Daddy's Little Girl: A picture-perfect family with a terrible secret

by Lynn Murray, Toni Maguire

Every family has its secrets, but some are worse than others.‘I had learnt to switch myself off from feeling anything when he molested me. Just lie there like a wooden doll and don’t give him the satisfaction of allowing one whimper to leave your mouth.’Lynn’s mother wanted the world to see the perfect family. An immaculate house, three well-dressed children and a charming husband. But behind closed doors it was a different story. Abused by her father from when she was just a baby, Lynn would scream for her mother, who ignored the little girl’s cries. Nothing was going to shatter her perfect life. Threatened by their parents, Lynn and her brother never told anyone in fear of being separated, but the trauma of their past followed them throughout their lives, with devastating consequences. Now as Lynn tries to piece together and come to terms with her past as an adult, she discovers she wasn’t the only one with a secret.

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 6, 2020

Reviews

[Erica⭐ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lynn's mother wanted the world to see the perfect family. An immaculate house, three well-dressed children and a charming husband. But behind closed doors it was a different story.

Abused by her father from when she was just a baby, Lynn would scream for her mother, who ignored the little girl's cries. Nothing was going to shatter her perfect life. Threatened by their parents, Lynn and her brother Andy never told anyone in fear of being separated, but the trauma of their past followed them throughout their lives, with devastating consequences.

Now as Lynn tries to piece together and come to terms with her past as an adult, she discovers she wasn't the only one with a secret.

[Rebecca Vet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every memoir I read is so sad, abused by the very people who are meant to keep you safe... what shocked me was the statistics of the launch of the ChildLine telephone help line, that evening they received 50,000 calls from scared children
heartbreaking

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read quite a few trauma memoirs over the years and some stay with me far longer than others.

The ones that have really stood out for me are Toni Maguire’s books, Helpless, Why Father?, Won’t You Love Me?, Abandoned Child, Innocent Child and this one as well. They didn’t just describe what happened — they made me feel the child’s fear, confusion, loneliness, hypervigilance and desperate need to be loved.

That’s what makes books like these so gripping for me personally.

Some memoirs describe horrific experiences, but the emotional connection isn’t always there. Sometimes they feel rushed or emotionally disconnected, even when the story itself is heartbreaking.

The books that affect me most are the ones where the child’s voice feels raw and emotionally honest.

I think that’s why some older memoirs stay with me longer. They feel less polished, but more real.

I should also say that even with Toni Maguire’s work there are one or two books that haven’t landed as strongly for me personally but that’s no reflection on her overall writing because some of her books genuinely are among the most emotionally powerful memoirs I’ve read.

I still have Silent Child, Can’t Anyone Help Me?, Please Protect Us and No Going Home to read, and I’ve already got Outcast pre-ordered too. If this book is anything to go by, I’m really looking forward to the newest one.

We also currently have a Facebook group called “Fostering, Memoirs and Fiction Book Club” if anybody would like to join us.

[Kirsten Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last book of 2023! It was very disturbing to say the least. I really don't know how I can read these heartbreaking stories - especially being a mother. However, it truly opens your eyes to what some children go through in their lives. I read this one pretty fast because I was so intrigued to find out how their life turned out in the end. Worth the read - but LOTS of triggers for those that have dealt with abuse/rape etc.

[Sophie Beveridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book deeply engaging, especially in the way it traces the lives of Lynn and her brothers. It tells a heartbreaking story marked by abuse and loss, which makes it an emotional read. Despite its heavy themes, the narrative is compelling and difficult to put down. It does contain a lot of triggers for people who have experienced abuse and r**e.

[Nurani K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set from the perspective of Lynn Murray, the story of a brave survivor of domestic sexual abuse and parental neglect. Raw, heartbreaking, painfully real.

A solid 3.5 hour read that I would recommend to anyone who's into true crime.

[Kelly Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sad story of childhood abuse (sexual and physical) and how it affects her life and her brothers.

[Jane Woodcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this was a harrowing read, I feel it's the same old story but with different characters. It was sad, and the people involved had to put up with a lot, but still.............. Am I being heartless?