PRINT REVIEWS:
"How both sisters live, from the squalor of an orphanage to the empty silences of suburban living, is all too believable and heartbreaking because there is no acceptable answer for how to deal with one's part, as living victim, of a horrible crime." LA Times 'Knock-Out Debuts'
"A touching tale that will truly move you." The Sun, UK
Meyers, in a remarkably assured debut, details how the sisters process their grief in separate but similarly punishing ways." The Denver Post
"Dives fearlessly into a tense and emotional story of two sisters anchored to one irreversible act of domestic violence." Miami Herald
"Randy Susan Meyers's sensitive story about the legacy of domestic violence is painful to read at times, but unforgettable. Meyers delivers a clear-eyed, insightful story about domestic violence and survivor's guilt in "The Murderer's Daughters." It's an impressively executed novel, disturbing and convincing." Boston Globe
"A powerful portrait of two sisters growing up in the shadow of violence . . . A thought-provoking, heart-tugging debut." Boston Magazine
"A gripping tale of sisters Merry and Lulu struggling for 30 years to find their way in the world, one devoted to their imprisoned father, the other enraged at him." Boston Globe, 'Shelf Life'
"Your heart will go out to Lulu and Merry. The tale of their grief and struggle to find their identities is beautifully written. A great debut novel." Star Tribune, Minneapolis-St.Paul
"A gut-wrenchingly powerful, emotional novel that takes a very real look at how today's society handles crimes of passions and their consequences. She handles the subject with a tough-love, gloves-off approach that is both sensitive and practical, and as a result gives readers a look into a life that many live and deal with on a daily basis." Las Vegas News
"A gut-wrenchingly powerful, emotioanl novel that takes a very real look at how today's society handles crimes of passions and their consequences. She handles the subject iwth a tough-love, gloves-off approach that is both sensitive and practical, and as a result gives readers a look into a life that many live and deal with on a daily basis." Witchita Falls Time Record News
"The Murderer's Daughters is an astutely paced, beautifully written and heartbreaking work of fiction . . . she weaves shock and shame into a sad and redemptive story about sisterly love. . . Family dysfunction is a popular theme in contemporary literary fiction, and when it is done well -- as it is in such books as Bastard out of Carolina and White Oleander -- it can be both moving and mesmerizing. American Randy Susan Meyers' debut novel fits this category well . Winnipeg Free Press
"Meyers' writing is dramatic without being overdone. . ." Boston Herald
"With excellent craft Randy Susan Meyers gets us inside the heads of sisters Lulu and Merry. . . .Not a day passes without wrestling the tug of family loyalty vs. the wish for oblivion. We share the ironies of their saving and giving life, finding and holding onto love, and above all else the question of forgiveness." Jewish Book World
"Much like Janet Fitch's White Oleander or Jacquelyn Mitchard's The Deep End of the Ocean, her book takes readers on an emotional roller-coaster ride. Readers, get out your handkerchief and prepare to care." Library Journal Review
"A haunting new novel." The Jewish Daily Forward
"Meyers makes the voices of each girl--and their different ways of feeling and dealing—novelistically rich, and thier dilemmas poignant." The Improper Bostonian
"The book has been greeted with rave reviews. . . the book's themes are the connections of sisters, raising oneself in the world, and feeling isolated, invisible, and lost." Jamaica Plain Gazette
"It's a special treat to read a first novel by someone new, especially when that novel is as compelling and satisfying as Randy Susan Meyers' The Murderer's Daughters." Hudson Valley News
"Meyers' empathetic, socially conscious debut considers the burdens carried and eventually shed by two sisters, survivors of domestic violence . . . with affecting moments and insights." Kirkus Reviews
". . . psychologically complex characters make Meyers's debut a satisfying read." Publishers Weekly
"Meyers's strength is in her descriptions of the heartbreak of the sisters' situation as children and their continued struggles as adults, as well as the clarity and individuality of their voices." School Library Journal
ON LINE REVIEWS:
"This isn't a story about a murder. It's a story about how two little girls grow into two complicated women and ultimately come to terms with the tragedy that defined their childhood. I highly recommend it" The Book Studio WETA
"One of those books that I didn't even want to put down." The More You Read
"Family blood stains the pages of Meyers' crisp and appealing melodrama in which two girls confront a devastating act of violence that shapes much of their lives. It is the author's humane and contemporary touch that brings so much depth to this novel, an affecting exploration of relationships framed around the powers of forgiveness and the evolving bonds of family love. Curledup.com
"Merry and Lulu try to step out from the shadow of their father's sins, and find redemption in their own lives. Meyers tackles a very difficult subject with grace and authenticity." MUSE
"This is one of the best written stories I've read in a long time. . . Violence, pathos, sorrow, empathy, love: these elements pack The Murderer's Daughters with hope." Blogcritics.com
"Beautiful language balms the dark plot" Daily Candy, Best New Winter Books
"The engrossing debut The Murderer’s Daughters is a survival story, if ever there was one. . a tightly written, unsentimental narrative that doesn't let either the reader or the characters opt out." Bookpage
"A shocking act of family violence overshadows the lives of two sisters, from childhood to maturity. A riveting debut."—Book of the Month Club
"A novel with a seamless understanding of everyone involved in the tragedy, and empathy for even the worst of the human heart." Tagged & Towed
"If you want to understand how a hidden event of violence resonates through the next generation, read this book. It is both unsparing and compassionate. It shows a deep understanding of family life, of violence, and of the terribe thinge men--not monsters--do." The Good Men's Project
"Tragic and intense, The Murderer's Daughters will leave readers questioning everything they know about parenting and what it means to be a family. Its portrayal of the murder and the emotional aftermath is haunting yet lyrical, demanding the reader to continue with the story. In Merry and Lulu, Ms. Meyers created two characters about whom it is easy to empathize, involving the reader emotionally. The entire Zachariah family is one that lingers well after the last page is read." Michelle's Masterful Musings
"A brilliant book that dealt with the emotional and psychological impact of childhood violence and one that I connected with on so many levels. The author, in my opinion, captured two distinct and valid ways that children internalize and cope with traumatic experiences and how it impacts them as adults. Reading this book actually helped me reanalyze my own feelings about my father and I'm grateful for it. I would encourage everyone to read this book." Wordsmithonia Blogspot
"The debut author, a woman of seemingly endless empathy, was able to draw on her own experience after spending ten years of her life working with men who had destroyed their own families. Meyer's debut book should definitely be read. Leave a few hours though, because once you start it is impossible to leave the lives of Lulu and Merry behind." Unilife Magazine
"First-time novelist Randy Susan Meyers certainly knows how to draw a reader into her story while creating empathy for her characters." San Francisco & Sacramento Book Review
"Wow, I just don't know what to say. Even with the sensitive subject matter and tense moments I loved this book. IThe reason I liked this book so much was because it seemed real. I could see this happening to a family that was dealt with this blow. As we follow them into their adult life we see them take different stances as far as their father is concerned. I was very pleased to see how toward the end they both had grown and learned to accept each other and how they felt. I would highly recommend this book. It is definitely one you can't put down." 'Til We Read Again
"This one is a great debut novel. . . The story is about these two sisters and the fallout of that fateful day. The characters have a lot of depth and were interesting. I found the psychological aspects of the book fascinating. Once you start this book you won't want to put it down. I look forward to more novels by this author. Indianola Public Library Reviews
"Randy Susan Meyers approaches her subject with grace and sensitivity. A thoughtful, if somewhat sad (but ultimately hopeful), story about family, sisters, and the tragic effects of domestic abuse and violence on children. Bookbitch.com
"This week's Book in Bloom features a novel compared to the likes of White Oleander and The Deep End of the Ocean. If you're looking for am emotionally gripping tale, consider THE MURDERER'S DAUGHTERS by Randy Susan Meyers." bookendbabes.com
"A crime of passion destroys a family. And is it easy to overcome it? It is one of those books which lingers in our mind. We feel for the sisters and the stigma of being a murderer's daughter stays on." Everything Distills Into Reading
"a world that pulls you in page by page and will not give you up until the very last word. Once I started this book I had a hard time putting it down . . . this novel would make a fantastic book club selection." Life in the Thumb Blogspot
"a very accurate, well-written, no-holds barred view on what the reality is like for two girls who suffer from having a self-centered mother and an abusive father. . .for those of you drama lovers out there, this is a book you should not miss." The Lost Entwife
"Randy Susan Meyers has done an excellent job of describing the aftermath and fallout in families from violence." Booksie's Blog
"This book is immensely readable, grabbing my attention from the very first chapter." A Few More Pages
AUTHOR'S PRAISE:
"The Murderer's Daughters is the unforgettable tale of Merry and Lulu, little sisters in sorrow, seared by their father's violence. Their heartbreaking story, which spans thirty years, will bring tears to your eyes...but there is a shining light of hope at the end of the tunnel" —Tatiana de Rosnay, New York Times bestselling author of Sarah's Key
"In her mesmerizing, empathic novel The Murderer's Daughters, Meyers explores the bond between two sisters clinging to each other in the aftermath of their mother's murder and their father's imprisonment...and how their bond is tested by the reappearance of the past. You won't be able to put it down." —Jenna Blum, New York Times bestselling author of Those Who Save Us
"This wonderful, thought-provoking novel took hold of me on page one and never let me go. With lovely prose and an uncanny delicacy for such a horrific and oftentimes unspeakable topic, Randy Susan Meyers brilliantly succeeds in telling the untold story of what happens to the children of murder victims. Alternately told through the eyes of Lulu and Merry, the story spans over 30 years and gives us a rare A riveting read. . . Highly recommended." —Beth Hoffman, New York Times bestselling author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt
"In The Murderer's Daughters Randy Susan Meyers tells the intricate and absorbing story of two sisters, one of whom regards herself as an orphan. I love the sweep of this novel, from childhood to adulthood, from pain to understanding, and how intimately Meyers knows her characters and brings them to life. I finished The Murderer's Daughters with the sense that I had been on the best kind of journey." —Margot Livesey, author of The House on Fortune Street, Winner 2009 L. L. Winship/PEN New England Award
"Meyers' debut novel-inspired by her experiences working with victims of domestic abuse-starts out strong and displays a talented writer worth watching" —Booklist Online
"This story of two near-orphaned sisters is so haunting, intimate, and real it makes the heart ache. Merry and Lulu stand among the most memorable characters I've ever encountered-and grown to love. The Murderer's Daughters is a beautiful and hypnotic debut no one should miss." —Tish Cohen, author of Inside Out Girl and Town House
"It's impossible not to be moved by Meyers' heartbreaking tale of two sisters' resilience in the face of trauma and neglect. The story's hope lies in the unique and personal ways each finds the courage to move on."—Lynne Reeves Griffin, author of Life Without Summer
"The Murderer's Daughters perfectly captures the complex entanglements of family. After unspeakable childhood trauma, Merry and Lulu are two sisters who can neither easily love nor easily leave each other. Following the girls-then women-for three decades, Meyers proves to be a humane, honest and rich storyteller. A powerful, engaging read." —Miriam Gershow, author of The Local News
