This book could have been really really dark, and - yes - parts were super messed up, but Sally Hepworth did so well to bring in moments of light and levity. I laughed out loud at certain parts. And could not for the life of me call the ending. A wild, quick ride - It kept me guessing the entire time!

First novel of Sally Hepworth’s that I read and it did not disappoint!
Three foster girls end up in the care of crazy and unpredictable Miss Fairchild. Jessica, who just wants love and acceptance, Norah, the aggressor and takes no crap from anyone, and Alicia who is shy and timid and just wants to fit in.
The three quickly form a tight bond when they realize Miss Fairchild isn’t who they thought she was. If you did something right, you got love and praise. If you did something wrong or stepped out of line, beware the wrath of Miss Fairchild.

I enjoyed the storyline and writing style and the perspectives from each girl. The epilogue really threw me for a loop and had my jaw dropping at the twist!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC!

Pub date: 04/22/2024

The LAYERS in this - my word! Sally Hepworth combines the life and struggles of foster children, foster families, found families, and a murder mystery with absolute skill.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were all, at various points in their lives, taken in by the beautiful, seemingly doting Ms. Holly Fairchild at Wild Meadows. From the outside, things look wonderful. But, from the inside, things are absolutely not what they seem. Ms. Fairchild is unpredictable at best, cruel at worst. The girls live in constant fear and tiptoe around Ms. Fairchild in an attempt to appease her and keep things calm inside the household. When Ms. Fairchild starts taking in babies for respite care, things go from bad to worse. Years later after being removed from Wild Meadows, the girls - now adults in their 30s - get pulled back into the small town and world of their former foster home when bones are discovered buried beneath the house. Whose bones are they? Who put them there?

All of Hepworth's books thus far deal with family dynamics in very interesting ways. I thought the way she explored the dynamics of the relationships within a found family, and how to navigate shared and individual trauma within those bonds was so interesting. I tore through this fairly quickly and was very satisfied in how the story progressed AND wrapped itself up.

This book is definitely a thriller that unwraps layer after layer as the book continues. It starts in modern day following three sisters through their current life. They get stopped by a phone call from the police that they have found something that their foster home. All three sisters stop what they are doing and become part of the mystery. Then the book rotates between the three sisters in modern time as well as in the past in various stages.

There are some really interesting layers to the novel. I enjoyed the characters, especially Norah. All of them were developed and intriguing though. These women are trying their best after dealing with complicated circumstances. The book is fast paced and engaging.

The things I didn't love is the topic as a whole. It is hard to process the difficulties within the foster care system, the abuse that some children experience, and the stories within the system. It was an important book that addresses these issues. There were just parts that I found a challenge to read because I felt uncomfortable.

Also I wish the ending had a little more to it. It wraps up quickly and in a frustrating way, to be honest.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy!

A wonderfully crafted psychological thriller that was paired well with Norah’s great blend of sarcasm.

Sally Hepworth's latest, "Darling Girls" takes on foster homes, found families, and murder mysteries with a delightful twist. The thing that drew me in the most about "Darling Girls" was the dynamic and description of foster family situations.
Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were all bonded in their foster home at Wild Meadows under the watchful eye of the unpredictable Miss Fairchild. Now, years later, they remain thick as thieves until their whole world is turned upside down and they find themselves right back at Wild Meadows to help solve a years-old mystery, uncovering their own personal traumas in the process.
This book was an absolutely wild ride. Hepworth uses multiple timelines and POVs to help drive the story and each chapter ends with just enough of a cliffhanger that leaves you wanting more. To be frank, I completely tore through this book at lightning speed. While Hepworth's previous works focus on families and dynamics as well, there was something stronger about the dynamic between the three foster girls and their relationship far into the future.
I know there isn't much to say to keep this review spoiler-free but I was completely caught off guard when I got to the end of the novel and it put everything in a nice bow for me. Very impressive work by Sally Hepworth and it might be my favorite from her by far.

A special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a unique read that I have nothing to compare to! I found it to be suspenseful but just a tad on the repetitive/slow side for me. It did take me close to 3 weeks to read because I wasn’t drawn in.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were all foster children under Miss Fairchild's care. While they found lifelong "sisters" in each other, Miss Fairchild and her moods were unpredictable at best. We jump between the past, the present, and the different points of view from the women in order to understand what really happened and how that plays into their lives in the present.

Wow, what an interesting story. We are first introduced to Jessica, Nora, and Alicia in the present because skeletal remains are found on the property of their former foster home. They find themselves in the midst of a police investigation, which cause flashbacks to the horrific times of them growing up there. I loved how foster kids were represented. Sally Hepworth said she interviewed many people who had been through the foster system when writing this book. The "sisters" in the story were still dealing with some sort of drama from it in the present, and I think it was represented tastefully. The theme of found family was also powerful. Even though these women were not related by blood, they still showed up for each other and counted each other as "sisters."

I was able to piece together the direction of the story, but it wasn't completely obvious. I also was not expecting the last chapter, which made me think differently about the entire book. Overall, it was a nicely pieced together story that kept me on my toes. I love Sally Hepworth's books, and I highly recommend checking this book out as well as other ones by her if you love thrillers.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy for review.

This was my first Sally Hepworth book and it won't be my last! Right from page one I felt compelled by the story and the characters and could not put this book down! I loved the sister dynamic between Jessica, Norah, and Alicia and the dual timeline going on. There was never a dull moment in this book! The only reason it was not a five star read was because there were elements that were quite predictable, but other than that I loved every moment of reading this book. Fans of mysteries and thrillers should definitely pick this book up when it is officially published!

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

Thank you to @stmartinspress, @netgalley, and @sallyhepworth for the opportunity to read this #advancedreadercopy in exchange for my honest review. Darling Girls will be published April 23 on physical, eBook, and audiobook platforms so preorder now! 💙

She’s done it again! This book just became my fave of the year! It’s twisty, it’s thought-provoking, it’s dark, and it’s fresh! This pulled me in immediately, was filled with deeply flawed but lovable characters and took you on a gut-wrenching and nail biting journey. Hepworth is a master of twisted family dynamics and this book is no different, albeit with a non traditional family. I highly recommend for fans of a fast paced mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

TW: loss of a loved one, mental illness, g*slighting, m*nipulation, CA, SA, dr*g add*ction, more

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ - 5.5/5

Darling Girls is a novel that explores the bonds between 3 foster sisters (Jessica, Norah, and Alicia) who lived together with their foster mother, Miss Fairchild. Their foster home looked perfect on the surface, but the reality was much darker.

Years later, all three sisters have moved on from the trauma they experienced, while still remaining close with one another. Once they learn that human remains have been found underneath their former foster home, the sisters must revisit their past to clear their names and help find the truth.

Darling Girls kept me engaged from beginning to end. I really enjoyed the interspersed psychiatrist sessions and the multiple viewpoints of the sisters. Hepworth has become an auto-read author for me, and her latest novel does not disappoint!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Hepworth is an instant buy author for me at this rate, and Darling Girls was another slam dunk.

I was obsessed with these characters from the start. This was such a gripping story that had me dying to get through chapters! I couldn't put it down during the day. There were a few surprises for me as I listened, and it was just so well written. I loved the flashes from the past to the present, and I thought that this was a very unique story. Jessica, Alicia, and Norah were so easy to root for, and each had a backstory and present life that was full of nuance. Miss. Fairchild may be in my top list of villains I've encountered this year in thrillers. Her backstory was shocking, and you just never knew what she was going to pull out of her sleeve. Overall, such a satisfying read. Hepworth always does such a great job of writing real, capable heroines which I appreciate in a thriller. 10/10 recommend for people looking for a good read to keep you hooked till the end.

I received an ARC of Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth from Netgalley!

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are three foster sisters who have an unbreakable bond due to the traumas that they have been through in their lives, both before and during their time in the foster care system. When they are contacted to go back to where it all began, Wild Meadows, we are able to start to try to unravel the mystery of what happened back then and what dark secrets each one may be hiding.

I loved how the chapters switched from now and before, as we really got to see glimpses into the girls' lives and what shaped them into the women they are today and why they consider themselves sisters. But through the point of view from the past, we also get to see how broken they are.

I did feel that the plot was kind of slow-going, but I was intrigued at the storylines of each girl., although I did enjoy the before storyline more enjoyable ... and then there was the question mark of who was talking to Dr. Warren, the psychologist, from that point of view!

It did have a bunch of twists and turns and also some comical relief (alicia's jokes and the dogs!) when there was an overall feeling of sorrow for what these girls had to endure growing up.

I would definitely recommend this book to a friend .. there hasn't been a Sally Hepworth book that I have not enjoyed !!! all her books are super addicting to read!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the book #DarlingGirls by #SallyHepworth. This captivating book about three girls who grew up together in a foster home is fantastic! The things they went through shape them into the women they are today. While tearing down the “home”, builders discover a body. Was their foster mother responsible or could one of them had a hand in it? Make sure you read this book!!!

Darling Girls was a quickly suspenseful story that led us through the past and present of three foster sisters and their foster mother. I was hooked from the first chapter. Sally Hepworth took us into the thoughts of all three sisters as they were dealing with the discovery of bones found under their childhood foster home. We also see glimpses into the foster mother’s life growing up. This story was a captivating slow burn with a twist at the end that I did not see coming. Overall, 4.5 stars!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for this eARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

spooky thrilling and scary! sally h knows how to write a twisty story that keeps the ready enthralled and questioning everything and everyone. what fun time!

Darling Girls follows three women who grew up together as sisters in the foster care system. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are each carrying something from their tumultuous childhood with them and working to leave their time at the farm with Miss Fairchild behind them. They each get a call from the police that a body has been found under the house and are forced to return and provide statements regarding the crime.

Written with multiple POVs and in dual timelines the reader goes on a journey with the sisters as they try to solve the mystery while grappling with childhood memories they'd rather forget. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and by the midway point was finding any spare minute to read just one more chapter. I have read several books by Hepworth and this is ranking up there as one of my favorites. I would recommend this book to other readers who enjoy a psychological thriller.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the advanced e-copy of this book.

Wow! Darling Girls is my new favorite book by this author. I could tell before reading the acknowledgments that she'd spoken to people in the foster care system before writing this story. I related with and found myself invested in all the different POV characters made up of a group of women who grew up in the same abusive foster home together. I loved the dual timelines and living their experiences in the moment which ratcheted up the tension for me as the mystery remained of who the bones found beneath the house belonged to. This is definitely one of my favorite thrillers of the year thus far.

I was sucked into this book as soon as I started it. Told from multiple perspectives and times, this was so good I couldn’t put it down. There were happy endings and a big twist at the very end that I definitely didn’t see coming. I loved it!

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
Pub date: April 23 2024

Sally Hepworth became an auto-buy author for me the moment I finished The Mother In Law. I’ve read everything she has published since then and she has never let me down. Darling Girls, her latest, has kept her firmly in my mental “must read” category.

Darling Girls is the story of 3 young girls who find themselves in foster care at Wild Meadows, under the abusive care of Miss Fairchild. When bones are discovered under the house of the now empty house where the foster children lived, Norah, Jessica and Alicia go back to the town to help police unravel the story of how they got there. Told from multiple points of view from the present and past, we learn more about the awful things Miss Fairchild did to each of her foster children and also about her own childhood and what made her the monster that she is.

What I think I love most about books by this author is how quickly the pages seem to turn themselves. The story weaves between each character and period of time so seamlessly, it’s hard to put the book down (or go to bed at a reasonable hour!). Each of the characters are flawed in their own ways and though most characters are female, they are all distinct and easy for the reader to find empathy for – except our villain, Miss Fairchild, that is. Miss Fairchild is the perfect love-to-hate them antagonist. She is manipulative. She is abusive. She is calculating. That a fictional character can bring such feelings of loathing to the reader is a testament to the author’s capabilities.

My only critique of this book would be that it seemed a little less compelling than her previous novels. The story seemed a little more fluffy, a little less gritty than her other books. Maybe the plot will be fleshed out and the writing more substantial once the finished copy is published. My review is of the unfinished ARC, of course.

As always, my biggest thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Netgalley and Sally Hepworth for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my always honest review. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.