The Perfect Daughter by D. J. Palmer

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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Story Notes

Wow.....just wow! This is my second DJ Palmer book and it was exactly what I expected and so much more. There was a superb villain, hidden until the end of the story; a deeply delved mystery; and a journey into the world of mental illness that left me open-mouthed at its complexity. I've seen some pretty good psychological thrillers that are a little lacking in the face of this story. And, as its good enough to want to keep from telling secrets, I refuse to spoil it for anyone. But I will recommend it to others (definitely want to read with the lights on) and hope they will go down the rabbit hole of this chilling story and come out the other side officially blown away.

I received this temporary complimentary E-book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in order to provide a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

I swore off “psychological thrillers” after that awful Silent Patient book because I find the whole ‘are they crazy or aren’t they’ tedious. This one, however, was actually interesting. That being said, this book was so way, way too long. I was eager to find out what happened and if my guess was right (it wasn’t) and it just kept dragging on and on. I skimmed so many pages just to get it over with already. Which is disappointing because this book was otherwise well written and the characters were really interesting. But. The reveal honestly made me want to throw the book against the wall which I would have done if I hadn’t been reading this on my Kindle. I didn’t see it coming, but it’s a big fat eye-roll for me. I don’t even know how to rate this one because I hated the reveal that much.

This book is so full of mystery, suspense, multiple personality disorder and how little we know about mental illness.

Penny is a 16 year old murderer (or is she). Is she going to spend the rest of her life in a mental health facility or prison?

Many thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for this advanced readers copy. This book released in April 2021.

Holy plot twist! I am a huge thriller fan and was starting to get to the point nothing really surprised me. This. Twist. Shocked. Me. Up until about the page before it happened, I had absolutely ZERO clue how the book would end. I couldn’t even come up with possible theories because there were so many twists and turns. A huge round of applause to Palmer for keeping me on my toes.

That being said, there were some elements I struggled with. Specifically the story line with Ryan. The drama and his behavior could of easily been left out with little impact to the book. I also thought the epilogue could of been scrapped. While I appreciated Mitch having that moment with his son, it was such a minor plot point (to me) it seemed odd to make it the focus of the epilogue. I would of rather read more about life after the trial for Francone family.

Overall a highly enjoyable suspense novel that will keep you guessing until the end! I was already a fan of Palmer before and I can’t wait to read what he publishes next.

This book was a bit predictable. I appreciated that the author took Dissociative Identity Disorder seriously and handled mental illness in a appropriate way. But when the twist was unrevealed, I rolled my eyes. It just didn't do it for me. Also, what was the point of the brothers in this book? What did they really add? Nothing to me.

I can't remember what it was when I was a kid that got me fascinated with DID/MPD (Dissociative Identity Disorder/Multiple Personality Disorder). I deep dived into this (as much as I could because the internet wasn't what it is now back then - yes I'm aging myself....) and there was so much controversy on this subject - still is I *think*. So when I started reading this and saw the main topic was about a girl with possible DID... I was instantly hooked.
This starts off very strong - we meet Penny, who may or may not have killed someone.. and if she actually did, was it really her... or one of her alters (Chloe, Ruby, Eve)? I think the author did an amazing job with the back and forth in characters/personalities. My heart went out to her... and to her family who had adopted her years ago. As the chapters went on, I did unfortunately feel my attention start to wane a bit. While I did feel it was a bit repetitive at times, it kind of needed to be considering the personalities within Penny and how they reacted individually to certain moments... but it did also stretch the story at times. I certainly didn't see the ending coming so the reveal was definitely a surprise. And to be honest, I'm not really sure how I feel about it. I like that it kinda came out of left field.. but I also groaned a little bit because whyyyyyyyy. I also felt the epilogue was unnecessary - I mean, I'm glad we got to see that part tied up a little bit but it felt off from the rest of it since it relates more to a side story. Just my preference.

Personally, I did have a lot of fun with this read. It's a subject matter that I'm interested in and a mix of psychological/domestic thrillery goodness that I enjoy. My second book by this author and I have a third on my shelf that I'm looking forward to. Definitely an author I will continue to read. While the first two books have been middle of the road for me, there's just something compelling about this author that I can't stay away from.

While I was not always a huge fan of the mother, Grace, I appreciated her love for her daughter. This book goes to show the length a mother will go for her family. The ending was also a bit unbelievable, but overall, I really enjoyed this novel and felt it was very well-written with respect to mental health/illness and cannot wait to see what DJ Palmer comes up with next!

Pick this up if you are looking for:
-compelling thriller
-DID (dissociative identity disorder)
-multiple POVs
-mother/daughter relationship (importance of family)
.
Many thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for am honest review!

This book tackles a very interesting topic, The author delivers characters that are both are intriguing and well developed. The story is as intriguing and gripping.

Grace Francone has returned home from a run to find her sixteen year old daughter, Penny gone. She has no idea where she could be, as this is not something she normally does. Within minutes, two police officers are at her door informing her that her daughter is at the police station on suspicion of murder. Penny was found holding the murder weapon and covered in blood. Not only that, but the murdered woman is her biological mother. Penny remembers nothing about the night nor the incident. She ends up in a psychiatric hospital under the care of Dr. Mitch McHugh. Grace is positive that Penny is innocent, and if she did commit the crime, it was another of her personalities that did it, you see, Penny suffers from DID, Dissociative Identity Disorder. Hiring a lawyer and working with her doctor, Grace spends all her time trying to prove Penny's innocence.

Whenever I read a book that deals with a real mental illness, I always go in with some trepidation. I really liked the way D.J. Palmer portrays Penny's disorder. The doctor also explains about DID in very to understand terms, although it is a very complex disorder. Having said that, I did enjoy this story very much. The characters were very well developed. The story was told from the POVs of Grace and her younger son. Grace is a nurturing and loving mother who is as strong as steel inside, and will stop at nothing to free her daughter. It’s how she goes about doing this that propels the story forward. The story is fast paced as time is of the essence to find a lawyer, find the evidence and prove Penny's innocence. The descriptions and situations of the psychiatric hospital were disturbing and if they are realistic, I would not want any of my family to be there. The Francone family is not without it's cracks before this ordeal starts and it is a delicate balance to hold it together. Not only is there a mystery of what actually happened that night, but there is a mystery about Penny's birth and early life that ended up with her alone in a park when she was very young. As the pieces to the puzzle are figured out, I was once again racing through this story to see where it was going. The addition of Dr. McHugh's personal issues gave him a human side and showed why he worked so hard with Grace to find an answer. The final twists and secrets came as a total shock, but I loved it. A very well written story that I definitely recommend. Another author that will have me checking out their backlist.

When Grace finds four-year-old Penny abandoned in the park, she feels an immediate connection with her. Convincing her husband to adopt Penny isn't easy, however, Grace believes that Penny is the daughter she has always wanted. Flash forward to today, Sixteen-year-old Penny is discovered covered in blood, holding a weapon next to the corpse of her biological mother. Grace already has her hands full trying to keep the family pizza restaurant open, however, she is determined to do anything to prove Penny's innocence. Penny remembers nothing from that night, and she is confined in the state mental hospital awaiting a trial. While there she is treated by Dr. Mitchell McHugh to determine if she has Dissociative Identity Disorder. Is Penny a victim of multiple personalities or a master manipulator and a cold blooded killer?
I love the many twists and turns of Palmer's plots. Penny's many personalities fascinate me in their uniqueness and believability. Grace's single-mindedness keeps her from seeing what's right in front of her. I kept telling myself just one more chapter and then I'll go to bed. Of course, I didn't and then it was done. Perfect escape reading, this story will suck you in and not let you go until you understand why the killer had no choice.

**Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Grace’s daughter, Penny, has been accused of murder and locked up in a psychiatric hospital. All the evidence clearly points to Penny, aside from a lack of motive. Grace blames herself and begins to look for treatment for Penny, as Penny has Dissociative Identity Disorder or DID. Grace pushes to find out the truth about what happened and finds herself working with Dr. Mitch McHugh, who works at the psychiatric hospital. He and Grace begin to uncover information that may change everything.

Overall, this story was only okay for me. It was interesting to consider the elements of Penny’s multiple personalities and how that played into her guilt or innocence. I felt like some parts of the book were a little confusing or unnecessary to the story. I didn’t feel very invested in the characters and the story didn’t evoke strong feelings in me (aside from the horror at the scene with the cat being killed). It took me a long time to read this book, as I wasn’t super engaged or motivated to continue. There was a decent twist at the end of the book. I think there is a good idea for a story here, but it needs to be refined to really shine.

DNF 40%

I don’t think it was the book. It’s me. I just couldn’t do it. I picked up this book multiple times. I got 40% the way in and just couldn’t read it any further. My head felt like it was spinning while trying to read it.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and D. J. Palmer for the chance to read and review. It just wasn’t for me.

I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an excellent book! This was my first book by D.J. Palmer and I think I will be reading the rest of his books.

The premise is excellent. Grace finds a little girl alone at a park and feels a connection with her. Her family formally adopt her and name her Penny. The girl's name is Isabella but she doesn't respond to that name.

As time goes by, Penny starts showing other personalities. They are completely different from Penny and behave strangely. Grace's family takes her to different psychologists until one finally diagnoses her condition as DID (dissociative identity disorder). But when the family finally has something to move forward with, Penny is discovered at a murder scene, covered in blood and with the murder weapon in hand. There is no doubt that she is the murderer but there is no motive. And Penny seems to have disappeared completely, only her alter ego is present now.

The whole novel shows us glimpses of her therapy and keeps us guessing - does Penny have DID or is she a sociopath? Was she so abused in her former home that she created multiple personalities simply to deal with it all?

The author has done a ton of research on the topic and there are no loose ends and no jarring loopholes. The characters are excellent, especially Penny.

Must read of 2021.

4.5 stars.

When Grace Francone and her son, Jack, find a 4-year-old alone in the park, in not dressed for the rain, she’s shocked. She sticks with her and falls in love, eventually convincing her husband to foster, then adopt her. Penny is an answer to Grace’s prayers, the perfect daughter. Or is she? Thirteen years later, when the police show up to notify her that Penny has been arrested in a brutal murder, she’s shocked, but not surprised when the detective tells her that her daughter is calling herself Eve. She is shocked to hear that the victim is Penny’s birth mother, whom she had no idea she was in contact with. Grace hires a lawyer and embarks on proving that her Penny, who has been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, could not have killed anyone. Did she? Or did one of her alters? Do her alters really exist or is it all Penny? Grace finds, somewhat, an ally in Dr. Mitchell McHugh, the new doctor in charge at the facility Penny is placed in awaiting trial. Mitch has his own problems, but though he’s not sure, he’s willing to reserve judgement until he can work with Penny.
Told from multiple viewpoints, we see how Grace, Mitch, and Jack each view Penny’s situation and diagnosis, and work through their feelings on her guilt or innocence. Jack, an aspiring filmmaker, presents an interesting view on Penny and her past as it relates to the present, and it was a nice counterpoint to Grace’s unwavering view and Mitch’s clinical hesitancy. I enjoyed the work to puzzling things out and Mitch’s determination not to give Grace false hope with Penny’s diagnosis. I must admit, I shared the doctor’s hesitancy and enjoyed the journey through the twists.
The Perfect Daughter was and interesting and engaging read that had me turning the pages, as I followed the paths the twists took me down.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#ThePerfectDaughter #DJPalmer #StMartinsPress

Meh.
It's not horrible, but it's also not overly interesting.
I had a lot of trouble getting into the story since the characters were all so lackluster.
I just didn't care about any of them.
Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the DRC.

The Perfect Daughter by D. J. Palmer is both thrilling and thought provoking. Grace is shocked when her sixteen -year-old daughter Penny is arrested for murdering her birth mother. Although Penny is found at the crime scene covered in the victim's blood, Grace believes there must be another explanation. Penny suffers from multiple personality disorder (DID) and Palmer does an amazing job of explaining this condition to his reader. Grace puts her trust in Penny's psychiatrist and lawyer, but personally investigates all aspects of the murder. Did one of Penny's alter personalities commit the crime or was Penny framed? Grace will not rest until she discovers the truth.

D.J.Palmer's first book [book:Saving Meghan|40122065] was a hit. His 2nd was a miss . This one although better than his last does not reach Saving Meghan status.

<b>The Perfect Daughter</b> starts right in with the action. Grace comes home to an empty house. Assumes her daughter is out and about like most teenagers. That is until she gets that knockon the door. The police are there. A woman has been murdered and Penny was found in the victim's house covered in her blood holding the murder weapon. No one knows her motive but given the evidence it's hard to see Penny as anything but guilty. The question is does she really have Multiple Personality Disorder? Or is she a psychopath that has been playing them for years? Grace believes in Penny's innocence. But how does she go about proving it knowing that at least one of her alters has violent tendencies?

Of the characters in the book I think Mitch was my favorite. Palmer gives background on the doctor's struggles with mental illness and his son's with drug addiction. He comes off as humanly flawed, compassionate and well meaning. Although Jack is one of the narrators the focus is on his life as a child and as it relates to Penny. Ryan's meltdowns and issues with jealousy are understandable given the family's history but I would have liked to see his character more fleshed out. As a mom I understand Grace's position and I do not know any mother who would not go to the wall for their child. We would fight with our very last breath if we thought it would help our children. BUT the way she was going about it was putting her daughter in jeopardy. I don't think anyone would give a parent that much control over a criminal case or mental treatment.

Overall, good premise and I liked the way Palmer worked in the mental health facility into the narrative and his treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder DID. I would recommend this book for people who enjoy fast paced thrillers and unreliable narrators.

This book was a great thriller! I would recommend it to anyone who loves great mystery novels. As a reader, I was hooked right from the beginning.

Very interesting story about a girl accused of killing her birth mother. The catch is the girl had several different personalities. Personally I didn't really latch on to any of the characters in the book, but overall this was a good story.

Great thriller with interesting plot! Loved the insight into mental illness and multiple personalities. Kept me guessing until the end! I look forward to more from this author!