Disturbing…..Dark……and I LOVED it!! “Sisters” Jessica, Norah and Alicia spend their formative years at Wild Meadows foster home, under the care of owner Holly Fairchild. As each girl arrives at the home, Miss Fairchild’s behavior and treatment of them gets more and more bizarre and abusive. She is controlling, manipulative and finds enjoyment over the psychological games she plays with the girls who depend on one another for protection and comfort. Twenty-five years after the girls are gone from Wild Meadows, a child’s body is discovered during excavation under the home. Whose body is it and who is responsible for the death? Still “sisters” all these years later, Jessica, Norah and Alicia stick together in an effort to help the detectives get answers to these questions. Triggers may include foster care and child & psychological abuse. I have never met a Sally Hepworth thriller that I did not love and this one is no exception. In my opinion, Sally can “write” no wrong. Many thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Publishing Group and of course Sally Hepworth for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

“Look at you, my darling girl.”

I do believe this is my favorite Sally Hepworth book I’ve read to date. It has everything I was looking for and more. I did figure out one of the twists, but was blown away both the last one.

The story flips POV’s to the three fostered girls. Fairly short chapters which I always love. Likable characters. Plot twists. All things I enjoy in a book.

Just when you think you have it figured out you don’t. She makes you feel toward one character a certain way only to in turn feel that way to another character. It was a wild ride and I loved it.

Thank you Sally Hepworth, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my e-arc. Check it out because you won’t want to miss it publish date is 04/23/24.

I really enjoyed this book. This was my first time reading something by Sally Hepworth so I was not sure what to expect. This was an unputdownable page turner. The book tells the story of three foster children and their foster mother and the horrors that happened while in their care. Something happens when are adults that brings them back to town where it all happened. You get the story from everyone’s POV which I really enjoyed.. The final twist at the end I did not see coming. I will be recommending this book to anyone who’s looking for a good psychological thriller.

Sally Hepworth got me again! I love her writing style and how she doesn't waste any time when telling a story. Darling Girls is dark, twisty and a little bit creepy; I was sucked in immediately. I was surprised by the ending, which is somewhat rare for me. Several times throughout, I thought I knew what was going to happen and then I was proven wrong. The only complaints I have is that the jump between timelines and people can be hard to follow in the beginning, and it ends very...abruptly. Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity!

This was another unputdownable book by Sally Hepworth, this one diving into the horrors of the foster care system. Jessica, Norah and Alicia became sisters when they were in Miss Fairchild's foster home and have remained that way into their adult lives. Each of the sisters has a different way of handling their trauma, but when human bones are found beneath the home they were fostered in, they have to face what they thought was left behind. There are so many twists that will keep you hooked and I'll admit that one of them was the one that bumped this up to a five star rating for me. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this book early in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/4 Stars for me on this one. While I figured out the twist early on in this it was still hard for me to put down. I would recommend to anyone looking for a fast paced psychological thriller!!

Thanks NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read prior to publishing.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia met under the worst of circumstances. They were all fostered by the horrid Miss Fairchild at her country home, Wild Meadows. Over the course of several years, the circumstances for each of the three girls caused them to be without a home or reliable family. While the conditions at Wild Meadows were far from ideal due to Miss Fairchild’s unpredictable moods, the girls built a sisterhood and created a bond that could not be broken.

Years later, Jessica is running a successful home organization business, Alicia is a social worker helping as many children as she can, and Norah is . . . a mess. The bond between the three woman is still as strong as ever. When bones are discovered under the Wild Meadows farmhouse, they are called back to speak to the police investigating what could potentially be a murder. As Miss Fairchild suddenly reappears in their lives, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are forced to face the horrors of their past and try to solve a mystery that has tormented them for many years.

I really enjoyed this book! The story is told in alternating perspectives and timelines of Jessica, Norah, and Alicia which allows you to get to know each of them. I found myself most relating to Jessica, but I was drawn to each of their storylines. Reading about their time at Wild Meadows was horrifying but felt authentic. I felt like I really got to know each of the girls in those chapters. The author did a great job showing how different people can handle traumatic experiences in different ways and also that the effects of those experiences can manifest differently in each person. I can’t wait to see what Sally Hepworth comes up with next and I will continue to be a lifelong reader :)

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As a fan of all of Sally Hepworth’s books I was thrilled to receive an advanced reader copy of this ebook. This book did a great job or capturing what is is to be a foster kid. I loved the bond between Jessica, Norah and Alicia. I couldn’t put the book down because I couldn’t wait to see what the next twist would be. And the final twist….🤯. Thank you to Net Galley, St Martin’s Press and Sally Hepworth for the opportunity to read and review this book early!

This story was told from 4 different perspectives and across 2 times (now and then), but it was pretty simple to follow. I didn't feel highly connected to any of the characters but the plot made up for that. I would rate this 3.5 stars...but the last chapter (the last twist) brought it up to 4 stars. I didn't see that ending coming.

Another entertaining psychological mystery from Sally Hepworth!

This story alternates both between past and present as well as between three foster sisters who share a bond because of their horrible family placement as children. When a body is discovered under the house where they grew up, they begin to acknowlege their trauma and secrets are revealed as the mystery is solved.

I really enjoyed the bond between the three sisters. All were different, struggling with unhealed wounds and the acceptance of and love for each other was lovely. I can’t say I found the reveal (or the twist) particularly surprising; if you’re looking, it’s an obvious theory to prove true. However, I also can’t say that I minded. This was an entertaining story that kept me turning pages and finishing in 24 hours.

Wow what a ride. I finished this book in half a day because I could not put it down. The bond of the sisters was such an incredible heartstring pulling feeling that I had to hear how all their stories played out.

Thank you to NetGalley to a copy of Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth. This is another winner by Sally Hepworth. I enjoyed this book the entire way through, but the ending was a great twist. I highly recommend this book.

5 stars!

wow wow wow wow

This book is definitely in my top five favourite thriller books i've ever read.

What a masterpiece. Just read it, I guarantee you won't regret it.

I was instantly captivated by the story of three sisters, Jessica, Norah and Alicia, and their time in foster care. It definitely had some parts some may find hard to read, I will say there are some mentions of SA.

I just loved the way the story progressed and the twists it had. I never felt bored, I just always wanted to keep reading to divulge more of the story.

Highly highly highly highly recommend.

I have never opened up Goodreads to add all of an authors other books to my TBR after finishing a book before.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Heartbreaking tales of foster children in Australia.
Jessica, Norah and Alicia share their past with this story that brought them together in the same foster home dealing with abuse.
25 years later a detective calls each of them requesting that they return to town because their foster care home was demolished and human bones were found buried on the property.
Tragedy and triumph, heartache and healing, gut wrenching and worth it all for the HEA!

I look forward to all of Sally Hepworth’s books. This one was somewhat darker than many of her others. Alicia, Norah, and Jessica all spent time in a foster home twenty-five years ago. Their caretaker, Miss Fairchild, was a monster. Now they all receive calls that an investigation is taking place after bones have been found under the demolished foster home. Whose bones are they and who buried them? These characters were all well developed and the story, as always, had several unexpected twists. It is told from multiple points of view and two timelines. My only quibble s that I was 25 percent or more into the book before I released who was having sessions with a therapist. That may, however, have just been an oversight on my part.. A enjoyable 4.25 star read for me. I thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

pretty much as good as it gets when it comes to thrillers. gave final girls vibes by sager quite a bit but obviously executed much better. much preferred compared to the soulmate. quick, multiple POV, keeps you guessing. 4 stars

Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to read another great book by Sally Hepworth. Love all her books, and this was no exception. The setting is a foster home in which three girls from different families are placed. This one centers around three who become like sisters and remain as such into adulthood. Tragedy ensues and the story flips back and forth from the past to present day. Thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait for another Sally Hepworth read!

Sally Hepworth is masterful, there’s no doubt about that. Darling Girls is a rather dark, complex story of a foster home gone very, very bad. I was so drawn into this twisty masterpiece that I lost a night of sleep. Totally worth it!

This book explores the past and present timelines of Jessica, Norah and Alicia, three young girls who grew up under the care of Holly Fairchild, the evil, mentally unstable foster mother. Through short, succinct chapters, we see how each girl evolved during and after their shared trauma. What they endured is heartbreaking and probably fairly true of some real-life foster homes, which makes this book even more gripping.

As revelations unfold one after another, it renders the readers helpless to put this book down for even a minute. The ending is simply brilliant. Five big stars from me. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy on April 23, 2024.

Many, many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of this amazing book.

Darling Girls follows the story of three foster sisters who lived together at the Wild Meadows foster home in Port Agatha for a couple of years. After 25 years, each of them receives a phone call from a detective regarding the discovery of human bones on the site of Meadows Hill. Although the sisters have led less-than-ideal lives, they unite to unravel the mystery behind the discovery. While reading about child abuse can be frustrating due to the injustice, the characters in this book are well-developed. The story is fast-paced, with many twists and turns, making it a page-turner. The ending of the story is excellent... a bit twisty.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

A detective has called Alicia, Jessica, and Norah back to the place that none of them wants to ever visit again – Wild Meadows – where they all lived as foster children with Miss Fairchild.
Jessica is the organized, slightly OCD girl; Norah is the tough, ready-to-fight one; and Alicia takes in foster children in her home.
They have found long-ago buried bones at Wild Meadows, and the detective wants to know exactly what Alicia, Jessica, and Norah know.
The book is told from present time on their way to Wild Meadows interspersed with looks back on their miserable lives as foster children.
Many secrets are revealed throughout the book – secrets from the three “sisters”, other foster babies – now grown – who were at Wild Meadows, and especially, secrets from Miss Fairchild.
I would highly recommend this book – it kept me guessing all the way to the end!