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Only Daughter
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Only Daughter
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Only Daughter
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Only Daughter

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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About this ebook


Now shortlisted for Best First Fiction for the Australian Crime Writers' Association Ned Kelly Awards

“In Anna Snoekstra's dark and edgy debut, a young woman slips easily into the life of a girl missing eleven years, only to discover the grisly truth behind the disappearance.  Will she be the next victim?  Truly distinctive and tautly told, ONLY DAUGHTER welcomes a thrilling new voice in crime fiction.” – Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl.

'ONLY DAUGHTER by Anna Snoekstra is a dark meditation on the secrets we keep about our families and about ourselves. Twisty, slippery, and full of surprises, this web of lies will ensnare you and keep you riveted until you've turned the final page.'
– Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of Ink and Bone.

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 imposter 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 imposter 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 realises 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.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateSep 1, 2016
ISBN9781489210814
Author

Anna Snoekstra

Anna Snoekstra is the author of Only Daughter, Little Secrets and The Spite Game. Her novels have been published in over twenty countries and sixteen languages. She has written for The Guardian, Meanjin, Griffith Review, Lindsay,LitHub and The Saturday Paper. Her first audio drama, This Isn't Happening, is out with Audible in late 2022. Photo by Samantha Iliov

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Reviews for Only Daughter

Rating: 3.5697674418604652 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

86 ratings17 reviews

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Rebecca Winter disappeared 11 years ago on her way home from work. In the present day of the novel the unnamed protagonist claims to be the (abducted but recently escaped Rebecca) to get out of a shoplifting charge. She intends this to be a temporary means to an end, but finds life as Rebecca, with a mother so happy to have her back, to be so enticing that she prolongs the deception. However, she begins to wonder what exactly did happen to Rebecca...On the plus side, this was a quick and well-written read, and it was a pleasure to read a novel set in Australia. On the other hand, it was rather unbelievableSPOILERSWould the police really be so easily fobbed off with the pretence that "Rebecca" could remember so little of the previous 11 years? She very easily evaded blood tests etc to determine her health, regardless of checking her DNA. "Rebecca's" personality softened up remarkably quickly - I found it hard to believe she would be so desperate for a mother figure, especially as "the mother" was so distant and the final crisis was very melodramatic.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This suspenseful book had me readying, reading, reading. And what could be cooler than that? It's what we look for in a story. Don't bother reading reviews that might hold spoilers, just get the book and dive on in.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    When our unnamed central character decides to impersonate Bec Winter who has been missing from Canberra for 11 years, she means to do it for only a few days, and then to disappear. However she finds that plan is not so easy to carry out. For a start the police are reluctant to release her to Bec Winter's parents. When they finally allow her to go "home" they ask her to avoid publicity and the detective in charge of the investigation visits her every day trying to jog in her memory details of her original "abduction".The longer she stays the closer she gets to working out what actually happened on the day Bec disappeared. The reader is assisted by narrative about what actually happened to Bec in 2003, but not everything is revealed. There are several plausible red herrings about who might have been responsible for Bec's disappearance.We also become aware that our impersonator has a history which she is not anxious to be revealed.A rather tangled but interestingly worked plot, and a relatively quick read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Not a bad read. Bec disappeared several years ago and the case has run cold. A girl gets busted by the police and in her desperation blurts out that she is Bec. She escaped her captors and wants to go home. The family accepts her as Bec and life goes on. I really did not like "Bec" in the beginning and I felt sorry for her family. Then, the roles changed. I started feeling sorry for "Bec" and disliking the family. There are some great characters in this story even if you end up not liking them. I was not fond of the ending, it did seem a bit rushed. Not a bad read, it should keep you interested until the end. There could be some interesting discussions for book clubs.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It was just an impulse. Our narrator finds herself in trouble when caught shoplifting something only so she would have something to eat. If she gave her real name or was fingerprinted, they would know who she was and what she had done. She knew she looked like her, so before really thinking it through, she said "I'm Rebecca Winters and I was abducted 11 years ago". And then it was too late to take it back. Her plan was to escape in a few days but she got caught up in Bec's life. She was in a family, a family that seemed to adore her and the thought of taking over Bec's life seemed like a really good idea. But something is wrong. Maybe Bec's life wasn't all that golden. Someone is following her, someone is sending her texts. Who knew she wasn't the real Bec?"Her"mom seems a little off. She is having a hard time trying not to screw up and give herself away; to the parents, and the brothers, the best friend Lizzie and the policeman who handled her case. I had no idea where this was going and it was one thrilling ride getting there. What a fantastic plot line and conclusion, a total shock and surprise to me. The only reason I didn't give it a five was just a little of what i thought was unrealistic in her "return". No one really questioned anything about where she had been except Vince the cop. No one seemed to pick up on what had to be glaringly obvious, her mannerisms, her voice, no idea of anything in Bec's past so no way would she even be able to carry off being Bec. And also, someone would have leaked something to the press long before it actually happened. Nonetheless, other than that, which didn't wreck the story for me, this book just grips you, I read most of it in one sitting. It is told by Bec before her disappearance and by "Bec" when she returns. We had an advantage knowing details of Bec's life that the imposter didn't know; things that if she had known, she never would have returned. Great read!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I won an ARC of this book from Goodreads. This was a surprisingly good thriller. It was fast paced with some surprising twists. There were several plot points that were mentioned but never really developed ends but there was still a satisfying conclusion. If you are looking for a quick read and you enjoy a good mystery/thrilled then I definitely recommend this book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I may be alone in saying this, but I was not taken by the story unfortunately.Maybe it's because it is a debut novel, but the characters didn't ring true for me.Perhaps I will have better luck with future novels from this author.I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Mira UK via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I have not read a book this quickly in years, I could not put it down. I loved the entire story line. I hope this author continues to write! The only thing I didn't like was the descriptive nature at the end. Although, I somewhat knew the end, the twists were so AMAZING. The characters were very real for the most part and the flat characters were flat for a reason. Such a enjoyable read for me.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    From my blogOnly Daughter is the debut book by Anna Snoekstra from Australia. I see huge potential with this author's writing in the psychological thriller genre. This is a story about what is done in the dark will come out in the light and that family deep rooted secrets will come out and have you hurt all over again.A young woman is arrested and instead of facing her consequences she remembers an old police story where she looked like the victim and says she was abducted and that her name is Bec Winter. How shocking and ridiculous is this lie but she gets away with it, or does she...... 'Surely, a mother would know her only daughter.' Kindle 11%The story felt a little farfetched to start with coincidence after coincidence and then you realize the story may not be about her replacing Bec's life but finding out where Bec disappeared. The officer in charge is disappointed she won't help him find who took her and starts to think she is protecting someone, but who? Bec has no idea what she has started all over again with her new family and friends. Instead of living the life with a beautiful reunion she ends up with guilt and continuous stress on tricking her new family and getting the cops to give up on the investigation. 'I'm being hunted. Staked on every angle. Hoe is the only safe place left. Sitting on the couch, I try to breathe. Feeling helpless will get me nowhere. Fear will get me nowhere.' Kindle 49%The story switches between 2003 before Bec goes missing and 2014 when she is replaced. I thought this was a solid story keeping you engaged but it missed the thrill and the highs and lows that keep you on the edge of your seat. You knew something was off with the mom and dad but never exactly what, so many of the secrets were not fleshed out because the characters were one dimensional. You know the mom is conflicted but there is no growth to understand why. Then there is the best friend's father, weird things are said and done in the past and present but never comes to intuition, you just have this feeling that is never revealed.I enjoyed the ending but it could have been longer to answer some questions. The text messages she was receiving added a great potential threat and edge of your seat thrill but never was fully captured to be thrilling and a true threat. 'Get Out' and 'Leave now or it will happen again.' This execution was a miss and could have taken the book to another level but great debut overall.Thanks to Netgalley for pre-approving Only Daughter for me to review.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoyed this novel immensely and in no way found the violence too graphic or over the top. The reveal actually surprised me, who doesn't happen often. I found the authors writing style easy to read and understand. I definitely recommend.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Only Daughter is a phenomenal debut from Anna Snoekstra. This is truly a psychological thriller that will keep you reading.The basic premise, stepping into someone else's life, is done here with a dark twist. The original girl has been missing over a decade while the one who steps in has a murky past and thinks she has found a way to have a better future. Yet things are never quite as they seem. The novel is told from the perspectives of the impostor in the present as well as Bec, the missing girl, from the summer she went missing.Snoekstra's screenwriting education is evident here as the reader can easily picture the events as they occur. It is no wonder that the film rights have already been picked up. The novel throws the reader into the action from the beginning and we learn details at the same time we are wondering how the scene in front of us will play out.A highly recommended novel for those who enjoy suspense and some very well planned and executed twists. Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads' First Reads.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    As a suspense novel, this falls kind of flat. The concept is there, but the foreshadowing is a bit heavy-handed at times, and the characters fall too flat to lend any sense of true urgency.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The adjective "debut" always gives me the impression of some precocious teen suddenly waking up one morning thinking "I wonder if I can write a novel?" The truth is, like the cliched 'overnight sensation', a fiction. Here is a debut novel by a not-yet-30 Australian who steeped herself in the crime writing genre, post-grad learning and writing workshops before producing this "instant" success.The book itself shows enormous promise. It's very readable and competently plotted. There are a few suspend-belief moments and I found the characters a bit thin but Snoekstra is still young and I'd be disappointed if her writing does not mature along with her. There is a second book coming this year. I look forward to reading it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Four and a half starsTold by 2 voices, Bec and Rebecca. Bec disappears from her home and ten years later Rebecca, who looks very much like her, sidles into the family home - an imposter trying to live the life of her predecessor. This is one dark thriller with some very creepy people. Reading this is like being in a maze trying to find your way out - first one way, then speeding off in another direction. I loved it and found it very hard to put down. What a great story, so different from the usual psychological tales. I hope Anna is busy writing another book especially if it's anywhere near as good as this one!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The premise of the book sounded interesting but the execution of it just didn’t do it for me. I kept reading on because I wanted to find out what happened, but there were many parts that just didn’t seem plausible, such as the police not pushing more on the investigation and her ability to not get additional tests/DNA tests done. I wanted to really like this book, but the plot had too many holes to thoroughly enjoy without questions. *I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review .*
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    3/5 Stars
    Only Daughter
    by Anna Snoekstra
    published by Harlequin (US & Canada)
    Pub Date 20 Sep 2016

    In the year 2003 a sixteen-year-old Rebecca Winters has a pretty normal teenage life. She’s working at a fast food restaurant, shop lifting with her best friend and enjoying the company of boys. That is until she starts blacking out and bizarre things start happening around her; the blood in her room, people acting strange and the sense that someone is watching her. Yet none of these things alert her to an impending doom.

    A little over a decade later Rebecca is replaced. A woman who is so desperate to avoid being arrested claims to be the missing girl from eleven years ago. The new Bec takes over a stranger’s life and seems to have no trouble fitting in at all. She plays with her twin brothers, hugs the mom and crushes on her best friend’s boyfriend. However, the new Bec soon realizes she’s being followed and whoever played a part in the real Rebecca’s disappearance is still at large and she’s in real danger.

    Only daughter is a mix of psychological and sociopathic craziness. I picked this book up and didn’t do anything until I turned the very last page. I had absolutely no idea “who-dunnit” and I suspected everybody. The characters were very well developed and the plot was sound.

    The only issue I had was the lack of explanation at the very end. I feel that the author rushed the ending and I would have preferred more analysis of the psychological aspect of a few characters.

    If you’re ready for a quick and twisty thriller, Only Daughter awaits you.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra is a highly recommended psychological thriller.In 2014 a young woman who is detained for shoplifting in New South Wales, Australia, claims to be Rebecca “Bec” Winter. Eleven years ago, in 2003, sixteen-year-old Bec went missing from the streets of Canberra. She was last seen working her shift at the McDonald's. This Bec, however, is an imposter who saw a TV show and noticed she resembled the missing girl. To avoid giving her real name and to escape the shoplifting charges, she tells the police the lie.Soon she is being reunited with her "family" and talking to the lead detective on the case, Special Investigator Vincent Andopolis. Fake Bec is claiming to be foggy on the details of what happened to her and says she just wants to be home, with her family. Her family seems to be... odd, and then there are the threatening text messages.The narrative alternates between the stories of the real Bec in 2003 versus the Fake Bec in 2014. In 2003 Bec seems to be all about teen drama and hijinks at first, but there are also unexplained, dark occurrences. Her family is more focused on how her twin brothers Andrew and Paul are doing than what Bec is up to. The tension begins to rise for Fake Bec too, as she decides to stick around and look for clues to try to find out what really happened to Bec. This is a well written debut novel that is both a quick and compelling read. The tension and ominous feeling carries through in both time periods. I was glued to the pages even when the action seemed a little far-fetched. It does require some suspension of disbelief (for example, Fake Bec even getting to meet the family, let alone the reaction of the family) and in the surprise ending, but I had no problem with that for Only Daughter. This is a perfect airplane book. You will be glued to the pages and the time will fly.Disclosure: My advanced reading copy was courtesy of the publisher for review purposes.