Three foster girls grow up at Wild Meadows Farm. The book is written in past and present chapters telling of a crime that may have been committed when Jessica, Norah and Alicia lived there. They are now the key suspects of a 25 years old crime. I would consider this more on the dark side, the abuse chapters got to me.

I love Sally Hepworth books!
She strikes the right balance between that creepy, eery, get under your skin thriller without ever being too scary to me.

This was no exception. I was hooked on this story from the very beginning and blew through it because I just wanted to know what was going to happen next. This is a story full of messed up people and messed up things but I also really appreciated how she ended it with redemption and hope, not always the case with psychological thrillers.
Highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book! The characters are mean, bratty, and unlikable, but they made the story so compelling. A fun domestic thriller.

This was one of the better mystery/thrillers I’ve read recently. After finishing my second book by this author, I can confidently say she is a strong writer within this genre. I liked the multiple POVs of the girls - each character had a distinct and recognizable voice. The premise itself was really interesting, but it might be triggering for some readers (child abuse and foster care abuse). But wow, the twists were so good! Unexpected yet not random, which made them all the more impactful! This was an excellent read that kept me engaged from start to finish - would absolutely recommend!

Just the kind of “messed up” that I’ve been missing lately!! Sally is an auto-buy for me. Mind games at their finest… who’s telling the truth??

This gave, Mommy Dearest Vibes and I was there for it. The "sisters" had a wild upbringing always searching for love. Was the power of wanting it enough to cover up a mystery of a fellow 'sister'? Or was reality skewed enough to believe nothing happened? They are thrust back together again to help the police poking around something that just didn't seem quite right.

Thanks to NG and the publisher for the advanced copy to review. I loved it!

Once again Sally Hepworth has knocked it out of the park. In this story, we follow three sisters who grew up in foster care at the hands of the evil Miss Fairchild. This was a well written psychological mystery that deals with women's issues, and foster care representation. This is my new favorite Hepworth book to date.

Another winner in the books for Sally Hepworth!! 🌟 To be honest, I enjoyed this book the whole way through, but the ending- the last chapter just blew me away, and turned what would have been a four star book straight up to five stars!!! That’s how you close out a book! Well done, Ms. Hepworth. Well done 👏

Darling Girls focuses on three foster “sisters”, who grew up together for a couple of years at Wild Meadows foster home in Port Agatha. They are all grown and living their not so best lives, when they each receive a phone call 25 years later from a detective about the discovery of human bones on the site of Meadows Hill.

All three of the women who are so close they call each other sisters, go back to Meadows Hill to be interviewed by the detectives on the case. Jessica, Alicia, and Norah all have flashbacks from their time at Meadows Hill and with their cruel and abusive foster mother, Miss Fairchild. It’s a mystery who the bones could belong to, because as children no one ever believed them and they were gaslit for years.

This book was a very good portrayal on the life-long lasting effects of being raised by an abusive, narcissistic foster parent/parent. There was also a good character study done on that of Miss Fairchild, and how she was able to manipulate everyone around her.

I highly recommend reading this book, as the twists and turns were plentiful!! I read this book late into the night, and the ending was well worth it!!

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and the author for an Arc of this book which I had the pleasure of reading! All opinions are my own. Publication date: April 23, 2024

Lots of secrets in this book. I loved how the girls banned together in such a tough circumstance. Miss Fairchild was awwwwful, and even though her story was so sad, she was the worst. Great read.

A thrilling and chilling read that was addictive and enjoyable from the beginning. This was an entertaining read and I enjoyed this one to the end. One I would recommend.

I truly loved this one. I listened to the audio of this and feel like it truly added to the story. This was a fast paced read that I just had to know the ending of. I highly recommend this to all of the thriller readers out there and look forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you for allowing me to read and review this story. This review can be found on goodreads, storygraph, Barnes and Noble and my instagram @manymerrybooks.

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is an engrossing, suspense-filled novel that masterfully combines psychological tension with a deep exploration of sisterhood. The story revolves around Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, three foster sisters whose seemingly idyllic upbringing with their foster mother, Miss Fairchild, hides dark and disturbing secrets. Miss Fairchild was not the loving guardian she appeared to be, and the trauma of their childhood continues to haunt them years later.

Hepworth excels at building suspense, as the discovery of a body beneath their former home drags the sisters back into the terrifying grip of their past. The dynamics between the sisters are complex and beautifully rendered, with their shared history creating an unbreakable bond, yet also serving as a source of pain and buried trauma. My one critique is that some plot points feel a bit predictable, but the strength of Hepworth’s character development more than makes up for it. The alternating perspectives keep the narrative taut and engaging, as each sister reveals more about their experiences with Miss Fairchild. I seriously could not put this book down until I finished!

Sally is always a must read when I see she’s got a new book coming out.

This was a tough read at times due to it being about kids in Foster care and knowing these circumstances do happen in real life. I enjoyed this one though! It really kept me guessing and every time I thought I knew what the twist might be, I was wrong!

Sally does a great job at really developing characters.

I was approved for this one before 2024 happened and I fully intended to read it, but then 2024 happened and life happened. I've gone through an unexpected divorce and sadly this book is a victim to my tumultuous 2024. I did end up getting the book on audio to listen to.

Honestly I can't remember much of what happened. I am a Sally Hepworth fan, I I remember thinking I gave it 4 stars. I will have to try it listen to it again.

Another winner from Sally! This was a slow burn - as I typically find her books to be- but worth it. I feel like it’s evident she put a ton of work into this book in both the research and character development and it shows.

Amazing.!!! That ending! OMG! Loved it! I’m officially a Sally Hepworth fan and wi read anything this author writes. Loved the multiple POVs and different timelines.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jessica, Norah and Alicia are all raised by Miss Fairchild, who is an emergency foster care member, each one arriving under different circumstances.
The only thing is that life is about to change for the worse, each girl learning what it takes to survive in this house. A strong bond is formed between the three girls, which follows them into adulthood, a family of three that have always looked out for one another.
The storyline is told in back and forth chapters of past and present, with the beginning of the book starting with a gruesome discovery of their childhood home. The girls reminisce about their past and fear what implications this new finding will have on their present lives. Each one with fears and secrets that they will have to face.

I really enjoyed the different personalities of each of the women and learning their back stories through their memories. As different as they were they were a family, formed by a mutual upbringing and supported each other always.

This was just fine. I really wanted to like this but I didn't immediately like the fact that the narrators automatically came off as untrustworthy. It also made me irrationally angry when Dungeons and Dragons was IMMEDIATELY hated on. It's just one of those mean girl topics that is super outdated to make fun of. I get that's kind of the point, but it just gave me a bad taste in my mouth that stayed for the rest of the book.

As an avid fan of Sally Hepworth I look forward to her books; I was not disappointed by DARLING GIRLS.
Three foster girls all end under the foster care of Miss Fairchild. Miss Fairchild's home was a house of horrors. The girls were abused in numerous ways that did not show to the casual observer.

The girls bonded together and formed a strong union against Miss Fairchild. As independent adults the bond has continued; they take care of each other.

When the police investigate bones found under Miss Fairchild's home the girls bond together once again and unearth many secrets they were unaware of living in Miss Fairchild's house.

Sally Hepworth does not disappoint; a great read.

Darling Girls
•Author: Sally Hepworth
•Rating: ✰✰✰
•Genre: Thriller
•Book # 55 of 2024

This was a pretty good thriller that kept my attention the whole time but I have to say it wasn’t my favorite. I feel like it just needed. A bit more action maybe? Overall it was good not great.

𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨: Three women who grew up in the same foster home are brought back together in the face of tragedy. What really happened during their days at Miss Fairchild’s house?

Another winner from Sally Hepworth! I enjoyed the twists and turns in this one and as always it was a page turner. Sally is an auto buy author for me!