Sally Hepworth has done it again! Darling Girls will immediately draw readers in and keep them enthralled until the very end. Darling Girls begins with an introduction to each of the main characters and then begins to weave a web of connections between and among each of the characters and their chaotic, difficult past connections. This is a fast-paced read, that fans of thrillers will enjoy immensely.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. And I can honestly say this book is my favorite of all Sally Hepworth’s books I’ve read to date!

Three foster sisters endure their time with Miss Fairchild at what on the surface seems to be a perfect country home and estate. But, inside the house, secrets, abuse, and manipulation are abundant.

Grown now, the three sisters by oath are still together and are called back to Port Agatha when the remains of a body are found after the house is sold and demolished. Each sister is grappling with the aftermath of their childhood trauma even as they near 40. But, they must stick together to figure out who the body belongs to and find justice for the past once and for all.

At its core, this book is about friendship and the idea that family isn’t always blood related. This book also delves into the good and the bad side of the foster care system.

I really enjoyed the alternating perspectives and seeing the inner demons each sister was wrestling with while still trying to protect each other. Without spoilers, the addition of the psychiatrist and the narrative added there was very well done. This was such a fantastic read that I managed to devour it in just over 24 hours. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for my eARC of Darling Girls in exchange for my honest review!

This is my first Sally Hepworth book, and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it! I will absolutely be checking out her other books.

This story follows three foster girls: Jessica, Norah, and Alicia. They’re under the care of Mrs. Fairchild at her home called Wild Meadows. We are bounced around from the past, when each were placed at the home, events while they lived there, and to the present when they’re all contacted about human remains found under the house after it was sold and torn down.

It starts a little slow, as there are multiple characters and a solid foundation to build, but once I got everyone’s story straight, I couldn’t stop! And the end was so twisty. I absolutely loved it! Highly recommend.

I’m still shocked with this psychological thriller from Sally Hepworth. The book weaves through an intricate narrative of three girls that were in foster care to a manipulative foster mother. The psychological games played by the foster mother leave you hurting for the three girls as you hear each of their stories in both the Then and Now. When the girls are summoned back to the town after bones are discovered buried under the old foster home, you will be searching to find out whose bones they are, who buried them, and when did this all happen?!

I loved the shocking ending and found there to be many turning points at just the right time. I didn’t particularly love any of the three girls’ characters, especially in their Now perspectives. I much preferred the Then storyline. However, the Then & Now & an element of a mystery narrator made for a thought provoking way to acknowledge how an abusive, narcissistic parent can cause life long challenges for children.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced release copy in exchange for an honest review.
Add this book to your TBR list!
Releases on April 23, 2024.

I loved this book. I read it at record speed for a Hepworth book. The plot is unique and twisty. The characters are a little unbelievable which leads to many guesses. I thought it was written perfectly with the dual timelines and povs. Definitely recommend this one!

4.5/5 stars for this one! A little slow but the twists kept coming till the end. Overall would highly recommend this one to my friends and family!

I have a love/hate with this authors books: sometimes I feel like they are stuffing too many “hot topics” into their storylines. However, Darling Girls has become one of my favorites of theirs!

It felt fast pace enough to keep my attention and kept me guessing (which isn’t an easy task!) Definitely will be recommending to friends.

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

Sisters, secrets, love, and murder. Four of Sally Hepworth’s favorite things. I’m a fan of Sally, so I was excited to dive into this one. This book follows three sisters, raised by a foster mother, who was not as she seems. Even after breaking away from the foster mother, the truth always comes out.

This was a great read. Sally knows how to keep you on your toes!

This was my first Sally Hepworth book and I was such a fan. This book kept me guessing until the very end- even the last page surprised me! Darling Girls has a multiple POV writing style that alternates between the past and present perspectives from Jennifer, Norah, and Alicia. (as long as you can remember the three different characters it isn't too difficult to keep up with who is who as it switches). There are also counseling sessions with Dr. Warren sprinkled throughout the chapters. These three characters spent a couple of years in a foster home called Wild Meadows under the care of Miss Fairchild. Fast forward to present day when they are informed that bones have been found under Wild Meadows. The chapters tell of how each girl ended up at Wild Meadows, their experience while they were there, where they each are as adults, and how they coped with the trauma of their childhood. This book really had me questioning what really happened the entire way. There were a few moments where I audibly gasped because I was so shocked. As a reader you'll ask- Whose bones are did they find? Who buried the bones? Will they go back and visit Wild Meadows after all those years? How did the girls leave Wild Meadows? What happened to Miss Fairchild? And so many more. This may be a hard storyline to read for some people so look at some trigger warnings before reading.

tw: child physical/emotional abuse, neglect, substance abuse, kidnapping, pornography, one sex scene at the end that is easily skippable.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Book is set to release 4/23/24

Sally Hepworth’s latest domestic suspense novel centers on three former foster children, Jessica, Norah and Alicia, who have been contacted about bones which had been found at Wild Meadows Farm, the property where they had lived together with Miss Fairchild, their foster mother. The three women had formed such a close bond as a result of their experiences on Wild Meadows Farm that they considered themselves sisters, despite their very different temperaments, abilities and appearances. But all three had been shaped, for better or worse, by their years together as children.

The discovery of the bones brings the past back with a vengeance, uncovering secrets and throwing into question what each of them actually knew about what happened with Miss Fairchild. Thinking they are being asked as key witnesses, they decide to return to Port Agatha to aid the police in their investigation, despite the fact that, or perhaps because, all three are facing separate crises in their personal lives in Melbourne where they now live. Quickly, however, they realize they may just be the prime suspects in the case.

Hepworth weaves a twisty tale of personal trauma with now and then chapters, as well as three POVs for Jessica, Norah and Alicia, along with a few chapters interspersed throughout following an unnamed character. But the twists are only one reason you won’t want to put the book down. The relationship between the women is just as engaging, at times heart-warming and heart-rending, at others laugh-out-loud funny.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this Advanced Review Copy.

Absolutely loved this book! It had me on my toes from the very beginning, to the very end. The characters are built well, and their relationships have been explored deeply. Each of the sisters have such different personalities and a unique relationship with the foster mother, Miss Fairchild. It ends perfectly, especially for fans of dark thrillers!

Darling Girls follows the lives of 3 girls who grew up together in foster care. When a body is discovered under their old foster home, they must return to the place that they were desperate to get away from.

Sally Hepworth is one of the best at domestic thrillers. We get dual timelines, the scary side of the foster system, twists and turns, and a jaw dropping ending. This was such an easy read to stay connected to and I couldn’t wait for more.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC!

Thank you for letting me read this arc! The captivating story of this twisted Wild Meadows was certainly a page turner. Enjoyed the multiple POVs and the twist ending!

3.5-3.75 ✨ rounded up.

I'm always up for a read by Sally Hepworth! I didn't hesitate to request this one as well, but it took a few months before I finally got around to digging into it. (Didn't take near as long to devour it.)

The book was told mostly from the perspectives of the 3 foster sisters, both in the past and in the present, with some entries sprinkled in of a character talking to a therapist as well (I won't reveal which character as that is a possible spoiler for a little while in the book, although I did guess early on who it was). I found the sisters to be fleshed out well with each having different backgrounds and dealing with their childhood trauma and demons in different ways, but in ways that made sense for who they were and for foster children in general. On the subject of the therapist bits though, I found the therapist character, Dr. Warren, to be off-putting more and more with each entry but was curious to see where that part was all going to lead to and where it would go in relation to the rest of the story. The plot was also interesting trying to piece together what had happened all those years ago as well as seeing how it was all going to play out for everyone in the present day.

The most heartbreaking aspect of this book was not really the book itself, but just knowing that this happens too often in real life. Maybe not necessarily finding a child's body buried under a foster home, but everything else: the treatment of foster children, social workers turning a blind eye, people who only foster to get the paycheck, police not believing foster children when they are brave enough to go forward with abuse allegations, etc. Sally's acknowledgments at the end were a nice addition and quick read. She researched this, and you could tell.

Overall, I thought this was one of Sally's better releases in recent years. It wasn't hard to follow along, even with the different character perspectives and the past and present timelines. The characters were interesting and well developed. The story was well thought out and executed. It took a little while to really get into the main mystery, but once it did, I felt even more engaged with the story and couldn't figure out exactly where it would all end up (although I did have a few predictions tumbling around) which is always part of the adventure in Hepworth's novels. I can't say I didn't see the ending coming because I did, but I don't think anything else would have truly fit the final story anyways.


Thank you to Net Galley, St Martin's Press, and Sally Hepworth!
Expected US publication: April 23, 2024

reminds me of a liane moriarty novel: group of women united by trauma genre.

this was very well paced and the characters various traumas inform their adult selves in ways that make sense, which is. satisfying.

the plot was harrowing and twisty enough to be mysterious without being absurd.

great beach read. would definitely recommend.

Sally Hepworth is a master at domestic suspense/thrillers, and while Darling Girls was not my favorite of hers, I would still say it was a solid 3.75 star read for me.

I enjoyed the past/present chapters, as well as the story being told from each sister's viewpoint. And just when I thought I saw the twist coming all along, the final chapter turned it on its head (in the best way possible)!

I will say that I didn't feel strong character development in this book. In fact, I found most of the characters unlikeable. However, the book was so fast-paced that it kept me interested and engaged the whole way through.

Note: Check trigger warnings.

Sally Hepworth has done it again!

“Darling Girls” is the latest thriller in a long line of excellent stories written by Sally Hepworth.

If you’re a fan of multiple storylines and time jumps, this is the book for you.

The narrative revolves around 3 women who grew up together as foster sisters under the abusive care of their evil foster mom. The reader is taken on a journey to understand the torment they suffered then and its lasting aftermath.

Called “home” after a body has been unearthed, these sisters will go through an array of emotions, and the reader will be on the edge of their seat.

Thank you NetGalley, Sally Hepworth, and St. Martin’s Press for selecting me to read this ARC. I’ve been a fan of Hepworth for a while now and will tell everyone I know to check out this book.

This book kept me wanting to read more and it was hard to put down. I thought I knew where the book was going and then the author writes something that pivots it all in a different direction. It was a good book and an easy read. Want to read more!

Wow. I love Sally Hepworth and she did it again. This was a strong 4-4.5 star read. The premise of this book was very interesting, and I loved the alternating chapters between three different viewpoints in addition to past and present. Sometimes when authors choose to write this way, I feel like the characters are underdeveloped and hard to follow along with, but that was not the case here! All three women were distinct in personality and developed so well that I was invested in each storyline. I also felt the chapters composed of interviews with the psychiatrist were well placed and kept me guessing. The reason this wasn't a perfect 5 star read for me was largely the last chapter. I felt like it was added largely for shock value and would have preferred for it not to be there. Without giving anything else away, I didn't like how it altered our view of the character.

As soon as I get my hands on a new Sally Hepworth book I have to start reading it. It doesn't matter that there's a whole stack of books that should be read first -- Sally's book starts out on the top of the book pile. I do this because I know that her books will never disappoint me, that they'll be well plotted with interesting and realistic main characters. I also know that I won't want to put it down once I start because I have to see how it ends. And even though I have been known to read the end of a book before I get there, I don't do that with her books because along with a great ending are all of the twists and turns that keep the book exciting and I don't want to miss a page!

Jessica, Alicia and Alicia are all foster children living on a farm with their loving foster mother Miss Fairchild.
But things aren't always what they appear to be. Miss Fairchild runs her home with strict rules and punishments and was never to be talked back to...ever. The three girls bonded and referred to themselves as sisters. Jessica was the first foster child and was 5 years old when she moved to her new foster home. She and her foster mother bonded and she felt like she had finally found a home filled with love and attention. But when Norah shows up, all of the attention goes to her. Norah at just 11 has been in lots off foster homes and knows how to handle a foster parent like Miss Fairchild. Alicia is 12 when she comes to live at the farm. The 'sisters' knew that they had to escape the farmhouse and they left together as soon as they got a chance.

The second time line is 25 years later and the three girls are grown up but are still feeling the effects of the time with Miss Fairchild. Jessica has OCD, Norah has problems with anger issues and Alicia is a social worker who works to place children in good foster homes. They are surprised when the police contact all three of them and want to talk to them about bones recently found at the farmhouse. After doing testing, it was determined that the person died when the three girls lived there and the police want to know what they remember and if they were involved in the death. The police ask all three women to go back to the town they grew up in -- somewhere they have all avoided since they escaped twenty five years earlier. What repercussions will they face being back in the town with so many bad memories? And what did they really know about the death? With the story being told in alternating chapters by each of the three women, the reader is able to get a clear picture of their lives in foster care as well as their problems as adults. One thing that continues is the strength of their relationship with each other and how much they depend on their 'sisters'.

I absolutely loved this book and it's my new favorite Sally Hepworth novel. The three sisters were well written and it was easy to quickly understand their lives. I enjoyed how they went from strangers to sisters and how they took care of each other and stayed close even after they escaped. Miss Fairchild presents a pretty picture to the town but is basically an evil person more interested in the money she is making for fostering children that she is in the lives of the children she fosters. This is a book that you don't want to miss!