This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed the mystery. The time jumping could be a little disorienting, but generally speaking the author made it pretty easy to follow. The characters are some that you can feel something for to varying degrees. I was a bit put off with the way the young girls often spoke like they were in their mid-teens when they were more like 10-12 years old. The first half felt somewhat predictable, but then the twists started about halfway through and it got more interesting. Overall, I liked the story, but I fear it is one of those that I will soon forget. It's worth a read for anyone particularly fond of mysteries, although it could be potentially triggering for some.

Darling Girls begins with the discovery of a body buried beneath their childhood foster home brings three foster sisters back to the place they swore they'd never return. What unfolds will keep you guessing until the very last page.

I am a huge Sally Hepworth fan and couldn't wait to read her latest book. It's fantastic. While more character-driven than the previous novels I've read of her catalog, this was a very propulsive store that kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't flip the pages fast enough to unravel the twisty story of Darling Girls. This story is dark (please check content warnings!) but had some hilarious bits thrown in as well. The sisterhood bond displayed was also great. This would be a great book to toss in your beach bag, take on an upcoming, or sink into by the pool.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review..

I really love Sally Hepworth's style of writing. It's so easy to jump in and get caught up in the storyline. This book was no exception!

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are three foster children who spent time at Wild Meadows with Miss Fairchild. During their time there, they endure hardships and trauma bond into "sisters" for life. Now many years later, they are grown and horrified to learn that a body has been discovered on the property. As they come together, secrets begin to unfold about their past there and what really happened. This was a fun mystery that had me guessing! I will say that the ending wasn't my favorite. There is a final reveal at the end that I felt needed further explanation to completely understand, but ultimately this is a fun twisty mystery! I highly recommend if you enjoy Sally Hepworth (and you should!).

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy!

Thanks for the ARC Netgalley! I really liked Hepworth’s “The Soulmate” so I was excited for this hot new thriller. It did not disappoint!! So many twists and turns.

Jessica, Norah and Alicia are incredibly close sisters. They grew up in a foster home together that everyone thought was picture perfect- but it was far from it. Their foster mother Miss Fairchild was secretly cruel, but the three girls at least had each other. Although not biologically relayed, they forged a lifelong bond to cope with the trauma. They’ve tried to block out their past but when a body is found under their old foster home, they know they have to get to the bottom of it.

Told in varying viewpoints and timelines, the pacing of this thriller keeps you turning the page. I really didn’t see where this was going! What a solid thriller, I look forward to reading Hepworth’s backlist.

✨Content Warnings: Child Abuse, Child Death, Murder, Emotional Abuse, Drug Abuse, Physical Abuse, Confinement, Domestic Abuse, Addiction, Sexual Assault, Death of a Parent, Rape, Panic Attacks

wow, wow, wow. This blew me away. I felt so attached to all of the main characters and was blown away by the final twist. Loved it

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher St. Martin’s Press for an E-ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Sally Hepworth’s book, Darling Girls is like the movie Annie with a dead body under the house. We meet Jessica, Norah and Alicia who are under the foster care of Holly Fairchild.
Hepworth does a great job of character development and creating distinctive personalities for all 3 women. The timeline transitions are seamless. I enjoyed jumping back into the past where readers are exposed to the unstable personality of Ms. Fairchild. We sense the tension that she could fly off the handle and impose fear generating punishments on the girls. I felt empathy during the tense moments and felt camaraderie when the girls begin to push back more against their perpetrator.

The female friendships and solidarity of Jessica, Norah and Alicia is really the highlight of this book. The plot was mildly suspenseful. I would label this more of a female friendship novel vs a thriller. In the future I’d love to see Sally Hepworth put her characters more in peril. I’d love something a little more nightmarish and in “full thriller mode”. Her novels are always fast paced and well written but just need the book to be season a bit more with stronger murder vibes. 3.75 stars

I could not put this book down, even though parts of the books were very dark. I had an uneasy sense of dread while reading some of the backstory of the sister's and their experiences at their foster home, but the story was very gripping. It kept me on my toes the whole time and I needed to figure who the mystery body was and who was responsible. Sally did a fantastic job with this book and I give it 4/5 stars.

I really enjoyed this one! Sally Hepworth is usually an auto read author for me so I was excited for this one. I love the found family with the sisters and their bond. I also love the flashbacks and present timelines. I was able to guess one of the twists but definitely not all of them.

💙DARLING GIRLS REVIEW💙
rating: 4.5⭐️
genre: suspense
read if you liked: Only if You’re Lucky

Jessica, Alicia and Norah became bonded together forever during their time as foster children at Wild Meadows. Under the care of Ms. Fairchild, the three young girls underwent many traumatic experiences together, some of which they’d like to forget forever. 25 years later they receive a call that forces each of them to deal with the childhood trauma and pain it brought all over again. While Wild Meadows was being torn down remains were found on the property. Some secrets can’t be buried after all…

Sally Hepworth always does such a fantastic job of writing about deep, heavy topics. She knows the way to weave family, relationships, drama and suspense into the story in a way that’s compelling. I really loved the different points of view of the three women and each of their stories of their time in foster care were heartbreaking! The past and present chapters really help give the reader perspective of the situation and create that ultimate suspense that Sally does so well that will leave you on the edge of your seat! This one is a bit of a slow burn suspense, but still had a lot of action packed moments. The ending was PHENOMENAL and DARK! I did a mix of reading and listening and thought both were done so well! I highly recommend checking trigger/content warnings before starting this one though as it is really dark!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for this eArc of Darling Girls. I didn’t realize this was my first Sally Hepworth book until I tried to think back on it while writing this review. There were several things I enjoyed about this book, but a handful that weren’t for me.

What I enjoyed:
•multiple POV
•dual timelines
•suspenseful
•equal amount of fast paced + slow burn
•darker theme
•psychological
•female bonds/found family
•the twist

Overall, I definitely want to check out more of Sally Hepworth’s books. If her other books are anything like this one I will most likely enjoy them. Be aware that there are some darker issues that are written about in this book

This book was so good! It had me on the edge of my seat and kept me hooked until the end. It was a bit slow to start but I absolutely loved the twist and turns. My heart felt for the characters and what they went thru, their experiences and struggles really make you sit and think. I’d never read a Sally Hepworth book before but I was really pleased with this one.

In Darling Girls, Sally Hepworth weaves a dark and gripping narrative that explores the lives of three foster sisters: Jessica, Norah, and Alicia. Raised by their enigmatic foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farm estate, they carry secrets from their past. When a body is discovered under their childhood home, the sisters become key witnesses—or perhaps prime suspects.

Hepworth’s vivid prose keeps the plot moving, toggling between viewpoints and timelines. The story delves into love, betrayal, and the haunting influence of Miss Fairchild. While the descriptions of child abuse can be grim, the mystery unfolds with unexpected twists.

If you enjoy domestic noir and tales of family bonds tested by secrets, Darling Girls is a must-read. Sally Hepworth’s storytelling prowess shines in this suspenseful novel.

This book centers around 3 women who used to live in a foster home together. Through their childhoods they've developed a sisterly bond. Decades after leaving the foster home, bones are found at the old home and they are forced to return and face their painful past.

To me, this book is the perfect thriller! The pacing was great, there were some plot twists/turns, and not to mention some drama with the complicated family dynamics.

One thing that I did not enjoy about this one is that its a bit darker than Sally's usual novels. No fault to Sally or the book, it is purely just my preference/unawareness that lead to me not enjoying this one as much. Just be sure to please check the trigger warnings before proceeding!

Three foster sisters are called back to their old foster home when someone's bones are found buried under the house. The story is told in alternating POVs with one mystery POV talking to a psychiatrist.

This author is an auto read author for me. The different chapters and characters kept me interested and it was done well so that it wasn't confusing. There were also some twists that I didn't see coming. Definitely recommend!

Thanks so much to the publisher and netgallery for this arc. Though I didn’t personally enjoy the book, I did appreciate how the author envisioned the characters and the plot. I did find the book predictable but still an alright read.

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.