SYNOPSIS:
-Sixteen years ago, Caitlin’s sister Olivia was kidnapped while they were home alone. Caitlin was ten, Olivia was thirteen. Olivia never came back.
-Now Caitlin is an adult, engaged, and still haunted by that night. Then one day, out of nowhere, Olivia returns with no explanation of where she’s been or what happened.
-At the same time, we also follow Elinor, a young girl living with her brother in isolation, forced to endure their cruel uncle.
-The two stories weave together into a dark, twisty mystery about family, secrets, and betrayal.
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MY THOUGHTS:
-The dual POVs kept me hooked. Elinor perspective was heartbreaking but compelling, while Caítlin’s storyline added depth and tension.
-Fact-paced. & addictive to read.
-The writing is sharp and immersive. I felt like I was right there in the house when Olivia disappeared, and later in the claustrophobic isolation of Elinor’s world.
-Some very dark topics, so definitely check out trigger warnings.
-It’s not just a mystery, it’s also about grief, guilt, and what happens when the past never really lets go.
-The ending landed perfectly for me. No dragging, no loose threads, just a satisfying conclusion that tied the two stories together in a smart way.
-Totally engrossing. This is the kind of book you can lose an entire afternoon to without realizing it.
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TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️A chilling, fast‑paced mystery with two equally gripping storylines that collide in all the right ways. Beautifully written and impossible to put down.
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THANKS: Thanks to Kensington Publishing | Kensington and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on August 26, 2025.

The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith is a twisty, emotionally charged thriller that had me questioning everything from the very first chapter. The writing is sharp and layered, and Smith does a fantastic job creating a moody atmosphere that pulls you in and keeps you slightly off balance, in the best way.

The story is driven by deep emotional undercurrents, especially around motherhood, grief, and identity. The characters are complex and believable, each carrying the weight of their past in ways that affect every decision they make. I was especially drawn to the subtle tension in their relationships, the kind that builds slowly and steadily until it bursts.

Smith masterfully balances character development with a steady drip of suspense. Just when I thought I had something figured out, another detail would surface and make me second-guess everything. The pacing was strong, with enough twists to keep me hooked without feeling overdone.

This is one of those stories that makes you think about how far people will go for love, for truth, and for redemption. A dark, emotionally engaging thriller that’s well worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The book starts around the anniversary of Caitlin’s sister Olivia being kidnapped at knifepoint 16 years ago when Caitlin was just 10, and her sister 3 years older. This has clearly changed the trajectory of the entire family’s lives – as nothing has been seen of Olivia since that night.

Then, intertwined within the chapters about Caitlin, is a story from the point of view of Elinor. She is an orphan, living with her older brother in a remote hall in the middle of the countryside, where their Uncle comes to visit them at weekends. Clearly these stories are going to have to merge at some point – otherwise it would be a very strange book!

It twists and turns hugely – in both timelines – and I was wondering for almost the entire book how and when it would be explained how they meet up! I have to say some of it was pretty far fetched, and the double / triple crossing quite confusing – but that didn’t stop me enjoying the book.

It explores Caitie’s relationships – with family / friends / boyfriend – and how easily external factors can influence these – I have to say I felt very sorry for her quite often during the storyline and was rooting for her throughout.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for my review copy – be it advanced or not!!

This book was one of those terrifying reads like seeing an accident coming but you can’t look away. There was so much going on between two different people. I felt for the main character Catie. What a life she has lived. I don’t want to give details and spoil the book but when you read it (which you definitely should) you will see what I mean. I would love to give this 4.5 stars but unfortunately that isn’t an option. Over all this was a fast paced book and kept me engaged and wanting to keep reading even when at the vets. Haha

Thank you to netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read an early release of this title.

Some stories cling to us, and The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith might be one such tale. Set in a quiet town, where Caitlin Arden, overshadowed for eighteen years by her sister Olivia's kidnapping, this psychological thriller hurtles down the rabbit hole of buried secrets and guilt.

The book builds slowly into a shattering end that left my heart in my mouth. It is a book about sisters, about the love that clings even when that, in turn, is a burning hurt. Smith's writing has a quiet intensity, and the pacing is cautious, occasionally staying too long on Caitlin's inner difficulties. But it shows her grief so well that it didn't bother me. The mix of Caitlin's present with a darker history, create a sense of dread that builds slowly, like the tension in What Lies Between Us.

The core of the book is the beautiful and heartfelt examination of sisterhood. The relationship of Olivia and Caitlin, preserved in fine flashes of sunflower fields and shared laughter, hit me deeply, stirring memories of my own family moments. It’s raw, more gripping than the family ties in A Flicker in the Dark, which feel less central. Smith captures how sisters can reflect and contrast each other, their love a kind of magic that outlasts pain. That emotional pull carried me through, even when some twists, especially around Olivia, felt a bit too staged, almost too dramatic for the story’s truth.

Compared to None of This Is True, which keeps its surprises more grounded, this novel sometimes leans too far into theatrics. Not only that, but I wished the supporting characters, like Caitlin’s friend Florence, had some depth. They felt like sketches next to Caitlin’s vivid grief.

Not imperfect, but compelling and strong. If you love psychological thrillers with emotional weight, like All the Dangerous Things, but with a darker, more intimate edge, this will speak to you. This book is for those shaken to the core by the power of family, the sharp pang of loss, or the need to venture out into the darkness in the name of discovery.

2.75*
There’s a lot going on in here. It’s complex, intertwined. Usually just the way I like them.

However, the connection to anything was completely missing here for me. Not the sisters, parents, nothing.

There was a lot of downtime that just didn’t offer much of anything to the story in the grand scheme of things. I think the story could easily have been 200 pages shorter and more succinctly express the layers of humanity.

While the story wanted to be good and eventually came together I was easily 60% + before I started sitting up to take notice. Too far imo. The only reason I hung in was because it was an arc, otherwise I would’ve checked out around 30%

Recommend-not from my perspective. It just didn’t deliver for me.

With thanks to NetGalley and KensingtonPublishing for the advance reading copy.

And the TWISTS KEEP COMING!

While I didn't love all of the POVs (that sister/brother relationship was NOT my thing, and gave me the ick), the other characters made this an interesting thriller to keep you on your toes!

This book had me gripped from the start. The older sister was abducted within the first few pages. The rest of the book was full of twists and turns, which worked really well. I felt close to the character of Caitlin, unable to fully trust other characters, and frustrated/upset on her behalf at the way the people closest to her treated her and dismissed her so easily.

I read the parts featuring two other characters with interest, knowing they had to be linked somehow, but curious to know exactly how.

Although I was keen to get to the end and see all the pieces fit together, I was also a little sad to finish reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me access to this title. WOW is my reaction to this book. I was on the edge of my seat and read most of it in one day. There were a few things i guessed but overall it was really good. For the second story like, i thought it was a little flowers in the attic-ish but things didn’t get to progress to that point. Would recommend this book!

I really wanted to like this book, but it was hard to finish. The incest aspect of it was very offputting. Aside from that, I felt like a lot of the book was all over the place, and hard to follow at points. Overall, the concept was a bit much, and very unbelievable.

I don't like chapters that split focus or story plots. I gave this one a try but it just lost me at a certain point. DNF for me.

This book was fantastic. I loved every minute of it. I am so thankful I had the pleasure of reading it. I will be recommending to everyone!

This book started off strong. I was drawn in by both main characters and curious to see how their stories would connect. Early on, the parallel storylines were the most engaging part, and I enjoyed piecing together how they might eventually merge.

Unfortunately, the momentum didn’t last. As the plot developed, it started to feel increasingly silly, and one of the main characters became harder and harder to believe. The twist was also far too obvious, which made the payoff underwhelming. While some later chapters did manage to build tension, it wasn’t enough to make up for how tedious the middle section became.

In the end, the story either felt too slow or completely off the rails. That’s not a great combination but it did keep me wanting to see how things would end.

I received this eBook from NetGalley and truly appreciate the opportunity to discover new authors and share my thoughts.

The Wrong Daughter started off a bit slow for me—it took about halfway through the book before I really felt pulled into the story. But once it got rolling, it was a fast-paced ride that didn’t let up until the very end. It turned into a psychological roller coaster, full of twists that kept me guessing.

Dandy Smith does a great job building suspense and slowly unraveling the emotional layers of the characters. The themes are heavy at times, and I would note there are potential trigger warnings involving family trauma, loss, and mental health struggles. Once the deeper conflicts began to surface, the story took on a much more intense and engaging tone.

I’m glad I stuck with it, because the second half truly delivered. This is a great choice for readers who enjoy slow-burn thrillers that explode into emotional and psychological drama.

1. Immediately added this to my 'books-to-buy' list
2. Screaming a big thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

THIS BOOK. A slow-burn avalanche of a thriller, this story had me second-guessing everything multiple times. There's such depth to the story - Smith takes a kidnapping and turns into a conversation about layers of our psyche, about resilience, trusting our instincts, and choosing healing.

Caitlin Arden is just doing her best. She's engaged to a great guy, she has a nice house, she teaches elementary school...but none of that can fill the void that witnessing her sister's kidnapping has left inside. Only her fiancé of three years (whom she isn't in a rush to marry) knows about her sister Olivia, especially since she uses his last name, Fairview.

Throughout Caitlin's story, we also get the story of Elinor and Heath Ledbury, a brother and sister who may be a little too close, and how they have to deal with their overbearing, money-hungry uncle.

How these two stories collide had me absolutely shocked and baffled. The story in the beginning was good and interesting, but once the story started to unravel - it was like a boulder rolling down a mountain, just picking up more and more momentum.

Absolutely a great read and I can't wait for it to come out!!

This book is one I could not put down. A girl goes missing for 16 years and suddenly reappears at her parents house. This shocks her sister and her parents. They could not believe their beloved daughter is finally home. She however refused to say where she’s been and is keeping everybody on their toes. This book has many twists and turns I did not see coming. From the boy in the bus to who the sister really is.

I could not get into this book. Unfortunately, it was just not the right story for me to be reading at the time.

Overall rating: 3.5 – 4 / 5
A gripping mystery with visceral impact, though its momentum sometimes overrides plausibility and character depth.

Brilliant duel timeline book.. Was up all night reading it. I loved the characters & the storyline. I totally recommend reading this book straight away, the twists and turns are fab. Definitely 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
I went into The Wrong Daughter completely blind—and I’m so glad I did.

This twisty, emotionally charged thriller pulled me in right from the start. Dandy Smith does a great job building tension and slowly peeling back the layers of a complex and unsettling family dynamic. I loved not knowing who to trust and watching the truth unfold piece by piece.

The pacing was strong, and while there were a few moments that stretched believability just a bit, the reveals and character development more than made up for it. It kept me flipping pages and guessing until the end.

A great pick for readers who love domestic suspense with secrets, shifting loyalties, and a few gut-punch moments. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.