The Other Daughter : A Novel

Twenty years ago, Melanie Stokes was abandoned in a Boston hospital, then adopted by a wealthy young couple. Gifted with loving parents, a doting brother, and an indulgent uncle, Melanie has always considered herself lucky. Until the first cryptic, threatening note arrives: “You Get What You Deserve.” Melanie has no memory of her life before the adoption. Now someone wants her to remember it all—even the darkest nightmare the Stokes family ever faced: the murder of their first daughter. As Melanie pursues every lead and chases every shadow in search of her real identity, two seemingly unrelated events from her past will come together in a dangerous explosion of truth. From Publishers Weekly In her newest, Gardner (The Perfect Husband) indulges her fascination with the dark side of family life, where the ties that bind also gag, choke and strangle. Professional event planner Melanie Stokes does not suspect that the death of a serial killer in a Texas electric chair 20 years before could have any relevance to her neatly ordered existence. But as it becomes clear that the life she's known (as the adopted daughter of Boston cardiologist Harper Stokes and his trophy wife, Patricia) is based on ugly secrets and bloody lies, her world unravels. With the help of FBI Agent David Riggs, who makes up for his lack of physical agilityAthe result of ankylosing spondylitis (bad back problems)Awith finely honed reflexes, street smarts and pure sex appeal, Melanie unearths what an intricately planned 25-year-old cover-up can't hide: the gruesome truth about her parentage. Once again, Gardner serves up suspense at a furious pace. (July) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. Review “Just when you thought Lisa Gardner couldn’t get any better . . . she does.”—Lee Child "A dark, powerful tale of nerve-shattering suspense."—Tami Hoag "Readers get loads of angst, great procedural stuff, some hair-raising action scenes, and a villain to keep you awake at night. What more can any thriller reader want?"— Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine "Gardner delivers a streamlined bang-up addition to the oeuvre of Tami Hoag, Karen Robards, Elizabeth Lowell and, these days, even Nora Roberts."— Publishers Weekly "Scary, gritty, terrifying. Lock the door, leave on a light."— Oakland Press "A page-turner."— Rocky Mountain News “[A] suspenseful, engrossing page-turner…Totally absorbing, it’s one of those books that keeps you up late, enslaved by the ‘just one more chapter’ syndrome.” — Mystery News “Sheer terror…a great read.”– Iris Johansen “Sheer terror…a great read.”—Iris Johansen Adoptees,Crime,Fiction,Detective and Mystery Stories,Mystery Fiction,Suspense,General,Serial Murderers,Detective and Mystery Stories; American What you don't know can kill you. In Texas a serial killer is executed, taking to his grave the identity of his only child. In Boston a nine-year-old girl is abandoned in a hospital, then adopted by a wealthy young couple. Twenty years later, Melanie Stokes still considers herself lucky. Until ... Until the terrifying visions begin. Until a has-been reporter starts investigating her past. Until the first note arrives saying, "You get what you deserve." Melanie had lost all memory of her life before the adoption, and now someone wants to give it back. Even if it includes the darkest nightmare the Stokes family ever faced: the murder of their first daughter in Texas. As Melanie pursues every lead, chases every shadow in the search for her real identity, two seemingly unrelated events from twenty years ago will come together in a dangerous explosion of truth. And with her very life at stake, Melanie will fear that the family she loves the most may be the people she should trust the least What you don't know can kill you.Twenty years ago, Melanie Stokes was abandoned in a Boston hospital, then adopted by a wealthy young couple. Gifted with loving parents, a doting brother and indulgent uncle, Melanie has always considered herself lucky. Until tonight. Tonight, a has-been reporter turns up investigating her past. Tonight, the first note arrives saying, "You Get What You Deserve." And tonight, Melanie has her first, horrifying vision of the past. Melanie has no memory of her life before the adoption. Now, someone wants to give it back, even if it includes the darkest nightmare the Stokes family ever faced: the murder of their first daughter in Texas. As Melanie pursues every lead, chases every shadow in search of her real identity, two seemingly unrelated events from twenty years ago will come together in a dangerous explosion of truth.From the Paperback edition.