There’s a lot of sadness in this story – how Penny became a part of the Francone family, the loss of one family member, Penny’s arrest, and learning about her mental issues before and after her arrest for murder.

As Penny is placed in a mental institution waiting trial, Dr. McHugh is fascinated with her case and working to determine if she has Disassociate Identity Disorder or just psychotic. Grace, the mother, is determined to do everything she can to save her daughter. It was interesting to see the various personas show up and why and what they bring to the mystery.

It was a little confusing at times to realize the POV had changed to Jack, Penny’s brother, as he talks about details of Penny, the case and his plans to make a movie about the events while he’s attending college.

A thought flickered across my mind close to the beginning of the story, but I didn’t realize until the end how important that event became. The story moved at a slow pace until closer to the end. The ending came with several surprises and you realize just how intricate the various parts of the story are and how it affected Penny.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing the opportunity to read this new work.

Get ready for twists and turns and yells of surprise and frantic paging backwards to make sure of what you actually read.
"The Perfect Daughter" takes the reader on a ride you won't forget easily. Just when you think you've got things sorted in your mind and know exactly what is happening......................then the author tosses another bombshell in which makes you re-evaluate what you know and what you think will be happening.
The reader is kept alert right until the last word and then the disappointment kicks in that the book is finished.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the chance to read this superb book.

3.5 stars

Grace returns home to find her daughter, Penny along with the car of missing. Penny is a teenager so initially Grace chalks it up to her teen taking the car without permission. Shortly, thereafter there is a knock on the door. The knock that changes everything. She is told her daughter is at the police station having been arrested - the charge: MURDER.

Thus begins the tale, as the book progresses, we learn that Penny is diagnosed with DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder). Grace and her husband, Arthur, adopted Penny after Grace found Penny abandoned in a park. They know little about her life before Grace found Penny as she would not speak or share what happened to her.

Now, Grace is fighting to help her daughter in any way that she can. But it is not an easy case as Penny's alters emerge. Could one of them hold the truth to what happened that night?

There are plenty of twists and turns and the most interesting ones come at the end (as they tend to do) which ties everything up. Perhaps too neatly? Decide for yourself. Readers will get the answers. Will you have seen the ending coming? I did see one reveal coming - I have limited experience with DID on a professional level, add that with being an avid reader of mystery/suspense/thriller books, which led me to think "hmmm.... I wonder if......."

For me, the book started off interesting as we learn of Penny's arrest, and we begin to slowly be introduced to her diagnosis, and how she became a member of their family. But along the way the pace slows down, and it tends to just hoover a little before picking up quite nicely at the end. Although I enjoyed the ending, you must suspend some disbelief. Some will have to suspend a lot of belief.

Plus, if you are not familiar with DID, this book does give a description to what is a widely debated and polarizing diagnosis in the Mental Health field.


Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

I received an ARC of this complex story. Many surprises in this family tale, bringing to light an unusual situation, a little understood psychological problem and a mystery. Things are not what they appear to be on the surface. Intriguing and fascinating, I highly recommend!

3.5-4 stars...

Woah! What a wild ride this was…

Honestly, I found it most interesting reading about the mental disorder – DID, and all the psychology behind it. CLEARLY, a ton of research went into writing this book, to transcribe about such a heavy issue. I not only found it fascinating to learn about the multiple “alters” of DID, but also felt tremendous empathy and compassion for individuals and families who suffer from this. Not only does it seem traumatizing at points but requires extreme patience, for all those involved.

Aside from that, the thriller aspect of this book was riveting at times, but also a little repetitive, and I think it could’ve been a little shorter.

Thank you to the publisher/netgalley for my gifted review copy – OUT TUE 4/20!

When I first opened this book, I almost didn't finish it, because I thought it was just another Dissociative Identity thriller. I've read way too many of those as the answer for all the weird stuff that goes on during a thriller. However, rather than use DID as the big reveal, the big plot twist at the end, DJ Palmer bravely introduces it at the start, and really tries to explore how a person with DID might end up in the situation that Penny/Eve/Chloe finds herself. We spent a lot of time family and friends of the person with DID too, complicated emotions and relationships. I cannot imagine the ridiculous amount of research it took to really understand the LIFE of a person with DID, and so I have to give this one a full 5 stars! Well done,

This is by far my favorite book DJ Palmer has written. The characters, plots, suspense, heart aches, tragedy, and in depth explanations of certain mental illnesses are so remarkably well thought out and well written.

Grace never imagined that when she found the little girl in the park, adopted her, and named her Penny that she would have a daughter with several personalities. Now, Penny is accused of killing her birth mother, but which personality did it? Was it Penny, Ruby, Chloe, or Eve?

Each personality of this girl that comes through holds a certain key to memories that are locked up in Penny's mind. Dr. Mitch tries working with her in hopes of uncovering the truth before she is set to go on trial.

If you like intense psychological thrillers, then this book is for you! It will keep you on the edge of your seat and has an ending SO shocking that it will blow your mind!!! Trust me, this ending is one you WON'T see coming.

I was drawn into this book quickly, but there were a few times I felt the story dragged on . Not only is the story fresh, but it gives a unique look at DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder)
Penny is five years old when she is adopted by Grace and Arthur, who already have 2 sons, after Grace finds her abandoned in a park. As Penny ages, the family begins to see odd behavior. She’s diagnosed with DID when she’s around 13.
One day, the police show up at the house and tell Grace that her daughter has been arrested for murder and the victim is Penny‘s biological mother. While awaiting trial, Penny stays in a mental hospital where I need after tries to get to the bottom of her disorder. In the meantime, Grave and one of her sons are trying to prove that Penny could not have done this horrible act.
Overall, I feel that some of the book could have been shortened because I think some of the information wasn’t necessary for the advancement of the story. Much thanks to NetGalley for an advanced e-book copy
#ThePerfectDaughter #NetGalley

If you are looking for a book with a different spin on intrigue, then The Perfect Daughter would be an excellent choice.

The focus of the story is on Penny - a young woman with a history of mental health issues - when she is accused of committing a crime. The case seems open and shut, but she has the die hard support of her mother.

Told from alternating points of view, this is a captivating read that was hard to put down. We saw the story from the lens of Grace (Penny’s mother), Jack (her brother), and Mitch (her doctor). Mr Palmer did an excellent job of pulling the various pieces of the story together through these moments so that the reader is invested and interested in the outcome of Penny’s case.

Well researched, The Perfect Daughter, gave the reader a glimpse into the complexities of mental health issues in the legal system as well as surprises along the way. This is the second book of Mr Palmer’s that I have read, but it won’t be the last.

Well written, fast-paced psychological thriller about a teenager with Dissociative Identity Disorder accused of killer her birth mother. I literally could not put it down. I read it in one day. Highly recommended

This book was like a roller coaster....a slow build-up before it dumps you down the hill and leaves your heart pounding not believing what you are reading.

Penny was found in the park by Grace Francone. Grace has two sons from her marriage but always wanted a daughter and when they discover that Penny was left alone and the mother willing to give up her rights to avoid prosecution, she finds this to be the perfect answer to her prayer. What she doesn't expect is to discover that Penny has DID - Dissociative Identity Disorder - or multiple personalities. I'm sure her family didn't know what to make of the various personalities and they mostly just went with the flow and didn't call attention to the alters.

Penny's two brothers have different feelings about her. One adores her and the other dislikes her intensely. I can see why, Grace seems to put a lot of her attention on Penny and when Penny is accused of killing her birth mother, Grace is willing to lose everything to save Penny. This includes the family restaurant and possibly even her family. But I have to admire and appreciate Grace's devotion to Penny and her belief that Penny is innocent. As the events unfold, we will learn what caused the split personalities to emerge and I can't even imagine what horrors Penny observed prior to being found in the park.

This book does move along a bit slower than the last 20% when everything unfolds and we learn the truth. I was quite shocked by the ending and did not expect that to happen. Everything that I believed was turned upside down.

There is one event in the book that turned my stomach tied to animal abuse. While I understand the importance of it to the story and revelations further in the story, it still gave me the heebie jeebies. There are other potential triggers for people including child abuse.

Overall, this was a psychological thriller that left me with a slightly better understanding of DID and how it can impact a family.

We give this 4 1/2 paws up.

D.J. Palmer's newest novel, The Perfect Daughter, is one of those books that will make you rethink assumptions.

It was the happiest day of her life, the day Grace adopted Penny. She would never have guessed that, years later, she'd be sitting beside her daughter as Penny was charged with murder. All signs point to Penny's guilt.

Yet Grace is convinced that there's more going on than meets the eyes. She knows that there is something different about Penny. Something that might explain the motive, and give reason to provide more care for Penny.

“You think my daughter murdered someone?”

The Perfect Daughter was every bit the book I expected and hoped it would be. It was a daring thriller, throwing in lots of surprises and twists along the way. Penny's situation is shockingly complex, even as Grace struggles to piece it all together.

I know that not everyone loves the core concept of Penny's story, so I'm going to be blunt about it here (in case the book's description didn't give it away). The Perfect Daughter deals heavily with DID – Dissociate Identity Disorder. Coupled with that are the traumas of Penny's past, and the dark journey Grace finds herself on while uncovering the truth.

It's a plot that people will either love or hate, depending on their mood. I enjoyed it, though I did find myself wishing at times that there was another explanation for what was going on. But that's neither here nor there.

What really got me is Grace's side of the story. She really felt like a mother jumping through every hoop available in order to save her daughter. It was beautiful and powerful to see, and it was impossible to do anything but root for her.

I’ll be honest I wasn’t expecting much for The Perfect Daughter, but I was tempted by @netgalley read only option a few months back.

I dnf saving Megan, and The New Husband was just ok to me. I’m happy to say I was wrong! This one was great!

I listened to most of this thanks to @macmillanaudio and the audio was perfect! The narrator did a great job of doing voices for different characters and really bringing life to this story. I usually don’t like the trope involved in this book, but the fact it wasn’t the twist and spelled out in the beginning made a big difference. When the twists were revealed I didn’t see them coming either. Definitely check this out if you have like the authors previous books, mysteries, or family centered suspense novels.

TW: Animal Cruelty (glad audio made this easy to skip over)

Release Date: April 2020, 2021

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @stmartinspress for my digital copies.

Wow….that is all I have to say about The Perfect Daughter by DJ Palmer..just wow…the ending. I did NOT see that coming at all… I could end it there but that would be a shite review, wouldn’t it?

Penny has DID which is short for Disassociative Identity Disorder or what use to be called Multiple Personality Disorder, and she has been found covered in blood, holding a knife kneeling down next to her birth mother's brutally murdered body. She is sent to an institute for the criminally insane until her trial. Her mother, is hell-bent on proving that Penny did not kill Rachel ( her birth mother ) But did she?

The book is a great psychological thriller with its horrific murder, and characters that were unpredictable and unreliable. The characters are all well developed, and the scenes with Penny or one of her alters ( the other personalities, Eve, Chloe, and Ruth ) are chilling to read. Palmer seemed to have really done his research on the disorder, and I really liked these moments in the book, learning a bit about the disorder with each scene.

The writing was brilliant and addictive and kept me reading late into the night. Palmer knows how to take the reader on a wild ride of twists and turns, throwing in plenty of roadblocks that will have you guessing if the path you were on was right.

The courtroom scene, which finally reveals the truth, is TV-worthy and will leave you re-reading to make sure you really read what you read. It is definitely a WTF moment.

Tense moments and certainly suspenseful, The Perfect Daughter will not disappoint the thriller fans.

Synopsis:
Penny is rescued by her adoptive mother, Grace, who found her abandoned at a local park. Years later during Penny’s senior year the police show up at her door and inform her she is charged with the murder of her biological mother. Penny has a multiple personality disorder and often relies on her several personalities to help her cope with her life or does she?

I was hooked from the beginning until the end of this book. There were lots of twists and turns I didn't see coming. Great characters and plot.

This is the 2nd book I've read by D.J. Palmer and I rated both 5 stars!

I was given a copy of the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you’re looking for a family centered psychological suspense, this is it! I was so grateful to read a physical ARC of this one because for me, those are much easier to read. Within the first few pages we find out that Penny has allegedly murdered Rachel, someone we’ll find out about later. Talk about starting out with a bang! Penny is an adopted teenager who has Dissociative Identity Disorder. Her mother, Grace will stop at nothing to try and prove her daughter’s innocence since Penny is locked up in a psychiatric ward until the trial. Penny and her alters (a term I learned about in this book) all present themselves at different times in the novel and her psychiatrist, Mitch, has to figure out if she is innocent, psychotic or has DID. Once I started this book it was tough to put down. It has a whodunit vibe and there are so many different angles in place that it kept me guessing the entire time. All the while, her brother Jack is creating a movie about the trial so we get to peek inside of his head too. This book had me guessing the entire time and I really thought I had it figured out, but I DIDN’T! I really appreciated the research D.J. Palmer put into the mental health disorders that the book was based around as well.

I have always been fascinated by multiple personality disorders and am drawn to movies where the condition takes center stage. I couldn't wait to jump into this book as a result.

Penny is plagued with multiple personalities (AKA DID, Disassociative Identify Disorder.) She is also a murderer.

Penny is found covered in blood in a house with a dead body and the murder weapon on her hand. The story follows Penny and her family after her arrest with flashbacks into her past, from both her mother's and brother's perspective.

Penny's mom, Grace, partners with Penny's psychiatrist and lawyer to help build her defense. I enjoyed the legal aspect as well as the deep dive into DID.

This is a fast and gripping story which captivated and intrigued me throughout most of the book; however, I felt the last quarter of the book dragged on a bit. I also wasn't thrilled with the ending, but can appreciate one size doesn't fit all.

Thank you St Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, I sure did not see that coming.. another fantastic, shocking thriller from D. J. Palmer! This story is about a 16 year old girl named Penny, who has been diagnosed with DID (Dissociative identity disorder - formerly known as multiple personality disorder). Penny is found covered in blood and holding a knife at a gruesome murder scene. I found it fascinating to watch her parents, siblings, doctor, lawyer and investigators try to uncover a past she has no memory of and figure out what really happened and what is wrong with Penny.. does she really have DID? What happened in her past to cause her memory lapse? I love reading mystery books and trying to find out what really happened and this one had lots of layers and personalities and secrets to untangle - it would make a great movie, as that's how I imagined it unfolding in my mind!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the DJ Palmer Author Group for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A suspenseful thriller! Mental illness and multiple personalities, subject matter that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Not my usual read, but i did enjoy it, just not late at night! Thanks to net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for a honest review.

The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my first book by D.J. Palmer and it won’t be my last.

Grace is a single parent, losing her husband to a heart attack. She is left to raise their 2 sons, Ryan & Jack, and their adoptive daughter, Penny. Penny came into their lives at a young age and is now 17 and is arrested for murdering her birth mom.

Penny has DID, Dissociative Identity Disorder, upon being arrested she is put in a state hospital. In the year and half that she is there Penny has not been present but one of her alters, Eve has taken over to protect them all. Eve has a history of cruelty and violence but Eve has no memory of the murder, is she pretending or did one of the other alters commit murder. Grace doesn’t believe her daughter did this and will stop at nothing to prover her daughter Penny’s innocence. She hires a lawyer, Greg Navarro, hopefully together they can prove her daughter’s innocent. But first they have to get Penny’s new Doctor, Dr. Mitchell McHugo, to believe she has DID and that she is not a pathological liar . (Like her previous Doctor believed). Together they must prove that Penny is not guilty and hope that she will not go to prison and stay in a Hospital or.... can Grace prove that her daughter is innocent all together.

I enjoyed this book and I think D.J. Palmer did a good job of researching DID to put together a great story. I definitely did not see the ending of this book coming!

I’d like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced ecopy in exchange for an honest review.