Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
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For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued and raised by the same foster mother. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, it forces the sisters and their their time in the home into the spotlight.
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What I liked:
-This book was deliciously twisted. I didn’t want to stop reading it.
-The amount of secrets and suspicions here made it all the more of an addictive read.
-I guessed one thing but there were a lot of surprises.
-I loved the ending.
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4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 I was very impressed with this book and would suggest that all thriller lovers add this to their tbr right away!

Sally Hepworth is one of my favorite story tellers. The Good Sister is my favorite. Darling Girls is an interesting read. It kept me engaged throughout. Thing is as is with most dual timelines the before chapters were my favorite and I wished there were more! The story is good and the twist was cool. I highly recommend.

For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.

The twist at the end of this book defiantly got me. I was not expecting what happen to happen. This was my first Sally Hepworth and I am looking forward to exploring others she has written.
The beginning drug out for me a little but but about the 40% mark I was invested in what was going on and knowing what happened to the girls. There are defiantly characters that you will despise from the beginning of this novel and ones you will despise at the end. Jessica was not my favorite of the girls, but I see why she had her issues, and I was happy with how this whole story ended.

I read this so incredibly fast! I've never been disappointed with a Hepworth read and this is no exception. Following three girls from the same foster home, we see some psychological abuse these girls must overcome. Thankfully, they are able to leave the abusive situation. Fast forward 25 years and they are being drawn back to the same place they longed to never think about again. The secrets in this are juicy and the twists are even juicier.

This book was a little predictable but still was an interesting premise and definitely kept me guessing. I really thought I knew the ending until the very last page changed everything. I think this was an interesting look at a dysfunctional found family who is helping each other deal with the trauma they experienced growing up. I wish I could’ve seen more from the sisters after the fact of the main storyline, but it made sense to end where it did. The changing of point of view definitely kept this story flowing and would peak my interest in the other storyline as it came back up. Overall this was a decent read.

Sally Hepworth is an auto read author for me. All of her books are just easy to read. And they’re interesting! This one was no exception. I think if you enjoy any of her prior works - you’ll like this one

Sally Hepworth’s *Darling Girls* is a fantastic blend of suspense, emotion, and gripping storytelling. The book hooks you from the start with its mix of sisters, secrets, love, and murder.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are foster sisters who were supposedly lucky to be rescued by Miss Fairchild. But their childhood on her farm was far from the happy picture everyone imagined. Miss Fairchild had strict rules, and she was unpredictable and strict, leaving a lasting impact on the girls.

Hepworth brings these characters to life with vivid details. Jessica's quiet strength, Norah's rebellious nature, and Alicia's vulnerability make them feel real and relatable. Their bond as sisters, forged through shared trauma, is the heart of the story.

When a body is found under their childhood home, the sisters are thrust back into the past they tried to escape. They become key witnesses—or suspects—in the ensuing investigation. The plot thickens as they unravel long-hidden secrets and confront the ghost of Miss Fairchild's influence.

The writing is sharp and engaging, seamlessly moving between past and present. The suspense builds perfectly, keeping you on the edge of your seat as the mystery unfolds. Hepworth does an excellent job exploring deep themes like trauma, resilience, and identity, making the book as emotionally impactful as it is thrilling.

*Darling Girls* is a must-read for anyone who loves a good psychological thriller with emotional depth. It's a story about the ties that bind us and the secrets that haunt us. Highly recommended!

LOVED this book! I couldn’t put it down! It had twists and turns even on the last page. sally Hepworth is definitely one of my absolute favorites authors . Thanks to netgalley for an advanced readers copy (but my review is unbiased).

I love this author and this book was another thriller. The character, the setting, the storyline, the twists and turns. I couldn't put the book down.

I loved this psychological thriller by Sally Hepworth! I immediately became invested in the lives of these three women who grew up in foster care and what happened there. There are some twists and interesting reveals. Great story! 4 stars!

Darling Girls, by Sally Hepworth

Genre: psychological thriller

Three foster sisters: Jessica, Norah, and Alicia

I enjoyed the dual timelines, and multiple point of views. I especially loved how each of the sister's endings were presented. The author did a great job showing their bond to one another, as well as the psychological effects of abuse.

Without giving too much of a spoiler, I don't know that the last twist at the end was truly necessary.

I would recommend looking up trigger warnings.

I read this with a book club, and we all thoroughly enjoyed it, and had some great discussion. The one piece of feedback that I will give is I thought my copy had grammatical and spelling issues because it was an ARC, however the other members of my book club had completed copies, and saw the same, so I would recommend corrections in future prints, and editions.

Your star rating: 3

A big thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC,

I love sally hepworth she is awesome, but this book. I would give it a 4/5 usually im not one for going from timeline to timeline and multiple pov but she did it very well to where you didnt get lost. The twists that she adds to her books are right on time and i love it. I have seen where some people thought the last one was not needed and its a matter of opinion. I say keep writing and doing you.

As someone who loved "the soulmate" by Hepsworth I was delighted to receive this ARC from net galley! I couldn't put this book down! It was dark twisty and unpredictable, just how I like my thrillers!! I enjoyed the multiple POV and timelines. Will definitely recommend to my friends looking for a solid thriller and will continue to read more of her back list!!

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia all met when they were placed in foster care with Miss Fairchild when they were young. Now older and loving their own lives, the girls are forced to relive that time of their lives after a body is found buried under their foster home. Told in alternating points of view, follow Jessica, Norah, and Alicia as they retell their time in foster while also learning about the problems that they are facing in life now.

This was a great thriller. When you think you know how this will end, you will be in for the shock you never saw coming.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I just cannot seem to focus on this story.

DARLING GIRLS is another zippy, twisty, and dark thriller from Sally Hepworth.

Set in Australia and centered around three women - Jessica, Alicia, and Nora - who grew up together in an “idyllic” foster home. When a body is uncovered in the rubble of this home, the three reunite and uncover secrets from their past.

I love the way Sally Hepworth combines family dynamics and compelling thrillers and DARLING GIRLS does not sway from this winning formula. The relationship between the sisters is compelling and heartwarming, though at times underdeveloped.

The mystery elements of the story are relatively run of the mill. I guessed the ending coming a mile away, which is unusual for me, but could be due to the many Hepworth novels I’ve consumed in the last few years. The novel is also darker than her others, the subject matter centering on children made it quite hard to read at moments.

Overall: I will always reach for a Sally Hepworth novel when I want something propulsive, particularly if I need a book to break a reading slump.

Sally Hepworth did it again. One of the things I love most about her writing is that she is SO good at making you think one thing about someone's intentions, and then all of a sudden you get their point of view and it changes EVERYTHING. The way she writes her characters is amazing, and this one was no exception. This is definitely a heavier topic than her other books, but it was really well done.

Hepworth gets me with her twists and turns yet again!

Anytime I see a new book from Hepworth on the horizon, I know it’s a must read for me. Some of course are better than others, but if there’s one thing I can count on, it’s the wild twists and turns you don’t see coming.

I love how this story switches back and forth between present day, the past, and even further into the past. Having these three different storylines really help shape readers to understand why each character acts they way they do in present day.

DARLING GIRLS covers a lot of topics, with the main plot centered around foster care. While I am not an expert in what foster care is like, knowing how delicate of a topic it can be, it really seemed like Hepworth did her research to truly understand the nuances and everything that goes into fostering children.

The characters are well-written, engaging and painted authentically in their own flawed ways. There was never a question in how I felt each character would react to a situation!

I was sort of surprised how dark this story was. There are a ton of trigger warnings so please check out other reviews to see if this story is right for you.

Big thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC/ALC.

Content warnings: child abuse, death, emotional abuse, drug abuse, addiction, kidnapping, sexual assault

This book is wild! I thought it was so good and thrilling/mysterious. The ending bumped up a star for me cuz I wasn't expecting it! Fantastic book

A masterful blend of character-driven drama and plot twists.

>Darling Girls delves into the complex lives of three foster sisters: Jessica, Norah, and Alicia.
>The foster sisters were raised by the enigmatic Miss Fairchild. Their idyllic past shrouded in secrets.

>When a body is found under their childhood home, their lives unravel. They become witnesses—or perhaps even suspects—in a chilling murder investigation.

>As the layers of secrecy peel away, we see the bonds between the sisters tested. Their loyalty, love, and shared trauma shape their choices.

>The novel explores themes of identity, trust, and the haunting power of the past. Prepare for twists, revelations, and a journey into the shadows.

🎧Jessica Clarke’s performance is gripping. She breathes life into each sister, weaving suspense and emotion.