Wow—just wow! I absolutely loved this novel by Dandy Smith. The Wrong Daughter was the perfect thriller for me, keeping me guessing the whole way through. The language was thoughtful, and clues were sprinkled throughout, making for an engaging read. This was my first book by Smith, and it definitely won’t be my last! If you’re a fan of Lisa Jewell or Freida McFadden, this one is for you.

A story of 2 sisters who are very close, until one of the is kidnapped from their home. Wow! The psychological portion of this thriller really had me hooked. Every time I thought I had a portion of the book figured out, it felt like the rug was pulled from underneath me! I was captivated by each character as the story progressed. There was some heavy subject content, which may not be for everyone. Overall, I enjoyed the book. The only thing I disliked honestly, was how portions of the story were dragged out somewhat. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book!

The Wrong Daughter

This book was great!! I loved the thrill, the suspense, and the story line! It starts out really fast past thriller suspense and in the middle it did get a bit confusing, I had to slow down following almost 2 plot lines, but then picked back up all the way to the end!

I would highly recommend this book!

Thank you Dandy Smith, Kensington Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this amazing book!

O.M.G.!
This is definitely an intense psychological thriller that definitely held my interest.
I quickly read to see how the pieces of this puzzle came together and yet I was confused at times and then,,,, IT ALL WILL COME TOGETHER!
It is not an easy read, but if you enjoy suspense, mystery, horror and sadness then you will adore this novel!

Thank you to @NetGalley and to @Kensngton publishing for this ARC and allowing me to read and provide my own review. WOW!

Catie is just ten years old when her thirteen year old sister Olivia is kidnapped by knifepoint in the middle of the night. The girls were home alone and in her terror, Catie failed to alert the authorities, instead waiting petrified for her parents return.

Sixteen years later she is still carrying the guilt of feeling that her sister’s abduction is her fault. When her father calls one morning and tells her to hurry home because her sister has returned, her whole world is turned upside down once again. Because, after the excitement of being reunited dies down, Caitlin starts to wonder, is this really her sister Olivia? And if not, what does this imposter want with her and her family?

The story that follow is an engaging, tense psychological thriller that delivers startling twists and turns from beginning to end. The reader is left constantly guessing at Olivia’s motives up until the shocking finale. Well drawn characters exist in an increasingly sister situation throughout in this suspenseful, emotional thriller. 4 stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

This book is a true slow burn, and while things eventually do pick up, it almost felt like it moved too quickly at that point? There was no happy medium there. There was also a lot of repetition that made it drag on, sometimes making it tough to get through. I really wanted to love this and there are some great twists and other aspects but unfortunately, the formatting threw it all off, leaving me unable to fully enjoy it. The pacing issues just ruined the experience for me.

Caitlin watches as her older sister, Olivia, is being kidnapped from their home. She is never found and 16 years later, a woman appears saying she is Olivia. Soon, Caitlin begins to question whether “Olivia” is really her sister. There is an alternate story of a sister and brother. We don’t know how they are related to Caitlin and Olivia until late in the book.
There are a couple good twists to the story. The beginning was good but then it starts to drag in the middle. I found myself skimming because there was so much repetition. The twist toward the end was surprising but the ending seemed too rushed and deserved to be slowed down and really explored.

What a silly book. The middle dragged and ending felt rushed.

Caitlin's sister Olivia goes missing from their childhood home. Years later she returns.

This was still a good book that kept me engaged, but I just found it was a really slow burn, then the ending was too fast.

Oh gosh. I really really thought I was going to like this book. I thought the book description sounded fantastic. This is my first book I've read from this author and my assumption would be maybe this is is dandys first novel? I didn't actually look it up, but this very much seems like a first try. Lol the book was sooooooo slow getting going and I won't lie...I wanted to finish the book so I could give feedback but I actually found myself skimming through it just to get the just of what was going on. Even skimming through I honestly felt like I wasted my time. There are so many great books out there, this one I wish I would have passed up.

Thank to Netgalley for allowing me a sneak peak into this book

This book was hard for me to start but once I did it really got my attention

An engaging thriller with a bit of a slow start. It's told from two POVs, mainly Caitie but with a few chapters from a different POV, Elinor. Caitie's sister Olivia had been kidnapped when they were children, and now sixteen years later she suddenly returns, only Caitie starts to doubt if the person who came back is really Olivia. Elinor on the other hand is a teenage girl, growing up isolated with only her older brother for company. (And theirs is not a normal sibling relationship - ick!)
The connection between the two POVs only becomes clear towards the end of the book, and it wasn't what I initially expected. The villain and some of the plot developments were a little "out there" and over-the-top at times, and the writing style sometimes overdid it a bit with the flowery metaphors. But I ended up rooting for Caitie, who was a flawed, but likeable main character. I really felt bad for her when everything started to go wrong, even though she made some stupid mistakes too.

Thank you to the author and to Kensington Publishing for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Wow, what a page turner. How is the kidnapping of a young girl related to the story of a brother and sister living in a mansion out in the country? That's the mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat. Admittedly, I did skim though some chapters that didn't seem relevant to the story. Lots of twists and turns and surprises. The alternating viewpoints takes a bit to get used to, and you have to check the narrator for each chapter. So, grab your hot cocoa and Guy Fawkes mask, and hold on!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

📝 multiple POV
⚠️ kidnapping
⚠️ incest
🌀 twists and turns

Caitlin loses her sister when they were children; Olivia was abducted from their home in the night at knife point by a masked man when their parents were out on a date night.

The day after the 16th anniversary of Olivia’s disappearance, she shows up at their parents’ house alive. You’d think everyone would be elated and things would settle into a routine with time… but that’s not at all what happened.

The dual storyline and multiple POV had me a bit confused for a while… until it didn’t, and everything slammed into place. You will feel a lot of different emotions reading this one… from anxiety, to fear, to loss, and even disgust. Definitely worth a read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of this book to review.

There are two separate story lines that you know are somehow intertwined, and you just can’t figure out how, until the author starts to unveil little bits and then big bits! This book was like a rollercoaster-lots of twists and turns, and just when you think you know the truth, another twist! The last quarter of the book I wasn’t sure if we were gonna have a happy ending or a mysterious ending (I won’t tell you which it was!) and it definitely kept me turning the pages wanting to find out!

Two brilliantly written stories, seemingly unrelated timelines, until the two worlds collide.

Each time the book went to the different narrative, I was almost frustrated because it was left on such a cliffhanger. I HAD to know more!! The perfect combination of love, hate, empathy, and disdain for the characters. Audible gasps many times throughout the stories.

The twists were twisty, there was dark, there was light, there was suspense, and everything you’d hope to see in a thriller. Just when I began to ask myself how the stories lined up, *boom* in my face.

Wow.......could not put this down....two stories....two sisters, Caitlin and Olivia's, Olivia is kidnapped, 14 years later she reappears but is she really Olivia. At the same time there is a mystery around a manor house the brother and sister who live there. Will these two world's collide? Brilliant from start to finish

I couldn't put this book down at first. I thought I knew what was happening but there were so many twists and turns. I did enjoy reading it. However, I felt it was a little repetitive and at times was skimming pages to get to the end.
I did feel the author did a good job of introducing us to the characters. Everyone had some flaw and trauma that made them who they were.

This book sucked me in! Several times I had to walk away and breathe for a bit because of how worked up I felt. FANTASTICALLY written! I haven't read one of her novels before, but now I'm a Dandy Smith fan! We see this story through the perspective of two women in alternating chapters, Caitlin and Elinor. Two very different women with very different stories and lifestyles, but both experiencing a life with loss of family members. I really love the dynamics in this book. The simmering chaos, the mystery and intrigue, and the drama. Highly, highly recommend!

My heart. Ugh such a twisted, mind confusing, tale. I wanted to hate her so bad. But ended up sympathizing. Cruel and beautiful. Loved this book.