I went into Daddy’s Girl with intrigue, expecting a darkly layered, gothic tale of an evil child set in the haunting halls of Shortbury Prison. What I got, however, was a disjointed, gross-out horror, with a muddled journey that left me mostly confused and and trying to figure out what this book was actually supposed to be about.

The story follows two main plotlines that barely intersect. First, we have Clare, grappling with grief over her boyfriend Lenny’s mysterious death, working as a tour guide at an old prison, and a twisted relationship with her boss, Archie. The second focuses on Elly and her disturbing daughter, Rosie, whose eerie, unnatural behavior leaves you thoroughly unnerved.

For me, Daddy’s Girl lacked clarity and commitment. The synopsis promised suspenseful, layered storytelling, but the events in the book felt either rushed or drawn out in the wrong places. Clare’s friend’s disappearance—what I thought would be a main plot point based on the synopsis—barely surfaced until the last quarter, with no real mystery left to unravel. And while the synopsis suggests a climactic struggle, this felt more like a brief, confusing event with no lasting impact.

The prose itself was actually my favorite part about the book. It offered a wide range of perspectives, which I found interesting, though it did little to mask the overall lack of direction. Between following Claire through mundane tour details and trying to piece together Rosie's unsettling storyline, I often felt like I was reading two separate books, neither of which felt fully realized.

If there was a central theme or message, it either went over my head or was buried beneath too many disconnected elements. Ultimately, Rosie’s scenes held my attention the most, but they were too few to fully carry the story. Daddy’s Girl left me more frustrated than thrilled, earning it just two stars in the end.

That being said, my review seems to be the unpopular opinion, so don't let me put you off - this book could be for you even if it wasn't for me

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and Red Escape Publishing for the ARC.

This one was a creepy, gothic horror, and there’s nothing scarier than creepy kids am I right?
It took me a bit to get into it, but once I did I sped through it.

4/5 ⭐️

Not a huge fan of this one, the story idea was great, but the writing was off, maybe a little too young for me, but I didn't see this marked as YA.

It was a creepy read, and wasn't awful just didn't flow well.

Editing or possibly changing the way this was laid out and written might help it be the story it could be.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and opportunity to review this book. It just wasn’t for me. It was just too far fetched even for a thriller book. The writing style was juvenile and all over the place. Nothing flowed nicely. It felt like a whole lot of ideas just thrown together.

⭐️⭐️

I could not read this book. I only got a couple chapters in and the storyline already has me not enjoying it. I don't like the writing at all.

This book is just a big no for me. Everything about it is annoying me.

This book gave me the shivers. it is one of the most creepiest takes ever.

It gave me 'orpham' vibes and it is a story that is incredibly told.

Claire mission to find her missing friend was a task I wouldn't like to have but I really enjoyed how the plot unfolded. There were some dark moments. I also like the setting.

I would love this to be made into a film. I has all the scares and drama to make it a good one .

This has a decent feeling of dread, and a very creepy kid.
One of the creepiest I've come across.
However, I didn't particularly enjoy the writing style.
Rounding up to three stars for those moments of dread and tension.