This is a fast-paced thriller that kept me turning pages! Penny has not had an easy life, and when the opportunity arises to make sure that a very bad guy can no longer hurt others, Penny does her best to make sure he pays. Unfortunately, things don’t quite go the way she planned. This story features a dual timeline and really had me cheering for Penny!

Told in alternate timelines of past and present in multiple POV's, this was a twisty psychological thriller around the long lasting trauma of rape and childhood events. (Trigger Warning)

Penny's push and pull of wanting to do the morally right thing as well as wanting justice as an adult was a heartfelt attribute to her character and resilience, and each character had depth and development throughout.
It was a gripping and unputdownable read from start to finish. Will definitely recommend

Warning: some triggering topics throughout story.

Wow! A really good thriller, with multiple twists and turns. Just when I thought I had the plot figured out, something else comes swooshing in and making me second guess.

I really enjoyed the story going back and forth between the 'now' and the 'past' to really keep you on the edge of your seat, wondering who the person on trial really is.

I would definitely recommend this book to others who enjoy an intense, fast-paced thriller.

This book,the latest from J.A.Baker deals with the dark subject of rape and how it has affected,decades later,the life of our main character,Penny and how unbelievably and unknowingly she is about to come face to face with her attacker,in a setting that triggers all kinds of emotions and anger,rightly so but can she hide it as she has to in the situation she finds herself in…..

The story is told in 2 character narrative points of view and it all links together……

Penny’s mum suffering from dementia is a part of the story and handled well and sympathetically,I note with the influx of books,dealing with this subject that a lot more families are trying to deal with a loved one suffering this awful illness and also thankfully we are now more open to discuss it and feature it in everyday life,this is good

As always with this authors book there is suspense and drama and also as always is it a taut well written pyschological thriller,disturbing and dark in content but Penny’s story needed to be told

Another good thriller that will keep you tense until the end

I knew going into this book, that it would speak about harrasment. What I wasn't prepared for was how much it disturbed me.
The author did a great job detailing the inner turmoil of the central character. As a woman, it's very relatable how we blame ourselves for all the wrong inflicted on us. However the very same detailing was too much for me to handle. This has nothing to do with the author.

What didn't work for me was that the central plot of being a juror was not well crafted and felt like an addendum to the story. Also the back and forth was a little tedious. I feel the blurb was a little misleading given that much of that part was well fleshed out.

The climax of the story felt satisfactory given all that the central character had to go through. To all those wanting to read the book, know that it can be very triggering but it is a good book.
I give this book 3 stars for the climax.

I thank NetGalley and Boldwood books for the E-Arc and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I didn't really enjoy this book, but that has nothing to do with the book itself but what it entails. I went into it blindly and that was on me. As a victime, SA can be a very triggering subject, and can ruin the reading experience. So, please make sure to read the trigger warnings before delving into this story.

I enjoyed the plot. Didn't care for some of the characters, but maybe we are not suppose to like them.

Please check TW before reading as deals with a hard subject. This story is told over two different timelines. Many years ago something awful happened to Penny and in present day she is a juror with her attacker on trial. I found this book just OK I thought it would of been more thrilling than it was. Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for ARC.

This book wasn't as gripping as I thought it would be, but it was still a good book with a good twist at the end and the epilogue was perfect. I think some decisions by characters were questionable, but it reflects real life as people don't always make the best choices.

The Good Daughter by J. A. Baker is a disconcerting and unputdownable psychological thriller loaded with layers of suspense. I was on pins and needles the entire time and quite unsettled in a good way. Isn't that what one hopes for in a thriller?

Told in alternating points of view of Penny and her mother, including chapters of "The House", Penny and her family moved to her father's ancestral home in Northern Yorkshire. Renovations were needed which involved a team of workers. Intuitive for a young girl, Penny sensed something amiss with a couple of the guys. Her fears turned into a nightmare when one night someone sat in her room, watching her sleep, before assaulting her. Fear no one would believe her and guilt weighed heavily throughout her life. The only other person who knew was her mother. As a juror on an assault case, Penny could have bowed out but when she saw who the perpetrator was, she stayed put and decided this was the only way to get this guy locked up for good. She sought justice. It was fascinating to spend time in the minds of the jurors, observing how they viewed the victim and the perpetrator throughout the trial.

Not only did Penny face her attacker (who didn't recognize her twenty years later) but she also cared for her mother whose personality was severely altered by dementia. Though she experienced severe trauma several times, the good daughter continued to care for and about others. Just not the Fairbridge family.

J. A. Baker is one of my auto-read authors. I love her originality, writing which beckons me into the story, and her skill with suspense and tension.

Penny Collins has always tried to be a good teenager, that is until one night she was raped when at home in her bed. The timeline of the story goes back and forward to the present day when Penny is facing her attacker in court. Will he finally be put behind bars for what he done?

Total rating 3 1/2 stars

The Good Daughter really pulled me in with its haunting exploration of trauma, guilt, and the complex bond between mother and daughter. Penny’s struggle to reconcile her past with her present was incredibly relatable, especially as she juggled caring for her fading mother while confronting the horrors of what happened years ago. The tension between wanting to protect her family’s reputation and seeking justice was so palpable throughout the book. Sitting on the jury where she’s forced to relive everything adds a layer of intensity and suspense that kept me turning the pages. The plot was gripping, and while I wish a few of the secondary characters had been fleshed out more, Penny’s journey was powerful enough to carry the story. Four stars for its emotional depth and well-executed twists—this book really stayed with me.

As a teenager, Penny made some mistakes that led her to be a fearful child. Life changed for her the moment she was attacked in her bed.

Only Penny’s mum knows about the attack and Penny has lived her life with no one to talk to.

When Penny has to do jury service, she is shocked to see her attacker in the dock, accused of rape. Can now be the time to finally get some justice for herself as well as the recent victim?

This was a dark and chilling read that was also full of suspense.

The first chapter is about Penny’s attack and that was extremely difficult to read. My heart went out to Penny as it’s an emotional story.

The story is told from two points of view. One is from Penny’s and we follow her through the jury service as well as her past. The other is from her mum’s point of view from living in the house where everything bad happened.

We watch Penny as she continuously unravels her past, trying to come to terms with things that happened to her. The author writes this well as it’s sympathetic and sensitive. I could feel Penny’s pain and frustration.

I found this story played on my mind a lot, even when I wasn’t reading it.

My thanks to Boldwood Books, the author, and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book is incredible it is dark, twisty and full of atmosphere. I spent the whole time with my heart in my throat on the edge of my seat not knowing what to think or who to believe

WOW! So dark and so twisted. You never know who people are behind closed doors, but do you know who your parents are?! This was so action packed and kept the thrills on top level. I could not put this down. I was so addicted from the first chapter!

mind-bending psychological thriller that keeps you questioning everything. The story follows [protagonist’s name], whose life spirals out of control after [inciting incident]. As paranoia sets in, reality blurs, and the line between truth and deception vanishes.

I almost have a love/hate relationship with J.A. Bakers books. The Good Daughter is definitely one I loved. The writing is great and I learnt things about the courts system I didn’t know. I found the story to be quite unique and I don’t remember reading a book like this before.

The story starts horribly with a rape. Twenty years later, Penny, the victim, ends up on jury service. The accused is only the man who raped her. Penny realises she can finally get some justice. The story is also about her relationship with her mother, who though suffering from dementia, decides she wants to talk about the night Penny was attacked.

I enjoyed the story but took one star off as there were times when it seemed a bit drawn out.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I have read several books by JA Baker that I enjoyed, so I was excited to delve into his newest book.

The book definitely opens with a bang! Many reviews caution readers that the prologue contains a trigger warning. The statement is accurate; however, the author doesn't go into very much detail, so most readers shouldn't need to be concerned.

Like many psychological thrillers, this book alternates between the past and the present. In the present, it is told from the point of view of Penny. In the past, there are times when it is told from Connie's point of view and times when it is told from Penny's point of view.

The author does a decent job "confusing" the reader regarding the actions of different characters. He achieves this by describing events and not actually naming the characters involved in the events. At first, I found it frustrating, but then I realized that it was most likely purposeful.

The Fairbridges are a horrid family that feel as though rules don't apply to them and they can do whatever they want. Their cruel, entitled actions have gone on way too long. When a member of the Fairbridge family ends up accused of rape and Penny finds herself on the jury, she decides to do everything she can to make the family pay. Something that really bothered me was the fact that the person who accused the Fairbridge family member of rape was under age, so the attorney asserting the sexual encounter was consensual should be a moot point. (The laws in America may be different than the laws in the country where this book takes place.)

I found the conclusion to be very anticlimactic, but still feel as though this book is worth a read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

A well paced and plotted book that tells the story of a woman on Jury Duty who is determined to see the accused pay for his crimes. There are flashbacks to teenage years and tragic events that shape current storylines. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The good daughter by J A Baker was captivating and emotional from beginning to end. It deals with heavy but important topics with characters that go through trauma at a young age that follows them into adulthood. Although Penny is a fictional character, it was still devastating to read about the things she went through and not being believed like many victims of SA. It was disappointing to read about Lisa’s and Cheryl’s character siding with Cameron, the perpetrator, and blaming Melanie, the victim, even with all the evidence and the age of the victim. The ending was wrapped up nicely and was surprising.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.