Member Reviews
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Forensic psychologist Nadine is selected to do a profile on a killer that has taken the lives of a man and a woman in Sarasota. She is not a profiler and is not happy about this assignment because the crime is similar to one committed by her serial killer mother, and no one is supposed to know about her mother's past. Being new to the department, she is not sure who she can trust and soon finds several of her co-workers come from dubious backgrounds. Meanwhile, more people are murdered.
I really enjoyed this book. I agree with another reviewer who noted that things took a little while to get off the ground, like there was a lot of background given, as a sort of introduction to these characters, since this is book one in a series. But I am glad I got to know everyone, because I look forward to the next installment. This was a good mystery with an ending I didn't see coming. I am excited to continue on in this series.
(4.5) I absolutely agree with the *An unputdownable thriller that will have you racing through the pages until the final, jaw-dropping twist. Perfect for fans of Rachel Caine, Lisa Gardner and Mary Burton* So many twists and turns, some real surprise, some details might be a tad gruesome, but through the sheer terror, thrills and the thought provoking premise....(what does happen to children of killers) the romance brought some light. This was definitely a dark psychological thriller that had me curling my toes at times and I to make myself smaller. I can understand the self doubt Nadine had, but sometimes it seemed oppressive. All's I can say is when Nadine got angry and put that brain to work, watch out world! My jaw did drop at the guilty party, I did not see that at all. Well done! Thank you Jenna Kernan, Bookouture and NetGalley for the arc. All; thoughts and opinions are my own which I freely share.
I'm a sucker for novels about profilers and serial killers so I was excited to read A Killer's Daughter by Jenna Kernan.
Nadine's mother is a serial killer and Nadine has done absolutely everything to distance herself from her family's past. But now her past has come back to haunt her and Nadine is determined to help find the copycat.
I found this story started out a little slow but once it got going I really enjoyed it. I liked the character growth for Nadine and enjoyed the chemistry between her and Demko. I also hope they continue to explore the special connection between Nadine, Clint, Juliette and Tina. Definitely looking forward to Book #2 in the series!
Thank you to #Netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of A Killer's Daughter.
Gripping start of a new series that I couldn't get enough of. The suspense and tension are high. There is the perfect dose of romance and I can't wait to see where it goes.
The characters are interesting and complex. The internal struggle of Nadine keeps you invested. I loved Demko. He's intriguing and the belief he places in Nadine says a lot. Then there is their families as well as Juliette and Tina. The strong cast of supporting characters adds depth.
The mystery is intense. I figured out the who early but was still stunned by the full reveal. The parts told from the killers point of view are chilling.
This was my first read by this author and I can't wait for more. This book is perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter! Book two can't come quick enough.
I am a fan of Karin Slaughter so when I saw this book and discovered it was the first in the Nadine Finch series I was excited.
The only negative for me was that the story started off slowly. I’m going to put that down to it being the first book of a series and so it was laying the foundations for a marathon not a sprint in terms of character development.
This book was certainly twisted. Nadine kept delving in to her memory to relive the crimes her mother committed in order to stop the spree in the present day.
This is the first Jenna Keenan book I have read and the comparison to this book has with the potential for being as good as the Karin Slaughter Will Trent/Sara Linton series is a compliment from me as a long time Karin Slaughter fan.
Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was very surprised I liked this book. It was a very slow beginning and I pretty much guessed who the serial killer was quickly but I still ended up enjoying this book. It is one of those books you have to slowly peel away the layers to get to the good center. Nadine was not a character I liked in the beginning but I did end up liking a lot. There is a serial killer copycatting her mom's kills will Nadine be able to get in the mind of her mother and figure out who the serial killer is before it's to late. I look forward to reading the next book in the series . Definitely recommend reading this book !
It's been a while since i've read such a compelling suspenseful story.
From the title alone, we are told who the main character, Nadine Finch is, and what she can do. I was amazed of how strong and powerful her feelings are especially since she had to go back in the past and retell all those horrific crimes that her mother did, to the most small detail. All of this because there's a copy cat out in the world that tries to catch her attention.
It's a very interesting story, full of twists and turns, most of all unpredictable and even shocking at points, a novel that kept me on the edge at all times and made me wanting to high five the heroine because that's the kind of heroines i'm looking foreword in both fiction and real life.
Haunting, twisted and provoking, a must read book
This has to be the textbook definition of a "dark psychological thriller". Loved the story, and can't wait to read the second Nadine Finch book!!
The only notes I have are:
- The chapters were a little long-winded at times.
- On Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56247175-a-killer-s-daughter), it shows the series as "Agent Nadine Finch" - and the "Agent" really gives away her future job position, as in this book Nadine isn't an agent yet.
- At 83% it mentions that one of the victims had an infant daughter with autism - but autism can't be diagnosed at infancy, usually it's around age 2, and having a son with autism this stuck out to me. Plus the "infant daughter with autism" wasn't in any part of the story, so it seemed like an irrelevant detail.
I have to say a huge thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley!! This was just the switch up I needed. The premise of this one is unlike anything I’ve read and that hooked me from the beginning. What happens the the children of killers? Is it instinctual for them to kill too? I could not stop reading this and I have already marked my calendar for the next tentative release date. My only drawback was that I felt like Nadine went back and forth internally about if she was or wasn’t a person capable of such despite saying she had went through therapy. It didn’t feel evident that she had if that makes sense. Outside of that I really enjoyed the characters, plot, and twists and turns this book provided.
ARC provided for honest review.
Firstly, this gets 5 stars for the sheer fact I didn't pick who the killer was at all!
This book was captivating from the first chapter.
Dr Nadine Finch has murder in her DNA, serial killer Mother, rapist Brother and murdering Grandfather - what stops her from becoming like them?
When a copycat killer strikes Nadine is the Forensic Psychologist consulting on the case will all too familiar details, which is difficult when no one knows who you really are.
This book has more twists than a ham of snakes & ladders, everyone is hiding something and it will keep you guessing right until the epic conclusion.
This is the first book in a new series and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the next one.
3 stars
I found the book to a be a little slow for my taste, hence the 3 stars. While it was well written and did have some surprising twists, it just didn't hook me in.
This book should come with a warning label: Beware, once you start reading, you will not be able to put it down... and stay up way past your bedtime! Jenna Kernan has written an incredible novel centered around Dr. Nadine Finch... a forensic psychologist working in Florida. She also has the distinction of being the daughter of a notorious female serial killer. Initially, Nadine is timid, unsure, and questioning... it's interesting to watch her develop through this novel. With Demko, Juliette, and Tina as fantastic supporting characters, Nadine not only works to solve a case (with many similarities to her Mother's), but also learn more about herself and those closest to her. Even though the year is early, A Killer's Daughter will certainly be on my list of best books of 2021! And, I hope readers get to see more of Dr. Nadine Finch! This is a must read!!
OMG! This book was like a workout for my stomach. It did some strange summersaults from time to time, but the story was so good I just had to keep on reading. I just had to finish it. That means that it kept me up past my bed time but it was worth every minute.
Another part of my body that was getting some action (no, not that one, you twisted minds lol) was my heart. It felt like a horse participating in a gymkhana. I was so engrossed that when my dog suddenly started to bark, I almost hit the roof. 😊
I have to say that I had an idea about the identity of the culprit, but the author made me change my mind several times although that one name kept forcing itself to the frontline. Was I right or not? Well, that is something I am not going to reveal, because if you should have the same feeling, I am not going to spoil it for you. You will have to be patient and enjoy the very good story.
I think I have said everything I wanted to say, but in a nutshell: very interesting, creepy story and I am looking forward to part 2. 5 stars
Thank you, Jenna Kernan and Bookouture
Murder, family, love , twists and turns. This book has it all.
Forensic Psychologist Dr Nadine Finch is new to her job in Sarasota. She is asked by the police to help profile the killer of a couple found murdered.
As more deaths occur Nadine recognises a pattern from her own past - her mother is a serial killer and Nadine had given evidence against her to help out her in jail.
Unsurprisingly Nadine has problems opening up to people and struggles to trust people and make friends however she is immediately drawn to the detective in charge of the case Detective Demko and they develop a close relationship.
Whilst I really enjoyed it some of the storylines were over the top but I would still recommend this book.
4 Stars ⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.
Nadine works for the police department, and is pushed into the role of being a profiler of a recent series of killings. She sees a trend, as the murders as similar to the ones her mother had committed. She is in prison, so who is doing these? Working with several different people, and finding out they all have a checkered background of family criminals, is disturbing. Who put this team together? Why are the victims being targeted? Can Nadine overcome her dread and foreboding and help catch the killer? Can she overcome her fears and explore her growing feelings for Detective Demko? A little disturbing to read her memories of her mother's activities, but add a lot to the story. Highly recommend this psychological thriller. Good story and good writing.
I received this book fax an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Nadine is working as a forensic psychologist and is determined to try and hide herself away from her mother serial killer past when copycat murders of her mother’s crimes start happening and she is thrown in the middle of things.
This is the first book that I’ve read by this author and I am really impressed. I’m already signed up for the next book featuring Nadine and detective Demko, I felt like this book was a really good introduction to both of their character but it still leaves plenty of room for development as the series goes on. Although there is some romance, it isn’t the central part of the story and the crime aspect is definitely centre stage. This book definitely kept me guessing as to who the killer could be and everyone’s individual motives and back stories, this is an author I will be following for more books in future.
Dr Nadine Finch was once known as Nadine Fowler, the 14-year old daughter of a serial killing mom, who turned her own mother in. She has spent all of her life attempting to distance herself from her mom's legacy while also trying to appear as "normal" as possible. She works for the police as a forensic psychologist and gets requested for a case with a murderer who's MO is eerily similar to her own mother. Is this a copycat? An accomplice? What do they want with Nadine?
I loved how Nadine was sympathetic, but also a difficult person striving to ensure she didn't give into the darkness she is worried that is inside her. I also loved the supporting characters, and how this unique idea for a thriller was executed. This book has such an interesting premise and the story really moves in unexpected and interesting ways. This book was impossible to put down!
Dr. Nadine Finch is a forensic psychologist in Sarasota, Florida, when two bodies are found in the water. When she is called in to consult, she finds that the victims of this violent murder bear a shocking similarity to crimes that Nadine is all too familiar with. Nadine knows these crimes so well because her mother is a notorious serial killer of adulterous couples. Are the new murders a coincidence, a copycat killer, or something worse?
The premise behind this story is an interesting one and overall, I found the storyline to be engaging and original. However, this is Jenna Kernan’s first foray into this genre and it shows. There’s a lot of telling instead of showing, and I sometimes felt I was being smacked in the face with thoughts I could deduce on my own. I also felt some things were implausible. The reader is expected to believe Nadine is learning the fine details of her mother’s crimes at the same time the reader is, even though her mother has been in prison for more than a decade. There are a number of continuity errors, but I did read an uncorrected advance copy, so those may be resolved in the final published edition. But all in all, a decent thriller and enjoyable read. There will be a future novel continuing Nadine’s story and I will likely seek it out.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the book... and i did not like it at the same time.. i found the relashion between the characters superficial. There was no meaning to it. I felt no connection to anyone in the book. The intrigue is there.. but i did not feel the stress that i usually feel in a good mystery novel. The idea was good... the storyline was good... but there was no enotions for me there and the author lacked that when writting.
I enjoyed this 1st novel from Jenna Kernan. I liked the MC & her back story made an interesting addition to the plot. I felt it could have done with a little extra editing though as some of it was overwritten & corny in places. However it's an absorbing read on a quiet afternoon.