As someone who mostly reads romance, Darling Girls was a surprising and thrilling break from my usual picks! The story follows three foster sisters who return to their childhood home after a chilling discovery, digging up old secrets and dark memories.

Hepworth kept me hooked with her twists and turns, and the bond between the sisters was unexpectedly touching. This isn’t my usual romantasy, but the suspense and emotional depth made it a worthwhile read. If you’re looking to dip your toes into something darker, this one’s a great choice!

Rating: 4/5 Finished in less than 24 hours!

Sally Hepworth's Darling Girls is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the emotional and psychological scars left by childhood trauma, set against a backdrop of mystery and suspense. Finished in one day!

The story follows three women—Jessica, Norah, and Alicia—who share a dark past from their time in a foster home run by Miss Fairchild. Years after they've escaped her clutches, their lives seem to have settled, yet when human remains are found buried at their former foster home, they are forced to confront the past they thought they'd left behind.

Hepworth expertly weaves alternating narratives, diving into the past and present, exposing the layers of trauma that have shaped the women's lives. The novel touches on themes of betrayal, trust, and the lasting impact of abusive relationships.

The pacing of the book is excellent, with a steady buildup of tension that keeps readers hooked from the start. The plot twists, especially as the mystery of the remains unfolds, are well-placed and keep the suspense high without feeling contrived.

Overall, Darling Girls is a masterful psychological thriller that will keep readers engrossed. Hepworth’s ability to create deeply emotional, flawed characters while maintaining an air of suspense makes this a must-read for fans of thrillers. It’s a haunting reminder that the past is never truly behind us—and sometimes, it comes back in ways we least expect.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, & Sally Hepworth for the complimentary audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Another well-written book of suspense by Sally Hepworth. The relationships between the heroines and their relationship with their foster mother, gripping. Great storytelling throughout. I enjoyed the mystery unraveling. Highly recommend. I listened to the audio and it was well done.

I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Foster sisters Jessica, Norah, and Alicia share the trauma of a life in a horrific foster home with the abusive Miss Fairchild. As adults, the girls think they have left their childhood behind, until they find out that bones have been found under their old foster home. As the reader, we see the story unfold through both flashbacks and present day discussions. Sometimes, we’re unsure if the girls know who the bones belong to.How much do they know? How much do we know? It makes for a fascinating unfolding of a shocking childhood.

What I love about Sally Hepworth is that her books aren’t only one genre. She never falls into the common trap of a thriller, neglecting to develop good characters or complex relationships. This makes the reader really and truly care what happens to them. My sister and I raged at Mrs. Fairchild, cried over the sisters and their bond, and rooted for them to triumph over all. The ending left a little to be desired, so we decided this was a 4 star read rather than 5. Sally Hepworth is a favorite for me, as always. I just might have suggested she rework the epilogue. But otherwise, this is a great book sure to please her fans!

“Darling Girls” deals with a traumatic past and an unbreakable bond between three women. Although it reads more like a women’s fiction novel with thrilling elements, the “mystery” portion was a bit predictable as more is revealed through the past and present narratives. Definitely a fast paced read that will leave you wanting to know what exactly happened.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was full of lovable, flawed characters who felt like real people. The plot was interesting and twisty, while still being really heartfelt. I feel like it is hard to do flawed characters well; normally I’m internally cringing and wanting to look away from the train wreck. However, I loved these characters and how they had love and grace for each other and weren’t afraid to be messy and own up to their mistakes, even if it took a while for them to get there. The narration made my experience even better.

ARC received from Macmillan Audio via Netgalley.

I just love Sally Hepworth and her books. This one did not disappoint and I'll always recommend her as a writer.

Narrator did great and drew me right into the story.

I'm going to attempt to review of this book without having finished it through no fault of my own. I was really enjoying this. The narration was good. The character development and the pacing is as great. And then the next thing I knew, the audio refused to play. I tried repeatedly and I contacted support. I'm still trying to work it through because I'm dying to get to the end but for now I'm going to give this a solid four stars based on what I've already heard.

Edit-- I was able to get it to work again and can I give it an authentic four stars. It was a good story with some nice twists and turns. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

Wow! Talk about a slow burn with a BAM of an ending. The last few chapters are a wow. This is what I adore about this authors writing. Character based drama and full of mystery.

The audio was fantastic and great narration by the amazing Jessica Clarke.

I have to say, this book is full of point of views, like 4+ so if you are not a MPV reading, be warned. This is the only reason it didn't make a 5 for me. But that's my own personal issue. 😜 It was still worth the read/listen.

This was another solid thriller from Sally Hepworth. The book has good characters and a good storyline that is engaging from the beginning. The pace starts off to a slower start than a lot of thrillers. However, the last part will move faster and has a twisty payoff. Recommended for thriller readers.

Miss Fairchild was a kind, young, single woman who desired to become a mother figure to a young girl from the foster care system. Her warm personality and charming home with a pool and horses made it idyllic for any foster child—or did it?

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia became sisters at the Fairchild home. Now, the three live on their own and are trying to make lives for themselves, but that all comes to a standstill whenever the police call in them to discuss the Fairchild home and the body found under it during new construction. As the investigation launches and drags them back into their past, will the girls be the witnesses or the prime suspects?

Darling Girls is a fast-paced domestic suspense/mystery with enjoyably flawed characters, engaging narration, multiple POVs, found family, and a satisfying ending.

I have been a longtime fan of Sally Hepworth and will continue to pick up her books. I think Sally Hepworth has a particular skill in writing female characters and complex female relationships. This book was no different, with three interesting female main characters that had foster-sister like relationships. This book kept my attention and was compelling throughout. This story was missing some kind of wow factor for me to really make me love it-but otherwise this was a good mystery.

A thrilling and chilling read that was addictive and enjoyable from the beginning. This was an entertaining read and I enjoyed this one to the end. One I would recommend.

With Hepworth, you know you will get a family drama, secrets, and twists.

This read is a bit of a slow burn with a lot of info. A before and after time with easter eggs dropped through out.

Narration it was good, but it would have been nice to have multiple narrators.

Thank you to Sally Hepworth, St Martins Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook production.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced twisty thriller. Sally Hepworth does a fantastic job of weaving multiple POVs and timelines in a way that is easy to follow and provides surprises along the way. I especially loved that the three main characters weren't biological sisters but had deep familial bonds in every way that counts. You'll find yourself thinking you have it all figured out by the end but you will be wrong. Fun, twisty, and utterly enjoyable.

"Darling Girls "by Sally Hepworth had all the ingredients for a gripping domestic thriller—sisterhood, secrets, murder, and a creepy foster mom—but for me, it just didn’t hit the mark. It was just OK...

Here’s the setup: Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were foster sisters raised by Miss Fairchild, a woman who seemed perfect on the outside, but had some seriously messed-up rules. Years later, when a body is found under their old home, the sisters are dragged back into the spotlight. Are they witnesses? Or suspects?

Sounds juicy, right? Except it wasn’t quite the thrill ride I was hoping for.

Don’t get me wrong, the premise is solid, and I liked the whole dark underbelly of the foster system vibe. But the pacing was slow, and the characters all felt pretty flat. There wasn’t enough distinction between the sisters' POVs, and I often found myself confused about who was narrating. The plot had potential but ended up feeling a bit predictable, and the "shocking" twist at the end... yeah, not so much. More like a shrug than a jaw-dropper.

One saving grace? Jessica Clarke’s narration. She did a great job keeping the audiobook engaging, even when the story wasn’t pulling me in. So props to her—I’d definitely listen to more of her work!

Special thanks to Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy via the NetGalley app!

This thriller mystery gave me all the satisfaction a good one should. Foster siblings with a mean foster mom are always a vibe and I loved how creepy and suspenseful it was. Thanks to @stmartinspress for the eARC and to @macmillan.audio for the ALC. Sorry I’m so belated in getting this review out, but this summer kinda chewed me up and spit me out. This book was quite excellent though, I highly recommend to all my thriller friends! Sally Hepworth does not disappoint on this one!

"Darling Girls" by Sally Hepworth is a solid read with engaging characters and a compelling premise. The novel explores themes of family dynamics and personal struggles, but it occasionally falls into predictable patterns. While the story kept me interested, it didn’t quite stand out from similar books in the genre. Overall, it’s an enjoyable, if somewhat formulaic, read for fans of domestic dramas.

I really enjoyed the audiobook performance, though! I felt the narrator, Jessica Clarke, did a fantastic job and I would happily listen to more from her!

This was a heartbreaking, poignant read. These girls and their experience of the foster system, ouf, it was a nightmare for them. That being said, I love how they banded together and the relationship they have now. The book is divided in past and present chapters. Admittedly, the past chapters held more of my interest, not just because of the drama about the foster system but because I felt we got to know the girls more from those chapters. The ending was surprising and a little shocking but all in all, a great slow burn thriller.

The narrator was great and played the characters well!

Thanks to Macmillan audio and NetGalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

This is a domestic thriller with serious trigger warnings, going into the dirty underbelly of the foster system and a LOT of child abuse, told in three POVs and two timelines. Although I usually love Sally Hepworth, I did not like this one, I thought it was kind of boring and had to constantly fight against myself to bring my attention back to the book. There was no real distinction between the different characters, which made it hard to know which POV we were in, and they all felt kind of flat. The "shocking" ending was borderline insulting. So, I think it's safe to say this one was not for me, but I have read many amazing reviews for this book so don't let mine deter you from picking this up!
I received an advance copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.