Thrillers & Suspense
![David Bell - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B00541ST3A.jpg)
Somebody's Daughter
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....
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....
Editorial Reviews
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."-T...
"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."-T...
Readers Top Reviews
vickveeSusanErin Tim
An excellent book!! Recommend highly. This book is a roller coaster ride.! Loved it! David Bell at his best!
Katie E. O'Leary
Not only my favorite David Bell novel (so far), but one of my favorite novels ever!! Usually I set an alarm so I can set aside an hour for leisure reading in the morning, but with this one, I was already up and reading well ahead of my alarm (not to mention staying up past my bedtime). I especially love the characters, and found myself more invested in their lives with every page. Cannot wait for a second read!
Tamara Ligon
I love a book when I get invested in the characters and can feel their emotions. This was one of those books that takes you on a roller coaster ride. I couldn't predict what would happen next. I haven't read a book I enjoyed this much since Flynn's Gone Girl. I always enjoy Bell's ability to make you feel in the moment. I especially enjoyed this book and how he made you feel his character's emotions. I would love to see this book made into a movie. It is my favorite Bell book now.
Linda S Moore
This was such a good book. My first by David Bell and will not be my last. It drew me in and would not let go. I actually stayed awake later that I usually do reading. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Edge of your seat, pulse pounding, heartfelt, thriller. You don’t want to miss this book.
Nancy J. Cohen
A great whodunnit mixing twists in family communications and lingering guilt over a young girl’s death. Robyn has been deceased for a long time. An infant disappeared 9 years ago. Now, a nine-year old, the daughter of a single mom, is lost. One man claims paternity, but who is the bio-Dad? Imagine your ex-wife showing up, disrupting a loving home with the declaration that the missing child is yours. Robyn haunts this story, but intermingled is the lasting pain of failed marriages and miscarriages. The mystery is well written, not a sweet story but one of pain. A page turner.
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter one
Tuesday, 8:16 p.m.
The doorbell rang shortly after eight o'clock.
The doorbell almost never rang. Certainly not so late in the evening.
From the kitchen, Michael heard the scrape of silverware against plates, the opening and closing of the refrigerator as Angela put the leftovers away in preparation for Michael doing the dishes. It was their usual, long-agreed-upon routine for nights when she cooked.
Then the doorbell rang. At first the sound was so small, so distant and surprising, that Michael decided he'd imagined it. An auditory hallucination. Maybe two glasses clanked against each other in the kitchen, and he just thought it was the doorbell.
But then the bell rang again. Two times in a row. An insistent ringing, a sound that said someone outside meant business about getting their attention.
Angela appeared in the kitchen doorway. Her hair was pulled back off her face, and she held her hands away from her body as though they were wet or dirty.
"Who is that?" she asked.
"I'm not expecting anyone."
"Can you get it? My hands are dirty."
"I've got it," Michael said. He looked at his watch. Eight sixteen. "Probably a kid selling something."
"A determined kid, apparently," Angela said as the bell chimed again. She smiled. "They must know who they're dealing with."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Michael held back a laugh as he said it. He knew exactly what Angela meant.
"They know you're an easy mark," she said. "You always buy from them. Candy bars, magazines. They love you."
"Should you go answer, then?" he asked. "You can be the bad cop, and I'll watch baseball."
"I don't mind what you do," she said, smiling wider. "I like that these kids know how to push your buttons."
"Admit it. You don't mind eating the chocolate I buy."
"Touche."
Michael started for the door.
"Hey," Angela said, stopping him. "Did you call your sister yet?"
"Not yet."
"Don't forget, okay? This is a big deal. Lynn's coming up on five years cancer free."
"I know, I know. You sent flowers, right?"
"Yes. But you still need to call. It will mean a lot to her."
"I will. I promise."
Michael felt light as he walked to the front of the house. He looked forward to watching some of a baseball game or maybe reading a book. He felt encouraged as he reflected on the continued good news about Lynn's health. Next week, he and Angela were going away, a trip to St. Simons Island, just the two of them. Summer was good. Languid. Less work. If they relaxed more, if they got the time away, maybe they'd finally have luck in their ongoing struggle to have a child.
If not, he wasn't sure how things would play out. He and Angela were both feeling the strain, the weight it was adding to their marriage. He hated that sex had become a chore, a duty to be performed with the specific goal of producing a baby. Michael so wanted to get back to normal.
Michael entered the foyer and opened the front door. The sun was dropping, the horizon orange and hazy with the heat that brushed across his face. Someone was grilling, the rich odor of sizzling meat reaching his nostrils.
It took him a moment to comprehend the reality of the figure on his porch. She paced from one side to the other, a cigarette in her mouth, arms crossed.
He couldn't find the words. He didn't know the words.
So he just said, "What the hell?"
She stopped pacing, removed the cigarette. She looked scared, haunted. Her eyes wide and flaring. "I need you, Michael. I need your help."
"I don't understand. Why are you even here?"
She took a step toward him, gesturing with the hand that held the burning cigarette. Michael caught a whiff of the smoke, leaned back as the cigarette came closer to his body.
She dropped it on the porch. The ash sparked as it hit the ground.
"I just need your help, Michael."
"You need to back up, Erica. You need to-you need to leave."
"Michael. My daughter. Someone kidnapped my daughter this morning."
Chapter 2
"What is it, Michael?" Angela called from the kitchen. "Chocolate? Magazines?"
"I've got it," Michael said, his voice hollow and barely audible.
Michael moved onto the porch, pulling the door shut behind him. Erica stepped back, allowing Michael room. She started digging in the pocket of her jeans, which were dark and fitted, and brought out more cigarettes. While she shook one loose from the pack and flicked her thumb against the lighter, Michael took her in, observing the changes ten years had etched on his ex-wife. Some lines had formed around her eyes, some skin hung looser beneath her chin, but her should...
Tuesday, 8:16 p.m.
The doorbell rang shortly after eight o'clock.
The doorbell almost never rang. Certainly not so late in the evening.
From the kitchen, Michael heard the scrape of silverware against plates, the opening and closing of the refrigerator as Angela put the leftovers away in preparation for Michael doing the dishes. It was their usual, long-agreed-upon routine for nights when she cooked.
Then the doorbell rang. At first the sound was so small, so distant and surprising, that Michael decided he'd imagined it. An auditory hallucination. Maybe two glasses clanked against each other in the kitchen, and he just thought it was the doorbell.
But then the bell rang again. Two times in a row. An insistent ringing, a sound that said someone outside meant business about getting their attention.
Angela appeared in the kitchen doorway. Her hair was pulled back off her face, and she held her hands away from her body as though they were wet or dirty.
"Who is that?" she asked.
"I'm not expecting anyone."
"Can you get it? My hands are dirty."
"I've got it," Michael said. He looked at his watch. Eight sixteen. "Probably a kid selling something."
"A determined kid, apparently," Angela said as the bell chimed again. She smiled. "They must know who they're dealing with."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Michael held back a laugh as he said it. He knew exactly what Angela meant.
"They know you're an easy mark," she said. "You always buy from them. Candy bars, magazines. They love you."
"Should you go answer, then?" he asked. "You can be the bad cop, and I'll watch baseball."
"I don't mind what you do," she said, smiling wider. "I like that these kids know how to push your buttons."
"Admit it. You don't mind eating the chocolate I buy."
"Touche."
Michael started for the door.
"Hey," Angela said, stopping him. "Did you call your sister yet?"
"Not yet."
"Don't forget, okay? This is a big deal. Lynn's coming up on five years cancer free."
"I know, I know. You sent flowers, right?"
"Yes. But you still need to call. It will mean a lot to her."
"I will. I promise."
Michael felt light as he walked to the front of the house. He looked forward to watching some of a baseball game or maybe reading a book. He felt encouraged as he reflected on the continued good news about Lynn's health. Next week, he and Angela were going away, a trip to St. Simons Island, just the two of them. Summer was good. Languid. Less work. If they relaxed more, if they got the time away, maybe they'd finally have luck in their ongoing struggle to have a child.
If not, he wasn't sure how things would play out. He and Angela were both feeling the strain, the weight it was adding to their marriage. He hated that sex had become a chore, a duty to be performed with the specific goal of producing a baby. Michael so wanted to get back to normal.
Michael entered the foyer and opened the front door. The sun was dropping, the horizon orange and hazy with the heat that brushed across his face. Someone was grilling, the rich odor of sizzling meat reaching his nostrils.
It took him a moment to comprehend the reality of the figure on his porch. She paced from one side to the other, a cigarette in her mouth, arms crossed.
He couldn't find the words. He didn't know the words.
So he just said, "What the hell?"
She stopped pacing, removed the cigarette. She looked scared, haunted. Her eyes wide and flaring. "I need you, Michael. I need your help."
"I don't understand. Why are you even here?"
She took a step toward him, gesturing with the hand that held the burning cigarette. Michael caught a whiff of the smoke, leaned back as the cigarette came closer to his body.
She dropped it on the porch. The ash sparked as it hit the ground.
"I just need your help, Michael."
"You need to back up, Erica. You need to-you need to leave."
"Michael. My daughter. Someone kidnapped my daughter this morning."
Chapter 2
"What is it, Michael?" Angela called from the kitchen. "Chocolate? Magazines?"
"I've got it," Michael said, his voice hollow and barely audible.
Michael moved onto the porch, pulling the door shut behind him. Erica stepped back, allowing Michael room. She started digging in the pocket of her jeans, which were dark and fitted, and brought out more cigarettes. While she shook one loose from the pack and flicked her thumb against the lighter, Michael took her in, observing the changes ten years had etched on his ex-wife. Some lines had formed around her eyes, some skin hung looser beneath her chin, but her should...
