The Other Daughter: A Novel [Kindle Edition]

Lisa Gardner (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In her newest, Gardner (The Perfect Husband) indulges her fascination with the dark side of family life, where the ties that bind also gag, choke and strangle. Professional event planner Melanie Stokes does not suspect that the death of a serial killer in a Texas electric chair 20 years before could have any relevance to her neatly ordered existence. But as it becomes clear that the life she's known (as the adopted daughter of Boston cardiologist Harper Stokes and his trophy wife, Patricia) is based on ugly secrets and bloody lies, her world unravels. With the help of FBI Agent David Riggs, who makes up for his lack of physical agilityAthe result of ankylosing spondylitis (bad back problems)Awith finely honed reflexes, street smarts and pure sex appeal, Melanie unearths what an intricately planned 25-year-old cover-up can't hide: the gruesome truth about her parentage. Once again, Gardner serves up suspense at a furious pace. (July)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A dark, powerful tale of nerve-shattering suspense."—Tami Hoag

"Readers get loads of angst, great procedural stuff, some hair-raising action scenes, and a villain to keep you awake at night. What more can any thriller reader want?"—Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine

"Gardner delivers a streamlined bang-up addition to the oeuvre of Tami Hoag, Karen Robards, Elizabeth Lowell and, these days, even Nora Roberts."—Publishers Weekly

"Scary, gritty, terrifying. Lock the door, leave on a light."—Oakland Press

"A page-turner."—Rocky Mountain News

“[A] suspenseful, engrossing page-turner…Totally absorbing, it’s one of those books that keeps you up late, enslaved by the ‘just one more chapter’ syndrome.” —Mystery News

“Sheer terror…a great read.”–Iris Johansen“Sheer terror…a great read.”—Iris Johansen


From the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 712 KB
• Publisher: Bantam (September 28, 2004)
• Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000FC28T4
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (175 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,325 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

New York Times #1 bestselling crime novelist Lisa Gardner began her career in food service, but after catching her hair on fire numerous times, she took the hint and focused on writing instead. A self-described research junkie, she has parlayed her interest in police procedure, cutting edge forensics and twisted plots into a streak of thirteen bestselling suspense novels, including her most recent release, Catch Me.

Readers are invited to get in on the fun by entering the annual "Kill a Friend, Maim a Mate" Sweepstakes, where they can nominate the person of their choice to die in Lisa's latest novel. Every year, one Lucky Stiff is selected for Literary Immortality. It's cheaper than therapy, and you get a great book besides. For more details, simply visit Lisa's website.

Lisa lives in New England with her family, as well as two highly spoiled dogs and one extremely neurotic three-legged cat.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A gripping tale of horror, September 14, 2001

By 

Busy Mom (Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Other Daughter (Paperback)

Well, it's not a horror story written in the Stephen King or Dean Koontz genre, but it's horrorifying enough to keep you up at night!

Melanie Stokes was adopted by the Stokes family at the age of nine, when she was discovered in the emergency room abandoned by her parents and suffering amnesia. She grows up in the family loved by her parents and brother ~~ till a Texan reporter contacts her to share with her the mystery of her past. And that's when Lisa Gardner grabs you by the hand and takes you down a lane filled with secrets that will explode when Melanie stumbles on secrets her family has been keeping from her for 20 years.

Lisa writes such a riveting suspenseful book!! Just when you think you got the murderer figured out, she takes you out for another spin on the theory idea and you're lost again. Then she takes you down other possibilities and you're on the run again. She writes with such twists and turns that you cannot put the book down.

If you're in the mood for mind games, this book is it. It is much more of a psychological thriller with a couple of murders thrown in it to keep the suspense alive. And the ending is totally unpredictable. It's such a fun book to read!!

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars It could've been better, December 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Other Daughter (Paperback)

I must say that Lisa Gardner is definetly one of those authors who fall into the category of either very hot or very cold. The first book I read, The Perfect Husband, was nothing short of never ending suspense with a believable plot. On the contrary,The Other Daughter fell way short. This book went on for way longer than it should have, and the ending was not only disappointing, but completely unbelievable. I understand it is a fiction novel, but still...she could've done better. On the bright side, the book did have some interesting and exciting areas, but they were too few and far between,except for the last few chapters of the book where everything seemed to be happening at once. I would not say this book was a total loss, but after seeing what Ms Gardner is capable of with her previous writings, I found this one to be a little disappointing.

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great from cover to cover, January 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Other Daughter (Paperback)

The author of The Perfect Husband has outdone herself! Lisa Gardner has supplied for us avid readers a spine chilling book of murder and lies.

In 1977 Russell Lee Holmes was put to death for murdering six young children. It was always speculated, but never proven that that he also had a wife and child. On the date of his death, he admits to a local reporter that he also killed 4 year old Meagan Stokes five years earlier. Also on the night he is put to death, a 9 year old child found drugged and abandoned at a Boston hospital by none other than Harper Stokes, Meagan's father. The Stokes adopt Melanie and for 20 years life is perfect.

Now 20 years later Melanie receives a call from a sleazy tabloid reporter claming she is really Russell Lee Holmes child. A coverup and conspiracy is uncovered and Melanie must turn to FBI agent David Riggs for help. Did Russell Lee Holmes kill little Meagan Stokes 25 years ago? If not, who? What happened to little Meagan and who is Melanie's brith parents?

Lisa Gardner has written a page turner that will keep you up until the end. My only question is why wasn't this published in hardback? Surely Lisa Gardner has enough readers.