Cover Image: My Darling Daughter

My Darling Daughter

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Member Reviews

Another fabulous thriller from this author who is fast becoming one of my favourites. I found the plot gripping and loved the twists which I didn’t see coming at all!

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I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest, independent review.

Fifteen years ago, Anna was given up for adoption as a baby but has now used social media to track down her birth mother, Susie Jukes

Out of the blue, Susie Jukes is contacted on social media by Anna, the girl she gave up for adoption fifteen years ago. Susie and her husband Gabe find Anna's home life strange and worrying and are convinced she needs their help. This is the start of a roller coaster journey that is set to change their lives!

I zoomed through this; it was brilliant! It was tense, gripping and had so many layers.

Well-researched, we learn more about the adoption process, as well as the legal and psychological aspects involved. The storyline felt authentic and flowed smoothly.

I loved the characters, especially troubled teen Anna. Although she can be quite twisted, you can't help but feel sympathetic towards everything she has experienced. I enjoyed the multiple POVs allowing readers and felt I was really able to get in each character's head and feel their turmoil.

The book is full of emotions and manipulation, and lots of serious issues were touched upon, including mental illness and infertility.

My favourite book so far by J.P. Delaney!

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I love this author, I have read numerous novels and enjoyed every single one of them.
I enjoyed this book but it was not my favourite the story was shocking at times and it was harrowing, but it didn’t have the oomph other books I have read

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Thank you to Netgalley and Quercus books for granting me access to this text! This story contains many sensitive issues that I would suggest looking into before starting it.
On a whole, this book was fairly easy to get through and the concept was compelling. However, I became bored of Sky’s behaviour which made it drag. It also seemed unreal that Gabe would stay throughout it all.
This turned out to be a family drama, as opposed to a thriller, which unfortunately lost me along the way. I think that Delaney did well with portraying dysfunctional dynamics within a daughter and parent relationship.
I wouldn’t recommend if you’re looking for a gritty and absorbing read. However, I will read more from Delaney.

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This is a dark and thrilling read. I definitely flipped pages as quickly as I could just to find out what happens next.

I felt tense most of the time while reading this. Will recommend!

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I've read several books by JP Delaney now and it's fair to say I've become a fan. My Darling Daughter didn't disappoint!

Suzie and Gabe are a married couple (both successful musicians), who get contacted by Anna (a fifteen year old girl who Suzie gave up for adoption). As they become part of each others lives each has to deal with secrets from their past.

This book should come with numerous trigger warnings including; miscarriage, adoption, abuse in various forms (sexual, domestic, rape, etc).

This book opens up to a lot of discussion and so would be perfect for a book club.

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Dark and thrilling! I absolutely devoured this book. I doubt the premise chilling and the writing was excellent. The multiple povs really helped me get an insight of each character and I found myself staying up to finish. Highly recommended.

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A really tense and fraught read with likeable leading characters and a manipulative villain who you could often sympathise with at times.
3 Stars

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What a book really enjoyed reading this its a real Page Turner.
Told from multiple points of view. This was such a dark and twisted thriller.
Anna sends Susie and Gabe a message saying she is the daughter Susie had adopted 15 years ago but Anna is not who she seems at first.
I will look forward to the next book.

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When Skye writes Susie a letter after 25 years Susie thinks all her dreams have come true, the daughter she gave up for adoption has got in touch and wants to meet. Everything goes well at first but it soon becomes apparent that Skye has some deep rooted emotional issues.

A good book which I really enjoyed.

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As ever, a brilliant book by JP Delaney. I always find books that centre around children extra creepy and thrilling so again this was fab. I liked the way it was written, felt engaged by all of the characters and loved the twists and turns throughout. I always enjoy JP Delaney’s books and will never hesitate to pick one up!

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Another fab read from JP Delaney. Perhaps not as suspenseful as other books, as there was no real mystery but the suspense was built in other ways as you just watched things disintegrate in front of you. I work in Childrens Services so I could relate to some of the themes in the book and that added an extra element to it for me. Definitely worth a read. Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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I have always been a Delaney fan and this was no exception! It lived up to my expectations and I would definitely recommend this book. Fabulous writing as per always!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for a copy of My Darling Daughter, the latest release from author JP Delaney.

I really enjoyed this book! It was my first of Delaneys and I'm excited to read the others! From opening the first page, I was captivated. Multiple POVs and short chapters made this a very quick read for me! It really was difficult to put down so I had it finished pretty much in 24 hours. The story itself is very intense but made for a thrilling read, and the three main characters really added to the drama!

Although there weren't many twists or revelations, it was still as gripping as other novels I've read in the past. There were some parts toward the end that I felt were a little extreme and I don't think the book really needed them but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment! Definitely one I'd recommend to a thriller lover, especially if you're after a quick read!

* Please research any trigger warnings before reading *

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JP Delaney fans will devour this dark and fast-paced twisty tale. Singer Susie is delighted when the baby daughter she gave up for adoption 15 years ago contacts her asking for help. But is something more sinister happening? A riveting psychological thriller.

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Full of short chapters with varying POV's, this one definitely had me hooked from the start. Certainly a case of 'one more chapter' and then many chapters later I still hadn't put it down.

I enjoyed the complexities of the characters and how they intertwined with each other. There were plenty of discoveries to be had within the various dysfunctional relationships, and that helped build both the tension and intrigue throughout the novel.

The legalities and the exploration of child psychology throughout this book were fascinating to learn about. It is clear there has been extensive research into those areas and it helped build the overall complicated picture.

The themes could be quite heavy at times and there were moments I felt them get a little close to home. However, I never felt in a position that I couldn't carry on reading as Delaney handles these things delicately.

Overall, an absorbing mystery but not as thrilling as some of his other works.

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Another fantastic book by the author, this reminded of Playing Nice, which I loved.

This is a book that will really make you think, through the book we see the adoption process from both sides and the impact it has on all involved.

I felt sorry for Anna, but was shocked by some of her behaviour!! This wasn’t as shocking as Susie’s, she infuriated me at times.

This is a book that really grips you in, definitely a one sitting book! Add this to your TBR now.

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My Darling Daughter is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out My Darling Daughter today.

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Having been off thrillers for a while I thought this one might help. I really enjoyed the first third, the writing had me interested and keen to continue. Unfortunately the storyline let me down and I found it extremely unrealistic and a little silly at times. As an author I love the way they write and my attention is always there so I’m not put off by this for future books.

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I am always very entertained by JP Delaney's psychological thrillers, even if part of the time I'm thinking "well this is ridiculous" - and My Darling Daughter is no exception. Yes, two of our viewpoint characters made some terrifically stupid decisions, but you can't have a thrill ride of a plot without your main characters making terrible choices. Here's a few of the hot-button topics covered in this novel - adoption, drug addiction, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, sexual abuse allegations (a tricky topic to cover that I think is done well). It'll keep you glued to the page, even if you're saying "oh come ON now" at the same time.

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