This was another one that sort of fell flat for me. Something about the main character just didn’t sit right with me. And maybe it isn’t supposed to. But it just didn’t work for me.

Anna is a sheriff's lieutenant and - unbeknownst to her colleagues - she is also the daughter of a notorious serial killer. Most of her childhood memories have been blocked by a therapist using a controversial and unlicensed hypnosis technique, but Anna starts remembering things after a traumatic incident at work. And then the bodies start showing up, adorned with flowers and displayed in a ceremonial fashion, just like her father's victims.

This is becoming one of my favorite serial killer sub-genres: the daughter of a serial killer has to solve a copycat case and deal with all sorts of terrible memories from her past. SO GOOD! (Another one I really enjoyed recently was The Killer's Daughter (Detective Margot Phalen Series)) This one had some super disturbing imagery, and I loved all of the creepy forest god business. I will say that I did not love the way the story ended/the explanation of the copycat, but I'm not sure how else it could have ended, and I loved everything else, so whatever.

Solvinic has written a VERY impressive debut, and I'm so excited to see what she writes next -- highly recommend!

Lt. Anna Koray has a secret: she is the daughter of an infamous serial killer, the Forest Strangler. Though a psychiatrist has helped her with repressing most of her childhood memories, when a copycat killer starts killing women, Anna's secret past is at risk of being exposed. Can she get to the bottom of the murders without anyone finding out her true identity?

The story kept me engaged and I enjoyed all of the different threads that were kept going throughout the book. Unfortunately, the ending felt a bit underbaked and rushed which is a shame because I enjoyed most of the book. I think if you are interested in serial killers, true crime or unreliable narrators, you'll enjoy this. 3.5 stars

Many thanks to Berkley & Netgalley for the ARC.

The Hunter’s Daughter was the perfect blend of moody and atmospheric, a dark forest beckoning the reader into its maw. I loved the character’s drive and the role her father’s spirit and beliefs played in her presence, haunting her and discoloring every step she takes. I can’t wait to read more books by this author. I really enjoyed this.

This was a fantastic read! And certainly a more unique take that I really enjoyed. I loved how the author dealt with our main characters trauma, being a serial killers daughter and all. The twists and turns were fun and kept us guessing. The ending wasn’t unpredictable but it was still easily enjoyable and added to the story for me!

huge thank you to netgalley for the copy of the book! after initially reading the description i was super intrigued and it did not disappoint. the plot was well thought out and had a lot of twists and turns that keep you interested the whole time. my only complaint would be that the ending felt a little rushed-would have loved a little more explanation. but for a debut novel this was great and i can’t wait to see what nicola solvinic does next!

Locked away in her mind is police officer Anna Koray’s childhood memories. When she kills a man in the line of duty, fractured memories slowly start seeping in, including the fact that her father was a serial killer. Though he is long dead, the killings have started again, which has Anna questioning if she is following in her father’s footsteps. A creepy, dark-edged, suspense-filled book with just enough of a supernatural twist. A captivating page-turner.

A suspenseful debut that leaves the reader questioning what is a dream and what is the true reality.

I don’t read thriller/mysteries that often but I was intrigued by this one when reading the blurb. The Hunter’s Daughter follows Anna, the daughter of an infamous serial killer in the 80s. Her memories have been repressed and she has started a new life as a cop. After she kills someone in the line of duty, her memories start to resurface. When bodies start appearing in the woods in a similar fashion to her father’s victims, her grip on reality starts to feel a lot more tenuous.

This book was a wild ride in that I really did not know where we were going. I thought I had this book figured out from the first chapter and I was pleasantly surprised to find that not to be the case in the end. What really worked is that when Anna started to feel the lines blur and was questioning her viewpoint in the real world, I always felt myself wondering what was real and what was only a dream. The descriptions of her father’s victims had me so creeped out in the best way.

I highly recommend checking out this thriller if you’re into murder, serial killers, and an unreliable narrator. Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for this advanced copy, all thoughts are my own.

Anna Korway, a lieutenant in a rural sheriff's department, is also the surviving daughter of a prolific serial killer and is living under an assumed name used to erase her past. When she kills a man in the line of duty one day she starts to get long-suppressed memories back, and when a copycat killer using her dad's MO appears in the area, she starts to question her memories and her sanity all while trying to solve the case. Fast-paced, with enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing almost to the end.

The Hunter's Daughter
by Nicola Solvinic
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
A hypnotic, sinister debut mystery about a seemingly good cop who is secretly the daughter of a notorious serial killer.
This was a breakout debut novel. Nicola created a damaged character her felt on edge. Anna was unreliable and just on the brink of crazy. Her story is well defined and evolves. There were a few side stories that didn't seem super important and the ending could have been stretched a little longer. There was a sense of urgency and everything was tied up in the end.
I liked this book very much.

Intriguing story line; the daughter of a notorious serial killer who has been executed for his crimes, is now a respected cop, investigating murders of what appears to be the same MO that her father used. But he's dead isn't he? I wasn't a fan of her though and I think that took away from the story a bit. Good writing but the execution fell somewhat flat. A good enough read.

I thought this was really unique. The mystery and thrilling aspects of this book held up from beginning to end. I got invested in the characters and the paranormal levels to the story. I am an avid reader so it doesn’t take me too much for me to figure out the murderer in some cases. I thought I had this one figured out right away and was still so pleased that it kept me entertained and engaged. Turns out, I didn’t have it figured out! Kudos to you Solvinic!! Great first debut! I gave this novel 4.5 stars. Lots of intriguing characters and twists and turns. Besides, anything novel that can catch me off guard is always a win for me!

DNF.

Interesting premise on what it would be like to be the daughter of a serial killer and how that reverberates in every aspect of one's life and identity. However, didn't love the main character. She seemed flighty and her decisions were questionable from the very start. Also didn't love the supernatural aspect. Wanted more from this one .

THE HUNTER'S DAUGHTER by Author Nicola Solvinic is a chilling, highly addictive debut that gave me serious goose bumps. There's a supernatural element with an air of malice lurking that saturates the pages of this story, leaving readers jumping at night sounds. I burned through this book with trepidation over what would happen next, afraid to continue but unable to stop. You'll want to settle in with the lights on to read this one!

As a young child, Elena loves nothing more than spending long days meandering through the forest with her beloved father Steven Theron, listening to him speak of spirits, fairies and the Forest God. Despite her mother's disapproval, her days are idyllic until the day she ventures out alone and stumbles across a horrific discovery. Severely traumatized, Elena’s memories are repressed, and she grows up to be Anna Koray, a respected police officer where no one knows she's the daughter of the notorious Forest Strangler.

Lt. Anna Koray is off duty when she arrives at the scene of a domestic dispute. Things quickly go south when she inadvertently comes in contact with PCP and is forced to shoot the domestic perpetrator in the line of duty. Awakening in the hospital, Anna is disoriented and suffering hallucinations. She's assured it's her exposure to the PCP, but as more of her dark memories surface, Anna's left fearing the unknown. When a young woman's body is discovered in the same manner as her father's victims, rumors of a copycat serial killer arise. Anna panics when she starts getting cryptic notes claiming to "know who she really is", leaving her to wonder what she does during periods of blackouts. One thing is clear. Someone is killing young, blonde women again. Is it a copycat serial killer? Did her father somehow escape execution? Or has the darkness brewing inside her surfaced? Anna needs answers and to get them, she must unmask a killer. Even if it destroys her world.

Author Nicola Solvinic has rendered a mesmerizing tale that's impossible to put down in THE HUNTER'S DAUGHTER. Anna is a unique, conflicted character that struggles to separate fact from myth. As a respected police officer, she strives to do the right thing, but as the traumatized daughter with the genes of a serial killer father in her veins, she's lost in a world of smoke and mirrors. Slovinic does an amazing job of drawing attention to the long-term psychological effects of trauma on fragile minds as she explores the issue of nature vs. nurture. She flawlessly weaves the supernatural aspects of this story with forensic science. The imagery is brilliant creating a highly visual, tingle all the senses setting. Characters are as real as they are illusive, charging readers with sifting through all the hidden clues and red herrings to follow the breadcrumbs through twists and turns before arriving at the epic climax. While I had an inkling about what was happening that proved to be true in the end, it in no way lessened the dramatic impact of experiencing this stunning story.

THE HUNTER'S DAUGHTER is a raw, gritty, all-consuming psychological thriller that is masterfully rendered - a unique jewel in the genre. Author Nicola Slovinic's skill is evident as she expertly manipulates characters and readers and monsters through a tunnel of darkness to emerge at the end. Themes of good vs. evil, nature vs. nurture and the aftereffects of trauma are managed with skill and grace. Highly recommended to fans of mysteries, suspense and thrillers.

Anna Koray is a well respected cop. When a domestic dispute call puts her life in jeopardy, it's just the start of a downhill fall. Anna is the daughter of infamous serial killer the Forest Strangler. Only, she doesn't remember that until recently. During her childhood a therapist locked away her past and now it's slowly seeping out into her life. When women turn up murdered in a similar manner as her father, doubt begins to weave into her present. Who could be doing this and how is it connected. Anna questions her actions, maybe she could be involved, maybe her father wasn't executed all those years ago, or finally maybe Veles, the forest God is responsible.
Anna intertwines herself into the new investigation putting herself and the case at risk. One wrong move and her house of cards will come tumbling down. She's desperate for answers, what if she's a monster just like her father.

This was a breakout debut novel. Nicola created a damaged character her felt on edge. Anna was unreliable and just on the brink of crazy. Her story is well defined and evolves. There were a few side stories that didn't seem super important and the ending could have been stretched a little longer. There was a sense of urgency and everything was tied up in the end. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

The story's premise was intriguing, exploring whether evil traits can be inherited. The plot was well-crafted, with many small twists, though I wish it had been a little darker. I appreciated the psychological aspects of the story, particularly the ongoing trauma of being the daughter of a serial killer, the psyche of one’s mind, and the ethical implications of a psychiatrist using memory manipulation

This was an intricate and fast paced read that had it's hooks in me from the first chapter.

Locked away memories resurface when Anna shoots a man in the line of duty. She has come a very long way from the childhood she experienced. Parsing through the wonderful and terrible memories of her father, Anna becomes aware that she is the daughter of an infamous serial killer, but all of that information was suppressed when she was adopted.

When her team begins investigating a new string of murders that are eerily similar to the crimes of her father, Anna is fearful that everything will come crashing down around her. There is a copycat on the loose because her father was put to death for the murders he committed, and Anna is in a unique position to uncover the identity of the new killer, while hopefully staying under the radar.

I thought this was really unique. The mystery and thrilling aspects of this book held up from beginning to end. I got invested in the characters and the paranormal levels to the story. So well done!

I absolutely love it when a book surprises you with how good it is. When I received this book from Netgalley I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it. The premise sounded good but I just wasn’t sure. Quickly into the book I was so glad I gave it a try. The book starts with Anna responding to a domestic assault call, even though she is off duty. She ends up killing the perpetrator and awakening memories she didn’t realize she had lost. The book evolves to show Anna (Elena’s) relationship with her parents, her discovery of her father’s horrible crimes, and how she ended up the adult she became. When bodies start being discovered with the same MO of her father Anna must figure out who is behind the deaths in order to protect her new identity.
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for allowing me
To read this wonderfully enjoyable book.

The story's premise was intriguing, exploring whether evil traits can be inherited. The plot was well-crafted, with many small twists, though I wish it had been a little darker. I appreciated the psychological aspects of the story, particularly the ongoing trauma of being the daughter of a serial killer, the psyche of one’s mind, and the ethical implications of a psychiatrist using memory manipulation.

Think you to NetGallery and to Berkley Publishing for giving me a copy of the book.

Anna is the daughter of a serial killer, who’s childhood memories were sealed away via hypnosis. She’s now a detective lieutenant and has come a long way to overcome her father’s shadow.

When Anna kills a man in the line of duty, her suppressed memories return. To her horror, a serial killer emerges who is copying her father, and who knows her real identity which threatens everything she has built since.

Can Anna find the killer before she loses herself to the darkness?

This book! Oh, this book was so much fun!

Anna was a very well rounded, and complex character. We delved deep into the trauma that made her the way she was, and I appreciated it. I loved getting to know her from childhood to the detective lieutenant that she became. She really overcame a lot being the daughter of a serial killer and dealing with the fall out of that. I enjoyed it when her memories were coming back to her and getting to see flashes into her childhood.

While the twist at the end wasn’t entirely unpredictable, the why was what I was waiting for, and I was not disappointed with it. I also enjoyed the smaller reveals, and a few of them I didn’t see coming. I do wish that we would have gotten a little more backstory into why the big twist was the way it was, but for the sake of being a long book it did work.

This book was wonderfully well written and dives deep into what it takes to deal with trauma. There are some darker elements, as you can imagine being the daughter of a serial killer, but I would say there are also horror elements as well when the god of the forest was discussed.

I also particularly enjoyed the ethical limits explored with the memory erasing.

I can’t believe that this is a debut novel. It knocked my socks off and was a delicate balance of a thriller. If you are a darker themed thriller fan, then you’ll want to check this one out. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next.

A Copy of this review will be featured on my blog during publication week.