| Title | : | Daughter of Mine |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1668010445 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781668010440 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 355 |
| Publication | : | First published April 9, 2024 |
When Hazel Sharp, daughter of Mirror Lake’s longtime local detective, unexpectedly inherits her childhood home, she’s warily drawn back to the town—and people—she left behind almost a decade earlier. But Hazel’s not the only relic of the past to return: a drought has descended on the region, and as the water level in the lake drops, long-hidden secrets begin to emerge…including evidence that may help finally explain the mystery of her mother’s disappearance.
Daughter of Mine Reviews
-
4.25 stars
Daughters, though. Daughters are different."
Daughter of Mine is a mystery/thriller about a missing parent, a submerged vehicle found in a lake, and a murder set against a drought in a small town. On top of that, the siblings' lives are about to implode when their recently deceased father’s will reveals his desire to bequeath the family home to his daughter, cutting out his two sons.
Hazel Holt, daughter of Perry, returns to Mirror Lake for her father’s funeral. She has a rocky relationship with her two brothers, and her mother disappeared years ago. When Hazel is named the sole beneficiary of Perry’s home, her two brothers are less than thrilled. As Hazel begins to put the house in order, not only does she begin to uncover buried secrets, but also a missing person’s case causes all that she thought she knew to unravel.
This is a typical MM thriller in terms of the intense atmosphere and characterization. However, the structure and exploration of family dynamics make this one stand out from her others. Told in four parts, each chapter begins with the time and number of days since the drought began. The drought mirrors the level of action, and the lack of precipitation sets the pace. Once the rain comes, the drama intensifies. The relationships between the Holts are much more complicated than they initially seem.
The atmosphere is detailed and plays a critical role in the novel. I could visualize the lake, the down, the landscape, and the impact of the drought not only on nature but also on the occupants of Mirror Lake.
This is a quiet, tense thriller. The pace is slow, especially in the beginning. Hazel is the primary narrator, and she is not memorable. But the mystery and revelation of the murderer outweigh the cons, and the atmosphere and tumultuous family dynamics make this a compelling read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Simon Element and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. -
WEDNESDAY, May 15th
Mirror Lake, North Carolina
62 days without rain
The drought started on the WEST coast. And, as the GREAT SALT LAKE, and LAKE MEAD began to recede, the secrets that these lakes had been hiding began to emerge.
“As skeletons surfaced, missing persons were finally found and unknown crimes were suddenly uncovered”.
Originally, those who lived on the EAST coast felt safe, but those feelings would be short lived, including for the residents of Mirror Lake, where Hazel Sharp’s father, Detective Perry Holt, was currently being buried.
Half of the town was celebrating his life-while the other half was watching as a salvage company pulled a car from the opposite side of the lake-no longer submerged in what was once a much deeper inlet. (Look closely at the eerie book cover!!)
The rusted sedan may reveal evidence that explains the mystery of why Hazel’s mother disappeared years prior, leaving only a note addressed to “Daughter of Mine”…
But, it won’t explain why the detective left his home to only Hazel-cutting out his two sons, Gage and Caden.
I immediately felt CHILLS and a sense of FOREBODING as I read the HAUNTING opening chapters of Megan Miranda’s latest novel. She always TAKES HER TIME portraying a scene that can be vividly imagined and her characterization is always strong.
Told in 4 parts-Father, Mother, Daughter and Sons, the TENSION gradually builds as we wait for the RAIN to fall and all of the SECRETS that will come pouring out along with it!
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up!
If you enjoy Megan Miranda’s work, you won’t be disappointed!
A buddy read with DeAnn. Be sure to watch for her amazing review for additional insight!
AVAILABLE NOW!!
Thank You to Marysue Rucci Books for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review. -
It has been a long time since I’ve been legit scared while reading a book! I was reading this one at night and I was so creeped out I had to keep reading to get to a part where I didn't think someone was wandering around in my house without me knowing it...
There is a huge drought, and it has caused water levels to drop and things long hidden in lakes are being revealed. The funeral of Perry Holt is taking place in Mirror Lake. His two sons Caden and Gage are both police officers on the same force their father had worked on for his whole career. Daughter Hazel has moved away, but she's back for the service. A car is discovered in the lake, and it begins to chip away at the large number of secrets being held by the residents of the area.
I liked the atmosphere that the author created. Various secrets are revealed one by one, like pieces of a puzzle slowly coming together. She builds tension so deliberately and it feels ominous and filled with impending doom. There is a lot of exploration of family dynamics, and she doesn't reveal everything, but as with the mystery, we learn more about the family as more things are uncovered.
I can't say that the ultimate reveal is all that surprising, but in this book it is more about the journey to get there than it is about a big giant twist. I was never frustrated, the reader discovers things at the same time as the characters so the anxiety felt by the characters is also felt by the reader.
If you're looking for a suspenseful mystery thriller that creates an intense feeling of menace, you've come to the right place. I loved the way this book was laid out and the way it came together in the end.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own. -
**4.5-stars rounded up**
💚💙💛💚💙💛💚💙💛💚💙💛💚
It's been a while since I last picked up a Megan Miranda novel, but once I read the synopsis for Daughter of Mine, I knew it was one that I would need to pick up right away.
I listened to the audiobook in a day and recommend that format. I got completely sucked into the story.
This story follows Hazel Sharp, as she returns to her hometown of Mirror Lake after close to a decade away. Her father, the town's long-time detective has passed away, and Hazel returns to attend his services and see to his estate, along with her two estranged brothers.
Hazel has solely inherited her father's home, which comes as a huge surprise to her brothers. As the tension rises amongst the Sharp family, the water level in town lowers.
The area is in the grips of a drought. When it hits Mirror Lake, the lake water level drops, and long-buried secrets are revealed.
As more comes to light, it seems that Hazel will finally get answers regarding her mother's mysterious disappearance when she was just a kid. The story she was told has never sat right with her, so this could be her one chance to clear everything up.
Even though Hazel had only planned to stay in town long enough to pay her respects to her father, she decides to stay longer. She has unfinished business in Mirror Lake.
The Publisher's synopsis keeps things rather vague regarding the content of this story, and I think that's perfect. It gives you just enough to make you want to pick it up, without giving away anything significant that will ruin the mystery.
I went into this just knowing the info in the synopsis and I ended up being completely enthralled by all that unfolded in Mirror Lake. This story went so much deeper than I was initially anticipating.
I loved learning about Hazel. I thought she was a fascinating main character. Her life had a lot of different layers to it and I enjoyed unpacking it all right along with her.
The mystery of what is revealed as the water levels drop was also so interesting. I really wanted to know what had gone down in this town.
It's true that sometimes the smallest towns house the biggest secrets. I feel like anyone from small town America, or elsewhere in the globe, can probably relate to that.
I feel like Miranda really showed off her writing chops in this one. The characters were great. The history of the town and the relationships amongst all the characters were extremely well developed, and the reveals were perfectly timed for maximum impact.
Perhaps some Readers may find this to be slow, but I loved the build. I thought it escalated nicely and the build in tension was perfect for me.
I also LOVED the clever way in which in the weather mirrored the plot progression; so good!
I still have a few Megan Miranda novels left to read. This has definitely motivated me to go back and check off some of those backlist titles.
I would recommend this to Megan Miranda fans, Readers who enjoy small town mysteries, Readers who enjoy characters traveling back to their hometowns to solve an old mystery ((one of my all-time favorite tropes)), or people who enjoy tense family mysteries.
I was really impressed with this! -
Daughter of Mine starts off slow and sneaks up on you with a growing sense of tension and unease. There’s a great sense of time and place - a small lake town in North Carolina now dealing with a severe drought.
Hazel left town ten years earlier, but the death of her father, police detective Perry Holt, draws her back. She’s shocked when she finds he’s left his house to just her, cutting out her two brothers. But that’s not the only surprise. First one, then a second car is found at the bottom of the lake.
All this brings back memories of when her mother abandoned the family when Hazel was fourteen. And raises all sorts of questions for both Hazel and the town.
Miranda has once again crafted a whole group of believable characters. She totally nails the sibling rivalry. Everyone seems to be keeping secrets and Miranda lets them drop one by one like breadcrumbs. Hazel has no idea who to trust, because everyone is so interrelated.
It’s a fast paced story with short chapters. The writing is exact and it’s easy to envision every scene. I was on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out who was behind it all. And it was a super ending - convoluted but believable. I flew through this in a single day. Great entertainment!
My thanks to Netgalley and Simon Element for an advance copy of this book. -
I will say that I really liked this book, but I unfortunately didn’t love it. The premise was excellent, and I enjoyed the setting and backstory- but I think overall this was too much of a slow burn mystery/suspense for me.
In this story, Hazel Sharp comes back to Mirror Lake after her father dies. Hazel’s father, Perry Holt, has left her his house (her childhood home) in the will. Hazel’s two brother’s, Caden and Gage, are not too pleased with this arrangement especially since she has never gotten along well with Caden. Hazel also has a strained relationship with Caden’s wife Jamie, with whom she used to be best friends with.
A drought is also occurring during the same time that Hazel has returned back to Mirror Lake and her childhood home. During this drought, the lake waters are receding and things once hidden are being discovered in the lake. How long have the two cars been sitting at the bottom of the lake, and who did they belong to? Are the secrets from the past coming back to haunt Hazel? And why does it feel like the whole town of Mirror Lake wants her gone?
While the storyline was very good, there were still a few reasons why I didn’t enjoy this story as much as I thought I would. For one, this story was completely predictable from the very first chapter. This book had unnecessarily long chapters, and what seemed to be a rushed ending. I have enjoyed many reads from this author in the past, and will continue to read many more moving forward, but I can’t say that this one was my favorite.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon Element, and the author for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. Publication date: April 9, 2024.
Genre~ General Fiction (Adult), Women’s Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers -
As one of the biggest Megan Miranda fans, I was absolutely drawn into this dark mystery, with so many unknowns lurking around the main execution and perfectly intercepted at the end like a masterful puzzle. All the pieces are perfectly positioned in place, with slow-building pressure that perfectly reaches into the climax, making you scream. Everyone is a suspect! No one is innocent because they all keep dirty secrets that come out!
Are you a fan of small-town mysteries where everybody not only knows your name but also knows what you ate last night, what secret debauchery you had, and can come so close to reading your mind? But also, in this town, people don’t dare to ask some questions, preferring to sweep secrets under the rug and act like this is the most natural thing that everybody should do.
Hazel Sharp returns to her hometown, the only place she’s lived longer and became part of a family, and the same place she left behind without a second thought to leave the traces of the family’s dark past behind.
Her mother left her when she was only 14 with a prideful, trustworthy man she may call dad and two boys around her age to call brothers, even though one of them is so adamant not to accept her as a part of the family. Interestingly, she was always her father Perry Holt's daughter even though they are not blood-related. He always saw her as his real daughter, raising her with his boys. Gage, the two-years-older brother, is her hero and her best friend Nico is her biggest crush whom she shared her biggest secrets with, including a letter her mother left behind. Unfortunately, Caden has no intention to connect with her, burying his resentment and grudge for years, marrying Hazel’s best friend Jamie, which created a big estrangement between the two girlfriends who grew up as sisters.
Now, Perry Holt is dead, and he left the family house to Hazel as a final flipping of the bird to his boys. Hazel has no idea why her father wanted her to come back. But as soon as she takes her first step to the hometown Miracle Lake, she finds herself in the middle of a police investigation where the water level in the lake outside their house drops, emerging cars with no plates hiding inside, which brings up questions about the mysterious disappearance of her mother. She was always a con woman, but wouldn’t she have connected with her daughter for years as a sign she’s still breathing? Could something tragic have happened to her mother related to other disappearances in the town? Could home invasions be more sinister than pranks of teenagers? What if someone more dangerous is targeting the family, and by returning, Hazel might be triggering something lethal that puts everyone’s life in danger!
This book is a quick, high-tension read, a well-executed mystery that I highly recommend.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon Element/S&S/Marysue Rucci Books for sharing this heart-throbbing book’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
instagram
facebook
twitter -
4.5 stars— I have thoroughly enjoyed the last few Megan Miranda books that I have read so I was very excited to read“Daughter of Mine”. And, I am very happy to say that it lived up to expectations. “Daughter” begins with Hazel Sharpe attending the funeral of the man who raised her, Perry Holt along with his two sons. The relationship between Hazel and the brothers is the focal point of the story after Perry’s will is discovered that leaves Hazel Perry’s lake house and the boys basically nothing. Miranda does an excellent job of writing about the tension and drama that develops between the family due to this development. However, the mystery surrounding the death and or disappearances of Perry’s two wives is equally as intriguing. The two plot lines come together to build a great mystery with many unexpected twists and turns that will keep you interested until the end. I would love to give this book a full 5 stars but the “teenage boys” subplot used to explain away many of the clues and events that went into major parts of the mystery seemed far fetched and way too coincidental to be realistic. I was so invested in the story and these characters it didn’t take away from my love of the overall story, but in hindsight certain characters’ actions in response to these teenagers just didn’t make sense. So, I begrudgingly give this very well written book 4.5 stars and highly recommend it due to the interesting plot and very well written family interactions that made this a solid read in my opinion
-
Following the death of her father, Perry Holt, Hazel has returned home to the small town of Mirror Lake for his memorial service after leaving a decade ago. But her community isn’t quite as she remembers it. Crippled by a devastating drought, the lake at the center of town is at its lowest level in decades, evidenced by the slow reveal of long-hidden secrets. Namely a rusty, old car that has gotten the whole community talking. Including Hazel’s own brothers, Caden and Gage.
Unaware of this new discovery, however, Hazel shows up to remember her father with the rest of Mirror Lake. A long-time detective, he was loved and admired. When she pulls into town, however, things feel awkward and tense between Hazel and her brothers. After learning that she—and she alone—has inherited the house, they’re clearly not happy. But it’s the what they find back at Perry’s house that really disturbs the whole clan. It seems that there are some secrets about the mystery behind Hazel’s mother’s disappearance that are now primed to explode.
When Hazel was just fourteen-years-old, her mother took off and left chaos in her wake. Now a discovery has put what they all believed happened into question, but the more Hazel digs, the more danger she seems to find herself in. Has her whole life been a lie? Or is she not the only one unaware of the secrets that exist in the Holt family? One thing is for sure—Hazel best take care or she just might find herself in more trouble than she could ever imagine.
Mind-blowing. Riveting. The best by Megan Miranda yet. All of these things easily describe Daughter of Mine. A breathtaking tale of domestic suspense, I was instantly spellbound by the story as it unfolded before me. From a dysfunctional family to a town full of secrets, my attention was well and truly held by this dynamite plot. Told in four parts, the storyline edged closer and closer to the truth as the atmosphere took on a darker, more foreboding tone. Needless to say, I got sucked in right from the start and was mesmerized until the very last word.
The characters themselves were also superbly drawn. With each individual portraying a very specific role in the plot, their identities were vivid and clear. A dynamic persona, I was swept up in Hazel’s anxiety on who to trust—and who not to. As her paranoia grew, it simply leapt off of the page, getting my pulse ramping up with each additional word. And when the climax finally arrived—along with the rain—it was dramatic and perfectly plotted. Delivered at just the right time and just the right place, I could vividly see each escalating scene playing out before me.
All said and done, I simply inhaled this book. Chilling and dark, but still told in Miranda’s characteristic way, the mysteries of Mirror Lake pulled me in deep. With twists that kept me on the back foot (despite my attempts at any armchair sleuthing) and a sense of ever ratcheting danger, everything about this book was a total slam dunk. Including the ending. Wrapped up with a nice, little bow, the epilogue even managed to leave a smile on my face. Given the suspense and menacing dread throughout, that was no easy feat. And by the time I closed the cover, it was firmly cemented in my mind that Ms. Miranda is a master of the whole thriller genre. Bravo on one heck of a tale! Rating of 5+ stars.
Thank you to Megan Miranda and Marysue Rucci Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: April 9, 2024
Trigger warning: gaslighting, stalking, burglary, breaking and entering -
Hazel, the daughter of Mirror Lake’s detective, inherits her childhood home when her father dies. She finds herself drawn back to the town she left behind almost a decade earlier.
A drought provides rich atmosphere as Hazel uncovers long-hidden secrets, namely the traumatic events of her childhood, including evidence that may explain her mother’s disappearance many years ago.
The author has said in interviews that she enjoys exploring how the past impacts the present, and how a place is tied to memory. The author delivers these themes expertly in this highly atmospheric, character-driven mystery where the setting is as much of a character as the characters themselves.
I found this a tense compelling character-driven novel that I couldn’t put down. It had everything I love in the genre.
* I received a digital copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own -
3.50 stars
My expectations for Daughter of Mine were high as I am a longtime fan of Megan Miranda. I liked the mystery aspect of it, but I wasn't hanging on the edge of my seat in anticipation and couldn't become fully immersed in the story as a whole. I also didn't connect with the main character and secondary characters. The ending was abrupt and underwhelming, and the pacing was too slow. Also, the countdown of the days of the drought as a header at the beginning of each chapter was annoying. A few moments were suspenseful, and IMO it was underwhelming and short-lived. I enjoyed reading her last ADC of The Only Survivors more than Daughter of Mine, but I will anxiously await her next book.
"When Perry Holt, a longtime resident of Mirror Lake and local detective, dies suddenly from a heart attack, his daughter Hazel Sharp becomes drawn back to the town she left behind almost a decade earlier and to her family and friends she left behind to attend her father's memorial. She receives unexpected news from her uncle Roy, a lawyer, who informs her that she has solely inherited the family home and all its contents. Her brothers, especially Caden, are shocked upon hearing this. But Hazel's not the only relic of the past to return: a drought has descended on the region, and as the water level in the lake drops and exposes long-hidden secrets, buried begin to emerge, including evidence that may help finally explain the mystery of her mother's disappearance." and dark family secrets, betrayal: Is her mother alive? Was she murdered by someone close to her? Will the answers tear this family apart or bring them closer together?
I want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an ADC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Daughter of Mine is now available to buy.
Will post a review later… I am very overwhelmed my the news of my dogs health and taking care of him and trying to keep myself as healthy as I can in my current situation. -
Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall
A short and sweet review to say how much I love this book and Megan Miranda's exquisite writing. I've read seven of eight of her adult novels and although I ranked each highly, this is a favorite. As for my review title, mirrors have a small but significant role.
If you like an atomspheric story with buried family secrets, this may be for you too. Thank you to a special friend for an Amazon gift card allowing me to purchase this book. -
4.5
Daughters are different ….
It’s 62 days and counting since it’s rained in the Carolinas. The drought begins on the West Coast and gradually affects the east too. As the water levels drop in the west, it reveals submerged bodies, not so in Mirror Lake where it reveals a car. Whilst a crane raises it to the surface, the funeral of detective Perry Holt is taking place. Although Perry has been important in the day-to-day events of Mirror Lake, even those attending the proceedings are distracted by what’s happening at the lake. Two apparently unrelated events, but taken together seem to warn that changes are coming. As Hazel Holt leaves her father‘s funeral to return home to Charlotte, she receives an astonishing call, informing her that Perry has bequeathed her his Lakeside home and not shared with her brothers. The house is hers. This is just the start as Hazel realises she’s been wary for years, waiting for something to happen and she’s certainly right. Hazel narrates the tale.
One of the Queens of intense atmosphere strikes again in this well told suspenseful read. The atmosphere in Mirror Lake has chills in the warm air immediately. You know from the get go that things are going to go bad as the visual writing leaves you in no doubt, as tension swirls in the air. Everything feels off kilter, it’s eerie, there are ghostly hints to the storytelling that has a haunting tone to it which sends shivers down the spine. As if the atmosphere isn’t intense enough, it’s heightened by the awkward, if not openly hostile, family dynamics, specifically between Hazel and brothers Gage and Caden. As the novel progresses, the understanding grows of why there’s hostility and these undercurrents deepen.
The town and Mirror Lake itself further adds to the atmosphere. This is a town where multi generations live or have lived, it’s steeped in tradition and it feels claustrophobic, especially for Hazel. This heightens the oppressive spiralling down of the situation that she is facing and she needs all her wits and attention. She has difficult memories to navigate, but also the multitude of secrets and lies with further shocks to come. She feels justifiable paranoia, will the truth break free of its tether of lies? Who she should trust is the million dollar question. The situation builds and builds and at times the suspense is the scarcely able to breathe kind with fear that is palpable. The ending is a good one and a genuine surprise.
Overall, Megan Miranda has knocked it out of the park once again, as this is another cracker of a read. It grips me from beginning to end, and it’s one that I can recommend to fans of the genre.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Quercus Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review. -
SECRETS!!!
in Daughter of Mine, Megan Miranda weaves a slow, complex tale fraught with misdirection and deception.
Out of the blue, Hazel Sharp's mother disappeared one day, wiping out her husband's bank accounts and leaving Hazel a hasty note stating that she hoped that one day Hazel would forgive her.
Years later, Hazel is shocked to find that her stepfather left the family home to her alone, disinheriting his own sons.
On top of that, Hazel's childhood best friend, Jamie, disappears - also leaving behind a young daughter. The body count in the small resort town of Mirror Lake starts to mount while Hazel conducts her own investigation into her stepfather's motives for leaving her the family home.
Hazel's childhood crush and neighbour, Nico, helps her sort through the clues. (I enjoyed all the yearning chemistry between these two characters!)
Despite all the masterful misdirection by the author, I did suspect the actual culprit in this slow sizzle thriller, but I couldn't figure out the motive.
Those last few action packed chapters sped by - a marked departure from the relentlessly slow build up throughout the first three quarters of the novel. I didn't want to put this book down and stayed up until four in the morning to finish it!
Nothing made much sense - until the end, when everything fell horrifyingly into place!
I'm rating this one a 5 out of 5 well-deserved stars. My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Well done! -
Daughter of Mine by Megan Miranda is a suspenseful mystery novel. The style of this mystery is a little different than your normal straightforward story with there being a countdown to how long the small town had been experiencing a drought. This addition almost felt dystopian in nature but it all weaves into the mystery going on.
Hazel Sharp grew up in Mirror Lake in the home of her stepfather who was a detective on the small police force. Hazel’s mother had brought her to the small town and seemed to settle into life in Mirror Lake until one day she fled the town leaving young Hazel behind. Despite Hazel’s mother seemingly fleeing like a criminal Hazel’s home with her stepfather was never in doubt and he raised her as one of his own along with her step brothers.
Now, years later Hazel is returning to Mirror Lake after getting the call that her father had passed but what she didn’t expect was to be the sole heir of his will leaving her brothers out completely. On top of trying to figure out what she would do with her childhood home Hazel finds it even more confusing that what she believed of her mother’s departure was all a lie.
Daughter of Mine is not the first book I’ve read from author Megan Miranda and it certainly will not be the last. I went into this one with high expectations having enjoyed many of her previous books and thankfully I was not disappointed when finishing. The book is a rather slow burn mystery novel which did get me a little antsy in the beginning but it picked up along the way and definitely kept my attention with the pages turning quicker and quicker until the last twist along the way came to a close.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit
https://carriesbookreviews.com/ -
4.5 mother/daughter stars - now available
I really enjoyed this one from Megan Miranda. It was certainly a slow burn, but it worked for me!
Set in North Carolina in a rare period of drought, lakes are drying up, and secrets are coming out.
Hazel Sharp left Mirror Lake, but she’s returned for her father’s memorial, Detective Perry Holt. Across town, a car is being pulled from the lake, and the questions start piling up. Could it be Hazel’s mother's car?
As the will provisions are read, Hazel is at serious odds with her brothers. Their father has left the house to Hazel, and the brothers are puzzled and angry. Why does she get the house? Holt, as he was known, was well respected, but now his actions are questioned. Could it have to do with Hazel’s mother? She disappeared, with a lot of money, many years ago.
The first half of the book really sets the stage, and the author is great at creating an atmospheric setting for us as suspicions swirl. Hazel tries to reunite with her childhood best friend, Jamie, but she doesn’t get very far with that.
Hazel’s brothers are both police officers, and I wondered what they were hiding. And why did they want the house so much?
I rounded up for the “it all came together” ending that surprised me!
This one was another good buddy read with Jayme. Be sure to read her review. And as she points out, check out that cover again to see the car! I missed it the first time.
My thanks to Simon & Schuster/Marysue Ricci books for the opportunity to read and honestly review this one. -
Hazel, stepdaughter of Mirror Lakes’s longtime local detective, unexpectedly inherits her family home. She reluctantly returns to town after leaving almost a decade earlier. She never wanted to return, but circumstances changed. In her absence a drought hit and the water level in the lake has dropped. With the water level lowering, things are being discovered that were long thought lost, such as secrets. One of those secrets is tied to the disappearance of Hazel’s mother, and new evidence that may finally explain what happened.
Megan Miranda writes atmospheric suspense novels. I hesitate to classify her works as thrillers, and while yes suspense is a sub-genre of thrillers, I think they are very different in several key regards, and they are important to me and my enjoyment. Suspenseful reads tend to be slower paced, and this one was, almost too slow for my liking in fact. I felt that had the pacing been faster, the story might have worked better for me overall, but because it was slower, I was easily distracted and put the book down a lot. I also didn’t really understand how the drought played so much into the story. I would have figured it was more pivotal as it was called out on every chapter heading. I did really enjoy the premise of the story. There were a lot of things that seemed like they would have been really entertaining, but I just got lost along the way.
I think that this book would have worked a lot better for me on audio. The next book by this author I am going to try on audio and see if that changes my enjoyment.
Thank you so much to Simon Element, S&S, Marysue Rucci Books, and Netgalley @netgalley for this e-arc. All opinions are my own. -
4.5 stars
2024 is shaping up to be a good year for thrillers and if you enjoy the genre, I recommend adding Daughter of Mine to your tbr list. I’ve read 4 books by Megan Miranda and this one is my new favorite.
Hazel Sharp is the daughter of a Mirror Lake police officer. She returns to the small community after his death to get his affairs in order. Hazel fled Mirror Lake when she became an adult but she’s going to stick around for a bit as she might finally get answers as to why her mother disappeared so long ago and left her daughter behind.
Hazel is a complex character which made her fascinating to me. The drought contributed to this bleak atmosphere which worked in favor of the story. The author tosses breadcrumbs along the way so you can piece together some stuff but I can’t say everything wrapped up exactly the way I had anticipated. It held my interest from start to finish which is so important with this genre.
Thank you to MarySue Rucci Books for sending me an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion. -
A good amount of suspense!
Hazel Sharp is coming back home for her father's funeral. He was a long-time detective in a small town. Coming back takes work. Her mother left her when she was a teenager and she has a strained relationship with her brothers Caden and Gage who are both police officers like their father. Matters get worse, when she is told her father left the house solely to her!
The town of Mirror Lake is suffering the worst drought in years. The lake level is so low that things long buried are resurfacing. At the same time the funeral is occurring, a car is pulled from the lake. The vehicle contains two dead bodies!
Is this discovery connected to Hazel's mom's disappearance?
I felt the suspense as Hazel started uncovering all the secrets kept from her. The paranoia she develops sensing someone in her house or finding things have moved around the house made me think of the movie When A Stranger Calls. "The call is coming from inside the house." I wanted to scream at her that someone was around.
I have enjoyed many books by Megan Miranda and Daughter of Mine can be added to the "yes" column.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Marysue Rucci Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It |
Facebook |
Twitter |
Instagram -
Daughter of Mine centers around Hazel Sharp. Hazel's father who was a local detective, just passed away so she is returning to her small hometown of Mirror Lake to attend his celebration of life ceremony.
When Hazel arrives, she learns that the small town is suffering from a drought- It's been over two months since they have received any rain. With the drought, the local lake's water levels have dropped revealing long-buried secrets, including mysterious cars found in the lake.
Megan Miranda is one of those authors who has a large fan base because she consistently writes an entertaining thriller. Daughter of Mine is no exception.
Daughter of Mine is an atmospheric thriller centered around a mystery. I found myself trying to solve the mystery as I read and enjoyed seeing how the story would play out. The book is a bit slower-paced than I prefer but overall I liked Daughter of Mine.
Daughter of Mine by Megan Miranda will be available on April 9. A massive thanks to Marysue Rucci Books for the gifted copy! -
I can't imagine ever leaving someone behind that I truly loved - and neither can the daughter of a supposed runaway con artist, Hazel Sharp. With a note left on her pillow, missing money, and a trail of jilted lovers, Hazel's mother's case seems open and shut. Years after her disappearance, though.. things start to come to the surface as the water levels reach dangerously low levels in a lake near her most permanent childhood home.
As secrets in a small town start to unravel, it seems more and more likely that there are things Hazel doesn't know. With a step brother who hates her, another brother who's always accepted her with open arms, and a best friend who betrayed her long ago -- who can she really trust if not the people you call family?
-- Daughter of Mine was a well-done murder mystery in terms of character development and the eerie atmosphere created! If you love the allure of a small town tucked away in the mountains and the secrets they hold - this is your perfect next read this summer!
**Thank you to Marysue Rucci Books for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤
Find Me On Instagram 🦋 ||
More Bookish Thoughts & Reviews Here 🖤 -
Hazel Sharps father dies and she inherits the family home in Mirror Lake. Her mother disappeared when she was a child and as water levels drop a car is found at the bottom of the lake. Tensions arise between her and her brothers and creepy possibly ghostly things begin happening in and around the house.
This was a gripping read that had me glued to the pages. Thanks NetGalley and Simon Element for this ARC that will be released April 9, 2024! -
Megan Miranda does it again! While I initially suspected a supernatural element to explain the drought, I was left completely satisfied as this thriller took place in 4 parts from 4 different points of view. I did my best to keep up, but was continually pleasantly surprised!
-
Story 3.75 stars**
Audio 4 stars**
Narrator Inès Del Castillo -
3.5 ⭐️
-
Family tensions and secrets boil over when the patriarch of the Holt family suddenly dies. Hazel comes back to Mirror Lake for her father's memorial, but finds herself an outcast in her own family. As she starts to reestablish family connections and clean up her father's house, she finds herself peeling back layers of mistrust between herself and her brothers that has remained unresolved.
I have to be honest, this seemed to move along at a glacial pace for me. I love Megan Miranda's atmospheric writing, but I could only take so much story of the neverending drought and the lake. It felt like if this had been edited a bit better, the story would've packed more of a punch. All in all it was an ok read for me.
Will still read her next one though. -
“It seems to me that not everyone makes it out of Mirror Lake so easily.”
This was an absolutely phenomenal mystery! I rarely re-read a book, yet I can’t wait to make time to re-read this one.
This is my fourth book written by Megan Miranda and I believe it’s her best yet. She really excels at (1) showing the power and benefit of a small town as a setting for her murder mystery and (2) utilizing the weather as a plot device showing its pervasive effects.
Small towns are deeply troubled in their own unique way, and the township of Mirror Lake is no different. Miranda uses this to accentuate her themes and provide the foundation for the mystery surrounding the Holt family. Mirror Lake is a perfect place to hide. The townsfolk are protected by the mountains and a lack of cell service means they’re cut off from the outside world. As Hazel Sharp suggests, it’s “like we were cut off from the past that was looking for us.” Until her father, Detective Perry Holt, died three weeks ago, the town simply relied on its setting to cover up any secrets. Perry’s absence and the timely discovery of a submerged car in the lake is the undoing of the town. All of a sudden, everything is exposed.
Hazel points out “how quickly the past could grasp on to you here, and pull….” and that’s exactly what happens next.
The fact that the town is experiencing a drought, adds to the story. As the water levels in the lake decrease, it reveals the town’s “secrets and ghosts.” Each chapter reminds the reader how long the town has gone without rain. As the novel progresses, the secrets keep piling up. Will the rain ever pour down again? Are the weather gods waiting for all the secrets to be revealed first?
Miranda examines hidden things, abandonment, betrayal, and isolation. Her characterization and word choice, even making the weather a plot device, creates a sense of unease and her masterfully crafted ‘take no prisoners’ female main character plans on sweeping the secrets out from under the metaphorical carpet.
I’ll be the one shouting the accolades of this book from the rooftops. Make sure you have this one on your radar. This twisty tale is worthy of ALL THE STARS.
I was gifted this copy by Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review. -
What can I say, Megan Miranda has done it again. I love her books, and this one is no exception. She has a way of spinning a tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat and leaves you wanting more.
Hazel Sharp is brought back to town with the inheritance of her family home, but once she arrives Mirror lake begins relinquishing secrets it has held for many years. Secrets that only lead to more questions like what happened to her Mother all those years ago. The more she finds out, the more she begins to distrust the family she left behind. But someone knows the truth and Holly isn't leaving until she finds out.
What a wonderfully paced thriller, both creepy and intriguing that will have you questioning everyone, and everything. Daughter of Mine is a must read! -
I feel bad giving this book such a low rating. But it was dumb. It was cliche and dramatic. The plot was interesting enough but the characters were so unbelievable and I didn’t care about any of them. The main character was an adult but talked and acted like a teenager, which I found annoying. Everything was over explained. The lake was personified in a really poor way that ended up just being cringy. Plus the narrator of the audiobook made everything sound more annoying. Unfortunately, finishing this book made me reconsider the other Megan miranda books I’ve read and now I’m noticing that all her main female characters are basically the same immature 27 year olds who never grew out of their teenage selves.
-
Thank you to Marysue Rucci Books and Megan Miranda for my copy of this much anticipated book! It was about Hazel, daughter of Mirror Lake’s long time detective Perry Holt, who recently passed away from a heart attack and left her everything. When she inherits her childhood home, she is drawn back into the town and all the secrets hidden there. At the same time, the town is going through a drought, and as the water levels lower, secrets are becoming unearthed. Now Hazel decides she needs to stick around with hopes of solving a decades long mystery of where her mother disappeared to when she was young.
Thoughts: This is a classic small town mystery. The claustrophobic familiarity of a town where everyone knows everything was the perfect setting for this domestic thriller. There are so many secrets and mysteries that slowly became clear and drew me into the story. What at first seems like a straight-forward mystery actually has so many layers and characters that come into play. I was suspicious of everyone, even though the twist did end up being fairly obvious to me.
I thought this book was paced well and had just enough creepy details to keep me intrigued. It did start off slow, but got better as it went along. Miranda does this thing where she uses characters names in almost every sentence, which is always hard for me to get used to. Once I got past it, it was much easier to read and I enjoyed the story a lot. 4-stars for this one!
