Thank you MacMillan Audio for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A strong 3.5 for this page turner. It was hard to put down and I do so enjoy stories about sisters.
I've read several of Hepworth's books and she leans hard into the unreliable narrator. Or in this case multiple unreliable narrators.
In Darling Girls we meet three adult women called back to the foster home they once inhabited, after a body is discovered beneath it. The women are somewhat resistant to return. The story toggles between four perspectives some of them "then" and others "now".
Hepworth builds the story well. We meet each of the women in their present day lives and slowly their childhood stories are told. I found Hepworth somewhat uneven-handed in telling Jessica's story more fully than the others. Each woman has some residual demons from the traumas of their childhood. It makes them all the more interesting, but also begins to feel heavy as the book progresses.
Hepworth did a good job keeping the story moving forward, I didn't find it lulled at any point.
I found the ending both satisfying and unsatisfying. While we have answers to some of the most important questions, the reader is left to wonder.
Overall, though Hepworth borrows some familiar tropes, the story is both interesting and engaging. I wasn't prepared for all the twists and turns and that made it all the more interesting.

Narration: I enjoyed the narrator. My only complaint is occasionally the narrator took heavy breaths between sentences. I find that off-putting.

Thank you, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley, for letting me get an early preview of "Darling Girls" by Sally Hepworth on audiobook. The audiobook was well done. I have read Sally Hepworth novels before and she is a solid suspense writer. This story kept my attention and I got through it pretty quickly. The book follows three women who used to be foster kids and lived at the same house during their adolescent years. They form a bond and become "sisters" and are brought back to the house they were fostered in when a body is discovered on the property. The book bounces back between the present time during the police investigation and the time they were at the house. The format was well done and I enjoyed this overall, but I have read and listened to better suspense novels by this author and others, so I can't see this one sticking with me long.

WOW. The mysteries of this book lasted until the literal last page. I couldn’t get enough of the main characters, three sisters, and the traumas that surrounded their lives. The twists in this were absolutely shocking. This is will be a top book of 2024. Sally Hepworth does it again.

This was a fast paced story about a foster mother and her relationship with her three adoptive daughters. They’re reunited and their story unfolds when the bones of a child are discovered buried under their old foster home. The relationship between these three girls who become sisters through their foster placements is well developed. The characters are likable and well fleshed out and as the villain is exposed we learn their backstory as well. Excellent writing and narration. A very easy audio to listen too! Highly recommend.

What a fun read! I loved the sisterhood and the twists and turns this story takes you on. I thought I had it figured out multiple times - I did not!

OMG! This was SO good, like a good mystery/thriller/suspense novel should be with all the twists, turns, and unfounded predictions! Nope, I never guessed what happened until the last chapter! I am so in love with this book and how the author unfolded the entire story of the 3 sisters: Jessica, Alicia, and Norah. They were raised by a foster mom named Holly Fairchild, who was anything but what anyone would want a foster parent to be. The sisters had a horrific upbringing. Then when they were adults and living various lifestyles with different job careers, one day they find out that the police need to talk to all three because they'd found buried bones at Wild Meadows, the foster home they grew up in.

The journey these girls went on took me on a wild goose chase of a journey and I loved it! Kudos to Ms. Hepworth whose books I'll be looking into and reading more of her work!

I was able to get both an eARC and an audio version from NetGalley, so I was able to read and listen at the same time which enhanced my enjoyment. The narrator, Ms, Clarke, most definitely added to the intensity of the plotline and believability of the characters. I will be looking for her as a narrator again for sure.

I loved this book from the first to the last sentence. Sally Hepworth kept me entertained throughout this entire story. I loved each of her characters and how they developed throughout the book. Even with chapters changing timelines as well as perspectives, the story was easy to follow.

Twists and turns throughout the book had trying to figure out what really happened to the girls during their childhood as well as the real story behind Amy. Ultimately, I figured out the twists, but that didn't make the book any less enjoyable. I found this book to be clever, unique, and well written.

The narrator for Jessica Clarke did a phenomenal job narrating this book. She was so animated throughout that it felt as if I was listening to a movie or play. She kept me captivated throughout the entire listening experience. She definitely elevated the story.

I will definitely look forward to future publications from Sally Hepworth as well as narrations by Jessica Clarke. Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advanced copy to listen to and review.

4.5-4.75⭐️

I had the audiobook of this women’s fiction read by Jessica Clarke. I didn’t find that there was a big distinction between the sisters voices, but it didn’t stop me managing to follow the story as the chapters were identified to whose POV it is.

Alicia, Jessica and Norah regard themselves as sisters after their stay together in foster care in the care of Miss Fairchild. They are carrying emotional baggage from that time of their lives.

It’s written in a light chatty humorous tone, don’t be fooled as the storyline is deliciously dark.

It alternates between the present police investigation and the past, the time frames work really well to disclose the story. There’s some great twists and turns.

This is one of my favourites by this author, it’s one that’s well worth reading

This book had me guessing up until the very last minute. I thought I had figured it out and guessed what was happening then BAM nope…was so wrong! Loved listening to this book and the voices narrating were excellent.
Thank you Netgally and Macmillan audio for the advanced copy!

**4.5-stars rounded up**

Oh my gosh, I read this so quickly. I always find Sally Hepworth's stories incredibly readable. They're addicting. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. All the twists and turns gave me whiplash. Also, I loved the three main characters. Bonus, this left me with the devilish grin that I always enjoy at the end.

But what's it all about?! Let's discuss.

In this story, we follow three sisters: Jessica, Norah and Alicia. While not biologically-related, the girls spent many of their formative years together in a foster home run by Miss Fairchild. Their experiences there bonded them for life. From the outside, it looked like the idyllic place to be a child. Certainly better than the circumstances the girls came from, however, there were secret things happening behind closed doors, as there often are, and Miss Fairchild wasn't necessarily as sweet as she appeared from the outside.

Eventually, the three were able to break free from Miss Fairchild's home, and although they never saw her again, the hurtful memories remained. As adults, they have kept in very close contact, and are all living mostly satisfying lives well away from their traumatic childhood home. Then one day out of the blue, they receive word that a body has been discovered under the home where they used to live with Miss Fairchild. Shocked by the discovery, the three women join up and travel back to that place they left long ago, but are they returning as possible witnesses, or suspects?

I had a blast reading this. It was a super intriguing set-up and I loved learning about all three women. They were each unique and well-developed, and even though they were quite different, their shared history made for very close and believable relationships. This story is expertly-constructed using past and present timelines, both of which I found equally interesting. I think Hepworth did a great job of creating suspense, as well as characters that you could care about. Finding out the truth about the girls' time with Miss Fairchild was fascinating. I never knew what was going to come next. It made me tense, in a good way.

IMO, Hepworth is an incredible, dramatic storyteller. She never fails to draw me in quickly and hold my attention. Although I guessed some things, it made it no less enjoyable, or impactful. In fact, I think I was probably realizing things at the pace in which Hepworth was intending.
The pace picks up closer to the end and I found the conclusion to be fun and satisfying. There were some surprises left in the tank and I walked away a happy girl.

I would recommend the audio format, as the narration was very well done and seemed to fit the overall story nicely. It kept me focused and relaxed. Thank you to the publishers, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I always look forward to the latest from Sally Hepworth, and this definitely did not disappoint.

10-out-of-10 recommend!!

4.5 Shining Stars

Slightly disappointed that this was my first time reading a Sally Hepworth novel because wow! The writing was truly refreshing to have such an immersive experience in a domestic suspense / thriller.

Three sisters who grew up in foster care together under one roof are forced to revisit their childhood home that was less than perfect, despite their foster mother's best attempts at presenting this way.

The way I flew through this audiobook... I was fully prepared to find the same mundane characters/interactions/twists in this book as I have in so many others recently, but I truly enjoyed the backstories and development of these characters. The anticipation in what had happened in their house so many years ago was a slow but steady climb before all is revealed.

Jessica Clarke did a phenomenal job in her narration of these characters, the POVs were clear and easy to follow.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of Darling Girls.

Ouf, these girls have been through a lot!

This is a shocking tale of sisterhood, heart-wrenching trauma, and narcissistic abuse.

I’m not usually a big fan of slow-burns but I feel like this needed to be as we got to know our characters before the twists and turns took over.

This book kept me guessing till the very end and then finished with a bang!

Highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this book. Loved the now and then format and the varying points of view. I found each of the main characters interesting and likable. And I loved the bond between them (even though it seemed unrealistic at times).

There are several major twists toward the end of this book — each more surprising than the next. The final and most shocking reveal made for a satisfying finish.

This book is exciting and well-paced with a great storyline. This was my first Sally Hepworth book. I love her writing style and cant wait to check out her other titles.

4.3 rounded down to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

"Darling Girls" is what Miss Fairchild called Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, the three young girls she fostered. But Miss Fairchild was not such a darling herself. She had rules, many rules. And some of the punishments she implemented when those rules were broken would be considered child abuse. The book opens with one of the girls, now a grown woman, meeting with a psychiatrist. Over the course of the novel, we learn about each of the three "sisters" - what their lives are like now and what they experienced with Miss Fairchild. When bones are found on the estate, the police force the women to confront their shared past. Interesting characters and structure, as the narrative swirls into darker and darker places with a long-buried secret at its core. It's a story of damaged children and how, as adults, some will fare better than others.

Fantastic psychological thriller!

Sally Hepworth once again masters a story of past and present, psychological manipulation, and a dead body. It is the story of Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, three foster children at the home of Holly Fairchild. Holly is a classic narcissist that loves psychological manipulation of the three girls. Together they become sisters, not by birth, but by survival. Twenty-five years later they are forced back to where they were raised under the care of Miss Fairchild after human remains are discovered buried on the property. I can’t say more without giving it up, but it is fantastic! Hold the laundry, hold the dishes, because you will get nothing done while reading “Darling Girls.”

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Thank you to #MacmillanAudio and #NetGalley for the audio ARC of #DarlingGirls. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I've enjoyed several of Hepworth's books. They are a good mix of flawed characters with strained family relationships full of secrets and there's usually a murder. Like her other books, Darling Girls focuses on the psychology of mother/daughter relationships, but this story is a little darker in my opinion as it deals with child abuse in a foster care setting. Nothing overly graphic, but if mistreating children is a trigger for you, I'd say skip this one.

Jessica, Alicia and Norah are "sisters", raised in foster care by Miss Fairchild. The trauma of their childhood continues to impact their lives, but they must return to Port Agatha when bones are discovered under the house where they lived. The girls must confront long-buried feelings and secrets.

Told from multiple viewpoints and switching back and forth between childhood & adulthood, this is propulsive read with a satisfying, twist ending.

4.5!
This is one of those books where you just sit there and go: wow. I feel HONOURED to have read an ARC for this and I think it’s an amazing read for anyone who likes mysteries or thrillers.
THE TWISTS! I did not guess most of them, which immediately ranks a book high for me, but even the writing was good! Good characterization and well developed plot all around.

4.5 stars.

This book kept me up too late and left me reeling when I finished it. It's one of her best.

There are a lot of trigger warnings for this book, but my God, it was compelling. It went along at a good pace, the characters were all interesting and most were extremely relatable and familiar as people I have known. The whole story was sad and disturbing, and it makes me wonder how many kids are in abusive homes where no bruises or broken bones occur. Just broken spirits. Far too many. Sad how many people with dangerous personality disorders charm the world into thinking they're great. Probably why when I meet someone who is particularly wonderful I immediately suspect they're hiding dead bodies.

Anyway. Sally Hepworth has a keen knack at dissecting and exposing deep mental illness hidden in people, and the damage they cause to everyone in their orbit. Though this may be fiction, it's the human monster we know all too well exists out there undetected, and that is what makes her books so disturbing.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I love Sally Hepworth and will anything and everything she writes. Darling Girls might be the darkest and most twisted book of hers yet. This story follows 3 girls who grew up in a foster home together with a crazy foster mother.

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

Jessica Clarke does a great job narrating this book! I didn’t feel like any additional narrators were needed since all the main characters are female and I always knew who was speaking. The story has lots of twists that will keep you guessing until the last second of the book! I really liked the England countryside setting for the home and the camaraderie between the foster girls who rely on each other as sisters would. I would definitely recommend if you like mysteries and suspense, and don’t have too many triggers regarding psychological child abuse.