Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Sally Hepworth for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is without a doubt my favorite of Hepworth’s novels to date. The pacing is great, the mystery had me hooked immediately, and the big reveal was incredibly well done.

There are a few instances of child abuse that were kind of hard to read, so just know that going in!

Fans of Hepworth’s previous novels will undoubtedly be entertained by this one as well. US pub date: 4/23!

Foster children, Jessica, Norah and Alicia aren’t related by blood but are closer than most sisters all the same. Each had ended up by different circumstances at Wild Meadows under the care of Miss Fairchild. This story is set in Australia and is told in past and present alternating between the girls. Miss Fairchild wants a perfect daughter to mould into an ideal family. Her personality doesn’t cope with anything less. The foster system social workers of the era know she needs the income and continues to place the youngest, most vulnerable in her care. She puts on a good front, underneath her perfection lies evil, hurtful secrets. The psychological damage she inflicted results with the adult sisters coping with pills, anger issues, panic attacks, attachment issues and a myriad of other behaviors. One owns a ‘service’ dogs that makes some interesting appearances. When Detective Patel contacts the sisters with questions about the recent discovery of bones at Wild Meadows everything they’ve buried is raw and fresh again.
I’ve read other novels about foster kids, I felt this story had a strong plot full of plausible events and people I connected with. I’ve also read this author before and highly recommend her. I made guesses about the outcome and was surprised to have completely missed the mark. I truly enjoyed the characters and the suspense is palpable. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital galley of “Darling Girls” by Sally Hepworth, published by St. Martin’s Press, expected publication date 04/23/2024. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

After loving Sally's last book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of her newest one and it did not disappoint! This was a wonderful read - I really enjoyed this book. I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

In Darling Girls, 3 women who grew up together in foster care are brought back to their childhood town following the discovery of a body under the foster house where they resided. After spending 25 years trying to forget the abuse they went through, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are forced to relive the trauma of their years at Wild Meadows as the investigation unfolds.

This book was captivating, I couldn't put it down! Each of the three sisters are such well-written characters, and their present lives and personalities are complex and reflect the lifelong effect of their past. The dual timeline and plot twists keeps the reader engaged and on the edge of their seat.

I love Sally Hepworth’s suspense novels and this one was no exception. Her novels usually involve a mystery in a family. This one did too, but the family was a different than her normal because it was three girls who were a foster family. It adds a different element to the story that I really enjoyed. This book was very twisty and often had me at the edge of my seat. It kept me guessing right up until the very end. As a matter of fact, I gasped at the very end of the book! I highly recommend picking this one up.

4/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC of this book.

While I wouldn’t say this was an easy read - as it follows 3 girls and their abuse & time in the foster care system - I did find it hard to put down. I liked the different perspectives of the 3 girls and how it switched from present day to when they were children. Their perseverance was heartwarming.

8/10 - Yet another exciting psychological thriller by Sally Hepworth! This book explores the depths of sisterhood and foster care, while including a splash of murder mystery. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I felt drawn to a few of the characters and really wanted to see how they would grow and evolve throughout the book. You get a look into their childhood, which is a direct reflection of the people they are today. It is a great read about childhood and adult trauma shaping you into who you are today. I would definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this psychological thriller. The 3 sisters are instantly lovable as characters. The twists of this book keep you on your toes. 5 stars!

Readers will be stunned by the ending of this story. It is a dramatic tale told in the first person present and past in the voice of the three sisters Alicia, Norah, Jessica and one other. The dialogue is at times funny and sometimes gut wrenching. It is a page turning and exciting story that readers will thoroughly enjoy.

I have long loved this author and this book was no exception. Darling Girls is a quick read with a compelling plot and believable characters.

Not my favorite title of the author's but a wonderful book nonetheless.

I loved the sisterhood among the three girls and thought the portrayal of the child abuse was tough to read. I liked the ending but thought it was a little shocking and added as a kind of afterthought for the shock value.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC which I read in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! What a thrill ride of a read! From the beginning you don’t know who to trust or what the “real” story is, but as you get more involved in the book your head starts to spin. So many twists and turns with very little time to piece together what you think you know before the next puzzle piece changes everything! A definite must read for those who love to put the puzzle together. Can you figure this one out??

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley, Sally Hepworth and St. Martin’s Press for hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

Whenever I hear of a new Sally Hepworth book being released I immediately reserve a copy at the library. Last year I joined NetGalley and was surprised this month when I was able to receive an early digital release of the book to review. This book had the most plot twists of any Sally Hepworth book I’ve read. Three adult sisters who grew up in the foster care system and faced daily abuse and neglect are brought back to a foster home they lived in to help give info on the case of a body found on the property. This book has the usual Sally Hepworth trademarks of found family, close female relationships, erie atmosphere, and multiple plot twists to throw you off. I give this book 4.5 stars. Some may find the book difficult to read as it has depictions of child abuse and neglect.

Jessica, Norah and Alicia are called back to their hometown when human remains are found while their old foster home is being torn down. Going back is something they never wanted to do again. Now they must deal with being questioned by the police as well as issues going on in their every day lives. Did one of them do something and the others are covering? Do they know who the remains belong to? What will they do if all signs point to them?

I really enjoyed this book. I had a hard time putting it down because I NEEDED to know who, when, why? Like, omg is it their stepmother, another foster child, who is it? All the questions. Lol As the story goes on you see what these women went through as children and why they're so close as adults and for a second you think there's maybe an explainable for some things but that last chapter hits like a Mac truck. I was speechless. I'm still sitting here thinking omg. I will definitely recommend this to friends.

Sally Hepworth is one of my favorite authors, she is unmatched in creating depth of her characters and watching them unfold throughout her storylines. Just when I think her novels can’t get any better, she does it again and I cannot stop thinking about what I just read!

Darling Girls is a thought provoking story of three sisters who meet and bond through the foster system. Norah, Jessica and Alicia are all daughters of Miss Fairchild who is not who she seems to be. Although the storyline is heartbreaking at times it does highlight foster care and the effects of mental health as the three girls age.

I was intrigued from the first chapter, a suspenseful and twisty read that alternates between past and present day from the girls point of view of life under Miss Fairchild. This fast paced read has you guessing, second guessing and then by the last chapter……you’ll be stopped in your tracks!

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very compelling and fast-paced thriller that kept me guessing really until the last final pages. The story switches back and forth between the present and the past and follows the story of three foster children of a woman named Miss Fairchild. To be honest, the psychological torment that Miss Fairchild displayed and the experience that these three girls had under her care and the long-term effects of it made it a tough read for me, as a mother. Nevertheless, it did bring great awareness to the foster system and the extreme hardships some foster children face. 3.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sally Hepworth has done it again for me! She has a way of taking messed up things and making them even more messed up than they already were. This book was no exception. Three foster sister endured the abuse of a foster mother and went to authorities only to not be believed. Years later a body was found and now the police are interested in their story, but not necessarily because they believe what they said all those years ago as kids. The story is told from multiple points of views and time spans which makes it a little confusing. Someone is also taking to a psychiatrist throughout the book, but it’s never clear who is speaking until the end. I know some people don’t enjoy that aspect of the unknown, but I enjoyed it and thought it played into the mystery of the whole thing. Would I have been able to follow this book as well if I had listened to it as a audiobook? Probably not. I recommend reading it yourself the first go around and then maybe listen to it. Overall, I thought this was a great book. I’m glad the characters got wrapped up nicely at the end and I didn’t feel like I was left hanging. The ending was messed up, but definitely believable which is something I liked. The characters were fleshed out nicely and I was able to connect to all of them, which is important for getting me into a book.

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

This had some pretty dark content, but kept me entertained the whole way through. I've learned Sally likes to make those main villains extra crazy in the end, or provide a pretty psychotic twist, which I'm here for. Overall a good quick read that id recommend for people who aren't skittish with this type of content.

A compelling domestic suspense with a clever, utterly beguiling plot and expertly crafted, deeply flawed and relatable characters. I was completely hooked from the start.

The story is told from the past and present POVs of Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, as well as one unnamed mysterious POV. With so many POVs and timelines, it could’ve been confusing, but Hepworth expertly managed each of these threads, winding them beautifully together into a taut, sinister, impossible to predict story.

The three protagonists – Jessica, Norah, and Alicia – were all rescued from family tragedies and raised by Miss Fairchild. But Miss Fairchild wasn’t what everyone expected. In a moment of desperation, they escaped. Now, as adults, a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, forcing them back to the place they swore they’d never return. But are they witnesses? Or suspects?

Fresh, sharp and surprising, with a twist I didn’t see coming. I highly recommend!

Thank you Net Galley for the advanced copy. This book is an absolute page tuner, Has all of my favorites........ multiple POVs, short chapters & told in alternating times.
Another of Sally Hempworth familial thrillers that I loved.

This book was a 5 star read! Thank you net galley for giving me an advanced copy of this book to read. Alicia, Jessica and Norah (no T) seems like ordinary sisters, but they are anything but ordinary and their childhood was anything but ordinary. Miss Fairchild has rules and you must always follow the rules, if you don’t there will be consequences. The Darling Girls thought they had left their past in the past and that is where it would stay, but fate has a way of bringing it back. Will it haunt us or set us free? This book is an edge of your seat thriller with twist and turns all throughout.