I would like to thank Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for an advance copy of The Good Daughter, a stand-alone thriller set in South Carolina.

Abigail, a member of the New America Baptist Church, is the sole survivor of a fire that killed her parents. She was seen letting someone into the house before the fire, so is she survivor, victim or perpetrator?

The Good Daughter is the powerful tale of a young woman living in a fundamentalist environment. I was disappointed that the mystery of the fire is more a catalyst for the examination of her life than the centre of the novel. I like a good investigation therefore the novel did not really hold my attention or interest and I struggled to get through it.

Having said that I would strongly recommend the novel to readers who like a slow burning, character driven psychological thriller as it is strong in these categories. The novel paints a good picture of life in a fundamentalist, patriarchal closed community, where the preacher lays down the law with the usual tropes of subservient women and a biblical interpretation of morality. It is offensive to my liberal outlook, but highly believable. Abigail meets podcaster Summer by chance and that puts doubts in her mind about her way of life, except … After the fire Abigail can remember nothing of the preceding weeks so the narrative switches between the events leading up to the fire and the events afterwards. These are all told from her perspective so the insertion of newspaper articles, letters and fragmentary recordings offer a different perspective and hint that there is more at play than the rather naive Abigail knows or suspects.

All the twists and resolutions come in the final quarter of the novel. The pace goes from languorous to frantic as secrets and memories come tumbling out, agendas are revealed and it’s twist upon twist.

The Good Daughter is not for me due to its focus, but it is a strong novel.

This is a slow burner but with an excellent storyline that keeps you asking for more. It touches on and makes you feel the real life craziness and fear of living in a. Religious cult. I absolutely could see this being made into a movie.

When is murder self-defence?

Abigail's parents – Genevieve and Pastor John Heywood – were found dead after their house caught fire. Abigail and her young siblings escaped the fire. However, the police and the congregation suspect that Abigail started the fire. Why would she do such a terrible thing?

Newhaven Plantation is the home to the South Carolina congregation of the New American Baptist Church. The congregation all live under stringent rules and virtually never leave the property. The boys' upbringing is to shoot, work the fields and accept that they are far superior to women. Girls' upbringing is to believe that their job is to keep house for their husbands and children.

Life, as she knows it, changes for Abigail when a girl appears and announces that she is her sister.

A brutal storyline is the only way I can describe this novel. I found it difficult to read because of the storyline. I know that I live in cloud-cuckoo-land where there are no cults, and everyone has a chance to for education and the freedom to choose their future partners—knowing that places like this still exist under the grid that distresses me.

Laure van Rensburg authors a compelling story. The characters are well-drawn and believable, which left me hating the leaders and sympathising with the women and children.

Rony

Elite Reviews received a copy of the book to review.

Sadly a DNF this book is not my cup of tea at all so I will be shelving it and not posting a public review

17 year old Abigail and her family have been devout members of the New America Baptist Church for as long as she can remember. Every day is the same, she plays the role of the good daughter; obedient, modest, quiet.

Until her life goes up in the smoke — a fire burns down her family home, taking her parents with it and she is left alone. But was she the victim, or the villain in this? An innocent bystander or a masterful liar? Or is nothing so simple.

"Turns out that this is where you go after you die - a body bag."

Dark, compelling and powerful — this searing thriller delves into the twisted world of religious coercion and cult mentalities, and the ripples of death and decay that they can send out into the world.

This story was slow, drawn-out and quiet. It did take me a while to get into but soon the mystery and horrific circumstances become very intriguing — Abigail telling us her story through her own words before and after the fire— her voice was interspersed with podcasts, audio files, emails, news stories and media clippings to create a non-linear, interactive and deeply detailed style of storytelling that at times was a little repetitive and disjointed but made you notice all the little details that really pushed us forwards.

Although there was a strong cast of distinct characters who ranged from interesting to downright evil, the enigmatic and elusive podcast creator Summer was clearly a catalyst in Abigail’s life and this story. their dynamic was electrifying, their relationship a mystery — and only ever hearing Abigail’s version of their relationship made it that much more difficult to figure out exactly.

Abigail as a narrator was definitely interesting; she’d been through a twisted religious cult, been a victim of outdated and abusive gendered laws — but as we only hear from her we are following her on this journey and trying to figure out if she’s just a victim, or a masterful liar. She jumps and changes, from a brainwashed self-righteous girl, to a survivor, to a suspect — and all of them so clearly still her in some way. Of course there’s some times it’s clear who is good and who is bad — but what about the times those lines get blurred, in between victims and villains?

The discomfort was palpable and intense, entirely anxiety-inducing as were not sure who to trust. Full of twists, secrets, lies and plots — this is A disturbing journey behind the closed doors of a dangerous cult, into the monster that walk around in plain sight.

Brilliantly written I thoroughly enjoyed reading this psychological thriller by Laure van Renburg. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down - definitely to be recommended.

So good and spooky! The best type of thriller from this amazing writer! I absolutely loved her debut last year, but this one is spectacular!

There are lots of "cult" novels out there at the moment so I wasn't sure what to expect but The Good Daughter is excellent. Beautifully written and cleverly thought provoking it also has the benefit of being highly addictive.

The characters are engaging and divisive, the story has plenty of mystery elements to keep you wondering. The underneath of it all explores how people, anyone really, can be manipulated in a moment of vulnerability.

Overall a terrific read. Definitely recommend.

Another gripping, dark thriller from Laure Van Rensburg. This one was more of a slow burner than her debut, but I enjoyed nevertheless. A disorienting and atmospheric tale about cults, feminism, and murder, definitely one for a summer holiday read.

Pastor Heywood and his wife died in a fire in their cottage. Their daughter, Abigail, escaped but has post-traumatic amnesia. Or is she lying to hide guilt? All were members of a cult, the New America Baptist Church, living in its branch on Newhaven Plantation in South Carolina, where Pastor Heywood was the unchallengeable leader. Abigail’s loss of memory extends back over the last few months so she not only can’t remember the fire but also many of the preceding events. What she can remember is that they came to Newhaven eleven years ago, when she was about six, and that her Daddy had become Pastor after the previous one died after a fall downstairs, possibly pushed by his wife who suffers from dementia (or was possessed by a demon?). She only knows they used to live in Chicago because her mother sometimes refers to it, but her memories include only a few flashes of minor domestic incidents from that time. The cult is a patriarchy using biblical edicts to ensure that women are subject to the will of either their husband or their father and rarely allowed away from Newhaven, and then only to Parkerville, the nearest town, and always chaperoned. But Abigail is rebellious and this brings her into conflict with Daddy, leading up to the fire, and with all of the membership afterwards. Can she resolve those two gaps in her memory? And who is Summer, a mysterious woman claiming to be researching Faith for a podcast? Is she connected to the warning letters that the Pastor has been receiving?
Troubled girl wants to escape cult is a common trope, the variation here being that Abigail is the most unreliable of narrators, so we don’t know to what extent we are seeing the true picture. The story is told mostly from her perspective, with interpolations of transcripts made from fire damaged recordings recovered from a phone found in the cottage; presumably made by Summer, but only identified as [Voice A], and some Twitter type stuff providing information about the local population’s view of the cult. These two fill in some background, but are mostly ambiguous. The rest of the text is well written, even quite lyrical in places with the Southern drawl and idiom. The Abigail sections cover the three months or so up to the fire (of which she has essentially no memory), and the present where she is trying to recall the previous events. The timeline is a bit erratic, but I don’t mind that (some readers might). The final resolution is not all that surprising, and does tie up all the main threads. However, it seems to me that the autopsy and the police investigation are both faulty. That affects the plot and costs at least half a star.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

3.5 Stars.

Well-written with well-developed characters. A slow start that picked up. The non-linear timelines were confusing and difficult to relate to, but the story was interesting overall.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

3.5 rounded up

Focus: The New America Baptist Church, Newhaven Plantation, S. Carolina.
Abigail Heywood's family have been members of this strict church/cult for as long as she can remember. She’s an obedient daughter, a ‘good daughter’ living a demure life as is expected. When a house fire claims the lives of her mother and father, seventeen year old Abigail finds herself under increasing scrutiny of the group whose suspicions continue to grow. Abigail's story is told before and after the fire by Abigail herself and by mixed media inserts at random intervals. The audio files are especially illuminating as there’s fear and tension but for a long time we don’t know whether Abigail is traumatised and genuinely has no memory of the fire of if she’s an adept liar.

The novel starts slowly and I initially find it hard to get to grips with the slow burner storyline but once Abigail meets podcaster Summer Washington something seems to click and it starts to resemble a good psychological thriller. The storytelling grows increasingly powerful and it’s undoubtedly very well written both with empathy, sympathy and sensitivity. There are some excellent descriptions and images that convey life on the Plantation. You get insightful glimpses of the group and their adherence to the Bible, female modesty and subservience. The coercive male control and dominance of gender roles is clear to see as Abigail tries to tread the path the group ordains as internal conflict grows. The church is scrutinised and judged by those outside its parameters but what becomes increasingly obvious is that there are multiple secrets and a loose relationship with the truth. It’s disturbing and sinister in places which creates a mixture of emotions as you read. There is plenty of tension and several plot twists to keep you glued to the pages. It’s fascinating watching the changes in Abigail and her characterisation is excellent as is that of Summer. She is a catalyst of much and the storytelling here is strong, following an unpredictable path. It’s compelling and builds to a good end.

However, the fact remains it’s not easy to get into and I think that’s because of the authors use of non-linear timelines which causes repetition. There’s nothing especially new here as there are a stack of books on religious cults but what is also equally true is that this is one of the good ones. The plot revolves entirely around Abigail and this delivers an authentic and powerful tale.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

A very different and interesting book! another slow burn that takes some time to get going, but once it does, everything really kicks off!

A slow burn psychological thriller with a really unique and fascinating premise. Ots very character driven and the story also stood out because its told using a number of mediums for the narrative which was quite fun. O didn't find it disjointed and thought they blended into the narrative well. The characters were well written and pikeable. It's a very deep and complex book woth a number of threads and characters thst you need to keep track woth. The writing style os very descriptive and certainly builds the tension throughout but where it starts with a bang, I felt the pace slowed considerably and it just didn't engage me the way if have wanted. For those who do like character based, psychological thrillers this would be a winner

How do I express adequately the brilliance of this novel? Whatever words I choose I know they won't suffice. But here goes...

The Good Daughter is a powerful psychological thriller that seamlessly blends literary style prose with the real-life terrors of living within a religious cult. Exploring the themes of Isolation, Betrayal, Family Secrets, Coercive Control, The Illusion of Safety, Religious Cults, Gender Roles and Murder. This is a compelling novel reminiscent in many ways of The Girls, Under The Banner Of Heaven and The Secret Lies Of Minnow Bly. It will satisfy readers of literary fiction as well as those thirsty for intricate thrillers.

The prose is beautiful, almost lyrical in its execution, and combined with the taut descriptive contrasts between Newhaven Plantation and the nearby modern world it evokes vivid imagery giving a clear sense of time and place.

Laure confidently builds up suspense around the horrific deaths of the Pastor and his family so that the reader is transfixed by what has happened. Abigail’s mental awakening is skilfully woven throughout the narrative so that it feels authentic, which helps create the sense of eeriness that pervades the writing.

The plot is meticulously planned and will keep readers turning pages, and the structure of the book is modern with excerpts of audio tapes esclalating the sense of tension.

However, Laure’s brilliant characterisations , especially those of Abigail and Summer are what makes the storyline deeply emotional. Both women shine so bright. And the glorious sense of atmosphere in the book makes it a mesmerising read.

It is easy to see how fluidly it would translate to screen.

To finish I will end with the stunning and unique opening of Chapter One. And hope that if my review doesn't entice you these words will.

"Death has brought flies and strangers to our house. The former buzz around among the charred remains of the front room. The latter have dragged out chairs from the kitchen to the backyard..."

The Good Daughter is another superb psychological thriller by Laure Van Rensburg whose debut Nobody But Us was one of my favourite reads of 2022.

Teenager Abigail is a member of the cult-like New American Baptist Church who,at the beginning of the book, has lost her memory of the previous few days when tragedy struck her family and she appears to have been the cause. With many of the Church's members seemingly finding it,and its island location, a convenient place to hide from previous lives and identities it appears to have a rather alarming mortality rate.
With strange and deadly things happening Abigail finds herself isolated and vilified as she struggles to remember. The appearance in her life of a young woman Podcaster whose dress and behaviour is an anathema to her Puritan lifestyle causes Abigail more confusion, is she a threat or a saviour?

It took me a while to get to grips with the plot as timelines are mixed and scraps of e-mails and recordings appear quite randomly , Abigail herself has little idea of what is going on. Once into its stride this becomes an engrossing tale that keeps the reader on their toes,not least as Ms Van Rensburg deftly nudges the reader towards conclusions and solutions through her unreliable narrator that potentially change the whole nature of the book.

Excellent.

A fascinating insight into how the American Baptist Church manipulates women and runs a life of power, control and submission. Through Abigail, the daughter of a pastor, whose house and family have burnt down, we see her life full of pain and oppression. When a podcaster appears in her life, she starts to question everything she has been taught and begins to see contradictions in her father’s teachings.
Rensburg wonderfully blends literary and the mystery genre. Being in Abigail’s headspace I understood how people get indoctrinated. Her characterisation is outstanding. So empathetic. Loved this one.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely adored the author’s debut novel, so was super excited to read. While this was an atmospheric and a sensitively observed story of the American Christian Baptist Church, unfortunately the plot itself failed to engaged me. The opening 10% was an absolutely, gripping start. I loved how the story opened with the news article, emails and the excerpts of the podcast that run throughout the novel. unfortunately I felt really lost and the plot itself became repetitive and there was very little suspense. At times this felt more like a literary read than a thriller read, even though a horrific crime has occurred at the beginning.
Pastor Heywood’s house has been burned down and his family have died. Except for Abigail who survives although she has no recollection of events. In the present narrative we see her being interviewed by detectives, and she spends much of this plot line “trying” to remember and my goodness, this gets so repetitive and ultimately nothing much happens in the first half. In the past narrative we follow Abigail and see her life which is governed by her extremely religious father, who is merciless and controlling. Enter Summer, a young urban woman who wants to interview Abigail and gradually Abigail starts to question her beliefs and the way they live…
This wasn’t a bad read, by any means. But for me personally the topic and themes covered just weren’t anything new. And in terms of suspense-wise not even happened and I felt the story just didn’t grip me. It also felt more YA at times than an adult book. Nonetheless it is clear the author has done her research and she does write compassionately. I look forward seeing what she writes in the future, but for my taste this book just didn’t click with me.

A slow burn of a read that is more character driven about a female teenager, who grew up in the Baptist Church and her life of oppression and control.
This has a multi-narrative setup, which allows for an increased tension and pace. In the current timeline we follow Abigail whose family died in a fire. She doesn’t remember what happened. Currently living with another Christian family, she struggle to remember what happened. We switch back to events prior of the fire, and the story comes to a tense conclusion.
I really enjoyed this one. The characters are fleshed out and relatable. I can see how someone gets hooked into this right wing form of religion which feels a lot like a cult.

A smouldering ember of a story, The Good Daughter is that rare type of thriller that hooks you in while handling sensitive topics with care. Set in a far-right religious compound where men rule with an iron fist, the layers are slowly peeled back to reveal the dark underbelly of what such a society really means to the women who must submit. Captivating and absorbing, this book will consume you