This one right here! A good one from the start. Leaving you on your toes at times. You will loose track of time when reading this one. You won't regret it.

A fast paced quick read with an interesting plot. Well written by an established author who writes under a series of names. This is the first book of a new series. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

As a huge criminal minds and true crime fan, this serial killer novel was so fun to read. It felt real in all the best ways, and with the main narrator so knowledgeable and close to serial killers I felt like I was reading about a true professional BAU member. The dual timelines and POVs between the main character who is a detective, and her father in his prime as a serial killer, were so well done and kept me hooked the whole time. If you love reading or learning about serial killers, real or fictional, I highly recommend this book!

What an intriguing storyline. The detective is both the hunter and the killers family, just not in the same timeline, this makes for some fascinating insights and twists, and there are yet more to come! Bring it on!

The book drew me in from the the beginning with the dedication
“For all the girls who took out big books on serial killers from the library way too young, this one is for you.”

I have been a crime junkie for a long time, switching between stories, news articles, tv shows and pod casts. My favorite podcast is usually Timesuck, because I love the true crime stories and the way he tells them. I tease my husband that if he ever went missing I would be a suspect based on my watching, reading and listening history. I enjoy discovering how the cases are solved. Watching as the team solves cases that boggle the mind and the way they come up with the answers is amazing. When I saw this book it looked like something that would definitely peak my interest, and it really did. I definitely lost sleep the last two night as I just couldn’t put it down

The book goes between two timelines and uses dual narration to tell this twisted tale.
The one timeline and narrator I’d Ed Finch set in the past and explores his life with his wife son and daughter and the killing spree he did right under his family’s noses. The story from his point of view is graphic and explores his killing methods and the manner he chose his victims. His perspective is dark and twisted. You also see that when it comes to his children he cares, which makes his dark side scarier because he can compartmentalize his sadistic tendencies.

The other narrator is set in the present day. It is told by a Homicide Detective named Margot Phalen. She is single and lives alone, with very few friends . Her current case is a family annihilator who missed the youngest child, a boy named Matteo, when the killer murdered the family and the daughter’s best friend that was staying the night. The crime scene was extremely brutal and it is dragging up feeling and emotions that Margot doesn’t like. The case also keeps having surprises that are hard to process. But Margot has a secret that few know. That her real name is Meghan Finch, daughter to the serial killer Ed Finch. Margot struggles with her past while trying to help victims and their families get closure and stop killers like her father.

Things get complicated when Ed Finch is transferred to a prison close to where Margot resides, and asks for her to visit. Knowing she won’t, he dangles a carrot in front of her. Visit me and I’ll tell you about number seventy seven. Ed Finch is manipulative and has no problem using his depravity to see his daughter, the one thing he really cared about.

The book is a fast paced crime drama from beginning to end. A few parts moved slow but then it picked up speed, it was an Oh Wow! Feeling. I enjoyed the story that the author weaved and will definitely read more of her books in the future. Kate Wiley had me staying up so late as I just had to read a little more.

The characters are very developed. And I enjoyed Margot’s interaction with her fellow detectives the story had lots of questions and I’m sure the next book in the series will answer them.

This is definitely for fans of James Patterson Women Murder Club series, as well as Freida McFadden fans. The twists are dark and the clues are all present as you read.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐏𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬
𝗕𝘆 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘆
Publication March 25, 2024
Storm Publishing

One thing I discovered since joining Bookstagram and Netgally is that I really enjoyed police procedural / detective series, and this book is a great example of how one should be written.

The novel follows Margot, a homicide detective, as she investigates a gruesome mass murder of a family while struggling with her own dark past. Her father is Ed Finch, the notorious serial killer who murdered 76 women in San Francisco. He was finally caught and arrested when she was fifteen years old, leaving her with nothing but severe PTSD and anxiety

Ed's character is disturbing to read, and I think Kate did an amazing job getting into a killer's mindset., which says a lot about the author's research into how a serial killer speaks, thinks, and acts. It was quite chilling and creepy.

I was hooked from the beginning of this book, and the ending is set up perfectly for the next in the series and I'm excited to read it, and learn more about her father, plus other investigations.
It's perfect for true crime junkies and thriller fans.

Thank you to the author, Netgally and Storm Publishing. My review was voluntary.

This was a pretty good mystery. There is plenty of action throughout the whole book. It was a fast read for me. It does have details of the bodies they find, so if that's something that bothers you, beware.
I did get this as an ARC from Netgalley, but these opinions are my own.

The Killer’s Daughter
Written By Kate Wiley
Published By Storm Publishing
Release Date March 25, 2024


Margo Finch as she was once called is now Margo Phalen and she is a great police officer trying to solve a case that has her questioning many things. A family is dead and the person responsible needs to be caught. But can Margo put her past aside to work on this case? Margo’s father was none other than Ed Finch, a serial killer on death row. And he has some things he wants to tell her. Things that she really wants to hear but is not sure if she is ready to hear them from the one man who left her so long ago. Her therapist has told her to count to ten which is exactly what she is doing while waiting outside the prison. She knows he has information about another victim and he won’t tell her unless she sits eye to eye with him.

This is a great novel that is well put together and has a very interesting cast of characters. Some say this is a run of the mill mystery but I disagree. It is easy for some authors to write a book but it is hard for them to write one that keeps the reader engaged and entertained from page one. This was fast at getting to the point and not at all predictable. No bread crumbs here. The twists that the author throws at you are well thought out and the ending is definitely one reason to pick this book up when it is released.

5 stars

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me a copy to read in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

Margot Phalen is a detective trying to solve a case about a murdered family, but everything may not be as it seems… something seems off from the very beginning.. In the meantime, you should know that Margot Phalen was one Megan Finch. And Megan Finch is the daughter of a serial killer.. who has moved right back home to confess things to her. But is she ready to hear it?
I could NOT put this book down!! It had me on my toes the entire time! I really liked the different POVs! (Although her dad is total nut job!!!!) I feel like it added to the story line for Margot! And Wes was a total bonus, as I felt like he was truly there for here! And Andrew was on my sh!t list by the end, but maybe that’s an unpopular opinion 😂 4/5 starts for me ONLY because I feel like certain parts were over explained or over detailed, that didn’t really matter towards the storyline.

This was a great book!
Margot is a cop with a dark past. The story follows her attempts to balance the secret of her serial killer dad with her workload. The premise of the story is an interesting one. I really enjoyed the book and can’t wait for the rest of the series!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Storm Publishing for an advance copy of The Killer’s Daughter, the first novel to feature Detective Margot Phalen of the San Francisco Police Department.

Margot is investigating the brutal murder of a family when she gets a text telling her that her father wants to see her. Her father, serial killer Ed Finch, was sentenced to death twenty two years ago and has recently transferred to death row at San Quentin. She wants nothing to do with him, but he will reveal the identity of another victim to her if she visits.

I enjoyed The Killer’s Daughter to a certain extent, but I would have preferred more police work and less serial killer. In the first half of the novel Margot’s narrative is interspersed with chapters of Ed’s thoughts and actions when encountering a victim. Mercifully there is no description of the actual murders, but as he is a fairly run of the mill fictional serial killer, albeit one with a high body count, there is nothing new on offer for the reader, even his manipulation is standard. I think that the author fares better in her portrayal of Margot and her feelings/reactions. She carries the guilt her father doesn’t feel and it’s wrecking her life, not professionally but personally. She doesn’t sleep well and is prone to panic attacks while liking a drink and eating takeaway. It’s a fresh look on an old cliche. Of course, she’s unwilling to accept help and support in her private hell. Despite all this overwrought emotion she is very likeable and has a good vibe going on with her partner, Detective Wesley Fox.

It’s all going on with Margot and Ed and that takes up much of the novel, but she and Wes also have a murder to solve and that’s a tricky one. I like the setup, which I found unusual, the even more unusual clues found at the scene and the surprising solution. I think the author could have got a lot of mileage from it, but with the emphasis on Margot and Ed it is a bit perfunctory.

The Killer’s Daughter is a good read that I can recommend.

Let me tell you! I could NOT put this book down!!! BEST THRILLER IVE READ SLL YEAR! It was hard to decipher the WHO. I highly highly recommend this!!! I’m actually jealous of all new readers getting to read this for the first time 🤣

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

This is a HARROWING police procedural (and I have a high "gore" threshold. The author did a great job with this book, the writing draws you in, the investigation details are interesting, complex and solid. There is also the relationship between e cop and her serial killer father, a relationship around which the main character's life revolves.

I have to knock a star of for lack of "suspension of disbelief" due to the impossibility of ANY police force hiring someone so rife with emotional issues. I have worked in the field of criminal justice, both as a volunteer and as a professional. To even work for the police as a volunteer, everything from lie detector tests due to character references are checked, in detail. They wouldn't even want someone so dependent on that much medication to be out on the street investigating - character was 15 when her father was arrested, it isn't like she had a long career of being a dependable trustworthy cop on the police force when she discovered her father's history of being a serial killer, that might be plausible (barely, but believable).

Im the real world, no WAY would this main character have been hired on ANY police force, not due to her father's history, but due to her mental illnesses as a result of that history, and the huge amount of meds she is dependent on as a result of that illness.

She can barely function, it just would never happen.

That said, this book was interesting enough to me that I immediately searched for a sequel! ❤️🌹Top quality writing, I was surprised this appears to be this author's first published novel, very impressive.

Trigger Warnings abound, Rape,, Graphically detailed violence against women (goes a bit too far in these details and reliving the entire path of killer, minute by minute).

This is NOT a police procedural for the faint of heart, decomp is described in nauseating detail, etc.

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Book was a surprise to me, as the cover or something about its presentation makes it look like your basic domestic thriller. I would tone down the covers a bit, lighten up on the romance aspect, and market the series as police procedurals, such as: Prime Suspect. Not quite equal to that stellar series, but darn close, and for a first book? Outstanding!

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This book was a really strong kick off for Margot’s story. Her life before and during being a detective in San Francisco is a fascinating and heartbreaking experience that was a pleasure to read. Each character was so well developed, and I’m sure many seeds that were planted in this book regarding certain characters, plot lines, and cases will continue to unfold throughout the continuation of this series. The Bay Area Killer was just as creepy, disturbing, and yet intriguing as you’d want him to be. And so was this book.
The case at the core of this first in the series was so compelling and so gruesome that I found myself wanting to be detective along with Margot and Wes. The wrap up of the case was authentic and I felt the same emotions as them, making me feel very connected to the book itself. Overall, this was a great read and I can’t wait for more of this series to release!

This is the first book in a new series about Detective Phalen. It was a good crime thriller and I am excited to read more in this series.

The Killer's daughter was a really fast paced, enthralling read. I managed to finish it in a day as it was very engaging. Its compelling storylines kept me eagerly anticipating what would unfold next. The main characters were well-developed. I highly recommend it!

The first in a series, Detective Margot Phalen #1

I am so glad I came across this little gem! Honestly, I thought…. Great, another ‘My father is a serial killer so now I'm a detective saving the world’. Nope, this was better! Landing on a great new police procedural is always a great find! Great job, Kate Wiley! I finished this in 24 hours.

I would like to tell you that this mainly focused on the prolific serial killer himself, but it did not. We actually have several brutal crimes being committed here. I liked that my attention wasn’t just focusing on ‘ol Ted Bundy or Gary Ridgeway type confessions.

First gruesome scene is that of a family. All murdered in the bedroom. By the way, this is current times. The scene doesn’t look right. What is real and what is staged? Who in Christs name would kill an entire family? Margot and her partner are on the case.

Of course, ‘ol killer hands wants to see his daughter, 20 years after the aftermath. However, will Margot come running when he calls?

Folks, we have a fantastic police procedural, a broken detective running from her past, other women found recently murdered, and whole bunch of murdery stuff going on. My type of book! I couldn’t put this down! Great character development here. An ending that leaves you wanting more! Can’t wait to read the second one!

I’d like to give a huge thanks to Storm Publishing, NetGalley and Kate Wiley for the opportunity. All opinions are my own
Publication date March 25, 2024
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Killer's Daughter is book 1 in the new Detective Margot Phalen Series by Kate Wiley
This was such a gripping crime thriller. The atmospheric setting, engaging characters, and relentless suspense, this book is sure to keep readers enthralled from start to finish.
I will be waiting for book two.

Thank You NetGalley and Storm Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This book was impossible to put down. It's thrilling, twisty and utterly addictive with characters I was engaging with. It really kept me wondering who the real killer was. Then I would like to read the next book in this series to see if her father did kill more people.

I loved how this story had multiple crime investigations. I loved how the timelines shifted to past and present as the story went. I loved the protagonist and her charcter was well portrayed. If you love murder investigations and psychological thrillers then this one should be in your must read for this year.