Member Reviews

2.5 stars, rounded up to 3. The story is fine. The book needs editing- there is too much repetition.

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The Killer's daughter had a predictable ending. I was not surprised at all. The book was a good read otherwise. I would read the sequel.

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I would love to see more books in this series as it was full of darkness, fear and adrenaline and this kept me reading.

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In all honesty, this was a difficult book to read not because it was bad but because it went too deep and that is a compliment to the writer.

The Killer's daughter is about a detective who is called in to investigate a gruesome family murder. She is at the struggling at the same time with the after effects of learning her father is a serial killer. The writer did a fabulous job of describing the trauma of a daughter dealing with her father's crimes. The POV's alternate between Margot and Ed, her serial killer dad. Reading Ed's chapters were very difficult and I wanted to throw my kindle away because it just delved into his psyche so well. Kate also showed restraint in her descriptions which makes the reading his chapters bearable.

The book primarily focuses on Margot adding just a few characters who lift the book in their own way. The camaraderie between Wes and Margot was fun and lightens the tone of the book. However, since the book focused on multiple crimes it sort of took away from the intensity of one murder as it gets stretched.

The only drawback for me was that the primary homicide wasn't given enough focus and that the ending felt anti-climactic. I couldn't connect with how they reached that conclusion or feel sorry for the culprit or victims. I do believe this is a series where we get to see more of Margot. Here's hoping that her serial killer dad angle isn't stretched much and there is a conclusion in the next book.

For the lack of focus on the main investigation, I give this book 3.5 stars. I very much look forward to reading the next book in the series.

I thank Storm Publishing and Net Galley for this E-Arc and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

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This book was very good,graphic and gruesome. Very good writing though.
I enjoyed the characters. Hope there are more books coming

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In the car, the baby's cries filled the backseat. Turning down the radio, the fading Fleetwood Mac song left room for reassurance. "Shh, shh, baby. Daddy will be right back," he said, leaving the running car behind as he vanished into the trees.

Margot Phalen, haunted by having a serial killer father, grapples with daddy issues that led her to become a homicide detective. Now facing a dilemma, her father Ed, on death row, requests to see her. torn between a desire to find traces of the loving father she once knew and Ed's claim of crucial information exclusively for her, Margot faces a challenging decision.

A standout aspect of the book is Margot's character—intelligent, flawed, and relatable. The intricate relationships among characters add depth, though the crimes take a backseat at times. Some descriptions are gritty, contributing to a promising start for this new series.

A Huge Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley,

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Ed Finch, a brutal serial killer, now on Death Row for the killing of at least 76 women has called for his daughter to visit him.

Margot Phalen, now a Detective in San Francisco is his daughter. She changed her name at the age of 15 when her father was caught.

She is investigating the murder of a family, and two young women, and is reluctant to visit the man she hates, but knows she has to, in order to get information from him.

This is a really good book, very gruesome and graphic, if you can take that sort of thing, and I was immediately drawn in.

The characters are still being developed, I hope that this will be a series actually. I feel that Margot is a very complex character, and would like to see her letting go of some of the demons that haunt her because of her father's actions.

I recommend this book, and I think fans of Chris Carter will love it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

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I really enjoyed The Killer’s Daughter by Kate Wiley. Please hurry with more in this new series. I can’t wait to see what happens with Margot next and to unravel the relationship between her father and his crimes. The Killer's Daughter is the start of a new series; it is a dark, compulsive thriller packed with unexpected twists.

Margot is a great character. She is funny, sarcastic, determined, and doesn’t really like people; my kind of character. I laughed out loud when she was describing the Bay Area weather and how she missed the foggy, cool days (as part of the story, there was a heatwave) and how the foggy and cold generally matched her mood; I can so relate!

I loved the Bay Area setting as I grew up near the locale in the book. I connected to how Margot thinks and liked her humor and aversion to people. The banter between the characters is great; it breaks up the tense moments.

The Killer's Daughter is a good story with different storylines happening, but also knowing that the stories will intersect at some point.

The Killer's Daughter had engaging writing and never a dull moment. The only thing I wish was that some elements of the story were explained a bit more, such as the main crime and what happened to a culprit, and it seemed too easy to wrap up.

A new favorite author, and I hope there are more books in this series very soon.

#TheKillersDaughter #NetGalley @Stormbooks_co

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Detective Margot Phalen is a woman with a secret past. As a detective working on murder cases in the Bay Area of San Francisco, she sees more than her fair share of traumatic scenes, but nothing that compares with the horror of her past. Partnering alongside Detective Wes Fox, they are a productive duo, and their latest case in involving the Ramirez family is keeping them on their toes. Throw in another couple of murders plus a blast from the past for Phalen, and the pressure mounts.

Told across two time frames with two main protagonists, this is an interesting story. Nothing new, a rehash of many other troubled detective meets serial killer type books.

With lot of repetition and filler (the author could work for the meteorological office, the weather seems a favourite theme!), the plot could be far more succinct.

The Ed chapters are by far the best.

An easy, quick read, and with a couple of loose ends there is the opportunity to carry on with the series, but not for me.

2.5* upped to 3*.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm.

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Having a serial killer for a father has left Margot Phalen with a set of daddy issues from hell, and played a direct part in her choice to become a homicide detective herself. Now she has a difficult choice to make.

Her father, Ed, is on death row and he wants to see her. Margot is torn. On the one hand, there is a tiny part of her that wants to see if anything remains, in this man, of the loving father she once had. On the other hand, Ed's insistence that he is winning to hand over vital information - but only to Margot - puts pressure on her to cooperate with his request. So what are her choices really?

One of the book's major strengths is the character of Margot - she is intelligent, flawed and somehow relatable. The relationships between the characters are interesting, though the crimes are often not given as much attention as you might expect in a book of this kind. Some of the descriptions are a little grisly. Overall, it is a promising start to a new series. It gets 3.5 stars.

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The Killer’s Daughter, the first book in the Detective Margot Phalen series, is an intense thriller. Margot may have been raised by a serial killer, but it has been twenty years since her interaction with her father. She has made many changes since then…most importantly, she is now a homicide detective and puts away people like Ed Finch. Unfortunately, Ed may be in prison, but he has been transferred near her and is adamant about a little family get-together. Meanwhile, Margot and Wes, her partner, have their hands full trying to solve horrific murders. This is a great start to what will be an amazing series. This story gripped me from the first page to the last. It is a tense, fast-paced tale with a great storyline that drew me in and propelled me on a twisty ride. It is utterly compelling with a chilling ending. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

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Thanks to NetGalley for this read! I was in a lull and this novel brought me back to reading life! I started and finished The Killer's Daughter within 48 hours. I was looking for any chance to read the next sentence, the next paragraph, the next chapter.

I have only dabbled.a bit with true crime/thrillers, but I can say I am all in after this. The writing was well done and the character building was fantastic.

I highly recommend this book, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that there will be more Detective Phalen novels to come.

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I went around in circles on this one. I was initially nonplussed with the cop daughter/serial killer dad scenario. That's been used numerous times in the last few years, so I started the book with a negative taste in my mouth. Surprisingly, the author's characterization of Margot won me over. She felt realistic, flawed, and human. So I warmed up to the tale, even though I'm getting to the point in my life where the last thing I want to read about is the wanton, random killing of people. Fast forward to the end...

Spoiler alert





which, to me, didn't end satisfactorily at all. Numerous story lines were left undone, facilely setting up the sequel. No thanks. If I put time in effort into a story, I prefer to be satisfied with the conclusion. Many folks clearly have a different viewpoint. Oh well.

2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being given freely.

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3.5 ⭐

A solid start to the series that nicely introduces the characters, who they were and where they're at now.
It opens with a very bloody murder, and then moves on, with flashbacks from our serial killer and present day action.
I really enjoyed this book, the banter between our two cops, the puzzle over the Ramirez family, the investigating.
Margot seemed fairly normal considering, looking forward to seeing if she stays that way.
I felt the murder case took a back seat at times, and then was tied up really quickly.
However, there was a lot going on in this book, so can't have everything!

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I enjoyed this and had a hard time putting it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to enjoy this ARC!

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This was a great thriller about serial killer’s daughter who is now a detective. During this story we go on the journey with her and her partner to solve heinous crimes. During the book, flashbacks of her father’s brutal crimes are described throughout the book. Her father, Ed, is on death row and wishes to see her again. Does she face the monster? What secrets does he have? I enjoyed this thriller, but I felt the endings of each of the cases and her father could have been stronger.
Thanks to Netgalley and Storm publishing for this eArc for my review

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3.5 stars

This is a good fast paced thriller. I love the duel POV.
Kate Wiley does a nice job developing good and believable characters.
Great start to a sure to be series.

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The first book in this series does a great job of setting up the sequel(s). The author left enough low hanging fruit to keep the reader eagerly anticipating the next one.

When Margot was a child, her father was arrested for being one of the most notorious serial killers of all time. Now, as an adult, Margot is a detective who investigates murder. She struggles with PTSD, insomnia and anxiety due to her father’s crimes, but she’s a great detective nonetheless.

With duel plot lines, this is a great crime thriller, and at times can almost feel true to life. I don’t want to give anything away so I won’t say much.

Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.

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Wow Just Wow
This was amazing!!! Blew me away completely gripped me
I adored Maggie her backstory was insane
I loved how it’s written by 2 peoples point of view it was confusing just flowed lovely.
Over all a brilliant myster thriller filled with amazing twists.

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I loved this dual-plot line thriller which features some amazing characters and an absolute ocean of red herrings. Margot is an intriguing character and the by-play with her colleagues brings warmth and life to her back story, which is revealed early on in the book. There is a lot to appreciate here - sharp writing style, great characters and a really engaging mystery…or two.

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