ARC Review: Somebody's Daughter by David Bell

Somebody's Daughter
Author: David Bell
Publication: Berkley (July 10, 2018)

Description: In this pulse-pounding novel of psychological suspense from the USA Today bestselling author of Bring Her Home and Since She Went Away, a man must save the life of a little girl who just might be his daughter....

When Michael Frazier's ex-wife, Erica, unexpectedly shows up on his doorstep, she drops a bombshell that threatens to rip his family apart: Her ten-year-old daughter is missing--and Michael is the father. Unsure whether this is the truth but unwilling to leave the girl's fate to chance, Michael has no choice but to follow the elusive trail of the child he has always wanted but never knew he had.

After Michael departs, his wife, Angela, learns shocking news about Erica and fears for the safety of both her husband and the endangered girl. When a stranger, a man who claims a connection to Erica and her missing daughter, knocks on the door, Angela is drawn out into the night--and deep into the tangled web of Michael's past....

Over the course of one night, lies that span a decade come bubbling to the surface, putting Michael, his wife, and his whole family in jeopardy. And as the window for a little girl's safe return closes, Michael will have to decide who can be trusted and who is hiding the truth....

My Thoughts: It all starts one evening when Michael answers the door and discovers his ex-wife Erica there demanding that he help her find her missing daughter. She tells Michael that her daughter Felicity is his daughter, too, conceived as their marriage was breaking up. Michael is floored by the information. He and his wife of almost ten years, Angela, are in the process of trying to have a baby which is putting some stress on his marriage.

Michael agrees to help Erica because her child is missing as much as because Felicity might be his child too. He goes off with her to talk to Felicity's music teacher who might know more. As he and Erica travel old secrets from the past begin to bubble up to the surface.

There are many potential suspects in this one including Erica's former boyfriend who suspects that Felicity is actually his child. Michael hasn't had any contact with Erica since their divorce but he learns that his mother and his sister Lynn have been keeping in contact with her. Michael and his family are still dealing with the loss of his little sister Robyn since she died accidentally when he was twelve and his sister Lynn was nine. His family would like Felicity to be his child to help fill the hole Robyn's death left in the family.

Meanwhile the police investigation is looking at everyone involved to try to get some clue to finding Felicity. It seems Child Protective Services had looked into a possible neglect charge against Erica and no one actually saw Felicity with her when she says Felicity disappeared. They suspect Michael and Angela too. The investigators find a nosy neighbor who says that Erica had a miscarriage at the time her marriage was breaking up and that an infant was stolen from her mother's home nearby at the same time leading one of the investigators to wonder if Felicity is that missing child. It also throws the missing baby's mother and grandmother into the mix of people on the hunt for answers.

This was a busy, tense, fast-paced thriller with a plethora of suspicious characters. Fans of psychological thrillers will enjoy this story.

Favorite Quote:

"Where do you recognize this woman from?"

Her face started to crumple. It began with tears filling her eyes, and then her mouth turned down above a puckered chin. Her cheeks flushed bright red. "This is the woman who spoke to me that day. Right before Stacey disappeared."

"Are you sure?" Gillian asked. "You haven't seen her anywhere else?"

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss. You can buy your copy here.