I love it when a book keeps me interested from the start, and The Bad Daughter luckily was one of those. It was hard to put down.
This was really my type of story: it had drama, crime and family issues.
Robin reluctantly returns to her tiny hometown at the disturbing news of a violent home invasion her father & his new young family went through.
Two siblings got out of Dodge, and one remained. There's a quiet teenager who sneaks off in the night, a creepy friend, and even a lurking sheriff.
Like most therapists, Robin needs one herself. Her estrangement from her father and former best friend is a curiosity.
Melanie presents as a defensive, reactionary, bitter and proud. I couldn't help but wonder when Robin would grow a pair, and what will crack Melanie's hard shell.
Something that stood out for me was the interesting observation Robin made about her sister Melanie: "having a son with autism only increased (her) anger. At the world in general."
When Robin's man Blake first called her and didn't say he wants to come & be with her, Robin thought "stop asking what I want and figure out what I need." Rather passive aggressive, am I right ladies?
Like any novel that has so much tension between the characters, I did feel uncomfortable and hoped for things to become settled in a happy ending.
Joy Fielding's writing style is easy breezy. I'd be curious to read some of her other novels.
I received The Bad Daughter in a GoodReads giveaway.
Kara
