Very appreciative that I received this ARC of “Darling Girls” by Sally Hepworth. It had been a long time since my last Sally Hepworth book and now I know I need to grab some more.

Read. This. Book.

This twisty tale explores so much (check trigger warnings) but especially the relationship and struggles of foster siblings, three girls. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have a bond that is years in the making. I love the character development (which lets be honest is lacking in so many books of this style) and the humor of this book, it’s great when a book sometimes so tough has comic relief.

Sure to keep you sucked in from go. Darling Girls had twists and turns and a shocking ending.

Sally Hepworth has done it again with Darling Girls, a compulsively readable domestic thriller that you will not be able to set down for even a second.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are brought together when human remains are found under the farmhouse where they were once fostered by one Miss Fairchild, a woman who kept them constantly in fear of her unpredictable moods and punishments. Told from the alternating POVs of the women, a disturbing picture emerges of the treatment that they endured as young girls under care. The only positive takeaway is the bond that the three 'sisters' share as a result of their collective trauma, but will it be enough to sustain them as the door to the past is pried open in light of the grisly finding under the house? And just how far will each go to protect the secrets of that past?

Sally Hepworth instantly established herself as a favourite author of mine with her very first book and, in my opinion, she can do no wrong in crafting a brilliant tale of domestic suspense that will keep you glued to the pages.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC.

I absolutely adore Sally Hepworth. She always writes in multiple POVs, which I love. This book was no different. The dynamics between the sisters was really interesting. I was fully enthralled in this book and I’m already anxiously awaiting her next one!

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth tells the story of a trio of sister forced to confront their past.

As with all Sally Hepworth books I enjoyed this story quite a lot. It was a little bit predictable but I still thought it was a fun ride. The characters were interesting and the chapters were compelling. I also liked that the chapters were short...made the story feel more fast paced.

I was given this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

Sally Hepworth never disappoints! Her latest, Darling Girls, kept me on the edge of my seat. I literally could not put this book down. It’s suspenseful, entertaining and will hurt your heart as you read what the characters endured. And the twist at the end…shocking!!

Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange of an honest review.

Darling Girls, publishing next spring, is the newest from one of my favorite thriller/mystery authors Sally Hepworth. Her more recent book The Soulmate was five stars for me and one of my favorites from this year.

In Darling Girls, three foster sisters Jessica, Norah and Alicia, must face their traumatic past when human remains are found under the foster home they shared as children. The story alternates between the present as the three woman return to the town where they were fostered and the past where you witness the formation of their close relationship while they suffer abuse at the hands of their foster mother Miss Fairchild.

A side note: this book could potentially be very hard to read for some depending on their ability to stomach child abuse.

My favorite part of this book was the characterizations of the three main characters. Each woman responded differently to their abuse and display the effects of it differently as adults. Their close relationship and how they can read one another is also really interesting.

There are several mysteries to uncover in this book and by paying attention to the clues, I think the reader can easily discover them ahead of the reveals. A final twist left me quite surprised though, in true Hepworth fashion.

I pretty quickly figured out that Miss Fairchild was the one speaking to the psychiatrist and not one of the three main characters and I knew it would turn out that Jessica was the one feeding information to their foster mother. I think the clues were well placed to figure these things out and I felt very clever for doing so.

I was genuinely surprised by the final twist, but it left me with so many questions. I wanted to understand why Miss Fairchild treated the girls the way she did, but then we find that she is an unreliable narrator for her portions and I guess her motive is that she’s just evil? I dunno. It didn’t hurt my enjoyment of the book though.

I love Sally's way of writing a story that keeps you engaged throughout.
This book starts out with the three main characters all getting a call from a detective notifying them that there were bones found buried under the foster home they all used to live in. Immediately we think, who's bones? Why? Did the girls have something to do with it? The story unfolds with the three girls different POV's going between the past and present and was an engaging, read. I loved that all three girls had their own issues but that they stuck together no matter what happened. They had each other's backs the whole time. There are some trigger warnings and some heavy topics here so read with caution and check triggers.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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.