Darling Girls is another satisfying, twisty mystery/thriller by Sally Hepworth. I recommend this title and all of her previous novels.

I am a library associate and received an advance copy from #NetGalley.

Another great book by Sally Hepworth. I love the subtle twists and turns. Unlike other authors, you don't feel like everything is upended when one comes to light. I loved the way the characters were intertwined throughout the book. I continue to be a big fan!

Book Title: Darling Girls
Author: Sally Hepworth
Publisher: Saint Martin’s Press
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pub Date: April 28, 2024
My Rating: 3.7 rounded up
Pages: 368

Twenty-five years ago Alicia Connelly, Jessica Lovat and Norah Anderson were foster “sisters”, and lived at Wild Meadows Farms a foster home (aka- House of Horrors) in Port Agatha. Today they seem somewhat like average women. True, Jessica is a bit OCD and Norah has some anger issues. And Alicia has low self-esteem. However they have a bond that average women don’t have it started when they lived on a farm with a foster mother named Miss Fairchild -who was cruel and abusive.

The three foster sisters all have flashbacks from their time at Wild Meadows.
Jessica is the oldest of the trio and arrived at the home when she was five years old; and in desperate in need of a mother’s love.
Norah is the youngest and was eleven when she arrived and always was violence as it seemed necessary.
Alicia is in the middle – a year younger than Jessica and a year older than Norah. She arrived when she was twelve-year-old as her grandmother was in an accident and her stay was only supposed to be temporary. Reading their back story was not a pleasant experience.
The Housemother Holly Fairchild is wicked to say the least.

Now in their thirties the three women each receive a phone call regarding human bones found under the demolition site farmhouse at Wild Meadows (as they were building a new MacDonald’s.
The story is a wild ride of Past and Present; told in alternating POVs additionally a mystery voice of someone in Dr. Warren’s psychotherapy session. (However this person really isn’t a big mystery.)

This is my eight Sally Hepworth novel ] the other seven I read were outstanding 5 star reads! I was expecting the same with this story!

However as I was reading it I thought ~ Yikes! I believe Ms. Hepworth’s evil twin wrote this; it just doesn’t seem to be her normal style. It was more disturbing than I expected.
The shocking ending YES! I expected that But…Child abuse?
However, her acknowledgements made it clearer why she wrote this.
She tells us about her research. She spoke with women who were raised in foster care. Also points out that although there are villains but for every villain there is in foster care there are hundreds of heroes- helping children who are living in this failed system.
Sisterhood and friendship are definitely a part of this story and I know abuse and other trauma a child experienced can follow through adulthood.

Ms. Hepworth is still one of my favorite authors although this story wasn’t an enjoyable read due to the child abuse - however Sally Hepworth is an amazing story teller! So Yes! I definitely am looking forward to her next story

Want to thank NetGalley and Saint Martin’s Press for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 28, 2024

Somehow I missed writing my review for this book. I usually do a rough draft as soon as I’m done so I don’t forget some of the important points. Hopefully I can still catch the essence of my thoughts several weeks later.
Alicia, Jessica, and Norah met when they were in the foster care system. Miss Fairchild was their foster mother, and to put it mildly, she was like a hot and cold faucet. It only provided freezing, cold water or hot scalding water after a while. The only thing that they could count on was each other.
Many years have passed when the police contact each of them. Bones have been found under their old foster home, and they return to provide information. Told in the past and in the present, a bleak picture takes shape detailing not only how they wound up under Miss Fairchild’s care, but also how their pasts have shaped their present lives.
This was full of a lot of drama, many twists and turns, and the abuse these children suffered was heartbreaking. A sad story and one that kept me flipping the pages to find out the identity of the bones, and if any of these people were somehow involved.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a pleasure to read an ARC of Sally Hepworth’s Darling Girls! This is an author I often recommend to others. It’s common for me to finish one of her books and immediately text someone to add the book to their TBR list.

This is a domestic thriller told through multiple POVs in past and present storylines. Foster sisters Alicia, Jessica, and Norah have a strong bond after initially meeting at Wild Meadows foster home as children. Now, as adults in their 30’s, they continue to be close to each other while struggling with their childhood trauma in different ways. They find themselves back near Wild Meadows after detectives contact them to discuss human remains that were found while the Wild Meadows house was being demolished. But whose body was found? How did it get there? And when?

The author provided great character development and made it easy for me to fail reading “just one more chapter”. I was always left ready for more at the end of each chapter as more pieces of the puzzle were sprinkled throughout the book. I did get nervous as I neared the last 50 or so pages because it felt like everything was ending predictably and in a neat little bow without any twists. Thankfully, I was satisfied with the ending which did provide a great twist that was very fitting for that specific character. As a social worker myself, I appreciated that while the corrupted side of the system is a main focus of the book, it still points out the loving caring individuals who dedicate their lives to children who deserve more than the bare minimum in their lives.

While this book didn’t reach 5 star territory for me as other Hepworth books have, it was still a wonderful read and one I will recommend to others.

Triggers included child abuse (isolation, neglect, physical and sexual abuse). When referenced, enough detail was provided so the reader understood the related trauma, but it was not overly specific/detailed.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a digital ARC. Publish date is April 22, 2024.

This feels like old school Sally Hepworth in the best way. This was highly bingeable, I could not put the story down. The story is told in dual timelines and follows three foster girls who spend some time in the same home of Miss Fairchild, a foster home of horrors and told in the present day where bones have been discovered from the home they were in. The story rotates between the three foster sisters and a fourth mystery woman. While you can figure out the fourth voice, it still doesn't prepare you for the rest of how the story unravels.

I'm still sitting on my thoughts for this one but I think this may be her best book yet. Sally writes complex female relationships so well. This is more disturbing and sinister than any of her previous books, which I was not expecting. I loved learning more about the girls and how the trauma affected them differently, how they coped, and what they still struggle with currently. While I did not see the ending twist - I also didn't know if it was truly necessary and added for effect. There are a lot of TW that come with this book.

Recommend if you enjoy:
Bingeable, popcorn thrillers
Sister stories
Twists and well done reveals

Sally Hepworth is one of my favorite authors and her latest did not disappoint. I really enjoyed getting to know each character and understanding their response to the trauma experienced in their lives. Yes, this book is full of triggers and child abuse is difficult to read. However, understanding the life experiences of others is important and the way the content was delivered actually did not bother me. However, please be clear that it was on the page and not sugar coated. I was only able to predict one twist and I don't think the author was really trying to hide it. The ending and other twists came as a surprise which is always a pleasure. In addition, there were some really funny moments and Norah was a really funny character. The author was able to strike a balance in order to allow the reader the space to legitimately laugh during some moments of this really tough tale.




Expected publication date: April 23, 2024

Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer an honest review.

As always, a stellar book by Sally Hepworth! She never disappoints and had me engaged and on the edge of my seat throughout the whole book. Highly recommend reading this.

This might be her best yet! Three girls become sisters when placed into the foster care of Miss Fairchild. A foster home of horrors. The twist at the end was specular - never saw it coming! Darling Girls is a fast-paced psychological thriller that pulls you in from the first page and keeps you until the end. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Sally Hepworth, and Netgalley.

This is my fourth book with Sally Hepworth, and I believe my favorite. She had a flair for writing complex female relationships, with the male characters almost an afterthought. They aren’t important to the story. This one actually is a bit different, as you have the characters of John and Dr. Warren playing small parts in the mystery woman’s therapy sessions.

The story rotates between the voices of three foster sisters and a fourth mystery woman, as they go forth in both present day and flashbacks to the past. By 2/3 through you can figure out who the mystery woman is, and make guesses as to how this story unravels. The very last chapter will throw that theory for a loop. I can’t decide if the last chapter actually WORKS- it is a trademark last minute twist, but it also unravels a good chunk of the story that has happened already. I’m on the fence as to whether it was necessary. Considering where the therapy session is taking place, and the situations that have occurred to get here, it might work. It’s certainly not out of character for her but is it just for shock value?

The characters are women who are deeply flawed, all have grown up through horrific circumstances that have left deep emotional scars. These horrific circumstances are your trigger warnings..the entire plot line is child abuse, with a touch on rape, sexual abuse, child death. Be warned going in that it’s not an easy read.

Thanks to Sally Hepworth, St Martins Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this domestic thriller. It is certainly a strong read for 2024!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this ARC. Overall I liked the story. Three young women, Alicia - who suffers from low self-esteem, Jessica - who is a little OCD, and Norah - who has anger issues, share a bond after growing up together in foster care with Miss Fairchild as their foster mother. When they are called back to their former foster home by the police after the bones of a child were found under the house, Alicia, Jessica and Norah all face their time at Wild Meadows. Sally Hepworth's new novel is written from the POV of Alicia, Jessic and Norah as well as Miss Fairchild. It was a good story with an interesting storyline that was engaging and kept me interested. It wasn't as thrilling or page-turning as The Soulmate, but I still enjoyed it.

Who is buried beneath the foster home called Wild Meadow? For three sisters who spent their childhood there, secrets are being revealed. The story of Wild Meadows is told through several timelines which kept me thoroughly engaged throughout. I loved this book. Highly recommend.

Lacks depth but makes for an entertaining page-turner

3.5 stars

Darling Girls is a compulsively readable thriller about three girls whose suffering in a foster care home bonded them together as sisters. 25 years later, their pasts collide with the present when a body is found under the house of their suffering.

The narrative is divided between the three sisters:

Jessica: the one who follows a rigid set of rules and strives for perfection. She is also hiding a big secret.

Alicia: the one who tries to give back but runs away from relationships.

Norah: the one with anger issues who can snap at any moment.

There are also a few chapters narrated by a woman recounting her past trauma.

The timeline alternates between the past and the present. I enjoyed the chapters focused on the past vs. present drama.

Blinded by their trauma, the sisters can’t see what is happening right in front of their eyes.

There is a bit of a mystery, and there is much to unravel with their foster mother’s story. I wish Hepworth had gone deeper into exploring the darkness behind the abuse and the results of suffering from such abuse.

The three women are magically cured after the events wrap, and each gets a happy ending.

This is a fast-paced, quick read with some good twists and turns. There is a major twist revealed in the final chapter, which seems to be Hepworth’s formula as of late, so it was not surprising to me.

Overall, a good read--I just expected something a little darker and more sinister.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

I am new to reading Sally Hepworth, my first of hers being The Soulmate, which I thought was okay at best. However, this novel, Darling Girls, had me pleasantly surprised. The story has a past/present timeline that follows three girls, Alicia, Jessica, and Nora, who grew up in foster care at The Wild Meadows. I loved exploring the girl's three personalities, formed from their trauma at the Meadows. Jessica has severe anxiety and OCD and may or may not be barely managing to keep her head above water using prescription meds. Norah is highly sexual and has a violent, angry history that keeps her one step away from jail. Alicia feels like a burden and has little self-worth but tries hard to prevent others from going through what she went through. This, and their thicker-than-blood bond, is because of Miss Fairchild and her rules. But that all changed when they went to the police many years ago. Bones have been found under the Meadows, and the past is present. Just whose bones are hidden under the house? And what exactly happened all those years ago at the Meadows when the girls never saw Miss Fairchild again?
I loved this slow-build mystery that explores the psychological damage that can be done by a childhood full of hate and abuse. I found it interesting the girls were affected differently, and they coped with it differently, too, despite enduring the same trauma. The characters are interesting, and the story is heart-wrenching. The book alternates between past and present perspectives of Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, and a psychiatrist's office, but which girl is he speaking to, and what dark secrets is she hiding? I sometimes struggle with keeping track of alternative points of view and connecting to the characters in these types of books. However, this one was emotional and was not confusing in the slightest. I immensely enjoyed the depth of characterizations Hepworth provides. However, some definite trigger warnings come from this book due to it involving child abuse. I figured out part of the twist early in the book, which decreased its rating. However, the rest of the twist was a great surprise, keeping it a four-star read.

Bewildered, belittled, and baffled.

Three young girls share their timelines as foster children in the household of Miss Fairchild, and then how their experience has challenged their adult lives. This story leads us through childhood memories, the outcome of their upbringing, and finally a shocking end.

This book is another good reminder to treat others with kindness, as we don’t know what people have been through within their lives/past. This story wasn’t what I expected it to be, and still thinking about this sad, yet startling mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of Sally Hepworth’s latest novel!

OKAY - Wow. WOW?! This might be my favorite thriller that I read this year. Between the multiple point of views and the fast paced writing this book was so entertaining and dare I say... thrilling? (I had to ok)

This book had me guessing from the first page and I am honestly exhausted in the best way possible from reading it.

***Please note this ARC had many errors. I typically don't notice tiny mistakes but this had so many that it was frustrating at times.

Sally Hepworth does an amazing job with thriller, showing the intricacies of post-foster care lives and some challenging mental health issues the characters have to face. An entrancing read!

The discovery of human remains sends disrupted the lives of three girls who were under the care of the foster mother from hell. You always did what you were told to do because the consequences could last a lifetime. Alicia, Jessica, and Norah created a family within the confines of that house, only to have it come back to push them to answer questions of loyalty , forgiveness and survival for all three. Each woman has reasons for returning, each has a stake in the truth.

This was a great read. It kept me interested and wondering what was going to happen next. The story is about three girls who the foster care system failed to keep safe. While the 3 were not biological sister, they bonded as if they were so they could deal with their with their situation and the foster mother.

As the story progressed, you thought you had it all figured out and exactly what would happened to wind the story up. There was a twist in the last few chapters that I didn't see coming. Yet, the last pages created another twist!

Read carefully and pay attention to who is who and what time/city they were in. You may even want to re-read the story knowing how it ended.

Thanks NetGalley. I like Sally Hepworth’s books, and this is one of her best. A story about foster “sisters” and an awful existence they had to endure at the hands of their foster mother. Twists and turns galore, right up until the last page! Great job. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.