The Favorite Daughter by Kaira Rouda #bookreview #thriller

Title: The Favorite Daughter

Author: Kaira Rouda

Publisher: Graydon House

Publication Date: May 21, 2019

Page Count: 368

My rating: 3 stars

About the book:

From the author of Best Day Ever, another gripping novel of psychological suspense set in an upscale Southern California community, for fans of B.A. Paris and Shari Lapena.

The perfect home. The perfect family. The perfect lie.

Jane Harris lives in a sparkling home in an oceanfront gated community in Orange County. It’s a place that seems too beautiful to be touched by sadness. But exactly one year ago, Jane’s oldest daughter, Mary, died in a tragic accident and Jane has been grief-stricken ever since. Lost in a haze of anti-depressants, she’s barely even left the house. Now that’s all about to change.

It’s time for Jane to reclaim her life and her family. Jane’s husband, David, has planned a memorial service for Mary and three days later, their youngest daughter, Betsy, graduates high school. Yet as Jane reemerges into the world, it’s clear her family has changed without her. Her husband has been working long days—and nights—at the office. Her daughter seems distant, even secretive. And her beloved Mary was always such a good girl—dutiful and loving. But does someone know more about Mary, and about her last day, than they’ve revealed?

The bonds between mothers and daughters, and husbands and wives should never be broken. But you never know how far someone will go to keep a family together…

The Favorite Daughter by Kaira Rouda is one of those books that I seem to be a bit on the outside looking in when I check out other reviewers. I actually read this one a while ago before too many other opinions were up but it seems others do love it while I ended on a meh, it’s ok simply because I guessed the ending practically before it began.

What we have in The Favorite Daughter is one of those completely unreliable narrator’s in Jane Harris. A perfect wife with the perfect home and the perfect family…. that was until it all crumbled around her when her oldest daughter, Mary, died in a tragic accident a year ago. Now however Jane is coming out of  her haze of anti-depressants and wants answers.

Kaira Rouda has written a solid psychological thriller that is full of the characters one necessarily wouldn’t love but love to hate and suspect. The  story was engaging while reading and I had hope I would be in for a huge surprise or at least some small twists along the way  but as I said the ending didn’t shock me at all, probably one of those cases of just reading too many similar tales but I’m sure most will love this one.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online: 

Goodreads  /   Amazon

About the author:

Kaira Rouda is a USA TODAY bestselling, multiple award-winning author of contemporary fiction that explores what goes on beneath the surface of seemingly perfect lives. Her domestic suspense novel BEST DAY EVER is a USA TODAY bestseller translated into more than eight languages. Her next novel, THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER, is out May 21, 2019.

She lives in Southern California with her family and is at work on her next novel. Connect with her on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest: @KairaRouda; and on Facebook at Kaira Rouda Books.
If you’d like to host Kaira at your book club, in person or virtually, connect with the author, visit KairaRouda.com.