Title: The Murderer's Daughter
Author: Jonathan Kellerman
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Read: August 2015
Expected publication: 18 August 2015
Synopsis (Goodreads):
#1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense
Jonathan Kellerman delivers a riveting standalone thriller featuring the
unforgettable Grace Blades. Master psychologist by day, seductive adrenaline
junkie by night, Grace has a very dark past—one that’s about to bleed into a
terrifying present.
My thoughts:
I have been a fan of Jonathan Kellerman’s novels for a long,
long time and was very excited to receive a preview copy of his latest book
“The Murderer’s Daughter”, introducing an unusual and interesting new
protagonist, psychologist Dr Grace Blades.
Grace is a fascinating character – growing up in a dysfunctional and
abusive household as a very young child she learns very early to fend for
herself, a trait which stands her in good stead when she is taken into foster
care after the murder-suicide of her drug addict parents. Moved from foster
family to foster family Grace learns to be self-reliant and introverted in
order to survive, a skill aided by her brilliant intellect and ability to read
people and give them exactly what they want to see.
Fast forward to the adult Grace and she is an accomplished
psychologist treating patients with traumatic and violent pasts. With her
uncanny ability to read people, she is highly sought after by victims of
violent crime, who feel understood by a woman who has been through similar
circumstances herself. One day the past catches up with Grace in the form of a
new patient who is murdered shortly after seeking her out, and suddenly she
finds herself on the run from a ruthless killer who will do everything in his
power to silence her. To survive, Grace must once again rely on her
intelligence and resourcefulness, and take a journey back into events of her
past she would rather forget.
I loved Kellerman’s new novel and was totally engrossed in
it from start to finish. With Grace, he has given us an exciting new protagonist
I would like to see a lot more of in future novels. Whilst Grace is not
instantly likeable, often coming across as unemotional, manipulative, cold and calculating,
she is also extremely clever and resourceful and does not shy away from taking
matters into her own hand. Grace is also a fighter for justice, which redeemed
her to me instantly and made me fear for her safety. Since the events of her
present predicament are integrally linked with Grace’s past, the reader is
taken on a journey into the young girl’s traumatic childhood and the events
leading to her career as a psychologist. The glimpses into Grace’s childhood
were fascinating and gave an insightful understanding of forming her later
personality, the long-term effects of a violent and fractured upbringing on
later life. Woven into a suspenseful thriller these details made the novel
stand out for me, again showing why Kellerman has a firm place on my favourite
authors list.
My only grizzle about this book is the awful title, which
did not do it justice. Had it not been written by an author I have previously
read and enjoyed, I would never have picked it up. With so many interesting
elements to the story, a more tantalising title and cover can surely be found?
So do not judge this book by its cover – a highly recommended read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I agree. Terrific plot, one of his best, I thought. With a sucky title. But his name carries the day I expect, and it'll be up there with the others. I hope.
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