Only Daughter, the debut novel from Anna Snokestra, is taughtly written, and gripped me from the introduction.

Rebecca Winter disappeared in 2003. The only clue, her smashed cell phone, found in a ditch. Eleven years later, a woman, claiming to be Rebecca appears. The impostor eases herself into Bec, fooling everyone. At least, at first.

Trying to stay one step ahead of the investigator, to keep him from learning about the deceit. Trying to reassure the family that it’s really her. Trying to pretend that she’s Bec keeps the impostor busy. Too busy, as she begins to find out that things in Bec’s life were not what they seemed. And that she’s in as much danger now as Bec was eleven years ago.

Snokestra does a great job with POV and timeline shifts. The present day is narrated by the impostor, who is never given a name, and the events in 2003 are narrated by Bec. Too much detail into the plot, and the twists will spoil everything. But it’s an entirely different mystery/thriller/crime story. There was some great foreshadowing, that was well covered with innocuous details, as well as a few lovely red herrings. You will figure out the twist a few chapters before the end, but knowing how it plays out will keep you reading till the last word.

As a warning, there are a few scenes of graphic animal cruelty and of violence towards people. They are pretty essential to the plot, but they are very graphic, and stomach turning. Be warned. They are near the end of the book, and in chapters from Bec’s POV.

Fans of mystery, thrillers, and crime novels will enjoy Only Daughter. It’s also set in Australia, so some of the wording may seem a touch “off” for readers in the US. Nothing really strange, just not exactly the same word usage.

Only Daughter
Anna Snokestra
Publisher: MIRA (September 20, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 077831944X
ISBN-13: 978-0778319443