This was a really interesting story and brought to light the complexity of Dissociative Identity Disorder.

When Grace adopted Penny, she never imagined she’d one day be visiting her in a psychiatric hospital because she was charged with murder. The case seemed pretty cut and dry; Penny was at the scene of the crime covered in blood, her fingerprints on the murder weapon...yet she had no memory of committing the crime. But it isn’t Penny that Grace finds when she meets her at the hospital, it’s Eve, one of Penny’s personas.

Eve is less than willing to cooperate, that is until she meets her new doctor, Mitch McHugh. He is determined to not only prove that Penny does in fact have DID, but to get to the bottom of what really happened the night of the murder. As he slowly peels back the layers of Penny and meets all of her personas, the pieces to puzzle are finally put together.

This was a fantastic read and while it was a bit of a slow buildup at times, I think that showed the reality of how difficult it is to diagnose DID and treat patients who suffer from it. The end of the story is what really blew me away and I’m so glad I didn’t see it coming. Highly recommend!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3923413122

Thank you St. Martin's Press and DJ Palmer for the gifted copy.

You know what I love? A thriller that keeps me guessing until THE VERY FREAKING END. That does not happen often. This book? Yeah, I didn't have a guess until right before the big reveal. (I will say, I was right...But it was probably a place where a lot of people guessed and it wasn't a "hmmm, maybe" it was a "HOLY CRAP THEY DID NOT!!!")

I am definitely not going to say too much because I can't give anything away. I loved the back and forth of "does she really have DID or is she faking?" and even though I knew there MUST be a twist coming, I really didn't know what it was until the end.

Great job, Mr. Palmer. Can't wait to see what you write next!!

I really struggled with how to rate Perfect Daughter. I enjoyed the story line, character development and relationships in this book, but I found that the first 60% of the book moved VERY slowly. Very little happened, it felt repetitive and I was struggling to pick it up and continue reading. I am glad that I did, since the end of the book was great. The ending truly had me surprised.

Penny Francone is a 16th year old in a high security psychiatric hospital, awaiting trial for murdering her birth mother. Grace, the woman who found Penny alone in a park and then adopted her, will do anything in her power to prove that her daughter is innocent. Working with Penny’s psychiatrist, who has his own demons, Penny’s family searches for the truth. Are they read for the secret that they are about to uncover?

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader copy!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by D.J. Palmer - another 5 star book by one of my favorite authors!

Grace was at the park with her young sons when she came across an abandoned 4-year-old girl. Grace was determined it was fate that she was meant to raise this girl; her and her husband, Arthur, went through fostering until they could adopt the little girl they named Penny. But as Penny grew, she started exhibiting signs of DII (dissociative identity disorder) - or multiple personalities. Grace and Arthur took her to many different psychologists - only one of whom was convinced Penny had DII. Until the day that Penny was arrested for the murder of her birth mom - she was found bloody with the murder weapon in her hand. She was sent to a hospital for the criminally mental ill where she was treated by Dr Mitch McHugh, himself battling his own demons. As the trial nears, Grace finds her own life in danger and the rest of her family at odds.

Wow - this is a fast-paced, gripping novel that will leave your head spinning. I loved the way the author also gave an alternative POV as Grace's son, Jack, a college student, is preparing a film about Penny's situation. This gives the reader a different look into the family dynamics and the kids' childhood experiences. The mind is amazing how it does its best to protect the psyche from horrors. This book also shines a light into the darkness of how mentally ill people are treated. Don't miss this one!!

Wow! This book is one into which you fall and are completely absorbed by it! There is not a dull moment, sentence, or paragraph. Told in multiple perspectives, it is ever evolving and keeps you guessing all the way through.to the explosive end! Thoroughly researched and meticulously written, this one will stay with me for some time.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve read by this author and The Perfect Daughter is no exception! The climax was exciting and the book kept you intrigued throughout. Can’t wait for the next one Palmer releases!

Wow.. my mind is blown.⁣
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Penny is found covered in blood, with the murder weapon, and a dead body in a catatonic state with no idea of what happened or how she even got there.⁣
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This story was a fantastic, page turning psychological thriller. D.J. Palmer had to have done immense research on DID to write this incredible story that was so well done. ⁣
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I am always so captivated by thrillers involving a mental health illness. The amount of confusion, anguish and loneliness those suffer with DID must be profound and I truly feel for them.⁣
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The way that you learned about each of Penny’s alters over the course of the story, and how and when they were created was so intriguing I just wanted to know more. I needed to know if she killed this person. ⁣
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Her family truly stuck by her side, her mom did everything in her power to dig up the truth and it was amazing.⁣
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Dr. Mitch struggled with his own demons of depression, and his son with addiction, and he did everything he could think of to try and help Penny and it was just such a wild ride.⁣
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫⁣
Thank you @stmartinspress for an ARC for my honest review. #bookstagram #books #theperfectdaughter #psychologicalthriller #thriller

I feel badly to say this, but this was just an ok read for me. It kept me interested, but not invested in the story or the characters. I easily put the book down and made myself finish it so I could review before the publication date. The ending did take me by surprise, but it took too long to get there. It was well researched and informative. I’m sure that fans of D.J. Palmer will love it.

OK so I love love love ok maybe I should use the word love maybe more like I am fascinated with books that take place in ominous mental hospitals, and that is where D.J. Palmer takes us in The Perfect Daughter. I feel when it is being set in a mental hospital you are going to get so much more to the story and that is exactly what I got. Everyone has demons they are fighting in this story and the way D.J. Palmer portrays them kept me glued to my kindle. I wasn't sure who was "nice" and "true" and who was bad. Which left me with a pit in my stomach as I was reading. I enjoyed The Perfect Daughter and look forward to read more from D.J. Palmer!

I’d like to thank St Martins Press and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Perfect Daughter’ by D J Palmer in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

When Grace Francone’s adopted daughter Penny is arrested for the murder of her birth mother, her Attorney Greg Navarro needs to persuade the court that she has mental health problems and is suffering from multiple personality disorder. Dr Mitchell McHugh is treating Penny in a state psychiatric hospital and together with Grace they discover the truth about Penny.

‘The Perfect Daughter’ is a disturbing psychological thriller about a young woman who suffers from multiple personalities whose character can change from quiet and loving Penny to0 Eve, Ruby or Chloe. It’s well-written with a plot that’s difficult at times to read due to the subject matter, with twists and turns leading to a shocking conclusion that I didn’t see coming. This is the first of D J Palmer’s novels I’ve read but I’ll certainly be looking out for more.

Sorry to say, I did not like The Perfect Daughter. The story felt very disjointed to me. The storyline held promise but I couldn’t connect with any of the characters. Most of the story didn’t make much sense and was very unbelievable.
I’m sure there are others that will like this book, just wasn’t a hit with me.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wow! Where to start with this one? This one was just profoundly good all around! I am going to shout it from the streets! This year has been a year for thrillers. I love thrillers (obviously) but this year has knocked it out of the park for me with the amazingly good ones I keep picking up. The caliber is top-notch and this title is up there with the rest of them.

I think what struck me most about this particular title is the strength of the writing and characters. I ached for the characters in the novel and what each main character was going through. My pulsed raced as I tried to unravel everything that was going on and what really happened. About halfway, I figured out who the main villain was so that was not a surprise, but there are so many little twists and turns it is still surprising as everything unravels. There are several side mysteries built upon the main mystery. Everything was so well-executed.

Also, did I mention the characters will get you? You will just want the world for these characters. At least, I did. I wanted to protect them at all costs. The exploration of DID, which one of our characters has, was also compelling. I feel like it taught me a lot and, while I am not a mental health expert, I thought it was portrayed with a lot of detail and care.

I loved this one.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found The Perfect Daughter an interesting read. I haven't had any experience of mental illness myself but felt it was handled in a very realistic way. I didn't find any of the characters likeable so I struggled with that. Reading other reviews I can see I am in the minority but it just wasn't my favourite.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC.

I thought I knew where the ending was going and boy was I wrong! What a twist of an ending! The book had me hooked. I knew very little about DID. The book was great at explaining and made it seem very realistic. The book jumpstarts from the first chapter and doesn't let up. I liked the multiple narrators in this book, it gave a lot of different perspectives. There were lots of possible plot twists and yet I still didn't see it coming. I definitely recommend this book for a great read. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Penny is a teenage girl arrested for the brutal murder of her birth mother, Rachel. The catch is that Penny suffers from a mental illness called DID, formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder. Penny's adoptive mother, Grace, insists that Penny is innocent, even though she was found at the crime scene, holding the murder weapon and covered in blood. Thus begins the search for answers as to who the killer is. Was it Penny, or one of her alters? Is she guilty or innocent by way of insanity?
Not only was this a good mystery/suspense novel, it was informative about mental illness and trauma. Once you start reading, you won't want to put it down!
Thank you to #NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of #ThePerfectDaughter by #D.J.Palmer

The Perfect Daughter by D. J. Palmer is a fascinating psychological thriller that tells the story of Penny Francone, a sixteen-year-old girl charged with murder after police found her holding the murder weapon next to the body.

I love that the story primarily focused on Penny's mom, Grace, and her determination to advocate for her daughter, who was previously diagnosed with D.I.D., aka Multiple Personality Disorder, instead of placing the reader in the mind of Penny, which would have been confusing at best. Grace is relatable in her focus and unrelenting pursuit to prove that her daughter did not commit the crime. This kicks off the family theme that can also be seen with Penny's psychologist, Dr. Mitch McHugh, and his son Ryan, who is in a rehab facility. Even though McHugh treats other people's children successfully, he is as helpless as any other parent when it comes to his child. Through these two intertwined stories, unconditional parental love rings loud and clear. It is an uplifting note in an otherwise twisty turny tale with a jaw-dropping conclusion that I never saw coming. The thriller plot left me breathless, and I felt compelled to read every word of the story with an unprecedented focus.

Penny's brother, Jack, has 1st-person narrated chapters interspersed throughout the story, which partly discussed the documentary he was making about his sister and partly read like letters to Penny as she went through this ordeal. Jack is my favorite character throughout, primarily because of his unwavering support and his foresight to find out and talk more about this controversial mental health disorder that his sister suffers. This gave a docudrama slant to the story, which I found intriguing.

I love the way mental health disorders are treated in this book. Both sides explained, the diagnosis process shown, and the struggles portrayed so realistically that if not for the mystery plot, I would think that I was reading a case study.

This is a must-read book if you are interested in abnormal psychology or are looking for a compelling psychological thriller to escape for a weekend. Pick it up, read it, pick your jaw off the floor when you're done and have a new appreciation for parents with children who suffer from mental health disorders.

This book really had me hooked up until the end. I really enjoyed the multiple personalities plot but the twist at the end was so far fetched. It just didn’t make any sense. Up until the end it’s a great read.

The Perfect Daughter is a thriller about Penny, a teenage girl with multiple personalities. Grace and Arthur, Penny's parents, took her to multiple psychiatrists and many thought that she was faking it. Grace never believed them. Dr. Mitch McHugh has helped Penny, but as they all dig deeper into Penny's personalities, they uncover dark and shocking secrets that put all their lives in grave danger.

I wanted to read this one so that I could read how it ended! I couldn't put it down. Loved this thriller, with its progression and the way the suspense is built up. I enjoyed the characters and the plot.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What would you do if your daughter murdered someone? What if she had DID, dissociative identity disorder, more commonly known as multiple personality disorder? What if nothing is as it seems? This mystery is intriguing on many levels; not only the murder aspect, but in trying to process the intricacies of DID and how it operates within this character, and then exactly how it came to be in the first place. It’s fascinating and leads this tale down some unique paths to be sure. The twists in this mystery are akin to those within a mind, and nothing prepared me for the outcome. Well done.

Finished up The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer just now. I had an advanced reader copy that has been on my kindle awhile and I’d started hearing murmurs about how good it was. Murder? ✅ Suspect with multiple personalities? ✅ State mental hospitals? ✅ When 16 year old Penny Francone is found standing over the body of her biological mother covered in her blood she is immediately arrested for Rachel Boyd’s murder. The only problem? She doesn’t remember what happened. A page turning thriller that looks more closely at dissociative identity disorder and whether or not Penny is suffering from mental illness or whether she is a cold blooded killer. Out on April 20th!

https://amzn.to/3dadlmg