The Bad Daughter by Joy Fielding (Thriller, 10E/10E)

 February 2019, Zaffre Publishing, 432 pages, Paperback, Review copy

Content: murder, twisted minds, 

Summary from Bonnier

STRANGER. LIAR. KILLER?

  YOU CANT TRUST THE BAD DAUGHTER . . .

Robin Davis hasn't spoken to her family in six years.

Not since it happened.

Then they're attacked; left fighting for their lives.

And Robin is back.

All families have their secrets.

And one of theirs may have put them all in terrible danger . . .

YOU CAN ALWAYS TRUST YOUR FAMILY . . . CAN'T YOU?

Nayu's thoughts

Talk about family secrets! This book had me guessing so much, not just who the killer was (who I only guessed right before the big reveal), but exactly what went on in her family's lives. She wasn't without secrets, but her revelations felt less convoluted than her brother Alec's, her father's, and the only remaining talking survivor of the attack. I was flummoxed by who the killer turned out to be, probably because there are a fair few red herrings and people acting suspiciously for what turn out as non-murderous reasons. 

I loved being with Robin as she slowly tried to piece the clues together alongside what felt like an idiot, highly incapable of doing his job law enforcement officer (I'm 99% certain I haven't got him muddled with another police man in a different tale, I finished the book a few weeks before writing this) who I didn't like much. He gave me little sense of security and he was insensitive at times. 

The whole attack slash murder was horrific, I felt desperately sorry for Cassidy, no teen should experience what she did, and the story inevitably focused on her survival. I promise she does get the help she needs. Robin became one of her primary guardians, because Robin's sister Melanie had her own son who had health issues of his own which were a struggle to deal with, adding a sense of realism to the tale along with Robin's panic attacks. I've never had a panic attack, so it was interested to hear what they are like and how Robin tried to cope with them. 

Although I know who did it, this is going straight to my reread pile because I want to try and see the hints that were dropped throughout the novel about the murderer. I highly recommend this as a first class thriller, and I look forward to reading more of Joy's books in the future. 

Find out more on Joy's website.

Suggested read 

Do check out this next read which I chose because the title is a lot like Joy's book: The Good Mother by Karen Osman (Crime, Thriller, 10E/10E)