This was my first Sally Hepworth book and OH MY she did not disappoint!!

I really enjoyed the before/after timeline in the book, it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time! The characters are well crafted and the story is so thrilling!

I would definitely recommend this book to all thriller/mystery lovers!

Sally Hepworth is back with another dark tale about domestic issues in Darling Girls. Told from the point of view of four different women, this book takes a difficult look at foster parents and how children in the system are affected by them, both positively and negatively. Norah, Jessica, and Alicia were foster sisters raised by Miss Fairchild at Wild Meadows, a home in which they were both taken care of and horribly abused. As the story opens, each young woman is confronted by a phone call about a shocking discovery when the building is torn down. Together they travel back to the place they once called home.

The narrative bounces between “before” and present time. Chapters are told from the point of view of one of the three foster sisters, with interludes that take place in a psychiatrist’s office from a character who is unnamed until midway through the book. If you liked Hepworth’s The Younger Wife, this book is similar but with foster care. Be prepared to encounter all sorts of trauma as the women recall their pasts and attempt to move forward after many disturbing secrets are revealed.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Wowowowow. This book was an insanely wild ride!! This was my first Sally Hepworth and now I am a biiiig fan. Weeeew I can’t even describe the twists in this book - it was so so good.

I absolutely LOVE when thrillers bounce back and forth from past to present and I found myself intrigued by both timelines.

The quick rundown is that three girls in the foster system end up at the same home and discover that outside appearances can be deceiving. What they went through both at the time and in the future kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book!

The ending shook me to my damn core too!! Like WHAT ?!?! Many members of my book club also received advanced access to this book and my text to them when I finished the last chapter was just… “bruh….”

So if you are in the market for an amazing, wild thriller - add this to your TBR and give it a pre-order!

Three women grew up in foster care together and are still friends decades later. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are trying to live their lives, but none of them can completely put their pasts behind them. Even more bad memories come rushing back when they receive a call from a detective that human remains have been found underneath the foster home they had all lived in twenty-five years earlier. The detective must determine if the women are witnesses to a tragedy or suspects.

This book is fast-paced and tense from beginning to end. I enjoyed the theme of found family and getting to know Norah, Alicia, and Jessica. They don't always make the best decisions, but as the book progresses, you start to understand why. Even though the book is engaging, it's not an easy read. Despite outward appearances, life was not good for these girls when they were living at Wild Meadows in Port Agatha, Australia. Descriptions of the things they endured from their foster mother, Miss Fairchild, are very disturbing. When more information is discovered about the bones, everyone involved is shocked. Overall, I enjoyed the book and the way things turn out for most of the characters. This is a book that you can't say too much about without spoiling the story, but I will say keep reading to the very end to make sure you don't miss a single twist and turn. 
I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

My first foray into Sally Hepworth’s body of work, this was a super twisty drama full of psychological suspense. The story focuses on 3 very different girls, brought together in the same foster home in their youth, and their foster mother, Miss Fairchild. Each girl (and the women they become) has her own distinct voice and story to tell. While this was a very dark book (triggers for child abuse and unresolved trauma abound), it was a quick read that I had trouble putting down and a shocking ending. 4 out of 5 stars.

Pub Date: 4/23/24
Review Published: 4/16/24
eARC received from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I love a Sally Hepworth novel! I just feel that the are sometimes marketed wrong - if you go into her books expecting a fast paced thriller, you could be disappointed. Overall, if I had to say the word thriller to describe her books - I would say DOMESTIC thrillers - light on the thrills.

I really enjoyed this one - not my favorite of hers especially after reading and loving The Soulmate last year, but I always get what I expect from a Sally Hepworth book:

Family or Relationship Dynamics
Some sort of mystery or murder or truth that is being uncovered
Well-written characters that are flawed but interesting
A plot that intrigues me and keeps me turning the pages
Some sort of twist or reveal that I don't (or sometimes do but still enjoy) see coming

I especially loved the "sister" dynamics of the three main characters that were raised together in the same foster house. Hepworth does such a great job differentiating the characters and giving them distinct traits that I had such an easy time going from one narrator to the next. This was an interesting story and, as always with Hepworth, definitely worth the read!

Thank you to Netgalley & St Martin's Press for this advanced copy (I tandem read with the audiobook as well so thank you also to Macmillan Audio) in exchange for my honest opinion!

Well-done thriller

When each of 3 former foster sisters receive a telephone call from a detective, who tells them her call is regarding Wild Meadows, time freezes. Each of them is mentally back in that place, and none of the memories are good.

The bulk of the story is told in dual timelines, present and that time at Wild Meadows. Despite their terrible time with Miss Fairchild, their foster mother, each have grown into independent women of some success. On the outside, they are survivors. On the inside, does that kind of abuse ever go away? Whose bones have the detectives found? Who is talking to the psychologist?

I thought this was a deeply dark thriller mystery, with TW for childhood abuse. Maybe not one of the best novels by this author, but solid.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

Darling Girls is the newest contemporary thriller from Sally Hepworth. I read The Soulmate last year, and loved it, so I had pretty high expectations for this and I was not disappointed! Told from multiple viewpoints, with one of them being an unreliable narrator, this one is a must-read!

Foster sisters Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been called back to Port Agatha because bones have been found under Wild Meadows Farm, the house they grew up in. None of them want to go back and possibly confront their foster mother, Miss Fairchild, who definitely wasn't Foster Mother of the Year. Jessica was the first one to live with Miss Fairchild at the age of 5, and she became completely bonded to "Mummy." Until Norah showed up and Miss Fairchild pushed her away. Norah already had traumatic stays at foster homes, and at first she thinks she's lucky to be somewhere nice. She soon learns that things aren't as they seem. Then Alicia shows up as a short-term placement while her grandmother recovers in the hospital from a fall. But that's not to be. When babies start showing up in the middle of the night and Miss Fairchild can't them to bond with her, she leaves the girls in charge of them. Until Amy shows up. The girls aren't allowed to play with her, feed her, bathe her, or take care of her in any way...and on the day that they finally decide to tell the police about what happens at Wild Meadows, Amy disappears. So, when a small body is found 25 years later, they know that Miss Fairchild had to have killed her. But is that really what's going on?

This novel jumped right into the story and was fast-paced. The three girls all have their secrets, but they're always there for each other. None of them have any family other than each other, so they're completely loyal to each other. The story immediately drew me in and I could hardly wait to pick it back up every time I had to stop. After the girls reported Miss Fairchild, no one believes them and they get gaslighted to believe that Amy was a doll and they had a group hallucination of her...for 6 months. The writing was just impeccable and grips you until the very end.

There is a trigger warning for abuse and mentions of drinking/alcohol and prescription drug abuse.

All in all, another great read from Sally Hepworth. With twists and secrets, this was a story about found family, loyalty, and murder. Definitely read this is you've read any of her previous books, or if you enjoy Karin Slaughter or Ruth Ware.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @StMartinsPress for a digital copy for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me an early copy of this audiobook & ebook. I actually have never read or listened to a book by this author before. After this one, I definitely want to read more.
The audiobook, I actually really enjoyed. I would give this book a 4⭐️’s. There’s multiple POV’s between them and now. Be advised to check trigger warnings on this book. There are references of child abuse and trauma in this story. This book is emotional, dark, and I really enjoyed the twists that I didn’t see coming. I really liked the ending.

"Darling Girls" by Sally Hepworth promises to be a captivating blend of family drama, suspense, and mystery. Set against the backdrop of an idyllic farming estate and revolving around the lives of foster sisters Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, the novel delves into the complexities of sisterhood, secrets, and the haunting specter of their past.

Hepworth skillfully crafts a narrative that explores the tension between the facade of a happy family life and the hidden truths that lurk beneath the surface. The foster sisters' upbringing under the care of Miss Fairchild adds an intriguing layer of mystery, with hints of a dark and controlling presence that continues to haunt them into adulthood.

The discovery of a body under their childhood home thrusts Jessica, Norah, and Alicia into the spotlight as both witnesses and potentially prime suspects, forcing them to confront long-buried secrets and grapple with the consequences of their actions. As they navigate the twists and turns of the investigation, the bonds of sisterhood are tested, and the true nature of their relationship with Miss Fairchild is brought to light.

With themes of betrayal, loyalty, and redemption, "Darling Girls" promises to be a thrilling page-turner that keeps readers guessing until the very end. Hepworth's masterful storytelling and richly drawn characters are sure to immerse readers in a tale of suspense and intrigue, making this novel a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and family dramas alike.

I consumed this by audio. Originally I declined to review due to a csa plot warning. The book is a solid thriller. I enjoy this author and this book delivers. The pace was perfection and the book keeps you interested. I enjoyed the sisterhood between the girls and the dual timelines.

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is dark, with secrets and the most unlikeable character! It is a mystery/suspense novel set in Australia that will have you visibly flinching.

The main characters in the story are Jessica, Norah, and Alicia who are sisters, connected in an unconventional way. They bonded in the foster care system at young, formative ages. Their foster mother, Miss Fairchild, reminded me of a Stepford Wife.

The story is told in dual timelines, with multiple POVs. This moves the story along and keeps it interesting, as a mystery reveals itself when bones are discovered under Miss Fairchild’s home years after the girls are grown.

It is a difficult story to read at times because of how the girls were treated. The story highlights many of the failings of the foster care system, and the author’s note is a must read and provides some insight to her motivation for the story. So reader know thyself. If you have specific triggers, do some research before diving into this novel.

I thought Darling Girls was fairly well done, and I have to round up to 4 stars because of the suspense and twists and gasp worthy moments.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the electronic advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was sooo good! First of all, short chapters!!! This story is told in 3rd person narrative through the perspective of 3 “sisters” who all lived in the same foster home together and were subjected to various levels of abuse and trauma. (Check the trigger warnings). There is also a 4th unknown perspective that is not revealed until the near end. The book rotates between two timelines, one during the girls time in the foster home and the other is present day when they are called back to Wild Meadows after the house has been demolished and human bones are found. Each girl has a unique perspective and it was interesting to see how each girl handled the trauma and abuse and how that manifested in their current adult lives. Sally Hepworth did a great job with the character development of each girl.

This was my first Sally Hepworth book, but if this is typical of her writing style, this won’t be my last! I was captivated from the first page and this could have easily be read in one sitting! There is a pretty shocking twist at the very end that I did not see coming!

I haven’t read a thriller this good in a while. Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
This one comes out next week and some have already gotten it early as their Book of the Month. Move this one up on your TBR, you won’t be disappointed!

The only thing that kept this from being a 🤩/5⭐️ read was that the different characters were hard to keep straight at first. Even though each character was so unique in personality and behaviors, it was hard to switch back and forth at first between the 4 different narrators. But I round up on Goodreads and NetGalley so this 4.5 becomes a 5!

I loved this one! I enjoyed the multiple POVs from the three darling girls and Mrs. Fairchild was one sinister character. Just when you think you have it all figured out Hepworth unveils another twist to make you gasp. Hepworth is a must read for me always. I love the style of her writing and the intensity of the plot. She also does great sister relationships.

Add another thriller to your must read list for 2024! This one was such an addictive ride for me. I was hooked right away, the storyline propelled itself quickly, and the twists were just right.

The three sisters brought together through the foster system were each unique but they complimented each other so well. I was rooting for them so hard! I like the past and present perspectives as that helps understand how their trauma influenced their current selves and the story. Lots of trigger warnings in this one!

And if you're someone who wants an absolute bombshell in the last couple pages (think The Silent Patient if you've read it), this one is a doozy!! Makes your head spin a bit! I hated the character but loved the twist!!

The end of this book will catch you off guard.

Plot -
Three foster sisters escape a house of horrors as children, and it comes back to haunt them as adults. Jessica was the first to be adopted by Ms. Fairchild, back when things were good and she was Ms. Fairchild's "Darling Girl," but things begin to quickly deteriorate when Norah and Alicia join the family. The book was told in the present with flashbacks to what the girls had to endure as children. They are forced to relive their past when a body turns up under the home they grew up in.

Thoughts -
This story had me hooked from the very beginning. It is told both in dual timelines and three different POVs, which sounds like a lot, but it was so easy to digest. It was fun and fast paced and kept me turning pages to find out more about the girls' past. As I got close to the end, I was starting to get disappointed. I thought I was going to get a really well written story with no plot twist. It felt like one of those thrillers that just unfolds, but boy was I wrong. I did not see the twist at the end coming, and it was a good one.

I highly recommend both the physical book and audiobook to any fun, fast paced, popcorn thriller lovers.

I'm sorry - what.  I actually think I feel a bit sick after reading this book.... so obviously it's a 5 star read for me.  I cannot drop a single spoiler, but this book made me emotions run the gamut from grief to horror to shock to some sweet moments - all of these made me want to cry for both good and bad things.  Sally Hepworth makes you think you are going down one story path and once you say okay I know how this is going to go -wham bam - no you don't.  I was lulled into thinking this was a horrible but unremarkable story at the beginning and now I am left reeling.

Lots of trigger warnings for child neglect, endangerment and abuse (you can tell by the summary). I usually stay away from those (I have 2 kids and am SOFT when it comes to anything thing happening to them), but I went for it anyway and am so glad I finished this in under 24 hours because that's all I had in me.

“When no one pays any attention to you, you can hide quite a lot.”

This book is like a roller coaster. You strap in. You’re ready. You hear that clink clink clink and you rise. And then it lets you go and you’re in a free fall.

Read this if you enjoy reading about:
🔹A villain that you LOVE to hate
🔹The bonds of sisterhood
🔹Mother daughter dynamics
🔹Long buried murder mysteries

The audiobook is absolutely fantastic as it is set in Australia so the accents are *chefs kiss*. Fantastic. Just utterly fantastic!

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and Sally Hepworth for the #gifted ALC and ARC.

👉🏻To outsiders, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are considered fortunate, saved from tragedy and raised by beautiful foster mother Miss Fairchild. However, looks can be deceiving- Miss Fairchild was unpredictable, unstable, and emotionally abusive and the girls suffered tremendously. Even as adults, the ripple effect of their childhood lingers.👈🏻

🤫Many years after they have left Miss Fairchild’s home, a body is discovered and the three women find themselves under suspicion. Due to their upbringing, they start to question themselves as they recall strange occurrences that happened during their time at the farm. As the case continues, the past and present intertwine as trauma is uncovered and the sisters navigate the secrets of their past.🤫

✨The story is told from multiple perspectives, including one mystery voice who is undergoing trauma/psycho therapy. I found it to be more of a mystery than a thriller, so a little slower than I had anticipated, but I was still anxious to see how it all resolved. The twists and turns kept me going and I have to be honest I was not prepared for the ending!✨

🙏🏼Thank you @stmartinspress for my copy! #DarlingGirls by @sallyhepworth is out 4/23!!!🙏🏼

I enjoyed Darling Girls for the most part. It took me a little bit to get into it but it got better as the book went on. Overall, an okay book for me. The twists weren’t particularly shocking or anything but it was a fine book.