The Perfect Daughter is more than a thriller. It is a mystery that I found myself going back and forth trying to piece together. One more clue and my mind would be reeling and re-analyzing everything I thought I already knew. I felt like I was there with them, trying to draw out the alters to get yet another piece of the puzzle. Once it all came together, I was astounded at how well put together the mystery was. I can't say that I had it figured out from the beginning...or even the middle. Until nearly the very end, I didn't see it all coming together the way it did. Having the story told from several different POV's was a bit jarring at first but in the end, I was glad for it. To see different perspectives on what had been unearthed fed the story to me in the pieces I was able to consume. I totally enjoyed this story and a big part of that enjoyment was delving into mental health issues such as DID and depression.

Penny is rescued by her adoptive mother, Grace, who finds her abandoned at a local park. Fast forward to Penny’s senior year and Grace is shocked when the police show up at her door in the night and inform her that Penny’s been charged with the murder of her biological mother. Grace speeds to the police station to find that it isn’t Penny waiting for her arrival, but Eve. Penny has Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder) and often relies on her several personalities to help her cope with her life. Eve is tough, witty and vindictive. Grace knows they have a long road ahead of them after Penny is admitted to a hospital for the criminally insane with no end in sight until her trial.

The beginning of this one had me hooked! The concept of DID is always so fascinating to me and I actually wrote a couple of papers on it in university. As soon as I saw the premise, I knew I had to read this one. There were some great twists near the end that I didn’t see coming and I thought Grace was a total badass. There were lots of supporting characters to pump up the story and I enjoyed how their personalities meshed with the plot. I did want a little more from Ryan and Penny’s character arcs. I wanted more concrete info about Penny’s upbringing and more about Ryan’s motives. I thought the focus on Dr. Mitch was kind of unnecessary and I thought the epilogue should have been about Penny and not him. I could totally see this being an engrossing and riveting movie, hoping it gets picked up for one soon!

It is very hard to write about Dissociative Identity Disorder. It is so overly-dramatic and hard to write about without sounding cheesy or over the top. As someone with a background in mental health, I am also weary reading such books, but I try my best to keep an open mind. I went in with an open mind but the book just felt like a Lifetime movie. I had a hard time suspending my disbelief and keep my eyes from rolling. I really don't think the author did anything wrong here. I loved her previous books. I just think this topic is too hard to write about without sounding overly exaggerated.

This was an interesting one! I had never read anything with a character with dissociative identity disorder before. I wish I had listened to an audio version of it, I’m betting the different personalities voices would have made it even better! I loved all the twists and turns and can’t wait to read more from this author!

Grace has done and will do anything for Penny, the daughter she adopted as a toddler after she was found abandoned in a park. Now, though, it's harder than ever because Penny's mental illness, which has been raging, is at a peak and she's been found standing over the body of her bio mom- covered in blood. What makes this unique is that Penny Dissasociative Identity Disorder (DID) and Grace has found a psychiatrist - Dr Mitch McHugh - who is open minded and willing to explore Penny's different personalities (for want of a better description). She's in a locked mental health facility with others who have serious issues but hers are the focal point here. Slowly, each identity exposes a part of Penny's past, which was filled with more trauma than Grace knew. It's a scary read which might occasionally remind you of others in this genre but which is distinguished by Grace's commitment. No spoilers from me about the twists, which you just know are coming, don't you? Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A page turner.

This is one of those books where reading the blurb intrigues you and the actual reading of the book meets and exceeds your expectations. It pulls you in from the very beginning and holds your interest until the final shocking reveal! Each of the characters are well developed, somewhat flawed and feel so real - which is one of the key components of the storyline that hooks you in. The main character, who is accused of a brutal murder, having dissociative identity disorder (multiple personalities) was very unique, well written and believable. This is a thriller you don’t want to miss!

𝔹𝕆𝕆𝕂 ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎 ⁣
⁣
Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the early gifted copy of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘋𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 by @djpalmerauthor. It publishes April 20, 2021! ⁣
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘋𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 is the story of a teenage girl named Penny with Dissociative Identity Disorder, formerly known as multiple personality disorder. Penny has been accused of murder. She was found with the murder weapon in her hand, and the victim’s blood all over her. The problem? She didn’t have a motive and has no memory of committing the crime. ⁣
This was a brilliant, well researched, completely addictive psychological thriller that had me holding my breath until the very last chapter. I was fascinated by the extreme detail to Dissociative Identity Disorder, the murder, and the legal proceedings that ensued. Every detail was expertly and seamlessly brought together for a conclusion of epic proportions. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘋𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 NEEDS to be on your list of books to read next!

The Perfect Daughter is a fast-paced, easy reading thriller which held my interest until the end. It was an interesting look into the mind of a young woman suffering from mental illness. I particularly liked the character of Jack, one of Penny's two brothers. While in college, he is developing a documentary on his sister’s case and his is one of the book’s three points of view. Mother Grace and Mitch, the kind psychiatrist, are the other two.

I found the book to be worthwhile however, I found some of the actions of a few of the characters a bit far fetched. Also, there is a scene involving violence to a cat, which disturbed me. I recommend checking out this book. While not a perfect thriller, it’s a good one.

Review of The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⚠️Trigger Warning: Animal abuse; murder; trauma; physical abuse; involuntary psychiatric hospitalization; substance use

When Grace comes across a young girl standing in the pouring rain and all alone on a playground, she takes her in but she won’t talk, say her name, or anything. How she got there, what her life was like before is all a mystery. Grace and her family adopt the girl and name her Penny. It’s not until several years later that Penny starts to act strangely and the family start to notice the emergence of different personalities. Penny isn’t just Penny though. At least that’s what Grace wants to believe because then the alternative has to be much worse. Especially after Penny is found covered in blood that’s not hers and her fingerprints on a weapon used to murder a stranger. Who is Penny really and what is she capable of?

This book has officially left me with my first book hangover of 2021! With a murder, an abandoned girl, and unreliable characters, The Perfect Daughter will keep you guessing until the very end. Many forms of media tend to sensationalize mental health disorders at the expense of accuracy and person-centered language, but the author has so clearly invested time in researching Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder, as well as substance use. This was an addictive, fast-paced read that I just didn’t want to put down. Each chapter ended and left me anxious and craving more. The best part was the end where all of the loose ends were satisfyingly tied up in the most twisted of ways! If you want suspense and a book that will consume you, this is it!

Thank you @StMartinsPress & @Netgalley {#partner} for gifting me with an advanced readers copy in exchange for an independent and honest review. This book is out on shelves 04/20/2021 so get your preorders in now! Trust me, you won’t want to miss out on this one!

An great thriller that takes place in a mental institution. The story is about Grace, The mother of the teenager Penny who has 3 personalities. Penny was framed for murder. Grace and her family try to prove her innocence. The story is told from 3 different perspectives, Grace, The psychologist at the mental hospital and Jack.

16 year old Penny has been accused of murder and all the evidence seems to point to her guilt. But she doesn’t remember the night in question. Perhaps it’s because the family claims Penny has dissociative identity disorder and one of Penny’s alters may have committed the crime...

This is my first book from author D.J Palmer and it doesn’t disappoint! A gripping and addictive look at mental illness and DID. This one had me hooked! The characters are fully fleshed out and it will keep guessing until the very end. Highly recommend for all the psychological thriller fans - this dives skillfully deep.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC!

3.5*
Finding a Penny is supposed to be good luck…right!?💁🏻‍♀‍

Grace and her husband were very content raising their two sons. Though Grace always longed for a daughter. When Grace and her son are out for a walk they come across a sad lost girl all alone in the park. No parents to claim her. Grace swoops in and suddenly has the daughter she always wanted. Renaming her Penny. Only Grace may have gotten more than she bargained for.

Grace’s new extended family are all settling in, until there are some behaviors that can’t explained . Out of character for Penny. In fact, so different than the sweet Penny they have all grown to love, that she is diagnosed with a multiple personality disorder.

When the police come knocking on Graces door to inform her of a murder. Who is involved? Penny? Or one of her other personalities?

I was immediately drawn into this book. Fabulous premise! And I loved the writing. But about mid book it became a bit repetitive and stalled somewhat.

Don’t give up! (And I’m glad I didn’t) because there are some amazing twists at the end!

This is the third book I’ve read and enjoyed from this author and am looking forward to more.

Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an ARC to read and review.

Phew! This was quite a ride! I went into the book blind, requesting it because I read D.J. Palmer's book The New Husband and enjoyed it. I don't want to give too much of the book away because reading how it all unfolded was quite the journey! Essentially, it's the story of Grace and her attempt to prove her adopted daughter's innocence when it came to the murder of her biological mom. I thought the story was a slow-burn at first but then the last third of the book had quite the punch! There were lots of twists and turns and I'm still shocked by how it all ended. I recommend if you are in the mood for a good thriller.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

THE PERFECT DAUGHTER is a twisty thriller that keeps the reader guessing. The book begins when Grace receives a visit from the police about her daughter, Penny. Fearing the worst, she is soon to learn that her daughter has been charged with a murder. As Grace goes with the police to the station and hires a lawyer, she knows that her daughter's mental illness is sure to play into the way she is tried and the conviction.

The story is told from three perspectives, Grace, Mitch, and Jack. Mitch is a therapist at the state hospital where Penny is incarcerated while waiting trial, and he is working closely with her mother as they try to figure out what happened that night- and what Penny's other identities may know. Penny has Dissociative Identity Disorder, where her other personalities take over unexpectedly, in different situations. She was found abandoned in a park when she was a toddler by Grace, and adopted by her soon thereafter. Early trauma that she cannot remember may have contributed to the development of the disease. Mitch is determined to try to help her.

Jack is Penny's brother, who is invested in her case. He wants to get to the truth of the matter, and he has a deep understanding of her disorder and personalities from watching them development. His sections in the second person, spoken to Penny, added an interesting element to the story.

As the book continues, it becomes increasingly clear that not only do Penny's personalities each hold pieces of her memories, but her past, before she was abandoned in the park, is critical to understanding what actually happened the night of the murder.

This book really kept me guessing. I appreciated that all the threads were there throughout, and I did guess the ending at one point, but then dismissed it in favor of other theories. I loved that it was a book that you could guess- but there were so many potential suspects that it kept the guesses coming. The clues are there all along the way, and I found the ending ultimately satisfyingly shocking.

A riveting read that is sure to keep the reader guessing, THE PERFECT DAUGHTER was a twisty thriller with shocking surprises along the way. Highly recommend for people who enjoy murder mysteries and psychological thrillers. I would add some warnings for abuse (including animal and child) as well as those you would expect from the plot.

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Interesting story of a young girl with multiple personalities accused of killing her birth mother, and the lengths that her adopted mother will go to defend her.

4 Whose Talking Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
This totally was a tale that took me down the path, trying to figure out what was going to be the outcome. This looked seriously at more than mental illness, it also looked at the complex reasons and feelings of drug addiction.

The main thrust as the blurb has said is the main character having dissociative identity disorder or DID. The way the story is told takes you there and you know there will be so much more happening when everything comes together. A lot happens and the "Getting There" was worth it for me.

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

I am very tired of mental illness becoming a trope in thriller novels. Whether it’s the twist or the entire plot, unless it is handled extremely well I usually find books that use mental illness as the entire plot or twist to be lazy and just generally distasteful. There are SO many thrilling and scaring things in this world, and it’s frustrating that we continue to make mental illness one of them.

However, I think I am always harder on authors who I have read before, and loved their work, maybe to an almost unfair extent. But after LOVING The New Husband, my expectations were incredibly high for The Perfect Daughter and I am so sad that it fell short. What saved this book for me was Palmers un-putdownable writing style that made me want to devour this book in one evening!

A teenage girl, Penny is accused of murder., a murder she doesn't remember.

Penny was adopted at a young age after being abandoned by her birth mother.

Penny's murder victim is her birth mother.(Racchel).

Penny was previously arrested for making death threats and writing a hit list which included her brother and her birth mother.(Rachel).


Penny has DID ( Dissociative Identity Disorder ). Eve one of her alter identities or alters id the one who is awaiting trial in a mental facility and is the dominant personality.

There are two other personalities : Chloe and Ruby and a 3rd suspected one.

Eve is the malicious one and she is the one who is suspected of committing the murder.

Her birth mother's boyfriend may be Penny's biological father and he may be the murderer.

.


When the trail starts, Penny is testifying and suddenly becomes her birth persona: Isabella.
Isabella tells the court who her father is and it is discovered who killed rachel.

An explosive and revealing ending you won't see coming.


.

I had so much fun with The Perfect Daughter by DJ Palmer. I typically do not read thrillers or suspense. Whenever I do pick one up, I appreciate the how they're paced and the thrill they elicit in the reader. 

It is about Grace, a mother who finds her adopted daughter, Penny, in a psychiatric hospital after Penny is the main suspect of her birth mother's murder. Coupled with a traumatic past, Penny is a teenager struggling with her Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Her other personalities, or alters (as the book tactually and smarty terms) include Eve, Ruby, and Chloe. The author does a fantastic job of causing the reader inner turmoil as we access, is Penny guilty, is one of her alters guilty of murder, did someone intervene, and if so, how sinister is this going to be... 

This is a complex story and plot. Palmer does a well thought out job of humanizing Penny and her mental health, taking time to tactfully describe it to the reader her condition so it renders both compassion and empathy. Penny is such a dynamic character through her alters, and it's so apparent that anyone who is diagnosed with this condition is under a lot of confusion and stress. I do appreciate Palmer's ability to add such humanness to a thriller novel. 

I did not LOVE the ending, and was rather disappointed with the whole set up, which is why it is down to 4 stars. The buildup was so immaculate, I was not sure what I wanted the ending to be but I did expect a little more.

I loved the setting of this book, and really enjoyed the psychological thriller aspects that kept me guessing until the end. My favorite character was Penny’s doctor. He was determined to help her, both personally and in regards to her case.

The beginning of this book was a little slow with a lot of character development, and I feel like all the action happened in the last 20%. I liked the ending and certainly didn’t guess the twist, but I wish we got more of the court case. I can’t really give my thoughts on the court case without giving anything away, so if you’ve read it click below for my spoiler thoughts!