It all starts with a phone call stating that human bones have been found under the former site of a large, rural foster home. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, now all adults living in Melbourne, are asked by the police to come back and answer some questions about their time at Wild Meadows with their foster mother, Miss Fairchild. They dread going back but decide that together, they can face the town where their foster mother manipulated and abused them. They meet more of Miss Fairchild's grown foster children and old memories resurface. The story unfolds through multiple timelines and POVs.

This book is so so good! It kept me on my toes and guessing right up until the very end. I loved the multi-POV. The three women are all so different from each other and it was fascinating seeing the ways they responded to their foster mother. I was riveted from the start. The narrator did a great job. I think Darling Girls leans more suspense/mystery than thriller. Loved this book and will highly recommend to all thriller/suspense book lovers.

I’ve learned to expect the unexpected from a Sally Hepworth novel. Darling Girls is the epitome of her slow burn style with bonus surprise moments when you least expect it. Three Foster Care sisters are thrown together to become a family under the hand of Holly Fairchild who is a single young woman with zero child rearing experience. Yet she continually is approved for little girls to be placed in her care. The unpredictable nature of the Holly character makes her quite a villain. Once the girls grow up they have their own set of social norms that lead to drug addiction, unstable relationships, and insecurities. They are still very close and come together for support when they hear human remains were found at the house where they were raised dredging up horrible memories of abuse. The detectives turn their attention to the sisters for some reason instead of Holly who should've been the first and main suspect since it was her home for her entire life. After hearing their stories, the sisters become slightly more suspicious. Each one has their own skeletons. Who the remains belong to are a shock at the very end. If you like many POVs and plot twists, I’d say this is the perfect mystery pick. The timeless storytelling of sisterhood was welcomed and refreshing and definitely outweighs the details of their scary childhood.

I thought this was a very well done psychological thriller. The story alternates between an unknown voice speaking to a therapist and 3 other women. These three women were foster children together and referred to themselves as sisters. After a dead baby was found buried where they were foster children, we are taken on the rollercoaster life that these, now women, experienced. They share parts of their lives today and parts from the past. The 4th perspective is unknown until the end. Although the ending was not a surprise, it was an enjoyable read (and listen!) I felt for all of the characters - and at times questioned who the 4th "person" was. I felt that the ended wrapped up too nicely, but it did not detract from my enjoyment of the book.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

I really enjoyed this book ! I love all of her books and this one was the same ! The character development of the 3 sisters and the foster mother were great! Highly
Recommend !

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is told in the past and present. The story follows the lives of 3 foster children, Jessica, Norah and Alicia. When the girls meet at Miss Fairchild’s farm they quickly became sisters. Their upbringing wasn’t idyllic but they stuck together. Now the bones of a body has been discovered at the farm and the girls must return to confront their painful past.

Darling Girls was an interesting read. I enjoyed reading each of the characters POVs, especially the therapy sessions. The main characters are morally gray but you can’t help but like them. Jessica is an over the top home organizer who steals medication from her clients. Norah is an aggressive, sometimes violent, dog mom. And Alicia is a social worker with a crush on a female coworker. It was interesting to read about their traumatic upbringing and see how that was reflected in their adult lives.

The story unfolded nicely and at a good pace. It kept me intrigued from start to finish but it was certainly a difficult topic to read about. The last chapter left me speechless!

The audiobook was easy to listen to. I finished the book in 2 days.

I recommend this book to fans of Sally Hepworth and dual timeline mysteries.

Trigger warnings- child abuse, sexual abuse, childhood trauma

Jessica, Norah and Alicia have all landed in foster care through one tragedy or another. They've also each landed themselves the same foster mom, Miss Fairchild. Miss Fairchild owns a large farm and promises these girls a happy home and life.

Things take a drastic turn quickly. Miss Fairchild is unpredictable. Everything seems to set her off and nothing can possibly be done right. When the estate is torn down several years later and dug up, a body is found... the girls must return to their "home town" and assist law enforcement in finding out who the bones belong to.

Honestly, Darling Girls is one one of the best thrillers I have read in awhile! The twists were unpredictable and I did not see the end coming!

The narrator did a great job. I would only caution that there are some parts within chapters that were confusing unless you had the book because you switch to a different person's POV without really knowing it. It took me a couple chapters to figure that out.

Thank you to Sally Hepworth, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Wonderful! Although there are several main characters and several different timelines, it was never confusing, even though I was listening to the (beautifully narrated) audiobook, which sometimes makes it harder to follow a complex plot. The characters are all richly drawn, the writing is lovely, and the plot is intriguing and original. Nice twist at the end too! Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for an advance audio recording of this compelling book. Highly recommended!

Sally Hepworth's latest novel, "Darling Girls," dives into the complex world of foster care and the enduring bonds of sisterhood. Weaving a narrative that's equal parts heartwarming and chilling, Hepworth keeps you guessing until the very end.

The Premise:

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are foster sisters who grew up on a seemingly idyllic farm under the care of Miss Fairchild. However, their past holds a dark secret – a secret that resurfaces when a body is discovered buried beneath their childhood home. As the investigation unfolds, the sisters are forced to confront the hidden truths about their past and the manipulative woman who raised them.

Sisterhood on Trial:

The heart of the novel lies in the bond between the three sisters. Hepworth beautifully portrays their unwavering support for each other, even as they grapple with their individual doubts and vulnerabilities. As they face the spotlight of suspicion, their loyalty and love are put to the ultimate test.

A Slow Burn with Suspense:

While the plot has the potential for a fast-paced thriller, the story unfolds at a more measured pace. This allows Hepworth to delve deeper into the characters' psyches and explore the long-lasting effects of childhood trauma. However, the suspense steadily builds, keeping you invested in uncovering the truth alongside the sisters.

A Recommendation with Reservations:

"Darling Girls" is a captivating read with well-developed characters and a thought-provoking plot. However, it's important to note that the pacing might feel slow for some readers who crave a more action-packed narrative. Additionally, the resolution might leave some wanting a more definitive conclusion.

The Final Verdict:

If you're looking for a character-driven mystery with a strong emphasis on the power of sisterhood, "Darling Girls" is a compelling choice. Just be prepared for a slow burn with a resolution that might leave you wanting more.

So grab a cup of tea, curl up with this book, and prepare to be swept away by a story of love, loss, and the enduring strength of family bonds.

Holy Smokes!!

I have loved many Sally Hepworth books before this, and this one surely did NOT disappoint!

Jessica, Norah (with an H) and Alicia are sisters. At least that is what they tell everyone who will listen...NOW... But this is not a fairytale life that they have lived... Not even close. And when they were little, they did not even want to tolerate each other.... But when push comes to shove...

You see, they each entered the foster home of Ms Fairchild when they were very young, and for very different reasons. But one thing was for sure...They had to learn very quickly how to survive in the ever changing landscape of their childhood home...(Wild Meadows)

This is told in multiple POV's from each of the girls, and others...both then and now. (In the beginning it is a little overwhelming with the amount of characters, but it is so worth it in the long run!!) BUT, the part I found especially terrifying, was the Psychology Interviews..

As I do not want to give anything away, I will stop here...but know that the girls WERE able to get away...but, now that they are all grown up, they each get phone calls from the local police when a body (just the bones of it) is found YEARS later underneath the house!

And as the investigation gears up, so do tempers, alibi's and old feelings!!

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me! For once again, bringing out ALL the feels, even though unbidden...and having them PARK in my chest until I got to the end....and oh, what an ending it is!!!!

#DarlingGirls by #SallyHepworth and narrated beautifully by #JessicaClarke.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook which will be released in about 2 weeks on 4/23/24!!

Feel free to like, follow and friend me on: Goodreads,
IG @ #BookReviews_with_emsr or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine.

Thanks so much for reading! And if you 'liked' my review, please share!! 📚⭐️

Definitely my favorite from Hepworth so far, I was invested and intrigued all the way until the very end. I loved the POV from each character, and the back and forth between past and present that revealed the motives and truth to the whole shebang.

I would highly suggest skipping this one if parental abuse, neglect and talks of the foster system bother you- it's very heavy on a lot of these themes.

Narration was wonderful and I LOVED LOVED the accents!!

I am already a pretty big fan of Sally Hepworth so I had high expectations for "Darling Girls" and I was not disappointed. This is a tough story to read, having a particular sensitivity to foster care children, however it was beautifully written with well crafted characters making it a wonderful story to read. The twist is so good, I have never felt my emotions shift so much during a book. Ms Hepworth consistently writes such fully developed characters but the three sisters in this book are by far my favorite from her.

Excellent narration, really bringing the characters to life and keep them uniquely different and therefore easy to follow.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this book in advance of publication.

I wanted to thank Sally Hepworth for my ARC of Darling Girls.
This was an audiobook that I received and I just want to say I enjoyed the narration. This is my first Sally Hepworth book and it did not disappoint. It is from Jessica's POV who is a foster child growing up with Ms Fairchild. 2 Other girls end up moving into the home and form a friendship and sisterhood thicker than blood. It's in present and past tense timelines. When the girls were younger growing up under a "manic" type personality and current day when the police find body remains under the home.

I did not see the twist coming and I was very impressed with the storytelling.
I have since then added Sally Hepworth to my TBR!

This was a great fast-paced mystery. The duel timeline balance was pretty good too. I just wished that there were more than one narrator for all the female characters. It was hard to keep them straight especially as they interacted with each other throughout the story. I also became more interested in Ms. Fairchild but there were no redeeming qualities not even a backstory as you thought you were getting when she was in the therapy sessions. Once I learned that was not her story it made Ms Fairchild a cartoon. She's a villain with no story how boring. I did like how the story unfolds but the ending epilogue was awful. It made the story feel cheap. For that, I had to give this book 3 stars from what could have been a 4-star book.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

YES! This was great! Sally Hepworth again wrote a book I could not put down.

Thriller/Mystery- twists... who is it! GREAT!!!!!!

As a huge Sally Hepworth fan, I was ecstatic to get a copy of Darling Girls! Few books suck me in the way hers do and she has a knack for creating such unique relationships between all her characters that I rarely find in other thrillers. I am not used to her books being as twisty as this one but I really enjoyed this aspect of it. As an avid thriller reader I often am not shocked by plot twists anymore (sadly) but a couple of the ones in this book got me. I would say this book was definitely a bit darker than some but she made some choices that kept it from being too dark or grim to be enjoyable. This was another win for me from Sally Hepworth and I will forever read all her new releases!!

Thank you to Sally Hepworth, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for an eARC of Darling Girls in exchange for an honest review!

To start - I want to say that if you are sensitive at all to child abuse/neglect (mostly mental) this is not the book for you.

This book pulled me right in. I love psychological thrillers and while I might not necessarily categorize this book as a thriller, it is definitely psychological. From the get-go, the author throws all the main characters into suspicion and so many scenes are designed to draw the focus to one character or another that you can never really tell who committed the crime or even if it was a group effort. I think that sometimes authors struggle to keep the mystery and not divulge too many secrets. Sally did a wonderful job of diverting the reader's attention until the big reveal.

I really enjoyed the characters within this book. The sisters were all super flawed and made so many mistakes, but in the end were pretty likeable. Miss Fairchild was perfectly hateable. I did actually enjoy some of the side characters the best, though! They were all good influences in the lives of people who had struggled growing up.

The pacing of this book was really well done as well. I liked how the author took her time to explain the stories of Jessica, Norah, and Alicia. She did a wonderful job explaining their relationship and how/why they grew so close. They made the best out of a terrible situation and their love for each other was truly unconditional.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it kept me guessing until the last minute. 4/5 Stars.

I received an Advanced Listeners Copy courtesy of MacMillan Audio and NetGalley. This was my first Sally Hepworth novel, but it won’t be my last! This book hooked me right away and I devoured it in no time. I especially enjoyed the bond that the sisters had and how they had each other’s backs no matter what. The audiobook was very well done and I appreciated how easy it was to follow which sister was talking and whether it was in the past or the present. I highly recommend this!

4.5 stars

I usually enjoy books from this writer, but this upcoming novel felt particularly strong to me. After (in my opinion) a slightly slow introduction to the book, the plot picks up and stays intriguing until the conclusion. I liked and appreciated the sisters, the ending to their stories were satisfying, and the ultimate conclusion to the book was not one I saw coming, which was fun as well as surprising. All in all, this was a twisty, emotional story with multiple perspectives and facets, all of which tie together nicely in the end.

Jessica, Norah and Alicia have an unbreakable bond. Growing up under the foster care system, these three lived together till they were in 14. Not bound by blood, but their experiences they are sisters through and through. Their foster mother Miss Fairchild looks the part of the doting mother. But, what goes on behind closed doors? This book is full of tangled secrets and the destruction left behind from keeping them.
•
THOUGHTS:
Sally Hepworth always creates well developed characters. She is thoughtful in creating plot points and adding subtle clues throughout her books with twists that always keep me guessing. I’m a huge fan of her books and was so excited to receive an early copy of this one. I really enjoyed the elements of found family and the bond between these women. I devoured this book. It’s a bit sinister, a bit sad, and always invoked hope. I loved it. Definitely one to pre order. Hope to see you on your again Sally.

Also loved the audio of this one!!

I started this book before bed one night and couldn’t put it down… I finally had to stop reading when my eyelids refused to stay open, and then I finished it the next morning. This is such a good and creative psychological thriller that captivated me from the very beginning.

Told from different POVs through the book, the mystery centers on three women who grew up in a toxic and psychologically abusive foster home and are called back to the area when human remains are discovered under the property during an excavation project. These women are strong but deeply flawed and still suffering from the trauma of their childhoods, but one thing they have to show for their horrible upbringing is their unwavering commitment to one another - they consider themselves sisters in every sense of the word.

In addition to multiple POVs, the story is told in a few different timelines - the past, which was when the girls were kids, the present when they are dealing with the shocking discovery, and an unknown timeline/narrator during which an unnamed character is talking with her therapist. Believe it or not, this bouncing around didn’t feel frustrating one bit; in fact, I really liked being able to compare the timelines and characters in this way. I will say that I did not care for one of the sisters (Jessica) at all in the beginning of the book, but I totally came around to her and genuinely loved all three of our protagonists.

This book invokes some pretty heavy themes and imagery when it comes to children in the foster system, so definitely google the trigger warnings if that sounds like it might be a problem. But if you love psychological thrillers with some murder and secrets, this book will be right up your alley! I really enjoyed it and am thankful that I got to both read and listen to the ARC as both versions are awesome!