Darling Girls is a gripping domestic thriller that delves into the dark side of the foster care system and the enduring bonds of sisterhood. The novel follows Jessica, Norah, and Alicia—three women who became sisters through their shared experiences in foster care under the unpredictable and controlling Miss Fairchild. Years later, when human remains are discovered beneath their former foster home, the sisters are drawn back to confront their traumatic past and uncover long-buried secrets.

Hepworth intertwines past and present narratives, gradually revealing the complexities of the sisters' relationships and the psychological scars left by their upbringing. The story is filled with suspense and unexpected twists, keeping readers engaged until the very end.

This novel is recommended for fans of psychological thrillers and domestic suspense, particularly those interested in stories that explore family dynamics and the impact of childhood trauma.

Sally Hepworth books are always well written, fast paced, and binge worthy - this was no exception! I always look forward to her books

There is something about Sally Hepworths writing that I always find so addictive and hard to put down!

This story follows three foster sisters who are forced to return to their foster home when a body is found on the premises. While growing up, they were told how lucky they were to have been taken in by Miss Fairchild, but it turns out behind closed doors things were dark for the girls.

The twist at the ending definitely bumped this read from a three star to a four star! I would have liked to see the ending be a bit longer though as I felt it ended a bit abruptly. You can’t go wrong with a Hepworth book though!

Great book, lots of twists and turns! Definitely recommend! I love the dual timeline you were really able to get more in depth with the characters. I was on the edge of my seat just waiting for the story to unfold.

Sally Hepworth’s “Darling Girls” is intriguing and twisty. I enjoyed the main plot and how the three main *darling girls* each had a subplot lurking that only added—and did not detract—in any way from the main action. I found some unexpected humor in it as well. Overall, Hepworth continues to deliver interesting mystery suspense novels that you cannot help but try to solve along with them and I look forward to what she puts forth next.

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is a chilling and emotionally gripping novel that masterfully blends suspense with deep, character-driven storytelling. The story follows three foster sisters who are drawn back to their childhood home when human remains are discovered, forcing them to confront the dark and traumatic past they shared under the roof of their manipulative and abusive foster mother, Miss Fairchild. Hepworth’s writing is both sharp and deeply empathetic, delving into the complexities of sisterhood, resilience, and the lasting scars of childhood trauma. The alternating timelines build tension as secrets unravel, keeping me hooked until the shocking conclusion. Equal parts haunting and heartfelt, this book is a riveting exploration of survival and the bonds that hold us together, even in the darkest times.

Darling Girls is about girls who become sisters through circumstances. They all ended up at the home of Miss Fairchild, and continued as sisters into adulthood. They're all pulled back to their childhood home when a body is found on the property.
Sisterhood is a trope I always tend to enjoy in books, and I liked getting the perspective of the three women. I cared for the three women fairly equally and was never annoyed when in each of their perspectives. I was on the edge of my seat until the very end, and never guessed the plot twists. Sally Hepworth is a very entertaining author, and I will continue to read her novels.

This was a quick read. I finished in one day. I am a big fan of Sally Hepworth. I’ve read several of her books so I was excited to get into this one. However this was not one of my favorites. The beginning started off slow and I was a bit confused with all the switching of characters. It started to pick up but I wouldn’t call this a thriller.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this advanced reader's edition. Unfortunately, I will not be able to give it the time required to write a thorough review and will be unable to read it for this purpose.

Small Hepworth never fails. Her writing is too good. I really enjoyed this one. It was a very unique read. This was a slow burn thriller with a little action spaced throughout. I was truly shocked along the way while reading this one. At times I thought the three main characters were delusional. But the ending was very vindicating! Highly, highly recommend this one!

This wasn’t my favorite sally hepworth book. I found it hard to follow at times and I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the characters.

Thank you so much @StMartinsPress for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 23 April 2024)

SYNOPSIS | Three adult sisters (Jessica, Alicia and Norah) are summoned to return to the foster home they grew up in for an active police investigation when human bones are discovered on the property.

WHAT I LIKED:
- not an easy read by any means (trigger: child abuse) but utterly bingeable
- alternating POVs and timelines (I did very much prefer the flashback chapters though)
- the unknown POV sprinkled in discussing their past with a psychologist
- pace really picks up at the 75% mark
- the final twist is a doozy!

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- too many characters that didn't really feel fleshed out beyond their defining characteristics

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Holy creepy thriller. While I did enjoy aspects of this book, it was much darker than her others and there are TONS of trigger warnings to be mindful of. As much as I wanted to keep turning the pages, I had to put this one down occasionally because it was so dark and twisted!

Three girls are raised in foster care. They all share a deep bond from the traumas they experienced and hope to never have to relive them. Many years later, they re contacted by the police because a body has been found under their home they grew up in.
This was such a fast paced thriller that kept me wanting more. I really enjoyed the alternating POVs.
One of my favorite authors!

Sally Hepworth is always a go to for an edge of your seat thriller. Written in multiple POVs and jumping in the timeline, this novel will keep you guessing at every turn. This was a quick read.

The narrator did a great job of letting the listener tell the difference between each of the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for an advanced reading and listening copies of this book.

Loved this! Hepworth knows how to deliver a twist and she always keeps me guessing. I wouldn’t call it a thriller, it was more of a psychological mystery. I liked the dual timeline but it was a little slow in the beginning. The last 70ish pages made up for it though.

I wanted to connect more with the characters than I did. The first half moved pretty slow for me, but then the second half picked up.

I have a love hate relationship with this book. On one hand it was probably my favorite book from Sally. On the other hand it was so out there. Would I recommend this book yes.

Sally Hepworth's Darling Girls is a captivating and suspenseful novel that explores the complexities of family, friendship, and forgiveness. Hepworth masterfully weaves together past and present, revealing the secrets and betrayals that have shaped the lives of these three women.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Sally Hepworth is one of my favorite authors - I devour these books in short time and always start it by wondering, will she get me this time? She did!

Jessica, Norah (with an H), and Alicia were placed in foster care via very different situations. However, when they ended up together with Mrs. Fairchild, they instantly bonded and thought of themselves as sisters. While their time with her was the complete opposite of fairytales, they stayed close when they left there.

One by one, they are receiving calls from a detective in the hometown of that facility, they are needed for questioning about something found at their old caretakers home. Even though they swore they would never return, they do to assist the officials and get to the bottom of whose bones were discovered under the home.

Once again, thank you for such an exciting read!!