Darling Girls focuses on three foster "sisters", who grew up together for a couple of years at Wild Meadows foster home in Port Agatha. They are all grown and living their not so best lives, when they each receive a phone call 25 years later from a detective about the discovery of human bones on the site of Meadows Hill.
All three of the women who are so close they call each other sisters, go back to Meadows Hill to be interviewed by the detectives on the case. Jessica, Alicia, and Norah all have flashbacks from their time at Meadows Hill and with their cruel and abusive foster mother, Miss Fairchild. It's a mystery who the bones could belong to, because as children no one ever believed them and they were gaslit for years.
This book was a very good portrayal on the life-long lasting effects of being raised by an abusive, narcissistic foster parent/ parent. There was also a good character study done on that of Miss Fairchild, and how she was able to manipulate everyone around her.
I highly recommend reading this book, as the twists and turns were plentiful!!

Darling Girls is the story of 3 foster sisters, Jessica, Norah and Alicia, who met while they were being fostered by their foster mother, Miss Fairchild. The beginning of the book starts with each sister in the present, learning that there has been a skeleton unearthed at their former foster home and being requested by the local police to come down to talk to them. The sisters meet and agree to take a trip to their former town. The author then takes the reader through the sisters’ journey to the rural town in which they met, and weaves in their history mixing together the past and present in an easy to read fashion. Intertwined into many of the chapters are excerpts from a present tense interview between the foster mother and a psychiatrist during with the foster mother speaks of her own upbringing. At first, the transitions to Ms. Fairchild’s discussions with the psychiatrist were a bit jarring because they happened in the middle of a chapter, but a pattern is created and as the book goes on, the segues become smoother.

All three sisters have distinct personalities, and their characters are well developed. They are ardent supporters and defenders of each other and have each found ways to cope with their childhood. The latter part of the book is focused on the skeleton that was unearthed at the house. There is an interesting twist at the very end of the book which I was not expecting but which was welcome. A very fast-paced read!

Thank you, NetGalley and Sally Hepworth, for the advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to review this book. All opinions are my own. I love a good family story, and Sally Hepworth wrote one. Three foster sisters are the main characters, the author switches between their childhood and present day. It kept me guessing but some of the part of the book were predictable for me. All the characters were very well developed ,and the author spent a lot of time describing their shared trauma; however their sisterhood bond is amazingly strong. Sally Hepworth's writing style is unique and this book is very well written. I can't wait for the physical copy of the book to come out because I am definitely buying one. I would also recommend this book for a book club discussion.

This book really opened my eyes about the foster system. You always hear about the good stories from fostering a child but never hear the horror stories. Darling girls brings the horror story to real life. Excellent story and pray to God no child has to endure the abuse or neglect like this.

5/5 stars for this read! I seriously looked forward to reading this every day. The plot, characters, and drama/thrill of the story was 10/10. Every page was written with quality and suspense. I was guessing the ending until the last page and still was on the edge of my seat (quite literally).

Darling Girls tells the story of 3 foster sisters who have to relive their past when a body is found at their former home. This was a quick read and it held my attention. I love a good mystery.

I can’t resist a Sally Hepworth book, and this one, like the rest, certainly does not disappoint. Hepworth juggles complex relationships, family drama, and psychological suspense so well. Alternating time periods AND POVs make the story even more compelling. Trigger warnings should abound, however: abuse, addiction, neglect, suicide attempt. Those with an intense foster care experience as either a child or caregiver may struggle, but the story is an important one to tell and to build empathy.

This was my second Sally Hepworth book I've read and she's quickly become one of my preferred authors.

I enjoy Hepworth's writing style and how she quickly and thoughtfully develops each of her characters, and their relationships with each other.

I find her books to be thought provoking, but at the same time easily digestible and quick to read.

I look forward to reading more by this author!

Special thanks to Netgalley for providing early access to this book. I plan to buy a physical copy once it hits the shelves!

Wow wow wow! Love this author so much. Never disappoints. The characters were so relatable and that ending was great. Thanks to Netgalley for the read.

I absolutely love Sally Hepworth and "Darling Girls" was a twisty, suspense-filled novel. Worth the read for sure.

This was my first Sally Hepworth book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found the pacing to be just right, the characters to be fleshed out well and the story to be engaging. It was a very quick read and, by the end, I actually didn't see the twist coming (which doesn't happen very often). I'll definitely be picking up more of her books! Thank you for allowing me to read this one.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Sally is a favorite author of mine and also a favorite to follow on social media. I was excited to see that this new work was available to read early. It did not disappoint! Twisty, dark and unexpected.

The is my first time reading Sally Hepworth and I didn’t really know what to expect. What I got was a twisty mystery that left me with all the feelings. It was really good but not sure that I’ll read another.

Absolutely loved this book! Character development was unmatched. The storyline itself was unique. And Hepworth’s writing is superb. Will continue to read everything she writes!

4 stars! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own. I really enjoyed this book with its twists and turns. The subject matter of foster children was meaningful to me since I spent time in social work school working for the Department of Children and Family in Florida. The three main characters are Alicia, Jessica, and Norah, three bonded women who spent time together as foster children at the home of Miss Fairchild. They managed to break away as children but are being pulled back after bones are found under the remains of the house after it is torn down. The author made clever use of shifting perspectives and did a good job incorporating how childhood traumas can have lasting effects into adulthood. I found the final twists unpredictable which makes for a fun read. Also appreciated the author's exploration of the lengths kids go to in order to survive and live through some pretty terrible situations. Resilience is a fascinating subject and why some kids have it and some don't. So, all in all, highly recommend.

At first glance, Alicia, Jessica, and Norah may seem like your typical everyday women. However, a closer look reveals that each of them faces unique challenges. Jessica struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder, which can overwhelm everyday tasks. On the other hand, Norah struggles with controlling her anger, sometimes reacting impulsively under challenging situations. Alicia, meanwhile, tends to express her feelings of low self-esteem in unexpected ways that catch those around her off guard.

Despite these obstacles, the three women share a deep and unbreakable bond that dates back to their childhoods. They grew up together on a farm, raised by their foster mother, Miss Fairchild. Their shared experiences have created a connection that transcends their struggles, and they continue to rely on each other for support and understanding.

Sally Hepworth has demonstrated exceptional writing skills by presenting a narrative characterized by vivid portrayals of all four characters, both in the past and present, thus providing a rich, deeply engaging, and thought-provoking reading experience. The characters are impeccably crafted, enabling readers to connect emotionally with them, which contributes significantly to the story's impact and appeal. The author's ability to maintain consistent quality throughout the narrative is a testament to her expertise in creative writing.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to review this book.

I have loved everything Sally Hepworth has written that I've read. This was no exception. It was thrilling and kept my attention the entire time. You never quite know who you can trust her books and this held onto that theme very well.

While Sally Hepworth is definitely a favorite author of mine, Darling Girls was not one of her favorite books for me. There is a lot going on in this story: foster care, child abuse, murder, and drug abuse to name a few. But there is also suspense, alternating timelines (which I love), and a few twists/turns. I would have liked to see more character development in the "sisters." While this was touched upon lightly in describing their careers (home organization business and social work) and their dysfunctional relationships with other people, I wanted more. Jessica's husband was barely touched upon and it was disappointing to read that he basically swept her drug addiction under the carpet. Also, the almost voyeuristic tendency of the conversations with the therapist were a bit strange. I thought Hepworth did a great job showing how trauma affects the lives of people and their future development into adults. All in all, this was a good read but not quite the thriller I was hoping for.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance reader edition of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Beautifully Orchestrated!
This story tells the tale of three young girls brought together and bonded for life through the misfortune of becoming foster kids. We get an insightful look at the circumstances that led them to their shared foster home, their heartbreaking struggle while living together, and a detailed look into the mental and physical repercussions of all they've endured. All alongside a "side story" and masterfully crafted mystery that brought them back to their childhood foster home.

Sally Hepworth has done an outstanding job of laying this story out in such a way that has your mind constantly engaged and craving more.

Thank you so much @NetGalley and @StMartinsPress for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

Alicia, Jessica, and Norah are three girls who survived the foster mother, Miss Fairchild and as adults remain friends and "sisters." The novel flashes back and forth from the past in Miss Fairchild's home to the present when the girls are independent adults. Suddenly called back by the police to their former foster home, they wonder about the bones of a young child found underneath the demolished house.

The focus is on foster children and how they might fare under foster parents who are abusive, controlling, emotionally unhinged. And a foster care system that might also have social workers not invested in the welfare of children they supervise.
The book becomes a mystery to be solved about the identity of the child who was buried years ago under the house they called home.

The characters are delineated carefully, their stories sometimes horrific. The novel has a twist at the end that is chilling.