The Perfect Daughter, by D. J. Palmer, is a slow-building mystery surrounding the topic of DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder). This is a controversial, complex mental illness in which a person experiences “alters”, or alternative personalities, sometimes aware of their existence, sometimes not. In The Perfect Daughter, adopted daughter Penny, is found to have murdered her birth mother, quite brutally. This is not her first run-in with the law, but this crime doesn’t in any way fit with Penny’s personality. Could it be her evil alter Eve? If so, is it Penny’s fault, or could she have been set up? Penny doesn’t remember a thing, but her mother is determined to find the truth no matter the cost.

The story is immediately intriguing due to the well-researched and intriguing topic, but it does get a bit bogged down with clinical information and extraneous details, some of which perhaps set the scene, but don’t necessarily add to the main plot. As a result, I found myself less invested in the plot and had a hard time keeping track of who was who and what was happening.

The story does take a wild turn at the end, which was quite shocking and interesting, though a bit outrageous. It’s followed by the epilogue, which is unfortunately, somewhat off-topic and rambling. All-in-all, despite an arresting topic and riveting conclusion, the story was a bit too long, didn’t quite hold my attention, and might have been benefited from a more streamlined approach with the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is another great book by author DJ Palmer. I was interested and drawn in from the first page and loved reading it from start to finish. Lots of twists and turns.

Interesting concept, but I found this book very hard to read. I also found it quite confusing, thank you for the opportunity to read it.

This was such a page turner! I loved it from start to finish! I kept guessing. Trying to figure it out but i couldn’t! I absolutely love being in the dark and having theories and being surprised in the end. It was a gripping, end of your seat novel! I really loved how each chapter had me saying, just one more! Something was always happening to keep me engaged and wanting to turn the page. I really felt for the family. I really couldn’t tell if it was real or not, the DID. I wasn’t sure if i wanted her to be guilty or not. But i loved this book and i would definitely recommend it!

As Grace Francone comes home, she finds the police pulling up to her door. They inform her that her sixteen-year-old daughter has been arrested for murder. They conclude that Penny must be guilty as she was found near the victim, covered in blood. When they find the secret relationship between Penny and the victim her fate is practically sealed. The only question is if she will spend the rest of her life in prison or in a mental facility as her attorney plans to use an insanity defense. A new director enters the facility and Grace is determined to save her daughter. As Penny has been diagnosed with DID, formerly known as multiple personality disorder Grace begs him to take on Penny’s case to find out the truth. Each of the characters in this book have so many layers it will keep you guessing until the end. I couldn’t put it down until the shocking end that I never saw coming! If you like psychological thrillers, you will be captivated by this book.

Also reviewed on B&N under 1IrishEyes430 and Kobo under IrishEyes430

Reading Between the Wines book review #49/115 for 2021:
Rating: 4 🍷 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 🎧: The Perfect Daughter
Author: D.J. Palmer
Genre: General Fiction (Adult)
RELEASED on April 20, 2021!!! Get your copy!!
Recommended to readers who like a psychological thriller about dissociative disorders/multiple personalities.

Sipping thoughts: Multiple personality disorder, split personalities, or dissociative disorder-however you recognize it-has been one of my favorite psychological disorders that can be written about or made into film. It is so interesting to me and the polarizing views on whether it is a true disorder, or some made up phenomenal makes it that more interesting. Following Penny on this journey to see if she is a murderer who made a mistake or a psychopath faking her disorder (ala Primal Fear) was such a thrilling ride. I thought I knew where the story was headed but Palmer throws not one but two late twists in the mix that had my jaw dropping. You are going to want to add this to your immediate TBR today!

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley, @MacmillanAudio, and @djpalmerauthor for an advanced copy of @ThePerfectDaughter

#ThePerfectDaughter #MacmillanAudio #DJPalmer #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThriller #GeneralFictionAdult

After Grace discovers an abandoned 4-year old girl in a park, she knows the little one is destined to be her daughter. Grace fights hard to foster the girl and ultimately adopts her into the family. Grace and her husband, Arthur, have two boys, Ryan and Jack, but Grace has always wanted to mother a daughter. That relationship is just so special.

As it turns out, mothering this particular little girl, named Penny by her older brother, Jack, is more challenging than Grace initially anticipated. Penny, due to trauma in her early life, has suffered a schism within her psyche, outwardly displayed as a case of Dissociative Identity Disorder, or DID. Once known as Multiple Personality Disorder, Grace and the rest of the family are slowly introduced to Penny's alters, Ruby, Chloe and Eve.

When Penny is accused of killing her birth mother, caught red handed at the woman's apartment, Grace knows there has to be another explanation. Her sweet Penny would never be capable of such violence. But would one of her alters? Would Eve, the most aggressive and openly hostile?

Penny gets arrested, and subsequently committed, to Edgewater Psychiatric Hospital for care and treatment prior to her trial. It is there that she comes under the care of the perceptive, Dr. Mitch McHugh.

The Perfect Daughter is a fast-paced and intriguing Psychological Suspense novel. Palmer did a great job of keeping the tension high throughout the story. I was constantly questioning who, or what, to believe. I know that mental health and disorders can be a complicated topic to write about, but I never felt icky about this. It felt like Palmer handled the topic with care, never demonizing Penny simply because she suffered from DID.

In signature Palmer style, this did get pretty wild towards the end, but it was a heck of a lot of fun to read. He definitely has a brand and style he keeps returning to, and you know what, it works for me. It may be a little far-fetched, but it keeps me coming back every time!!! The audiobook is fantastic, highly recommend that medium, as the narrators truly sweep you up into the story!

Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies of this to read and review. In my opinion, this is Palmer's best work yet, and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Grace's daughter Penny, has been arrested for a crime that she doesn't think she committed. The issue? Penny has several personalities and Grace isn't convinced that while Penny is innocent that perhaps one of the personalities is behind the crime.

The newest psychiatrist thinks that the answer is locked and hidden deep inside Penny.

Can he help her before it's too late?

This book was ok - it didn't keep my attention as much as I had hoped as I've read other books by this author that I enjoyed more.

Grace Francone has returned home to find her 16-year-old daughter, Penny, missing along with the car that had belonged to her now deceased father. Then, police arrive to say Penny has been arrested for murdering a woman named Rachel Boyd, who is her birth mother. Penny is covered in blood and is calling herself Eve. She also says she doesn’t remember anything.

Penny has been diagnosed with Dissociative Identify Disorder (DID) also known as multiple personalities. Her personalities are Penny (herself); Eve, a dark personality; Chloe, a perfectionist; and Ruby, who speaks with a British accent. Penny has been in trouble before with writing death threats.

Grace also has two sons, Ryan and Jack, both at college in Boston. They love their sister and are worried about her.

Grace’s attorney, Greg Navarro, gets Penny placed in a psychiatric hospital under the care of Dr. Mitch McHugh. She is now there for 18 months awaiting trial. The hospital is very secure but also houses some dangerous criminals.

Grace is willing to fight with every ounce of her being for her daughter. Her love for Penny is perfectly written in the book. Mitch has his own demons that he is fighting as well. The story is very intense to the point that I had to take small breaks from reading it. It is extremely educational though and I believe anyone wanting to learn more about this disorder would do well to read the book. The ending knocked me for a loop, but I was happy with the way things worked out in the end. If you are looking for a book to challenge and educate you, this is the one. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Loved this book by one of new favorite authors!
This book draws you in, makes you fall in love with Penny and Grace, has you hoping for another answer to the mystery of who killed Rachel!

Could not put this book down - so glad I didn't! Never saw the answer coming - thought I knew "who did it" but not was I wrong!!

Thanks to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for an advanced ecopy of The Perfect Daughter by DJ Palmer. I just finished this COMPLETELY addictive thriller and switched between Kindle and Audio for an ideal experience. I first read DJ Palmer last year when I got an ARC of his last book, The New Husband. I learned at that time that DJ Palmer writes childrens' POV really well. In The Perfect Daughter, he has only gotten better at writing unique POVs. This book is written mostly from the perspective of a mother as well as the Psychiatrist of a teen who has been diagnosed with Disassociative Identity Disorder (DID), formerly referred to as Multiple Personality Disorder. The teen has been accused of a gruesome murder. The mother is determined to save the daughter from a life in prison as she feels the girl could not be held accountable for her actions even if she did the murder based on her psychiatric problems. She also holds out hope that her daughter might not have even been the person who committed the murder despite overwhelming evidence.

We learn that DID is still a very controversial condition that not all psychiatrists even believe is a real condition. Meaning, using that diagnosis as Penny's sole defense is not an option. The novel is spent between the mother trying to find out what really happened-either what caused Penny to murder or who might have been responsible if not Penny- and Penny's new Psychiatrist in the Prison Psychiatric Hospital trying to get through Penny's personalities to determine whether she actually has the condition, and if so, did one of her alternate personalities know who did the murder or the motive.

In addition to the mother's rabid quest to save her daughter, she is also dealing with her two sons who have always experienced the side effects of their mother's devotion to such a troubled daughter. They are in turns loyal and resentful of all Penny's problems have caused and how much of their mother they lost due to her devotion to Penny. A portion of the novel is written from the perspective of the younger of the two sons, who is close to Penny's age.

Getting to the resolution of the mystery was really entertaining. I enjoyed learning about DID. I enjoyed exploring what a potential family dynamic would look like if one member of the family had such a mental disorder, particularly if that member were adopted as an older child. There was quite a bit of misdirection at times, and a few surprises along the way. The book was not predictable and didn't stretch belief enough to be annoying. I would definitely recommend the print or audio versions of The Perfect Daughter to any of thriller lover. DJ Palmer is definitely a new must-read author for me after enjoying these first two I have read.

Actual rating: 3.5 out of 5

I was having a hard time deciding to round up or round down. After reading some of the reviews I decided to round down. The book was entertaining enough and the premise was interesting: Penny, a young girl diagnosed with DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) is found covered in blood next to a murdered woman. While awaiting trial, Penny is sent to a psychiatric ward to be evaluated. Does she really have DID or is she faking it? Was this murder planned? Penny's mother, Grace, will do anything to save her daughter from a life in prison.

But there were some things that bothered me:

I found Grace's character unlikeable. There were too many actions that were over the top (ex. getting DNA on her own). I also hated how she was willing for the family (her husband's family) business to go under. But the biggest problem with Grace was her total devotion to Penny above all else and ignoring the problems with her other two children. Was it because Penny was daughter she always wanted?

In the middle of the book, the pace of the story started to slow down. Things became repetitive and I started to get bored (especially reading the epilogue).

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and D.J. Palmer for a copy of "The Perfect Daughter" in exchange of an honest review.

When the police show up at Grace’s front door, she receives the news no mother wants to hear: her daughter, Penny, has been arrested for murder. And not just murdering anyone, but her birth mother, Rachel Boyd.

It is revealed that Penny, who was abandoned in a park at age 4, and found (and later adopted) by Grace, has DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder). However, some doctors do not believe the diagnosis is real, and it is up to Dr. Mitch McHugh to figure out if Penny is telling the truth, or has them all fooled.

The story is told from three alternating POVs: Grace, Dr. Mitch McHugh, and Jack (Penny’s adoptive brother). This psychological thriller has many twists and turns, and also teaches the readers so much information about DID, formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder.

I absolutely loved this book. I am intrigued by DID already, and this novel was incredibly well-written. It shows exactly how far a mother will go to protect her child. I definitely recommend this book to others!

Thank you Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press, and D.J. Palmer for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read this arc and provide my honest review.

I’ll start with, I love the cover of this book. It’s different than the common ones we normally see (the back of a woman or something similar), while still being relevant to the story, though not completely obvious the first 2/3rds of the book. I love books that center on psychological issues or mental health issues, especially when researched and presented accurately, and this one delivers one of my “favorite” disorders (favorite in that it’s interesting and intriguing, not favorite in that I’m glad people suffer from it). Nonetheless, I felt mostly connected to the handful of main characters, enough to care about the outcome and how the story would end. There was also misdirection of course, which is to be expected of this genre but it didn’t go out of its way nor did it ruin the story in trying to be far fetched like some stories have been. Overall, I would recommend this book to family and friends that are interested in psychological thrillers.

DJ Palmer has found his niche writing strong mothers that will do anything to save their daughters. He hooks you from the beginning and keeps you on your toes as the story unfolds. This is a must read.

Another great read from DJ Palmer! The Perfect Daughter was a fascinating read for me. I really enjoyed the story of the Francone family and their relarionship with Penny, their adopted daughter/sister throughout her being accused of murder and the trial that occurs. I would say I rate this book three and a half stars. I enjoyed the story but felt as though there was a side story about the psychologist assisting Penny that wasn’t quite meshing with the rest of the story. I also had a small bit of trouble with figuring out whose point of view each chapter was from as they weren’t always clear from the first sentence of each. Overall, a page turner that you’ll probably want to just sit and read in one day.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin Press for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

Penny Francone has been arrested for murder. It's not looking good. She has the victim's blood literally on her hands, and her face, and through her hair. It's as though she's painted herself with the blood. She's also been arrested before, for a extremely ruthless and graphic hit list her and a friend concocted. Her birth mother was on the list, and guess who the victim is? Like I said, it's not looking good.

But even worse is that Penny has Disassociative Identity Disorder, she has multiple alters that cause Penny to act completely different and result in memory loss so she can't remember, or won't, anything about the night her birth mother was murdered.

What unfolds is a twisting story involving all the faucets of one person, complicated looks into mental health and mental disorders. We're constantly meeting new alters of Penny and the reader is trying to unravel the facts from the night in question along with Penny's mother, Grace, and her psychologist, Dr. Mitch McHugh.

I was kept guessing left and right, I couldn't anticipate which direction one of Penny's alters would lead us or where DJ Palmer's writing would take us.

Easily the best work I've read from DJ Palmer. The dedication, care, and detail Palmer puts into the research for his books speaks volumes to his commitment to quality writing and entertainment. He doesn't hear about something like DID and let his imagination run wild, instead he thoroughly investigates his subject matter and is sure to reflect all the nuances of it in his plot.

The Perfect Daughter by DJ Palmer explores the concept of mental illness and murder. Penny was adopted as a young child into a loving family. As Penny matured her family realized that there were multiple personalities residing within Penny. One night Penny is found standing over the body of her birth mother. Penny's adoptive other is desperate to prove Penny's innocence. Read and enjoy!

Wow, this book was absolutely fascinating and gripping! I am a huge fan of psychology and books about children with psychological and/or mental health issues (does that make me strange?) so I was definitely invested and hooked by The Perfect Daughter! I have read DJ Palmer before and I am always impressed by his talented ability to write such intriguing books. I learned so much while reading this book and gobbled up every word not only for the knowledge about a mysterious yet alluring illness, but also because I did not want to stop reading about Penny and her life. I couldn’t stop guessing and kept getting completely thrown off track repeatedly. My brain, my heart, and my mind had extensive aerobic workouts while reading this book!

The author either performed extensive research or has had personal experiences to write this because there was so much detail and so many facts and pieces of data from the medical, legal, and every day living it sides of it. I was incredibly impressed by all of it!

Thrilling, fascinating, and surprising throughout THE ENTIRE BOOK!

#netgalley #theperfectdaughter @stmartinspress @djpalmerauthor

This was a great story! I really enjoyed learning about D.I.D. This is a disorder that I truly didn't know much about, and I liked the way the story focused on it. It was a bit heartbreaking honestly. Reading about the emotional struggles that the family goes through was hard. The thriller aspect of the story was great as well! I loved the secrets, and the big reveals. It was well thought out, and I did not know where the story was going to go until it happened!

I highly recommend this for readers that enjoy thrillers with a legal aspect. I listened to the audio of this book as well as reading the e-book. I enjoyed the narrators! They did an excellent job!

Content warning: Child abuse.

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.