Julie is adopted. She is also a twin. Because their adoption was closed, she and her sister lack both a health history and their adoption papers―which becomes an issue for Julie when, at forty-eight years old, she finds herself facing several serious health issues. To launch the probe into her closed adoption, Julie first needs the support of her sister. The twins talk things over, and make a pact: Julie will approach their adoptive parents for the adoption paperwork and investigate search options, and the sisters will split the costs involved in locating their birth relatives. But their adoptive parents aren't happy that their daughters want to locate their birth parents―and that is only the first of many obstacles Julie will come up against as she digs into her background. Julie's search for her birth relatives spans years and involves a search agency, a PI, a confidential intermediary, a judge, an adoption agency, a social worker, and a genealogist. By journey's end, what began as a simple desire for a family medical history has evolved into a complicated quest―one that unearths secrets, lies, and family members that are literally right next door. Julie McGue's quest memoir is an extraordinary account of a woman's mid-life search for her birth parents and the medical history she and her twin sister desperately need. Julie engagingly narrates a roller coaster ride of challenges and triumphs. I was moved by this suspenseful tale that ultimately celebrates the meaning of family in all its forms.~Joelle Fraser, author of The Territory of Men and The Forest House Twice a Daughter is an enchanting story about searching and fighting for hidden information and what it means to be adopted-to wrestle with love, pain, rejection, and acceptance. We can all find pieces of our own stories reflected in Julie's compelling words. This is a must read for everyone-especially those touched by adoption.~Linda Fiore, Director, Adoption Center for Family Building, Chicago Julie McGue entered the labyrinth of her adoption search with many questions: Who am I? Where did I come from? What tribe do I belong to? Twice a Daughter is not just another tale of an adoptee's search for truth. The author's craft and candor turn this into an inspirational story of perseverance and resiliency, one with well-deserved payoffs. Ultimately, this is a story about the discoveries that searching for the truth reveals, how it sets you free and offers the gift of love. -Linda Joy Myers, founder of the National Association of Memoir Writers, author of Don't Call Me Mother Julie very eloquently conveys the range of emotions felt by adopted person who yearn for answers and connection with biological relatives. She allows the reader access to her most private experiences of vulnerability, pain, fear, anger and joy. The reader will surely be enlightened by joining Julie on this sometimes bumpy ride.-Lisa Francis, LCSW, Post Adoption Services, Catholic Charities, Chicago. A masterful storyteller, Julie Ryan McGue probes her inner life as one of an adopted pair of twin sisters who are on a search for biological roots in their big, fun Irish Catholic adoptive family. In Twice a Daughter , the road to genetic connection may be fraught with hidden roadblocks, but the destinations open up to the widest horizons of the heart-authenticity, courage, wholeness and compassion. -Diane Dewey, author of Fixing the Fates: An Adoptee's Story of Truth and Lies. Born in Chicago, Julie Ryan McGue is a memoirist, blogger, and a columnist. Her writing centers on finding out about who you are, where you belong, and making sense of it. Julie's weekly essays focus on identity, family, and life's quirky moments.  She has served multiple terms on the board of the Midwest Adoption Center and is a member of the American Adoption Congress. Besides her laptop, Julie loves her Steinway, Nikon camera, and tennis racquet. Married for over thirty years, she is the mother of four adult children and has three grandsons. She splits her time between Northwest Indiana and Sarasota, Florida.