I wanted to like this book. It started out good but then it took some weird turns. I feel like it could have been 200 pages shorter. The “big twist” was not big. I had it solved long before I finished the book.

What a wild ride. I thought I predicted the twist fairly early on, but I was so so wrong. Heartbreakingly beautiful - it was excellent.

Dandy Smith's novel The Wrong Daughter is a bonkers read that I couldn't put down. Caitie and Olivia are sisters who were separated sixteen years ago when Olivia was abducted in the middle of the night. I felt sorry for Caitie, who has since lived a life that might give her parents some happiness and peace of mind. Caitie blames herself for not acting during the abduction and does everything she thinks will please her Dad, especially.

As various characters enter Caitie's life, the plot becomes complex and, at times, confusing. I had a bit of trouble trying to figure out how the new characters fit into the abduction plot. Perhaps I tried too hard to get ahead of the author with who was key and how the mystery would be resolved.

If you love complex stories and out-there situations, this is a boot to put on your TBR list!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced book copy, which will be published on August 26, 2025.

Olivia and Caitlin's parents have left them alone for the first time. But in the night, a masked intruder takes Olivia and Caitlin is left with survivor's guilt. Sixteen years later, Caitlin gets the call from her father, the call she's been waiting for. Come home. She's back. Your sister Olivia is back...
This was a fantastic book. It kept me enthralled from the first page to the last. I did guess the major plot point, but it in no way interfered with my enjoyment of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Dandy Smith’s The Wrong Daughter is a psychological thriller packed with twists, family secrets, and a creeping sense of paranoia. The story follows Caitlin, whose sister Olivia was kidnapped sixteen years ago. When a woman suddenly returns claiming to be Olivia, Caitlin isn’t convinced—but no one else seems to question her identity. With an inconclusive DNA test, unsettling memories, and a growing feeling that someone is watching her, Caitlin digs deeper, uncovering shocking truths that turn her world upside down.

The novel excelled at keeping me guessing. Just when I thought I knew where the story is going, Smith throws in another twist. The tension between Caitlin and her family adds emotional depth, making the mystery even more compelling. The eerie atmosphere and the sense of unease build steadily, keeping the suspense high throughout.

However, some of the plot twists did stretch believability, and the story leaned heavily into familiar thriller tropes. While this didn’t bother me as I love a l fast-paced psychological thriller, if you are looking for a more grounded mystery you might find certain elements a bit over the top.

Overall, The Wrong Daughter is an engaging, binge-worthy read. If you enjoy thrillers filled with unreliable characters and jaw-dropping twists, this one is worth adding to your TBR.

This teetered between 3 or 4 stars for me

I read this when I got it from Net Gallery in exchange for an honest review.

This book floundered between 3 and four stars for me. While the kidnapping child and later returned adult trope has been done a lot, this one had some unique aspects to it.

The story is told back and forth from two time periods, and how they connect takes most of the book to come together. At times it was a bit confusing , but the chapters are labeled with the viewpoint to help readers.

I found the older plot line to be a bit pretentious in the writing style. There was overuse of figurative language, as if the author was trying to write a literary Victorian piece, despite it not being in olden times. I'd also like to warn there is a heavy amount of incest described, reminiscent of Flowers in the Attic. This whole plot felt a bit off.

The more modern storyline, with the sisters, was the stronger one. I found myself feeling bad for the main character, although I'd have liked to see her parents' characters flushed out more. There were some very suspenseful scenes wondering if someone was in the room or seeing the Venetian masked figure that gave it a nice eerie quality. Sometimes conversations and unnecessary side lots dragged on a bit, though.

Overall, it was easy to read through quickly. I listened to a few chapter in the middle and read the rest. The audio was done well.

This book mixes two genres, so it’s bound to excite some and baffle others….

First, there's Caitlin who grapples with Olivia, her missing sister who reappears after 16 years.

Then, there’s Elinor and brother Heath—borderline incestuous Flowers in the Attic siblings—living with their creepy, controlling uncle, who oversees their money and estate.

The contrast between Caitlin’s “real” world and Elinor’s gothic, fantasy life is bizarre. I didn’t hate it, though, because the writing is effortless and gripping. Still, I found myself constantly questioning what in the what was going on!

Not gonna lie, I was let down by the reveal - it wasn’t as clever as I’d hoped. But the mixed genre and effortless writing set this book apart.

This wackadoo thriller is definitely worth a read if you’re up for a unique, gothic, reappearing-sister mash-up.

Wow—just wow! I absolutely loved this novel by Dandy Smith. The Wrong Daughter was the perfect thriller for me, keeping me guessing the whole way through. The language was thoughtful, and clues were sprinkled throughout, making for an engaging read. This was my first book by Smith, and it definitely won’t be my last! If you’re a fan of Lisa Jewell or Freida McFadden, this one is for you.

A story of 2 sisters who are very close, until one of the is kidnapped from their home. Wow! The psychological portion of this thriller really had me hooked. Every time I thought I had a portion of the book figured out, it felt like the rug was pulled from underneath me! I was captivated by each character as the story progressed. There was some heavy subject content, which may not be for everyone. Overall, I enjoyed the book. The only thing I disliked honestly, was how portions of the story were dragged out somewhat. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book!

The Wrong Daughter

This book was great!! I loved the thrill, the suspense, and the story line! It starts out really fast past thriller suspense and in the middle it did get a bit confusing, I had to slow down following almost 2 plot lines, but then picked back up all the way to the end!

I would highly recommend this book!

Thank you Dandy Smith, Kensington Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this amazing book!

O.M.G.!
This is definitely an intense psychological thriller that definitely held my interest.
I quickly read to see how the pieces of this puzzle came together and yet I was confused at times and then,,,, IT ALL WILL COME TOGETHER!
It is not an easy read, but if you enjoy suspense, mystery, horror and sadness then you will adore this novel!

Thank you to @NetGalley and to @Kensngton publishing for this ARC and allowing me to read and provide my own review. WOW!

Catie is just ten years old when her thirteen year old sister Olivia is kidnapped by knifepoint in the middle of the night. The girls were home alone and in her terror, Catie failed to alert the authorities, instead waiting petrified for her parents return.

Sixteen years later she is still carrying the guilt of feeling that her sister’s abduction is her fault. When her father calls one morning and tells her to hurry home because her sister has returned, her whole world is turned upside down once again. Because, after the excitement of being reunited dies down, Caitlin starts to wonder, is this really her sister Olivia? And if not, what does this imposter want with her and her family?

The story that follow is an engaging, tense psychological thriller that delivers startling twists and turns from beginning to end. The reader is left constantly guessing at Olivia’s motives up until the shocking finale. Well drawn characters exist in an increasingly sister situation throughout in this suspenseful, emotional thriller. 4 stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

This book is a true slow burn, and while things eventually do pick up, it almost felt like it moved too quickly at that point? There was no happy medium there. There was also a lot of repetition that made it drag on, sometimes making it tough to get through. I really wanted to love this and there are some great twists and other aspects but unfortunately, the formatting threw it all off, leaving me unable to fully enjoy it. The pacing issues just ruined the experience for me.

Caitlin watches as her older sister, Olivia, is being kidnapped from their home. She is never found and 16 years later, a woman appears saying she is Olivia. Soon, Caitlin begins to question whether “Olivia” is really her sister. There is an alternate story of a sister and brother. We don’t know how they are related to Caitlin and Olivia until late in the book.
There are a couple good twists to the story. The beginning was good but then it starts to drag in the middle. I found myself skimming because there was so much repetition. The twist toward the end was surprising but the ending seemed too rushed and deserved to be slowed down and really explored.

What a silly book. The middle dragged and ending felt rushed.

Caitlin's sister Olivia goes missing from their childhood home. Years later she returns.

This was still a good book that kept me engaged, but I just found it was a really slow burn, then the ending was too fast.

Oh gosh. I really really thought I was going to like this book. I thought the book description sounded fantastic. This is my first book I've read from this author and my assumption would be maybe this is is dandys first novel? I didn't actually look it up, but this very much seems like a first try. Lol the book was sooooooo slow getting going and I won't lie...I wanted to finish the book so I could give feedback but I actually found myself skimming through it just to get the just of what was going on. Even skimming through I honestly felt like I wasted my time. There are so many great books out there, this one I wish I would have passed up.

Thank to Netgalley for allowing me a sneak peak into this book

This book was hard for me to start but once I did it really got my attention

An engaging thriller with a bit of a slow start. It's told from two POVs, mainly Caitie but with a few chapters from a different POV, Elinor. Caitie's sister Olivia had been kidnapped when they were children, and now sixteen years later she suddenly returns, only Caitie starts to doubt if the person who came back is really Olivia. Elinor on the other hand is a teenage girl, growing up isolated with only her older brother for company. (And theirs is not a normal sibling relationship - ick!)
The connection between the two POVs only becomes clear towards the end of the book, and it wasn't what I initially expected. The villain and some of the plot developments were a little "out there" and over-the-top at times, and the writing style sometimes overdid it a bit with the flowery metaphors. But I ended up rooting for Caitie, who was a flawed, but likeable main character. I really felt bad for her when everything started to go wrong, even though she made some stupid mistakes too.

Thank you to the author and to Kensington Publishing for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Wow, what a page turner. How is the kidnapping of a young girl related to the story of a brother and sister living in a mansion out in the country? That's the mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat. Admittedly, I did skim though some chapters that didn't seem relevant to the story. Lots of twists and turns and surprises. The alternating viewpoints takes a bit to get used to, and you have to check the narrator for each chapter. So, grab your hot cocoa and Guy Fawkes mask, and hold on!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.