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The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith is a psychological thriller that takes you into the world of lies, secrets, conflicts, and forced relationships that seem real but are emotionally exhausting. Read the full review and summary in the article below.
Author: Dandy Smith
Cover
Plot
Narration
Characters
Release Date 8 February 2024
Pages 353
Book Review: The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith
The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith is a suspense novel where one of the main protagonists embodies both heroic and villainous traits. This is something that makes the book intriguing and unputdownable.
The beautiful cover of the book The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith goes with the flow of the story. The title intrigued me to pick up the book, and it perfectly matches the storyline.
The two stories run in parallel. One is of two sisters, Olivia and Caithlin, and the other is of Elinor and Heath, the two siblings.
The author Dandy Smith has skillfully crafted the characters. The story is mostly told from the point of view of the younger sibling, i.e., of Caithlin and Elinor.
Caithlin has always lived in guilt for not informing her parents and the police instead of hiding in bed when Olivia was abducted. Although people around Caithlin trust Olivia when she reappears after sixteen years, they don’t count the sacrifices she made.
Caithlin never follows her dream of travelling the world because she wants to stay with her parents, who now hardly trust her after Olivia’s reappearance.
Elinor blindly followed her brother’s instructions never to leave the mansion, and when she did, she suffered the consequences. The dark secret she shared with Heath made me feel empathetic towards her character.
Love, friendships, deception, jealousy, and illusion are highlighted in the story. The glory of nature and the beauty of old architecture were celebrated. I myself was devouring it in my mind as I read.
The author has also shared some knowledge about Stockholm syndrome. In this syndrome, the hostage develops a psychological bond with the captor and follows his instructions blindly. Love, friendship, deception, jealousy, and illusion are highlighted in the story.
The book is written in simple English and flows buttersmoothly, keeping the reader intrigued by the story till the climax. The emotional dialogues touch the heart, ignite the mind and reach the soul
The suspense was maintained almost till the end, and it is difficult to guess the face behind the masked man who had turned the life of Caithlin upside down, making it hard for her loved ones, including her parents, to trust her.
Also read: Buildit by Albinder Singh Dhindsa
Overall, it’s a fast-paced psychological thriller with a compelling mystery that keeps the reader hooked till the end. If you love reading suspense novels, then I highly recommend The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith.
Book Summary: The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith
Caithlin and Olivia were two sisters three years apart and living with their parents. They are careless young girls who always love each other’s company. The older sister, Olivia, is beautiful and always protects Caithlin from the harsh world and is her biggest cheerleader.
One night, when their parents were out at a party, a masked man entered the house and kidnapped Olivia.
Caithlin was terrified, and in her fear, she failed to inform her parents and the police. This gave enough time for the kidnapper to take Olivia forever.
After sixteen years, Olivia is still missing, and Caithlin and their parents are still grieving for her. Suddenly, one day, Olivia came back. Everyone around her believed her except Caithlin.
On the other side, Elinor and Heath are two orphan siblings who live happily in each other’s company for five days a week in a massive Ledbury mansion on the outskirts of the city.
The weekends were tough for them when their caretaker, Uncle Robert, returned to the mansion.
He started throwing orders at the siblings, making their lives difficult. Heath is eagerly waiting to turn twenty-one when the property will be transferred to them officially.
They will be free from the clutches of cruel Uncle Robert. Everything was good until Elinor discovered Heath spending more time outside with Sofia.
The betrayal by her brother forced Elinor to leave the mansion, where she met Flynn and fell in love with him. When Heath caught Elinor and Flynn, he browbeat him and forced him not to see Elinor again. This created a rift between Elinor and Heath.
Will Elinor and Heath forgive each other?
Why did the man with a mask kidnap Olivia?
Why did Olivia come back after sixteen years?
To know more, read The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith.