She went to prison for a crime she didn’t commit. The people who really ruined her life live behind a set of gates.
Robyn loves Manchester—the noise, the nightlife, the feeling that anything might happen. What she doesn’t love is the six-year prison sentence she’s handed after a jewellery store robbery she had nothing to do with. By the time she walks out, she’s lost her twenties, her friends, and the future she thought she was heading for.
Fresh out and desperate, Robyn takes the only job she can peeling veg and scrubbing toilets on the vast Blackthorn estate, home of Manchester’s favourite philanthropic family. The Blackthorns rescue vulnerable girls, fund glossy charities and pose for the cameras in their sprawling mansion.
They may not know Robyn, but she knows them.
Because Robyn has crossed paths with the Blackthorns before—in ways they can’t afford to come to light. Behind the locked doors and perfect smiles lie whispered stories of girls who vanished, secrets buried on the grounds, and a daughter the family never talk about.
As Robyn is drawn deeper into the estate’s shadows, she realises one the Blackthorns will do anything to keep their reputation intact.
And this time, she’s not the one who’s going to take the fall.
Get a free book by clicking here! Philip Anthony Smith made his debut as an author in 2024 with his first psychological thriller, 'Run For Your Life', which released in April of the same year.
As a first time author, he has no accolades or awards to show off, but boasts a lifetime of desire to become an acclaimed story teller.
After a long string of seemingly unrelated professions including window cleaner, SMS psychic and small business owner, Philip decided 2024 was the year to bring his stories to life.
TW ~ Attempted R**es, mentions of child abuse, child sexual abuse.
Thank you to the author for sending me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The plot line aside from the TW's was a really good one, and I enjoyed the dual timelines. Our FMC was a right tough girl, dealing with a lot while giving as good back where able. The Blackthorn family characters were well written, leaving the reader truly hating them for their actions throughout the story.
Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me due to the TW I've mentioned above. I was not prepared for them and found them a struggle to read through. However, others may be ok reading these and therefore really enjoy the book.
I have talked through my review with the author and decided to leave the star rating blank. I feel my personal opinion on the triggers would unfairly reflect on the book rating.
Y’ALL. This story snatched me by the throat on page one and refused to let go. Robyn walks out of prison—wrongly convicted, angry, and armed with nothing but grit—and straight into the Blackthorn estate, Manchester’s most “charitable” snake pit. And this place doesn’t just look intimidating… it breathes. You can hear the hallways whisper and feel those iron gates slam shut like they’ve been waiting for her.
Robyn is sharp, stubborn, and beautifully messy, plotting revenge while peeling potatoes, and I adored every second of her fire. The Blackthorns, with their photo-ready smiles and swamp-deep secrets, practically ooze polished menace. And Smith’s writing? Cinematic, sensory, and tense enough that even the shadows feel like they’re judging you.
The plot twists fast and mean, full of “OH NO THEY DIDN’T 😳” moments as Robyn digs into the missing girls, the hidden daughter, and the truth that cost her six years.
If you want something dark and spine-tingling that grips you from word one, this one delivers. Run, don’t walk—the gates won’t stay open long. 👀🖤
I’m always excited to receive a new ARC from Philip Anthony Smith, and The Silent Daughter is no exception. Each book he writes grows stronger, and this one shows a refreshing shift in tone—in a very good way. Told through past and present, the story reveals a tangle of secrets, lies, and revenge. The characters are unlikeable, which only adds to the tension and makes their journeys more engrossing. I guessed a few twists, but several still caught me completely off guard. Philip’s descriptive style once again shines, drawing you into every scene and making you feel part of the unfolding drama. And when everything finally clicks into place, it’s deeply satisfying. Darker than his previous novels, this is another gripping, fast-paced read from an author who keeps raising the bar. Highly recommended.
I was kindly sent an ARC of The Silent Daughter by Philip Anthony Smith and below is my honest review.
When this arrived in my inbox I was buzzing and couldn’t wait to read it! I ate, devoured and left no crumbs! I could not put this down.
Told in 5 parts and with a mixture of the past and present, we follow Robyn who was sent to prison for a crime she did not commit. She’s now been released and she wants answers.
It’s dark, it’s tense and it’s sprinkled with twists. What more could you want from a book? My jaw dropped at one point as I did not expect the twist that had been twust 😂
The characters are so well written that I now have a strong hatred for several of them because of how they came across!
If you have any content triggers, I advise you to read any trigger warnings beforehand.
I recommend this to anyone who loves a dark psychological thriller.
The Silent Daughter follows Robyn, who fresh out of prison and desperate, takes the only job she can get: working for the philanthropic Blackthorn family. They may not know Robyn, but she knows them. Behind the locked doors and perfect smiles lie whispered stories of girls who vanished, secrets buried on the grounds, and a daughter the family never talk about. As she’s pulled deeper into the estate’s shadows, Robyn realises the Blackthorns will do anything to protect their reputation. And this time, she won’t be the one to take the fall.
The Silent Daughter is cleverly structured over five parts and told from multiple perspectives. It follows a dual timeline, moving between the lead up to Robyn’s imprisonment and the aftermath of her being released. This structure creates a gripping sense of inevitability that kept me glued to the pages. It’s more sinister with every chapter, and by the end it’s unhinged in the best way.
Robyn is morally grey, complex, and fiercely driven by her need for both the truth and revenge. I loved how unapologetic she is, and how her determination shapes the plot. I had a pure, visceral hate for some of the other characters though, which is another testament to Philip Anthony Smith’s incredible character writing and the emotions he evokes.
The Silent Daughter is definitely darker than Philip Anthony Smith’s previous books, but the escalating sense of dread and jaw-dropping twists made it one of my favourites. The writing is fast paced, with short, witty chapters that make it impossible to stop reading, and every thread ties together beautifully by the end.
Thank you so much to Philip Anthony Smith for sending me this advanced copy to read and review. My opinions are my own.
Thank you to Philip for an ARC in exchange for a review. 4.5 stars rounded up.
Wow that was quite a ride! 🤣 Completely compelling, twisty, shocking, and delightfully unhinged by the end!
The story begins with Robyn being wrongfully convicted of robbing a jewellery shop in Manchester. She spends 6 years in prison for the crime that someone else committed.
We then switch between the time leading up to her prison sentence and what she does next.
In the past, she meets Ellie and her rich friends. She doesn’t really like them but she wants to get close to them because of Ellie’s boyfriend, Lucas Blackthorn, whose family used to employ her mum and Robyn wants to find out the truth behind their poor treatment of her.
In the present, Robyn gets herself a live-in job at the Blackthorn estate and starts digging into what happened with her mum.
But there are very sinister and twisted secrets going on with the family beyond her wildest expectations!
There are some quite triggering scenes in the book. I don’t want to spoil anything that happens but Philip welcomes messages from anyone worried before reading the book.
I did find some scenes shocking but it was an excellent and gripping revenge story. I loved how tough a character Robyn was. She may have been a little bit morally murky, but she stood up for herself against some extremely horrible characters!
I could not see where the story was going at all, and it all wrapped up in a clever, fun, and totally bonkers way! Very enjoyable!
Really enjoyed this one! As always it had fantastic writing and was hard to put down. The story was split up into 5 parts with 2 separate timelines. I did have to stop and think for a second in the last quarter of the book when it changed POV again 🙉😂 At no point did I find it too confusing though and it helped that it was split up into 5 parts.
This one was filled with unlikable characters - Richard Blackthorn really was a horrible man and you’ll feel all the emotions when you find out what happens.😢 I don’t want to say too much but it was heartbreaking 💔
Whilst not as twist heavy or shocking as his previous thrillers, this was still a brilliant book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Not quite that 5 star feeling for me but a strong 4.5! 😃
This was definitely one of Phil’s darker books in terms of the storyline and content, so do check trigger warnings if you’re easily affected.
A huge thank you to Phil for the ARC copy. All opinions in this review are my own.
A must-read if you love twists, family drama and danger.
Robyn plays with fire one too many times. But when will she learn? And will anyone be left to help her when she does?
Told from several POVs and times, we follow Robyn as she desperately tries to find out what really goes on at the Blackthorne Estate.
When trouble at home sends Robyn out into the Manchester nightlife scene, her new friends seem to believe her life story. But after a run-in with the police, she has to start all over again and take help where she can get it.
Conveniently, the help puts her in exactly the place she tried so hard to get into before she went away. Now, she's realising that every family really does have secrets. Including her own.
I thought I'd figured it out quite early on, but the ending proved me so wrong! The first half of the story was captivating, but the last 30% of the book was unputdownable!!
Quite a few trigger warnings for this story, including rape, kidnapping, and abuse.
A huge thanks to Philip for having me on his ARC list. Another brilliant book! 🎉
“The Silent Daughter” reeled me in with that slow-burn magic that whispers just one more chapter, until it’s 2 AM. Philip Anthony Smith’s writing always hits the spot for me, but this one is him at full throttle!
Thanks to the author for the gifted copy of this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Robyn is razor-sharp, bruised, battered, but still scrappy. She’s the sort of survivor you want to high-five. Most of the remaining cast is hiding secrets so dirty, you’ll want to shower after a few chapters. The story is delicious and infuriating. It’s wicked fun, maddening, and exactly the kind of tangled mess I love to get lost in.
I gave it 4.5 stars because it’s tense, surprising, and irresistibly gritty. Watching Robyn navigate a maze of manipulators is an absolute thrill!
Another brilliant book by Philip! I'm always sucked into his books pretty early on and this one was no different!
The Blackthorn family are definitely not ones to mess around with but their "piece of paradise" isn't all it's cracked up to be! We meet Robyn, freshly out of prison, ready to start a new life but a lot can change in six years! I love how fast paced it is, as usual Philip creates atmosphere straight away and you get engrossed!
I thoroughly enjoyed this read, we get taken from the past to present and back at various times of the story, with different pov's and perspectives. So much suspense at times with lies, deceit, revenge, forbidden love and twists to keep you turning the pages!
If you haven't read any of Philip's books yet, this is your sign to start!
Forever grateful to you for sending me an ARC of your upcoming book!
Told from dual timelines of before and present day, over five parts, we have multiple POVs in this tale of deceit and lies. We follow Robyn on her quest for the truth, twists throughout will have you devouring tension filled page after tension filled page! Fast paced with short, punchy chapters, this book is a wild ride. I loved the setting of the Blackthorn Manor and the wider Manchester area. Well written characters, both likeable and unlikeable, relatable and unfamiliar. Dark, twisty and utterly compelling. After 3 of his books, Philip is fast becoming a favourite author of mine, and I’ll be delving into his back catalogue in the near future.
The author crafts a world where wealth and power hide monstrous truths, pulling the reader into a chilling descent alongside the central character. The storytelling is intense, balancing character driven emotion with a fast evolving mystery.
What makes this book stand out is its ability to humanize trauma without losing the sharpness of a thriller. Though the story touches on disturbing subjects, its execution is purposeful and gripping. This novel is recommended for readers who appreciate dark, intense stories that do not shy away from uncomfortable truths.
It’s a bold, unsettling book that refuses to look away—and forces you not to either. Rating:- 4/5
This author does not disappoint with his books and this was no exception. Once again I was hooked from the very beginning and all the way to the very end. The story is broken up into five parts with alternating POVs. This one was a bit darker than his previous books but I believe he handled it in a way that was well done without getting into too many details of certain events. I had my suspicions on what the twist would be and had a couple of things turn out to be correct, but this didn’t take away from the big reveal. If you haven’t checked this author out yet I would definitely recommend doing so especially if you enjoy a good psychological thriller with a good twist.
I have always thoroughly enjoyed Philips work and rated it highly. But this one......this one smashes it out of the park! I would say that this is the best one he's written to date!
The characters, the story arc, the settings....it's all on another level and I'm so here for it!
This is a really atmospheric read with lots of mystery, twists and turns.
Told from different points of view, different timelines and in short, snappy chapters it keeps the momentum going at full pelt.
Thank you philip for having me on your arc team.
This will be released on 6.12.25 and I highly recommend it!!
Philip Anthony Smith does not disappoint. AGAIN! I find myself saying that every time I read his book! I absolutely loved this book. His writing style definitely keeps me engaged, and I'm especially a sucker for a story told in dual timelines, and he delivers it so well. The story unfolds at the perfect pace. It's tense, layered, and dark enough to keep you feeling slightly uneasy. And yes... prepare to be frustrated with a few characters. Some of them are really unlikeable, but honestly, that's a sign of great writing to me. If a character makes me feel something, count me in! If you love dark, twisty thrillers, add The Silent Daughter to your list.
I have read all of Phil’s books and I think this one is the best yet! Robyn is down in her luck and comes to realise that the Blackthorn Estate holds more than just answers about what had happened to her and her family. As the story develops from a couple of different timelines we start to learn more about both Robyn and the Blackthorn family, and their missing daughter Sofia.
As the story developed, I was drawn into it more and more wanting to find out who knew what and the twists at the end were great - I didn’t see them coming.
This book is full of deceit, revenge, secrets and drama and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and would highly recommend.
Another incredible read by @phil. Thank you so much for allowing me to ARC read for you again!
Phil’s books keep you on edge from the start! His stories are gripping in the best possible way! The twists 🤌🏻 super dark (your darkest yet sir!) and twisty I loved every moment of this!
Told in 5 parts - Dual timelines. Multiple POV. Both done incredibly well yet again!
All my thriller lovers need to pick up Phil’s work - he is an evil genius!
A twisty, psychological thriller filled with suspense! This is in past and present timelines. I love the flashbacks chapters trickled in to make sense of the present. The build up is a bit slower in this one compared to the others I’ve read by Smith, but the slow burn contributes to the tension perfectly for the ending. I thought I had it all figured out, but Smith dropped some twists that I never considered. Such a great storyline!
Thank you to Philip Anthony Smith and his team for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
Another great thriller from Philip Anthony Smith! Robyn did six years in prison for a bank robbery that she had nothing to do with. The only job she can get is with a prominent family who has lots of secrets. Secrets they would do anything to protect.
This one had me hooked from page one, I couldn’t wait to see what happened. There are a few shocking twists and lots of secrets, lies and revenge.
The Silent Daughter had a slower build up compared to PAS’s other books, but I still enjoyed the mix of revenge, rich people behaving badly, and the way he always ties every thread together so neatly. I enjoyed the dual timeline and multi POV structure, and while I managed to guess a few things along the way, the journey was still entertaining, especially with some of the heavier themes. If you enjoy dark family drama with secrets slowly unraveling, this one is worth picking up.
Thank you to Philip Anthony Smith for an advanced copy of The Silent Daughter in exchange for my honest opinion.
This was told from various POV, and in different timelines. I always like a flashback chapter. Short chapters, as with all of Philip's books. This one qas full of tension, unlikeable characters and I couldn't wait to find out the truth. Fast paced, gripping and dark. Just how I like my books.
Lies, deceit revenge. What more could you want. I absolutely devoured this one.
WOW what an amazing brilliant book! I was lucky to have been an ARC reader before this gets released on 6th December. Im not going to spoil it for you but believe me this book will have you hooked from the start ... another fantastic book by Phil x
Another brilliant book written by Philip! This book had me gripped from the start! The story is about Robyn who got jailed for six years simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. After coming out of prison, she manages to get a job at the Blackthorns estate. Everyone tells her that she looks like the girl they hired before but little do they know she has a secret of hers as well…
This rich family household, full of secrets kind of vibe had me hooked! There were so many twists as the story unfolded and it’s a no brainer as to why Robyn wanted to get revenge. I absolutely love Philip’s writing style, it always has you gripped to the story and wanting to find out more. I feel like I always say this in my reviews but I was left gasping at the end!