Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending me an ARC of Darling Girls in exchange for an honest review.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were all orphaned as children in the 1990s, and eventually they were all placed in foster care at Wild Meadows Farm. Under the cruel control of Miss Fairchild, the three girls bonded together until the day in their early teens when something so terrible happened that they were finally able to escape. 25 years later, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia each have their personal struggles rooted in that past trauma, but still think of each other as sisters. And then they each get a call from the police that bones have been found under Wild Meadows Farm—bones that may date back to the time they were there with Miss Fairchild. So now they are forced to go back and face their past, and Miss Fairchild, as they and the police try to piece together what really happened 25 years earlier….

For 59 chapters, Darling Girls is a solid psychological thriller. The four main characters—Jessica, Norah, Alicia, and Miss Fairchild—are all well developed. The story moves at a good pace, with revelations and twists at all the right times. There adult trauma was believable, though there were a couple of odd side plots. Still, the flashback scenes to when the girls were in foster care were chilling.

But then you get to Chapter 60. Unfortunately, Darling Girls is one of those books that tries to execute the one-last-twist-that-changes-everything ending. I’m not a big fan of that idea generally because it risks making a lie of too much of the rest of the book. And I felt like it was done especially poorly here. In the last two pages, the author completely undermined the explanation for one of the character’s actions and—even worse—failed to offer a new explanation for why that character had done what they did. A disappointing ending to an otherwise good book.

I always get excited to read another Sally Hepworth book! This one was a good one and so much darker than most.
This book follows 3 foster “sisters”. It’s a dual timeline from growing up and present day. They are back together where their foster home is because bones from a body have been found under that house.
The details of them growing up is so sad. Each girl goes through something even into adulthood. There are some really slow parts where not much is happening but overall a good story.
The last chapter is SHOCKING!
Read trigger warnings!

Twisty and turn-y. Alicia, Norah, and Jessica are sisters, bonded and close. Foster sisters who endured abuse at the hands of Miss Fairchild. Who saved each other in the end. The book goes back and forth between the present where the girls are now grown and their childhood with Miss Fairchild. Bones have been found buried beneath the house they once lived in. Who is it? The girls must come together and tell the police what they tried to tell them all those years ago. The past left its mark on all of them. Read to find out what happened. Whose bones are under the house? What happened to the sisters and to Miss Fairchild?

I’m a huge Sally Hepworth fan and have thoroughly enjoyed all of her books. This book had a lot of lead up before getting to the twist. It is very well written and detailed about children in the foster care system - what they can experience, emotions, and coping as an adult. The book alternates between past and present day with viewpoints from the three girls, Ms. Fairchild, and Dr. Warren. At the 70% mark, I couldn’t put the book down. Usually this authors book hooks me from the beginning. It’s worth the read to find out how all the storylines tie together!

Thank you Net Galley for the advanced copy in exchange for my opinion.
This is the 3rd book I have read by this author and I guess her style is writing in the past and present. It was a bit hard to follow and I almost stopped reading this book a few times. Manly because a fan of reading about abuse, especially child abuse.
I did finish it and MAN I was very surprised by the ending. I really liked the relationship between the sisters and that they always had each other's back.
As I said, this was hard to read at times due to the subject matter, but all in all it was a good book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I love Sally Hepworth’s writing style.. Although this isnT my favorite of her books, I did really like it. The relationship between the three foster sisters is well developed in their characterizations. The child abuse angle was very heart breaking. The viewpoint of the unknown character’s visit with her psychiatrist was interesting, the unknown character is easily identified early in the book. I liked how the story developed, switching from the past to the present.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance review copy in return for an honest review. This was a fun psychological thriller but the twist at the end wasn’t that surprising. I enjoyed learning about the sisters stories and backgrounds though.

Sally Hepworth books do not disappoint. Her ability to weave complicated personalities throughout all of her characters is so refreshing. What appears to be true on page five is completely different by page one hundred. This is a novel that you want to savor but quickly devour because it’s that good.

After a couple of Hepworth "slumps", I was thrilled to see that she is back on her game with "Darling Girls." The story focuses on three girls brought together by their own individual twists of fate. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were all placed into foster care as children. They were sent to Wild Meadows, where their foster mother, Miss Fairchild, looked perfect from the outside, but was far from it on the inside. Controlling and manipulative, the three foster sisters forged an impenetrable bond as they tried, day in and day out, to escape Miss Fairchild's wrath.

Flash forward to the future. The girls are all grown up and living with their own demons, although they are still as close as ever. Imagine their surprise when a set of human bones was discovered underneath the home at Wild Meadows. The intrigue kicks up a notch as the sisters travel back to Wild Meadows, for the first time since they left, in order to assist the detectives with the investigation. Who do the bones below to? Were the sisters or Miss Fairchild involved? What REALLY happened in this house of horrors from long ago?

This story was fascinating for me. I appreciated the psychological element of it, and how each of the girls had demons that manifested in different ways. Also interesting....there is a mysterious character in the novel who spends her time discussing her past with a psychologist. I was intrigued by this twist, and the additional revelations it provided on the girls' shared history. Also. how did it all tie together??

Overall, this story kept me guessing throughout, and I found the ending satisfying. It should be known that this book could be a trigger for those who have been in the foster care system, or that are either physical or emotional abuse survivors. Bravo to Hepworth for coming in strong and delivering an intense, fascinating novel that explores how our tragic pasts can influence our presents and futures.

Thank you to the publiser and NetGalley for this Advanced Release Copy. Expected publish date it April 2024.

Sally Hepworth is a gem of an author! Her books capture your attention as soon as you open them. I love this one with all of the twists and turns that you do not see coming. The characters are fantastic! Must read!

What a sad heartbreaking story for these girls. Sisters (foster care) with mommy dearest.. this woman and the way that she manipulated the girls and treated them wow. What they have endured in their lives and who they are today. Heartbreaking story to read through.

Just when I thought a Sally Hepworth couldn't get any darker, they do. I was so engrossed in this that I read this one day and nothing could stop me until I read the last page. This story follows three women that grew up in the foster system, who come together many years later after bones were discovered under their foster home. What came after was shocking and unsettling. I don't know how Sally thinks of things that are so disturbing, but yet so good. My mind is still reeling over the final page reveal!

Bonds can be formed in all different ways but the bond formed by three foster sisters proved to be unbreakable in this thriller! I loved the multiple POVs and the ending was 🤌

Wow - this was one I couldn't put down despite how dark and heartbreaking the main ideas and themes were. Many of us know that family isn't necessarily someone who is related to us, but those who stick around when we need it most and sometimes have gone through the same things, good or bad. With an unbreakable and traumatic bond, the three girls find themselves reconnecting at their roots in a place they never thought they'd travel back to. This is my first read by Hepworth, and as an avid suspense and thriller lover, I plan to keep reading. Thanks for the ARC, Netgalley!

This was a heartbreaking and dark read by one of my favorite authors. It was equally hard to put down and hard to read. I really enjoyed it. There's even a decent surprise ending to boot, even if I did find the ending to be a bit corny overall. I would recommend this one!

My thanks to St. Martin's Press, Sally Hepworth and Netgalley.
My second Hepworth book and it's official...I suppose that I really like this author. Love? Maybe, eventually. Time will tell!
I just so happened to love these characters.
It's been said countless times, and it's something that I know for truth. Family doesn't always mean by blood. Sometimes a heart family can save you and help you overcome blood.
This is a story of family. Not by blood, but by suffering loss and coming together.
Aw! Sounds so warm and snuggly! It's not.
I loved these "Darling Girls" and was happy to have read this.
I will say that Ms. Hepworth has a knack for writing compelling characters. I only note this because a lot of people can think up wonderfully fantastic storylines, but while the story is great, the people aren't.
Hepworth somehow manages a pretty good story, but she excels at characters. That's a gift that not many author's manage. IMHO.

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin Press for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I flew through this questing myself the whole time, hooked from the beginning. Three girls have a long history and a bond like no other. I did not see the ending coming, those are my favorite books! Will be recommending to others. Sally Hepworth is always a great read!

this was my my first Sally Hepworth and I was impressed. I had a one question left at the end but it didn’t have anything to do with the main plot. I definitely look forward to more of her. I know I have a couple of her books on my TBR shelf.

Big thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me an ARC of this book.

Wow!! Sally has once again nailed it with a great book that is impossible to put down. There was not a moment in this book that did not keep me on my toes. Will be recommending this book to friends!

*Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of "Darling Girls" by Sally Hepworth.

I only discovered I love the "thriller" genre last year, and I've been devouring any thrillers I can get my hands on ever since. "Darling Girls" is no exception. I loved following this trio of "sisters," Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, who are not related by blood; they are bound by a horrible foster situation they all got placed into. They became the only family the others had, and their unbreakable bond is clear throughout the book.

Now all adults, each sister gets a phone call they weren't expecting that brings them all back together in a place they likely figured they'd never return to. Human remains have been found beneath the foster home they lived in, leading local police to resurface this traumatic part of their past. Hepworth does an excellent job of weaving past and present together to paint a complete picture for the reader; the chapters alternate between different POVs of past and present for each sister in a helpful, easy-to-follow way.

Where the book fell short for me was the ending, unfortunately. As a writer myself, I know how hard it is to conclude a piece; it's what so many writers seem to struggle with most. In the case of "Darling Girls," things get wrapped up too suddenly, with one very weird unnecessary cherry on top at the end, which the book could have lived (thrived, even) without.