Not Her Daughter by Rea Frey

Mary Rea Frey, St. Martin's Griffin, Thriller

Not Her Daughter by Rea Frey

Published August 2018 – St. Martin’s Griffin

Review copy courtesy of the publisher

Description:  Emma Townsend. Five years old. Gray eyes, brown hair. Missing since June.

Emma is lonely. Living with her cruel mother and clueless father, Emma retreats into her own world of quiet and solitude.

Sarah Walker. Successful entrepreneur. Broken-hearted. Kidnapper.

Sarah has never seen a girl so precious as the gray-eyed child in a crowded airport terminal. When a second-chance encounter with Emma presents itself, Sarah takes her—far away from home. But if it’s to rescue a little girl from her damaging mother, is kidnapping wrong?

Amy Townsend. Unhappy wife. Unfit mother. Unsure whether she wants her daughter back.

Amy’s life is a string of disappointments, but her biggest issue is her inability to connect with her daughter. And now Emma is gone without a trace.

As Sarah and Emma avoid the nationwide hunt, they form an unshakeable bond. But what about Emma’s real mother, back at home? (publisher)

My take:  Sarah is deeply affected when she witnesses a little girl (Emma) being mistreated by her mother on more than one occasion. It brings to the forefront her relationship with her own mother and motivates Sarah to do something quite out of character.

Amy, mother of Emma, is one of those people you just know doesn’t feel comfortable in her own skin, her life, her relationships. It’s almost a relief when her daughter can’t be found.

This novel made me feel anxious for all involved. It’s about mothers, daughters, disappointments, devastation, resiliency. It’s a study in how parental relationships with children, especially in the early years, are so important in forming who they become later on. Could the events in Not Her Daughter happen in “real life”? I don’t know. It seemed rather improbable as I read but could I stop turning the pages? NO. I had to see how author Rea Frey resolved things. An interesting debut novel that has me has me looking forward to Frey’s next book.

 

19 thoughts on “Not Her Daughter by Rea Frey”

  1. This reminds me of a book by Susan Lewis where the social worker takes the child because of the abuse she is experiencing at home. I’d want to read on too with this one to see how it all works out.

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  4. I agree that this one does sound very compelling. I would have to know too. Maybe I need to know. Will watch for this one, Mary. 🙂

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  9. The cover made me nervous about this one but reading your review has me convinced this isn’t the book for me. It sounds compelling and well done and like a seriously gripping read but I don’t handle anxiety about children very well. I’m not sure my blood pressure could handle this one! Great review!

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