Laura Wolfe's "The Foster Daughter" is a riveting psychological thriller that weaves a complex tale shrouded in mystery and suspense. It's the kind of story that grips you, turning page after page, as you delve into the characters' motives and the secrets they conceal.

"The Foster Daughter" grips the reader from the very first page and doesn't let go until the very end. Readers planning to pick up "The Foster Daughter' should prepare for a suspenseful and twisty journey.

A web of secrets, lies, and assumptions drove the plot. As the story unfolded, secrets came to light, and the lies started to unravel. The burning question on everyone's mind: Who is the real villain?

As previously stated, this book leads the reader through a twisty journey, with the most significant twist unfolding early in the story. The revelation from this twist unleashed a plethora of complications. From that point on, the suspense intensified. The story presents multiple suspects, leaving it to the reader to deduce the who, the why, and the where.

Like many psychological thrillers I've had the pleasure of reading, the conclusion of "The Foster Daughter" left me feeling unsatisfied. While one might wish for a sequel, experience suggests it's unlikely, leaving the reader to devise their own theories.

Readers who enjoy twisty plots and delving into the depths of family secrets and complex characters, "The Foster Daughter" is a captivating read. This psychological thriller, packed with unexpected turns and complex relationships, promises a compelling journey for any reader fascinated by the subtle complexities of family ties and the secrets they hide.

Riley disappeared without a trace. No note, no sightings, nothing. But now she’s back in town to a mixed reception. But why? How? Only she knows!

Unlike the blurb, the story is told solely from Riley’s perspective. Getting reacquainted with those who knew her back in the day. She’s trying to start afresh with her four year old in tow. But why now? I had some many questions for this mums

As I got to know my main character, those around her started to give me the tingles. Especially when things start to go “bump in the night”, not literally. More strange innocuous things but they began to ramp up after one particular evening. My suspicious mind switched between those around Riley. I didn’t trust anyone. Who was hiding what and why? So so many questions!!

Wolfe’s standalone thriller had me hooked, I wanted to know why Riley did a runner and I wanted to know who was up to no good to keep secrets from being exposed. it’s the first book I read of Wolfe’s and I thoroughly enjoyed it – it won’t be the last my kindle will see of this author!

The Foster Daughter by Laura Wolf, when Riley shows up on Wendy and George’s door they find it hard to believe she’s back her ex-boyfriend Jake doesn’t believe it but soon there will be one person who knows the truth but is that someone Riley can trust. She’s already on the run from one murder due to self-defense. When she arrives back in Michigan she is hoping this will be the respite and a safe place for her and her son Noah to get their life straight and for her to get a career going with the people she came back hoping to depend on may not be all that dependable. It seems even her ex-best friend Harper reveals a side to her that isn’t so friendly. Everyone Riley thinks is in her corner may actually have her cornered and she may not live long enough to get out of it. I just want to say this book ended as if there could be a second book and if there is I am so down to read it. I really liked Riley and thoroughly enjoyed this book it has twist until the end I love a book that even after all is revealed there’s a final twist that makes you say OMG that happened with this book and I want to say the author doesn’t wait until the end of the book to throw the twist in because they start soon after the book begins. I really loved it and totally enjoyed it. I thought I had read a book by Laura Wolfe before but I was wrong but will definitely be on the lookout for her books in the future.#NetGalley, #Bookoucher, #LauraWolf, #TheFosterDaughter,

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of The Foster Daughter by Laura Wolfe. This book was pretty well paced with many twists along the way. It was a captivating book. There were times when the main character would explain something that was very awkward and seemed to be a different writing style than the other parts of the book. The epilogue was a set up to perhaps a book 2? But then again, it would end up being similar to book 1. It was enjoyable and I would recommend it. A 4 star rating from me.

Thank you for the ARC Netgalley and Bookouture.

I love Laura Wolfe's writing and the Foster Daughter was no different!

I always think that I pick the twist but I am always wrong! There's so many twists and turns you won't see coming it keeps you on your toes.
Once I started I found it hard to put down.

I can't wait till the next Laura Wolfe read!

This book was really good! There was a lot of twists and mystery throughout the book! I couldn’t put it down. I kept thinking I figured things out, but I was so wrong!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I guess I am in the minority here but I thought that this book was just okay. I almost didn't finish it because I felt like it kept dragging on until it picked up probably the last third of the book. There were many twists but the main character had my head spinning of who did it!

WoW ........... The Foster Daughter by Laura Wolfe and narrated by Laura Kay Bailey was an excellent audiobook/book and an absolutely heart-pounding and gripping psychological suspense novel I loved it. It was full of twists and turns throughout which made this book an excellent read and the narrator Laura Kay Bailey was superb!

Riley is the foster daughter in question and with many secrets, twists and drama this was a fabulous read.

It has a slow start but and epic finish and I loved it.

I enjoyed the unfolding stroyline and the ending was phenonemal ..

Great thriller 👌 fast-paced and suspenseful with mysterious, unreliable characters. I was a little confused at first about the identities of Gina and Riley, but slowly, as the story unfolds, the suspense keeps building up. The short chapters make it very easy to read. The tension escalates after the middle, and the climax is superbly shocking. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

This one is a bit of a slow burn to start off but it soon ramps up the pace along with the twists and turns. This is one listen that will have you suspicious of everyone. Likeable and unlikeable characters that are well developed although Riley’s character came across as naive considering her circumstances. The narrator did a good job of spinning the story and keeping me engaged.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review #TheFosterDaughter

Thanks NetGalley for the free ARC! Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this novel and wasn’t able to continue reading. The synopsis sounded very interesting, but the actual story fell far short. The brief amount I read, I found the novel unrealistic and somewhat boring. This is my honest feedback.

I love this author and have enjoyed every single one of her books. And this one was just wonderful! Absolutely brilliant!

Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Wolfe, and Bookouture for the ebook. This thriller is filled with unexpected twists and turns, creating an engaging unraveling of the plot. The ending will leave you pondering long after you finish!

There are several wolves in sheep’s clothing in this latest novel by Laura Wolfe.
No one is whom they seem to be except the nosy next door neighbor and actually I thought she was the unsung hero of the story.
I was on the fence about Riley, teetering toward dislike. I thought she created a lot of her own drama and then disappeared, leaving lots of debt in her wake.
I didn’t discern what was actually going on until it was revealed but I thought Riley was going to accuse everyone of the crime.
Living a lie and using deceit as a shield is very expensive.

I flew through this gripping psychological suspense novel! I love it because I was invested in the storyline & Riley. She’s a strong protagonist that I was rooting for no matter her secrets. Yet, there were many secrets that other characters harbored and twists right until the very last page.

Thank you, Laura Wolfe, Bookouture, & netgalley, for my early copy! All opinions are my own.

Taken away from her heroin addict mother at age six, Riley Wakefield spent the rest of her childhood in the system, mainly living in rough and tumble group homes until she was placed with foster parents George and Wendy Eckhart as a teen. Living with them, Riley finally had a home. She had a boyfriend named Jacob. A best friend named Harper. A seemingly normal life. Yet, not long after her junior prom, Riley disappeared. Those closest to her thought she ran off to L.A. with a man she met at the mall. Everyone else, including the police, suspected foul play by either her friends or foster parents. But nothing was ever proven, and Riley wasn't seen again. Not until fifteen years later when she knocked on the Eckhart's door, holding the hand of her four-year-old son Noah.

The Eckhart's welcome Riley back into their home with open arms and minimal questions about where she's been. Jacob and Harper are the same way after reuniting with her too. Everyone just seems happy to have Riley back, and she's glad to be back. She's determined not to blow this fresh start like she has the others. However, it doesn't take long for her past to track her down and knock on her door. When the truth about what happened to Riley fifteen years ago tries to emerge, someone's murdered in order to keep it buried. What terrible secrets is Riley hiding to protect her new life with the Eckhart's? What will they do if they find out? Not to mention, someone's after Riley. But who?

A fast paced, immersive page turner, "The Foster Daughter" by Laura Wolfe is a whiplash-inducing thrill ride that constantly keeps you on your toes and finding excuses not to put it down -- not even when dinner has to be cooked (sorry, fam). It's so well written, it feels like it was plotted down to the punctuation. At the same time, it's so riveting that it feels like it's flying by the seat of its pants, taking you along on an exhilarating ride through countless twists and turns. The first big twist comes at 32% (for Kindle readers). It's a shocking jaw dropper -- and it's not the only one. The story never goes in the direction you expect. That's a big part of what makes reading it so addicting.

Written from Riley's first-person point-of-view, it doesn't take long to get pulled in and addicted to the story. Although Riley is likable and empathetic, the other characters raise your suspicions and -- at times -- the hairs on your arms. Riley shares a past with each of them. Plus, she has a past of her own. Between the two, it isn't easy to figure out what she's hiding, what they're keeping secret, and what the truth actually is. When it all comes out in the banger of an ending, you'll be surprised you didn't see it all along. Warning, though. The epilogue ends with a bit of a cliffhanger.

It was enjoyable with a twist that I wasn't necessarily expecting, but I also wasn't surprised. This book was filled with a bunch of shady characters that I couldn't really root for, and I wasn't really a fan of them, but they all had a bunch of secrets that were exposed as the book went on, adding another layer of excitement to the story.

Cody was an interesting choice for an assisting character. It was good that he was always there to help when he was needed, and I felt bad for him at the end. Harper was a whole different story. I don't think she was meant to be likeable at all, which is good because I was seriously not a fan of her. She had her moments, but most of the time, she was unbearable.

The whole thing with the ex-boss was ended a lot easier than I thought it would. I was expecting that to be a little more difficult, since it was built up to be one of the main characters major problems that she was trying to run away from. However, this was still an interesting problem to throw into the book to show a little bit of backstory for our main character.

The ending was also a little disappointing in the sense that there was so much build up throughout the book, but the ending was very short and only lasted a few pages, at most and then we get an epilogue. I feel like this would have been better if it was expanded on, and more information was given to give more background of the villains in this story and what happened to Riley and Pete. The ending also appears to elude to the possibility of a sequel with the introduction of another character that may bring our main character some trouble in the future. If this is the case, I may check out any follow ups.

Berkley MI (Detroit)

This book was so suspenseful, and I can’t even tell you all about it! All you get is what we know from the synopsis: Wendy and George Eckhart fostered Riley for about a year when she was a teenager, along with many other troubled teens. Riley was able to leave the awful group home she was in and live in a real home environment - but something happened. She ran away, and was never seen again. The Eckharts, who had done so much for the community, lost their permission to foster children after that, and everyone always wondered what happened to Riley.

Fifteen years later, Riley shows up at the Eckharts’ door with her four-year-old son Noah. She apologizes profusely for scaring everyone and running away, but she had gotten caught up with an older man. He took to her Los Angeles, and turned her into a sex worker/drug addict. When she became pregnant with Noah, she got clean, and has tried to put the bad decisions she made behind her. She refuses to mess up and let her son become a member of the foster system, just like his mother.

Wendy welcomes her back with open arms, and she and George let Riley rent the apartment above their garage, which isn’t much, but is fine for now. Riley just needs to stay hidden; some of the things she got herself involved in may have put her in danger. The plan is going well until at a barbecue, a local news station shows up to do a story on the foster child lost for fifteen years coming back home. Now Riley is really scared about her past catching up with her…

This is all really a small part of the book; early on there is a huge twist that changes EVERYTHING for the reader. That twist is followed by many others, until the jaw-dropping ending and epilogue. Every time I thought I knew what was happening, everything would change again. If you love twisty (and twisted) psychological thrillers, this one is for you! 4.5 stars, rounded up.

(Thank you to Bookouture, Laura Wolfe and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is alters to be released on October 11, 2024.)

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

I love a good suspenseful novel and The Foster Daughter kept me guessing until the very end. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen there was a swerve that kept me glued to the book.

This is my first Laura Wolfe novel, but if they are all as great as this one, it will be far from my last