The Wrong Daughter started strong, pulling me in immediately with its dark, layered backstory of Heath and Elinor. Their tragic and obsessive relationship was the most compelling part of the book, and it kept me invested when the present-day storyline with Caitlin and Olivia started to drag. Unfortunately, by 80%, I was so frustrated with the pacing and inconsistencies that I resorted to reading just the dialogue to finish it.

Elinor’s story had potential, but her sudden decision to leave Heath felt completely out of character. She was written as someone who depended on him for protection and was terrified of being without him, so her decision to run made no sense. Heath’s descent into obsession and his guilt over killing their uncle was believable, but his response—killing Elinor and kidnapping girls who resembled her to replace her—was predictable rather than shocking.

I hoped Olivia’s story would deliver a more unexpected twist, but it stayed straightforward. The suggestion of a darker relationship between Heath and Elinor was unsettling, but it didn’t hit as hard as it could have. I kept wondering if Olivia might have been a kidnapped version of Elinor, but the truth was far less interesting.

The side characters were the most frustrating part. Caitlin’s fiancé, Oscar, was trash—dating her just to exploit her family’s tragedy for a story. Florence, Caitlin’s supposed best friend, was just as bad. Caitlin gets kidnapped, her story is corroborated by another victim, and Florence still can’t reach out because her wedding was “ruined”? Shallow and infuriating. Caitlin’s dad was no better, constantly blaming her for Olivia’s disappearance and showing no redeeming love even as an adult. His excuse of blaming himself felt hollow given how openly he favored Olivia.

The ending was bittersweet but anticlimactic. Caitlin essentially lost her sister twice—first to the kidnapping and then to the realization that Olivia was no longer her sister in any meaningful way. While Heath’s character stayed consistent from the past to the present, the events during Caitlin’s capture lacked tension and emotional weight.

The title didn’t make much sense to me, either. By the middle, I assumed it meant “the wrong daughter survived,” reflecting the father’s favoritism, but even that didn’t feel like a strong fit by the end.

Overall, the book had a gripping start and a compelling backstory, but the present-day plot dragged, and the twists didn’t land as hard as they could have.

This was a good read. The twist was different than most. However, it did seem to drag on and be repetitive in some parts.

3 stars
Thanks NetGalley!

I love this author! The books always grab me right from the beginning, so good! I couldn't put this book down! Thank you for the ARC!

3.5 ⭐️this book was entertaining and was told from two different POVs. Caitlin and Elenor’s. The whole time I was trying to figure out why I was getting her POV, and then when you do finally figure it out it just felt like a big waste of time. This book was fairly disturbing but it kept you wanting to come back for more. It did feel a little drawn out though. The plot twists weren’t really surprising to me, I definitely saw it coming. Heath was an incredibly disturbing character through and through.

I received this Arc through Net galley, however, all of my thoughts and opinions are my own. This novel had a very interesting twist and take in how two sisters feel about what had happened in their past. I really enjoyed Caite's take on everything and you can see the character development as the story progressed. My only gripe is the chapters with Elinor. Her story, although later explained, really interrupted the flow. I would be really getting into what was going on and then I would get to an Elinor chapter and have to figure out what exactly was going on. The transition between the two stories was not seamless. Other than that, the story itself was enjoyable. I liked it.

"The Wrong Daughter" is an engrossing psychological thriller that tangles suspense, family secrets, and deception into a mesmerizing web.

The plot commences with the unsettling abduction of Olivia, the elder sister when she and her younger sibling Caitlin are left alone at home. Sixteen years later, Olivia reappears, yet her identity is shrouded in uncertainty. As the family reconvenes, long-buried secrets surface, prompting Caitlin to question the circumstances surrounding Olivia's disappearance and return.

The novel's atmosphere is thick with tension and suspense, thanks to a plot that's carefully constructed to keep readers guessing. Smith creates characters that are both complex and relatable, each with their own mix of strengths and flaws. The relationship between the sisters is especially compelling, with their ups and downs propelling the story forward.

The themes of identity, family secrets, and trust are central, highlighting how far people will go to safeguard those they care about. This dynamic interplay of characters and themes makes the narrative both engaging and thought-provoking.

Smith's writing is crisp and absorbing, instilling a sense of urgency that leaves readers constantly anticipating the next twist.

However, it's worth noting that some scenes might strike readers as dark and unsettling.

Even so, the book is still really engaging, and it ends with a twist that will really catch you off guard.

In essence, Dandy Smith delivers a riveting narrative that urges readers to examine every assumption they've made about the characters and their motivations.

I just finished this book…..and I don’t know what to think. I will probably be pondering this one for days. The ended was definitely a surprise. It was an intriguing premise- a 13 year old girl disappears and returns 16 years later. But is it really her?
The beginning was a little slow, but I definitely wanted to know how it ended.

This was a good book. I think it was a bit predictable but nonetheless it was worth reading and has lots of twists and turns! I did enjoy this and would recommend it.
Thank you #NetGalley

Twists upon twists! While I did enjoy parts of this book it was extremely convoluted and detailed. There were a lot of red herrings and details that ultimately led to the grand reveal. I enjoy the suspense and the feeling of thinking you know whats happening and then a giant twist. The main character also made me want to scream sometimes lol. Does anyone else ever feel satisfied and unsatisfied with the ending of a book at the same time???

However, please do note if incest triggers you, avoid this book,

Overall, I would probably read another book from this author and am grateful for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

A serious page turner as I read this late into the early morning, guessing who was right and what had happened.

It is told in two perspectives and we get to know what's going on only towards the end. The fear factor is high with several twists and red herrings. An interesting dark thriller that kept me on my toes. There are several themes of grief, dysfunction, loss, family, control, anger and friendships. Do note the trigger warnings prior to picking this one up.

Thank you Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

I recently found Dandy Smith. Her latest book, The Wrong Daughter, was a great read. It was a page turning thriller.

Since it’s only the third book ever written the author, it’s a very strong thriller. Some things were possible to guess, but others did surprise me. The red herrings were quite good. I only wish the incest and pedophilia were not part of the story line. If I were a writer, I would leave children out of crime books because it’s nothing positive about it.

I was annoyed with some parts and sometimes with the main character but over all it made me want to read more of Dandy Smith.

The last question was if this book was published in February 2024 why it’s on the NetGalley now? Maybe the publisher meant to upload the new release “The Wedding Vow” instead?

Thanks NetGalley for a free copy in exchange of an honest review.

this was a good psychological thriller! It had a lot of twists and turns, and it really made me tense while reading and waiting to find out the ending of this book! i think it was a little bit predictable, but it was still really good!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Great book, I honestly thought I’d cracked it and knew where it was going but I was so wrong. I loved the writing style and the plot was great and the twists were engaging

The Wrong Daughter keeps you guessing throughout the book. After Olivia is kidnapped, she suddenly returns home on an anniversary of her kidnapping. Her sister, Caitlin, begins to have doubts, why won’’t Olivia talk about her abductor and why is she forgetting things she should know? Caitlin has worked hard to be the perfect daughter and create a happy life for herself , but her sister coming home starts to unravel her perfect life. Will the truth come out before Caitlin loses everything?

I listened to the audiobook and loved the narrators. The plot of this book is so interesting and, for the most part, I enjoyed it. There is, however, a storyline which is pretty disturbing (think Flowers in the Attic) and not germane to the overall plot.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Wrong Daughter, by Dandy Smith, is a dark and disturbing story. It’s important to note a trigger warning for incest, which I was unaware of when I began this book. The main storyline centers on Caitlin, who was 13 years old when her 16 year old sister Olivia was abducted in front of her from their home. It’s many years later when Olivia reappears in their childhood home to the delight of their parents. Caitlin senses something is very wrong. In another storyline, Elinor lives in a mansion with her brother Heath and a visiting uncle. Eventually these two narratives connect, but not in the way it seems. This unsettling yet foreboding story will not be for everyone. Many readers will enjoy the detailed descriptions provided by the author. With thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for providing me with this book. My opinions are my own.

This way very different from my usual selection of books and I really enjoyed this. Firstly, the writing is immaculate and I think it has the vibes to hook a reader in from the very beginning.

The description was also great and gave me a good idea of what the book would be about.

Really good book!


(rest of my review will come in a couple days - will update the link for Goodreads when I update this review!)


Thank you to Dandy Smith, Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for this arc! 💕

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC. This book really caught my attention and held it throughout the whole book. I think it was written well enough to keep interest and leave the reader never 100% certain of what was going on but also as a reader, I had a pretty good guess as to what was happening. The story does involve incest, kidnapping, betrayal, and Stockholm syndrome so there are some parts where you are shocked by what you are reading.

Really enjoyed this read! It’s about two sisters and one gets kidnapped at a young age. Follows the sister that is left behind.