Nadine Finch is a forensic psychologist. Her whole career and life have been shaped by having a serial killer for a mother, a fact she keeps hidden from her colleagues. But now the truth is threatening to be revealed as a new killer is on the loose, a copycat using Nadine’s mother as inspiration.
A Killer’s Daughter is an intriguing thriller. The premise of the psychologist assisting in a case similar to her mother’s is a great way to introduce a new lead character. Being the first in a new series, author Jenna Kernan takes time to build up our knowledge of Nadine, her backstory and her personality so that we become invested in her catching the killer.
Nadine has inner strength from the past she has endured but her secret from her colleagues makes her vulnerable and anxious. Ethically I don’t think she should have got involved in the case due to her personal circumstances but I understand her determination to find the truth because it is so personal. There is a spark of romance for Nadine but due to her past she has significant trust issues.
We do see some chapters from the perspective of the killer. This serves to give us extra insight into the murders and the killer’s motives. Clues to the identity of the killer allowed me to suspect almost every character and there were plenty of twists to prevent me guessing correctly.
A Killer’s Daughter was an enjoyable serial killer thriller and I look forward to seeing what happens next in the series.
A Killer’s Daughter book description:
Who better to catch a murderer than a woman raised by one?
The beautiful young woman’s long black hair clings to her face like seaweed. As Nadine turns the body, she prays this will be different: but seeing the wounds, her prayers go unanswered. It’s just like the others. An exact match to her mother’s victims.
Keeping her head down and refusing to let anyone get close is Agent Nadine Finch’s atonement for never realising her mother Arleen was a serial killer. But when the body of a young woman is found drifting in the warm Sarasota Bay waters, right where Nadine grew up, the past she’s worked so hard to keep hidden comes calling.
Rushing to the scene, Nadine is the first to notice the circle carved around the girl’s ring finger. It’s the exact same marking Arleen left on all her victims. Suddenly, Nadine is a teenager again, watching her mother come home to their trailer in the middle of the night, covered in blood.
With a heartbroken family reeling, and no witnesses or forensic evidence, Nadine has no choice but to face her demons and visit her mother in prison. When her mother whispers a name Nadine hasn’t heard for years, the case takes a terrifyingly personal turn, and returning home, the bag of bloodied clothes left on Nadine’s bed tells her someone is watching her every move…
With her dark family history out in the open, it’s not long before suspicion falls on Nadine herself. As her team turn against her, the closer she gets to her mother and this case, the more danger she’s in. Time is running out. Can she catch the killer—or will she be the next victim of this dark family legacy?
An unputdownable thriller that will have you racing through the pages until the final, jaw-dropping twist. Perfect for fans of Rachel Caine, Lisa Gardner and Mary Burton.
Author Bio:
Publishers Weekly bestselling author Jenna Kernan is a two-time RITA nominee and winner of the Book Buyers’ Best award. Prior to signing with Bookouture, she published over thirty novels including her popular APACHE PROTECTOR series. Jenna is a member of numerous writing groups, including International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Florida Mystery Writers and Novelists, Inc. She frequently attends conferences on police procedure at the Writers Police Academy and MurderCon. Jenna currently lives on Florida’s Gulf Coast with her husband. A natural redhead, she has recently increased her sunblock to SPF 50.
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