ISBN: 9780670016389
Publisher: PENGUIN GROUP Viking
Publication Date: 07/31/14
Format: Other
Pages: 384
My Rating: 4 Stars
A sensational debut thriller featuring an unforgettable heroine who just might have murdered her mother
Former “It Girl” Janie Jenkins is acerbic, whip smart, and fresh out of prison. Ten years ago, at the height of her glamour and fame, she was incarcerated for the murder of her mother, a philanthropist best known for her string of rich husbands. Now, released on a technicality, Janie chops off her trademark hair, determined to chase down the one lead she has about her mother’s killer. The only problem? Janie doesn’t know if she’s the one she’s looking for.
In an isolated South Dakota town whose secrets rival Janie’s own, with the unwitting help of the locals, she pieces together a shocking picture of her mother’s supposedly pristine past. On the run from the press, the police, and possibly even a murderer, Janie is forced to choose between the anonymity she craves and the truth she so desperately needs.
A gripping debut novel, Dear Daughter follows every twist and turn as Janie unravels the mystery of what happened the night her mother died—whatever the cost.
My Review
A special thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Viking Adult and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
DEAR DAUGHTER, by Elizabeth Little, is a razor sharp debut thriller which will keep you on edge until the surprise ending! Janie (a Paris Hilton / Kim Kardashian type celebrity) is out of prison after serving ten years, for the murder of her mother, a philanthropist. With circumstantial evidence, it appears she did it, or was framed. Her memories of the said evening which changed her life and fueled her for revenge, are not very clear; however, she cannot rest until she finds the real killer. There is much publicity surrounding the case, and of course crazy stalker bloggers, and celebrity journalists, so Janie has to go undercover to find answers. Her leads take her to a mining town in South Dakota, where Janie tries to find out more about her mother’s past, her father, herself, and then there is the lawyer, Noah. Someone holds the key to all the secrets and she is determined to find answers about the night her mother was killed. Jane knows she and her mother have never been close; however she cannot help but recall the quarrel prior to her death between her mother and someone. A complex and gripping story with tight and precise writing, and a not so likable smart mouth sarcastic main character Jane, which has traveled everywhere and gained notoriety through her family connections. It was fun seeing the transition of personalities from the real Jane to the one which is undercover, obsessed with finding clues leading to that night. Where nothing is as it seems, Little takes you on twists, turns, filled with humor for a clever and dramatic faced-paced mystery with family dynamics of mother-daughter plus more—alternating between the current present quest, and memories and events leading to the night her mother was murdered and of course, all the media surrounding the case. I am not a huge fan of celebrities, reality TV, and the gossip and glam which go along with the role; however, hoping for a sequel, as feel the ending lends itself for another interesting saga!
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