Janvi Arora
The Wrong Daughter: A quick read fast apt thriller but leaves you hanging by Dandy Smith
10th February 2025, Monday
For a learning, action-packed thriller assimilated in a weekend, something like The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith might appeal to you. It manipulates one of the key psychological thriller tropes: women questioning reality, accepted by all who say, ‘It’s all in your mind.’ Yet while the premise is promising, the novel falls short in its path toward conclusion.
A Story Fueled by Doubt and Deception
Caitlin’s family are engulfed by the return of their long-lost sister, Olivia, who was kidnapped years ago, and by this woman purporting to be Olivia, she has all right details and the answers the family need, but something about her just does not feel right. As Caitlin battles her doubts, the story races ahead without pity, with psychological twist after psychological twist keeping the pages turning.
However enthralling, this book lacks the depth and development for which it has been written. It literally races so fast that there is little room for suspense to build naturally. It relies solely on shock to get the adrenaline pumping for where a slow burn and creeping dread would have normally sufficed.
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Failings of the Novel
The greatest drawback of The Wrong Daughter is the misalignment between the author’s purpose and actual delivery. Writing can be jagged; emotional beats seem exaggerated, not genuine. Characters, Caitlin included, lack the complexity needed to invest fully in their struggles. Also, the twists become expected, and by midpoint, most likely, a reader will have guessed the conclusion.
The reveal turns into an inevitability around which the plot revolves rather than a shocking twist for the final climax.
Final Say: The Thrill Is in Boredom
At its heart, The Wrong Daughter said less on psychological edges but on a rather straightforward story of a lonely woman held up in her grief. It is about a puzzle of a mind-bender that failed to qualify as really intelligent.
This is for readers who will consider a short and fast read offering some psychological deviations. Yet, anyone seeking deeper, more adult, fuller characters with twists that make readers ponder will find disappointment here. It entertains, but the sustained emotional strength and weight of narrative keep it from being memorable.
NI Bureau
Aniket Sardhana
