Title: The Daughter
Author: Lucy Dawson
Narrator: Rachel Atkins
Published: April 2018, Bolinda Audio (Brilliance Audio)
Length: 9 hours 10 minutes
Source: Publisher
Summary:
A heartbreaking and unputdownable psychological thriller that will keep you guessing right until the end.
You lost your daughter. You will never forgive yourself. And now someone is determined to make you pay….
Seventeen
years ago, something happened to Jess’s daughter Beth. The memory of it
still makes her blood run cold. Jess has tried everything to make peace
with that day, and the part she played in what happened. It was only a
brief moment of desire…but she’ll pay for it with a lifetime of guilt.
To
distance herself from the mistakes of the past, Jess has moved away and
started over with her family. But when terrifying things begin
happening in her new home, seemingly connected to what happened to Beth,
Jess knows that her past has finally caught up with her. Somebody feels
Jess hasn’t paid enough, and is determined to make her suffer for the
secrets she’s kept all these years.
My thoughts: This is the first time I’ve read/listened to anything by Lucy Dawson and it definitely won’t be the last. I love finding new authors, especially ones who’s books translate well on audio and certainly Lucy Dawson’s psychological thrillers seem to fit that bill, if this one is anything to go by.
This book definitely kept me guessing all the way through and I loved it all the more for that very reason. I had no idea where it was going to go – I was on edge the entire time, not knowing what was going to happen and not knowing who I could trust. There was this underlying sense of unease I had as the book progressed – this growing tension that you just know something was about to happen but I just couldn’t figure it out until it finally did…and boy, did I not see that happening!
I love when a book causes me to keep the characters at bay – not sure if they are completely trustworthy or not. You want to believe in them, but there is just this inkling that perhaps all is not really what it seems or appears to be. That is definitely what is going on here and it really adds to the overall suspense of the story. The twists really throw you for a loop, for sure!
This book will play on your emotions. As much as it is a psychological thriller, the beginning of the book is terribly heart-breaking, but then it moves on until it becomes a bit creepy. The book is a little like a roller-coaster at times, and that’s the fun of it – your emotions go on a wild ride, so hold on! This really is quite a thrilling reading experience – intense, emotional and gripping.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will certainly be picking up more of Lucy Dawson’s books as soon as I have a chance. Have you read any of her books? If so, what do you suggest I pick up next?
Audio thoughts: This was such a great book to listen to and Rachel Atkins did a fantastic job narrating the story. She really brought the characters to life, especially Jessica. Her pacing and tone were spot on and she infused just the right amount of emotion and inflection into the voice as needed. And I just loved the voice she gave the little boy…it sounded so cute! I really enjoyed listening to this audio book and hope that Rachel narrates more of Lucy’s books as I think she really gets the nuances of Lucy’s characters and story.
