Margot Phelan has come a long way since her youth. As a homicide detective, she sets out to capture the worst criminals. Yet, there are secrets in her past that she would rather stay hidden.
When called to a particularly horrifying scene, four deaths, and one missing, she knows this case is going to be different. As she and her partner, Wes, try to figure out what happened in the house, it seems to be raising more questions than answers.
At the same time, she learns that her father, a serial killer, has been moved back to a prison close to her, and the last thing she wants is to have any contact with him. However, there were always questions as to how many murders he actually committed, and she might be the only key into solving the lingering questions.

This was a really good read! I enjoyed it, and look forward to reading more in this series. I read this in one sitting, as I needed to know what was going to happen. As for the killer in this book, WOW! I did not see that one coming. Great twist!

Margot is a homicide detective…she is also the daughter of a serial killer. Needless to say, she has some things to deal with, even though she has not had contact with her father Ed in many years. But now Ed wants to talk…he has secrets he wants to reveal, but only to Margot.
Great procedural thriller….excited to see what book number 2 will hold!

Detective Margot Phalen is called to the house where the Ramirez family has been murdered her partner Wes is already there but they notice one of the girls dont belong to the family and you young boy is missing .they find him hiding in the basement. Margot has her own worrys to as she is the daughter of the famous serial killer Edgar finch her and her mum and brother changed there names but Ed wants to see her. and he has information for her will she go. this story is such an addictive read i so recommend.

This book is the perfect book to start a series with! Kate Wiley came through and delivered the suspense I anticipated, along with the perfect cliffhanger leaving me ready for the second book!

Margot Phalen is the daughter of Ed Finch, a serial killer known as the "Classified Killer". Ed has had a string of killings, 76 to date. Margot was determined to leave that life her father created for her in the past, as well as find a way to help others in similar situations. 15 years after her father was caught and imprisoned, Margot is now a homicide detective, solving miltiple cases and helping families find closure.

One day Margot is called in to a case- the Ramirez family.. 3 homicides and a suicide. The entire family is killed, however the son, Mateo, is found alive, hiding in the basement. The case is a complicated one, leaving Detective Phalen and her partner, Detective Fox returning to the scene of the crime multiple times hoping to find one more missing piece to the puzzle.

The plot twist was truly mind-blowing, and the cliff-hanger was exceptional! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, however I was hoping for some results on the bodies found in the woods. I was pretty disappointed that the cases went unsolved however the book was so great it was still able to uphold 5 stars, in my opinion! I am definitely looking forward to the next book in this Margot Phalen series!

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Kate Wiley for providing me with such an awesome ARC!

This book!!! 😲 It was well written and had me from the very beginning. Totally recommend if you like a crime thriller!! 4.5 stars!! Can't wait for the next one!

#NetGalley #thekillersdaughter #katewiley

Thank you NetGalley, Kate Wiley, and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed reading this book! If you are just starting our with crime thrillers, this would be a good book to start with in your reading journey. I was surprised with some of the events and surprised with the ending. I felt the story started off very strong and then just flat lined the rest from the middle of the book to the end. The moving from past to present was a little confusing at times but did help give some backstory to the main character. Again, this was a good book to read but I have read some intense crime thrillers and I have high expectations moving forward with this genre of books.

Book one in this captivating new series introduces Detective Margot Phalen, a San Francisco homicide detective who at the age of 15 found out that her father was a prolific serial killer who used the Bay Area as his hunting ground. Because of this, Margot deals with PTSD and anxiety while she navigates her present-day life.

Twenty years later, her past comes to the forefront when she is informed that her father has been transferred to death row at San Quentin and he is willing to reveal some long-held secrets, but only if she visits him. She must deal with this, while she while she is investigating two homicide cases – the grisly murders of a family and the mysterious deaths of two women discovered in a state park. This fast-paced thriller is utterly addictive and should come with a warning – once you pick it up, you will not be able to put it down until the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and author Kate Wiley for the opportunity to review the advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Amazing book!
I was thoroughly engaged throughout this book and I didn't want to put it down! The author captured my attention from the get go! Five stars from me :)

This was a great read that kept me intrigued and wanting more. I did not want to put the book down! I do wish there was more backstory on the Ramirez Family, especially more information on Mateo and why he is the way that he is. I felt like this could have been paced a bit quicker because some parts did seem repetitive. This is book 1 in a series so I am excited to continue reading and see what Detective Margot Phalen uncovers with the ongoing investigations.

Thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the arc!

This is so much more than your average crime novel.
Megan is a homicide detective with the SFPD. She spends her days catching killers and seeing the worst murders imaginable. She didn’t choose this life by chance. She is trying to atone for a childhood living under the roof of a serial killer. When her father reaches out from prison to reconnect with her, her life is turned upside down.
Megan and her partner, Wes, are investigated a quadruple murder/family annihilation. The 9-year-old son is the only survivor. As they investigate, secrets come out that make it really hard to empathize with the victims. At the same time, Megan helps her co-worker, Leon, with another investigation of women brutally murdered in the woods nearby. Interspersed with these stories, are chapters highlighting the deeds of Megan’s father, Ed, who is accused of 76 murders. It shows some of the victims and murders from his point-of-view.
I really enjoyed Megan’s development. I feel like the families of serial killers are often villainized or blamed for not stopping them sooner. This book shows that Megan was a victim herself, even though her father laid a hand on her. The chapters from Ed’s point-of-view were gripping.
My only criticism is that the actual crime (quadruple homicide) was not that interesting. I guessed early on who the killer(s) were. I didn’t find it nearly as interesting, but it did help set the stage for Megan and her relationship with some of the side characters. I also was not a fan of the woods murders just going cold. Although, I’m sure it’s to set up the next book.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I think that Kate Wiley did a magnificent job, and I am excited to continue to read this series.

Kate Wiley, You've officially got me hooked on the Margot Phalen Series!

Big thanks to Storm Publishing, NetGalley, and Kate Wiley for the ARC. I was immediately drawn to the book by its title and summary, reminding me of Sam from the Scream movie series. Needless to say, I was already buzzing with excitement.

The story started off a bit slow, but it quickly picked up speed. I was so into it that I stayed up way past my bedtime just to finish it and jot down my thoughts. It's been ages since I've dived into a crime fiction thriller, and this one definitely hit the spot.

What really grabbed me were the alternating POVs, giving me a deep dive into the characters' minds and motivations. The '90s references were a nostalgic touch, some feeling like they were plucked right out of the author's own memories. Detective Margot Phalen's character was crafted beautifully, her struggles as the daughter of a notorious serial killer were palpable. And that slow-burn relationship with her partner Wes? Intriguing—I'm eager to see where it leads.

Kate, your storytelling has left me craving more of the universe you've built. I can't wait for the next installment in the series! In the meantime, mark your calendar— "The Killer's Daughter" hits the shelves on March 25th, 2024! Don't miss out!

#TheKillersDaughter #NetGalley #StormPublishing #katewiley

Name of Book: The Killer’s Daughter
Series: Detective Margot Phalen Book #1
Author: Kate Wiley
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub Date: March 25, 2024
My Rating: 4.2 Stars
Pages: 337


Twenty years ago Ed Finch – America’s most notorious serial killer – used the Bay Area as his hunting ground.

Now, his daughter Margot Phalen is a homicide detective with the San Francisco Police Department. Margo has spent her whole life trying to forget her past; she has and still suffers from the PTSD that occurred when she found out her father was a serial killer.

When Margot receives a phone call from her dad’s lawyer, she learns that he has been transferred to death row at San Quentin and is willing to disclose some long-held secrets to her -but she has to visit him.

Story is told from the POV of the Killer and from his Daughter.
Ed’s POV is not pleasant –yet sounds like something we hear on the news or CSI.

Margo’s POV was very interesting. She is surrounded by great interesting characters. We follow her on the present day ‘Ramirez family’ case that definitely had me wanting to stay up past my bedtime so I could finish this story.
We readers also get a glimpse of some of Margo’s childhood experiences.

I read the author’s acknowledgements and know [ author, Kate Wiley] did a lot of research and spent many hours listening to
‘Crime Junkie’ and ‘Red-Handed’ podcasts to get an authentic view from the mind of a killer. She states it put her in a dark side.

I certainly can understand that!! However, she is a great storyteller - kept me interested and has me ready for next in this series.

This was my first story by Kate Wiley. –true this was on the dark side, very intense but very well done!

Have to admit that thinking about nine year old Mateo kept me up at night.

Want to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for granting me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 25, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.


This book was wild! It was a very well written, dark story about a detective who is the daughter of a serial killer. Margot has managed to avoid her father for over 20 years after his arrest and life sentence, and in the midst of trying to solve multiple homicides, he asks to see her. As a detective and because of her early life, Margot feels such a sense of duty to each of the victims she sees, as well as to any of her father's. You can see through the writing how deeply messed up Margot is due to her upbringing. The anxiety and panic attacks that have plagued her for years really make you feel for her as a character. As shocking as this book was, I was left wanting more at the end. There are things I need to know about this story that will hopefully be dealt with in subsequent novels. I'll definitely be looking forward to reading them as they release.

The beginning was strong and captivating. It piqued my interest but after a few chapters especially when I was nearing the middle of the book, the story started to drag. The prose was repetitive and the MC’s inner monologue and thoughts were quite frankly irritating.
Initially I loved Margot’s character. A badass detective working on cases and recovering from a horrible past but that’s it. There was no growth for that character, she didn't stand out as I kept reading but rather became boring and annoying. Her repetitive monologues were getting on my nerves so much so that I had to skip passages or pages just to get out of reading how she was affected by her serial killer dad one more time.
Wes was an interesting character, charming and playful and I would’ve loved if the author had given him more screen time.
Ed Finch, like father like daughter. I found Ed interesting at first but honestly he was a very dull and boring character. His character was supposed to be unlikeable but even unlikeable characters should be interesting. Unfortunately he wasn’t. He was too predictable. There was nothing new about his character, he was like every other serial killer character I’ve read. With the same old triggers i.e my wife annoys me my wife is this my wife is that… pretty 2 dimensional
The ending was weird! Honestly thats the word I can think of for the ending. For the sake of making the ending shocking or whatever the culprit was introduced in a very sloppy way and pretty much towards the end of the book. And two seconds later it was revealed that the new character did it.
Like what????!!! And the reveal was so funny like seriously funny and anticlimactic. Didn’t even make sense.
If only the Mc had concentrated on the cases rather than her inner turmoil maybe we would’ve gotten an interesting plot. There were so few characters that it lacked mystery. I knew from the get go who the killer was so there was no shock when it was revealed.
And once it was revealed, the case was dismissed and closed so quickly it was unnerving. So many interesting topics were touched but never explored. They were just thrown out there and then weren’t even explained properly. Even the motive for killing wasn’t explored properly.
I am just not curious about Ed his other victims or Margot and her two other cases she was working on.

This one was a fast paced read. I really liked the main female character, Margot. The rest of the characters were very likable as well.

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced copy!

This is engaging and fast paced . A good solid start to a proposed series . I thoroughly enjoyed the story and was gripped from the first chapter.

Kate Wiley has written a great start to a new detective series, detective Margot Phalen has a secret, a secret she tried to keep from only the closest to her, the secret is, her father is a notorious serial killer, she's changed her name and distanced her self from her early years and now as a detective she tries to bring peace to victims families, but with her latest case her past and present are set to collide.
I found the story easy to follow and the characters were relatable and engaging and I look forward to the next instalment.

The initial chapters draw you in to this well plotted story. I really enjoyed the characters and hope there will be a sequel (series) as I felt invested in the protagonists from the start. There is empathy as well as drama in this story with a flawed but readable main character, who I can see being translated to film/tv drama. Netflix should be optioning Kate Wiley. In the meantime please write more!

Margot Phalen formerly known as Megan Finch is the daughter of the notorious serial Killer Ed Finch. Having moved on with her life and completely left behind her Megan Finch Identity, Margot works as a Detective for SFPD Homicide, solving crimes.

The storyline flips between Margot's current life and the cases she is solving and Ed Finch's story of a few of his murders. I enjoyed this shift between timelines, building a backstory that revealed more about the Classified Killer and a young Megan.

This book was a very slow burn for me, usually it's the type of storyline that would captivate my attention but I found this one a little too slow.

Margot grew up to become a detective, after learning at age 15 that her father wasn’t who she thought he was. While working a homicide case her father reaches out in regard to another potential victim of his. While working two homicide cases, she decides to go visit her dad but brings in the arresting officer who helped her over the years by reaching out to make sure her brother and her are okay.


This is was a thriller/mystery style book is about, keeps you on your toes. Can’t wait for book 2!