As one of the first stops on the Zooloo’s Book Tours book tour, I’m thrilled to share my thoughts on Alesha Dykema’s latest release, The Daughter. My sincere thanks to Zooloo’s Book Tours and Joffe Books for the opportunity to take part and for supplying a digital review copy.
About the book
I won’t let my four-year-old daughter Skylar go through what I had to. I won’t let my father do to her what he did to me and my sister.
I know how to play the good daughter. The perfect mother. The wife who smiles on cue.
But you don’t grow up in a house like mine without learning how to survive—how to keep secrets buried so deep they almost stop hurting.
Almost.
Last night I finally did something unforgivable. I tried to kill my father.
Only . . . my mom picked up the wrong glass.
Now she’s lying in a hospital bed, unconscious. And I’m the dutiful daughter by her side, pretending to be shocked . . .
Published by Joffe Books, The Daughter by Alesha Dykema is released on 27 January 2026 and can be found at all the usual outlets. The ebook and paperback editions are available now. *also included with Kindle Unlimited.
If you’d like to read more reviews or see how readers are rating this psychological thriller, take a look at Goodreads. You can also follow the rest of the book tour over at Zooloo’s Book Tours, where you’ll find the full schedule and other bloggers’ thoughts.
About The Author
Alesha Dykema is a thirty-something-year-old author of thriller novels.
She lives in the dreadful Midwest with her strange husband, head-banging toddler son, a neurotic dog, and warden cat.
Besides writing, Alesha loves to read (like every other author in the world). Alesha is also a health and fitness junkie and a dabbler in furniture refinishing. She is extremely anti-social and wishes she lived off-grid in the middle of the woods, but her husband hates good ideas and happiness and won’t allow this to happen.
Even though she’s pretty anti-social, she still likes to make new friends and have casual chats about people’s childhood traumas.
You can find out more on Alesha’s website aleshadykema.com and also on Facebook and Instagram
My Review
The silence within a broken family
The Daughter is a dark, emotionally charged psychological thriller that immediately draws you in and settles under your skin. From the outset, there’s a constant undercurrent of tension, driven not just by the events unfolding on the page, but by the heavy sense of history surrounding this fractured family.
The characters are richly drawn and deeply believable, each shaped by a past that feels oppressive and inescapable. What struck me most was the way the story invites you to think about what came before — the moments and experiences that are never fully spoken aloud, yet loom over every interaction. The novel hints at damage far more profound than simple control or dysfunction, suggesting something much darker beneath the surface. That silence, that refusal to fully name what has happened, creates a lingering unease that is incredibly effective.
The plot itself is expertly constructed and steadily paced, revealing layers at just the right moments while maintaining a strong emotional core. The tension builds not through shock alone, but through atmosphere, implication, and the weight of unspoken truths. It’s a story that keeps you engaged while quietly demanding your attention, encouraging you to read between the lines and sit with the discomfort it creates.
This is a powerful and absorbing psychological thriller, driven by complex characters and an unsettling family dynamic that stays with you long after the final page. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would wholeheartedly recommend The Daughterto readers who appreciate dark, emotionally intense stories that explore the lasting impact of trauma and the things families choose not to say.
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See About My Reviews and Review FAQ for full star rating explanations and review guidelines. This review may also appear on my social media channels and selected book platforms. All links were correct at the time of publication. Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book via Zooloo’s Book Tours, thanks to Joffe Books. This review reflects my own reading experience. This review is original content. Please credit and link back if you wish to quote.
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