Only Daughter: A Novel

Anna Snoekstra

Sep 2016 · MIRA

About this ebook

In this chilling psychological thriller debut, one woman’s dark past becomes another’s deadly future.

In 2003, sixteen-year-old Rebecca Winter disappeared.

She’d been enjoying her summer break: working at a fast-food restaurant, crushing on an older boy and shoplifting with her best friend. Mysteriously ominous things began to happen—a presence in her room at night, periods of blackouts, a feeling of being watched—though Bec remained oblivious of what was to come.

Eleven years later she is replaced.

A young woman, desperate after being arrested, claims to be the decade-missing Bec.

Soon the impostor is living Bec’s life. Sleeping in her bed. Hugging her mother and father. Learning her best friends’ names. Playing with her little brothers.

But Bec’s welcoming family and enthusiastic friends are not quite as they seem. As the impostor dodges the detective investigating her case, she begins to delve into the life of the real Bec Winter—and soon realizes that whoever took Bec is still at large, and that she is in imminent danger.

Praise for Only Daughter

“Twisty, slippery, and full of surprises, this web of lies will ensnare you and keep you riveted until you’ve turned the final page.” —Lisa Unger, New York Times–bestselling author of Ink and Bone

“[A] dark and edgy debut. . . . Truly distinctive and tautly told, Only Daughter welcomes a thrilling new voice in crime fiction.” —Mary Kubica, New York Times–bestselling author of The Good Girl

“Snoekstra’s excellent debut stands out in the crowded psychological suspense field with smart, subtle red herrings and plenty of dark and violent secrets. Recommend to genre aficionados and readers who enjoyed Lisa Lutz’s The Passenger.” —Library Journal (starred review)

Ratings and reviews

Rebecca Winter was a typical 16-year-old, working at McDonald's, flirting with the boys and hanging with her best friend, Lizzie. Strange things start happening ... she feels that someone is watching her, following her. She feels a presence in her room in the middle of the night. Eleven years ago she disappeared. Today, she has been replaced. A young woman, after being arrested for shoplifting, tells the police that she is Rebecca Winter. And soon this woman is living Rebecca's life .... loving the family she's never had ... the mother, the father, the twin younger brothers. Learning the friends' names. Her new family are not quite what she expected. As she dodges the investigator who doubts her story, she begins to look into why the real Rebecca disappeared. And whoever knows the truth is a danger to this imposter. This is an exceptional psychological thriller, full of twists and turns. The story is told two-fold, One is the real Rebecca Winter, telling the reader what had happened in the days before she disappeared. And then there is Rebecca today relating her story. As they start to dovetail, the reader realizes that everything they've known up to that point .... is not what it seems to be. The ending was totally unexpected. Extremely well written, ONLY DAUGHTER is a debut novel by this author. Ms. Snoekstra is absolutely an author I will follow. Many thanks to the author / Harlequin (Australia)/ Harlequin (UK) Limited/Mira - Mira UK / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Well written and difficult to put down.

good read

About the author

Anna Snoekstra was born in Canberra, Australia in 1988. She studied Creative Writing and Cinema at The University of Melbourne, followed by Screenwriting at RMIT University.She currently lives in Melbourne with her husband and tabby cat.