Title: DAUGHTER OF MINE
Author: Megan Miranda
ISBN: 9781668055717
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 368
Source: Private Copy
When Hazel Sharp, daughter of Mirror Lake’s longtime local detective, unexpectedly inherits her childhood home, she’s warily drawn back to the town—and people—she left behind almost a decade earlier. But Hazel’s not the only relic of the past to a drought has descended on the region, and as the water level in the lake drops, long-hidden secrets begin to emerge…including evidence that may help finally explain the mystery of her mother’s disappearance.
Official Summary
09 September 2025
I spent a lot of time reading Megan Miranda’s books last year, yet for some reason, this is my first Miranda book for 2025.
Megan Miranda has once again delivered an atmospheric, slow-burning thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. Daughter of Mine is a beautifully layered story about family secrets, unresolved grief, and the haunting weight of the past. It’s equal parts mystery and emotional drama, and I absolutely loved it.
Hazel Sharp returns to Mirror Lake after unexpectedly inheriting her childhood home, a place she deliberately left behind almost a decade ago. From the moment she steps back into this small, tightly knit community, there’s an undeniable tension in the air. But when a drought causes the lake’s water levels to drop, long-buried secrets begin to surface — quite literally — including potential clues about her mother’s mysterious disappearance years earlier.
I loved Hazel as a protagonist. She’s guarded, flawed, and incredibly real, and the way she struggles to balance old wounds with her need for closure made her easy to connect with. Miranda does a wonderful job capturing the complicated dynamics between family members, former friends, and a community that seems to remember everything Hazel wishes she could forget.
The setting is another star of the book. Mirror Lake is moody, atmospheric, and brimming with unease, and the drought only heightens the sense of creeping dread. Megan Miranda has a gift for creating a place that feels alive — the kind of town where whispers travel fast, everyone knows each other’s business, and yet no one ever really tells the whole truth.
The mystery unfolds at a steady pace, and I found myself completely absorbed, constantly questioning who to trust and what really happened all those years ago. Just when I thought I had it figured out, Miranda slipped in subtle twists that made me rethink everything. By the time the revelations came, I was completely invested, and the ending felt both satisfying and haunting.
Daughter of Mine is more than just a missing-person mystery — it’s a story about family, identity, and the shadows we can’t outrun. Megan Miranda has blended suspense with emotional depth, delivering a captivating, atmospheric thriller that I couldn’t put down.
If you enjoy slow-burn mysteries filled with buried secrets, a moody lakeside setting, and complex family drama, this book is an absolute must-read.
Also by Megan Miranda
THE LAST TO VANISH
Ten years ago, Abigail Lovett fell into a job she loves, managing The Passage Inn, a cozy, upscale resort nestled in the North Carolina mountain town of Cutter’s Pass. Cutter’s Pass is best known for its outdoor offerings—rafting and hiking, with access to the Appalachian trail by way of a gorgeous waterfall—and its mysterious history. As the book begins, the string of unsolved disappearances that has haunted the town is once again thrust into the spotlight when journalist Landon West, who was staying at the inn to investigate the story of the vanishing trail, then disappears himself.
Abby has sometimes felt like an outsider within the community, but she’s come to view Cutter’s Pass as her home. When Landon’s brother Trey shows up looking for answers, Abby can’t help but feel the town closing ranks. And she’s still on the outside. When she finds incriminating evidence that may bring them closer to the truth, Abby soon discovers how little she knows about her coworkers, neighbors, and even those closest to her.
Megan Miranda brings her best writing to The Last to Vanish, a riveting thriller filled with taut suspense and shocking twists that will keep you guessing until the very end.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Megan Miranda is the New York Times bestselling author of Such a Quiet Place, All the Missing Girls, The Perfect Stranger, The Last House Guest, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick, and The Girl from Widow Hills. She has also written several books for young adults, including Come Find Me, Fragments of the Lost and The Safest Lies. She grew up in New Jersey, graduated from MIT and lives in North Carolina with her husband and two children.
It’s been ages since I read a Megan Miranda book. I hope you enjoy this one. Are you a fan? Which is your favourite book? Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you. Until next time… Happy Reading!
