Written by Allison Lips
“Dear Daughter” by Elizabeth Little is not your typical murder mystery The book follows Jane Jenkins, who may or may not have killed her mother. No one knows the truth, not even Jane herself. Despite that pesky little fact, the nation is convinced that the notorious socialite most definitely did kill the mother she hated. After all, Jane did say the night of her mother’s murder that she wanted her dead. Just like real life, that’s all the public needed to convict Jane.
But there’s a twist.
Dear Daughter is about the aftermath of Jane’s release from prison. The LA County Sheriff mishandled important evidence related to Marion Elsinger’s death, which meant that after 10 years in prison Jane was free. Freedom means nothing when a country wants you dead, so with some help for her lawyer Jane takes on a new identity: Rebecca Parker.
A new identity doesn’t mean a fresh start for Jane, especially since she never knew her real history to begin with. While Little probably doesn’t have experience starting her life over after prison, Jane’s experience may be as accurate as fiction can get in portraying that experience.
On top of not knowing how to survive outside solitary confinement, Jane wants to know her family history. The little her mother ever told her was a lie. When Jane finds this out, it doesn’t shock her. However, it is hard to believe that finding out you don’t come from a long line of rich Europeans doesn’t change your perspective on life.
Despite not doing her mother, Jane is partially the person she thought she was. Regardless of her parentage, Jane’s still an out of touch bitchy snob. In “Dear Daughter,” there’s no down to earth socialite who was wrongly convicted. Jane probably committed the crime and did some of the time. You have no reason for wanting her to be innocent or, at the very least, not guilty. The real mystery is “Why does no one want to talk about Marion Elsinger’s life?”
