Sally Hepworth never fails to deliver an intriguing family drama, mystery, and wildly unreliable narrators. I dove right into this story of three foster children who grew up as sisters in an abusive household, and the mystery surrounding their childhood home, Wild Meadows. 5/5 stars!

Follow the stories of 3 foster kids as they discover the dreamy farmhouse called, Wild Meadows, isn't as dreamy as they might of thought.

Starting out, Hepworth is one of my top authors. I'll read anything she writes. So when I was offered an ARC of her upcoming book I dropped everything and dove in. Even without the hype... I would have been just as obsessed.

Hepworth showed off her talent as she seamlessly flowed between past tense, future tense and a psychologist appointment. The character perspectives were unique and whether you like them or not, I believe every reader will feel attached to these characters. Characters were strong and the intelligence was high but appropriate for their ages. I was left hanging, little revelations partially revealed, only to have Sally throw me into a new perspective. Every transition left a trail of crumbs and happened smoothly so the reader didn't get motion sick. Extremely impressed.

Another pet peeve of mine that Hepworth did not do, so I can't help but call it out ... there was no repeating. When characters needed to exchange information, we were told the information was exchanged rather than having the reader go through all points of the scenario all over again.

All my questions were answered eventually. Any holes I felt were there, were revealed later in the story (again, good job Hepworth). Loose ends tied up. A well rounded story. And a lovely little bomb dropped at the end.

My only criticism is at one point Alicia asks Meera a question in the social work topic that I felt Alicia should have already known. Even I knew the answer to Alicia's question and I don't do social work for a living. To comment on other reviewer's criticism; I do not think the book is slow. There are enough crumbs and side stories going on to keep the reader entertained. I don't think the examples of what happens in foster homes that were included in the book were over done. I can see why the author wanted to include as much as she could as she did research with actual people who were in the foster system. It didn't feel over done

I'll admit, I have a lot of praise for this book. I got through it very quickly. Halfway through I thought to myself, this is a solid 4 star book. (Nothing wrong with that...) The ending though.. pushed it to 5.

I would recommend this book to my reading friends.

I know it is dark to say you loved a book with such disturbing subject matter, but even though this was tough to read at times, it really kept me guessing!

Sally Hepworth is a favorite author of mine because she has a way of crafting these domestic thrillers with totally messed-up family dynamics. In Darling Girls, the story centers on three foster sisters whose childhood was not what it appeared to be to outsiders. When a body is found at the estate where they were fostered, questions are raised and you don't know what or who to believe.

There were multiple times my jaw dropped while reading and even though I did guess one of the twists, Hepworth masterfully chooses what to reveal and when, right up to the very last chapter!

The storytelling unfolds through the POVs of the three sisters, in both current and past timelines. In addition, there are psychiatrist notes that are sprinkled in providing an added glimpse into one of the characters.

This solidified that Sally Hepworth is a must-read author for me. If you can get past the tough moments of child abuse, this is such a page-turner!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Always such a fantastic author!!!! Gripping, and I couldn’t put it down!!

Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced copy.

While I'm sure there are many loving and supportive foster families IRL (or at least one has to hope), what makes them interesting in fiction is when they are the worst people imagineable. And Miss Fairchild definitely fits the bill. But rather than just being a terrible person, she is one of those that wants the rest of the world to think she's the most amazing person in the world.

As adults, Jessica, Norah and Alicia are "sisters." And that's how it has always been since the days they lived with Miss Fairchild. They are the only ones who truly knew what happened there. When it comes time to figure out who the body is under the house, they have to examine their relationships to eachother and the other fosters Miss Fairchild took in. Like one big happy family!

Darling Girls was a quick read and a great story. Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced e-galley in exchange for my honest review. This one is out April 23!

So … this book started out gangbusters for me. It moved fast and the story was captivating. But then?… it just ground to a halt for me and started dragging along to its finish, which unfortunately was like a dozen other books I’ve recently finished. Just an ok read for me , but thanks NetGalley for the ARC. Always fun to give a review for others.

Set in a foster care setting in Australia. The atmosphere of this book was unsettling. It honestly reminded me of some of the V.C. Andrews books I devoured when I was younger. If you are triggered by emotional or physical child abuse, this is not the book for you.

The main characters were complex and came from a background full of trauma. There were multiple point of views that you have to get used to when reading (along with dual timelines). I liked the closeness of the 3 FMCs relationship and how they considered each other family.

There’s lots of intrigue and you don’t really get the truth until the end.

I loved it until about 80% in, and then felt like everything was rushed in coming to a conclusion. I think that’s what ultimately lowered my star rating.

It had creepy vibes for sure, but I felt that it was lacking some direction at the end. I liked it, but didn’t love it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this ARC!

Sally has done it again 😮 I really enjoyed this book! It might be one of my favorites by Sally. It was so clever and that last chapter? Amazing.

I enjoyed the dual POV and timeline, Sally made it easy to follow and the story flowed so well.

Sally Hepworth can do no wrong! With Darling Girls, she's created another great story about 3 foster sisters who've formed a lifetime bond thru the horrors inflicted on them by their foster mother. I absolutely adored Norah, Jessica and Alicia. What great characters they were, making me feel all the feels; laughter, tears, my heart going out to them. And Miss Fairchild? What can I say, she was fascinatingly despicable, right to the very end! Loved the idyllic setting, the unique storyline. Hepworth's writing grabs you from the beginning and won't let you go. LOVED LOVED LOVED!!!

I’ve read several books from Sally Hepworth and enjoy both her writing style and the twisted stories she has to tell.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have all survived their time with their foster mother, Miss Fairchild, but not without some lasting trauma that has followed them into their adult relationships. Luckily their strong connection has bonded them for life, which will help through when the police call that the body of a child was found under the farmhouse where they grew up.

The POV chapters and alternating time periods were written in a way that were easy to follow. The characters were well written and the “sisterly” bond was strong, showing family is not always by blood but by choice. The “mystery” of the patient in the therapy sessions was obvious to me, but still interesting. The final twist was definitely a surprise.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this ARC.

Three girls from separate homes, all placed under the foster care of Miss Fairchild. To the casual observer the home and Miss Fairchild seem ideal. In reality, it was a house of horrors. Including but not limited to mental and physical (starvation) abuses that they all would endure.

In order to survive the nightmarish life handed to them they formed an un-breakable bond! Sisters forever! Together they were mighty.

Now as adults they’ve kept that bond alive, always vigilant for one another. They couldn’t be more different, but together they’re a force to be reckoned with.

After human bones are discovered under the aging foster home of Miss Fairchild, the sisters return as requested by the police. Maybe they’ll find some answers of their own.

Sally Hepworth writes a gripping, suspenseful tale that will keep you guessing to the end!
I kept predicting small pieces along the way, but not enough to put the whole picture together!

That’s the best! When you guess just enough to be proud of your detective skills but the author still slips one past you, keeping you humbled and in the dark for the overall picture. Like a cat toying with a mouse…and a recipe for the perfect thriller!

I’ve read and enjoyed all the books from this author and cannot wait for more!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press

Sally Hepworth is one of my favorite thriller authors. I loved the premise of this book and it definitely did not disappoint! Read this if you want to be on the edge of your seat!

Sally Hepworth is an autobuy author for me so I was THRILLED when I was selected to review this!

I found some scenes to be a bit much for me in terms of content so I wasn't able to finish the whole thing but I will say: bit of a TW for child abuse. Otherwise, what I read was AMAZING just not quite my favorite!

In Darling Girls we get to know three foster sisters that grew up with Miss Fairchild on the beautiful farming estate Wild Meadows. They were always told they were “lucky” but there were things about Miss Fairchild the social workers didn’t know. Years later the sisters are called back to their old hometown when human remains are discovered at Wild Meadows. This is my 5th Hepworth novel and while I enjoyed it, it wasn’t my favorite. The big twist at the end fell a little flat for me. I’ll still be picking up anything she writes in the future.

This is my first book by Sally Hepworth and I plan to read more. This is an excellent psychological thriller.

Three former foster "sisters" are beckoned back to the foster home where they lived when bones are unearthed from underneath the house. This story is told going back and forth from the past to the present. It is also told from three different points of view. Although there is a surprise at the end, the storyline wasn't shocking.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes psychological thrillers. Thank you to NetGalley, Sally Hepworth, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The first Sally Hepworth that didn’t let me down..maybe because I just knew what to expect going into it? The plot was not incredibly original but I did enjoy the twist, which wasn’t immediately guessable. Easy and a fun break, Darling Girls would be a great read for a vacation at the beach.

A dual timeline mystery that explores the dark side of foster care told from the POVs of three foster sisters. While this wasn't my favorite by Sally Hepworth, it was still well written (lots of reviewers have given it 5 stars). It was more of a 3.5 star read for me personally, with the extra point going for the jaw-dropping final ending!! Sally is the Queen of great endings. There is a lot of child abuse in this book so it may not be for everyone, as well as a suicide attempt and drug addiction (read with care if these are triggering topics for you). Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Mixed feelings on this one. I always enjoy Sally Hepworth's writing style and have loved so many of her past books, but this one was tough for me. There were just SO many triggering topics that I found myself dreading the "Then" chapters, but did enjoy the "Now" ones where the mystery unfolded. The final chapter/twist was also so dark in the way it was presented. Glad others seemed to enjoy this one more and I will certainly be back for her next book!

The second I see that Sally Hepworth is releasing a new book it goes right to the top of my TBR. This book did not disappoint!
Three women who became sisters through foster care have to revisit their old town when bones are found under the house. Hepworth does a wonderful job getting inside each character’s head and setting the scene for the book. I’m always a fan of books that have multiple perspectives and jump around in time. There was an added character’s chapters and it isn’t revealed until later who that character is- once you find out you think you’ve figured it all out. But in classic Hepworth fashion, everything is turned upside down at the end.

For longtime Sally Hepworth fans, this book might be more than you are bargaining for! I don't want to say too much and spoil the plot, but this was much more graphic than her usual books and a step further than her usual domestic suspense. Trigger warnings for child abuse, sexual assault and neglect- this was a tough one. I still enjoyed it but it was a stressful read!

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's press for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion!