Michael's ex, Erica, shows on his doorstep one night, telling him that her daughter has been kidnapped and that he is the father. Not knowing what to do, he goes with her. This is a fast-moving books with so many twists and turns. In one plot line, Michael and Erica are investigating. In another, Michael's current wife, Angela, is doing some investigating of her own. And in another, the police investigation is shown. I read this book in one sitting. There was so much going on, I couldn't put it down. There are a lot of characters in the book, but for the most part it was easy to keep track of them. I did not expect the ending. I would have liked a little more clear info on what had happened in Detective Griffin's past. I also know that I would not have been as calm as Angela, and had some trouble believing that her character would be that calm.

4.5 for me. Though I think I should have rounded up.

David Bell has done it again with his latest book Somebody's Daughter.

Michael's ex wife shows up on his doorstep begging his help when her daughter goes missing. She tells Michael that Felicity is his daughter that he never knew about. Ho goes off to help Erica even though his wife is dead set against it.

Thus begins the tangle of secrets, lies, and how past relationships effect everyone.

The clock ticks as the police scramble to find Felicity safe Who would take Felicity, who's daughter is she really?

A fast paced thriller that wont disappoint you.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read Somebody's Daughter

Somebody's Daughter by David Bell has an interesting premise with a lot of potential. I just don't think the author was able to fully realize that potential. It had an overly complicated plot with unlikable characters. My main gripe is that the dialogue seemed geared toward enhancing the mystery to the detriment of the story. Instead of answering simple questions, the characters would give vague answers so that other characters would be left in the dark. But I don't feel that in a situation involving a missing child, people would act like that. Not everyone can be guilty, so having everyone do this to build suspense left me annoyed.


In a tv show, a commercial break is almost always preceded by a twist or revelation. It's what keeps the audience glued to their seats and the channel. The author tried to do this after every chapter, but it didn't really work for me here. Mainly, because the next chapter would begin with the reveal of the withheld information. It just seemed to me that the answer was something that didn't need to be so vague in the first place. It left me feeling no sympathy for anyone.


Also, Erica seemed to just disappear. She was built up as an agent of chaos, and the main instigator of the plot, but in the end, she was treated as an afterthought. This was such a strange choice.


All in all, I cannot recommend this book. It had a lot of potential, but I don't think the author was up to the task.

A great suspenseful thriller that will have your mind racing in a hundred different directions as you try to piece together the parts of this puzzle and family dynamics. Michael, finds out his daughter he never knew existed is missing one evening after a knock on the door. But all may not be as it seems as Michael takes off with his ex in search of his possible daughter, while his current wife tries to unravel the mystery from her end. It really is a story where you don't know who is telling the truth, or who this mysterious daughter belongs to, let alone where she is. A great mystery/thriller that was very hard to put down!

Books by this author never fail to keep me in suspense and have me reading all night long. If you are looking for a stand alone mystery that is fast paced and you won’t guess until the end, this book or ANY book by this author is what you are looking for. Mystery. Intrigue. Warped relationships. Bet you can’t guess the end!

Hmm. It had me in the beginning, but I got kind of annoyed by the end. I am not someone who needs fast paced thrillers, but this one fell flat.

Not a favorite...very disjointed. Characters were all over the place

I received this book "Somebody's Daughter" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. This book was a page turner and I couldn't wait to read it every night. Erica (Michael's ex-wife) shows up on his doorstep and tells him that her 9 year old daughter is missing and she needs his help to find her. Michael doesn't understand what that has to do with him. But it does have to do with him because Erica tells him that Felicity is also his daughter. Can he believe her? Well this begins a roller coaster ride of a night with all kinds of things happening. Michael's wife Angela is not very happy about this situation because Michael goes off with Erica to find Felicity. Who has been keeping secrets? Everyone! Who can be trusted?

When Michael Frazier's past shows up on his doorstep he is ready to shut the door in her face and send her packing, but before he can give into that impulse she utters something that rocks him to his core... he has a daughter and she is missing! His ex-wife hasn't always been truthful with him so at first he has his doubts about what she is telling him, but she is adamant that it is true, and with a child's life possibly hanging in the balance he isn't so willing to take any chances, so he gives in and offers to help her find their daughter. But saying "yes" to her could potentially cause a riff with his new wife, especially since the subject matter is something that is so important to them now, they have been trying for a child of their own, and so far been unsuccessful. He feels like he is stuck between a rock and a hard place, and is unsure who to believe or where to turn...

From the first page of this exquisitely crafted tale you will be hooked, these characters will lure you in, dazzle you with their thrilling adventure, and leave you saying WOW!! This is my second novel by this author, and I have to say I loved this one just as much as the last, it was downright amazing!! It is a stirring tale, with a multi-layered plot that will toy with your thoughts, rattle your defenses, and have you dangling breathlessly from every word! If you like thrillers, then I highly suggest you get your hands on this one, you won't be disappointed with what you find!!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed.

Somebody's Daughter captured my attention and I did not want to put it down! I literally sat and read the entire book with a 24-hour period. David Bell has done it again!!! This is a thriller roller coaster ride full of family secrets, bombshells and suspense!

Michael and his wife, Angela are enjoying a quiet night at home when his ex-wife, Erica, shows up desperate and begging for help. Her 9-year-old daughter, Felicity, is missing. Michael feels bad but doesn't know what she wants from him, until she reveals he is the girl’s father. She also tells him the girl resembles his sister who died when they were children which she knows will pull at his heartstrings. Not knowing if she is telling the truth or not, he decides to help. He has always wanted a child. He and his wife are currently trying to have a child. What if this girl is his child? He would not be able to live with himself if he did not help in finding the child. Why did his ex-wife never tell him she was pregnant when they divorced? Why has she remained silent about the girl? Just what happened the day the girl went missing?

As he leaves with his ex-wife to find her (and maybe his) daughter, his current wife, Angela learns some "truths" which are troubling to her, concerning her husband and several of his family members. It turns out Michael's ex-wife was not the only one keeping a secret(s) in this book. Through the course of the night searching for the missing girl, twists and turns, revelations and hidden agendas come into play.

There are quite a few characters in this book, but it is very easy to keep track of them from the police detectives, the family members, old neighbors, exes, and suspects. Whew! I really like when I cannot figure a book out. There suspense galore as most of the chapters end in a tiny cliffhanger which has the reader begging for more information. Some of the characters seems a little off - so the reader never knows if we can fully trust them - which adds to the fun of reading this psychological thriller.

There are quite a few twists and turns which had me turning the pages. I really enjoyed this book. I think fans of mystery/thriller/suspense books will enjoy this. There are no graphic scenes, excessive language or violence so most people will be able to enjoy this book. As I previously stated, I liked that I did not have the book figured out. I also enjoyed the various POV chapters. I found they helped move the story along and kept my interest.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A suspenseful thriller by David Bell. I was drawn into the story from the very first page. I had to know what happened to the little girl and WHOSE daughter she was. The plot and characters were very good. I liked how the story started out about Erica and Michael but webbed out to include Michael's mother and sister. A tragic event in Michael and Lynn's childhood shape and change the lives of everyone. This single episode changes the course for everyone. Great story with a strong ending.

An attention grabbing thriller from the first page. I haven't read any of David Bell's other books but now I will check them out! Great story about a father whose ex-wife shows up at his house claiming their 9 yo daughter is missing--and he didn't even know that the child existed. There were many twists in this story, little cliff-hangers all the way through that kept me reading. Takes course of the period of a day so it is action-packed and fast- paced as well. Great writing, interesting characters--although there are almost too many to keep track of--some also not being thee brightest bulbs. Definitely worth reading!

I liked the idea of the story; and started off great and couldn't put it down. Then became predictable. The back and forth between this house and that and people not seeming to think logically; became rather annoying. Like some of his other books; I feel like there is a good lead-up and pace in the novel and then the end just ends and feels rushed. I would recommend to others as a good read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy of Somebody's Daughter By: David Bell in exchange for an honest review.

Another great mystery from Author David Bell. He does a good job of dropping clues into the story unexpectedly and keeping the suspense up. I didn't connect with the characters as much in this book as in some of the others, but that is just a personal thing, and not a criticism of the book or the writing. What would you do if an ex showed up and told you that their child had been kidnapped, and unknown to you, the child was yours? That's the basis for this mystery, with a lot of back story thrown in and observations from various characters, including a new spouse, the detectives investigating and other family members. It's fast-paced with an ending that I didn't guess, I have customers to whom I will recommend this new title.

A fast paced mystery-thriller that will keep you reading until the ending is tied up in a neat little bow. A fun read, but will you remember it tomorrow? Probably not, but that's okay. Still enjoyable.

Thanks to Net-Galley for the opportunity to read and review.

I was very uninterested in these characters. They seemed to be on autopilot and just acting and reacting to add pages to the book.

My dislike started with the mother showing up to the door of the alleged father to demand he helps her find their missing dauther. Wait, for ten years you have kept this daughter hidden but you chose this moment to tell him he is a father? Is he FBI or something that he will be able to do what the police can't?

Father, your 10 year ex shows up and tells you that, surprise! you are a daddy, and you just believe her and go on a chase to find this child. Uhummm....

There really was no depth to this story. I was concerned about this fictitious child because I am a whimp, not becuase the author did something to get emotionally involved in the story

What a good psychological thriller! 3.5 stars rounded up.

In an impulsive and rebellious move, reliable Michael Frazier married carefree, not-so-responsible Erica right out of college. The marriage didn't last. So why has Erica shown up at Michael's doorstep 10 years later begging him for help?

Much to the disdain of his current wife, Angela, Michael agrees to go with Erica to help find her missing 9-year-old daughter, Felicity--the daughter Erica claims is Michael's. And so the journey begins... Is Felicity really Michael's daughter? Is she missing because Erica was a negligent mother? Why does Erica think Michael can help find her?

I loved the pacing of this book. Author David Bell weaves so many questions into a taut ending that snuck up on me! Short chapters that alternated among the viewpoints of Michael, Angela, and the detectives working the case made it easy to find a stopping point if I needed to (I didn't want to stop reading, but, y'know, young kids, work, life, ugh). The suspense remained pretty high and tense throughout.

As a lover of psychological thrillers, I'd absolutely recommend this novel to anyone looking for a next great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for a free ARC of Somebody's Daughter by David Bell in exchange for an honest review.

David Bell has had previous success with psychological suspense novels, and this new one will likely find an appreciative audience as well. Characters here though seemed to veer between generic, undeveloped and stereotypical. Minor characters muddled the plot events rather than providing well-crafted red herrings, and the ending was underwhelming.

Disappointed as I had high hopes for this story. A nine-year-old girl is missing, and her mother contacts the supposed father, who knows nothing about being her dad, claiming he has to help her find their child. The race is on, with many suspects and possible clues, but it is all wrapped up in one evening. Not believable, unfortunately.

A child is missing. Whose child is this little girl Felicity? There are lots of possibilities introduced as the search was on for her. It was very suggestive throughout – maybe him, maybe her … or him – but it got to be irritating, and I began to think, let’s get this over with.

If this tale was supposed to be a psychological drama it fell short. The buildup of suspense was long, drawn out, very repetitive and was loaded with highly improbable situations. People were dropping in on others during the middle of the night, and Griffin, the cop, was in jeopardy with possible firing for something very minor. Situations were described once and then again several times after that. I got weary of hearing of Robyn’s death all those years ago.

The book was peppered with surprises, but then it got to be twist after twist and just too many of those surprises. The ‘cliffhangers’ at the end of each chapter got to be annoying along with too many innuendos that would lead a character to jump to a wrong conclusion.

The characters were not strong personalities, but rather were weak, shallow, and generally unlikable. Who didn’t see the ending coming from a mile away. And we still don’t know whose kid Felicity is.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book.