My Perfect Daughter - Sarah A. Denzil

A gripping psychological thriller!! 

At a Glance:  

• Title - My Perfect Daughter
• Author - Sarah A. Denzil
• Pages - 353
• Format - Ebook
• Publication date - Feb 27, 2022

Blurb: 

Most mothers hope their little girl turns out like their dad, but not Zoe. She hopes the apple falls far from the tree.

Zoe didn't meet her daughter the way most mothers do. She finds five-year-old Maddie alone and dirty on a countryside road. Frightened for Maddie's safety, she picks her up and takes her back to her father, not knowing what she's about to step into. Because Maddie wasn't just lost, she was there to lure her serial killer dad's new victim.

After escaping from the clutches of Maddie's dangerous father, she bonds with the little girl. Only Maddie knows what it was like to be at that house. And when no family members come forward to claim Maddie, Zoe decides to adopt her. They move away to a safe house on the Cornish coast and become a family of their own. Zoe gets married and has another child, a baby brother for Maddie.

But Maddie is still traumatised by what she experienced. Diagnosed with callous and unemotional traits, Zoe has a tough job to ensure Maddie has the love and support she needs. Zoe truly loves her daughter—she wouldn't change a thing about her. But there is a part of her that always stays alert. A part of her is afraid of Maddie.

And now, eleven years later, Maddie's school bully is found dead, and another girl is missing.

Zoe can't help but wonder... like father, like daughter?

The next gripping, emotional thriller by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of SILENT CHILD.

My review:

I started this book last evening and I couldn’t put it down till I finished the last page! What a roller-coaster read it was!

My perfect daughter is a physiological thriller with Zoe and Maddie in the lead, whose lives are intertwined and interdependent after they both suffer from the hands of a psychopathic serial killer. They escape and Zoe adopts Maddie. And then comes the other characters who may seem to be on a sideline but it’s only for a while! When you read the book, you will understand what I mean.

Maddie with her violent and traumatic childhood and Zoe’s trauma and divorce creates a special bond between the two and what happens when Zoe remarries and several teenage friends of Maddie are murdered is the crux of the story.

The storyline is not something that takes us in one direction! Each and every time I made up my mind about who the villain is, the twist led the story another way. And, I did not see the end coming!

I liked Zoe for her patience and love towards Maddie and her insecurities and doubts have been well portrayed by the author. Maddie’s characterization is also perfect- a frustrated teen who had a very rough childhood living with the adopted mother and stepdad and a little stepbrother,- the emotions are spot on.

The story is fast-paced and engaging. I loved the alternating timelines – ‘Now’ and ‘Then’ and the story makes more sense when the Now and Then timelines merge. The best part is that these chapters are small and keep us hooked till the end.

In all, this is a  really good thriller that will keep you on the edge of the seat and one that you won’t be able to close till you finish. This is my first read by the author and definitely not my last.

About the Author:

Sarah A. Denzil is a British suspense writer from Derbyshire. Her books include SILENT CHILD, which has topped the kindle charts in the UK and Australia, as well as being a top ten Amazon bestseller in the US. SAVING APRIL and THE BROKEN ONES are both top thirty bestsellers in the US and UK Amazon charts.

Sarah lives in Yorkshire with her partner, enjoying the scenic countryside and rather unpredictable weather. She loves to write moody, psychological books about ordinary people in extraordinary situations.

Find out more at: http://www.sarahdenzil.com/

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Writing as Sarah Dalton - http://www.sarahdaltonbooks.com/