Denn vergeben wird dir nie

by Mary Higgins Clark, Andreas Gressmann

Ellie Cavanaugh was only seven years old when her fifteen-year-old sister, Andrea, was murdered near their home in Oldham-on-the-Hudson, a rural village in New York's Westchester County. There were three Rob Westerfield, nineteen-year-old scion of a wealthy, prominent family, whom Andrea has been secretly dating; Paul Stroebel, a sixteen-year-old schoolmate, who had a crush on Andrea; and Will Nebels, a local handyman in his forties.It was Ellie who had led her parents to a hideout in which Andrea's body was found -- a secret hideaway in which she met her friends. And it was Ellie who was blamed by her parents for her sister's death for not telling them about this place the night Andrea was missing. It was also Ellie's testimony that led to the conviction of the man she was firmly convinced was the killer. Steadfastly denying his guilt, he spent the next twenty-two years in prison.When he comes up for parole, Ellie, now an investigative reporter for an Atlanta newspaper, protests his release. Nonetheless, the convicted killer is set free and returns to Oldham. Determined to thwart his attempts to whitewash his reputation, Ellie also returns to Oldham, intent on creating a Website and writing a book that will conclusively prove his guilt. As she delves deeper into her research, however, she uncovers horrifying and heretofore unknown facts that shed new light on her sister's murder. With each discovery, she comes closer to a confrontation with a desperate killer.Gripping and relentlessly compelling, Daddy's Little Girl, a portrayal of a family shattered by crime, reflects Mary Higgins Clark's uncanny insight into the twisted mind of a killer and is further evidence of why she is America's favorite author of suspense.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Adult

365 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2002

About the author

The #1 New York Times bestselling author Mary Higgins Clark has written thirty-eight suspense novels, four collections of short stories, a his­torical novel, a memoir, and two children’s books. With bestselling author Alafair Burke she wrote the Under Suspicion series. With her daughter Carol Higgins Clark, she has coauthored five more suspense novels. Her sister-in-law is the also author Mary Jane Clark.

Clark’s books have sold more than 100 million copies in the United States alone. Her books are beloved around the world and made her an international bestseller many times over.

Reviews

[Diane Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic read! climatic,suspenseful,very engaging,perseverance in never giving up in what you believe is the truth,just keep fighting for justice...a well written story (paperback!)

[Tea Jovanović · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imala sam to zadovoljstvo da je upoznam na sajmu knjiga u Njujorku davne 2002. i da upravo ovu knjige dobijem od nje sos autogram... A onda sam se i uslikala s njom i njenom ćerkom, takođe spisateljicom... :)

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

Used Book A Thon: read a book that cost $2 or less

First can we start off with that title?

Daddy's Little Girl

CREEEPY!

Despite having a title that sounds like child porn, this book was Okay. It was a fast read, I just blew through it. It was Fine. I think I've read one other Mary Higgins Clark novel when I was a teenager but I can't remember the title or the plot. I only remember that it took place during winter. And I remember that book being Fine as well.

I'm not blaming this book or the author for my feelings. Its more about who I am as a reader. I like my murder mysteries/thrillers to be DARK. Very very DARK. When I'm reading a thriller or mystery I want to be repulsed and disgusted with the book(for existing) the author(for writing it) and myself(for reading it). Mary Higgins Clark just isn't that type of author and that's okay. Not everyone is a degenerate like me. Some people just want a nice cozy little mystery that doesn't give them nightmares.

I like nightmares!

Daddy's Little Girl is about Ellie Cavanaugh who's sister was murdered 23 years ago. The person who was convicted of the crime is granted parole and has always maintained his innocence. Ellie now an investigative reporter is determined to write a book that will prove once and for all that he is guilty.

Another reason I'm not blaming this book for my lower rating is that I read several reviews for this book which mentioned a "twist that I would never see coming", "an ending that would blow me away". So I expected both of those things. I shouldn't have, so that's my fault. The synopsis to the book never promised me that, so I went in with a false impression of this book.

To sum up this meandering review: If you like dark thrillers in the vain of Gillian Flynn?

This book isn't for you.

If you like a fast paced book in the vain of a late 90's Lifetime or ABC movie of the week?

Then pick up Daddy's Little Girl.

I didn't love this book but its not a bad book, its just not for me.

[Li'l Owl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by The Queen Of Suspense! I've read many books by Mary Higgins Clark and I've never been disappointed. I'm always caught off guard by the twist near the end that I didn't see coming. I Highly recommend this, and all books by The Queen of Suspense!

[Mari Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ideal para entretener y no pensar en nada, de esas historias que olvidas fácilmente.

[Jerry B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Inconsistent pace and predictable ending spoil the suspense...

We're not likely to skip a novel by (mama) Clark, but this -- her 21st -- is far from her best. A good start leads into an absolute slug of a middle book, with most of the exciting action reserved for the three-page epilogue. Ironically, there is a reasonable degree of suspense to the plot, but our interest ebbed and waned so severely we might have put this down if we hadn't lined up for the hardback.

The plot revolves around Ellie Cavanaugh, a 30-year-old investigative reporter, fighting unsuccessfully the parole of Rob Westerfield, convicted some 20 years earlier for the murder of Ellie's sister Andrea. Though only seven at the time, Ellie's testimony in court weighed heavily in the guilty verdict. But Rob is being sprung on parole, and his wealthy family is pursuing all means, including illegal ones, to have him retried and acquitted. The rest of the book is basically the war between Rob's antics and Ellie's fact finding, and in the end Andrea's murder plus another one from long ago are all neatly re-solved and tied up with ribbons. In between, Ellie is harassed and followed and injured, etc. yet never succumbs, like virtually all of Clark's leading ladies, no matter the hurdles or the challenges. Some all too convenient helpers bail Ellie out of more than one predicament.

So what we find is not really the recipe for a whopping best seller. A dash of suspense is overwhelmed by plodding story lines, improbable action, implausible developments, and a leading lady who after all is said and done is not that easy to really care about. Clark's innately good story crafting and writing are not enough to make this cake rise and shine.

[Sarah Nessler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another good mystery. I am not a reader who necessarily expects a book that is unpredictable. Sometimes books that are predictable are just as thrilling. I have enjoyed all of Mary Higgins Clark's works that I have ever read. This book had enormous meaning other then being a mystery, for Ellie she thought she knew her father and his feelings and after time she found out she was wrong. They worked out their differences and became a family again. She was able to obtain a new job, brought the truth out that occurred 23+ years ago, righted a wrong against another one of Rob's victims etc. Great book!

[Ariel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but the ending was too predictable. Overall, the story was lacking in suspense unless you were wondering what the protagonist's elaborate next meal was going to be. Spoiler: she usually went with the soup.

[Álex A. Ochotorena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha mantenido en calma varios días: un suceso escabroso, una escritura inteligente, clara y lineal, y una protagonista con una personalidad imbatible.
Una chica de 15 años aparece muerta a golpes en el garaje de su ilustrísimo novio casi adolescente. La hermana de esta chica, una periodista de investigación, intenta detener, dos décadas después, una maniobra de la familia del chico para limpiar su nombre negando su autoría. Las cosas no estàn claras, el caso tampoco.

Me ha recordado a muchas novelas (la de Qué pasó con Nina, por ejemplo, o al documental de Gaby Petito), pero tiene algo especial (y creo que es anterior). siempre está sucediendo algo, no se detiene, eso me ha gustado, aunque sí que es verdad que hacía las tres cuartas partes del libro ya quería que terminara, porque el tema tampoco da muchísimo de sí, pero por lo demás me ha gustado. En especial, la valentía y serenidad de la protagonista y única narradora.

[Boundless Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a few books by Mary Higgins Clark, but this was by far my favorite.

Ellie was just a young girl when her sister was murdered. Now years later the man who went away for her murder is getting out of prison. On a road filled with danger, Ellie is on the search for more evidence against Rob that will get him sent back to prison. This story was a twisted web of lies, betrayal, and a families love.

The dedication that Ellie shows is what really made this book. She was just a young girl and was put through so much bad and now she is grown and still lives daily with the knowledge of her sisters death. No matter how much danger she is in she still fights to see her sisters killer brought to justice and along the way she helps her family, friends, and other families find justice and peace as well.

I really enjoyed this book. It grabbed me from page one. It kept me reading and deeply enthralled. You never know what to expect. So many books like this are so predictable that it takes away the thrill of the story. This book was not predictable and was a very well written. It was mysterious, enthralling, and captivating from start to finish....Stormi

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[Vesela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Приятна книжка. Изслушах я в Сторител и идеално ми се получи. Иначе едва ли бих я прочела.
2.5*

[mollusskka · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started off pretty flat despite it was opened with the finding of a dead body in a garage. Ellie was just 8 years old when she found her sister dead. But, surprisingly enough, she didn't look like an 8 yo girl to me. The way she handled the situation and how she was treated, it was so hard to believe. Why she would blame her self so much about her sister's death? It's beyond normal. If I were Ellie, I would blame my self too, but not so intense like she did. After that, I would spend some days crying until I'm tired. That's what an eight years old girl supposed to do, right?

But, hey, my patience's eventually paid off. The plot twist is amazing. And it comes to a three stars from me.

[Anna Ottersbach-McLean · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a fan. The main character was uninteresting, there were no real twists and turns, and overall it was just a bit too “American” for me. The author also kept skipping through grammatical tenses which is one of my pet peeves. A fast read, but nothing to be hyped about.

[Mary K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a memoir addict but after feeling like I’ve pretty much read every good one out there, I picked up a few suspense books. This is the first one I’ve read, ever, and I loved it. I’m a huge fan of suspense movies so it was pretty easy to get into this genre of books. I would probably prefer books where the ending is more of a surprise, as in OMG, HE did it??!! But this was an original and a page turner. You’ll probably see more reviews from me on suspense novels now.

[Lee at ReadWriteWish · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. I unashamedly love MHC. Her books are very easy to read and play out almost like a movie in my mind. However, I marked this down by 1/2 star for the ending. It felt really rushed, as if she didn't know how to finish, or was too tired to go on. In fact, the book ends with a summary (shudder) explaining how the loose ends were tied up (a little too neatly). The other thing I didn't like about the book was its multitude of unnecessary characters. There were quite a few who were introduced and had scenes for no apparent reason. I've shelved this book 'cosy mystery' despite its 'thriller' tag. The writing is not what I'd class as 'edgy' or 'out-of-the-box', and the clues to solving the mystery are not particularly deep or cryptic, giving it that 'cosy' feel. (The crime is awful, and could make you feel uncomfortable, I guess, but I didn't find it graphic or gory.) One thing I did find interesting was how the book highlights the speed of technological advances and thus using gadgets/techno babble in a book is fraught with danger. The main character updates a 'website' regularly, and these scenes seem clunky and old-fashioned already (it was published in 2002). There is a touch of romance in the book, and although I quite like how it was handled for 80% of the book, I think I could have had a touch more towards the end, just to flesh it out a bit, so to speak. Overall, I did enjoy this, and it did get me in the mood for more MHC.

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This enthralling story is a first person narrative told by Ellie Cavanaugh, the 30-year-old survivor to a murder that devastated her family when she was only 7. She is now an investigative reporter, and has twice gone to the parole board to fight the parole of the man convicted of the brutal murder of her big sister Andrea. For 23 years, she had been convinced her sister's murderer was in prison, but now he, and his extremely wealthy family, are fighting to prove her wrong.

This story twists as Ellie researches the murder, with several episodes along the way that could have turned out much nastier. The episodes only convince her that her research is bearing fruit, and it comes to a powerful conclusion.

There was only one area that was never cleared up for me, but it would probably have been a dangling teaser regardless. When Ellie's picture was displayed as an inmate in a mental hospital, she published the truth, but no more was ever mentioned, and I would have liked at least one person to say okay now we understand.

Overall though, my reaction when I finished was to say out loud "Wow!"

A masterfully told story from the "Queen of Suspense", which helps to show the ways that murder and violent crime don't affect just the victim. There is a ripple effect that takes a toll on everyone.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently I found Daddy’s Little Girl at Barnes & Noble while I was browsing and remembered reading it many years ago. My memory was “an excellent book”, so I bought it to re-read. Because my memory was so positive I put down a 5-star when I first came on GoodReads.

Just finished this as a re-read and now my views are:

Only vaguely remember the beginning and NOTHING ELSE. So, the positive is: it was like reading a new book. This I liked. But, the negative: Why did I forget 90% of the book? Loss of memory? Surely hope not.

Now, what I did not like:
Parts of this book are intermingled with trite and hackneyed pieces. Corny. Very small amounts thank goodness.

What I liked - it was a page turner! No doubt about it. Mary Higgins Clark had me guessing one way and then another, but I never foresaw what really happened. She did not disappoint with the main theme. Great suspense! I gave this a five-star from my past memory, but this time I am giving it a 4-star. Would recommend for a suspenseful quick read!

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellie was seven years old when her older sister Andrea was murdered. Now 23 years later her killer is up for parole and Ellie is determined that he stays in jail where he belongs. Rob Westerfield has always insisted that he was innocent of the murder but Ellie is set to prove him wrong. She puts up a website with the evidence that she uncovers which puts her own life in danger.

[Ceci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Once again, Mary Higgins Clark has drawn my attention to her books and the world she writes about. A very descriptive story, she again proves why she is the "Queen of Suspence".

A very thrilling story that keeps you hooked and wanting more. ~Ceci~

[Carol Gibbons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book. Good mystery. Ending pulled everything together and I like stories that end with what happened in the future and this book didn’t disappoint.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Daddy's Little Girl is not one of Mary Higgins Clark's stronger works. The slow pacing of the story is followed by a lightning quick one page wrap-up. This along with many unrealistic elements make the story a 2 to 2.5 star novel.

Ellie Cavanaugh was seven years old when her 15 year-old sister Andrea didn't return home from studying at a friends one night. Her overprotective State Trooper father and her mother were worried and spent the night frantically searching, having sent Ellie to bed. In the early hours of the next morning Ellie sneaks off to her sister's secret hangout and discovers her sister's body. Andrea had been murdered and the prime suspect was her secret boyfriend Robson Westerfield, a wealthy socialite from a prominent family. Also under suspicion is the mentally challenged boy who had a crush on Andrea, Paulie Stroebel. As well as the often drunk and inappropriate handyman Will Nebels. The evidence points to Rob and with the help of Ellie he is sent to prison. 22 years later he is up for parole and claims new evidence proves he was wrongly accused. So Ellie returns to her hometown, determined to not let the Westerfields and their fortune ruin her sisters name and pin the crime on an innocent person.

While the story was interesting I did find it a bit slow moving with many unbelievable elements. Firstly the treatment of Ellie, especially by Officer White was unrealistic. Her father had been a state trooper and 22 years ago when the crime was committed everyone thought that Rob was guilty. A big deal is made of how her father threw the eldest Mrs. Westerfield out of Andrea's funeral (which was well before any trial) because he was sure of Rob's guilt not only for his daughters murder but for the attempted murder of Mrs. Westerfield herself. The only thing that has changed in the last twenty-two years is now the drunk (and probable pedophile) Nebels is claiming to have broken into the Westerfield house on the night of the murder and seen Paulie not Rob enter the garage where the body was found. Nebels was paraded out by Rob's father and it seems like everyone knows how much his grandmother wants the Westerfield name cleared so it's unreasonable to think that the police force would be so blind as to believe them over Cavanaugh. To suggest she started the fire that nearly killed her because she grabbed some items on the way out the door was outlandish. She was a visitor to the town so it shouldn't have been suspicious that she kept her items packed. This suggests a corrupt police force that hadn't existed 22 years ago when they zealously prosecuted Rob for the murder. So why now are the police wanting to protect Rob and the Westerfield family? It didn't make sense.

Rob as a character didn't make much sense either. He is described as a sociopath by his schools and had multiple violent interactions with both schoolmates and the public (i.e the waitress). His parents paid to cover all these instances up. However I find it hard to believe that no one knew about these instances and even harder to believe that the original prosecutors would not have gotten this information for the first trial. Aside from the hand written map from the robbery, everything Ellie was able to uncover about his past behavior would have been useful for the prosecutor in the first trial. (At the time the statute of limitations would not have been up on the robbery so the testimony of a criminal in regards to the note may not have been useful). And she was very easily able to uncover all these incriminating circumstances more than 22 years after the fact. It is unrealistic and unreasonable to think that none of this would have been used in the first trial.

Of course Ellie is also not a super sympathetic character. She is constantly complaining that others perceive her as obsessed with Rob and unable to let go despite the fact that he has served his time; then goes on to admit this is true. She comes off as whiney and inflexible - not good qualities especially in an investigative reporter. At one point I believe she accuses her writing rival Bern of only focusing on the positive things about Rob and forcing the evidence to fit his theory of the crime when she is literally doing the exact same thing. She never once even entertains the idea that someone else could have committed the crime even after she is physically attacked by a drunken Nebels and Stroebel makes mysterious mentions of the locket no one else acknowledged existed. She also is cruel to her father and brother. She whines about how Rob's crime destroyed her family but admits that she was cold to her father and expected him to come after her and her mother... she was seven when they left there is no way she knew the whole story/circumstances of the move and doesn't give her father the benefit of the doubt. She doesn't come off as a good person... And why the hell can't Mary Higgins Clark ever write a female character that doesn't end up married by the end of the book. Seriously?!? Her ex-boss that doesn't even really talk to her? Of course he's literally the only single man she knows in this story so I guess he was the only option... but really. The last page of the book where she's suddenly got this happy ending: closure and a mended relationship with her dad, a successful book and now a husband- was too neat and frankly insulting to the reader.

On top of that the book lacked any real twist. The summary made it appear as if there were multiple viable suspects for the crime and that it was possible that the wrong man went to prison. The 'suspects' were a mentally challenged man and a drunk, so neither seemed that viable. The originally convicted killer was the killer and had done a lot of other things along the way (I won't get into the nonsense of all the actions he takes as a free man after 22 years because this review is already becoming a book in itself)

Overall this story is lack luster with unsympathetic and unrealistic characters, and a meandering story with a rushed and ultimately unsatisfying ending.

[A.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

©2002
Books: 2
Chapters: 46
Pages: 291

First let me begin this review by saying that I read this book back in 2015. However, after I read a book, I always try to write out my feelings on the story when I finish. Sometimes, I’m moved to write a great deal to type up later. Other times, I just feel up to writing a very basic review. I never intended for it to take me five YEARS to get it on my GoodReads account, but it has. Obviously, by now, I don’t really remember much about the story, though sometimes my notes help jog my memory. So, if the following review doesn’t really say much or deal too much with the story or plot, that’s probably because I wasn’t moved by one or the other or both to write more than I did. However, such as it is I give to you.

Book Summary: Gabrielle “Ellie” Cavanaugh is a 30-year-old investigative reporter whose job has prepared her to take on the toughest investigation of her life: her 15-year-old sister, Andrea’s, death from twenty-three years ago. The reason? Her murderer was let out on parole, and she’s convinced that, though he was convicted and given a lengthy sentence, it wasn’t enough because handsome Rob Westerfield’s not only guilty of murder but shouldn’t be allowed to roam Westchester County free. But proving her case against Rob isn’t just the toughest job she’s ever done—it’s also the deadliest.

My Review (spoiler alert!)—I don’t know why, but I just didn’t like Ellie. I never “took” to her. Usually, when you read such stories, you’re pushing for the heroine, wanting to see her come out on top, etc., but with Ellie Cavanaugh, I just didn’t really care, and I’m not exactly sure why. She isn’t overly feministic or too rude (she does have her moments, though) or anything that usually puts me off modern heroines, but I just couldn’t get into her. Actually, I didn’t really care for anyone in this book, not even the murdered sister, Andrea, whom I probably liked least of all.

That said, the ending (chapter 45) was good. I liked how her father and half-brother, Teddy, rescue her (and brought a tear to my eye, the very last paragraph of chapter 45).

I wasn’t certain how Mary Higgins Clark would finish this. Was Rob going to be “it,” or would there be a twist? Actually, I’d hoped for a twist—not because I liked Rob any but because, I guess, I didn’t like Ellie and wanted to see her knocked down a peg with a murderer she never saw coming. I wondered, if there were a twist, if her father would turn out to be “it” and this was some case of child molestation or just a very freaky overprotective father who worshiped his daughter a little TOO zealously and, in a fit of anger at being defied by “Daddy’s Little Girl,” he beat her. I didn’t see how the giggling Ellie heard worked into that scenario, but I wondered if maybe Paulie Stroebel may’ve been there.

Anyhow, it turns out to be Rob, which leads me to two questions: (1) Why the title “Daddy’s Little Girl” (the title makes it sound as if the father is somehow going to be involved in it. I know it relates to the music box, but…I don’t know—it just didn’t work for me) and (2) Why the strange ending? Chapter 45 is the “wrap-up,” when Rob’s captured in the act of trying to kill Ellie, and chapter 46 is a “one-year-later” epilog, which I felt was rather sloppily done. It was such a rushed ending, as if Mary Higgins Clark was getting bored with the story and wanted to hurry the finale along. But the one thing she didn’t really explain was why Rob used the alias “Jim Wilding”—was he supposed to be a split personality? Was he as the waitress-cum-psychiatrist said: a sociopath (in which case, why the disguise and alias? I didn’t think sociopaths worried about being caught—enough to take on an alter ego)? Was he just weird? What was his reason for BEING Jim Wilding? Did his parents know the extent of his villainy? Why did he kill “Phil”? Did she make him mad?”

There were questions left unanswered, which is why I say the epilog seemed rushed. Yes, Rob’s tried and convicted, but what gives about the Jim Wilding angle, and did his parents know he was so whacked out? And what about his cohort in the truck at the end? And what about Alfie and Dan Mayotte? Mary Higgins Clark tells us about Ellie’s marrying Pete Lawlor, which was kind of obvious as to that ending, but she didn’t tell us about the other loose ends. She introduces Amy Phyllis Rayburn and family and Dan Mayotte at the very end but doesn’t say anything other than Dan’s given a pardon. But what about the Rayburns? Did they heal the past between Dan and themselves? And what happened to Alfie? And what about Herb Coril? The statute of limitations ran out on Alfie’s case, but did he—I don’t know—get any sort of closure for his brother’s vindication or maybe bad press from being outed? And was Coril dead? Did Will Nebels do time? What about Marco Longo—did he and his wife move to Colorado after all? And what was Joan’s reaction to Rob’s actually being “it,” or how about Paulie, his mom, or Mrs. Hilmer not to mention all the people Rob hurt along the way: the women who owned that restaurant, the waitress-doctor, Chris Cassidy, et al? And how did Officer White and Detective Bannister take the news? Too many threads not tied off at the end. It would’ve been nice to read of EVERYONE’S reaction to Rob Westerfield’s being the actual killer.

Grade: B

[Данна Донку · Rating 3 out of 5]

Не изпъква на фона на всички други книги от любимата ми М.Х.Кларк. Очаквах някаква изненада на финала, обрат, вместо това убиец е ясен от самото начало. Имаше логика в разкритията и сюжета, но все пак не ме грабна.

[Miriam Rozas · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,25⭐️

Un poco decepcionante. Siendo tan corto, siento que los hechos transcurren demasiado lento. Me ha faltado tensión e intriga en esta historia. Aún así me ha gustado, no está mal.

[Brenna Gibbons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kept my interest and nicely tied all the loose ends.

[Anna Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting enough, though a little dated.
When putting out Breaking News on the Website was such a Big Thing.

[Monica Chin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The terrible tragedy of the murder of a fifteen year old girl named Andrea Cavanaugh shook the Westchester County community and brought the young girl's family to shambles. Her younger sister, only seven years old at the time, Ellie, helped to bring Andrea's killer to justice. Ellie's heartbreaking testimony put nineteen year old Rob Westerfield behind bars. Born from a wealthy respectable family, Westerfield was locked away and put his family name to shame. After serving jail-time for twenty-two years, Rob Westerfield is now on parole. On the fight to keep Rob in jail and prevent him from accusing an innocent man of his own crime, Ellie returns to her hometown to write a book to avenge her sister's death. Now an investigative reporter from the Atlanta newspaper, Ellie relentlessly uncovers more evidence, digging further into the past of Rob Westerfield, putting herself increasingly in danger of an unexpected encounter with the killer himself...

I was surprised to have liked this book a lot, it had a good pace and was very suspenseful. It was a complete page turner for me because at times it caught me off guard and each amounting evidence Ellie discovers is interesting, some unexpected. I also didn't know who was exactly the killer during some points of the book which also kept me on edge. This was a heart breaking as well as a heart warming story, especially the end which I loved.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y yo que creí que P.D.JAMES era mi idola !!
Mary Higgins Clark me ha hecho pasar horas desesperantes y llenas de misterio.
-Tuve miedo de recibir una parálisis facial o algo por el estilo - por los minutos que me pase con la boca abierta en la pagina 202

- Mamá, supón que me olvido y les hablo del medallón que llevaba. Intentaré no decirlo, pero si me olvido, no dejarás que me metan a la cárcel , ¿Verdad?


Casi dudo de Paulie Stroebel, ¿saben lo que significa eso?
Tirar por la borda todas mis magnificas investigaciones y creer que el idiota de Rob Westerfield era inocente.
- "casi es la palabra clave -
Gracias a todos los cielos que no di mi brazo a torcer tan fácilmente.

y todo por un simple par de confusas contradicciones

-¡No puedo creer que este muerta! o un -No pensé que estuviera muerta

Higgins es la reina del suspenso - porque así me dejo todo el tiempo - el misterioso Jim, el asesinato inconcluso de Andrea, los ataques de cólera de Rob y los intentos de asesinato para Ellie. Todo fríamente calculado - y sobornado - para demostrar una inocencia fingida, gracias a la pista del asesinato de otra chica - digo lamentable - las cosas tomaron su rumbo.

< - Mate a golpes a Phil y fue estupendo >

La verdad es que me encanto este libro.

[Siobhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first dealing with the author and if I’m honest I’m not one hundred percent sure where I sit.

The story is interesting from the start yet it is not the fastest moving book I have ever read. Whilst events are moving forward throughout I felt as though there was no real action. It was almost an account of things passing by which compared to other books in this genre was really disappointed. Overall, I really did expect much more action than I was given.

The story follows Ellie years after her sister, Andrea, was killed as she deals with the release of the man who killed Andrea. Honestly, there could have been many larger twists involved in the story. It wasn’t that the book was bad on that front - it simply wasn’t what I was expecting. Putting it simply, it was too predictable for me to be able to put this book in the same category as some of my other reads.

Having read this book I then went on to read more books by the author. As a whole they are good quick reads yet none of them – or at least, none of the ones I have read – are the truly gripping reads that I was hoping for.

[Rhiannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

All around, I enjoyed reading Daddy's Little Girl. I liked the simple way it was written and so it was easy to visualize the events. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the main character, Ellie. I found her to be obsessive and frankly just plain rude and careless at parts. But other than that, the book itself was quite good.