The Killers Daughter is a novel by Kate Wiley about the daughter of one of America's most prolific serial killers, dubbed "The Classifieds Killer" for his penchant for selecting his victims from classified ads in the newspaper. The daughter, Margot, is now a 37-year-old homicide detective in San Franciso and, at the start of the novel, is investigating the murder of 4 people inside a family home in a San Franciso neighborhood. The only survivor of the massacre is the 9-year-old son Mateo, a quiet kid who may have key information that could solve the case. Margot's world becomes even more complicated when her father is relocated from the East Coast to San Quinton and requests a visit from his only daughter.

A stellar intro to a new crime series, Wiley's writing is both refreshing and somehow nostalgic- reminiscent of the crime novels of the 90s and early 2000s (think Along Came a Spider). Descriptive without feeling stale, details are discovered by the reader as the Detectives observe or uncover them. The will they, won't they dynamic between Margot and her handsome partner, Wes Fox, plays out masterfully in the background. While the conclusion of the novel was not groundbreaking or earth-shattering, the journey there was done well enough to make the eventual unmasking seem not as in your face as another writer may have made it.

All in all, this is a solid addition to the genre, a comfortable and familiar vibe with its own refreshing takes.

Thank you Netgalley & Storm Publishing for an eARC ♥️

I was enthralled by this book, completely absorbed in the gripping narrative that skillfully alternated between Margot's determined investigation and Ed's chilling perspective. As a true crime enthusiast, I appreciated the depth and nuance that author Kate Willey brought to the story, never sensationalizing the darkness while still keeping me on the edge of my seat. Margot's partnership with Wes shone as a beacon of hope and camaraderie, their witty banter and mutual respect a joy to experience. The Ramirez family murder case was masterfully woven throughout, a complex and thrilling puzzle that kept me guessing. I'm delighted to discover that this is just the beginning of the Detective Margot Phalen series – I'm eagerly anticipating the next installment, ready to dive back into the captivating world that Willey has crafted.

Margot has spent years distancing herself from her father’s crimes and built a new life for herself. When he contacts her out of the blue she has a hard decision to make, does she put her own mental wellbeing to one side to help others or does she ignore him. A gripping thriller that will keep you guessing this book will draw you in and have you on the edge of your seat.

This was another book I finished in a day. It had flashbacks to the victims of the killer, but not in the time jumping way I'm not fond of. I liked the team of homicide detectives and the way they interacted. They had present day cases, not just her father's crimes to contend with, and uncovered clues which made them re evaluate their suspicions. I had thought something seemed off in one character, but I didn't expect what happened. I'm trying not to give away anything. A great read in my opinion.

A Dark Phycological Thriller
The Killers daughter by Katie Wiley, is an action-packed thriller and Kate Wiley has done a remarkable job which will have you holding your breath with plenty of tension from the very first pages.
The story begins with Margot Phalen who is a homicide detective in San Francisco. Margot wishes she could forget who she was as when Margot was 15, she learned the inescapable truth that her father Ed Finch was a serial killer who for decades used the Bay Area as his hunting ground.
Twenty years later, Margot’s past rears its ugly head as she and her partner Wes try to unravel the mystery of a murdered family whose sole survivor is giving them more questions than answers. Margot receives a call from a lawyer who informs her that her father Ed has been moved to San Francisco close by and wishes to see her. Margot realises she will have to visit Ed as she is a homicide detective and Ed promises he will reveal the location of another of his victims which he has never confessed to before. Margot now finds she must juggle the brutal crime of a family and deal with her father and her past that has haunted her for the last twenty years.
Katie Wiley has done an excellent job on this book The pages pull you into the story so that you feel like you are their watching the terrible evil and murders throughout the book unfolds before your eyes. The book is a dark phycological thriller with unexpected twists and turns and has great characters and a great plot. I highly recommend this book to those who love fast-paced, action-packed novels. I cannot wait to read more in this series by Katie Wiley. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of this book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A riveting exploration of the secrets that can tear families apart. This domestic thriller is guaranteed to keep you guessing

The Killer's Daughter
By: Kate Wiley

5 Stars

Margot is a detective, but she is also a killers daughter. This book follows her as she tries to solve a brutal crime while also dealing with her past coming to haunt her in the form of her father.

This was an awesome crime thriller. The story was a grabber for sure. It had me from the first chapter. It was written well and in an easy to read manner. It was descriptive and kept me guessing. The storyline is dark and twisted, while the characters are real and raw. I loved Margot Phalen as a person and detective. She was an awesome character and one I can't wait to see more of.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

This was a really well done, fast-paced, and engaging crime/mystery novel and there had better be sequels as I need to know what happens next (I can also imagine this lending itself incredibly well as a series)

Margot is a really good FMC, she’s flawed, smart, caring and utterly believable. I also thought her PTSD and trauma were really well explored here - she’s got a mixed bag of healthy and unhealthy coping strategies and she fully owns that. On top of that the list of side characters also felt really nuanced and I can see myself really warming to some of them in future books.

I really enjoyed the interjected chapters of Ed’s POV - creepy and an amazing juxtaposition here. (Maybe ‘enjoyed’ is the wrong word as they were definitely disturbing but they just added so much to the book)

Overall, I flew through this and it felt like a short snappy read that had me hooked from the get go.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-ARC

Enjoyed the multiple story lines which kept the traditional serial killer novel a bit more interesting. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank-you to @netgalley and @stormbooks_co for allowing me an copy of this book! I have been given this e-book in exchange for an honest review! 😊

I did enjoy reading this book! In all honesty - I find this is more 3.5 than a 3 but goodreads doesn't allow half stars! This wasn't the most twisty thriller I have read and I did find the change in times didn't seem connected to the main story and I did find that slightly confusing! That being said - the first chapter had me hooked! It was related to the past but the current story did have me hooked! I did, however, figure out who had done it early on and unfortunately I was right, meaning the ending was slightly disappointing for me! I didn't completely get it and I think it is a good crime to read if you are just starting out in the crime genre! I will certainly look at other books by this author in the future! 🥰

3.5 stars rounded up

San Francisco Detective Margot Phalen is shocked her serial killer father Ed Finch wants to meet with her with the promise he'll reveal locations about more of his victims to her. Plus she's investigating the murder-suicide of a family with only one survivor, and bodies of women dumped in a national park.

Margot is dedicated to her job, throwing herself into cases as her way of coping with her PTSD and anxiety attacks. I really enjoyed her partnership with Detective Wes Fox. There's clearly a bit of chemistry there, which will be interesting as this series progresses.

The problem I had with this book was there were too many plots threads with the two cases plus the Ed Finch storyline. As such momentum is lost with any real detective work, I was surprised that Wes and Margot didn't do any talking to neighbours or more families of the kids, etc to find out more about the dead family. I think this book would've worked better focusing on one murder case with the father storyline.

However, The Killers Daughter was a solid start to a proposed series. Margot is an interesting heroine, and her two colleagues were also compelling enough that I was left finished wanting more.

Thanks to Storm and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advance copy to read.

I really enjoyed reading this book as it follows Margot, a police detective, as she tries to solve a murder.

It makes for a good first installment in a series. There's an interesting back story with the POV of her Dad's story. It added an extra dimension to the story and Margots character.

I wish that the crimes were resolved and the big reveal wasn't that big but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

Looking forward to reading more from this series.

Margot, a fearless detective for the SFPD, is also the daughter of Ed Finch; who just happens to be a notorious serial killer. This book had me hooked from the very beginning! The plot had so much going on, I couldn’t put it down! Thrilled to hear this is book #1 in this series! I can’t wait to read more about Margot! Thank you to Kate Wiley, Storm Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book prior to publishing.

I have to admit, I almost didn’t grab this book because last year I read one with a very similar premise. The fact that it was published by Storm is what made my decision because I’m a huge fan of their books. I was not disappointed! The story was great and I loved the characters (although Margot did sometimes do things that annoyed the hell out of me)! The families of serial killer’s don’t often get a lot of attention that is positive, so it was nice to see a storyline about one who had gone into law enforcement. Yes, I know it is a trope, but I think it’s an underutilized trope. In any case, I’m looking forward to reading the next one!

Huge thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

This is my first Kate Wiley novel and she delivered.

Margot is a detective for the San Francisco police department and is also the daughter of the notorious serial killer Ed Finch.
The book is written with dual timelines and narratives. Current time from Margot’s perspective with Ed’s perspective from the past. The book also tells the story of two homicide cases Margot is working on.

I wanted more of Margot and Ed’s story and wish it would have been more of the focus of the book but all the pieces ended up working well together.

The ending was amazing and I am looking forward to reading more about Margot in the second book.

I’d like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read ARC.

I am so sad about this one because I wanted it to be a 5 star read, but it just wasn’t. It kept me interested, but there wasn’t much depth to it. I wasn’t thrilled or in awe at any point. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end. I guess it left you hanging for the rest of the series, but I just don’t think I’ll continue this story. A huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a very good start to a new crime series. The plotting is good and the characterisation is excellent. Margot is very likeable and human, as well as being good at her detective job in San Francisco. The chapters are written from two points, Ed the killer, and Margot his daughter. This worked very well, with plenty of pace and tension. My only complaint, it ended just too quickly! I look forward to the next installment. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I really enjoyed the main character and her relationship with her partner. Would be interested in reading the next boo in the series to find out what happens with them.

As for the mystery in this book, it took a back seat and then was resolved very quickly. The two stories didn’t intertwine super cohesively. I am glad Margot was able to face her father again and get some sort of closure.

Thank you to Net Galley and Storm Publishing for an ARC.

Wow, excellent! A fantastic thriller. Fast paced, great characters, chilling as heck in several places. Margot is the daughter of a convicted serial killer. But she's built a life for herself and is now a homocide detective. Although she hasn't seen her father in 20 years, he now requests she visit him so he can give her more info about his victims. Reluctantly she agrees which leads to some incredibly creepy moments. At the same time, she's dealing with 2 homocide cases. One case gets solved by the end in a rather bizarre way, the other goes cold. Both cases were intriguing. I like Margot's character. She's strong, but also a mess mentally, but has found ways to deal with it. I look forward to more books in this series.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Prepare to be disturbed by this psychological thriller. Well written characters with great development. Hearing the killings from the serial killer’s angle was particularly disturbing but reeled me in throughout the story.