Daughter

January 15, 2022
In this contemporary drama a young woman meets her father, a psychopathic killer, for the first time. High school senior Scarlet is a good student and aspiring filmmaker with an overprotective mom. She manages bouts of anxiety with medication--and sometimes with weed--and struggles to feel worthy of guys' attention. These commonplace worries take a sudden back seat when the FBI arrives at her door and her mother is forced to reveal the truth: Scarlet is actually the daughter of a notorious serial killer, and they've been in hiding since his arrest and trial 16 years before. This fantastical premise and Scarlet's wry but vulnerable observations are compelling. Her relationship with her mom and reintroduction to her extended family are moving. There is a chilling intensity to Scarlet's visits with her father, who is terminally ill and says he will disclose the names of additional victims only to Scarlet and only if she'll agree to see him. Online articles and posts about her dad embellish the first-person narrative. A romantic subplot feels a bit tacked on at times, though the juxtaposition of the horrific details of sexual violence her father tortures her by relaying and the healthy, affirming sexual experiences Scarlet has underscores her progress in gaining confidence and understanding herself as a person who is not defined by her father's evil. Scarlet and her family are White; there is some racial diversity in secondary characters. A gripping, thoughtful, and at times disturbing psychological thriller. (Thriller. 14-18)

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August 5, 2022

Gr 9 Up-Scarlet is an anxious teen living with her single mom, when one snowy day her life takes a sharp turn. To her shock and horror, she learns her father is Jeff Lake, a famed serial killer, and her mother hid the truth to protect her. Now Lake is on his deathbed and wants to meet his daughter in exchange for providing more victim information to the FBI. Scarlet must make the difficult decision between offering the victims' families peace and keeping herself and her mother anonymous and safe. McLaughlin presents a compelling scenario, which she notes in the acknowledgment was inspired by Ted Bundy's daughter. The story is fast-paced, with short chapters and compulsive readability. However, at times, events seem to move too fast, and some characters feel underdeveloped. Scarlet's character is an emotional rollercoaster, which is reflective of her personal dilemma and journey but can sometimes read as chaotic and jarring. Scarlet's group of friends offer some characters of color and LGBTQ representation, though overall are merely background players. There are several scenes depicting drug use, sex, and necrophilia, which could be too graphic for some readers. Some elements leave more questions than answers, and Scarlet's love story feels like an unnecessary subplot. VERDICT While the premise is alluring, this might be best for a collection where crime and thrillers are in demand over a general purchase.-Kaitlin Malixi

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