This was the first book I’ve read by this author.
It starts out with a frantic woman driving down the highway in a manic state. She ends up at a busy London shopping mall, where she proceeds to abduct a young toddler as the child’s mother is having coffee with a friend.
The story is told back and forth from what we assume is the two different women’s stories.
The story moves rather fast and keeps you turning the pages while still seeming very predictable; so you think. However there where parts that did seem to drag for me in some parts. I’m usually pretty good at predicting what’s going on. I don’t want to give too much of the story away. I’ll just say it takes a really big twist towards the end that you don’t see coming. I did enjoy this one and it was very quick read for me. It is set in England and I do like how she refers to things there compared to the US.
I rated this 3 stars because I felt it was lacking in the buildup to the end. But overall I did enjoy this book.

How does this author do it?
Another fantastic read, another cracking book from her...
I must admit my eyes light up when I see a post saying she has a new book coming out....
I don't think I'm alone on thinking this either.....

Shalini Boland is an author you know you are going to get a cracking read from, a book where you just won't want to leave it down until the very last page is turned.

When I first read this book blurb, I thought now that is a little different....
Imagine something so horrible as to have your daughter taken and then thinking you see her again.
You would be checking your own sanity levels wouldn't you.

We meet Rachel who is a brilliant character, trying to pick herself up and move on from a very traumatic event in her life, the abduction of her daughter Holly.
How do you even move on from that, I've no idea..
One day at the school gates she meets a new mum Kate dropping her children off to school and in one swift moment, Rachel believes Kate's eldest daughter Bella is her missing child Holly.
This novel is engrossing, the story so brilliantly told.....I kept thinking where can she possibly take this story...
It absorbs you into the lives of Rachel and Kate.
You are kept guessing for sure and left wondering but when you come to the end, you're thinking "OMG I didn't see that".....

A brilliant psychological thriller that will have you at the last page before you know it.....
Well done Shalini, when is the next one out....

It’s been nine years since Rachel’s daughter Holly was snatched from a playground aged two and never found. Rachel has a new partner, Matt, however, she has never told him about the abduction, in fact, he is unaware that she even had a daughter previous to meeting him.

Her world spirals upside down when she meets Kate at the school gates. When Rachel sees Bella, Kate’s oldest daughter she is convinced that the child is actually Holly.

The suspense builds as Rachel goes on a quest to find out if the child is hers. She puts herself in danger and becomes obsessed with finding out the truth. When Matt finds out about Holly he is shocked but hugely supportive, however, as Rachel’s actions become more compulsive he fears for her mental health.

This is such a page-turner and kept me awake until the early hours. The story is told from two timelines with well-developed characters and a plot that draws you in from the first page. I love this author and she rarely disappoints, this was everything I would expect and more. The ending took me completely by surprise, one of those ‘hang on a second!’ moments that are so rare these days.

The Other Daughter is expertly written with a compelling storyline and vivid characterisation. A must-read for lovers of crime fiction.

Well I wasn’t expecting that! It’s the sort of story that you have to keep reading to get to ‘the point’, but when you get there, it’s not at all what you expected.

Rachel Farnborough is living a quiet life in Dorset, with her kids, Jess and Charlie, and boyfriend Matt. She has a secret – which she has been holding onto forever.
She lost her eldest daughter, Holly, at the age of 3, who was taken by stranger, while she was chatting with her friend, at a shopping mall.

One afternoon, Rachel meets a new school mum, Kate and her teenage daughter Bella.
Rachel’s world is instantly turned upside down – she’s seen Bella before. She’d recognize that face anywhere – it’s her missing daughter, Holly.
Everything is similar: the color of her eyes and hair, the shape of her face, and even the freckles on her nose. How can two kids have some uncanny resemblance?

Rachel is driven to deranged behaviour towards Kate and her family. From befriending them, to suspecting their motives, to stalking them, Rachel leaves no stone unturned so that she can prove that Bella is her missing daughter Holly. She vows to find out everything she can about this family and eventually getting proof that Bella is Holly becomes her obsession.
She eventually confides in Matt, from whom she has hidden the secret for years. However, will this strengthen their bond as a couple, or push them apart?

Told alternatively between the then and the now, and from the points of view of Catriona (the lady who abducts Holly) and Rachel; this was a gripping read.
You feel Rachel’s pain, yet you understand Catriona’s mental condition that led her to do what she did.
The guilt of losing your child, from right under your supervision, was well-portrayed. Will the parent ever survive the trauma - having constant thoughts about the missing child, whether they are alive and taken care of, or are they hurt and the wrenching of your heart when you know you cannot protect them.

My heart went out to Rachel.
Can we really wish for something to just be true, if we just believe in it hard enough? Will the pain and anguish be worth it for everyone?
Is Bella really her Holly?

The writing packs a punch.
You witness the declining mental health of the protagonist in an exceptional well-written manner. The effect it has on both families, the misunderstandings, their interpersonal relationships and ultimately the feeling of helplessness and brokenness.
The twist in the end is mind-blowing – and I guarantee that you wouldn’t have seen it coming.

Wow another awesome book from one of my favourite authors. I always look forward to Shalini Bolands books because she is such a great story Weaver, love, loss, anger, intrigue and OMG moments all appear in her books and The Other Daughter is no exception.

Rachel lives in a quiet Dorset village with her partner Matt and their 2 children. Rachel lives with a heartbreaking secret from her past - her eldest daughter was snatched from a mall in London and never seen again.

A new family move into the village and as Rachel befriends them she is introduced to their eldest daughter who appears to be the image of Rachel's missing daughter. Rachel is certain this is her daughter and over the following weeks sets out to prove it.

What ensues is a devastating discovery with far reaching consequences.

A brilliant rainy day read - you'll need all day as you won't be able put this book down.....
Thanks to Bookouture, Netgalley and Shalini for the advance copy.

This is my second psychological thriller by this author, and like her previous book 'The Marriage Betrayal' this story explores a family tragedy, with two main points of view, and lots of plot twists that make reading it, a mind-blowing experience.

The story begins with Catriona in the past. She is emotionally distraught, something terrible has happened, she finds herself at a shopping mall, and after a while, a young child catches her attention.

Rachel tells her story in the present, she meets a new mother at school, their children become instant friends, but when she meets the older sibling, she cannot believe her eyes. She resembles the child she lost eight years previously.

This is a story of secrets, obsession and tragedy. Neither viewpoint is reliable, and whilst most of the information relayed from the two points of view seems plausible, you are constantly waiting for the twist that says you are wrong.

The characters have many flaws, Rachel is hard to like, even though you empathise with her situation. She trusts no one, and you wonder why she has kept her secrets for so long.

This is an emotionally gripping story, with relentless suspense, that draws you in and keeps you reading. There are some less plausible parts to the story, but this is a psychological thriller, told by unreliable protagonists, you cannot expect events to be conventional.

The twists are well constructed and keep y0u guessing, and the trademark ending makes you gasp, even though you knew it was coming.

Not to be missed if you love the twisty turns of a good psychological thriller, with a seemingly normal domestic setting.

I received a copy of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

First, I want to thank Shalini Boland, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me this book so I may bring you this review.

Psychological Thrillers is my favorite genre to read. This year alone I have read and reviewed 181 books this year to date. If asked what my top 5 favorites must read books would be Shalini Boland The Other Daughter would be on that list! Her storylines were something you would read from the headlines. However, made them more twisted than you would ever see in the headlines. She had twists and turns that had my jaw drop. Not to mention the very ending!

The Other Daughter is dedicated to Shalini’s brave and beautiful daughter who she loves more than life itself.

The graphics on the book cover is spot on for the theme of the book. It captures your attention and pulls on your heart strings! Kudos to the graphic artist on the cover.

Shalini right from the very first line of the book jumped into the dramatic story. It was an incredibly graphic, intense, gripping beginning to the book. I loved how she hooked me so tight into the book. There was a mystery right off the bat as to why she was acting the way she was acting. You couldn’t stop reading the story. You needed to know.

I am not a Mom but I am a very proud Auntie who loves them like they are my own. So, my heart ached badly for Rachael. I don’t know what I would do if anyone took my Brady or Brielle! Shalini did an amazing job pulling out the characters emotions and actions. At times I wanted to give her a hug.

Shalini does something unique she goes from today to the past when Holly was kidnapped from Rachael. It is very interesting how they intertwine.

I did like how there was a character by the name of Heidi in this book. Rarely authors pick my name. For all the Heidi’s out there thank you!

There are some major and I mean major twists that are very twisted in this book. These twists shocked me as I didn’t see that coming. Shalini is good if she really shocked me!!

This needs to be made into a Lifetime Channel Movie!! This was made for TV! This is a fantastic book!

I must read and review for Shalini Boland again! She has an incredible gift in this genre!

A fantastic read that I whizzed through in a couple of sittings. The story was fascinating and was supported by extremely believable characters. Brilliant twist at the end!

😢Emotions roil in a story of family fractured, fabricated and finally refound😌

👍👍Really mesmerizing read focusing on three families and the aftermath of a mother's misguided attempt to set things right after a tragic mistake. The story is told alternating between a past where a child goes missing and the present where new arrivals in town revive a mother's hopes of reuniting with her list daughter. The conclusion was a shocker for me and so well set up!😮

This was my first time reading a work by author Shalini Boland and I will be looking for more. She really achieved a well-crafted pageturner in The Other Daughter.🤗,

Thanks to publisher Bookouture and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

My worst nightmare, like so many parents is something happening to my children. I, like the mother in this book belong to a mom’s group, we chat and relax and keep eyes on all the kids but there have been times one of the kids have popped out of view and we fly into a panic looking for whoever is missing. We are blessed to have a park in our neighborhood with only one way in and out but the panic is real and so intense. I knew this book was going to be right up my alley.

The ending was great, expect the unexpected and enjoy the ride.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my advanced ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I was intrigued by the premise of this one straight away as I thought it sounded like a pacy and quick thriller and I wasn’t disappointed – it was a fast and easy read which I enjoyed! The story mostly follows Rachel in the present day with some interludes back to the time of the original kidnapping. Rachel is quite tricky to figure out from the beginning, she alternately comes across as determined/capable and a little bit unstable/delusional which is understandable in her situation. The plot moves along quite quickly as we are thrown into Rachel supposedly recognising her daughter very early on in the book and events implode from there. I actually kind of wanted things to slow down just a tiny bit sometimes so certain aspects could be more thoroughly explored but I was never bored which is always a good thing.

Overall The Other Daughter is an enjoyable and interesting read. I did guess the twist quite quickly but that isn’t something that generally bothers me if the book is good (although I know some readers love to be surprised). I liked the in depth look at the bond between mothers and their children and what happens to someone’s mind when that bond is disturbed or broken in some way and I found the relationship between Rachel and Kate particularly interesting. I’d recommend if you’re looking for an intense and twisty psychological thriller this November!

*Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* Rachel takes her eyes off her young daughter Holly for just a moment, but it is enough to change both of their lives forever. Nine years later, Rachel has a new life with her partner and two children. She has never told anyone about the child she lost, but it haunts her still. When a new family start at the school, Rachel is sure that the eldest daughter, Bella, is her own Holly, all grown up. From there, the careful life that Rachel has put together for herself after Holly's disappearance starts to unravel. The book is full of twists and turns, just as we have come to expect from Shalini Boland and does not disappoint.

The Other Daughter by Shalini Boland is a psychological thriller.

 First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

Rachel has a new life in Dorset, but she has never forgotten Holly, her first-born.  Holly was taken from a shopping mall in London when she was only two and a half.   The police never found her child, nor any trace of her kidnapper.

Nine years later,  Rachel,  her boyfriend Matt and the two children are doing well.  When a new family moves in, Rachel is shocked.  She is sure that their eldest daughter Bella, is actually Holly.  She just has to prove it.

All Rachel ever wanted was to have her family intact.  With Holly back in the picture, she sees that her family will be perfect.  She will do whatever it takes to get her daughter back.  Whatever it takes!

 
My Opinions:  

The story is told in both current time from Rachel's point of view, and in the past from Catriona's point of view.

This was a really fast read, and although I knew a twist was coming, when it came it shocked me.  I knew something was wrong with the narrative, but really didn't see what it was.  I loved it!  The plot was good, and seemed so straight forward....until it wasn't.

I have read a number of books by this author, but I admit that this was one of the better ones.  I am highly recommending this one!

Rachel is moving forward from a tragedy that occurred in her past that even those closest to her don't know she went through. Rachel's three-year-old daughter was abducted from a mall nine years ago and she hasn't gotten over it even though she doesn't speak of it. Rachel meets a woman who is new to the area and thinks they could become friends - until she sees the woman's daughter Bella. Rachel's world is turned upside-down and now she is determined to do whatever it takes to make it right again.

Most of this book is narrated in the first person by Rachel in the present. There are occasional scenes in the past told in the third person from Catriona's point of view. I felt sorry for Rachel and I applauded some of her decisions in trying to get to the truth about her daughter, but cringed at others. It's obvious that some of the actions she takes can't end well. It seems believable that she thinks she has to take things into her own hands because the police won't take her seriously, but she takes things to the extreme.

As the story progresses, I started to have an inkling about a turn the plot could take. However, I couldn't figure out how all the pieces would fit together. My suspicions were basically correct, but the story was more complex that I could ever have imagined. I was definitely surprised by some of the details that were revealed. I don't want to give anything away, but I wish we had seen more from the points of view of other characters after all of the final reveals. All in all, this is an entertaining thriller that was fast-paced and fun to read.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Bookouture. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Normally I would have avoided a missing child book because I have been bombarded with this plot a lot these past few months but when I saw the author was Shalini Boland, I could not resist. I have enjoyed Shalini’s books and her writing style and so it was with much expectation I started reading “The Other Daughter”.
Nine years after her two year old daughter, Holly went missing; Rachel is trying to piece her life together with her loving partner Matt and her two children Charlie and Jess. On the surface life is picture perfect for Rachel but she is actually trying to bury years of pain and guilt and not a day goes by when she does not think of Holly.
Then she meets a new mother at school who has just moved into the neighborhood with her husband and her three children. She is shocked to see the eldest daughter Bella as she is the spitting image of what Holly would have been at this age. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Rachel becomes more and more convinced that Bella is actually her long lost daughter Holly. The narrative switches between the POV of both Rachel and the abductor and draws the reader in from the beginning. The plot is engaging and the characters are real – at every stage we identify with their feelings and thoughts which seems to be Shalini’s forte, having experienced the same when I read her previous novels.
Intrigue, suspense and the proverbial unexpected twist – this novel has it all to make it the unputdownable psychological thriller it is. Kudos Shalini for conjuring yet another winner.. My score 4 * / 5

From page one I was gripped by this book. There is something sinister going on but we only have a snapshot and the rest is left to our imagination. A woman in torment and she’s about to do the unthinkable.

We are then thrown into the present. I immediately connected with the character of Rachel. She’s an everyday working mum who has suffered a huge loss in her life so when she spots, what she thinks is her missing daughter Bella, she will stop at nothing to find out the truth.

This book flips seamlessly from the past to the future. The kidnapper has suffered her own pain and torture and the agony flows from the pages but…

Rachel’s world is about to start falling apart. Her boyfriend Matt, knew nothing about Bella and when she tells him her discovery he is not sure what to do. He feels helpless as Rachel slowly starts to begin more erratic and starts to fall apart. Rachel is sure that the kidnapper knows what she is doing and is back to rub her daughter in her face.

This author really knows how to weave a story together giving us snippets into the past and leaving us with not a clue as to the full picture until everything is pulled together at the end with an ending that was awesome.

My only-little-criticism of the book is that I was left feeling slightly confused at one point and actually had to re-read a chapter 35 just to clarify my thoughts but wow!

I don’t want to say much more about the book as I really don’t want to spoil the reading experience but the ending to the book actually made me sit up and shout and it was totally worth having to re-read a chapter.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for the opportunity to read and review her latest psychological thriller - a gripping one that will keep you reading past bedtime! 4.5 stars!

Nine years ago, Rachel was with a friend enjoying some quiet time at a mall playground area with her sleeping infant and 3 year old daughter, Holly. Then Holly was kidnapped - grainy security pictures show only a hooded figure taking the child so no one was ever caught. Rachel tried to put it all behind her, moved out of London into a quiet suburb with her youngest. She has a young son with her partner, Matt, with whom she has never shared the story of Holly's kidnapping. Until a new neighbor moves in - Kate - with her 3 children. Rachel instantly sees the oldest daughter, Belle, and knows without a doubt that it is Holly. She just needs to find a way to prove it.

Told in the time periods of Then, when Holly is kidnapped, to Now, there are plenty of twists and intrigue to keep you glued to the pages.

Rachel's 2 year old daughter, Holly, was taken by a stranger. Mom was sitting with some friends, busily chatting and she took her eyes off for just a moment. A moment is all it took. It's been 9 years and Holly has never been found.

Rachel still grieves for her lost daughter, even though she's gone on to have more children with a loving partner. She's tried to keep her past secret, even her partner has no knowledge of a missing child.

While waiting at the school for her daughter, she meets another school mom, Kate. They are busy talking about their children, when Kate's daughter, Bella, comes out. Rachel is shocked beyond belief .... Bella is her missing daughter...

Her world is turned topsy-turvy and she will do anything ... anything at all to get her daughter back.

This author just never disappoints. The characters are finely drawn and come to life under this author's pen. It's very well written with a major twist that you just don't see coming.

Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of this Psychological Thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I voluntarily read this ARC for an honest review - all thoughts and opinions are mine and unbiased

This author was new to me and will be looking out for more of her work

A great story, well written - loved the characters

This is a fast read, twisty plot that I found unpredictable and exciting

Loved it