Daughter of Mine

• Author: Megan Miranda
• Genre: Mystery/Thriller
• Publication Date: April 9, 2024
• Publisher: S&S/Marysue Rucci Books

Thank you to NetGalley and S&S/Marysue Rucci Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The new thrilling novel from Megan Miranda, the instant New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls, The Last to Vanish, and The Only Survivors.

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.

I had read my first Megan Miranda book almost 2 years ago, and was blown away by her ability to weave a suspenseful mystery I couldn’t put down, paired with complex characters and an atmospheric setting. Although I’ve meant to read more of her books, I haven’t gotten around to it just yet … until now.

Set against the backdrop of a drought gripping the area, Hazel Sharp is drawn back to her hometown for a memorial ceremony for her late father, detective Perry Holt. In a small town, everyone knew him, along with the history of her family, which played a major role in her leaving town a decade ago and not returning.

Naturally, just as I (a suburban girl to my bones) assume life in every small town in real life is, life in Mirror Lake is riddled with secrets and family drama.

But what we learn through Hazel’s eyes is a convoluted story of family drama, secrets, and the complex nature of relationships between family members. And as we’re uncovering more about Hazel and the rest of the Sharp/Holt family’s past, the drought is uncovering more of Mirror Lake’s secrets. One of those secrets is what might have led to her mother’s disappearance when Hazel was younger. 

I was intrigued with how the story unfolded, especially with each chapter starting with how many days it has been without rain and the current amount of precipitation adding an atmospheric element that almost becomes a character all its own. This was the kind of book that slowly became creepier over time, and made me start to question who Hazel really could trust in Mirror Lake.

The characters and the relationships between them were another draw to me. Relationships are hard to maintain long-term, and that’s doubly true for family bonds—no one knows how to push your buttons faster and more effectively than family, right? And the dynamic that has developed within the Sharp/Holt family is even more complicated than most, further made difficult by events in the distant past and the way Hazel’s physical absence from the town hasn’t allowed for a healthy resolution. 

Overall, I found myself pulled into the story quickly and really struggled to figure out who the bad guy was. I thought I had them pegged, but then new information was revealed and there was someone else to think of. I found myself fascinated by both timelines, as information was revealed in the present as well as in Mirror Lake’s past. I think the author did lean a little *too* hard on pushing one character as a villain, regardless of whether they were or not, but I enjoyed how everything wrapped up and the way that the epilogue was done in a realistic way, rather than tying everything up in a neat bow.

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