J. Baker’s The Good Daughter is a taut and emotionally charged psychological drama that grips from the first page and doesn’t let go. Centered on trauma, justice, and the long shadow of betrayal, this novel explores the quiet devastation of being silenced—and the powerful reckoning that comes when a woman takes her voice back.

Penny Collins has spent her life trying to be the “good daughter”—obedient, quiet, and dutiful—even after suffering a horrific assault as a teenager by someone she knew. The attack left invisible scars, compounded by the painful disbelief of her own family. Now, two decades later, as she cares for her aging mother, Penny is forced to confront the past she tried so hard to bury. Her mother, slipping in and out of lucidity, wants to talk about that night—and Penny can’t ignore the ghosts any longer.

But when Penny sees her attacker again, this time as the accused in a new assault case, fate delivers a bitter twist: she’s on the jury. What follows is a gripping, morally complex battle—not just for justice, but for the truth that Penny has carried alone for far too long.

Baker excels at character depth and emotional nuance. Penny is a beautifully crafted protagonist—vulnerable, yet fierce in her quiet determination. The novel masterfully balances courtroom drama with psychological introspection, making the reader feel every flicker of doubt, rage, and vindication.

The Good Daughter isn’t just a story of trauma—it’s one of resilience, justice, and the power of finally being heard. Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers with emotional weight, like those by Gillian Flynn or Claire Mackintosh, this is a story that lingers long after the final verdict.

The Good Daughter is a slow-burning psychological thriller with a strong sense of unease woven throughout. J.A. Baker builds suspense gradually, dropping just enough breadcrumbs to keep you turning the pages while questioning every character’s motive.

I appreciated the moody, atmospheric writing—there’s a real sense of dread that lingers, especially in the quieter moments. The story explores fractured relationships and long-buried secrets in a way that feels authentic, even if it takes a while to pick up momentum.

That said, the pacing was a bit uneven for me. The first half moved slowly, and I found myself wanting more tension or twists earlier on. Some of the character decisions also felt a little forced at times, but nothing that pulled me entirely out of the story.

Overall, this is a solid read for fans of domestic suspense who don’t mind a slow build and prefer their thrillers with a steady unraveling rather than high-octane drama. Not my favorite of Baker’s work, but still engaging enough to keep me curious until the final pages.


*Thank you to NetGalley, and Boldwood Books, for sending me a copy of this book and allowing me to read it. This review is left voluntarily and entirely my own opinion.*

My thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Good Daughter’ written by J A Baker in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

When Penny Collins was fourteen years old a person known to her and her family broke into her bedroom and she was brutally attacked. Now, almost thirty years later, Penny is chosen for jury service and the person in the dock is the person who attacked her and the cause of her nightmares. Penny knows she’s breaking the law by not confessing to knowing him but it’s her intention to listen to the witnesses and evidence given then persuade the jury to find him guilty so she’ll finally get justice for herself and the other women he’s attacked.

‘The Good Daughter’ is the gripping courtroom drama of a woman who wants to finally put the past behind her by ensuring the person who attacked her is locked up in prison. The story is told in two timeframes, of Penny when she was fourteen years old to how she is at the present time, and has been cleverly written as it scrutinises the justice system which isn’t always fair. I had a major surprise, though, as I thought I knew the identity of the person in the dock so was amazed when I realised I was wrong and it was that surprise that had me gripped and kept me reading ever faster. The conclusion was wonderful with a perfectly performed act of retaliation for the treatment meted out to the women he was responsible for attacking.

The Good Daughter by J A Baker was another excellent gripping psychological thriller. I love the way this author writes every book I have read I want more, especially as it grips you from the very first page, it was full of brilliant twists and turns throughout that made it another excellent emotional and tense read,

Great book for your holidays and i highly recommend it! I loved it!

Big Thank you for NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

I really wanted to love this book as the premise sounded interesting, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. It started really well, setting the scene with a good amount of tension and intrigue, but i felt like it peaked right at the start. I didn't find myself reaching for the book as the pace was quite slow and despite some darkness, there wasn't enough tension. What worked for me: I love a dual timeline and it was interesting to see Penny as a teenager and then again as an adult, and the different points of view between her and her mum. The house itself featured strongly in the book and was almost a metaphor for the nasty things that happened in Penny's life. It was really well described and I could picture it clearly. The writer definitely evokes a good sense of place. The overall plot was good. What didn't work so well: the slow pace; too much 'telling' rather than showing which had a big impact on the tension; the courtroom story - this just didn't quite work for me and I'm not sure why.
I would have loved to have felt more of the emotion in the book as it covered some really traumatic events, but it didn't really come through.

Penny Collins has been called to jury duty. She reluctantly arrives and to her surprise, she recognizes the man being prosecuted. Now Penny really wants to be chosen and she wants to stay through the whole trial as long as no one realizes who she is.

The story goes back and forth between the past and the present and from the points of view of Penny and her mother Connie. Penny is a very self aware, hesitant, smart girl who feels and notices when men are behaving in a particularly lascivious way towards her. When she complains about men behaving like that to her family, her parents just brush her off as dramatic, a liar, blame it on her overactive imagination and are very dismissive. So when she gets raped in the middle of the night at 14, she tells no one. They already have enough problems with their neighbor Douglas Fairbridge, who claims that the land her grandparents left her father belongs to him and he will go to any extent to get it.

Rapes, fires, death, dementia and a brother lost to drugs will all be redeemed by The Good Daughter!

The Good Daughter is about resilience, survival, strength and having a strong heart to endure it all and see justice being served, even when justice fails you.
💫💫💫💫💫

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books.

Thanks to J.A Baker, boldwood books, & Netgalley for this e-arc. This story is about (g)rape & the assailants getting what they deserve in the end. Anyone who has had any kind of SA is well aware how hard life is to get through, all the while not letting the assailant win.

This was a gripping psychological thriller that left me wanting more. Penny is called up for jury service, but the man that’s being prosecuted raped her as a child. She wants him behind bars and doesn’t say she’s knows him. It’s twisty going back and forth with time frames when Penny was a child and the present day. A great read that is well written. A 4 star read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy. Once you read about the attack at the beginning, you are hooked right in and do not want to stop until you see revenge or punishment! Love the plot and will be back for more of this author's books. Fast paced!

This book had a strong start, but as the story progressed, I found myself struggling to stay engaged. While I did push through to the end, the pacing felt slow, and the storyline could have been more concise. Additionally, some themes may be triggering for readers, so I recommend checking content warnings before diving in.

The alternating perspectives between the mother and daughter added an interesting layer to the narrative, but at times, it felt drawn out. A more streamlined approach might have kept the momentum stronger.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC.

The Good Daughter by J.A. Baker is a powerful psychological thriller that delves into the trauma of a past that never truly fades. Penny Collins, the protagonist, tries to be the dutiful daughter—caring for her aging mother, who suffers from dementia—but her own haunting memories are impossible to escape. As a teenager, Penny was brutally attacked in her own home, an assault she tried to warn her family about, but they refused to believe her. The trauma of that night has shaped her life, and now, twenty years later, she finds herself once again facing the man who terrorized her.

Baker skillfully weaves tension into the narrative, gradually revealing the pain of Penny’s past and the toll it takes on her present. The structure of the story—switching between past and present—builds suspense as Penny confronts the truth and the man who has haunted her for so long. The emotional complexity of Penny’s character, coupled with her role as a juror in his trial, adds layers to the psychological drama. The dilemma of being a “good daughter” while grappling with unresolved trauma creates a deeply compelling central conflict.

What makes The Good Daughter stand out is its exploration of family dynamics, memory, and the burden of silence. Penny’s struggle to be believed, coupled with her mother’s failing memory, highlights the isolating effects of trauma. The courtroom drama and Penny’s role on the jury intensify the stakes as she seeks justice, both for herself and for those she loves.

In conclusion, The Good Daughter is an evocative and emotionally charged thriller that captures the long-lasting impact of violence and the quest for justice. J.A. Baker delivers a gripping story filled with suspense, emotional depth, and a chilling exploration of how the past continues to shape the future. A must-read for fans of psychological thrillers with rich, complex characters.

Explosive....this is how the book starts and also ends !! The story may not be for everybody as it delves into historic rapes however it is very well written and sympathetically so. It is set between the past and present and told from the points of view of the daughter and the mother. For me it also highlighted how flawed our judicial system is especially for those who have been raped and for those people who hold the power. It is certainly thought provoking.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review

I had such high hopes for this book after seeing other reviews on here but it just didn’t wow me 😕 I felt I knew what was going to happen, felt the characters (apart from Penny) lacked some depth and I didn’t particularly like any of them. I did like the POV from Penny and the fact it did go back to when she was a teenager living in ‘The House.’ Chapters were short which is something else I liked about this book! Unfortunately not for me!

This book was a bit slow for me. I felt a little disconnected at times. Make sure to read the trigger warnings.
Overall, the book was well written and the ending was good.
Thank you #NetGalley for this #ARC

This story though deep & hard at times was really good.
JA Baker has a smooth writing style that I like & it means her books are so easy to read through & keep track & enjoy. No matter the subject matter.
I don’t have many I say that about. But she’s up there.
Penny has a past that has played on her mind and as she moves home with her family, her present becomes a torture too.
She grows, marries and then life catches up. Very good story of life and things just happening, the effects and the follow ups.
Very good read.

Another great book by J A Baker! I have never read anything written by this author that isn't thrilling. If this is your genre she is one of the best.
Penny and actually her entire family go through many traumatic things while she is growing up and these events stay with her through adulthood . Things are finally brought full circle and justice is served but not in a conventional way. Good ending!
Lots of triggers in this one.
Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was a little confused by this book when I started it, I was unsure of how everything was connected. The story did end up making sense, but it didn’t really live up to my expectations. Baker is a good writer, but this book felt like it was lacking depth and breadth to make real connections to the writing.

Penny is part of a jury who is supposed to decide the fate of a man who may or may not be guilty. Penny knows this man though and she isn’t even supposed to be on the jury since it would be a conflict of interest. This was my first issue with the book, that Penny would just be allowed to be on the jury since she didn’t say anything about the truth of the matter… but it just didn’t make sense to me. There’s also two different time periods being shared in the book and the way they connect isn’t revealed at first, but I found it jarring. It jut seemed like they never fit together well, and it made it difficult for me to want to keep up with the book. I just think my problem with the book is the way I found it hard to keep paying attention to the shift of POVs and time periods, causing me to feel a disconnect when I was reading the story. It all comes together to make sense, but I didn’t find myself feeling like I cared or the ending mattered. I’m unsure if I would read another book by this author.

Thank you to J A Baker, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for the review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

J.A. Baker’s newest book is an emotional rollercoaster with heavy conversations about SA and trauma. The book is told from alternating POV & timelines. Penny Collin’s is still dealing with the emotional aftermath of trauma from 20 years ago while caring for her declining mother. Penny is then called to serve jury duty where she has to face that trauma all over again while trying to put a man behind bars.

Overall, this book was a decent read but at times was slow and hard for me to really get into. Although the author was very descriptive, I felt that sometimes it was unnecessary and did not really help set the scene or help me to understand the characters. I felt the plot was very good and was happy with the ending!

Thank you to NetGalley & Boldwood books for this ARC read in return for my honest review!

So many twists it had my mind BLOWN every page down to the last sentence!!!… My mind was spinning to keep up with all the twists… A must read for those who love a mind-blowing psychological twist! Deliciously dark and twisty…

This is a good psychological thriller, but there are trigger warnings of sexual assault and arson. That aside, the action flips between two timescales and also between mother and daughter. It worked really well, there were plenty twists and it is well written and emotional. Penny is a complex character, traumatised from an assault when in her early teens. The plot was believable, as were the characters, although the pace was a bit slow at times. Overall, it's a good psychological thriller which fans of the genre will enjoy. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.