This is the second novel I’ve read by Ms. Boland. The book starts in the past, with a kidnapping of a young girl at a shopping center. We are introduced to Rachel, mother of the abducted girl, and then newcomer Kate. The women meet at their children’s school, as they are mothers to children around the same ages, and they develop a fast friendship. Kate’s daughter looks exactly like Rachel’s abducted child. The story goes on from there with lots of twists and turns and a very unexpected ending.

This is a high speed train ride of a story and the derailment (and you will be derailed) is unexpected and full of emotional impact.

I loved the characters, they all felt very real, the decisions they made were natural and understandable.

The plot is really good - it takes a familiar situation and plays it from a different angle.

The pacing is bang on - it keeps you reading "just one more chapter".

I also loved how all the questions I was asking in my head were anticipated and answered.

Overall an excellent thriller.

All I can say is WOW!! Very clever writing by a very clever author!
This is the 1st book I'm reading by this author and three quarters through I thought very good writing but storyline a bit iffy and not always believable......WELL.....was I wrong!

The Past
"She’s inside a nightmare. She’s inside hell. And nothing will ever be the same again."
Catriona Devon ends up in a shopping mall in London. Here she sees a young girl playing by herself while her mom sits nearby chatting to a friend and without even thinking it through she takes the child home with her.

The Present
Rachel Farnborough is waiting at school to pick her children up when she meets Kate Morris, a new mom whose youngest kids are the same ages as her two. Then she sees Kate's oldest daughter and her life comes to an abrupt standstill because the girl is the spitting image of her missing daughter Holly who disappeared 9 years before. She hasn't told anyone about Holly. Not even her boyfriend that's she's been with for years. Her life then slowly starts to unravel as she tries to find out the truth about her daughter.

There's a mind shattering twist in the end that will make you gasp! It is very easy and fast reading.
A must read for anyone who loves a good psychological thriller.
Thank you to @bookouture and @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Enjoyable thriller with a twisty, heart wrenching story of a woman who's child was stolen and an ending I did not expect..

This book was fast paced. Hard to put down. It flowed well and it was very well written. It caught hold of me and had me hooked from the start . I was literally on the edge of my seat reading this book.

Love novels from Shalini Boland- they never disappoint. Good story lines, easy to follow characters, plot twists. Everything you need in a good book. Devoured this one in a day on holiday - fabulous ending :) highly recommend

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Other Daughter’ by Shalini Boland in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Rachel is talking to her friend in a shopping mall when her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Holly is abducted from the play area. Nine years later Rachel is living in Dorset with partner Matt and children Jess and Charlie when outside the school gate she meets Kate who’s just moved to the area. When she sees Kate’s daughter Bella she can’t believe her eyes as Bella is the image of her missing daughter Holly, the same green eyes, heart-shaped face and colour of hair. How can Rachel find out if Bella is her missing daughter?
‘The Other Daughter’ had me gripped from the start with a story that alternates between the day of Holly’s abduction to the present time. It’s been well-written with a strong and chilling plot, twists and turns, believable characters, and a jaw-dropping conclusion that I didn’t see coming. My only complaint is that I found the end slightly confusing and had to keep reading parts to make sure I hadn’t misread them. Other than this, it’s a spine-chilling psychological thriller, tense, exciting and highly readable, that I can thoroughly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

What can I say about this book other than WOW! This was an absolutely fantastic book and had me hooked by page 1. I’m cautious of any spoilers, however, it is safe to say this a fast-paced, gripping, psychological thriller that I wished would not end. Characters were so well developed that I felt like I knew them myself. Nothing, however, prepared me for the completely amazing twist in this book. Never saw it coming. Safe to say this is one of my top 3 books this year. 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Imagine your child was taken and years later you see a child that looks exactly like your missing child and the same age. How far would you go to prove she’s your child? This is the situation Rachel finds herself in when she sees a new child in town. Rachel is determined to prove Bella is her missing daughter, Holly. I was intrigued by Rachel throughout the book. The lengths she would go to to find her daughter is compelling for any parent but you had the feeling something was not quite eight. Even with my suspicions I did not expect the ending! This is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a thriller. I had a very hard time putting this book down! This was my first book by this author and it will not be my last.

I thought I knew exactly was coming and was honestly just riding it out but that was a plot twist I never saw coming. I was shocked by that turn and I can see this taking over Instagram. It was well written so that you never had to go back and re-read something in order to understand what was going on.

What an absolute nail biter of a book! I was hooked from the first chapter and enthralled throughout. The ending was shocking and surprising and I’d never have guessed the outcome.

Little Holly is playing while her mum Rachel chats to a friend. Then every parents worst nightmare happens! Holly is taken by a stranger and never found. The chapters flit between what happens with the stranger and Holly after the dreadful event and 9 years into the future, where Rachel believes she has found her long lost daughter. She needs to prove it’s her so she befriends the girls mother Kate. Hoping to get close to the daughter she never thought she’d see again, Rachel does some pretty crazy things, but wouldn’t you in this situation?!

I will be shouting from the rooftops about this book, I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it so hard to put down. Anyone who loves a psychological thriller will devour this book.

Thank you to Shalini Boland, Net Galley and Bookouture for my ARC of this book.

Book Description:
Nine years ago her daughter was taken. And now she’s back.

Two-and-a-half-year-old Holly is playing happily in a pink plastic playhouse, while her mother Rachel sips coffee and chats with a friend nearby. It should be an ordinary day for all of them. But, in the blink of an eye, it turns into every family’s worst nightmare.

Holly is taken by a stranger and never found.

Nine years later, Rachel is living a quiet life in Dorset. She’s tried to keep things together since the traumatic day when she lost her eldest daughter. She has a new family, a loving partner and her secrets are locked away in her painful past.

Until one afternoon when Rachel meets a new school parent Kate and her teenage daughter Bella. Rachel’s world is instantly turned upside down – she’s seen Bella before. She’d recognise that face anywhere – it’s her missing child.

And she will stop at nothing to get her back…

I've been a fan of Shalini Boland's psychological thrillers ever since I read The Girl From The Sea back in 2016, and I've enjoyed every single story since then. As you might already guess, every time I find out about a new Shalini Boland story, my heart skips a beat and I instantly have a new title on my wishlist. My reaction was no different when I first learned about The Other Daughter, and now I've had the chance to read it  I can say that this newest story without doubt lived up to expectations.

There is just something about the writing that draws you right in, and even before starting The Other Daughter I already knew I had to free my schedule, because Shalini Boland's psychological thrillers in general are so engaging that you will have a hard time letting go before you reach the end. The only reason I wasn't able to read it in one sitting was that I started it too late in the evening and had to get some sleep in between or I wouldn't have been able to function the next day otherwise. Mind you, I did this reluctantly... The Other Daughter is so gripping that you keep turning those pages without noticing the time flying by; both the writing and the plot itself are probably the cause of this.

As with most psychological thrillers, the suspense is build up slowly but surely, keeping you in the dark about certain key information until the plot twist bombs are ready to be dropped on you. Past and present chapters are mixed in a balanced way, enabling you to learn about those dreadful events nine years ago as well as learning more about what it happening in the present. The plot development is well handled, and constructed in such a way to give maximum effect to that humongous plot twist reveal close to the ending. It doesn't happen often anymore while reading (psychological) thrillers, but The Other Daughter managed to take me completely unawares. I'm talking about flabbergasted and staring at the page with my jaw dropping to the floor here! And I always love when that happens.

The characters in The Other Daughter are without doubt an interesting bunch. While I'm not sure if they are exactly likeable and some actions and personality traits can really get on your nerves, there is no doubt that the characters are thoroughly developed and feel realistic as they all have their flaws and make their mistakes. Who can you trust and how is the past related to the present? What happened to Holly that day? If you are looking for your next psychological thriller, The Other Daughter is without doubt a gripping and brilliant read. There is a reason she is one of my favorite authors of the genre!

You sit with a friend, just for a little while, for coffee and a chat, in a familiar shopping centre; there's even a play area for you little girl with a wendy house she loves. Five minutes later your life is in tatters and your daughter nowhere to be seen.

Nine years ago that was Rachel's nightmare but now, having squashed down her emotions for almost a decade, she has a loving partner, two beautiful children and a quiet life she could only have dreamed of but then ...

This is a rollercoaster ride of a book from the very first page. The happy family life Rachel and boyfriend Matt have worked so hard for is suddenly threatened by her mental turmoil at seeing a child who, she is absolutely convinced, is her long-lost daughter. Swallowed up by lies, deception and a desperate need to get closer to Bella, the eldest sister of two new pupils at her children's school, Rachel allows her fragmented thoughts to be taken over by 'what ifs' and 'how can I' scenarios which threaten her very existence.

This was a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed trying to work out what would happen. Many publishers erroneously describe their books as having a great twist but this one absolutely does and I did not see it coming. The characterisation is excellent, the protagonists and antagonists are realistic and easy to visualise from the first page while the changes in time frame is simple to follow and tension packed.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good psychological thriller with an original take on a common theme.

Wow! You are just so sure where this one is going, have settled in and then BAM! huge twist at the end. One of the top 5 reads of the year. I most definitely will be reading more Shalini Boland!

Wow. One of the quickest books I’ve read. I was griped. Rachel’s daughter was kidnapped years ago from a shopping centre. Then one day a new mum comes to school with her children. Suddenly Rachel recognises her daughter Holly . Rachel is then desperate to reconnect with her stolen child.

This book will have you on the edge of the seat. A fantastic ending I didn’t see coming. Highly recommended. Totally worth a 5 ⭐️ review

Terrific story!

Unfortunately i went into this book with lots of peoples high praises and it was a very good story but it didn't live up to my too high expectations which is my fault.
i is a good read but at times i hated the main character for the way she acted, i understand some of it but to completely ignore that bad advent only backfires.
i will keep my eyes on this author because she has a great way of writing.

This story centres around Kate Farnborough and is told in two different timeframes and with multiple viewpoints. It is pacey, engaging and totally addictive right from the very first page. It is exciting, full of suspense, red herrings and twists and turns. It sizzles with intrigue and comes with the warning that you will want to read this relatively short story of only 260 pages in just the one sitting.
Kate has a beautiful two and a half year old daughter called Holly. One day she is out for a rendezvous with her friend, her baby daughter and Holly, in a busy café in a shopping centre. The children’s play area soon catches Holly’s eye and Rachel tells her she can go to play there. Holly loves Wendy Houses and is soon playing her imaginative games inside it. Distracted by the conversation with her friend, Rachel does not notice Holly being led away by someone who is shrouded in loose clothes and wearing a hat pulled down to hide their identity. She soon discovers her daughter is no longer in the play area and from then on her life is a nightmare come true.
Her husband Andrew blames her and soon the cracks in their already fraught marriage overflow. He leaves her and sets up a home in Spain and soon he has a new family. Everywhere Rachel goes in London stir up her memories of Holly and so she relocates to Dorset where she soon starts a new relationship with Matthew. They add to their family with another child and so the story continues.
Nine years later Rachel meets Kate Morris and her two young children in the school playground. It is their first day in their new school and coincidentally Rachel’s son is in the same class as Kate’s son and her daughter is also in the same class as Kate’s daughter. Kate also has an older daughter who will be starting her new school the next day. When Kate’s oldest daughter gets fed up of waiting for her mother, she walks into the playground to find out why her mother is taking so long. Kate introduces Bella and straight away Rachel is certain Bella is her missing daughter. She has such an emotional and physical reaction that she has no doubt at all. What happens next is the main story thread, as Rachel vows to collect evidence about Kate and Ella ready to take it to the Police. She wants her daughter back and will do anything to make her wishes come true.
Here begins a roller-coaster of a story about Rachel’s journey to claim her daughter. It is an amazing but compelling story with a totally unexpected ending that (although it seemed unbelievable) was terrifying, desperate and full of action. I was engrossed and convinced by the believable and superbly crafted main characters and by the stories that ran parallel with Rachel’s quest. I received a complimentary copy of ‘The Other Daughter’ by Shalini Boland from publisher Bookouture through my membership of NetGalley. These are my own honest opinions without any outside influences. The storytelling was engrossing and I enjoyed reading this novel. I recommend it as good read for those who enjoy reading Psychological Thrillers with a twist in the tale.

Another triumph for Shalini Boland! She really knows how to tell a story and she draws the reader in so much so that the characters just leapt off the page. Especially Rachel who seems like a normal everyday mum bringing her kids to school, working in the local cafe, in a suburb of Dorset where she now lives with her boyfriend Matt and their two children.

But Rachel's earlier life in London has been traumatic, her daughter Holly was abducted while she was having coffee with a friend. She has tried to bury that fact until one day she meets a new neighbour Kate. Rachel is convinced that Kate's eldest daughter Bella could be her missing daughter Holly and Rachel goes about ways in trying to prove that she is in fact right.

The reader is brought on an emotional journey of a mother trying to find her missing daughter while trying to juggle all the other things that life throws at her but it doesnt seem to be working. Her family and her job are suffering and Rachel is slowly losing her mind while trying to figure out if Bella is indeed Holly and OMG the ending!!!!!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the ARC.

The Other Daughter is a psychological thriller that will keep you wanting to keep reading to see what is going to happen next. The main character, Rachel, is living a happy life but she has a secret. Things take many twists and turns when she meets a new mom at the school pick. .many lives will change drastically. This is a fast paced book that I would highly recommend!

Guess whose back? The queen of twisted psychological thrillers!

I find I seem to repeat myself with this authors books as they are all so good and her latest standalone is no different. As soon as I pick one up, I literally can not put it down. I started this just before going to bed and then the next thing I had read over 70%! Needless to say I was shattered the next day but it was worth it as I had less than 30% to read which I devoured in no time.

The author has a knack of grabbing your attention right from the very first page. She doesn’t let you go either. The reader is very much there for the long haul as you race through the pages to find out if Holly really is Rachel’s daughter.

The suspense is almost electrifying as Rachel definitely had me convinced. She’s been battling demons with the collapse of her relationship with Holly’s dad and always having at the back of her mind where her daughter is and whether she is alive or dead. Her new partner Matt is the perfect partner though and she has two wonderful children still but seeing this girl gives her new hope.

At times the story feels almost frenzied in Rachel’s quest to prove that Kate’s daughter is in fact her own. Hell, I was desperate to know! I wanted more than anything for there to be some closure for Rachel. When that all important climax comes. Wow, oh Wow! That’s all I’m saying.

The Other Daughter is a brilliantly twisted, edge of your seat ride that will have you gripping on for dear life. The authors mind is so dark and twisted and I can’t get enough of it. My pulse is racing just thinking about it. Brilliant read yet again.