A great thriller, with lots of twists and turns. I was gripped throughout and found myself needing to read just a bit more... I finished it in a day, unsurprisingly!

Full review to follow. This is an intriguing tale, a question of whether or not a young child could have killed her father. Exploring the inexplicable phenomenon of cellular memory and the fact that many organ transplant recipients take on traits and memories of their donor, the story really makes you think. With a myriad of suspects Meg Dalton is on a mission to prove the girl's innocence when all around her are certain that she is guilty.

I'm loving seeing the progression of Meg as a character, her very complicated personal life and the interaction she has with her colleagues, not all of whom are on her side. She's not the most dynamic of Detectives but she is dogged in her commitment to the case and not entirely unwilling to accept that strange things can happen. The case is twisted, the whole set up kind of haunting and the ending builds to a tense stand off. A great addition to the series.

The second novel in the DI Meg Dalton series is another thrilling read with twists and turns that really do keep you page turning to see how the story unfolds. Being told from Megs viewpoint it’s easy to get into and immersive as you get to live through the investigation with her.
Starting at pace the author draws you straight in right from the start turning out a thought provoking story that having been recommended it myself would definitely recommend it to others.
Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. I really enjoyed it, I thought the character of DI Me Dalton was very well written and I look forward to reading more by this author.

This gallops along at a pace and I can see that it will be extremely popular with thriller readers. But it was all a bit too much of a stretch of credulity for me. I liked it in parts but didn't find the characters fully rounded and found the storyline a bit too far fetched.

I really enjoyed this creepy thriller with a strong moral message. Literally had no idea who the killer was or how the story would turn out. Great plotting with plenty of red herrings and a believable DI. Loved the sexual tension too and hope this evolves through the series. The cat, by the way, is magnificent.

Brilliant book with a clever premise, vivid characters and a unique voice in main character Meg. A crime procedural set in spooky Derbyshire with real depth. Thoroughly recommended.

An original storyline which grips you from the very first page. Chilling, atmospheric., full of thrills and great psychological insight. I just could not predict how this was all going to tie up but it did all come together in a most unpredictable, traumatising finale.

Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this ARC for which I have given my voluntary and unbiased review.

DEAD MAN’S DAUGHTER is the second book in the series, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone (although I highly recommend you read The Devil’s Dice, too!). In this second book, DI Meg Dalton is called to investigate the appearance of a girl running through the woods and covered in blood which leads her to the discovery of a man murdered in his own home. What it seems to be a robbery gone wrong, it turns quickly into a creepy and inexplicable murder that leads Meg to question her beliefs and her instincts.

I first met the protagonist, DI Meg Dalton, when, last year, I read The Devil’s Dice, the first novel in the series. After years away, she is back in the Peak District to stay closer to her mother and she finds a job in the Derbyshire Police. Now, six months after her return, she still has her ups and downs professionally and personally. Inside the police station, she has a good relationship with both her colleagues Fiona and Jai (although for the latter she has mixed feelings of friendship and romance), but she also has to suffer the jealousy of a resentful colleague and an obnoxious boss. Outside of the police station, she doesn’t have much of a social life, but she knows that she can always rely on her best friend Hannah, and family issues keep her mind busy even when she is at work. Thanks to the author’s detailed descriptions and beautiful writing, the character of Meg feels realistic: she is smart, determined, and well-developed, and her flaws, her emotions, her guilt over her job, her family, and her sister’s death make her more human and likable.

I found the setting very atmospheric and evocative. For some reason, I kept picturing Derbyshire as a cloudy and rainy place and this fits perfectly with the twisty, sinister, and very gripping plot of the novel. DEAD MAN’S DAUGHTER is a terrific read that captivated me from the beginning to the very end and it confirms Roz Watkin as a brilliant author who knows how to create thrilling and unpredictable stories.

I loved the first in the series and lived this too! It was dark and atmospheric and really interesting. Definitely not your run of the mill crime story. The characters are really well developed and realistic. The whole package is just great and I eagerly await further instalments!

Dead Man's Daughter is the second thriller in the DI Meg Dalton series and from the moment I picked it up I was absolutely gripped. It's action-packed with plenty of twisty reveals and red herrings and moved at breakneck speed as the investigation progressed. The majority of the plot is related to medical research and the propensity of many social media users to unquestioningly accept everything they read which makes for a highly unusual and original story that was immensely enjoyable. New information acquired through the investigation is fed to the reader with some being important to the case and some ending up as dead ends. This added an authentic feel to the novel as it comes across as the way leads are discovered by police in real-world cases.

Despite being second in a series this works perfectly as a standalone and is just as entertaining as book one. I enjoyed that Watkins also explores areas that I would never have imagined being included and which elevated the whole tale for me - topics that are sensitively broached are those of assisted suicide and organ transplant, among others. It all balances out and the atmosphere the author creates is unique and intriguing. The beautiful setting of the Peak District is so evocative that I felt like I was there rather than reading about it. I look forward to the third instalment.

Many thanks to HQ for an ARC.

Dead Man's Daughter by Roz Watkins

A ten-year old girl is caught running through the woods in the Peaks, heading towards the gorge Dead Girl’s Drop. She is in her nightdress and it’s covered in blood. She tells DI Meg Dalton that her name is Abbie and she lives in Bellhurst House, an intimidating, frightening Victorian Gothic house. It’s almost no surprise that Meg should find in a house such as this the body of a man, Abbie’s father, his throat cut. It looks like the work of an intruder but, as Meg dips deeper into this disturbing case, she learns that both Abbie and her father had heart transplants and Abbie is having nightmares which she believes are based on events in the life of her donor. Can this be connected to the murder? The truth could be more shocking than Meg could ever have suspected.

When I read The Devil’s Dice, Roz Watkins’ debut novel and our introduction to Meg Dalton, I knew that this was the beginning of something special and Dead Man’s Daughter is every bit as good. I love everything about these books so it’s not easy knowing where to start but a good place might be with Roz Watkins’ writing, which is fabulous. The author writes with such confidence, naturalness and wit that the characters and their world seems entirely believable and it makes the reader want to be involved. There are lines here that made me laugh out loud. Meg is our narrator and she’s a lovely person. She’s self-deprecating, very funny and she’s so caring and engaged with the world around her.

Meg Dalton is a triumph and the poor woman has much to contend with here in the rather unpleasant shape of her sergeant, Craig. This man is just not as capable as Meg, or indeed anyone else, and he hates the fact and, as a result, also hates Meg. The rest of Meg’s team, such as Jai, returns and they give Meg all the support she needs but, with Craig, they have an awful lot to put up with. Hard as it is for them, it’s very entertaining for us. I really enjoyed this non-relationship. Meg deserves a medal… Meg’s past isn’t about to go away and it haunts her here, but not in a way that dominates her character or the novel. But there is one aspect of her private life that is deeply moving and plays a significant role here and I love the way in which Roz Watkins handles it with such deep care. How could you not love Meg Dalton?

The story is fantastic. This is a perfect and genuine whodunnit in my opinion. There are plenty of red herrings and there is also that sense of something otherworldly and strange. There’s a feeling that anything might be possible and so the reader should just sit back and enjoy it. We are in an expert’s hands here.

I cannot praise Dead Man’s Daughter enough. I loved every page of it. I love the setting in the Peak District, always a favourite location of mine. I love the characters and I was completely immersed in the mystery. Above all else, I adore Meg Dalton. She knows how to make me laugh and she knows how to bring me to the edge of my seat. I really hope this series runs and runs because it is definitely one of the best and Meg Dalton is right up there with my favourites along with Roberta Steele, Logan McRae, Marnie Rome, Tony McLean, Kim Stone, Ruth Galloway, Kate Daniels and Ben Cooper. This is an exclusive club and Meg Dalton definitely belongs in it. I can’t wait for book three.

Other review
The Devil’s Dice

This is a very well written book that is full of twists and turns. I was gripped the whole way through. There is a lot of action and great characters. I would definitely read more books by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

A great follow on from The Devil's Dice in book 2 of the DI Meg Dalton series. The familiar setting of the Derbyshire peak District, the book is compelling and well written. Meg investigates the death of a man in his isolated home and the team are convinced they know the killer. The story touches on organ transplant, suicide and assisted dying but handled in a sympathetic manner. An author to follow and I recommend reading this book. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC. Reviews on Goodreads and Facebook.

This is the second book in this series and is just as good as the first.
Abbie is found running through the woods near her home covered in blood. Meg takes a look in the girl’s house and finds her Dad with his throat slit.
Abbie’s mum is found and says she was away the night before at her parents and doesn’t know what happened, but all clues lead to Abbie killing her father
Meg investigates the family and learns that both Abbie and her dad have had heart transplants.
Abbie’s mum believes her daughter has changed since having the new heart but is she a killer?
The team think Abbie is responsible but Meg can’t quite believe it so carries on investigating.
With family issues to deal with as well Meg is feeling the strain.
This is a great crime thriller that will keep you hooked throughout the book.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Harlequin UK for an advance copy of Dead Man’s Daughter, the second novel to feature DI Meg Dalton of Derbyshire police.

When Meg responds to a call she finds 10 year old Abbie Thornton running through the woods, barefoot and covered in blood. On further investigation she finds Abbie’s dad, Phil, dead in bed with his throat cut.

I thoroughly enjoyed Dead Man’s Daughter which is an engrossing read, full of blind alleys and misdirection with a surprising conclusion. The novel is told from Meg’s point of view alone so it’s easy to get and stay involved. It also means that the reader can live the investigation with Meg, only knowing what she knows. As she is a canny investigator the novel moves along at a fast clip with new lines of investigation in every chapter, some of which produce results while others become dead ends. It’s interesting to see that not everything they learn is relevant. It should be noted that much of the investigation relates to the outer rim of medical research which I have heard of so it’s not quite as fantastical as it may seem although I’m not totally convinced. The con surrounding it is good, playing on social media users’ tendency to believe anything posted without closer examination. I do feel, however, that the novel is a bit didactic when pressing certain liberal points and can be a bit “right on”.

Meg is in a bit of a bind when taking on this new case. She has holidays booked and a family commitment to honour which is causing her some grief. It’s an interesting conundrum but the author ultimately cops out, leaving the impression that it was included to allow the author to express her views rather than for plot requirements.

Dead Man’s Daughter is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

This book is so action packed, the plot is revealed over a series of deaths that are truly shocking and devastating lies that are unearthed.

DI Meg Dalton is one of my favourite detective characters. She's caring, intuitive, she has to deal with a lot of internal politics BS and her job is more than just a job to her. I like how this book follows on a few themed from the first, so although you can definitely read it as a standalone book it is worth reading the first book (The Devil's Dice) because not only is it a brilliant book but the reader gains more perception to the drive in Meg's investigative approach to the case in this book with that background knowledge.

There are so many layers to this story, incorporating local folklore, medical and psychological theories, crime scene forensics, plus a very detailed and thorough look at investigation procedures and evidence. Each twist and turn takes in new information and reveals something new, which kept me turning the pages addictively.

Set in Derbyshire, my home patch, I love how though fictional, the nearby villages and roads mentioned are familiar and accurately portrayed, especially in the snow and bad weather featured in this book.

#DeadMansDaughter #NetGalley I have seen a few reviews that say this is the second in the series - I wasn't aware of this when I requested to review it but , in my opinion, it didn't matter - it was perfectly capable of being read as a stand alone. Whilst technically a crime novel, this book covered a very different subject matter than I have seen before including dealing with the ethics and aftermath of organ transplants and assisted suicide. I was hooked on this book from the first chapter and devoured the twists and turns as Meg fought to find the evidence to support her instincts. I warmed to the character of Meg and loved here cat Hamlet!! In the early stages, I wanted to shake her though and tell her to stand up to Craig and , to a lesser extent, Richard but as the story unfolded there is obviously more to be told about Craig - hopefully this will develop further if indeed this is a series and I will be champing at the bit to read the next installment!!

Dead Man's Daughter is the second book in Roz Watkins' police series starring Meg Dalton and it is another excellent book.

Following on 6 months after the conclusion of the first book Meg is faced with another strange murder whilst trying to juggle her private life

The author keeps you entertained throughout and the story moves at a pace.

This can be read as a standalone with just enough background to allow you to follow the storylines

I'm looking forward to third book in the series

Highly recommended

Definitely not a typical crime novel, while different the whole cellular memory thing was a bit too bizarre for me.