Published by Poltergeist Press, Dead Daughters follows Andrew Lowrey, an ex-drug addict who has since turned his life around. Now working as a personal trainer and with a happy family of his own, life seems perfect. However, on the day of his thirty eighth birthday, he finds a polaroid of his daughter dead, despite her being asleep safe in her bed. As Lowrey tries to protect his family from an unknown threat, the truth behind their stalker will prove to be insidious, and the danger may be much closer than he imagines.
In terms of story, Tim Meyers has an excellent talent for keeping the audience guessing with little clues here and there. Even when all the book arrives to its inevitable conclusion, the idea of it is something that only the most creative of minds could possibly think up, and Meyers should be given full credit for that.
Some of the writing feels a little bit off, at first anyway. There are some phrases and sentences that seem odd when you start the story, which may deter some readers. Two particular ones which stood out personally were where Lowrey goes off on a tangent detailing an ESP-like connection he and his wife share, and describing kissing the nape of his wife’s neck as “that sweet spot treasured by vampires”. Upon first reading, it can really be jarring and feel like it was written by different people.
Though it may take some effort to continue on, there is method to Tim Meyer’s madness: Dead Daughters is a book that rewards second readings and encourages the reader to have a closer look at the story. Even these weird descriptions have their place in the puzzle by the time the reader reaches the end.
The character of Lowrey is an interesting figure. While most of the other characters feel a little stereotypical of novels in this genre, Lowrey makes for a decent enough narrator to carry the story. As a man who has suffered torment and came out the other end with a happy life, the reader really emphasizes with him and wants to see him come out ok. Meyer even uses his cunning to kick the reader one last time in the epilogue by laying down a final, foreboding clue before closing out his dark tale.
Dead Daughters is a hell of a winding book to read, and not a very happy one at that. Meyer is a very clever writer when it comes to laying out a story, and Dead Daughters is vastly creative in its premise and delivery. While there are sections which may feel disconnected from the story, they are just strange pieces of a much bigger jigsaw, and the reader will not be disappointed with the pay off. If you want a happy story, avoid this one. However, if you want a book that will keep you thinking until the very end, Dead Daughters is a story that belongs on your bookshelf.
Review copy provided
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