Review: 'Daughter of Mine' by Megan Miranda

Some things should stay buried, perhaps. But on the other hand, how can you not go looking for answers, when some of them are coming to the surface anyway? Meet Hazel Sharp, returning to her childhood home and all the secrets it hides during a draught. Daughter of Mine is something of a rollercoaster, but I had good fun with it. Thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub. Date: 04/09/2024
Publisher: Quercus Books

Sometimes the darkest secrets are buried the deepest . . .

When Hazel Sharp, daughter of Mirror Lake's longtime local detective, unexpectedly inherits her childhood home, she's warily drawn back to the town - and people - she left behind almost a decade earlier.

But Hazel's not the only relic of the past to return: a drought has descended on the region, and as the water level in the lake drops, long-hidden secrets begin to emerge, including evidence that may help finally explain the mystery of her mother's disappearance . . .

Hazel Sharp is at her father's funeral but everyone's attention is split between celebrating the local detective's life and following updates on the recovery of a car from the local lake. A recent draught means that as the level of the lake drops, old secrets thought long-buried come to the surface. What role did Hazel's father play in hiding these secrets? And how will Hazel begin to unravel the truth from all the twisted strands of lies in a town where everyone knows one another, is related to one another, and has their own priorities? Add a strong dose of family dispute, paranoia, and the ever growing pressure of the drought, and you have a solid thriller. Hazel is undeniably our focus as we follow her diving back into her home town. I enjoyed how her character was built up, her independence and her focus, especially once her backstory gets revealed. Hazel is someone who wants to get things done and I very much liked that she was proactive for much of the narrative, rather than purely reacting to things. The characters around her are given some depth as well and there were one or two key moments where I was intrigued by what Miranda was setting up with them. 

I have seen Megan Miranda's name quite a few times, splashed across enticing covers and intriguing plots, but this is my first time reading actually reading one of her thrillers. From the beginning, I enjoyed the atmosphere she was building up with the drought, how it symbolised the growing pressure and danger of the whole situation. As I said above, Hazel is also a solid main character for a thriller and her expertise in house renovation also comes in useful. (I love it when a character's knowledge is actually relevant and not just filler.) There are some twists and plot lines which Miranda reveals at just the right time to keep you hooked and I enjoyed how it all came together. The end did feel a little too abrupt to me, but then thrillers do somehow need to end and you'd rather have it end on some sense of resolution. One thing that stuck with me was one of the supporting characters, who I just couldn't figure out. They felt like potential danger to me, as if Miranda was setting something up there, and I just felt that more could have happened there. However, I am fully on board with reading future Megan Miranda books, as I am sure to have a great time.

I give this novel...

3 Universes!

Daughter of Mine is a pressure-cooker of a thriller, all about uncovering the past in order to attempt a future. I can't wait to read more by Megan Miranda in the future.