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    Dear Daughter: A Novel
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    Dear Daughter: A Novel
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    Dear Daughter: A Novel
    Audiobook10 hours

    Dear Daughter: A Novel

    Written by Elizabeth Little

    Narrated by Bonnie Dennison and Tony Daniels

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Former "It Girl" Janie Jenkins is acerbic, whip smart, and fresh out of prison. Ten years ago, at the height of her glamour and fame, she was incarcerated for the murder of her mother, a philanthropist best known for her string of rich husbands. Now, released on a technicality, Janie chops off her trademark hair, determined to chase down the one lead she has about her mother's killer. The only problem? Janie doesn't know if she's the one she's looking for.

    In an isolated South Dakota town whose secrets rival Janie's own, with the unwitting help of the locals, she pieces together a shocking picture of her mother's supposedly pristine past. On the run from the press, the police, and possibly even a murderer, Janie is forced to choose between the anonymity she craves and the truth she so desperately needs.

    A gripping debut novel, Dear Daughter follows every twist and turn as Janie unravels the mystery of what happened the night her mother died-whatever the cost.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJul 31, 2014
    ISBN9780698162310
    Unavailable
    Dear Daughter: A Novel
    Author

    Elizabeth Little

    Elizabeth Little is the author of Biting the Wax Tadpole: Confessions of a Language Fanatic. A Harvard graduate with a degree in Social Studies, she has formal training in Ancient Greek, Classical Chinese, Standard Mandarin, French, and Italian. She is currently a freelance writer and editor and lives in Los Angeles. Her website is http://www.elizabeth-little.com.

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    Reviews for Dear Daughter

    3.5/5

    227 ratings37 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 3/5
      Mixed feeling about this book - I had trouble putting it down, and I had trouble with constant eye-rolling. The story was promising, and the unpleasant narrator didn't put me off, what bothered me was the writing. It kept veering from snarky, bitchy commentary to ridiculously overwritten "look how cool I am" passages. It felt as if the author was so worried about writing in the voice of an emotionally shuttered rich bitch that she had to throw in every cutting insight this girl could possibly have. It got to the point where my eye rolling became laughing out loud at the poor writing. Some of the relationships felt unlikely - everyone welcomed this frumpy looking stranger immediately, which felt odd. I did not enjoy the rushed ending either, it seemed as though the author was wary of a happy ending, and also as if she was planning a sequel.
      All in all I think this is a novel that could have been so much better had a good editor demanded some restraint of the author and worked with her on her pacing of the plot. There is potential here, a fast paced beach or plane0ride read.
    • 4/5
      A friend of mine loaned me this book. At first, I wasn't sure I would like it, but I do! I think it is both a bit of a mystery and suspense. Janie has been convicted of her mother's murder, but she didn't do it. Unfortunately, she can't prove that she didn't do it. When she is freed, she sets out on a journey to find the answers that she desperately needs.

      The story is well-written and keeps me on my toes. However, I wish that the author, Elizabeth Little, had eliminated all the cussing because I felt that it was not adding to the story. There are other ways to express frustration, sarcasm, sadness, etc. But that aside, I think she did a good job with the storyline.
    • 4/5
      Jane murders her mother in cold blood, is found guilty, goes to jail for 10 years, then gets the case overturned due to errors at the crime lab and gets released. The fact that she is an heiress complicates her release and she goes into hiding. Because she does not remember the night her mother was killed, she was drunk and/or on drugs, she is not sure if she did it or not. Jane disguises herself and changes her name to Rebecca and sets out to find answers. Did I kill my mother or was it the person I heard arguing with her a few days earlier? What does the name Ardelle or Adeline mean? Jane is not really a likable character, but after what she has gone through and how she was raised, it is easy to see how she turned out the way she did. An enjoyable read, that gets better as you go on. Be prepared for a not so predictable ending.
    • 3/5
      One time Hollywood socialite, now convicted murderer Janie Jenkins was recently released from prison. Her conviction has been overturned ten years into her life sentence for the murder of her mother as a result of mishandled evidence by the lab and Janie is free and determined to find the real murderer of her mother. Her memory of that night is hazy at best, (copious amounts of alcohol will do that to you), and with the help of her faithful lawyer Noah, Janie sheds her beautiful "it girl" persona and follows what information she gathered in prison to a tiny mining town in South Dakota. Mining truths from lies and digging into the past, Janie uncovers shocking revelations about not only her mother, but herself as well. I have to say, this book started out slow for me. The whole first half really seemed to drag with not so much going on, it was a struggle y'all. The second half picked up tremendously and really kept me engaged, lots of discoveries and increasingly building tension. The ending was for sure a shocker, I really didn't see that coming, but I was so dissatisfied with how Janies story was wrapped up. I mean, seriously?! I don't want to give away any spoilers for all of you who haven't read it yet, but it really didn't do any justice to the plot line in my opinion. What I did enjoy about the book was Janie as a character. She was the perfect combination of crass sarcasm and dry humor, which was entertaining to say the least. The plot, though slow to get started, was solid with lots of secrets and hidden truths (essential material for any good mystery/thriller). I did enjoy the small town characters and the sexual tension between Janie and Leo was well written and fun to read. For the most part this was a fairly good read. I still think Little could have given Janie a better ending but I enjoyed the story overall.
    • 2/5
      I was anxious to read this book but I was very disappointed! I am not sure if it was the characters I didn't like or the writing style but it definitely was not for me.
    • 5/5
      Janie Jenkins was only a teenager when she was convicted of killing her socialite mother in cold blood. Ten years later, Janie is released from prison after it was discovered that faked lab results lead to her conviction. Finally free but on the run from paparazzi and reporters, who believe her conviction should never have been overturned, Janie changes her identity to find the truth about what really happened. She returns to Adeline, South Dakota on the search for the few clues she believes might lead her to find the real murderer. As she assumes the guise of a grad student doing research on Western towns developed around the gold rush, Jane discovers the neighbors and family her mother left behind, as well as the danger from which her mother may have attempted to protect her.This was a very fast paced novel with humor and an array of small town suspects, each of whom may have had his own reason to dislike Janie's (unlikeable) mother. I enjoyed the historical aspect of the novel as well as Janie's very strong and candid character, who wasn't afraid to throw out a little profanity to get her point across. The novel makes reference to pop cultural phenomena, such as social media and the paparazzi, which made the story feel sharp, up to date, and exciting.
    • 4/5
      Unsatisfying ending as far as I was concerned.
    • 4/5
      Jane Jenkins was a spoiled rich girl who murdered her mother when she was 18 - or did she? She was certainly convicted for it but ten years later the conviction was overturned thanks to a re-examination of the forensics which showed up irregularities. Jane has no memory of the events surrounding the murder - her mother's last action was to write Jane's name in blood - and most people [especially the social media] are not convinced of her innocence. When she is released from prison she escapes the press, then leaves town for a dump in South Dakota, transforming herself radically on the journey. When formerly glamorous and fashionable Jane arrives in Adeline she is the dowdy, dull Rebecca: she passes herself off as an historian but her real mission is to investigate her mother's ties to the place. Adeline is not the sort of place Jane associates with her rich society-queen mother but she suspects the town contains clues to her past and to the identity of the killer. Enlivened by TMZ pages and blog posts, the story is pacey and enjoyable: I see people have compared it unfavourably to Gone Girl but they are not the same kind of book at all except in that the female leads are strong and somewhat ruthless characters.
    • 2/5
      Jane Jenkins was accused and convicted of her mother's murder in 2003. Ten years later, she is released due to the discovery of forensic irregularities. She then sets out to find out what really happened and to try and prove her innocence.I was really keen to read this book but I was quite disappointed. Jane is an extremely annoying, spoilt brat of a character. I'm sure that's how the author meant her to be, but she was thoroughly unlikeable. However, despite that, I somehow wanted to carry on reading and find out what happened at the end. I did like the bits of interview, book extracts, media reports at the beginning of some of the chapters, and I thought they were a nice touch. Overall, I can't say I enjoyed this book - it seemed to be trying too hard to be clever but it was basically just irritating.
    • 5/5
      As I write this in late August there are 94 reviews already up at Amazon. So I'm simply going to mention five things that potential readers may want to know.1) Little is a talented author. 'Dear Daughter' does not read like a first novel. Little's style is both literate and easy to read. The novel is deftly plotted - the suspense keeps coming.2) Be warned - Jane Jenkins, the protagonist, is not a likeable person. She's clever and unpleasant, witty and sassy. Dare I say 'antisocial personality'?3) If you hated 'Gone Girl' don't go here.4) 'Dear Daughter' has a young vibe, like Janie it's hip and quirky, quick and mecurial, and it makes no promises to follow the rules.5) Avoid spoilers. Don't read the end first. And clear your calendar.(A free copy was provided by the publisher.)
    • 3/5
      Janie Jenkins was just released from prison after 10 years due to evidence tampering. She used to be like Paris Hilton: rich, frivolous, promiscuous, and spoiled, until her mother was murdered. After years of people accusing her, Janie isn't even sure if she didn't kill her mother. So she dons a disguise and sets out to investigate for herself. Her efforts lead her to a small town in South Dakota chock full of its own secrets. It seemed like her classy mother would never be caught dead there, but her connections go deeper than she ever thought possible. Janie races to find the truth, trying to outrun the bloodthirsty press, the residents intent on keeping secrets, and maybe a murderer,I was instantly drawn into Dear Daughter's story because of Janie's perspective. From the first paragraph, Janie's personality shines through whether you like her or not. (I did.) She's bitingly sarcastic, manipulative, and sometimes cruel. She has changed a lot from her charmed socialite days where her only concerns were fashions, partying, who to manipulate, and how to get her face in the media. Janie is less sure of herself and more prone to examine every angle of a situation. Despite her years in prison and the psychological toll it had on her, her quick witted and sarcastic inner monologue isn't worse for the wear. Janie is brave, but also reckless and eager to throw herself into dangerous situations.I loved the different media clips and such between the chapters: newspaper articles, text message conversations, or online posts. It added a dimension and reality to the story. The one thing that bothered me about it was no one came out in favor of her. Even the most guilty and brutal killers have die hard fans and supporters. The TMZ writer who called for vigilantism to make her pay or her crimes was crazy and added an urgency to the story. He would report on any of her whereabouts and encourage people to deliver justice.While the story is interesting and the protagonist is unforgettable, the pace of the book is off and the ending is a let down. Once she gets to the small town, the plot slows down a lot while she gathers clues and follows leads. The ending is abrupt and unsatisfying. The actual reveal of the killer was good, but everything else is trying to hard to be Gone Girl. I enjoyed most of it and I would read other books by Elizabeth Little.
    • 5/5
      Was surprised to see this book rated so low as I found it fun, smart, and twisty... a page-turner. You'll like this novel if you like a narrator who is smart and sarcastic and a bit messed up. The main character goes from teen celebrity to convicted murderer to released convict on a quest to uncover the details of her past. Very enjoyable!
    • 5/5
      "Wild child" socialite Janie Jenkins is released from prison a bit too early for some after serving several years for murdering her mother. To avoid the media she assumes a new look and goes underground. She surfaces in the small town where her mother grew up and left at an early age. Here, she attempts to reconstruct her mother's early years, find out the identity of her father and perhaps find out who her mother's killer is along the way. A compelling and fast moving novel.
    • 5/5
      Like she always said, "You can get away with anything if you wear great clothes, throw great parties, and give money to kids with cleft palates." She would have made a great pope.This book follows Jane Jenkins, a socialite who was convicted of her mother's murder only to be released ten years later on a technicality, as she searches for the person who killed her mother. She doesn't know who did it and isn't even sure if she did it or not. She ends up in a small town finding out things about her mother's past she never knew and also she'll find out something about her past as well.I loved reading from Jane's point-of-view. Jane has a great sense of humor but you could tell she uses it to try and cover up her insecurities. She has been through a lot, between spending ten years in prison and having a bad relationship with her mother. The only friend she really has is her lawyer, Noah, who seems to have some sort of quasi romantic relationship with her.I was fascinated by the people of the small town she goes to and the little secrets that seem to run through the town. Some pretty juicy stuff had happened there, nothing too big but for a small town it was big enough. I really liked the banter between Jane and Leo (the police chief) and enjoyed seeing a friendship grow between them which then led to more.I didn't really have any guesses as to who I thought had killed Jane's mother. I was just really interested in seeing everything play out and getting to find out the killer just as Jane gets to find out. The events towards the end really had me hooked and reading through this really fast. The final twist at the end at first had me shocked but when I really thought about it I guess you could probably see it coming based on previous events in the book. What happened at the end of this book is really what pushed my rating from 4 stars to 4.5 stars. I really enjoyed reading this book and have to say that it will probably be on my best of 2014 list. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the galley.
    • 4/5
      I honestly don't know what possessed me to send in a request for a review copy of DEAR DAUGHTER by Elizabeth Little. Books about "It" girls are not really my thing, and I really waver on whether I actually enjoy suspense/thrillers or whether they are just good to pass the time with. Still, no matter what possessed me at that point in time that I requested a copy, I do know that total boredom and needing to read something out of my norm possessed me to pick up DEAR DAUGHTER last nightRead the rest of this review at The Lost Entwife on August 6, 2014.
    • 3/5
      A very slow and somewhat scattered beginning as we are introduced to Jane, just getting out of prison for the murder of her mother. A media celebrity due to her outrageous stunts, drugs and boyfriends, Jane is pretty much the epitome of everything I hate about our love affairs with celebrities who have not actually done anything to earn that title.It does get interesting though, when she sets out to find out the secrets in her mothers past. A past she knew nothing about because her mother invented her own backstory. Despite a very tenuous link, one I feel was a bit random, Jane finds herself in the black hills. Now this interested me, not many stories are set there, and I found the secrets she exposes deftly handled. The story was quick moving, after the beginning and did hold my interest. Although I did not like Jane at the beginning as the book went on she proved that she could change and I found myself rooting for her.A good book, somewhat mixed with surprises plenty and an interesting look at the culture of celebrities and the paparazzi. ARC from publisher.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book! The story was engrossing, and the characters interesting. Kept me wondering until the end. The ending was not what I had hoped for, but just goes to show the surprises never stopped! Hope there's a continuation in the works!
    • 5/5
      Loved this book! Did not want it to end and when it did I was pleased with the ending. I wasn't sure I liked the main character at first (too LAish for me) but I came to appreciate her wit, humor, and intelligence. Well written, compelling, a great plot an characterization. A great light read when life is overwhelming. Looking forward to another piece of fiction by the author.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed Dear Daughter, though not as much as i hoped i would. I kept reading because i got wrapped up in the mystery of it, but i didn't find Janie herself particulary enthralling, and felt a bit more character development could have gone a long way. There were some parts that seemed especially unbelievable and forced, and others where things fell into place just a little too smoothly. I liked the book well enough, but it won't be going down as a favorite.
    • 2/5
      this story was all over the place
      And the main character is so shallow.. you can't relate to any of these characters .. not a good book at all.
    • 3/5
      Reader was good. So many names, hard to follow at times, and limited character development. Ending was abrupt.
    • 5/5
      Great! Very fun! Easy read. Laughs, sadness...full of emotion. Surprised, honestly. Hadn't heard of Elizabeth Little...but now a favorite. Started and was second guessing decision but very glad I kept with it. Full of suspense and characters that were greatly built and you loved getting to know. Will say again...great!
    • 4/5
      The ending really got me mad but it was a fun page turning suspenseful read!
    • 4/5
      Fun read, original voice, well executed.
    • 4/5
      Great beginning... It reminded me a lot of Gillian Flynn. Sadly, the ending was not that great.
    • 4/5
      entertaining, suspenful, funny.
    • 4/5
      Witty and fresh. Really enjoyed it.
    • 4/5
      Jane Jenkins was just released from prison after 10 years for the conviction of murdering her mother, a wealthy socialite. After leaving prison, Jane begins a quest to find out who really killed her mother and in the process learns more about herself. This book had some dark humor - the voice of Jane reminded me of Blair Waldorff from Gossip Girl. Really enjoyed it and couldn't put it down.

      I received an advanced copy from First to Read

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      [Dear Daughter] by Elizabeth Little2.5&#9733’sFrom The Book:Former “It Girl” Janie Jenkins is sly, stunning, and fresh out of prison. Ten years ago, at the height of her fame, she was incarcerated for the murder of her mother, a high-society beauty known for her good works and rich husbands. Now, released on a technicality, Janie makes herself over and goes undercover, determined to chase down the one lead she has on her mother’s killer. The only problem?... Janie doesn’t know if she’s the killer she’s looking for.Janie makes her way to an isolated South Dakota town whose mysteries rival her own. Enlisting the help of some new friends (and the town’s wary police chief), Janie follows a series of clues—an old photograph, an abandoned house, a forgotten diary—and begins to piece together her mother’s seemingly improbable connection to the town. When new evidence from Janie’s own past surfaces, she’s forced to consider the possibility that she and her mother were more alike than either of them would ever have imagined.My Thoughts:Jane Jenkins is a smart-alack. Every word out her mouth is laced with sass. She’s also a silver-spoon fed and bred rich girl that has been imprisoned for 10 years for the supposed murder of her equally disgusting mother. At age 27 her murder conviction has been overturned and she’s set to be released from prison. Too bad she didn’t have any lessons in how life really works in those 10 years. Jane’s conviction is overturned because of an “ongoing investigation into the deliberate mishandling of evidence by LAPD crime lab technicians.” This doesn’t mean that the general public buys her innocence though. This point of view is especially noticeable from the vicious rants of a blogger calling himself Trace Kessler who has been writing Jane letters for the past 10 years that she’d been imprisoned. Free now and with the help of her lawyer Noah Washington, Jane plans to disappear from public life somewhere near Chicago — at least this is what she’s told Noah. Jane has other ideas and is soon ensconced on an out of state train with quite another destination in mind. From this point on the stupidity takes on an entire new meaning and we begin to suspect that she just might be as guilty as sin… or at least you hope she is so she can just go back to prison and shut up! She makes believing her innocent difficult for the reader with all her “I’m smart and important and can take everything I want” attitude that she carries throughout the story making her impossible to like or feel one shred of sympathy for. Let’s see…she can be described with adjectives like bitchy, vain, annoy, shallow, and always with a need to look "hot". This seemed to be an “I loved it” or”I hated it” novel with almost no in betweens. 2.5 stars. Guess which camp I’m in.
    • 4/5
      This story begins in 2013, when Jane Jenkins is released form the Santa Bonita Women’s Center after ten years for the murder of her mother. She herself has no recollection of what happened, and she is anxious to find out for herself whether she killed her mother, or if not, who did.Jane is not a nice person, nor are most of the other characters, and as a narrator she is admittedly unreliable. However, there is a mystery presented, and the author engages us in part by interspersing newspaper stories, blog posts, and text messages throughout the story.When we finally find out what happened, the motive is unexpected, and includes a big twist at the end that is not entirely believable, but creative at least.