Wow! This one really had me turning pages! Loved the multiple POV. I can’t believe the things these poor girls had to endure during their time in foster care. But what really had me wanting more was the mystery of Amy! I highly recommend this book!

As someone who cannot read books with triggers of abuse happening to children/babies, I still was able to read this. Sally writes in a way where her thrillers are more than just thrillers. There’s always a deeper message in them, even while you’re entertained/terrified for where things are leading up to. I hope this book was hard for her to write at times, because it was heartbreaking to read, but the girls coming together through their trauma was my favorite part of it! I loved the sisterhood theme, and the last chapter had me choking on my popcorn, quite literally. Sally snuck a little terror in this one, and I couldn’t put it down. 👀

Hepworth has become an auto-buy author for me, regardless of the synopsis of her novel. I know I'm going to enjoy it, and this isn't any different.

Darling Girls is about three foster sisters who are called back to the town where they lived with their abusive foster mother because bones were discovered after the house was torn down. Alicia, Jessica, and Norah have POVs that shift between the present and the past, and there are additional pieces of the story that are someone's interview with a psychologist. As the story develops, the reader gets the answer to the mystery of the bones, but we also get a look into the experiences of the three girls and how those have formed them into the women they are now.

This book has some very heavy themes. Fostering, abuse, addiction, violence, and a child murder. Parts of it were hard to read because of that, but Hepworth handles these things in a way that didn't make me feel completely depressed. I cared about these three characters and what had happened to them, and I wanted the future to work out for them. This book is very character-driven and not a surface level thriller, which is something I love about Hepworth's books.

If you're already a fan of this author or a thriller fan, I recommend this one!

A great slow burn mystery!
This did not feel like a thriller to me-until probably the last chapter. Slow burn, getting to know the characters and the history of what happened.
I liked!

Thank you net galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Darling Girls was a wonderful read, very intriguing and a book I couldn't put down. Sally Hepworth just does not miss, and you won't miss either if you read it. Perfect to read during the summer.

Wow! Darling Girls was such a good read and probably my favourite novel from Sally Hepworth. I think readers should be aware that this isn't exactly a thriller, but more of a dramatic mystery. It was quite dark and had themes of abuse and neglect throughout. I was immediately intrigued with the story and kept on the edge of my seat the whole time while reading! Five big stars!

It followed three young girls who were each rescued from very different family tragedies and raised by a foster mother, Miss Fairchild. What they thought would be a chance at a happy life, in fact turned out to be anything but. And years later, when a body was found beneath the home they grew up in, the foster sisters found themselves back on the scene. But were they witnesses or suspects?

I loved the mystery here and the way the story came together. There were some great twists throughout, right up until the last few pages! I loved the way the story went back and forth between past and present and was also told from each girls point of view. This is a very binge worthy read that was quite chilling and creepy. Loved everything about it and highly recommend adding it to your shelf!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishing house, and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for review, based upon my honest opinion.

This was a great read, I saw lots of people enjoying this read and couldn’t wait to get an opportunity to read it and it did not disappoint.

Jessica, Alicia and Norah are sisters; not sisters by birth But sisters by choice due to a shared traumatic history. The three girls grew up in a foster home that was not exactly kind to them. These three women, as adults, have different struggles in their lives, but have remained sisters at heart. When they each get a visit from a police officer who advises that a body was found under the home that they had been fostered in, they are all shocked and head back to that town for the investigation. Who was the body under the house, who put the person there, and were one or all of these girls guilty of a crime or was their evil step foster mother guilty?

This is a great read with lots of twists, and I loved the ending. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.

3.5

I received this eARC from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

Although I anticipated many of the reveals, the multiple points of view shifting between past and present was an engaging way to tell the story. I was most invested in learning about the three sisters—a found family—and their relationships. The ending felt somewhat contrived; I think the ending can be the hardest part to write convincingly.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an e-arc!

Jessica, Norah and Alicia are sisters-foster sisters to be exact- who would do anything for each other. The three women share a bond from the trauma they experienced at the farm estate they stayed at with Miss Fairchild. From the outside, Miss Fairchild seemed like the perfect foster parent, but only the girls she stayed with knew what happened when you would make her upset.

As adults, the women try hard to keep their hard upbringing out of their minds- something that becomes impossible when a detective reaches out to them to tell them that their old foster home has been demolished, and that bones of a young child have been discovered beneath the house. The three are called back to their old town for the investigation, but they have just as many questions as the investigators do, and not many answers. To top things off, suspicion is being thrown at one of the sisters, prompting fear that they will be blamed for something terrible.

This book instantly grabbed my attention and I couldn’t stop reading it. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened to the girls, and was so curious about Miss Fairchild and her life. Although this is more of a slow burn mystery/thriller, I recommend this to anyone who enjoys those genres. This book definitely kept me guessing!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for letting me read DARLING GIRLS. This one is out now!

I gobbled this book up in less than two days and if my pesky life didn't get in the way I would have loved to have devoured it in one sitting. I loved the relationships and characters in this book. The atmosphere was so well explained and I really felt like I was there. I highly recommend this one as well as all of Sally Hepworth's books. She's definitely on my auto read list.

Darling Girls is the story of three sisters Jessica, Norah, and Alicia and their upbringing at Wild Meadows. Bones are unearthed at the house they grew up in but whose are they? Did the girls have anything to do with it? What about Miss Fairchild? The short, fast paced chapters kept me interested and I read it quickly. When I thought I had things figured out, there was another twist. Another great read by Sally Hepworth.

Title: Darling Girls
By: Sally Hepworth
Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense

Red Flags:
Physical and Sexual Abuse of Children, Domestic violence, Foster care, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Childhood trauma

Memorable Quotes:
“Is there anything you are good at? " a little voice said. Not cleaning. Not sport. Not studies. You're not the most attractive, the most talented or the most helpful. What, exactly, is the point of you?”

“If you were lucky, it implied that your good fortune hadn't been earned. You couldn't question it, or take it for granted. You had to be grateful. Because what had been given to you could just as easily be taken away.”

Summary:
Holly Fairchild has a desire to foster children. Jessica, age 5, is the first of the foster girls. She is seeking love and attention, and relishes in the possibility of having a real mother who loves her…until Holly fosters Norah. Norah, age 11, has been in the foster program for years. She is smart, determined, and knows how the system works, unlike Jessica. Then Alicia, age 12, enters the picture, the third foster sister, who only needs temporary living. She is sheltered, quiet and shy. She has a strong desire to return home. How will Jessica deal with sharing Mrs. Fairchild? Is Norah willing to share her past experiences for the benefit of her sisters? Will Alicia break down her walls and unify with her sisters? A Psychological thriller at its finest with so many unpredictable twists.

Review:
The novel is a dark read, told through four different characters point of views. Personally, some of the content at times is too much, and feels very real to the reader. I am slightly more sensitive due to working with children who have been through the foster care system. A system which is negatively portrayed in this novel, as it is for some children in it. The storyline is very well written. The main characters go down a very dark path, filled with constant twists and turns, an unpredictable thriller at its finest, literally until the last chapter. I felt like the alternative voice added an extra element of suspense, as the reader tried to figure out who the person with the therapist might be. I didn’t feel like this book was Sally Hepworth's best novel, but it was still unpredictable, and worth the read for someone who is prepared for this type of novel! I recommend this novel!

Thank you to Sally Hepworth, St. Martin’s Press,, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#reluctantreaderreads
#DarlingGirls
#SallyHepworth
#Stmartinspress
#netgalley
#advancedreadereditions

Every Hepworth book I have read makes me feel like I am right in the middle of a twisty tv series. Her characters are layered and complex and her writing has you compulsively turning pages until you can peel apart the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the multiple point of views, the look into life in a foster home and her knack for a great psychological thriller conclusion. Can't wait to read more from her!

This was a perfect thriller for me. It was also accurate in regard to depictions of trauma, the foster care system, & personality disorders.

*There are vivid descriptions of child abuse*

Thank you Net Galley & to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

✨ Publication date: April 23, 2024✨

Darling Girls is a psychological mystery thriller by Sally Hepworth. This is not my first by this author who I have enjoyed in the past. She did not disappoint with this book!

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are adults now but they bonded as foster children growing up at Wild Meadows with their foster mom Miss Fairchild.

Their upbringing wasn’t idyllic though. The three of them became sisters in all but blood. As they protected each other and learned to survive at Wild Meadows.

Years later, they are called back to the city of their upbringing. Wild Meadows was sold years ago but the new development company has knocked down the house and started construction on their project. When the bones of a child are discovered, the three women are called to give statement Ms to the detectives on the case.

They’re forced to relive those terrible years and have to come face to face with Miss Fairchild again. As then investigation continues the women discover more secrets as the try and piece together the puzzle of their childhood and how it connects to the bones.

This book is told in four different POV and goes back and forth from then and now. This one kept me intrigued the entire way and even had a twist at the end. This is a 5 star read for me and I highly recommend for any crime, mystery readers!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #sallyhepworth #darlinggirls

Darling Girls is full of unforgettable characters. Alicia, Jessica and Norah are all relatable. Their bond propels the story and adds strength to the plot. The story is dark and at times hard to imagine. The build is slow but the ending is truly a finale worth waiting for.
The narration was excellent and brought the story to life.
Hepworth is an automatic recommendation from me.

Such an excellent read! The story is full of twists and surprises that keep you guessing. Just when you think you have thinks figured out, bam! The ending throws you for a loop!
Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary ebook.

This is my first time reading Hepworth, and I liked the sound of this – bones discovered at the site of a former foster home and loads of suspects.

Usually the mistreatment of children or animals in stories is a hard pass for me. While there’s no question these characters are abused by Miss Fairchild, it’s more emotional than physical. She’s an evil woman who knew how to play each of them. The dual timeline is beautifully done, and I liked how the shared history of these characters is gradually revealed. I didn’t click with Jessica and Norah as adults, but choosing a career as a social worker made Alicia my hero considering everything she’d experienced. The way they stuck together and supported each other over the years is one of my favorite aspects of the story. Although not blood-related, they are sisters in every way that counts.

I had my ideas about the identity of the person responsible for the burying the bones under the house and was partially correct, but the author tosses in a last minute twist in the final pages that’s disturbing and may leave some readers unnerved. As far as the characters, the way their stories wrap up is perfect.

Recommended for readers who enjoy a fast-paced mystery, strong family bonds, and a good dose of karma.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am a big fan of Sally Hepworth, she writes my type of twisty domestic suspense. An easy and propulsive mystery, you can never be quite sure where the story will take you. I do think there were moments within Darling Girls that the reader had to suspend rational beliefs for the story to work. It wasn't my favorite book of hers but no doubt a fun and entertaining read.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an early digital copy to read and review honestly.

For me, this is Sally Hepworth's best book to date! Three girls raised together may seem darling, but clearly something more sinister is lurking.