"Like Mother, Like Daughter" by Kimberly McCreight is an exhilarating journey. McCreight masterfully keeps readers on the edge of their seats, skillfully weaving intricate stories within stories. The narrative's intensity and the characters' desperate quest to protect their loved ones make this a gripping and emotionally charged read.

*4.5 stars rounded up*

When something bad happens to someone you love but are fighting with, it makes things that much worse…

Cleo is a college student at NYU & her mother, Kat, lives in Brooklyn & is a lawyer living a picture-perfect life with Cleo’s father. Things are strained between them since Cleo doesn’t always conform to Kat’s high standards, & before they can patch things up Kat goes missing. The police are immediately called due to the blood found in their home, & as a detective & Cleo herself do some investigating they find out that Kat has many, many secrets - & so does Cleo’s dad…

This book had echoes of Karin Slaughter’s Pieces of Her but is definitely its own gripping thriller - told with multiple timelines & alternating between Cleo & Kat, you’re able to really dive into this complicated mother-daughter relationship. The examination of both of their childhoods versus where they are currently gives readers a lot to think about, especially how we perceive things as children compared to how we can really examine & understand more about events as adults. I also enjoyed that you got to read articles, diary entries, & therapy transcripts mixed into the story, & loved the complex commentary on motherhood. There was one plot point that I wasn’t wild about, but I completely understand why the author made that choice as it’s definitely shocking.

Thank you to NetGalley & Knopf for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The letter to libraians/reviewers in Like Mother, Like Daughter says that this book was bought in a highly contested auction and I disregarded it because, quite frankly, this is said on a fairly regular basis.

But wow!

I can see why this book was one every publisher wanted because it is outstanding! Kimberly McCreight is definitely a go-to for wonderful thrillers centered around women and family, and this is her best since A Good Marriage. It's just an incredible look at the bonds mothers and daughters share and how they can be twisted and stretched but, if there's a good relationship at the core, they can never be broken. I love this book so much and I can't wait to recommend it to readers my library system!

This one grabbed me right away. I had trouble putting it down. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I have liked books by Kimberly McCreight in the past, (Reconstructing Amelia, Where They Found Her), and I really enjoyed this new one. Told in alternating POVs, each chapter of Chloe’s search and Kat’s history gave cleverly revealed clues. I was guessing throughout the book and I thought the end was great.

Thank you to the publishers at NetGalley for the advanced reader copy for review.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book! I couldn’t predict the ending and enjoyed the journey of both Kat and Cleo. Thank you for the opportunity read and review!

A suddenly missing mother sets her rebellious daughter in search of her whereabouts. Deep family secrets unravel and beg the question, how well do you really know someone? Many different plot twists and a fast paced story. Kept me on the edge of my seat.

This book was at times a little hard to follow, but all in all was a very good thriller. It did keep you guessing and the multiple story lines made sure you didn't put it together until the end.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

Thank you for an advance copy of this thriller about a mother who suddenly goes missing mysteriously and the daughter who is forced to take on the mystery. She slowly unravels more about her mom, secret after secret is revealed. Strong character development and a fast moving plot made this a good page turner. Once again this author doesn't disappoint!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

After reading a ton of terrible books this book was a nice reprieve. I've read almost all of McCreight's stuff and this one is pretty good, not as good as Reconstructing Ameila, but a pleasurable read nonetheless. The pace was great, and while the ending was a bit far-fetched, it was a nice quick mindless read. It definitely has gotten me back into the swing of things reading-wise when I was ready to throw in the towel on books in general this year.

3 1/2 stars.

Talk about grabbing the reader by the collar on the first page! This book was quickly interesting and enjoyable. Kat and Cleo were down-to-earth and believable characters. Overall great read!

I could not finish this book. It caught my attention at the beginning, but by the time I got 40% through it started to feel very repetitive and the story didn’t seem to be going anywhere. I will probably give it another chance, but for now it’s a dnf,

Cleo is a college student and arrives home to find food burning, blood on the floor, and no sign of her mom, Kat.

Kat has been lying. She’s not who she says she is. In the days leading up to her disappearance she’s been getting threats.

Cleo sets out to find out what happened to her mom. Can she find her before it’s too late?

This book was a lot of fun, but it had a lot going on. I did enjoy this story very much but felt that a lot was crammed into the story and feel that some of the ideas could have been trimmed out to make the story more succinct. There were also a lot of characters, and some of them felt unnecessary and I’m still a little confused as to what their purpose to the story was.

This was a very twisty thriller, with lots of red herring along the way. Despite everything going on, I really enjoyed the author’s writing style. I felt that it was easy to connect to and stay focused on the story even though there was a lot going on. The pacing was very fast, but this is one that I had to set down and absorb the story in order to get everything straight in my head. This wasn’t one that I was able to finish in one setting.

I did find it a little unrealistic that Cleo was the one uncovering all the clues to this story as she was a college student who had a strained relationship with her mom. I just found it difficult to grasp that this would be plausible and think that this could have been helped if the police detective was more involved or the relationship between Cleo and her mom was not quite as strained.

Despite the shortcomings, I really did enjoy this story and did get lost in the story. I was able to suspend my belief and just let go, and really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the pacing and writing style and would read more from this author.

3.5 rounded to 4

Okay I love a twisty book and the final twist was good! But overall, this book had too many red herrings that just crowded the plot and made it feel too purposeful if that makes sense. They just didn't serve the plot. I also hated Cleo until the very end, so it was hard to get into the book until later on. I liked the plot lines separately and I think they'd be good stand alone books.

Thank you Knopf and Netgalley for this e-ARC. Wow, wow, wow is all I can think of right now (in a good way). The story begins when Cleo walks into her parents home to have dinner when she notices blood and a shoe of her mother's on the floor. Kat, Cleo's mother is no where to be found as if she disappeared without a trace. As the story progresses, we see Cleo's point of view as the days go on as she's trying to figure out what happened to her mother. We also get Kat's point of view in the days leading up to her disappearance. Someone has been threatening Kat for blackmail, money or simply on just trying to get to Cleo. Kat is also a lawyer who gambles in helping cover-up certain things. Could the person threatening Kat be an old client, or someone from her own past?

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

This book just wasn't great for me. I almost DNF but it kept me going just enough to get through. Overall I just never really cared for the characters and found them somewhat annoying. I don't think it was a great mystery/drama.

LOVED this book! I could not put it down! It kept my on the edge of my seat with lots going on the entire book. I didn't get bored with any part of it! Best book I've read in awhile!

When Cleo returns home to find her mother missing and evidence of a violent struggle, she uncovers a web of secrets that shatter her perception of her mother's perfect life. Kat, her seemingly flawless mother, is not just a corporate lawyer but also a skilled fixer with a tumultuous past. As Cleo delves deeper, she confronts her own dangerous choices and the truth behind the facade they both maintain. "Like Mother, Like Daughter" is a gripping tale of deception and love, challenging the illusions we create and the bonds that ultimately hold us together.

TITLE: Like Mother, Like Daughter
AUTHOR: Kimberly McCreight
RELEASE DATE: July 9, 2024
PUBLISHED BY: Knopf
FORMAT READ: Kindle ARC
# OF PAGES: 320
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
RECOMMENDATION: it's a good, have at it.

Why did I choose this book?

1. There was a blurb from Jodi Picoult on the front. I have never read her books but I know people like her. What could go wrong?

2. Relatable strained Mother/Daughter relationship.

3. Laura Dave liked it and I like Laura Dave.



What I liked:

⭐️Multiple POV
⭐️ Interesting Story line(s) (also see this in my didn't like list)
⭐️ Wasn't too predictable... there was a lot going on and a lot to figure out so



Why I only gave it ⭐️⭐️⭐️

1. The author had 4 (ish) story ideas and mashed it into one story. While her writing style was one that I liked, I felt it was a bit all over the place. I followed what was going on and I liked all her plot ideas but I feel like a lot of people aren't going to be able to keep up.

2. Way too many characters to keep track of. Some felt meaningless



Thank you to:
Kimberly McCreight
Knopf
Netgalley

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
When Cleo, a student at NYU, arrives late for dinner at her childhood home in Brooklyn, she finds food burning in the oven and no sign of her mother, Kat. Then Cleo discovers her mom’s bloody shoe under the sofa. Something terrible has happened.

But what? The polar opposite of Cleo, whose “out of control” emotions and “unsafe” behavior have created a seemingly unbridgeable rift between mother and daughter, Kat is the essence of Park Slope perfection: a happily married, successful corporate lawyer. Or so Cleo thinks.

Kat has been lying. She’s not just a lawyer; she’s her firm’s fixer. She’s damn good at it, too. Growing up in a dangerous group home taught her how to think fast, stay calm under pressure, and recognize a real threat when she sees one. And in the days leading up her disappearance, Kat has become aware of multiple threats: demands for money from her unfaithful soon-to-be ex-husband; evidence that Cleo has slipped back into a relationship that’s far riskier than she understands; and menacing anonymous messages from her past—all of which she’s kept hidden from Cleo . . . 

Like Mother, Like Daughter is a thrilling novel of emotional suspense that questions the damaging fictions we cling to and the hard truths we avoid. Above all, it’s a love story between a mother and a daughter, each determined to save the other before it’s too late.

After her daughter disappears at college, a mom joins the hunt for her. She asks for help of one of her university professors, not knowing his realtionship to her missing daughter. 4 stars