Somebody's Daughter

by David Bell

Overview

A man must save the life of a little girl who may be his own flesh and blood in this pulse-pounding novel of psychological suspense from the USA Today bestselling author of Kill All Your Darlings.

When Michael Frazier’s ex-wife, Erica, unexpectedly shows up on his doorstep, she drops a bombshell that threatens to rip his family apart: Her ten-year-old daughter is missing—and Michael is the father. Unsure whether this is the truth but unwilling to leave the girl’s fate to chance, Michael has no choice but to follow the elusive trail of the child he has always wanted but never knew he had.

Over the course of one night, lies that span a decade come bubbling to the surface, putting Michael, his wife, and his whole family in jeopardy. And as the window for a little girl’s safe return closes, Michael will have to decide who can be trusted and who is hiding the truth....

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399586057
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	07/10/2018
Pages:	432
Sales rank:	700,167
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.80(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

David Bell is a USA Today bestselling, award-winning author whose work has been translated into multiple foreign languages. He’s currently a professor of English at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he directs the MFA program. He received an MA in creative writing from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and a PhD in American literature and creative writing from the University of Cincinnati. His previous novels include Kill All your Darlings, The Request, Layover, Somebody’s Daughter, Bring Her Home, Since She Went Away, Somebody I Used to Know, The Forgotten Girl, and Cemetery Girl.

Read an Excerpt

Chapter one
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Somebody's Daughter"
by .
Copyright © 2018 David Bell.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Reading Group Guide

Somebody’s Daughter
David Bell
Questions for Discussion

1.Michael has had no contact with his ex-wife, Erica, since they divorced a decade earlier. Are you surprised they haven’t been in touch? Do you think it is unusual for people to have a “starter marriage” like this one?

2.Erica chose not to tell Michael about Felicity because she wanted to prove she could raise a child on her own and be mature and responsible. Do you understand her reasoning? Or do you think she should have told Michael, since he was likely the child’s father?

3.Angela, suspicious of Erica when she shows up out of the blue, tries to talk Michael out of going with Erica. Would you have objected to Michael’s going with his ex-wife if you were Angela? Do you understand why Michael wants to go with Erica to look for Felicity? How much do you think this might be related, even subconsciously, to Michael’s feelings about his deceased sister?

4.Angela learns that Gail has been in contact with Erica. She has even met with her and met Felicity. Do you understand why Gail wanted to see Erica in person and learn more about Felicity? Do you blame her for cutting Erica off? Was she right not to tell Michael or Angela?

5.Detective Griffin becomes emotionally involved in Felicity’s case, going as far as to overstep her bounds as a police officer. Do you understand why she cares so much? Do you blame her for anything she does?

6.Angela and Jake Little join forces to try to track down Michael and Erica. Do you understand why they form this unlikely partnership? Do they share the feeling of being somewhat jealous of and concerned about Michael and Erica’s relationship?

7.Michael and Angela are struggling to have a child of their own. Do you think that makes Michael’s desire to find Felicity more powerful? What would it be like for Angela to have to adapt to Michael’s having had a child with another woman?

8.We learn early in the book that Michael’s sister died in an accident. How do you see Robyn’s death affecting Michael’s family nearly two decades later?

9.Lynn’s initial goal is to learn who Felicity’s father really is. Do you understand why Lynn has an intense desire to prove Felicity’s paternity?

10.Erica admits that at times she feels overwhelmed by the pressures of being a single mother. Is it understandable that sometimes she wanted to leave her responsibilities to Felicity behind? Do you think all single parents feel this way at some point?

11.We learn that Robyn’s death wasn’t exactly the accident the family thinks it was. How much do you blame Lynn for what happened that day on the swing? Do you blame Michael for not keeping a better eye on his sisters? Do you blame Michael’s parents—especially his father—for favoring Robyn and making the other children jealous?

12.With all that they’ve learned, what challenges do Michael and Angela face at the end of the book?

Editorial Reviews

05/21/2018
Michael Frazier, the hero of this riveting thriller from Bell (Bring Her Home), has a nearly ideal life in his hometown of Cottonsville, Ky., until the evening his frantic ex-wife, Erica, appears at his door and pleads for his help in finding her missing nine-year-old daughter, Felicity, who she claims is also Michael’s daughter. Uncertain whether she’s his child but hopeful she might be, Michael follows Erica into the night in the hope of saving Felicity. Also searching for Felicity are Jake Little, Erica’s former lover and possibly Felicity’s father, who’s not afraid to engage in kidnapping and assault to achieve his ends, and Davenport County police detectives Erin Giffin and Jim Twitchell, who are desperately trying to sort out the false leads from the real clues to the girl’s disappearance. Michael’s long night will challenge his understanding of the past and the people he thought he knew. Bell turns an ordinary life into a tense roller-coaster ride filled with unexpected twists and turns. Author tour. Agent: Laney Katz Becker, Lippincott, Massie, McQuilkin Literary. (July)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Somebody’s Daughter

“A tautly told, heart-pounding read, Somebody’s Daughter is a page-turning whodunit where every character’s a suspect and no one can be trusted.”—Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl and Every Last Lie

“Bell escorts readers on a ride-along through 12 adrenalin-charged hours as his characters track multiple leads in the search for a missing child...[a] heart-poundingly addictive thriller until the final page.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“[A] riveting thriller...Bell turns an ordinary life into a tense roller-coaster ride filled with unexpected twists and turns.”—Publishers Weekly
 
“Bell puts a new twist on the missing-child theme in this fast-paced narrative that spans just 12 hours.”—Booklist 

“Somebody’s Daughter is a compulsive, twisty, race-against-the-clock thriller. But it’s also a sensitive meditation on what connects us to each other—and what we’ll do to hold on when life tears us apart. Don’t miss this smart and unrelenting page-turner!”—Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of The Red Hunter

“Somebody’s Daughter by David Bell is compulsively readable with surprises that gripped me from start to finish. With nerve-shattering suspense, this well-crafted tale builds to an unexpected, chilling ending.”—Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Weight of Silence and Not a Sound

“With razor sharp prose and a satisfyingly twisty plot, Somebody’s Daughter is an intense, emotional thrill ride readers won’t want to miss!"—Karen Dionne, author of the international bestseller The Marsh King's Daughter

“Somebody’s Daughter is both plausible and pulsating, a psychological thriller that hits perilously close to home.”—Craig Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of the Walt Longmire Mysteries (the basis for the Netflix drama Longmire)

“Full of surprising twists, Somebody’s Daughter hooks you from the start and draws you into a tale of secrets, lies, and lives haunted by the past. A suspenseful—and poignant—thriller.”—Meg Gardiner, Edgar Award-winning author of Unsub and Into the Black Nowhere

“David Bell never disappoints. Somebody’s Daughter is a stunner, full of twists and turns and duplicitous motivations. Bell’s solid storytelling is as sharp and scary as ever. Fans of Harlan Coben will love this one.”—J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of Lie to Me

Praise for David Bell and his novels
 
“[Bell is] a bang-up storyteller.”—The Cleveland Plain Dealer 

“A taut gem...straight out of the psychological thriller territory blazed by the likes of Harlan Coben and Lisa Gardner.”—The Providence Journal
 
“A thriller about family secrets that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.”—News and Sentinel (Parkersburg, WV)
 
“A natural storyteller and a superb writer.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Nelson DeMille
 
“One of the brightest and best crime fiction writers of our time.”—Suspense Magazine
 
“David Bell writes spellbinding and gripping thrillers that get under your skin and refuse to let go.”—New York Times bestselling author Linwood Barclay
 
“An intense, unrelenting powerhouse of a book, and the work of a master.”—New York Times bestselling author John Lescroart
 
“David Bell writes taut, intelligent, and intense suspense that is deeply human.”—New York Times bestselling author Mark Greaney
 
“[A] twisty, realistic thriller.”—Houston Chronicle
 
“[A] tantalizing thriller...Bell keeps readers on edge throughout.”—Publishers Weekly
 
“A master storyteller with a sure hand at crafting characters you feel for and stories you relish.”—USA Today bestselling author Allen Eskens
 
“An absolutely riveting, absorbing read not to be missed.”—New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger

From the Publisher