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Le Visage de l’innocence
La plupart des mères espèrent qu’en grandissant, leurs filles tiendront aussi du père. Mais pas Zoé. S’il y a bien une expression qu’elle redoute, c’est : les chiens ne font pas des chats.
Zoé n’a pas rencontré sa fille comme la plupart des mères. Elle découvre Maddie quand elle a déjà cinq ans, fillette toute sale, seule sur une route de campagne. Craignant pour la sécurité de l’enfant, elle la ramène auprès de son père. À ce moment-là, elle est loin de se douter du piège qui s’apprête à se refermer sur elle. Parce que Maddie n’était pas seulement perdue, elle servait d’appât pour attirer la future victime de son tueur en série de père.
Après avoir échappé aux griffes du dangereux père de Maddie, elle s’attache à la fillette. Seule Maddie sait vraiment ce qui se passait dans cette maison de l’horreur. Comme aucun proche ne vient réclamer l’enfant, Zoé décide de l’adopter. Ensemble, elles emménagent dans une jolie maison sur la côte de Cornouailles et forment une nouvelle famille. Plus tard, Zoé se marie et a un autre enfant, un petit frère pour Maddie.
Mais Maddie souffre encore de traumatisme. Quand un diagnostic médical souligne son absence d’empathie et d’émotions, Zoé fait son possible pour que Maddie reçoive tout l’amour et le soutien dont elle a besoin. Elle aime sincèrement sa fille et ne changerait absolument rien chez elle. Pourtant, au fond, elle ne peut s’empêcher de rester sur le qui-vive. Elle aurait presque peur de Maddie.
Maintenant, onze ans après, on vient de retrouver morte la fille qui harcelait Maddie, et une autre élève est portée disparue.
Zoé ne peut s’empêcher de s’interroger… ne dit-on pas tel père, telle fille ?
Zoé n’a pas rencontré sa fille comme la plupart des mères. Elle découvre Maddie quand elle a déjà cinq ans, fillette toute sale, seule sur une route de campagne. Craignant pour la sécurité de l’enfant, elle la ramène auprès de son père. À ce moment-là, elle est loin de se douter du piège qui s’apprête à se refermer sur elle. Parce que Maddie n’était pas seulement perdue, elle servait d’appât pour attirer la future victime de son tueur en série de père.
Après avoir échappé aux griffes du dangereux père de Maddie, elle s’attache à la fillette. Seule Maddie sait vraiment ce qui se passait dans cette maison de l’horreur. Comme aucun proche ne vient réclamer l’enfant, Zoé décide de l’adopter. Ensemble, elles emménagent dans une jolie maison sur la côte de Cornouailles et forment une nouvelle famille. Plus tard, Zoé se marie et a un autre enfant, un petit frère pour Maddie.
Mais Maddie souffre encore de traumatisme. Quand un diagnostic médical souligne son absence d’empathie et d’émotions, Zoé fait son possible pour que Maddie reçoive tout l’amour et le soutien dont elle a besoin. Elle aime sincèrement sa fille et ne changerait absolument rien chez elle. Pourtant, au fond, elle ne peut s’empêcher de rester sur le qui-vive. Elle aurait presque peur de Maddie.
Maintenant, onze ans après, on vient de retrouver morte la fille qui harcelait Maddie, et une autre élève est portée disparue.
Zoé ne peut s’empêcher de s’interroger… ne dit-on pas tel père, telle fille ?
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2022
767 people are currently reading
5630 people want to read
About the author
Sarah A. Denzil
46 books2,496 followersSarah A. Denzil is a Wall Street Journal bestselling suspense writer. She is also known as young adult author Sarah Dalton.
Sarah lives in Yorkshire with her partner, enjoying the scenic countryside and rather unpredictable weather.
She is the author of international bestselling psychological thriller SILENT CHILD, which topped the bestseller lists on Amazon in the US, UK and Australia.
You can read now read AIDEN'S STORY, a short story and sequel to SILENT CHILD. It's completely free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/n7lb74chp3
Find out more at: http://www.sarahdenzil.com/
Join the newsletter for updates: http://eepurl.com/cwAmZD
Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahadenzil
Check out her Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/sarahadenzil/
Email: sarah@sarahdenzil.com
Sarah lives in Yorkshire with her partner, enjoying the scenic countryside and rather unpredictable weather.
She is the author of international bestselling psychological thriller SILENT CHILD, which topped the bestseller lists on Amazon in the US, UK and Australia.
You can read now read AIDEN'S STORY, a short story and sequel to SILENT CHILD. It's completely free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/n7lb74chp3
Find out more at: http://www.sarahdenzil.com/
Join the newsletter for updates: http://eepurl.com/cwAmZD
Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahadenzil
Check out her Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/sarahadenzil/
Email: sarah@sarahdenzil.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 564 reviews
December 26, 2024
I devoured this. So good!
June 25, 2022
with such skillful writing and dark
tones, my mind went wild imagining
virtual dramatic plot-twists that never
happened - which made the ending
feel unsurprisingly bland to me. :x
tones, my mind went wild imagining
virtual dramatic plot-twists that never
happened - which made the ending
feel unsurprisingly bland to me. :x
May 30, 2022
Now that was something!
Wow. This has terrible situations and horrible things done by horrible people. However, the author doesn't spend majority of the book detailing them or making them the main story.
The focus is on the aftermath. Including things unsolved and unknown from the main characters abduction and terrifying experience. This was intriguing, at times suspenseful and overall a very good read!
Wow. This has terrible situations and horrible things done by horrible people. However, the author doesn't spend majority of the book detailing them or making them the main story.
The focus is on the aftermath. Including things unsolved and unknown from the main characters abduction and terrifying experience. This was intriguing, at times suspenseful and overall a very good read!
April 10, 2022
Audio - 4 Stars
Story - 3 Stars
Somewhat predictable but still entertaining.
Story - 3 Stars
Somewhat predictable but still entertaining.
March 1, 2022
spoiler alert!!!
Two words: open ending. I hate that. I want a clear ending and a resolution. I want answers, not unsolved mysteries. I enjoyed the story and if you don’t mind open endings, you may enjoy this. But personally, I can’t stand reading a book and it ending on a question mark. But that’s just me
Two words: open ending. I hate that. I want a clear ending and a resolution. I want answers, not unsolved mysteries. I enjoyed the story and if you don’t mind open endings, you may enjoy this. But personally, I can’t stand reading a book and it ending on a question mark. But that’s just me
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February 1, 2022With less than a month until My Perfect Daughter is released, I thought I'd tell you a little about the inspiration behind this book.
I always love writing about relationships between women, especially mothers and daughters. And I wanted to weave in extra layers. I also kept imagining a brave little girl who helps the women her father murders and how one of his victims bonds with her to the point where she needs to adopt this child. Zoe and Maddie are those two characters and I love them both very much. I hope you love them too!
Right now you can preorder My Perfect Daughter for the low price of just 99c. This is a temporary price so don't miss out on the deal. https://geni.us/cELH7t
I always love writing about relationships between women, especially mothers and daughters. And I wanted to weave in extra layers. I also kept imagining a brave little girl who helps the women her father murders and how one of his victims bonds with her to the point where she needs to adopt this child. Zoe and Maddie are those two characters and I love them both very much. I hope you love them too!
Right now you can preorder My Perfect Daughter for the low price of just 99c. This is a temporary price so don't miss out on the deal. https://geni.us/cELH7t
February 16, 2024
4.5. This is a really creepy scary book and I can’t imagine if this were ever a true case. A woman rescues a very young child from a horrible man and the two form a powerful bond. The woman wants to adopt this girl. Nature? Or nurture? Which will win? Will she grow to have murderous thoughts? A sociopath? A psychopath? Is a mom’s love enough to change nature? So good.
February 14, 2022
First of all I wanted to thank Insta Book Tours and Victoria Hyde for a chance to participate in the early reviewing and Book Tour for Sarah A. Denzil's My Perfect Daughter.
What a whirlwind of a ride that was. I started flipping through this eBook on Sunday and haven't been able to set my tablet down since then. Told in two different timelines, we see the stories of young Maddie and Zoe Osbourne intertwine as they come to know each other in a violently horrible beginning, featuring a mad serial killer and his tortuous chamber. After the two are able to escape the horrors of Peter McKenna's looney-barn, the Zoe works with the girl to become her adoptive caregiver and finally "Mummy" that looks after and loves her as she grows.
As Zoe remarries and welcomes a child of her own into the world, girls in the town around them start to go missing and turn up dead, and all fingers get pointed at Maddie for her violent ties to her biological father can't seem to go away.
In a speedy, but twisting turn of events, new characters get introduced for the good and the bad that left me wondering who I could trust, as the reader. I do enjoy a good thriller, where I hardly know which way is up, because just as the ending was beginning to thread itself out for me, the last page threw me a zinger.
This was an excellently crafted book, and if you're looking for fast-paced read, this is the one for you!
5/5 Stars
What a whirlwind of a ride that was. I started flipping through this eBook on Sunday and haven't been able to set my tablet down since then. Told in two different timelines, we see the stories of young Maddie and Zoe Osbourne intertwine as they come to know each other in a violently horrible beginning, featuring a mad serial killer and his tortuous chamber. After the two are able to escape the horrors of Peter McKenna's looney-barn, the Zoe works with the girl to become her adoptive caregiver and finally "Mummy" that looks after and loves her as she grows.
As Zoe remarries and welcomes a child of her own into the world, girls in the town around them start to go missing and turn up dead, and all fingers get pointed at Maddie for her violent ties to her biological father can't seem to go away.
In a speedy, but twisting turn of events, new characters get introduced for the good and the bad that left me wondering who I could trust, as the reader. I do enjoy a good thriller, where I hardly know which way is up, because just as the ending was beginning to thread itself out for me, the last page threw me a zinger.
This was an excellently crafted book, and if you're looking for fast-paced read, this is the one for you!
5/5 Stars
March 13, 2022
I had a lot of respect throughout this story for Zoe. She has been through a harrowing event but uses that to do some good by adopting Maddie, the little girl who helped her get away. Maddie is a very complicated girl. She has seen and been through things that even as an adult would damage us and she finds it hard to feel the same emotions and behave the way that someone of her age should.
The story flicks between then and now with the then events telling the reader of what it was like in the earlier years of Zoe and Maddie living together and all it entails. In the present day, certain things happen which with Maddie’s past, brings her under suspicion. If anything the author very skill fully has you suspecting a few of the characters and I was constantly changing my mind as to whether there was just no hope for Maddie and it was a case of like father like daughter or if there was something more sinister a foot.
My Perfect Daughter will have you questioning yourself as to what you would do if you were in Zoe’s shoes. It’s one place that I hope to never have to be in as I honestly don’t know what I would do. This has to be one of my favourite storylines by the author. It’s a highly addictive read with the tension and suspense ramping up with every page turned. It’s wonderfully twisted and dark and I absolutely loved it!
The story flicks between then and now with the then events telling the reader of what it was like in the earlier years of Zoe and Maddie living together and all it entails. In the present day, certain things happen which with Maddie’s past, brings her under suspicion. If anything the author very skill fully has you suspecting a few of the characters and I was constantly changing my mind as to whether there was just no hope for Maddie and it was a case of like father like daughter or if there was something more sinister a foot.
My Perfect Daughter will have you questioning yourself as to what you would do if you were in Zoe’s shoes. It’s one place that I hope to never have to be in as I honestly don’t know what I would do. This has to be one of my favourite storylines by the author. It’s a highly addictive read with the tension and suspense ramping up with every page turned. It’s wonderfully twisted and dark and I absolutely loved it!
April 25, 2022
This was a decent thriller with great characters. However, I would have liked more red herrings in the first half of the book. There was no other possible culprits than Maddie and I knew it couldn't have been her. That would have been too easy. In the second half we get a red herring but it's so spelled out that it's not much of a question or a whodunit. I wanted more mystery. More guessing. More flip flopping on who it was. The ending totally knocked my socks off and gave me an evil sneer.
April 13, 2022
I found this story crazy, filled with crazy characters. A case of going from the somewhat sublime to the overly ridiculous. 2 stars.
August 1, 2022
My Perfect Daughter started off as a strong and gripping story, but unfortunately the ending ruined it for me. It's amazing how a bad ending can ruin what started off as a good book. Being a harsh reviewer, I have to give the book 2.5 stars.
The story is about a woman called Zoe, who eleven years ago managed to escape the clutches of evil and twisted serial killer, Peter McKenna. Despite the trauma, she formed a bond with his five-year-old daughter Maddie who helped Zoe to escape. Zoe decides to adopt Maddie despite the concerns of others around her especially as Maddie displays disturbing behaviours and sociopathic tendencies. Eleven years later, Zoe is living a happy life with her husband, Justin; young son, Gabe and Maddie. Zoe love and dedication to raising Maddie seems to have paid off; although cold and unemotional, Maddie has turned out just fine or has she? Two girls from Maddie's school are found dead and there's rumours that Maddie had something to do with their deaths. Is Maddie really reformed or has she inherited her father's propensity for evil?
I thought that this was a unique and moving story. I really liked Zoe as a character and thought that she was incredible and strong for deciding to adopt a child with so many issues and not giving Maddie up despite all of the difficulties she faced raising her. She doesn't treat Maddie any differently to her biological child, Gabe. I enjoyed reading about Zoe and Maddie's bond despite all of the difficulties. The story is divided into the past and present. The "past" chapters include Zoe's ordeal being captured by serial killer, Peter McKenna, and her escape with the help of Maddie. Then the story moves onto Zoe's life after her escape and her journey to adopting and parenting Maddie. The "now" chapters take you back to the present and the drama revolving around the deaths of Maddie's classmates.
At first the story was gripping with a good twist but the ending really confused me! I ended up with more questions than answers which for me as a reader is the most frustrating thing. Unless there's a sequel or series, I hate when the ending is ambiguous. It wasn't clear who murdered the two girls; was it Maddie or Angie?? What would Maddie's motives be for killing her best friend despite her affair with Justin? Why wouldn't she just kill Justin instead especially as Maddie hated him?? It wasn't even clear if Maddie knew about the affair. It didn't make any sense. Unfortunately the ending pushed down the rating to 2.5 for me.
Grade: C
The story is about a woman called Zoe, who eleven years ago managed to escape the clutches of evil and twisted serial killer, Peter McKenna. Despite the trauma, she formed a bond with his five-year-old daughter Maddie who helped Zoe to escape. Zoe decides to adopt Maddie despite the concerns of others around her especially as Maddie displays disturbing behaviours and sociopathic tendencies. Eleven years later, Zoe is living a happy life with her husband, Justin; young son, Gabe and Maddie. Zoe love and dedication to raising Maddie seems to have paid off; although cold and unemotional, Maddie has turned out just fine or has she? Two girls from Maddie's school are found dead and there's rumours that Maddie had something to do with their deaths. Is Maddie really reformed or has she inherited her father's propensity for evil?
I thought that this was a unique and moving story. I really liked Zoe as a character and thought that she was incredible and strong for deciding to adopt a child with so many issues and not giving Maddie up despite all of the difficulties she faced raising her. She doesn't treat Maddie any differently to her biological child, Gabe. I enjoyed reading about Zoe and Maddie's bond despite all of the difficulties. The story is divided into the past and present. The "past" chapters include Zoe's ordeal being captured by serial killer, Peter McKenna, and her escape with the help of Maddie. Then the story moves onto Zoe's life after her escape and her journey to adopting and parenting Maddie. The "now" chapters take you back to the present and the drama revolving around the deaths of Maddie's classmates.
At first the story was gripping with a good twist but the ending really confused me! I ended up with more questions than answers which for me as a reader is the most frustrating thing. Unless there's a sequel or series, I hate when the ending is ambiguous. It wasn't clear who murdered the two girls; was it Maddie or Angie?? What would Maddie's motives be for killing her best friend despite her affair with Justin? Why wouldn't she just kill Justin instead especially as Maddie hated him?? It wasn't even clear if Maddie knew about the affair. It didn't make any sense. Unfortunately the ending pushed down the rating to 2.5 for me.
Grade: C
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2022
I wouldn't say that this is a hidden gem but the writing and the plot were so much better than the popular books that we always see.
I loved the dual timeline, then and now. We could see how Zoe and Maddie had progressed since that day. This was the kind of book that we wouldn't know what the author was going to throw at us. It was gripping and intense.
I had to say that Sara A. Denzil could do a better job for the ending, I felt that it was kind of "messy".
The book needs more publicity so that more people will know about it.
I loved the dual timeline, then and now. We could see how Zoe and Maddie had progressed since that day. This was the kind of book that we wouldn't know what the author was going to throw at us. It was gripping and intense.
I had to say that Sara A. Denzil could do a better job for the ending, I felt that it was kind of "messy".
The book needs more publicity so that more people will know about it.
March 4, 2022
WOW this book was gripping! Without sounding like a weirdo, serial killers are my vibe!! 😂🙈
I really didn’t know how it was going to end and I was kept guessing and guessing and guessing, right up to the last page. The writing style was seamless and the characters were unique and fascinating. I’ve never come across a character like Maddie before, what a whirlwind she was!
If you like suspenseful, graphic, unputdownable thrillers then this will deffo be your jam!!
I really didn’t know how it was going to end and I was kept guessing and guessing and guessing, right up to the last page. The writing style was seamless and the characters were unique and fascinating. I’ve never come across a character like Maddie before, what a whirlwind she was!
If you like suspenseful, graphic, unputdownable thrillers then this will deffo be your jam!!
December 19, 2022
This is a truly dark and disturbing book about the pervasiveness of evil and the age-old question of nature v nurture. I loved it.
In some respects, it put me in mind of one of my favourite thrillers of recent years, Lucinda Berry’s The Perfect Child, in so far as they both deal with the terrifying prospect of a child who may or may not be inherently evil.
And that’s one of the most terrifying thoughts I can imagine. How can a child, who we’re programmed to believe is the personification of innocence, perpetuate such hideous crimes as torture and murder?
It sends a chill down your spine just thinking about it.
My Perfect Daughter is the story of Zoe, who’s lured to an old farmhouse by a young girl, Maddie, and where she is imprisoned and abused by Maddie’s father, Peter.
The early chapters where Denzil takes us back to that time are creepily evocative and brilliantly written. This writer has some imagination and a dark mind!
You feel like you’re living the scenes with Zoe, sharing her desperation and her pain. Denzil’s writing style certainly propels you through the pages at breakneck speed.
Eventually, Zoe manages to escape from Peter’s clutches with Maddie’s help and a few years into the future we’re given a glimpse into Zoe’s new life after adopting Maddie as her own daughter.
But then one of Maddie’s friends dies, falling off a cliff on a camp that she shared with Maddie – and the question arises, did Maddie push her?
And of course, the wider question is posed – if you’re the daughter of a sadistic psychopath, is there any hope you’ll turn out differently?
Over the course of the story, we’re asked to question what’s really going on in the family and whether Maddie really is evil.
I enjoyed the ending, although it does conclude a little open-endedly, with the reader asked to draw their own conclusions.
I like that. I don’t want my books to spoon feed me. I want to be challenged and left thinking deeply about the book long after I’ve switched off my Kindle.
And The Perfect Daughter had me doing just that.
In some respects, it put me in mind of one of my favourite thrillers of recent years, Lucinda Berry’s The Perfect Child, in so far as they both deal with the terrifying prospect of a child who may or may not be inherently evil.
And that’s one of the most terrifying thoughts I can imagine. How can a child, who we’re programmed to believe is the personification of innocence, perpetuate such hideous crimes as torture and murder?
It sends a chill down your spine just thinking about it.
My Perfect Daughter is the story of Zoe, who’s lured to an old farmhouse by a young girl, Maddie, and where she is imprisoned and abused by Maddie’s father, Peter.
The early chapters where Denzil takes us back to that time are creepily evocative and brilliantly written. This writer has some imagination and a dark mind!
You feel like you’re living the scenes with Zoe, sharing her desperation and her pain. Denzil’s writing style certainly propels you through the pages at breakneck speed.
Eventually, Zoe manages to escape from Peter’s clutches with Maddie’s help and a few years into the future we’re given a glimpse into Zoe’s new life after adopting Maddie as her own daughter.
But then one of Maddie’s friends dies, falling off a cliff on a camp that she shared with Maddie – and the question arises, did Maddie push her?
And of course, the wider question is posed – if you’re the daughter of a sadistic psychopath, is there any hope you’ll turn out differently?
Over the course of the story, we’re asked to question what’s really going on in the family and whether Maddie really is evil.
I enjoyed the ending, although it does conclude a little open-endedly, with the reader asked to draw their own conclusions.
I like that. I don’t want my books to spoon feed me. I want to be challenged and left thinking deeply about the book long after I’ve switched off my Kindle.
And The Perfect Daughter had me doing just that.
May 2, 2022
Well Flip My Falafel! 😳😯😳🤯
Wholy Fluffy Moly! Frick, frackin' crying out loud! For all that is coffee & chocolate! Fluff sakes! Well, if you loved "The Perfect Son" by Freida McFadden, "The Push" or "Baby Teeth", this gives super similar vibes that I loved & wanted! The constant suspense and thrill of who and what is insane. The constant back and forth between then and now is enough to cause you tighten up muscles in your shoulders and a heart needing a BP monitor. It's a constant tug-of-war between needing to know and not wanting to!
Zoe's mother-daughter relationship with Maddie, isn't one that's common like most. Theirs became a bond through Zoe being abducted by Maddie's father, a serial murderer, and surviving him, taking five-year-old Maddie with her to escape. Both of them bonded over their experience which helped Zoe adopt her.
Fast forward eleven years later, Zoe is married to Justin, with Maddie and their son, Gabe. Maddie, however, is still struggling from her past which leaves her to be seen as odd, strange, and even callous or cold to others. But now Maddie's good friend has gone missing, and soon another has found dead. All of this causing Zoe to question her daughter who she loves as much as she was her blood. But could Maddie's father's DNA of what he did, be on the precipice for Maddie herself?
This book was crazy good! I loved the thriller aspect and how well Denzil kept me in the dark and yet kept me wondering - I kept going back and forth so much I thought I was watching a tennis match! She knows how to deliver an excellent executed ending that leaves you both speechless but so satisfied. So deeply scrumptious!
I give this 4.5 / 5 Lily's! 🪷
Wholy Fluffy Moly! Frick, frackin' crying out loud! For all that is coffee & chocolate! Fluff sakes! Well, if you loved "The Perfect Son" by Freida McFadden, "The Push" or "Baby Teeth", this gives super similar vibes that I loved & wanted! The constant suspense and thrill of who and what is insane. The constant back and forth between then and now is enough to cause you tighten up muscles in your shoulders and a heart needing a BP monitor. It's a constant tug-of-war between needing to know and not wanting to!
Zoe's mother-daughter relationship with Maddie, isn't one that's common like most. Theirs became a bond through Zoe being abducted by Maddie's father, a serial murderer, and surviving him, taking five-year-old Maddie with her to escape. Both of them bonded over their experience which helped Zoe adopt her.
Fast forward eleven years later, Zoe is married to Justin, with Maddie and their son, Gabe. Maddie, however, is still struggling from her past which leaves her to be seen as odd, strange, and even callous or cold to others. But now Maddie's good friend has gone missing, and soon another has found dead. All of this causing Zoe to question her daughter who she loves as much as she was her blood. But could Maddie's father's DNA of what he did, be on the precipice for Maddie herself?
This book was crazy good! I loved the thriller aspect and how well Denzil kept me in the dark and yet kept me wondering - I kept going back and forth so much I thought I was watching a tennis match! She knows how to deliver an excellent executed ending that leaves you both speechless but so satisfied. So deeply scrumptious!
I give this 4.5 / 5 Lily's! 🪷
September 7, 2025
My Perfect Daughter by Sarah A. Denzil – 4 stars
Okay, let’s get real: if you’re the type of person who thinks parenting is hard, try doing it while your kid’s dad is a serial killer. Zoe, our heroine, doesn’t just stumble into motherhood—she practically lands in a psychological minefield the second she finds five-year-old Maddie alone, dirty, and apparently auditioning for “Most Chilling Child in a Thriller.” And yes, she has to take Maddie back to her dad before realizing just how horrifying that is. That’s a parenting fail you cannot rehearse for.
From there, things get dark fast. Denzil does a phenomenal job of balancing tension with emotional depth. Maddie isn’t just “the traumatized kid”—she’s layered, complex, and terrifyingly plausible. And Zoe? You’ll cheer for her, want to shake her, and occasionally mutter “what were you thinking?” all within the same chapter. I loved it.
The atmosphere is perfect. The Cornish coast setting feels remote, eerie, and just isolated enough to make you whisper “don’t go down that path, Zoe” at your Kindle. The tension ramps steadily, and Denzil drops twists when you least expect them—except that part where you go, “ohhhh, like father, like daughter…” Yep, the hook is telegraphed, but it still hits hard in execution.
The strengths:
Zoe’s maternal struggle is so real. She loves Maddie fiercely, but she’s also terrified of her. That duality is haunting and compelling.
Maddie herself is a standout. She’s traumatized, clever, and just the right mix of unsettling and sympathetic to make you feel guilty for judging her.
The suspense and pacing? Mostly excellent. The story keeps moving, and the stakes stay high.
The minor flaws:
Some secondary characters react in slightly melodramatic ways—fine, I get it, they’re in danger, but dial it down a notch.
A few moments lean heavily on thriller tropes, though Denzil usually twists them enough to keep you interested.
This is a tense, emotional, and occasionally chilling domestic thriller that kept me hooked. 4 stars because it’s not perfect—there’s the occasional melodrama and a telegraphed twist—but the mother-daughter dynamic and psychological depth made it worth every page. Me? I was both clutching my Kindle and whispering “don’t do it, Maddie” the whole time, and that, my friends, is exactly how a thriller should make you feel.
Okay, let’s get real: if you’re the type of person who thinks parenting is hard, try doing it while your kid’s dad is a serial killer. Zoe, our heroine, doesn’t just stumble into motherhood—she practically lands in a psychological minefield the second she finds five-year-old Maddie alone, dirty, and apparently auditioning for “Most Chilling Child in a Thriller.” And yes, she has to take Maddie back to her dad before realizing just how horrifying that is. That’s a parenting fail you cannot rehearse for.
From there, things get dark fast. Denzil does a phenomenal job of balancing tension with emotional depth. Maddie isn’t just “the traumatized kid”—she’s layered, complex, and terrifyingly plausible. And Zoe? You’ll cheer for her, want to shake her, and occasionally mutter “what were you thinking?” all within the same chapter. I loved it.
The atmosphere is perfect. The Cornish coast setting feels remote, eerie, and just isolated enough to make you whisper “don’t go down that path, Zoe” at your Kindle. The tension ramps steadily, and Denzil drops twists when you least expect them—except that part where you go, “ohhhh, like father, like daughter…” Yep, the hook is telegraphed, but it still hits hard in execution.
The strengths:
Zoe’s maternal struggle is so real. She loves Maddie fiercely, but she’s also terrified of her. That duality is haunting and compelling.
Maddie herself is a standout. She’s traumatized, clever, and just the right mix of unsettling and sympathetic to make you feel guilty for judging her.
The suspense and pacing? Mostly excellent. The story keeps moving, and the stakes stay high.
The minor flaws:
Some secondary characters react in slightly melodramatic ways—fine, I get it, they’re in danger, but dial it down a notch.
A few moments lean heavily on thriller tropes, though Denzil usually twists them enough to keep you interested.
This is a tense, emotional, and occasionally chilling domestic thriller that kept me hooked. 4 stars because it’s not perfect—there’s the occasional melodrama and a telegraphed twist—but the mother-daughter dynamic and psychological depth made it worth every page. Me? I was both clutching my Kindle and whispering “don’t do it, Maddie” the whole time, and that, my friends, is exactly how a thriller should make you feel.
April 20, 2022
Wow this one was a page turner for sure. Another serial killer....but this one uses his daughter to lure young women to his home. But it becomes a roller coaster sort of read. You want to believe in Maddie, since she is only 5 years old but the story is one that keeps you questioning who really is the victim in this story.
Loved the way Zoe loves her daughter and also afraid of her. There is something about Maddie you feel throughout the whole book.....definitely a 5 star read.
Loved the way Zoe loves her daughter and also afraid of her. There is something about Maddie you feel throughout the whole book.....definitely a 5 star read.
March 15, 2022
This premise was just fascinating to me. The story is compelling, kept my interest. It goes back and forth between the present and the past. But, I became frustrated with Zoe. Madison understandably has a lot of issues. Issues that Zoe overlooks every step of the way. The whole thing with Justin seems very unbelievable to me. It’s clear that Zoe is being manipulated but she doesn’t see it.
March 28, 2022
Not bad but not good
The last 3 chapters..The worst..like she run out of things to say to end the book.. it could ended better
The last 3 chapters..The worst..like she run out of things to say to end the book.. it could ended better
March 30, 2022
I don’t know why but this kind of thrillers doesnt do it for me… I didn’t like the story and the characters were all annoying.
June 21, 2022
???
The ending is pretty abrupt and left me with many questions. I want to know what happens to Maddie. This is a thriller with a few twists.
The ending is pretty abrupt and left me with many questions. I want to know what happens to Maddie. This is a thriller with a few twists.
June 20, 2022
A book full of twists and turns, and a storyline to shock you to the core!
I found Zoe and Maddie’s character frustrated me at times, but I think that was just me. Other than that, it was wrote exceptionally well, told between two timelines, which helped provide a lot of backstory. A brilliant thriller.
I found Zoe and Maddie’s character frustrated me at times, but I think that was just me. Other than that, it was wrote exceptionally well, told between two timelines, which helped provide a lot of backstory. A brilliant thriller.
October 11, 2025
This has an interesting premise and raises the question of nature over nurture. It’s easy to question many of Zoe’s decisions, but she’s experienced a horrifying trauma. What’s harder to understand is why a child protective agency would think it was a good idea to place an abuser’s child with a victim. I thought I had this one figured out early on, but I didn’t have it quite right. The narration by Lucy Paterson is well done.
3.5/5
3.5/5
August 16, 2024
I don’t give out 5 stars easily. I really enjoyed the story. I listen to it on audible and they did a great job. Highly recommend this book.
April 15, 2024
3.5
The plot twist on this book!! The beginning of this book is a super slow burn. The start if My Perfect Daughter was a bit boring but it eventually picked up.
Zoe has a crazy big heart - that and a huge obsession with making the wrong decision three or four times over, is maddening. The husband? A plot twist. The final chapter? a semi surprise.
It's def worth the read. If you want a little suspense razzle dazzle.
The plot twist on this book!! The beginning of this book is a super slow burn. The start if My Perfect Daughter was a bit boring but it eventually picked up.
Zoe has a crazy big heart - that and a huge obsession with making the wrong decision three or four times over, is maddening. The husband? A plot twist. The final chapter? a semi surprise.
It's def worth the read. If you want a little suspense razzle dazzle.
January 25, 2022
This was quite a fast paced read for me and really enjoyable. The whole premise was intriguing and I thought it was well executed. I didn't expect a couple of the outcomes and I liked the ending where you are left deciding for yourself what you believed.
Maddie is definitely an interesting character and constantly has you thinking "did she/didn't she" the whole way through. Sometimes Zoe annoyed me, just little things maybe came across as patronising but it didn't stop me enjoying the story.
The "then and now" chapters were short and made for quick reading. I'll definitely look out for more books from this author.
Maddie is definitely an interesting character and constantly has you thinking "did she/didn't she" the whole way through. Sometimes Zoe annoyed me, just little things maybe came across as patronising but it didn't stop me enjoying the story.
The "then and now" chapters were short and made for quick reading. I'll definitely look out for more books from this author.
February 18, 2022
I don’t know where to start with this book. This is my first Sarah A Denzil and let me tell you, it definitely won’t be my last. This book had me freaked out in my own house, the hairs on my arms standing and checking the doors a few times at night! I have never felt so freaked out by a book before and my God, I loved it!
It has such a harrowing storyline to it and I can see why Maddie is the way she is. Zoe is such a caring, kind woman with a heart of gold. Being through what she had and still coming out stronger and in the right mind frame, I hold my hands up to her - what a woman.
I thought from the start that Maddie was quite twisted (and kind of rightly so) due to her up bringing. She experienced things no kid should experience, ever. You can tell she has trust issues but she is definitely quite sadistic.
Zoe does her best to keep Maddie on the right track then Maddie friends are murdered. The book takes you through it all.
I loved how it jumped from ‘THEN’ and ‘NOW’ the two perspectives where very intriguing and gave the whole story more purpose and background. It was interesting, freaky and gripping.
I adored this book, it was a 5-star for me right from the start. I even said to my boyfriend that it freaked me out so much, he saw the goosebumps on my arms!
@sarahadenzil , what a book you’ve written. I don’t know how you made it feel so real, how the characters were so alive but I applaud you. Thank you for allowing me a copy of your book. @instabooktours , Vic you’ve only went and done it again, what a fantastic tour. Thank you for allowing me to be apart of it.
It has such a harrowing storyline to it and I can see why Maddie is the way she is. Zoe is such a caring, kind woman with a heart of gold. Being through what she had and still coming out stronger and in the right mind frame, I hold my hands up to her - what a woman.
I thought from the start that Maddie was quite twisted (and kind of rightly so) due to her up bringing. She experienced things no kid should experience, ever. You can tell she has trust issues but she is definitely quite sadistic.
Zoe does her best to keep Maddie on the right track then Maddie friends are murdered. The book takes you through it all.
I loved how it jumped from ‘THEN’ and ‘NOW’ the two perspectives where very intriguing and gave the whole story more purpose and background. It was interesting, freaky and gripping.
I adored this book, it was a 5-star for me right from the start. I even said to my boyfriend that it freaked me out so much, he saw the goosebumps on my arms!
@sarahadenzil , what a book you’ve written. I don’t know how you made it feel so real, how the characters were so alive but I applaud you. Thank you for allowing me a copy of your book. @instabooktours , Vic you’ve only went and done it again, what a fantastic tour. Thank you for allowing me to be apart of it.
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