It's a phrase that you will never want to hear again! The Darling girls in this story are Alicia, Jessica and Norah - foster children that lived in Miss Fairchild's home Wild Meadows. Miss Fairchild was a punishing and vicious woman and the girls grew up to live very different and dysfunctional lives. When bones are discovered under their foster home, the police call all of them in. The call forces a reunion of sorts and the women have to remember that time..... It can be upsetting, and it surely is dark, but join the Darling Girls as they try to make sense of their childhood and determine who lies buried under the house. #Darlinggirls #Sallyhepworth #Stmartings

Darling Girls By Sally Hepworth is a phenomenal physiologically twisted book.
Staring a demented foster mother and the four foster children she looked after.
It describes how the foster care system is sometimes flawed and the caregiver is not always a good person.
How it can further traumatize the children and leave lasting consequences.
But there is still a mystery to solve in this story.
There is still a who done it!
Ms. Hepworth writes this story with great empathy for these characters. The various characters depths of feelings were described so well, it was like my heat was was breaking for them.
The ending was amazing too.

I had every intention of waiting until closer to pub date - currently slated for April 2024! - to read this but as always is the case with Sally Hepworth's books, I simply couldn't wait and devoured this in a single sitting.

Darling Girls is CREEPY. Start to finish, this book gave me the chills. Every time I thought it couldn't get any worse, another stomach-turning moment started. It was truly dark, and I had no idea where the story would land. The ending was top notch, chef's kiss, no notes.

More notes closer to pub date, but for now - add to your TBR!

I can't believe this, but I'm DNFing and giving this book one star! I've loved several Sally Hepworth books - The Mother in Law and The Soulmate - but others like The Younger Wife and The Good Sister were flops for me. I guess Darling Girls is going on the "flop" list too. For being marketed as a thriller, this did not thrill me one bit. I thought the storyline was boring and wasn't invested at all to keep reading. DNF at 10%. I even tried to put it down and pick it up a few different times/days/moods to see if it would work for me in a different context, but it didn't.

Hopefully others love this more than I did. Thanks anyway for the ARC.

I devour anything by Sally Hepworth at this point – she is an instant request/purchase if you like domestic thrillers. We see our usual, cliques of suburban gals that may glitter on the surface to cover the rot beneath. Always a good time.

Darling Girls
Three foster care sisters who are now in their 30’s receive a phone call telling them human remains have been found on the site where they lived as children. Each of the women has unresolved trauma from the events that took place in their foster home and now its all come crashing back.

This is a twisty story with all of the signature elements Sally Hepworth is famous for. I read it in one day because I just had to know the answer to the mystery! Thank you @stmartinspress @sallyhepworth for an advance digital copy.

That’s Entertainment!

Another winner by Sally Hepworth with this story about three sisters united by foster care.

Snarky humor abounded early and I could barely control my laughter during a second chapter blind date play-by-play.

Being an old girl before swipe right or left, I’ve had my share of pitiful dates and judging from this uproariously funny scenario, nothing has changed across generations but technology. Blind dates are still living up to their notorious reputations.

Except Norah, the character in this book, handled it with more aplomb than I ever did. Worth the price of admission alone, I’ll buy a copy for my shelf to repeat at some point.

Being familiar with several of the author’s novels, I’ve loved her character development which includes the folks here. Ms Hepworth has a penchant for writing interesting if slightly neurotic types adding to my enjoyment.

The comic relief was appreciated for balance as the darker psychology of children placed in foster care was explored. Trigger warning for child abuse and challenging subject matter.

There were also heartfelt moments, a satisfying ending, and a twist making for a fantastic read. All’s well that ends well. For the most part, ha ha.

Thank you to Erica Martirano at St. Martins, Sally Hepworth, and NetGalley for my Advance Reader’s Copy!

Somehow this book was a little different from the writing style I’ve come to expcet and enjoy from the author. Usually her books are quite easy to dive into, pulling you in with rich character development, at least one likeable character, and a plot that leads you to an unexpected, yet usually satisfying twisty ending. I found this book a little more confusing and disjointed right from the beginning. The characters seemed quite angry and it was hard to find a character to connect with and root for. The ending still had a twist, but I didn’t find it very shocking or satisfying. Sad to say this book just wasn’t for me, but I look forward to the author’s next book!

💕You might like this book if:
🔹 you like stories about women who’s friendship is as strong as sisters
🔹 you like stories where characters revisit past secrets / traumas
🔹you are interested in exploring the dark side of the foster care system

I have read all of Sally Hepworth's novels and enjoyed every one, including Darling Girls. Once I picked this book up, I could not put it down. Darling Girls is a twisty, psychological thriller AND it's smart and funny (what a combo!).

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are adults who became sisters as foster children at Wild Meadows in Port Agatha. In present day, we know that something terrible has been discovered at Wild Meadows, but it takes some preamble to find out what. At the same time, we are learning about each woman's past at Wild Meadows and how it has shaped who they are today. The story alternates their perspectives in an easy-to-follow way. I liked each of their characters so much.

There's a fourth perspective: a woman at her psychiatrist's office detailing her childhood abuses. That narrator is left vague, which made me wonder if it was Jessica, Alicia, or Norah. This voice adds to the mystery of the story.

The tragedy at Wild Meadows brings the three sisters back to Port Agatha. Are they suspects in the tragedy? Is their former foster mother? Someone else? The story unwinds in an unpredictable fashion, leaving one last twist for the very end.

Really enjoyed this. 4.5 stars rounded up.

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth follows 3 foster sisters much later in life as they are forced to revisit their traumatic past when a body is unearthed at their old foster home. We get the point of view from all 3 sisters, past and present, as well as a semi-mysterious point of view of someone in a therapy session. I did really enjoy reading about each sister and getting insight into their life at their previous foster home. However, the first 2/3 was quite a slow burn with a few too many repetitive scenes, and I wish there was more excitement along the way. I think the ending was wrapped up really well, with an interesting reveal and a solid twist at the end. I did really appreciate the author's writing style and short chapters that made it seem like you were getting through the book quickly despite the slower pacing of the story. Overall I gave this book a 3 star rating.

Sally Hepworth is one of my favorite authors and after reading this book I cannot wait for the next one..
The story of Jessica, Norah (with an h) and Alicia is one will keep the reader interested and wanting to know more. The story is told in chapters that fluctuate from "now and before" There is a lot of feeling in this book and the reader learns about the lives of these three girls and what it is like to be abandoned, and how much each of us needs to be loved and wanted. It focuses on their lives as Foster Children, but also has a real mystery within. I did not figure out the answer to the mystery until it was revealed and found myself drawn back to the book each time I put it down. So the best I can say is Sally Hepworth does it again...preorder this wonderful book . I am sure it will keep you entertained and involved.

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is about three women, Jessica, Alicia, and Norah, who grew up in foster care together. They consider themselves sisters, and when a body is discovered under their former foster house at Wild Meadows, they travel back to Port Agatha together to unravel the mystery. This book was creepy in the best way! Even when some of the characters acted terribly, I couldn’t help but root for them. This was a one day read as I could not put it down, and I absolutely recommend it! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

I don’t like to pick favorites, but this might be it. Sally Hepworth has outdone herself with this one. It is as sinister as it gets. In this psychological thriller set in a farmhouse estate, the antagonist, Miss Fairchild, is evil to the core, as she fosters young girls who are sent to her home, Wild Meadows, from somber circumstances, hoping for a chance at a decent life, when instead she is cruel and abusive. First comes Jessica, then Norah, and Alecia. The girls are skeptical of each other at first but form an alliance, eventually coming to feel like true sisters. They must, in order to survive their horrific surroundings. Later, as adults, still close, they are confronted with something from their past and the authorities want to question them about what they remember and a possible murder.

Jessica turned her OCD into a successful home organization business, Norah has a penchant for violence and uses her beauty to attract men in exchange for doing household chores for her (her dog’s names are priceless), and Alecia, whose kindness has left her vulnerable, but she cares deeply about the foster children in her care. The three women have endured unspeakable pain and it is impossible to think that it hasn’t affected them in the present day.

United in their hatred for Miss Fairchild and the havoc she created in their past and the hold she still has over them, the women were never understood. When evidence is found at the site of Wild Meadows, as much as they have no interest in going back, they’re eager to tell the police what they think happened. Once and for all. Leave it to Hepworth to add just the right dose of wit and charm to the women to make this a most engaging and suspenseful read. I was on the edge of my seat with worry while reading this unsettling book, but trust me, while it’s disturbing, Hepworth’s signature dark humor will keep you engaged, and the ending is so satisfying. If you’re a Hepworth fan, you’re sure to love this book and if you’re not yet, you will be!

The multiple POVs told in dual timelines are done seamlessly and the fully developed characters are both realistic yet outrageous. Wait until you read the scenes with the therapist. Total knock-out!

Kudos to Ms. Hepworth for her afterword about her research into the world of foster care. She is not only a gifted writer but a sensitive one as well.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for a digital ARC of this book. It was an honor to read.

Wow!
Norah, Jessica and Alicia are all foster kids when they wind up in the same ( abusive) foster home. They band together as sisters and defend and look out for each other.
When they finally decide to report the abuse… No one believes them, and they are sent y to a group home.
The story picks up decades later, the girls are still extremely close and the foster home gets demolished in the construction they find the bones of a baby.
This brings them back to port Agatha, back to secrets and lies.

While each of these characters have flaws, I really love these characters. They were complex, likable and human.

We get their past and present as the book weaves till the end.
The end… wow! I have to admit it shocked me!

Thank you Netgalley for this early read. I am obsessed with Sally Hepworth. She never fails to keep me on the edge of my seat.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are sisters by chance- they grew up together in a foster care home. Their bond forged there is so strong and the three women will always look out for each other. They lived with a very abusive foster mother and now they’ve been called back to their childhood home when the police have found something sinister. Can the sisters shed light on the mystery? Will they be believed? Who can be trusted, and who is lying? All of these questions will run through your mind, along with many more.

I am a big fan of Sally Hepworth, so I was honored to receive an early copy of this book. In my opinion, it’s her best yet! I loved how the book was told through many different points of view, but it was still easy to follow. Miss Fairchild is such a dynamic character, and her narration added so much to the story. The ending was shocking, and the mystery is wrapped up completely with the final reveal. There are plenty of twists throughout, and I read this book in a day because I couldn’t put it down! I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys thrillers, mysteries, and domestic suspense books.

Thank you to Sally Hepworth, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I'm still processing what I just read. 🤯😳 Wow. So many twists. What is the truth? Three sisters, bonded by foster care and surviving their foster mother, Miss Fairchild. Three points of view. The house Wild Meadows is being torn down and a skeleton has been found. Stories and secrets unravel. This book was SO good. I had to know what happened. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.

Very good

This seemed like it would be a formulatic book. Three sisters, actually foster sisters, are called back to their former home twenty five years after leaving it when a body is found near the house. One sister is controlling and has a drug problem because of it. Another has anger issues. The third is a social worker who deals with foster kids and has trouble feeling her worth. I expected it would follow a predictable path and it did to some degree, but it had some really good twists, especially at the end.

The story is told in the present day and the past, It alternates between what is happening to the sisters and that of the foster mother. I wound up really liking this book a lot. I get frustrated when reading about bad foster situations because I know they are out there and it drives me crazy.

One thing that I wish had been a little different is that one sister is bi-sexual and is interested in a woman. Although the book did not make a big deal out of that, one sister lightly joked about it. I am glad it was treated like any other relationship and the teasing was light, but I could have done without that. Maybe leaving out the word "lesbian" and just joked about sex. If it had been a heterosexual couple, i doubt if the sister would have made comments about "straight sex". Minor point, and I am glad it was otherwise treated the same as any other relationship.

Wow, this story was amazing! I did NOT see the twist at the end, let alone the massive twist that came right after! It sucked me right in and I couldn’t put it down. I even snuck extra breaks at work so I could keep reading! Can’t wait for more from her, this was fantastic.

Sally Hepworth has done it again! 5 stars isn't enough for this book!!! I could not put this book down while on vacation. As an avid reader, I enjoy a lot of fiction - particularly suspense - and this book did not disappoint. Delving into the topic of fostering and child neglect/endangerment is a tough area but Hepworth was able
to craft a book recognizing the trauma this has brought to some, while also highlighting the courage and bravery of foster children - all the while developing characters and a suspenseful plot that had me guessing until the last page! Thank you again for the advance copy!!!