From perspectives of foster sisters (Jessica, Norah, and Alicia) who grew up together at Wild Meadows with Mrs Fairchild. They go on to live very different lives. When their old foster home is demolished, human remains are discovered and the story dips into a past to present perspective to uncover the mystery.

With more time spent in the past, the experience of the foster children is presented with great detail and clues the reader in to the horrors and poor treatment of the each girl.

There’s also a perspective from a therapist that leaves you wondering who the character sharing their trauma is.

I enjoyed this read and the strong family bond from non-blood family. Nice character development and a quick mystery read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review

Sally Hepworth always writes good thrillers. This book had a good storyline and kept me engaged. The ending was a shock that I didn't see coming!

One of the best Sally Hepworth yet! Three young girls who find each other exactly when each desperately needs the support of one another. Their childhood is dark and somber, with rules and punishments. And then the dead body shows up. They are thrown into an investigation as they are all in the midst of their own lives trajectory. Fast-paced and darkness at every turn. Well done!

𝒟𝒶𝓇𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒢𝒾𝓇𝓁𝓈 𝒷𝓎 𝒮𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝐻𝑒𝓅𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓉𝒽
𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 • 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 • 𝘍𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮
𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 • 𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢
𝘈𝘓𝘊 • 𝘗𝘶𝘣 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦 23 𝘈𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘭 2024

I’d classify Darling Girls as crime fiction, family drama, and contemporary fiction. It pulled me in from the jump when the bones of an unidentified child are unearthed at an estate that formerly housed foster kids. Three foster sisters (“darling girls”) find themselves at the center of the murder investigation when they are called as key witnesses along with their not-quite-right foster mother Mrs. Fairchild. The girls, now adults, all have secrets, some shared and some of their own. They are thick as thieves, bonded through shared past trauma, while each having very distinct and differing personalities, interests, and looks. All, however, share the incapacity to form meaningful, trusted relationships with others. But are they responsible for the death of a child and what lengths will they do to keep their secrets buried forever?

I especially enjoyed the Australian setting which alternates between Melbourne and Port Agatha. I love accents and truly enjoyed listening to Jessica Clarke’s narration of the book. This book also highlights how the foster care system is very broken worldwide, not just in the US. Dual timelines and multiple POVs, including interviews with a psychologist, kept the book interesting and allow for a deliberative unveiling of answers to the mystery shrouding the Wild Meadows Estate. The final chapter left my jaw on the floor.

The scenes involving child abuse were hard to listen to, so check the trigger warnings: Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Rape, Sexual Assault, Drug Abuse

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 @𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘥 @𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘓𝘊!

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by an absolute favorite, Sally Hepworth, with the audio perfectly narrated by Jessica Clarke. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Twenty-five years ago, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, became as close as sisters when they shared a foster home called Wild Meadows, run by Miss Fairchild. Now, they are both shocked to receive a call from detectives that human bones were discovered buried under Wild Meadows. Who do the bones belong to? And did the girls have anything to do with whatever happened?

Told in the POV from each of the women, in both past and present timeframes, as well as from an unknown person talking with a psychologist, Dr. Warren. I was immediately drawn into each woman's story, and both timelines were intriguing. Hepworth is a master at creating characters that are realistic, strong, intelligent, and funny. While the subject matter of childhood abuse is never an easy one, you will still find yourself laughing out loud at many points along the way. This book showcases how childhood trauma spreads so deeply into a person's character, yet also presents us with strong characters who are always there for each other. Another must read by Hepworth!

Jessica, Norah, and Alice grew up as sisters with their unpredictable and abuse foster mother, Miss Fairchild. Although they escaped this home as teenagers, when a dead body is found under the house, they are all thrown right back into the past.
Told from multiple perspectives through the past and present. Great read with many twists and turns! Highly recommended!!

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for my honest review.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow, what a ride! "Darling Girls" by Sally Hepworth, in its audiobook form, was an absolute delight. The narration truly brought the characters to life, immersing me even further into the story. It was so engaging that I found it hard to press pause! Hepworth's masterful storytelling, combined with the captivating narration, made this audiobook impossible to put down. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end, and I never could have predicted the outcome. Sally Hepworth has definitely earned a spot on my list of favorite authors with this one.

Publication Date: April 23, 2024

Thank you #NetGalley, #macmillanaudio, and #sallyhepworth for the ARL. My review is honest and voluntary.

#Audiobook #BookReview #PsychologicalThriller #UnpredictableReads #MustListens #BookishCommunity

Well I absolutely devoured this audio book!! It kept me entertained while packing up my house and moving stuff. I don’t really enjoy heavy books involving kids so I was hesitant going into this one, but there wasn’t anything too crazy. Was it a sad foster situation? Definitely, so do proceed with caution if that may be a content red flag for you.

Sally threw in some great twists!!

Oooh this was a great, twisty thriller!!

Darling Girls follows three foster children and the adults they’ve become. It’s a story of generational trauma, abuse and breaking the cycle. When a skeleton is found in the home they grew up in, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia go back to the place of their abuse to understand what happened under that roof. But just how involved were they?

This was seriously twisted. Sally Hepworth created so many great characters, and I was rapt while exploring the sisters’ pasts. You never really know who to trust in this as the blame continually shifts from one person to another. I loved the bond between the sisters and thought their relationships were so well thought out!

A thriller you won’t be able to put down! Put this on your summer tbr asap!

WOW!! This book was so well written and I was so invested in each character’s story. I’m a sucker for domestic thrillers too!

I enjoyed listening and the narrator did a great job!

I guessed the who, but not the how or why which I thought was an even better twist! Without spoiling anything, the main villain gave a very believable story to then shock and surprise us in the end!

4.5 ⭐️
Um okay Sally Hepworth! I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this one. The narrator (Jessica Clarke) did a great job! I honestly won’t enjoy a book as much as I could have if I struggle with the narrator 🤷🏼‍♀️. I thought it grabbed my attention from the very beginning and although it wasn’t as hardcore, fast-paced and thrillerish as I normally like, I was excited to get to the end to bring everything together. And the twist at the end made me go back a few chapters to make sure I heard right lol I was like wait… It’s safe to say I was not expecting it and I loved it.

This is a super quick read that goes through each of the main characters story with dual timelines and one I totally recommend! Before, I only read The Soulmate by this author and I would say I definitely liked this one more!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC in exchange for my honest review 🫶🏼

FIVE STARS!!! The story is incredible. Sally Hepworth gives readers strong female characters intertwined in a heartwarming suspense. This is a beautifully written story of the strong bonds of sisterhood among three women who grew up in the same foster home. Hepworth easily
transitions the readers as the story moves from one character to the next and between past and present. Just when you think you have it figured out, you get hit with a huge twist!
The narrator is perfect. Her voice is very easy to listen to as she transports you through this story. I 100% recommend purchasing this audiobook!!

4.5 stars! I am a big fan of Sally Hepworth’s work. Her talent as a masterful storyteller has been proven over and over again to me through the years with each new book that she writes. Darling Girls was no exception. It was dark yet heart wrenching. The setting for Darling Girls was a place called Wild Meadows Farm in Port Agatha, Australia. Sally Hepworth painstakingly detailed and portrayed a very flawed foster care system. She exemplified how that broken and sometimes uncaring system left its undeniable mark on each of three young girls who managed to grow into strong women years later, after they had aged out of the system and went on to live their adult lives. I listened to the audiobook that was narrated by Jessica Clarke. Darling Girls captured my attention immediately and drew me into the lives of the characters that were both deeply flawed yet so believable.

Three young girls, each with her own reasons, were placed in the foster care system within years and months of each other. All three of these girls were placed with Miss Holly Fairchild at her home at Wild Meadows Farm. They were each told how lucky they were to be placed in such a nice home with such a caring and loving person to take care of them. The house was lovely and it even had a pool and horses as well. Even though everything appeared to be perfect, the young girls learned very quickly that the things that were perceived as perfect were often deceptive. How true that was for Jessica, Norah and Alicia. Living under Miss Fairchild’s roof was their worst nightmare. Miss Fairchild proved to be manipulative, a stickler for rules that suited her, an abusive caregiver who exerted her authority both physically, mentally and emotionally and she managed to leave permanent scars on all three girls that remained throughout their adult lives.

Jessica arrived at Wild Meadows in Port Agatha, Australia when she was only five years old. She craved approval, attention and acceptance from Miss Fairchild. There was nothing that Jessica wouldn’t do to be able to earn those things from Miss Fairchild. For several years, it was just Jessica and Miss Fairchild. Then one day, about six years after Jessica had arrived, Norah was brought to Wild Meadows. Miss Fairchild agreed to foster Norah as well as Jessica. Norah, a troubled and sometimes violent child, was eleven years old when she started living at Wild Meadows. The last to arrive was twelve year old Alicia. Miss Fairchild agreed to foster Alicia as well. Alicia’s stay was supposed to be temporary and short term. Her grandmother had been taking care of Alicia but when she got ill and had to go to the hospital, Alicia had no one to take care of her. Miss Fairchild played one child against the other. She was relentless with her rules that she imposed, the amount of chores that the girls were forced to do and the isolation they were meant to endure. The girls were lucky to have one another. They each promised to always have one another’s backs. Even though they were not sisters by blood they were sisters in every sense of the word. They promised each other that they would always be there for each other and remain together for the rest of their lives.

Twenty five years later, all three girls, Jessica, Norah and Alicia were contacted by a detective from Port Agatha. The detective told each of the three women that human bones of a baby were discovered under the foster home that they had resided in all those years ago. When the detective had asked Jessica, Norah and Alicia if they would return to Port Agatha to help with the investigation their first instinct was to decline. Port Agatha was a place that each Jessica, Norah and Alicia hoped to never step foot in again. The memories they carried from their time with Miss Fairchild were painful and they had tried very hard to leave those years behind them. In the end, they decided to go, though. What would be revealed about the bones? Who did they belong to? Who had buried them under the house? What secrets would be revealed? Could Jessica, Norah and Alicia finally bury their pasts and begin to live more productive and healthier lives? Where was Miss Fairchild? Could she still hurt Jessica, Norah or Alicia?

Darling Girls alternated between the past and the present in a very cohesive way. As always, I enjoyed the characters that Sally Hepworth created in her novel. They spoke to me and I felt their trauma, pain and healing that was evident throughout their lives as young girls and then as adult women. I disliked Miss Fairchild with great intensity. She was so manipulative and went out of her way to be hurtful and mean. She left permanent scars on each of the girls she fostered. I particularly enjoyed the part with the therapist but had a hard time figuring out who he was counseling. There were so many twists and turns in this book that I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed the ending and found it very satisfying. Sally Hepworth did an exemplary job portraying the challenges that the foster care system faced and still does on many different levels. She also did an excellent job portraying drug abuse, rehabilitation and mental health issues. Overall, I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Darling Girls and highly recommend it. Publication is set for April 23, 2024.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

4.8 ⭐️ 🎧

I couldn’t put this book down, I was captivated beginning to end!

💔I have a huge soft spot for foster children, especially teens, so this book tugged hard at my heart. It follows the story of 3 teens that were raised in a foster home by an abusive caretaker, and centers around the investigation of some bones that were discovered decades later.

💪🏽 I loved watching the strength of the sisters as they bonded together to rise from the ashes. I thought the writing and audio was well done. It’s told from multiple POV’s and does hop between timelines, but I was able to follow it easily. It had a very realistic approach, as this stuff definitely happens IRL 😭

🔨 Sally nailed the psychological aspect, which is one thing I really appreciate about books. And she also nailed some really shocking twists, which was unexpected. (Seriously, the ending made my heart drop and I’m not ok yet) But also managed a happy ending.

📚 This was my first full-length novel by Sally, and I definitely plan to check out some of her other work.

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Sally Hepworth for providing me with a complimentary ARC to review!

Darling Girls is another work of wonder from author Sally Hepworth. A dual timeline goes back and forth between three girls’ time in the foster home of Ms. Fairchild and the investigation following the unearthing of bones years later. The bonds of sisterhood are tested in the past and the present as the reader follows along trying to understand who the bones belong to and why they were found by the house. The ending had me blown away! I knew there would be a twist at the end, but I don’t think that was the twist I was expecting. I want more!

Suspense, mystery, and complex characters intertwine in a riveting tale......…..

Book Information

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is a 368-page thriller with a publication date of April 23, 2024. The audio version, narrated by Jessica Clarke, spans 9 hours and 6 minutes. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy for review.

Summary

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were rescued from family tragedies as kids and raised by Miss Fairchild on a farm. Despite appearances, their childhood wasn't perfect; Miss Fairchild was strict and unpredictable. They eventually left her but still felt her influence. When a body is found at their old home, they become both key witnesses and suspects.

My Thoughts

Sally Hepworth's "Darling Girls" takes readers on a journey of suspense and emotion, weaving a web of mystery that is as enthralling as it is chilling. It features a well-crafted plot and engaging storytelling. This novel offers a gripping exploration of the complexities of human nature. Prepare to have your heartstrings expertly plucked and your mind thoroughly twisted as Hepworth masterfully navigates the murky waters of human emotion.

At its core are the three fostered girls, each with unique personalities, quirks, and secrets. Hepworth's skillful manipulation of perspective allows readers to delve into the minds of these characters, as the story unfolds through a series of cleverly constructed twists and turns. From the gripping suspense to the heart-wrenching revelations, the book kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly turning pages to uncover the truth.

One thing that sets "Darling Girls" apart is its ability to balance moments of levity with the darker themes at its core. Hepworth infuses the story with humor and wit, courtesy of the girls' sharp banter and corny jokes (which I may or may not have borrowed for use with my kids). Yet, beneath the surface lies a haunting exploration of the lasting effects of abuse and trauma, portrayed with a rawness and authenticity that is both compelling and heartbreaking.

The novel's structure is well-paced and tightly woven, with short, punchy chapters driving the plot forward at a perfect pace. Hepworth expertly navigates between past and present, gradually revealing the pieces of the puzzle in a way that kept me guessing until the very end. The conclusion delivers a satisfying payoff, with twists that are as surprising as they are inevitable. Hepworth successfully plants seeds of doubt and intrigue that blossom into a garden of gripping suspense, leaving you guessing until the very end.

Jessica Clarke's narration adds another layer of depth to the story, bringing Hepworth's characters to life with her skillful delivery. While the variation between character voices may be subtle, Clarke's ability to maintain tension and momentum ensures that listeners remain fully immersed in the story from start to finish.

Recommendation

"Darling Girls" is a riveting read that will appeal to fans of suspense thrillers and mysteries alike. With its well-drawn characters, expertly crafted plot, and unexpected twists, it's a novel that will keep you guessing until the very end. Strongly recommended.

Rating

4 Foster Stars

Darling Girls is a well written, well narrated, and clever psychological thriller. Focused on Miss Fairchild, her female charges, and an old house, the story moves back and forth between "then" and "now" quite effectively. Hepworth draws her characters fairly well but the narrator fails to distinguish them by a change in voice or tone, sometimes making the story a bit confusing. Hepworth's fans will line up enthusiastically for Darling Girls. Many readers who are new to Hepworth's work are sure to come back for more.

My heart is broken for these fictional characters who grew up in foster care. While the specific stories of these sisters were made up, I see bits and pieces of what some of my own foster children have gone through in them.

Darling Girls was a heartbreaking walk through the darker side of the foster care system woven into a psychological thriller. I appreciated the way Sally brought the realities that so many youth in our own communities are facing front and center. She didn’t shy away from the uncomfortable. These stories need to be told.

There are many, many trigger warnings for this thriller, so please look those up if you’re concerned. I could have done without the intimate scene towards the end of the book.

“Darling Girls” was my first book by Sally Hepworth and this book didn’t disappoint. This psychological thriller showcases three foster sisters: Jessica, Norah and Alicia, who live at Wild Meadows Farms with their foster mother Ms. Fairchild. We are told the story from each of their points of view as well as from a mystery character. The book weaves a tale from their time at Wild Meadows Farm and present day. The long-lasting effects of the foster mother’s narcissistic behavior are evidenced throughout the story.

I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to other readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for allowing me to listen to this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This audiobook was fast moving, and held my attention. The back and forth with time was slightly confusing listening but all came together well! Thank you for the opportunity to read this!