I know that the foster care system is complex and does not work as it is meant to in terms of protecting vulnerable children. Anyone who reads this suspenseful story will, no doubt agree and will think that the protagonists of this story deserved better-much better.

Three women are introduced in this novel that details both their present and past lives. Their experiences make this novel both suspenseful and bleak (although there are moments of humor).

This book was a difficult read for me because of the poor treatment of the protagonists. Still, I think that many will rapidly turn the pages of this title.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

I’ve always loved Sally Hepworth’s books, but I feel like this book was my favorite of all of her books so far. I read it a long time ago and it still sits with me.
One of my favorite things about this book was the pacing.
This book not only kept me entertained the whole whole time, but I loved how it was fast paced, and had me at the edge of my seat absolutely gripping my chair

I really enjoyed this one – I do think I’m a teeny bit predisposed to love SH books because of all the little aussie tidbits, but I also just really enjoyed the story. I loved all the characters, the storyline kept me interested and guessing, I liked the end. But caramello koalas trump tolberone every time! no contest.

Once again Hepworth has created an incredibly complex, can't put down psychological thriller in which her characters, secretly traumatized from their childhood which has carried over into adulthood, must face their past once again and deal with the lives they created.

Jessica, Nora and Alicia have been bonded since their childhood living in a foster home. Although not real sisters in the sense of having the same parents, their history connected them forever.

They were each foster children who were taken in as young girls to the Wild Meadows foster home in which Miss Fairchild, a never married bitter woman was their "mother". Clearly mentally unstable, she hid it well. But, unbeknownst to anyone, what was occurring in the home was not only physical but emotional torture. They lived in fear and were afraid to say anything. Miss Fairchild was brutal. Locking them in a basement, eating off floors and making them feel useless was a daily event. All they had was each other.

But finally, as teenagers, they were able to get away from her and start new lives, but through it all, remained sisters, still taking care of each other no matter what the situation they got into. Deep down, they never forgot what happened to them and of course it affected their lives in ways they perhaps were not completely aware.

Then unexpectedly they are each called by a detective from the small town where they grew up and were told that bones had been discovered under the Wild Meadows foster home. Their nightmare house. They needed to come back to they could be interviewed.

As they travel together to a town, they never wanted to step foot in again once they left, they tell us their stories about their childhoods and how they tried to protect each other, and we learn of their adult lives and what secrets they now have which were possibly deep down inside caused by what happened to them.

When they get there, they each relive the horror in their own ways, but more importantly they need to know whose bones were under the house. Are they to blame? Did they do something by leaving when they did that caused this to happen?

And as sisters they will come together and face the good, the bad and the ugly of their pasts and try if they could help figure out if they missed something or someone all those years ago.

Darling Girls will shake you to the core with its suspenseful story and stunning ending as we all discover the mystery of whose bones lay under the house where they found each other, but where their lives were changed forever.

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin'sPress #SallyHepworth #DarlingGirls for the advanced copy.

I have loved every Sally Hepworth book I have read and this one did not disappoint! Told in past and present chapters as it unfold the upbringings of three sisters brought together in a foster home. There is also excerpts from psychiatrist appointments that you do not know who until the end. Trigger warning for child abuse and some chapters were hard to read the events that occurred. But saw it through to see justice be served with twist and turns until the very end. Thank you netgalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book by Sally Hepworth. She is an author I automatically read. This book was engaging and a page-turner. I gave it 4 stars!

Another Sally Hepworth book that I truly enjoyed. An interesting mystery woven into the story of these three girls who grew up in foster care. I liked each character showed their strengths and weaknesses and the other girls would compensate to help each other make it through difficult times.

I expected a murder mystery from this for some reason but it's definitely more thriller-esque. It sucks you in and it's addicting and scary. I couldn't get enough! Only 4 stars because it didn't feel realistic to me personally.

Sally Hepworth brings another twisted thriller with Darling GIrls. What I loved about Sally's last novel, The Soulmate, was that it was fast paced and to the point. Darling Girls, however, is quite the opposite, unraveling the mystery layer by layer in a slow burning manner. In doing this, it allows the reader to get to know the various characters more, Norah, and Alicia share a strong bond as foster sisters, forged through their shared childhood trauma under the care of a very questionable to say the least foster mother, Miss Fairchild. In the present timeline, a body is discovered beneath the very house where they spent their formative years. Simultaneously, we witness the profound impact of their traumatic upbringing on their lives today. Although I correctly guessed the mystery point of view, the final twist caught me by surprise. Sally Hepworth masterfully wove an insidious villain and a sinister twist that will undoubtedly leave readers in shock.

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Sally Hepworth for the digital ARC.

Darling Girls is out now.

I am a huge Sally Hepworth fan and once again, Hepworth did not disappoint! Initially, I was not in love with the premise and was worried I would not enjoy this one as much as some of her other books. However, that was not the case. I was immediately interested and engaged in the story. It is told through the perspective of the three foster sisters: Jessica, Norah, and Alicia and their childhood growing up under the care of Miss Fairchild. They are brought together again when the remains of a child are found buried under their old foster home. They are forced to confront their childhood traumas and treatment by Miss Fairchild. The story is told through multiple perspectives and timelines and moves quickly. This could easily be read in one sitting! For fans of Hepworth, you will not be disappointed. For mystery and thriller readers there is a lot here to enjoy. Would easily recommend!

I enjoyed this book, each character storyline was well developed, I thought I had it all figured out but the twist at the end was unexpected.

I will read anything Sally Hepworth writes and I was really excited to receive an eARC of Darling Girls! I was sucked into her novel from the very beginning and thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns on this crazy and haunting ride. The ending was completely shocking and utterly satisfying.

I look forward to Sally Hepworth's next novel!

Darling Girls (ARC)
Sally Hepworth
4.25⭐️

Pub Date: 4/23/2024

This was such an unsettling read. Unsettling in a sense that it was so well written, it relayed the emotions and the setting of the plot. I was so invested in the story but the plot affected me so much that it was hard to read. Ms. Fairchild was so bothersome, her whole demeanor and interactions with the girls were total psycho! The 3 foster children grew up to be so traumatized that they continued to have issues until adulthood, causing their lives to just fall apart. The plot itself, the dead body underneath the house, was interesting. I will admit though that the middle part was slow and I wish it was written in a faster pace. But overall, it was so good anyway that it wasn't hard to keep going. It was hard to tell who did what because all the characters had reasons to harm someone at some point in their lives. There were so many lies and secrets from everyone, so many factors were in play. I almost felt sorry for the culprit until I read the last chapter. Overall, this was a pretty enjoyable read!

An interesting novel of 3 foster girls sent to live a single foster mother who was nothing short of a tyrant/monster. They were constantly mistreated and if they disobeyed her they were severely punished. The best part of the book for me was how these three girls bonded almost like sisters and protected each other. As adults they are forced to return to help uncover a mystery when a child’s body is found buried under the house. I found the ending quite confusing and didn’t see the relevance to the story as a whole.

Three sisters are being questioned after the police find bones of a child under their foster home. Who is the child? Who had killed her? You may guess but you'll never guess that ending!!

While this novel started out a bit slow in parts It does pick up and I was so floored by the end it made the book for me. You need to read this novel!

There is nothing I love more than a crazy character doing outrageous things. Miss Fairchild is no exception. I was fascinated every time she came into the chapter. Absolutely smashing. She looks like a sweet foster mom but is she?

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for this arc.

Great mystery/thriller I really liked everything about it but I especially liked Miss Fairchilds part. The characters were well developed and so was the setting of Wild Meadows. The epilogues were satisfying. I really don't have a complaint.

Could not out this down. Although I have to say I stay clear away from any thrillers involving children, I made the choice based on a friends review to go ahead with this. I appreciated that the author was not overly graphic or disturbing given the context.

While being a little tough to read because of the intense topics, once again Sally Hepworth has written a winning thriller. The descriptions of life for foster children grips you. Every time you think you had some answers you were surprised. The last page was probably the most surprising of all. Readers should really enjoy this one.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early readers copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sally Hepworth has crafted a magnificent tale that had twist and turns to the end. I will be looking for more novels from her.

Oh, this was TWISTY! I absolutely loved the characterization of our main girls - they're so different, but you can really see how the shared trauma of their childhood impacted them into their adult years. It's very interesting to see how each of them deals with that trauma -- stemming from the same horrible person, but dealt with in a completely unique way for each of them.

I love stories with complicated / toxic / abusive mothers because I can absolutely relate, and seeing some of the narcissistic behaviors in this one really hit home -- so convincing and well written. I found myself empathizing with certain characters, despite that I should know better, and kicked myself by the time the last few pages came around, haha.

Overall, very good & atmospheric! Loved the main characters, loved the before & after timeline, loved the writing. My second book from Sally Hepworth, and definitely not my last!