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!

A story of three girls raised in the same foster home and their bond as sisters throughout their childhood and into adult life. When a body is discovered buried under the former foster home that they were raised in, thee three women will return to the small town where they were raised and help unbury secrets long since forgotten.
Sally Hepwroth did a fantastic job with each of the three main protagonists-- I felt connected and interested in each of their three stories. If you are into dysfunctional families and twisty turvy psychological thrillers, this book is for you.

Jessica Clarke had done a fabulous job narrating this one. Despite there being three points of view, I think a single narrator worked and Jessica brought each character to life effortlessly.

4.5 ⭐

Darling Girls is told in two timelines, with the before being the three girls during their time in foster care, and the present being those girls now as grown women having to deal with repercussions from the past. I thought the timelines were well balanced, with just enough of each to give us a clear picture of all that happened.

I listened to the audiobook, and initially I struggled a bit. All three girls/women have POV parts. The narrator is quite good, but she doesn’t change her tone at all for each character. Consequently, I initially got confused as to which person’s story was being told. To further muddle my brain, the children’s thoughts and dialogue often came off more mature than their age. But once I settled in, the different personalities became apparent.

The story unravels with Hepworth’s trademark combination of drama and suspense.

I loved the connection between these three females, and how this bond gave them each something to cling to over the years.

In "DARLING GIRLS," bestselling author Sally Hepworth weaves a captivating story of sisterhood, secrets, and the haunting grip of the past. From its gripping opening pages to its shocking conclusion, this novel grabs hold of the reader and never lets go. At the heart of the story are Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, three sisters who were raised by their foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate. While their childhood appeared charmed to outsiders, the reality was far darker, with Miss Fairchild's strict rules and unpredictable behavior casting a shadow over their lives. When a body is discovered under their former home, the sisters find themselves thrust into a web of intrigue as key witnesses - or perhaps even suspects. Hepworth masterfully crafts a suspenseful narrative that keeps readers guessing until the very end. As the sisters grapple with the fallout from the discovery and confront long-buried secrets, the tension mounts, drawing readers deeper into the mystery. The complex dynamics between the sisters, their complicated relationship with Miss Fairchild, and the secrets they each hold add layers of depth and intrigue to the story.

What sets "DARLING GIRLS" apart is its exploration of the bonds of sisterhood and the enduring impact of childhood trauma. Through Hepworth's evocative prose and richly drawn characters, the novel delves into themes of resilience, forgiveness, and the power of love to overcome even the darkest of secrets.

Overall, "DARLING GIRLS" is a riveting read that will appeal to fans of suspense and psychological thrillers. With its twisty plot, well-developed characters, and atmospheric setting, this novel is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats until the final page. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a gripping tale of family, betrayal, and redemption.

WOW! After reading The Soulmate I had high hopes for this book and I was not disappointed! The torment the three sisters received in foster care was heartbreaking but the bond they built from it was eternally refreshing. One of my favorite things about this book was that it was very realistic. It didn't describe situations that would be too hard to belive. As much as we hate to believe it, children in foster care do experience the things these young girls went through. It also did a great job of depicting how such a tumultuous upbringing could bring on emotional trauma into adulthood. The strength portrayed in the characters by showing the struggles they faced and how they worked to overcome them was a breath of fresh air. As for the twists, my brain is mush! This book kept throwing twists at you until the very last chapter! I sensed a few twists but although I had a feeling they were coming, I never could have guessed what the twists would be. I listened to the audiobook. The narrator has a very heavy accent that took me some getting used to. I couldn't listen at the speed I normally would until about halfway through the book. However, I could not have imagined a better voice to depict the villainous Ms.Fairchild! Anytime she said the words "my darling girl" it sent cold chills down my spine. I will be hearing that in my nightmares for weeks! I enjoy books with dual timelines and multiple POVs and found this easy to keep up with. Overall it was suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat. I devoured it in one sitting. After two home runs from Sally Hepworth, I'll definitely be adding all her other books to my list!

What. The. Hell.

I received this ARC audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book hooked me quickly, threw me around a lot, and shook me at the end. The plot is interesting and keeps you reading (or listening, in my case). The characters are interesting and obviously traumatized, and the author does a great job of making you ✨hate✨ the villain. My one complaint is the slightly too cheesy resolution for the sisters. I appreciate Jessica’s arc because of the catharsis. The other two felt a bit too overdone for me personally.

The twist. T h e T w I s t. Blew my mind. I thought I had this book figured out. I caught the first hook pretty quickly. The second took a bit longer, but I still made the conclusion before it was mentioned. The third. Y’all. What. The. Hell.

4.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC. Solid read with some good twists. I had just recently read The Soulmate and liked that one a little better. The book was told from several points of view and from three characters. This is an author I will continue to explore for my suspense niche.

This is my second Sally Hepworth book and I will definitely be looking to read more. Darling Girls is a dual timeline book about 3 foster girls and their foster mother. Their childhood wasn’t a pleasant one and when a child’s remains are found at the house they grew up in, it resurfaces lots of emotions they have tried to forget over the years. Each girl holds on to their own issues from a troubled childhood and are trying their best to move past them. I listened to this book but do have a physical copy coming. At the end of the book I have a question I need answered and so I will have to wait for the physical book to show up so it can hopefully clear it up for me.

The narrators of this thriller create an intriguing plot from chapter one. There is a trigger warning if you have troubling with child abuse. Three, or really four, strong female leads in the twisted story of a foster family and all their dark secrets. This one leaves you guessing until the final chapter.

I really enjoyed this thriller/suspense story by Sally Hepworth. This story focuses on three foster girls named: Jessica, Norah and Alicia who grew up as sisters at Wild Meadows Farm. Darling Girls, chronicles the lives of three foster girls for 25 years, and how they arrived at Wild Meadows Farms with their erratic foster mother Miss Fairchild. I liked how the author developed the characters of each foster child in which we saw their lives before they came to Wild Meadows Farm, and how the reader could see how dysfunctional relationships and behavior followed the girls into adulthood.
Norah, Jessica and Alicia have to travel back to the town of they grew up in after the new owner of Wild Meadow Farm find the body of child. Each of the girls will have to relive their youth and find out some new revelations and the dark secrets of Wild Meadows Farm.
Also, prepare yourself for the truths and dark secrets that will come forth in the end that will make you say wow.
I always enjoy a great thriller! Sally Hepworth knows how to write a good thriller and develop her characters very well.
Thank you Net galley, Macmillian audio and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to listen to this arc. I highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio ARC.

Jessica Clarke was a brilliant narrator.

This story. Sheezus super-sized something with a side of twenty margaritas. It was twisted and delightful. Until that last chapter. If you know, you know.

As always Sally Hepworth delivered with another amazing book jam packed with twists and turns! It even had some snarky humor. I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend this book and we’ll all of her books!

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for the ARC!

I enjoyed The Mother In Law by Sally Hepworth, but didn't love it- I'm so glad I decided to request this audiobook because I really liked it. The narrator was easy to listen to and I found myself looking forward to my commute so I could find out what happened in this twisty story.

Jessica, Alicia, and Norah consider themselves sisters; they grew up in the same foster home with under the watchful eye of Miss Fairchild, who keeps the girls off-footed and afraid throughout their childhood. The grown women still question what really happened in Miss Fairchild's home, and all are struggling in their own ways to cope with the abuse that she put them through. When infant bones are found under the house, the women return to town to help the investigation by digging into their past, unearthing trauma, and the truth, in the process.

The characters in this book were well drawn- each of the three women were compelling, especially in their responses to what happened to them when they were children. Miss Fairchild herself was unsettling, and a big reveal at the end tied everything together and wrapped up the story nicely. I found some of the descriptions of the abuse in the house, especially towards younger kids, upsetting, but not so upsetting that I turned the book off. Definitely something for readers to keep in mind.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and really enjoyed the narrator. I would definitely listen to an audiobook narrated by Jessica Clarke again.

Hepworth is an autobuy author for me after reading The Mother-In-Law! I love the complexity of the families she writes about. Although some call her a women’s fiction writer I would say she’s more of a domestic thriller writer. She was also the first famous author to follow me on bookstagram !!

About the book,

Jessica, Alicia, and Norah have considered themselves sisters after spending time together at Willowbrook Meadows with their foster mother Miss Fairchild. The book is told from all of the sisters' perspectives from the past and the present. There is also someone talking to a therapist but the reader is not told plainly who that is and must infer until it’s revealed at the nearly end of the story.
The treatment these girls were given was all the worst things that goes through a person’s mind when thinking of foster care.

Years later when the women have moved on with their lives but still remain close there are infant bones found under the house. The three are summoned to the town of Port Agatha for the police to conducti their investigation.

My thoughts:
I loved all the idiosyncrasies of each of the sisters. Norah really stood out to me with her brazen personality and take no crap attitude especially when dealing with men. Jessica is the mother hen to the other two with her successful business of organizing other people’s homes. Alicia has become a social worker, to help bring some good to the foster care system. Each of them have found different coping mechanixms to overcome the trauma of their childhood. I was able to guess some of the secrets before they were fully revealed but tI didn’t see the big twist at the end coming! This is probably my favoirite book from Hepworth if not right up there with The Mother in-Law!

Thank you for the early advanced copy! I really enjoyed the audiobook and thought the narration was fantastic!
I was very invested in the setup of the story and couldn't wait to dig into the mystery it promised. The pacing at the beginning hooked me right away, and I was sure the body under the house was going to be Ms. Fairchild. The final twist about Ms. Fairchild was great. Turns out she was the real monster all along!
But then things kinda slowed down once we found out she was alive. It felt like the story lost its steam in the middle.
Rating this one was tricky because it had me glued to the pages, but it also left me feeling pretty disturbed. I liked how the author switched between past and present with the foster children storyline—it kept things interesting. However, I think they dwelled a bit too much on the abuse stuff, and I wish she'd spent more time developing the characters. Overall though, the story flowed well, and there were some surprises I didn't see coming mixed in with the stuff I could predict. It's definitely a book that'll keep you turning pages, even if it's a bit heavy at times.

I recently finished Darling Girls , and I must say, it took me on quite the journey. From the very first page, I was hooked by its intricate plot and dynamic characters. The author skillfully weaved a web of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end.

What I loved most about the book were the unexpected surprises sprinkled throughout. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, another curveball was thrown my way, leaving me eagerly turning the pages to uncover the next revelation.

And oh, the ending! It was nothing short of shocking. Without giving away any spoilers, I’ll just say that it left me reeling and contemplating the story long after I turned the final page.

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend Darling Girls to anyone who enjoys a gripping, suspenseful read filled with surprises. It’s a rollercoaster ride of emotions that you won’t want to miss.