Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra

Only Daughter

by Anna Snoekstra

In 2003, sixteen-year-old Rebecca Winter disappeared. She'd been enjoying her teenage summer break: working at a fast-food restaurant, crushing on an older boy and shoplifting with her best friend. Mysteriously ominous things began to happen-blood in the bed, periods of blackouts, a feeling of being watched-though Bec remained oblivious of what was to come. Eleven years later she is replaced. A young woman, desperate after being arrested, claims to be the decade-missing Bec. Soon the impostor is living Bec's life. Sleeping in her bed. Hugging her mother and father. Learning her best friends' names. Playing with her twin brothers. But Bec's welcoming family and enthusiastic friends are not quite as they seem. As the impostor dodges the detective investigating her case, she begins to delve into the life of the real Bec Winter-and soon realizes that whoever took Bec is still at large, and that she is in imminent danger. As the pretender walks in Rebecca's shoes, she realizes that whoever is responsible for Bec's disappearance is still in her life. In this chilling psychological thriller, one woman's dark past becomes another's deadly future.

Reviewed by Joni Reads on

5 of 5 stars

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I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is described as a "chilling psychological thriller" and I have to say that description has never been so accurate as for Only Daughter!

Stuck in a bind when she is caught shoplifting the main character makes a split second choice to tell the police she is Bec Winter, a girl who went missing ten years earlier, one who she saw on a tv documentary and realized she looked very similar to. But this easy "get out of jail free" card comes at a disturbing price. Before long she realizes that Bec's killer is still out there and now they are coming for her.

As an avid watcher of crime dramas and police procedurals it takes a lot to really creep me out. But let me tell you, after finishing this book I had a sense of dread in the pit of my stomach when I thought of walking through my dark apartment to go the bathroom. The book just has a very creepy air to it, you kind of dread finding out how it will end because it will either end with her breaking the family's heart by admitting she is in fact not Bec, or that Bec's killer will murder her as well. So going into this book you pretty much know that it can't really end well. Much to my surprise the ending was nothing I expected.

In hindsight there were hints to the identity of the murder but they were also mixed with hints about other characters as well. Up until the end I was convinced I knew the killer and guess what? I was wrong! I LOVE it when a book does that! Too often you know the killer half way through the book so you basically keep reading only to prove yourself right. Not with this book! I genuinely wanted to know what happened.

I don't think I have ever read a psychological thriller quite this, for lack of a better word, thrilling. It's a page turning that will have up all night to finish it and then after you will be looking over your shoulder just in case. A truly excellent book, I can't wait to read anything else Anna Snoekstra comes out with.

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  • Started reading
  • 18 July, 2016: Finished reading
  • 18 July, 2016: Reviewed