My Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is a fast-paced domestic thriller that shines the spotlight on foster care worldwide. Even though the story is set in Melbourne, Australia, and a small village a few hours away, the issues illuminated in this story impact children everywhere, including the United States. As someone who has been involved in foster care advocacy in my role as a mental health counselor, I find this book resonated deeply with me.

When bones are discovered under the house where Jessica, Alicia, and Norah grew up while being fostered, everyone who has ever lived in the home is brought together and questioned. As the timeline switches back and forth, the case is concluded; I was left with such a significant chill down my spine that I had trouble sleeping.

Usually, I have a hard time with a story focused on the mistreatment of children, but the way this story is written - starting in the present and revealing the past in small, tantalizing glimpses - and the nature of the mistreatment (more emotional and not physical) - I was not only able to read the story but I was instantly drawn in and fully invested in it before I knew it. The narrative structure, with its alternating timelines, added to the suspense and kept me turning the pages. It was only towards the end that I started getting fatigued by the amount of abuse, but by then, it was almost over.

One of the most compelling aspects of My Darling Girls was the resilient journey of the foster sisters. Despite their diverse paths and ongoing struggles, their unbreakable bond as sisters shines through. This exploration of their family dynamics, even after they've aged out of the system and become independent adults, kept me deeply engrossed in their stories, evoking both admiration and empathy.

The conclusion of My Darling Girls was brilliant. To say that it sent chills down my spine would be an understatement-it was a fully immersive and satisfyingly creepy experience. The perfect ending to a thrilling journey that will leave readers eager for more.

Good book!
The ending was definitely unexpected!
It started out a bit slow but picked up about halfway through.
Thank you for the chance to read this.

I'm a sucker for a Sally Hepworth book, and Darling Girls did not disappoint! I do not think it's possible for her to write something I will not love.

Three women bonded by their upbringing in a foster home - sisters in all ways but blood. They have overcome the odds having grown up on a farm with their evil foster mom.
Years later, as the farmhouse is being demolished, bones are found buried underneath and they are brought back together as the book alternates between past and present. Their stories of abuse and perseverance throughout a traumatic childhood will bring the reader chills, as the investigation into who the bones belong to brings the past into light.

A creepy domestic thriller that will shock you all the way to the twisted ending!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Pub Date 23 April 2024

In solidarity with the St Martin’s Press boycott, I will not be reviewing this book. SMP must address the Islamophobia and racism among their staff and treat their Muslim and Palestinian authors and readers with the respect they deserve.

An addictive new thriller from Hepworth! Perfect for summer reading - propulsive, emotional, and a bit of cat-and-mouse mystery! While I will read everything Hepworth writes, I especially appreciated that this novel explored new territory and shed light on the foster care system and systemic trauma.

I have really enjoyed this book so far, but unfortunately I am DNFing at 50%.

I think this is a great story and I'm sure it has a really stellar ending, I've been hooked the whole time. However, I do think there should be a trigger warning indicating that there are infant remains. I was thinking it would be the remains of the foster mom.

Again, I think this is probably a really great book. I just cannot handle the infant remains at 21 weeks pregnant right now.

Love Hepworth! This was a very quick read with no loose ends. I loved the past and present to put the pieces together of whose body was buried. TW for abuse of children. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Darling Girls
3.75 stars

I am a die hard Sally Hepworth fan, she is an auto buy author for me.
This was a solid read. Throughout the novel, I had a sense of dread and tension. I found the relationship between the sisters believable and intense. I would classify this book as a character driven story as I felt the plot wasn't as interesting as the relationships.
I look forward to the next book!

I think Darling Girls is my new favorite by Sally Hepworth! There are definitely trigger warnings to be aware of and parts that were a little disturbing, but I couldn’t put it down from start to finish. I was immediately invested in the characters and loved that we got chapters from 3 different perspectives, plus some flashbacks into their childhood foster care experiences. I thought I knew where the book was going, but then the last couple of chapters through me for a loop and left me stunned.

Synopsis: Jessica, Norah and Alicia, were always told how lucky they were to be fostered by a loving woman named Mrs. Fairchild, however, their life in the beautiful farmhouse was far from the fairy tale everyone thought it was. The girls escaped and thought they were free from Mrs. Fairchild’s grasp until one day a body is discovered under the home they grew up in. The “darling girls”, who are now adults, head back to Port Agatha for the investigation, unsure if they’re being questioned as witnesses or suspects.

This was one of the most exciting thrillers I’ve read in a long time and I can’t wait for others to read it! Thank you for sharing an early copy with me to read and review!

You know those books that you stay up until the middle of the night reading? This is the one. I felt gaslit, on the edge of my seat, and outraged for 95% of this book. I couldn’t believe what was going on and couldn’t wait to find out what was happening. I don’t stay up until 3am reading books … ever. But with this one I did. I’m still thinking about it days later and am already planning a re-read. What an amazing book!

I read this book and listened to the audiobook at the same time as I was approved for both.

Wow this was a good one. Lately thrillers just aren’t as fun to read but THIS ONE PROVED THAT WRONG! WOW this was so good. I did not expect that ending what so ever!

I initially thought 4.5 ⭐️, but as I started writing this review, I realized I have nothing but positive things and will likely read this again, so 5 ⭐️ from me!!
I loved that I was able to read and listen to this at the same time, so I have a dual review of both audio narration and book.

I had all the feels! I was literally cracking up laughing, borderline crying and angry all at different points. Alicia’s jokes were on point! 😂

Sally Hepworth is truly an amazing storyteller! I was hooked from the beginning. The setting, the plot, the character development, all so great! The sisters were all so different and so well developed, I had a hard time not falling in love with all 3 of them. I even felt for miss Fairchild!

I have a pedi psych background, making the foster children story line more relatable to me, so that part of the story really tore at my heart strings and made me tear up at some parts.

The narration was great! I’ve never actually listened to an audiobook with an Australian accent and I loved it! The performance was perfect for the story line and Jessica Clarke nailed it for me. She was animated at all the right times, didn’t miss a beat.


The pacing of this book was just perfect, it wasn’t slow and it wasn’t fast, and I didn’t want to put it down or to end!! But it did end, and I love how nicely it was tied up.

Looking forward to my next Hepworth novel!!

Special thank you to NetGalley, St.Martins Press and Macmillan audio.

OOH this was such a good one! I loved the found family relationship between the three girls, the way that the past and the future were connected for them, and the unsettling vibes of the house and foster mom. We get the story of the 3 women themselves, their past in the house and current day, as well as the story of the foster mom. I thought I saw some of the twists coming, but I was mostly all wrong and I loved it. I usually find slow-burn thrillers frustrating, but I really liked this one. There were sufficient twists and the story itself was compelling enough for me to keep reading to find out more. There's some heavier content here around child abuse, so please proceed with caution if this is a difficult topic for you.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This book was intense, but amazing. I’ve only read a few of Sally Hepworth’s books, and this is by far my favorite by her! It was so close to 5 stars, but ended up being 4.5. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I got into the book thinking the dead body will be one person, then you think another, and ultimately it’s someone I didn’t even think about. The last chapter twist had me mind blown. 🤯

Reading books like this that talk about the foster care system, and shows what happens to these kids always makes me so angry. It’s not fair to these kids! I hate what happened to Jessica, Alicia, and Norah, but I’m so glad they had each other through it all. They stayed sisters into adulthood which is great and much needed for them. Miss Fairchild got what she deserved.

”Aren’t you a darling girl?” Mum would say as she stood over the bassinet, gazing at her. “How I love you, darling girl.” It made me sick.

Darling Girls was my 5th read from Hepworth and my favorite thus far. Hepworth can write thrillers like no other! This novel is told from multiple points of view- Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, all foster children in the 90’s as well as an account from a Dr. Warren, psychologist. You aren’t sure whom is communicating with Dr. Warren until the end of the story which adds to the suspense. The book is also told in the present day but flashes back to the girls time at Wild Meadows- both time frames essential to the plot.

Darling Girls is a domestic thriller done right. I highly recommend picking it up for your next 5 star read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Chilling family thriller revolving around three sisters in foster care and the mother who was supposed to take care of them. This is a dual-timeline story flashing back to when the girls were adolescents in the care of Miss Fairchild and to the present, when they return to their hometown after bones are discovered under the farmhouse of their old foster home. All of the girls have faced troubles since leaving care, but they always stuck together, even as adults. The opportunity to finally tell their story about what happened to them in foster care, as well as the solving of the mystery, allows them to put the past behind them and grow.

If I have the opportunity to read a Sally Hepworth book early, I move it to the top of my list! They’re usually some of my favorites but this one fell flat. I’m usually hooked from the first sentence but this one took until half-way to really get into it. I did love the 2nd half of the book but the first half just didn’t do it for me.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are foster children placed at Wild Meadows farm with an abusive foster mother, Miss Fairchild, in the 1990s. In the present day, the three sisters have learned to cope with their past in different ways. Those coping mechanisms are put to the test when they receive a call from a detective that bones have been found at Wild Meadows and they need to return to the place where their childhood trauma took place.

Darling Girls is told in multiple POVs and the characterization is excellent. I loved each sister. We learn about their lives before foster care and how they came together under Miss Fairchild's "care". Jessica, Norah, and Alice's stories are heartbreaking and you can't help but empathize with each of them. This is a DARK psychological thriller with twists and a jaw dropping satisfying ending. I have read a few Sally Hepworth novels and I love that Darling Girls is much darker than her previous books. I will always pick up Hepworth's new releases!

4.5 stars!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This has been my favorite Sally Hepworth book yet! Three girls become "sisters" when placed in the same home while in the foster system. Their foster mother is creepy and off balance and the girls bond grows as they take on her daily exploits. These girls were so relatable and I looked forward to starting the book again every time I had to stop reading. This story came alive for me and I felt like I was part of their story. This is one of Hepworth's best books yet!!

I have read pretty much all of Sally Hepworth's book and this one has to be my favourite. I didn't see the ending coming (I really should have). There were so many surprising twists in this book. Loved it!