Review of The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5)

The Wrong Daughter has such a gripping premise—Caitlin’s sister Olivia was abducted 16 years ago, and now a woman claiming to be Olivia suddenly reappears. Right away, I was hooked. The mystery, the tension, the family drama—it all had the makings of a perfect psychological thriller.

I really enjoyed the dual perspectives, flipping between Caitlin in the present and Elinor Ledbury, whose connection to the story slowly unravels. The way the two timelines weave together kept me engaged, and I was eager to see how it all played out.

That said, the pacing felt a little uneven. Some parts dragged, while others rushed through key moments, making it hard to stay fully invested. I also found myself wanting more depth in certain characters—especially Olivia. Some of her actions felt off, and I kept waiting for more insight into her motivations.

Overall, The Wrong Daughter is an intriguing read with some solid twists and an eerie, unsettling vibe. If you love psychological thrillers with messy family secrets, it’s worth picking up, but it didn’t completely blow me away.

The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith
4/5 ⭐️

From the first page I was tuned into the life of Caitlin and how she misses her older sister Olivia who was abducted when they were younger. The story is kind of unsettling through the pages, never fully understanding it all.

When Caitlin gets the call her sister is back that's when all the questions start to arise. The psychological tension escalates as secrets emerge, making it difficult to tell who is can be trusted. Caitlin remembers her sister a certain way and the woman who she is seeing after all these just doesn't seem right. The author reveals how deep-rooted guilt and resentment have shaped Catties perception of herself and her sister.

At first I was utterly confused on the purpose of the other POV through the story and felt maybe I had the right answers but then BOOM nope that went away. I kinda didn't like the 2 places the story went wished the author would have stuck to one of the main twist behind Olivias disapperance.

Overall I really did enjoy this story and will be reading more from this author, thanks Netgalley for the arc :)

I am a thriller girlie and this book was no exception. I loved it. It hooked me right from the start. Dandy, you're work is amazing. Thank you for the ARC.

As a lover of Frieda McFadden, I LOVED The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith. This book was hard to put down and I never saw the ending coming! I can't wait to read more of Dandy's work!

Catie's sister, Olivia, was abducted from their home 16 years ago. The family has difficulty moving on and then as suddenly as she disappeared, Olivia returns home. This is where things get weird and I have to admit I was a bit frustrated with the plot. No one presses Olivia as to what happened and where she's been. The police aren't notified until Catie finally calls them after several days. Catie suspects that the woman claiming to be Olivia might be an imposter but everyone she shares her concerns with disregards them out of hand. As Catie becomes more isolated from her loved ones, the plot jumps the proverbial shark and becomes almost unbelievable.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review.

I enjoyed this one. I was able to get to know the characters and the lot kept me turning the pages. I would recommend this book to other readers.

This book was fast-paced and INTENSE!
One sister kidnapped, the other, traumatized.
Ten years later, a woman shows up claiming to be the missing Olivia… but is she really? Something isn’t right, according to Caitlin.

Is it her, or isn’t it? You’ll change your mind over and over until the end.

Thanks to Kensington Publishing and a NetGalley for an early read!

Caitlin and Olivia are sisters. One night, as their parents are away, Olivia is abducted. Caitlin, the younger sister, is the only witness. But there is some doubt about her story of what happened. For years, the family wrestles with what happened to Olivia. Until she returns. Or does she?

At the same time, a parallel story is being told. How does this story interact with the sisters' story?

In a book filled with twists and turns, the reader is kept guessing. The characters are well-developed. The multiple plots are intriguing. I highly recommend this book

The deceit and betrayal within the pages of this book is thick! I spent the majority of the time I read this whispering to myself “no!”, “this can’t be happening”, or “what is going on?!?” As follow the story line of two separate ladies, it’s as if you are on two trains moving parallel to each other…you don’t know where you’re going, are they even parallel?

This is the first book I have read by this author but my goodness has she done it with this one! If you want to read a 5 star book about a dysfunctional family trying to recover from the trauma of a missing daughter, hold onto your seatbelts, the secrets within the characters of this book is so unexpected yet perfectly placed in the story, this one is a WILD ride!

A dark and thrilling suspense novel that deals with childhood trauma, full of twists and turns.
Caitlin’s perceived descent into madness is well written and frustrating at times but it all fell together well by the end.
Slow at times, I almost lost interest halfway through between the seemingly unconnected life story of the brother and sister but I needed to know what happened so continued.
A solid thriller, well written.

Book Review: The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith

Genre : Psychological thriller
My rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

How well do you really know your family? This twisty psychological thriller will make you question everything!
Sixteen years ago, Olivia Arden disappeared without a trace. Now, a woman claiming to be her has returned—but something feels... off. Secrets, deception, and a past that refuses to stay buried make this a gripping read.

❤️ What I loved :

• Unpredictable twists & turns

• Complex family dynamics

• The slow unraveling of long-buried secrets

• The dual narrative with two completely different stories that kept me guessing how they would connect!

💭 What didn’t work for me :

• A bit slow in parts, then BAM—rushed ending

• I kind of guessed the final plot twist (the fault of having read too many thriller books! )

📚 Final Verdict: If you love family secrets, unreliable narrators, and a thriller that keeps you guessing, this one’s for you! Not perfect, but definitely a page-turner.

📢 Have you read this one? Let’s talk about that ending! 👇

Thank you @kensingtonbooks and @netgalley for this ARC

This story fell short for me, there were times when my attention was captured at least the premise of Olivia and Caitlin’s story line, but it drug on and through the middle. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how the alternative story line of Heath and Elinor fit in, it would have helped if it was clarified that these were two different time lines as well. The incestuous relationship was uncomfortable. The ending felt rushed as the two storylines collided about 75% through, at that point it was predictable and bit messy.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Kensington Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

4.5 stars.

This book had such a spooky premise that was done brilliantly. Her sister returning 16 years later but not acting like her sister. The clues were there to put together but I absolutely didn't. I kept reading wondering what crazy thing would happen next. The twist at the end I didn't see coming at all! I had no idea. If you want a thriller will all the twists this one definitely delivered. I will be looking for more books from this author

This book had me guessing right until the end. I had many theories throughout and most of them were wrong! I really was able to connect with the FMC and felt so frustrated right alongside her throughout the events of the book. I would definitely recommend this book and will be looking for more by this author.

This psychological suspense novel delivers exactly what it promises—dark twists, gripping tension, and a mystery that keeps the pages turning. The premise is immediately compelling: a sister returns 16 years after being abducted, but nothing is as simple as it seems. The story taps into deep family trauma, unreliable memories, and buried secrets, making it a solid pick for fans of Freida McFadden and B.A. Paris. While the setup is familiar, the execution keeps it engaging, and the unsettling atmosphere lingers long after the final page. A thoroughly engrossing read for thriller lovers.

A great read, thanks for letting me try it! I did find one of the twists to be very obvious, but it was still compelling and intriguing!

I received an ARC for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith is a thriller with a touch of old-school V.C. Andrews.

From the very beginning, Smith grabs your attention with colorful descriptions that set the scene for what promises to be a suspense-filled ride. After Olivia goes missing, Caitlin has what seems to be the perfect life until something happens that starts as a small crack before spidering into something much bigger and malevolent.

By the time that Caitlin realizes what has happened, she must think hard and tread carefully because one wrong step could not only end her life, but the lives of others.

This story was filled with so many twists and turns; I kept second-guessing myself! I definitely can't wait to read more by this author.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!

“The Wrong Daughter” by Dandy Smith follows Caitlin, the younger sister of the missing Olivia - who was taken from her room at just 13 years old. Caitlin, a witness to this, is constantly overshadowed by the plaguing feeling she was somehow responsible for their inability to find Olivia since she was the only witness to her kidnapping. She lives her life in step with her parents wants and interests despite her own unhappiness to avoid further heartbreak and disappointment - that is until a woman claiming to be Olivia reappears into her life.

In The Wrong Daughter, we are also introduced to a plot line following a sibling pair, inappropriately close and isolated by an abusive uncle after their parents deaths. Inevitably these story lines intersect, twisting together in a way that can take you by surprise and leave you wondering to the end of the book.

Talking specifically in regard to the brother/sister plot line, I think adding it wasn’t unnecessary as many critical reviews state, but generally underdeveloped. As the siblings story broadened and their inappropriate behavior toward each other was introduced it was more of a “wait what?” Moment then something truly impactful. It’s weird to say about incest, but if it matters to the story a controversial motif should be “go big or go home”- if they’re inappropriate relationship actually matters I want to know where it started, why It continued and how it all ties into the overall story. Instead we are left to our own conclusions about it’s relevancy- leaving the author defenseless in this critique.

Overall, I think this novel is strong and strange, offering a new perspective on a fairly common concept. My only other nitpick is that I felt the ending may have been a little rushed, given the slower pace of the beginning of the book- but I was overall satisfied.

Readers of V.C. Andrews may appreciate this novel.

Enjoyable from beginning to the end. Kept me on the edge of my seat. Will definitely recommend this to my book club!

You can’t work out where this going. This is one story you won’t forget and yet could be believable. Sisters Caitlin and Olivia have a happy life but then one is taken. Many years later she returns. How, why, where has she been?