the story's messages, which are very hopeful and inspiring. Scarlet overcomes her debilitating anxiety through the meetings with her father. The strength it took to see him and be in his vicinity made her realize how strong she actually was. Also, the realization that the killer gets more attention than the victims and how that should be reversed provides a strong thread throughout the tale.

The only thing that gave me some niggles is the everybody’s-doing-it attitude toward the teens' behavior in the story. Every teen is not taking part in drinking, drugs, and sex as cavalierly as presented. But aside from this, the story is one that kept me focused and on my toes from start to finish. It's told in first person from Scarlet's POV and is incredibly fast-paced. If you are looking for a compelling story that will haunt you long after you finish, Daughter by Kate McLaughlin is just the novel you want to read next.

4-4.5 stars

I’m a sucker for stories about serial killers, so when I read the synopsis for this book, I was instantly hooked.

Scarlet is your average teenager, at least that’s what she thinks. When the FBI randomly turns up at her door one day, her mother is forced to drop the bomb of all bombs on her: Scarlet is infamous serial killer Jeffrey Robert Lake’s daughter. So what does the FBI want with her? Well it turns out Jeff is dying and he promised he would provide the names and locations of additional victims to only one person…Scarlet.

I thought this was a fantastic, suspenseful thriller and YA read, though I didn’t enjoy the YA aspects as much. I was more interested in the victims and witnessing Scarlet getting to know her father. It was clear that being behind bars and on his death bed hadn’t changed Jeff one bit, but Scarlett’s strength and resilience since learning he was her father was really inspiring. She faced the monster head on and came out on the other side even stronger. Not to mention she helped bring closer to a lot of families.

Highly recommend!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4576177641

Wow. This is how you do YA. This is also proof that you don’t need some crazy twist to have a well rounded and thrilling thriller. Scarlet is smart, brassy and strong - she would make any parent proud. Gina is a protective but loving mother. Both character were extremely well written. I loved all the secondary characters and would read anything else about them (would love a prequel about Cat or Agent Logan!) This book is perfect for any thriller, domestic drama or true crime fan!

This description reminded me a bit of the TV show Prodigal Son (still bitter about the whole cancellation thing). The serial killer’s son in that show was an adult, so I was interested to see how the scenario would play out with a teenage girl who didn’t know who her father was.

Scarlet’s family has only consisted of herself and her uber overprotective mother. No extended family and no father in the picture. Her friends and boyfriends are vetted by her mom, and Scarlet only goes on school trips if her mother is a chaperone. She assumes her mother has an extreme case of helicopter parenting, so imagine her shock when she learns (rather abruptly) that her father, Jeff, is an infamous serial killer. He’s dying in prison and will only release the other names of his victims and locations of their bodies to Scarlet. Talk about pressure and stressful situations.

Wanting to bring peace to the families of the victims and because she’s genuinely good person, Scarlet agrees to see him. The meetings between them are intense and dripping with tension – I was on the edge of my seat wondering if Jeff was playing her. You can’t help but think about the scenes with Anthony Hopkins and and Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs. The snippets of articles in between chapters that explain the inner workings of sociopaths’ minds and how they differ from most peoples’ are fascinating and enabled me to understand Jeff’s conversations and reactions to Scarlet.

Something I especially liked about this book is that it brings to light how our society focuses more on the serial killer instead of the victims. This story shows how the lives of Jeff’s family and the victims’ families are affected by his actions.

Daughter isn’t for the faint of heart. Although the murders take place off page, Jeff does go into disturbing detail occasionally about the killings during his conversations with Scarlet. Compelling, chilling, and certainly dark, I’d recommend this novel to fans of psychological thrillers and true crime stories.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In the back of the book, McLaughlin says that she got her inspiration from "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile" which was based on Ted Bundy. However, not only did she get inspired by it, she basically wrote his entire story, but from his daughter's perspective. You know when you copy someone's homework but you change a few names and words to make it look different? That was this book. Don't get me wrong, it was a decent read, but the whole time I was just like, this is Bundy all over again, but with a different name. It would have been better had she actually come up with her own story.

**Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changed my review**

I will be completely honest that I DNF'd this almost immediately. My review is based on the use of my racial identity as a throwaway diversity quota with ZERO effort put in by the author. If she couldn't be bothered to write a mixed character correctly, then I can't be bothered to read her work. I'm tired of authors using "mixed" or "biracial" or "multiracial" as a diversity box to tick and then describing the character in terms of which European features they have. This character, Ashley, who is a main character, is described as being "tall, mixed-race with curly blond hair" and "bright aqua eyes." MIXED WITH WHAT? There is no indication she is anything other than European. This has happened to me with authors of all non-mixed backgrounds and I'm so tired of it as a biracial reader. We aren't a quota for you to fill. We have unique lived experiences that stem from our background and the insistence that we have these insane physical qualities (almost ALWAYS some strange eye color never seen in real life) or we're essentially white is frustrating and tells me that we're just being used without any thought or attempt to understand that character. I struggle with how a story will be developed if the author put such low effort into character development.

Thank you to the publishers at St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this e-ARC of Daughter!

I went in blind reading Daughter, and I have to say that I was impressed! Daughter is told from the POV of Scarlet Murphy, as well as clips, letters, and newspapers articles. A senior attending a prestigious high school in Connecticut, Scarlet wants to go to college to produce films. One afternoon, as her best friend Taylor and her relax during a day off from school due to snow, two FBI agents show up at her door with unexpected news. Scarlet is the daughter of an infamous serial killer, and she had no prior knowledge of this fact.

Jeff Lake is dying of pancreatic cancer, and he’s willing to tell the FBI the names of the rest of his victims, but only to his daughter who he has not seen in 15 years. Wanting to help bring closure to the victim’s families, Scarlet agrees. Unfortunately, Scarlet doesn’t yet know the price she’ll pay for going head to head with her serial killer father.

I really enjoyed this novel. I wasn’t quite sure what kind of direction this would go in, but I was pleasantly surprised. Instead of focusing on the killer, which seems to be the case when it comes to the media, this book (and Scarlet) want to focus on the victims instead. I really loved that aspect. One thing that was hard to swallow though was a lot of Scarlet’s dialogue, especially while speaking with Lake. She didn’t come across as a 17 year old during those scenes, but rather a seasoned detective, so it was a little unbelievable. I really enjoyed Lake’s character though, and my favorite part was the addition of the articles sprinkled throughout the story!

Daughter releases March 8th! Preorder your copy today!

TW: Mentions of rape, murder, and necrophilia

Scarlett thought that she was a normal teenager. Sure her mother was way more controlling then others, and she felt that her mom was hiding some secrets from her. Little did she expect that that secret was going to be that her father is one of the most famous serial killers of her time. When the truth is reveled Scarlett is asked to come meet her father and play an epic game of cat and mouse in hopes that he will keep his promise to revel more names of girls who he murdered. Coming face to face with a past that you never knew you had, with a man whose only goal is to make you question everything you ever thought you knew, will Scarlett be able to hold on to who she is and still bring home some of the lost girls that her father took from their families?

If you like mystery and you like serial killers this book is for you. It is fast paced and Scarlett's interactions with her dad are just twisted enough that you can feel his evil coming out of the book. While I do wish there had been more interactions between her and her father, I appreciate that the author really shows Scarlett's struggle to figure out where her and her mother fit into the world now that they don't have to hide any longer. Honestly this has been my favorite murder/mystery book I have read all year and the twist at the end is just the perfect way to end such a twisted tale.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy.

Daughter by Kate McLaughlin, 336 pages. Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2022. $19.
Language: R (180 swears, 76 “f”); Mature Content: R; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Scarlet (17yo) has learned how to get around her mother’s strict rules without caring much about why her mom is so paranoid – until two FBI agents show up at their door. Turns out, Scarlet’s father is a serial killer, so maybe her mom’s paranoia was warranted. As she meets her father and starts to see her mother in a new light, Scarlet also has to confront herself and decide who she wants to be.
The premise is interesting in a grisly way, but McLaughlin also addresses a lot of relationship conflicts. I loved the inner conflict that readers go through with Scarlet as she re-establishes her familial and personal identities, and the sympathy that is encouraged for strangers because you don’t know what they are going through – even if you think you know who they are. Please note that this book is not for everyone. I was enjoying the book and the language and sexual content still became more than I wanted to handle. The mature content rating is for underage drinking; persistent drug use; innuendo; mention of masturbation and orgasm; discussion of condoms and STIs; persistent discussions of sex, rape, and necrophilia; nudity; and sex. The violence rating is for mention of suicide and persistent discussions of murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

I read this in one sitting.
It is not your average thriller; the murders have already been committed and the perpetrator caught, but this book focuses on the devastation of not just the victims and their families, but the family of the murderer. It was brilliant. It makes you think and keeps you on the edge of your seat. You learn the awful truth through Scarlet’s eyes, the daughter of the murderer, as she sorts through her feelings and what she feels is her responsibility to the victims and their families. I think the mom’s character was just as well done as Scarlet’s, and the friends and family made me want to get to know them more, just like Scarlet wants to. I also liked the romance, although it was (rightly so, I think) a subplot.

This author has definitely become one of my favorites.

Title: Daughter
Author: Kate McLaughlin
Genre: YA
Rating: 4 out of 5

Scarlet’s life is pretty average. Overly protective mom. Great friends. Cute boy she’s interested in. And a father she’s never known – until she does.

When the FBI show up at Scarlet’s door, she is shocked to learn her father is infamous serial killer Jeffrey Robert Lake. And now, he’s dying and will only give the names and locations of his remaining victims to the one person, the daughter he hasn’t seen since she was a baby.

Scarlet’s mother has tried to protect her from Lake’s horrifying legacy, but there’s no way they can escape the media firestorm that erupts when they come out of hiding. Or the people who blame Scarlet for her father’s choices. When trying to do the right thing puts her life in danger, Scarlet is faced with a choice – go back into hiding or make the world see her as more than a monster’s daughter.

I can’t imagine living your whole life not knowing who your father is, and suddenly finding out he’s an infamous serial killer, and your whole life is kind of a lie. Scarlet had moments of extreme selfishness and childish behavior, but for the most part, she was doing her best to be a good person. The way Lake tried to manipulate her and everyone else was creepy in the extreme, but she was smart enough to realize she was being manipulated.

It seems like every teenager in this book—so, most of the characters—drank, did drugs, and had sex indiscriminately. While I’m sure that’s true for some teenagers, it’s not for every teenager, so the generalization bothered me. And…the way people treated Scarlet and her mother was horrific. This story may be fiction, but that sort of behavior isn’t, and that just bothers me in general. All in all, I enjoyed this read.

Kate McLaughlin lives in Connecticut. Daughter is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 3/5).