D.J. Palmer has done it once again. The Perfect Daughter tackles a health issue that quietly plagues so many people around the globe. Palmer breaks down DID for the reader to understand, all the while spinning a masterful story that mesmerizes the reader as only he can. The Perfect Daughter is a winner just waiting for you to read.

WOW!!!

Yes, this book was a huge wow factor for me. From the first page, Plamer captivates you and does not let go till the very end. This physiological thriller had more twists and turns than then a country back road. I am usually very observant when reading a book and can figure out who did what by mid-way through but with Palmer he kept me guessing right up till the end.

The book opens with a murder, an arrest, and a girl with some serious mental health issues. Add to that a mysterious past, an unknown birth father, and a birth mother who had her own issues and you get the makings of a Lifetime movie or a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

I immediately got caught up in the story and thought for sure, Penny, the daughter was guilty. After all, she appeared evil and had multiple personalities. However, as the story unfolded and people started to come forward I began to question my own thoughts. Then when Ryan he brother got angry all the time and defensive I started to doubt myself, Then there was the boyfriend before long I was question everyone's motives. When the big reveal came I was totally shocked.

I must say this has been one of the best books I've read in a long time. It is a heart-stopping keep you on the edge of your seat kind of book. One I would read again curled up by a fire as I try to discover the clues I messed.

I loved DJ Palmers A Perfect Daughter. It reminded me if his father Michael’s books but with one main difference. While Michael’s books seemed more aimed at exposing a corrupt system, DJ’s is more character driven. This book shows the effect that the suspect’s crime had on her family. The book kept me guessing whether the DID diagnosis was real or an elaborate well acted hoax. There is quite a reveal in the last couple of chapters that I did not figure out until about three pages prior to the reveal. If you live medical thrillers you will love The Perfect Daughter

D.J. Palmer never disappoints!  The Perfect Daughter is the latest example of his storytelling abilities.  He wove such a story with characters that were realistic and believable.  Typically I am able to guess the 'twist' but I didn't see it coming.  Amazing book and highly recommend.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: April 20, 2021
When Grace is given the news that her daughter, Penny, has been arrested, she is instantly stunned. The police found Penny covered in the victim’s blood and her fingerprints are all over the crime scene. To the police, there is no doubt that Penny committed the murder, but Grace is determined to prove her daughter, Penny, is innocent. For years, Penny has struggled with Dissociative Identity Disorder, and Grace is determined to prove that one of Penny’s alters committed the crime and Penny is, in fact, innocent. But faced with a psychiatrist who doesn’t believe in Dissociative Identify Disorder, and a police force already convinced Penny is guilty, what can Grace do to prove her daughter’s innocence? How far will she go to prove it?
Palmer has a way of covering mental illness in his stories (like “Saving Meghan”, which hints at Munchausen by Proxy) that is real, heartbreaking and honest. In “The Perfect Daughter”, Palmer unveils the struggles and challenges associated with Dissociative Identity Disorder. I love when an author so honestly discusses mental illness in their novels; any honest and realistic portrayals of mental illness can shine a light on understanding these afflictions and help eliminate ignorance.
Also true to Palmer, is the way he portrays the heartbreaking, to-the-death mother-daughter relationship. In this story, Grace is convinced her daughter is innocent and will go to the ends of the earth to prove it, even though she knows Penny struggles with mental illness and the odds are stacked against her.
“Daughter” checked all the right boxes. I was entertained, pulled in and intrigued and all the while I kept trying to guess how it would end. Palmer drops hints, of course, but when the ending comes it is completely unpredictable.
I was a fan of the way this story pulled me in from the beginning and kept me engaged right through to the end. The ending, however, pulled me away from a five-star review. The actual culprit, although unexpected, was also completely unbelievable, and the way the discovery played out seemed far-fetched. I did, however, enjoy that just desserts were served, and all the questions were answered.
Highly engaging and real, Palmer’s “The Perfect Daughter” is addicting and thought-provoking, a page-turner from beginning to end.

What an absolute thrill it was to receive a copy of this book! This book captured my attention from the very first page and I knew to settle in for a great read. As the story progresses, the suspense builds and finding out how it ends becomes all consuming. This book is really well written, fast-paced and suspenseful.

The Perfect Daughter is an excellent, jaw dropping read! I've read maybe one other book from this author and it certainly WON'T be my last based on this nail biting read! I highly recommend it!

Full review to be posted on release!

I really, really like D.J. Palmer’s books and this is a very good read. The book starts with a bang: Police come to Grace’s house to inform her that her 16-year old daughter, Penny, has just been arrested for the murder of her birth mother. The story is told from different perspectives, which made it easy to follow. This is an excellent novel concerning Dissociative Identity Disorder. Highly recommended!

I wish to thank NetGalley and Saint Martin's Press for this compelling and puzzling psychological thriller. At its centre is a teenaged girl, Penny. She is believed to have a rare mental condition, Disassociative Identity Disorder. (DID). This was formerly called Multiple Personality Disorder that became known to the general public through two movies, 'The Three Faces of Eve'(the 1950s) and 'Sybil'(the 1970's). There is still much unknown about the disorder and its cure that involves the integration of the separate personalities.

Penny was adopted at an early age by Grace and Arthur who happily welcomed her into a loving, caring family with their two sons. Her mother was a drug addict and her father was unknown. It was assumed the child suffered from a traumatic experience before being found abandoned in a park. Several years after her adoption, Penny began to demonstrate mental problems when three other personalities began to emerge, (Eve, Ruby and Chloe).

She was arrested for a frenzied, brutal murder and found drenched in blood and holding the murder weapon. She was imprisoned in a locked ward in the State Psychiatric Hospital while awaiting trial. Grace is loving and fiercely protective of her daughter. She is determined to have her found not guilty of the horrific murder.

There is much controversy about her diagnosis. The prosecution would like to claim that the girl is a psychopath and is lying about her DID. She was first diagnosed by the hospital psychiatrist as having a borderline personality disorder. Grace wants the new psychiatrist, Dr. Mitch McHugh, to prove she has DID and the possibility that one of her alternate personas committed the murder while Penny was unaware and unable to tell right from wrong. This would make her not guilty by reason of insanity. The possibility of a sudden psychotic break was also explored. Dr. Mitch is very cautious, sympathetic and methodical in his assessment of Penny and in no rush to make a final diagnosis. He has his own problems with his troubled son.

There are many twists, turns and shocking surprises when the shy, introverted Penny must testify in court. This was a tense, suspenseful and mystifying story with a complex, well-researched plot.

Grace never dreamt she’d visit her teenaged daughter Penny in the locked ward of a decaying state psychiatric hospital, charged with a shocking and brutal murder. There was not much question of her daughter’s guilt. Police had her fingerprints on the murder weapon and the victim’s blood on her body and clothes. But they didn’t have a motive.

None of this was conceivable the day Penny came into her life. Then, it seemed like a miracle. Penny was found abandoned, with a mysterious past, and it felt like fate brought Penny to her, and her husband Arthur. But as she grew, Penny's actions grew more disturbing, and different "personalities" emerged. Arthur and Grace took Penny to different psychiatrists, until one diagnosed a severe multiple personality disorder.

As Penny awaits trial in a state mental hospital, she is treated by Dr. Mitchell McHugh, a psychiatrist battling demons of his own. Grace’s determination to understand the why behind her daughter’s terrible crime fuels Mitch’s resolve to help the Francone family. Together, they set out in search of the truth about Penny, but discover instead a shocking hidden history of secrets, lies, and betrayals that put all their lives in grave danger.

I was hooked after the first chapter. This was an outstanding psychological thriller. The characters are engaging and relatable. There are so many surprises this book is sure to keep you reading.

I gave D.J. Palmer’s book, The New Husband, a five-star review. When I saw Palmer had written a new book I had to read it. The main character Peggy reminded me of Maggie in The New Husband. If you liked The Silent Patient, you will like this book.

You will never guess the ending. But, it will all make sense once you read it.

I received this book from NetGalley.

The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer delves into the life of a teenage girl who has dissociative identity disorder (DID) after she is accused of murdering her biological mother. It is a compelling premise but, for me, it all felt a little too ambitious and hectic, and the development of Penny's multiple 'alters' seemed to detract from the crime at the crux of the storyline. While the novel certainly bolstered my knowledge of DID, and the concept of multiple personalities was intriguing and, quite obviously, meticulously researched, I did find that it all just felt a tad too zealous and overwhelming. That being said, I very much look forward to reading more from this talented author in the future. 3.5 stars

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

I am picturing this as a movie. Beautifully written. The way Penny and all her alters were explained in such detail grabs you.

I seem to be relatively alone in my feelings towards The Perfect Daughter out of reviews posted so far, but quite frankly I felt like this story was a convoluted mess. This is too bad, because it could have been a really interesting story that explores Disassociated Identity Disorder (DID). Instead the random changes in personality get hard to follow - like adding characters to a story that have minor relevance but not enough that you really want to see them resurface on a regular basis - the Chloe and Ruby personalities don't have a tremendous amount to contribute to the story. Even if I was to cast my feelings aside about Penny/Eve/Chloe/Ruby the rest of it is just messy and to make it even messier, is told from three points of view. Avenging mother Grace, who will neglect everyone and everything (including her business and two sons) in her often misguided pursuit to prove that Penny either didn't commit the murder she's accused of, or that one of her alter personalities did it and primary personality Penny is innocent. Dr. McHugh, Penny's psychiatrist in the state hospital she's remanded to while awaiting trial - who is dealing with his own son's drug addiction, his doubts about Penny's DID, and his desire to be a hero and reform the hospital. And last but not least, Penny's older brother Jack who's decided to seek fame by creating a film about his sister's trial and is kind-of (mostly) telling the story as a reflection. Palmer drops red herrings everywhere that are flimsy at best and that the reader can easily toss aside, but that Grace clings to like a tiny floatie in the ocean. The ending does have a twist to it, and if the whole entire story had been engaging, focused and quick-paced would have been way more exciting than it was by the time I slogged my way to the finish line. If you like things incredibly complicated and far removed from the way a real crime investigation would go, by all means read this - otherwise I would suggest Palmer's previous book, The New Husband, which to me was way better than his latest effort.

I enjoyed this one. I was sure of how it was going to end for most of the book, and suddenly Palmer added a twist. I was reading it at my parents' house and gasped at one point, causing my mom to be alarmed. I would say this is by far his best. I am going to school for Counseling and thought the representation of DID and the meds that are prescribed were very well researched. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. An incredible thriller. I love this author. Always knows how to add layers to the characters and the stories. What a brilliant way to a spotlight on mental illness. Highly recommend.

Grace was happily married and the Mother of two young sons when she found a little girl, alone and wet in the rain, in their local park. She was turned over to the police and put into foster care briefly until Grace was able to become her foster parent and eventually adoptive parent. Life went pretty smoothly for the family until Penny (the name given to the little girl by one of the boys since the child had no memories of the time leading up to being found in the park) was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder. Briefly, this meant that Penny had multiple personalities that came to the forefront when she needed them. Eve, tough and immovable, when a protector was needed, Claire, an artist and striver for personal perfection, Ruby, a British young woman, and Isabel, her birth name and the child who was found in the park. The novel begins with Grace being informed by the Police that Penny had been arrested for the violent murder of a woman who turned out to be Penny’s birth mother. The novel deals with her incarceration pending trial, the past, Penny’s therapy with the Psychoanalist at this Hospital and the trial itself. DID is, in itself, fascinating and Penny’s depths are equally capturing. The death of her adoptive father, the rebuilding of their family and the family business coupled with the forthcoming trial are absorbing. All in all, an excellent tale, well told. Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC for an honest review.

As usual D J Palmer hit it out of the park. I read this book in 2 days, couldn't put it down... But decided to give an accurate review I needed to read it a second time and savor the read. The book brings forward the cause and affect of mental illness in abused children. Multiple personalities explained in a way I have never read before. I found the story immersive and found the characters believable and was able to connect. I came away with a better understanding of the mental illness portrayed in this book. I found it fascinating but heartbreaking for all touched by it.

DJ Palmer's latest psychological thriller proves to be a brilliant and addictive read, the highlight of which for me was his impressive research into the mental health condition of Disassociative Identity Disorder, which might be more familiar to readers as Multiple Personality Disorder, that he illustrates with his character of Penny. Fragile teenager Penny Francone has been arrested for brutal and horrifying murder, covered in blood and with the murder weapon, in what appears to be a slam dunk of a case and placed in a locked ward at the Edgewater State Psychiatric Hospital. Penny is the adoptive daughter of Grace and Arthur, who have two sons, Jack and Ryan, a much wanted child after being found in mysterious circumstances, growing up in a loving and caring household.

Grace is doing what mothers so often do, feeling guilty, but she is the ultimate protective and determined mother, she believes her daughter is innocent, and nothing is going to stop her getting to the truth, aided by Dr Mitch McHugh, a man with issues of his own. However, this is going to bring danger, not to mention the fact that she faces a hostile public and threats to their livelihood. Are one of Penny's alters, such as Eve, Ruby or Chloe, responsible for the killing? Is Penny lying about her condition? Penny's unknown background includes a traumatic childhood with her drug addict mother as the reader is left reeling with twist after twist in this tale of deception, secrets, betrayal and lies.

This is complex, edgy, and multilayered storytelling, with stellar characterisations, particularly that of a Penny with her complicated and stressful mental health issues, and which explores with skill the legal processes and medical issues within the form of a tense and suspenseful psychological thriller. Highly recommended! Many thanks to St Martin's Press for an ARC.

I did not see that coming! Such a great twist in this suspenseful drama. Every time I read a drama like this, I’m always trying to figure out the twist. This twist never even crossed my mind and I count that as a win for the author.