The Stepdaughter: An addictive suspense novel packed with twists and family secrets

Georgina Cross

Sep 2020 · Bookouture

About this ebook

It’s a normal afternoon when I walk out the patio doors of our kitchen to check on Mia, my stepdaughter, who is swimming in our backyard pool. But she’s gone. My heart stops when I see the back gate is open, her pink, fluffy towel lying folded on a chair. I was just feet away. Why didn’t I hear her scream? Who took our little girl?

 

My husband can’t understand how I could have let his daughter disappear. And when the police come asking questions, I wish I could wind back time to that normal afternoon when I was cooking lasagna for my family, Mia’s favorite. I can tell the officers don’t believe me: they’ve cast me as the evil stepmother.

 

I just wish I could understand the messages I’ve found from my husband on Mia’s phone: I’m so sorry, I still love you. And why his wedding ring is found at the bottom of the pool after Mia disappeared. He never told me it was missing. What else is he hiding?

 

But the detective keeps asking me where I was during those ten minutes when Mia vanished. And I can’t tell her my secret. From the way she’s looking at me, I know she thinks I did something to my stepdaughter. Mia and I haven’t always been that close and sometimes she drives me nuts, just like any normal teenager, but I would never hurt her.

 

I just need you to believe me.

 

A twisty novel packed with unputdownable suspense about the power and damage of secrets we hide. Perfect for anyone who was totally hooked by The Mother-in-Law, Kerry Fisher and Big Little Lies. 

 

Readers are utterly gripped by The Stepdaughter!

 

“Wow!! Where do I begin? What an absolutely gripping, intense psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, flying through the pages and full of suspense!!… I cannot wait to read more books by the very talented Georgina Cross who I will definitely be adding to my top authors list!!! A mind-blowing, suspense-filled, psychological, page-turning thriller!!!” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Wowser! This was a fast mover. I literally read The Stepdaughter in two sittings and don’t know where today went… I think I suspected just about everyone at some point… I’d definitely recommend this book to fast-paced psychological thriller lovers. It’s not one to be missed. Be prepared to lose time once you start reading!” NetGalley Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Awesome book! I Absolutely LOVED this book!! I liked the characters and the story was so good, the ending got me. All in all, a Great read.” NetGalley Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Oh my word what a brilliant book this is, it got me interested from the very first page… and soon became a fast-paced psychological thriller which I couldn’t put down. It was extremely well written, excellent characters, brilliantly addictive. I was holding my breath until the very last page, all this with an ending I didn’t guess.” NetGalley Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Took off like a bullet and never let up the whole time… Had me hooked from the beginning… The ending was amazing – I never saw any of that coming… Clear your schedule because once you pick it up you won’t be able to put it down… You will read it again and again because one time just won’t be enough.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“So good that I finished this book in one go! A real rollercoaster ride type of thriller, fast paced with so many twists and turns in each chapter that will send your mind reeling… I was so hooked into the story that I didn’t even know I could finish the book that fast!” Tropical Girl Reads ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Gripping, fast paced and filled with twists and turns. I immensely enjoyed this thrill-ride of a book. Had me on the edge of my seat, holding my breath to find out what was coming.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I spent the whole book changing my mind about what happened and who was responsible and did not ever draw the right conclusions on this one. It’s a great read and I can see this becoming a TV series.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Had me hooked at page one and soon became a fast-paced thriller, filled with twists and turns along the way… A thrilling ride with a surprising ending not many people would predict… Thoroughly recommend.” Crease in the Spine Books

“What a debut it is! I was hooked immediately, and the story flowed seamlessly as I was led down a dark and twisty path of secrets and deception… A highly enjoyable and compulsive read that kept me guessing until the very end… An author to watch.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Great read!!… Outstanding writing and it kept me hooked right until the last twist on the last page!” NetGalley Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ratings and reviews

I was immediately drawn to The Stepdaughter from the blurb and knew I just had to read it. It had always been in the back of my mind, ever since I was first made aware of it, so when Bookouture announced that it was available to request, I could not get to NetGalley quick enough to get my advanced copy! The only downside was, I was still in the middle of reading another book which I then could not finish quick enough! My sincere apologies go out to that author! In terms of the plot, Georgina Cross has created such an intense story of every parent’s worst nightmare. On multiple occasions, I was gripping the Kindle so hard, furiously flicking through the pages to see how it was all come together, which it does so spectacularly! In regards to the characters, they have all been created perfectly and so brilliantly written, that they all just jump off the page. Each evoked so many emotions within me as did the story, so I was completely exhausted when I finished reading it. As far as debut novels go Georgina Cross has nailed it! She has created a fresh and well thought out story that gets your attention right off the bat. It is extremely well executed with no plot holes, has just the right amount of characters, is so beautifully written and best of all, has short chapters, each ending with you wanting more, which is always a massive plus for me. There are also no unnecessary filler chapters which makes it flow really well and a quick read. This book is just pure gold and I absolutely loved it! There are some books out there that will just hold you hostage never letting you go until the final page and The Stepdaughter is one of those books! I was completely under it’s spell and just could not get enough, which resulted in me devouring it in one sitting. If you love a book that is gripping, compelling with some great twists and turns to keep you on your toes, then this is definitely the book for you! I have read a few debut’s this year, but I have to say that The Stepdaughter is the best I have read out of the bunch. Georgina Cross is a natural born storyteller and definitely an author that is now on my radar as one to watch. I could just keep going on with this review and gushing about this book until the sun goes down, but you get the idea so it will come as no surprise that this will be part of my best books for 2020! It was an absolute pleasure to read and review The Stepdaughter which I can not recommend highly enough! Public Service Announcement! If you are like me and check to see how many chapters there are in a story, before you start, do not do that with this book as it does give something away as they are titled. In saying that, it did not ruin the story for me in any way and was still a thrilling read with surprises. Oh and by the way there are 63 chapters. You’re welcome! Thank you to Georgina Cross, Bookouture and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Stepdaughter which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

One normal afternoon when Vanessa walks out the patio doors of her kitchen to check on Mia, her stepdaughter, who is swimming in our backyard pool, she finds her missing. She is in shock as she was watching over her and was distracted just for a few minutes due to the fire at her neighbour, Julia's, house. Her husband, Tripp, can’t understand how she could have let his daughter disappear. And when the police come asking questions, the officers don’t believe her, as they’ve cast her as the evil stepmother. But then she discovers the messages from her husband on Mia’s phone: I’m so sorry, I still love you. And when his wedding ring is found at the bottom of the pool after Mia disappeared, she realises he is hiding something since he never told her it was missing. Though Vanessa has a secret of her own, apart from the fact that Mia and she haven’t always been that close, she is adamant that she would never hurt Mia. All Vanessa needs is everyone to believe her. This book was simply amazing. It was such a quick read and it was enjoyable right till the end. All the characters were well written and each of them had a significant contribution to the plot. It was well narrated through the alternate versions of Vanessa, Mia and Julia, with a few by the investigating officer Angela. There was quite a few twists in the story that holds the suspense right till the end. At some point, I did have a suspicion as to who might have done it but it did not spoil my reading at all since there were quite a lot a surprises that I couldn't guess. Overall, an thoroughly enjoyable read. Highly Recommended!

The Stepdaughter by Georgina Cross A 13-year-old missing A fire next door Police called in Secrets aplenty Where is Mia? What happened to her? Is someone to blame? If so, who? This story is told from multiple viewpoints beginning with Mia in the prologue. With each page a bit more is revealed as the truth slowly is eked out in a way that reveals all. This was not an uplifting happy read for me though I found it well written it left me feeling sad. What I liked: * The way the story was written and the plotting * The twists and turns the story took * Mia – typical of her age and so undeserving of what happened * Liked and didn’t like that I had trouble liking Mia’s parents or the parents neighbors – they all left me cold and though I understood them and sympathized a bit with some of them I never warmed to or came to like them. * Angela: a homicide detective that did not give up. She stayed on the scent to the end and got it right…or nearly so. I can see her in a series of her own * That everything was tied up nicely at the end of the story * reading the last page and leaving the characters behind – would not choose any of them to be personal friends…well…except maybe the police and fire department people met in the story and Charlotte – an older woman who was pivotal to the story. What I did not like: * Realizing that this could all too easily happen in real life and knowing that such dysfunction and drama occurs more often than we realize. Did I enjoy this book? Yes and no Why no? it was darker than I needed to read today Why yes? It was well written and a great debut novel Would I read more by this author? I think I would Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review. 4—5 Stars