**Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Sally Hepworth for an ARC of this book!**

Twisted, dark, emotional, and...funny?!

If there's any author who can strike JUST the right balance of those 4 elements...it's the reigning QUEEN of domestic suspense, Sally Hepworth, who is BACK with a frightening tale of found family in the foster system...and how the macabre intentions of the "perfect" foster mother MIGHT just have crossed the line from demeaning to DEADLY!

Jessica, Alicia and Norah each remember their first day at Wild Meadows foster home with clarity. Each coming from different tragic situations, it seemed like a godsend to have a new home and someone to call 'mom,' and each girl looked at Ms. Fairchild, their foster mother, with the sort of wide-eyed innocence and boundless hope that is so easy for children. But it doesn't take long for the manipulation to begin...and for the girls to learn that 'my darling girl' is FAR from a genuine term of endearment. Ms. Fairchild has no problem washing their mouths out with soap, working the young girls to the bone, and even expecting them to 'parent' other babies that end up at the foster home. Despite their terror and exhaustion, the girls form an unshakable bond and all manage to leave Wildwood Meadows in one piece...and hope to leave this horrific shared experience in the past, where it belongs.

Years later, Jessica has turned her OCD tendencies into a successful cleaning business...and if her job just HAPPENS to afford her easy access to her client's prescription pills? So be it. Feisty Norah, who has never been afraid to throw hands, is the 'date em and leave em' type who basically sees her dating prospects from various apps as handymen for hire...and isn't afraid to use her 'assets' to her advantage...even when it gets her in trouble. Alicia has managed to maintain a tremendous amount of empathy in her field of social work, despite her troubled upbringing at Wild Meadows, but she is now contemplating making a change that will alter her life forever...and is longing to jump feet first into a relationship that COULD bring her everything she's been missing...if she could ONLY find the confidence to tell the object of her affections just how MUCH she feels for her.

But it's a phone call from a detective that brings these Soul Sisters back together...and the detective doesn't hesitate before dropping a bombshell: BONES have been found underneath the farmhouse in Port Agatha where they spent so many hours together...and with no clear suspects OR even a suspected victim, all eyes are trained on the three girls. Do they know WHO the bones belong to, WHEN they were buried, and WHY the murder occurred? And just WHERE were the three of them when the crime took place, anyway? Will Ms. Fairchild come storming back into their lives one FINAL time...or did the trio ALREADY get their revenge?

On the side of every Starbucks cup, you'll usually find emblazoned "that first sip feeling," and in some ways this metaphor works perfectly in terms of how I felt picking up this Hepworth read. Within a few chapters I KNOW I'll be laughing, intrigued, and I'll feel as though I have a solid grip on the personalities of her always-dynamic characters. (In this particular read, there's also a mystery narrator revealing their past to a psychiatrist, but I'll get more into that later). After a few Hepworth reads, you know exactly what that 'first sip feeling' is like and even in her less impressive efforts, this initial draw is ALWAYS there...and Darling Girls is no exception. These wily ladies took no prisoners and had a sort of fearless, open, and tantalizing narrative style that pulls the reader in, and I found myself thinking this could very well end up a 4.5 or maybe even a 5 star read: I was just THAT lost in the mystery and felt an affinity for these characters and their tortured backstories from the jump.

Somewhere along the way, though, the endless atrocities committed by Ms. Fairchild honestly FELT endless...even to the reader. In some ways I'm sure this was an intentional decision, and according to the author's note, not one Hepworth took lightly. Lots of research and countless conversations went into making this book as realistic and horrific as it often felt, and in some ways it was refreshing to read about a different 'kind' of family...one brought together and bonded almost solely through trauma. Hepworth also never shied away from exploring the link between the trauma the girls experienced in their youth and the resulting mental health and addiction struggles that followed, and all of this exploration was nothing if not consistently DARK. In some respects, the humor almost felt VITAL to the plot to keep it from becoming a complete tearjerker...so when it petered off in later chapters (my loudest recorded out loud laughs DEFINITELY occurred in the first 30% of the book) it was a noticeable loss.

I also felt that Hepworth's twists weren't QUITE as twisty as I would have liked. For starters, I found it pretty obvious who the mystery narrator was from early on...and these sections with the psychiatrist also were sort of a snooze fest in comparison to the other action. I also found it highly unlikely that the doctor would even BELIEVE everything this person was saying: it seemed pretty obvious to me that this patient was saying things for shock value or possibly making EVERYTHING up, and I found it hard to take stock in these portions of the book for that reason alone. This device was necessary for several reasons (none of which I can discuss to avoid spoilers) but I guess I just wish there were fewer of them included because they slowed down a plot that already felt a bit plodding at times. Once I had figured out a certain amount of the plot, I felt like I had to put on my Patience Cap and simply wait for the final twists to be revealed...and it WAS a bit of a wait to get to the final 'good stuff' (much like the chocolate at the bottom of a Drumstick cone...IYKYK!)

When it did arrive, however, Hepworth managed to deliver a solidly SATISFYING ending, even though I wouldn't call it mind-blowing by any stretch. I also appreciate the clever nuance of this cover too (you'll appreciate it more after reading the book, although it IS pretty dreamy and summery even without context...poolside margarita, anyone?) While I do feel this is a MUCH heavier read due to the subject matter than some of Hepworth's other efforts, I also applaud her willingness to dive into a different type of drama: as much as she has mastered the scandals of sibling rivalries, marriages and relationships gone awry, and Gossip Gone Wild, she handles very sensitive subject matter with a considerate pen and an air of authenticity that helped to balance out the less plausible parts of the plot and kept me contemplating the future of ALL of these women long after I turned the last page.

As a roller coaster junkie, there are probably those out there who can't understand how taking the same 200 foot plunge could be TRULY thrilling every time...after all, you can look up at the giant structure and SEE every twist and turn you'll take long before you take a seat in the car. But much like that a roller coaster ride, knowing exactly where you COULD end up in this story doesn't take ANYTHING away from the thrill of the journey.

Just don't forget to keep your hands and arms inside the ride at all times...my darlings.

4 stars

This is tough book for me to rate, I think as a whole though, 3.5 stars seems appropriate. It was well written, as all Sally Hepworth novels are, it just wasn’t a subject matter I enjoyed reading about. The book alternates from the past when our three protagonists are children in foster care and the present day when the bones are found. There was also a mystery person in therapy, although I was able to guess who it was before the reveal. While I appreciate Sally brought attention the foster system and its flaws, I didn’t want to read about the abuse the girls endured. Although I know it was necessary to bring us answers in the present. Overall, it was an okay “thriller” the last twist was a little over the top and I’m not sure we needed it. It will definitely get people talking though.

I enjoyed Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth because it was a page turning murder mystery with short chapters. The story had twist and turns and a wild ending that left me surprisingly shocked…exactly the way I like my thrillers!

Wow 🤯
I couldn’t put this one down!
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is well worth the hype.
Three sisters who grew up in foster care return to their home town for a recent grisly discovery.
Hesitantly, they make the trip to recall events from their childhood about the foster home they grew up in.
This gripping thriller is super twisty and will definitely make you think!
The ending was probably the best twist I’ve read all year.
Bravo to Sally Hepworth!

Ok Sally, I get it. Everything you write is engaging, interesting, original and slightly dark. Everything you write, I want to buy. Everything you write, I want to read. And EVERYTHING you write, has me more smitten with you!

I would say this book is far more domestic suspense than thriller. There is a mystery woven through the book and the ending packed a huge surprise- but it is mostly about the long standing effects of being foster children of Miss Fairchild that is the bulk of this story.

It is the story of 3 girls who ended up at the same (ghastly) foster residence and became sisters in every sense of the word. They looked out for each other, leaned on one another and took punishment for one another.

The story uses each girl as a POV and switches timelines between the past and the present with each. This sounds like it might be confusing- but it is not at all. The subject is difficult, yes. But with Sally’s knack for unearthing good from the bad, these “sisters” rise from what their lives could have sunk to and use their strength together to finally make people listen to their truth.

The Good Sister will always be my favorite book of Sally’s (because Fern is the best character ever), but this one is definitely up among the other greats she has written. Newly released, this one is a “pick this one up” choice for sure!!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC to read and review!

Absolutely loved this book!!! A genre bending story as usual, that we’ve grown to expect from sally. A little mystery, a little domestic drama, a little general fiction. Wow. Auto buy author always!

Honestly it was really really good!!! I had a great time with this book and I HIGHLY recommend anything Sally Hepworth writes. Those last 150 pages I read in one sitting. I wish it kept going. Thank you for writing another amazing book Sally Hepworth!

This was typical Sally Hepworth. She can be relied on to turn out a solid, engaging, soap opera story that doesn’t require a lot from the reader.
This one follows three “sisters” who shared a foster home, and an unbalanced, abusive foster mother as adolescents. Now as adults, each sister has her own childhood trauma that she’s struggling to deal with; this is exacerbated when they learn that human bones are discovered buried beneath the foster home they lived in.
The story goes back and forth between the present and past; I preferred the flashbacks when the girls were younger, but it was all pretty good. Closer to three and a half, but rounding up to four stars.
Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for this #arc of #darlinggirls by #sallyhepworth in exchange for an honest review.

First off thank you Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an opportunity to read an advanced copy. This is so much appreciated. Unfortunately, this was my least favorite Sally Hepworth book. I felt like the story focused more so on child abuse than the mystery of whose body was discovered. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters which is important for the reader. As someone that loves children this was a tough read for me. The twisty ending was so violent and left me with a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. I love sally Hepworth's previous work but this was a no for me. Although I didn’t particularly didn’t like this book I’m looking forward to her next book release.

Title: Darling Girls
Author: Sally Hepworth
Genre: Domestic Suspense
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: April 23, 2024

I received complimentary eARC and ALC copies from St. Martin's Press and Macmillan audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Bingeable • Unsettling • Heartbreaking

📖 S Y N O P S I S

From the outside, Alicia, Jessica and Norah might seem like ordinary women you'd meet on the street any day of the week. Sure, Jessica has a little OCD and Norah has some anger issues. And Alicia has low self-esteem that manifests itself in surprising ways. But these three have a bond that no one can fully understand. It's a bond that takes them back decades, to when they were girls, and they lived on a farm with a foster mother named Miss Fairchild.

Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed.

In a moment of desperation, the three broke away from Miss Fairchild, and they thought they were free. But the reach of someone with such power is long, and even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds.

When bones are discovered buried under the farmhouse of their childhood, they are called in by the police to tell what they know. Against their will, they are brought back to the past, and to Miss Fairchild herself.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Darling Girls was an easy add to my TBR when it was announced. I can always count on Sally Hepworth to bring the drama and keep me turning the pages. Marketed as a thriller, in my opinion, her books landed more on the domestic and/or psychological mystery/suspense side of the coin. No matter how you choose to classify them, they tend to be the type of 'thriller' that works for me.

Told from the POVs of three sisters - Jessica, Norah and Alicia, and with mysterious physiatrist sessions interspersed throughout, the plot in this one was deeply haunting. The push and pull of the past and present day timelines came across more as if information was being withheld rather than the slow reveal of the necessary pieces.

Each of the girls had their own distinctive personality, yet their relationship with one another was solid. They bonded over their awful circumstances and it really showed how, even years later, their relationship is strong with a need to stick together. As for Mrs. Fairchild, she was an absolute monster! Sally has done a phenomenal job with her character arc because she definitely had the ick factor. Her lies and gaslighting were so cruel and manipulative, and narcissistic actions churned my stomach, culminating in one final revelation in the last chapter which was absolutely revolting.

While the setting has played a huge role in some of Sally's previous works, I didn't find that to be the case here. There was some much atmospheric potential to make Wild Meadows its own character and I think it would have added a whole other layer to the story if she'd chosen to go that route.

The audiobook read by Jessica Clarke was fine. It added a layer of tension, yet there was also room for improvement. Given the story is told from multiple POVs, and especially with the mystery character therapy sessions interspersed throughout, having multiple narrators or at the very least a clear distinction between each would have elevated the audiobook experience.

While I know some people are going to love this book because of the final chapter, unfortunately, it has the opposite effect for me. In all honesty, it felt like it was added simply for shock value and to leave the leader with their mouth hanging open. To me, the book would have been stronger without it and it lowered my rating.

Darling Girls is certainly not my favourite Sally Hepworth book, yet I enjoyed it significantly more than her 2023 release The Soulmate. It opens up the conversation surrounding a foster care system that doesn't always protect the children involved. Yet it's important to keep in mind, that for every horror story like this one there are many stories filled with love. Sally continues to be an auto-read author for me and I will be curious to see where she goes next.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• strong sister bonds
• found family
• mysterious bodies

⚠️ CW: child abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, sexual assault, rape, sexual violence, pedophilia, neglect, abandonment, toxic relationship, gaslighting, bullying, confinement, kidnapping, torture, body shaming, violence, injury/injury detail, adoption, death, murder, child death, death of parent, mental illness, drug use, prescription drug abuse, addiction, attempted suicide, overdose, PTSD, panic attacks/disorders, pregnancy, vomit, alcohol, cursing

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Love and security were the most basic of rights. Forcing these kids to believe they were lucky to have that was even more damaging than what some of them experienced in care."

This is my fourth Sally Hepworth book, and all I've read I have given four or five stars, so naturally when I spotted a new one I had to pick it up.

Description:
For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.

But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed. In a moment of desperation, the three broke away from Miss Fairchild and thought they were free. Even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects?

A thrilling page-turner of sisterhood, secrets, love, and murder by New York Times bestselling author Sally Hepworth.

My Thoughts:
This one kept my attention. Something in the past had been hidden, but was ominously hovering over the present for the foster "sisters". When bones are found at the foster home where they had spent time, they get pulled back to the small town and are forced to face the past. Secrets are dredged up as they search for the truth. I felt really bad for Jessica especially because she had been at the foster home the longest and was treated very well at first, so she still felt some love and loyalty to her foster mother. This was a good mystery and certainly held some tension during the read. I would recommend to anyone who likes a good mystery.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, through Netgalley for an advance copy.

*Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC*

I was skeptical going into this book at first, because I wasn't a huge fan of The Soulmate. I am SO glad that I gave Sally Hepworth a second chance. Dynamic and thrilling, Darling Girls will keep you at the edge of your seat the entire read. A family of foster sisters' lives are upturned when they get news of a body found in the basement of their childhood home. It's red herring after red herring as we yearn for the body's identity and their killer. The tonality changes in the narrator between the psychologist chapters and those of the current events was remarkable, especially with the ending. She wasn't doing a different voice per say, but just a slightly different tone that helped me distinguish the characters. It's a spotlight on abuse, addiction, and the foster care system in Australia, so keep that in mind if you have any triggers related to this. I do wish we'd gotten a bit more character growth, but the focus was more on the mystery and I can appreciate that.

Overall a solid thriller that really redeemed Sally Hepworth's writing in my eyes.

This book was SO good! I LOVED the storyline, and how the story was told through the POV of all three sisters, and therapy sessions with a mystery person. I 100% want you to go pick this up! You won’t regret it, nor will you be able to put it down! There is a lot of evilness in this one, the foster mother was super scary. There was a twist I didn’t see coming! This was a perfect buddy read book to discuss!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book.

I truly think Sally Hepworth can do no wrong.

Jessica, Norah and Alicia may not be sisters by blood but they are sisters by love. Always being told how lucky they were to grow up as foster kids on Wild Meadows, the farm owned by Miss Fairchild. But what no one knew was the abuse they faced under Miss Fairchilds care.

We get concurrent timelines to see the lives of the girls as they were young, living in Wild Meadows and now, as they head back to answer police questions after a body was discovered on the property.

This one was chalk full of likeable characters, tugs at the heart strings and plot twists.

I highly recommend this book.

Suspenseful read that alternates between past and present. The story begins with a character talking to a psychiatrist, but who is it? Everyone has suffered trauma in this story. Loved the loyalty between the girls who cling together to survive with their unpredictable and manipulative foster mother. In the present the girls are brought back to their old foster home when bones are discovered underneath the house. The story speeds up in the second half and a thrilling ending I didn’t see coming!

I have been reading Sally Hepworth's books since The Mother In Law was published and our book club has chosen her new book each year for one of our selections. I'm grateful to the publisher for allowing me an ARC of her past few publications. I feel like Darling Girls was darker than her previous books, but no less enjoyable. I liked how despite it being darker it wasn't unrealistic in its depiction of what can happen in the foster system. I was along for whatever direction the author took me in. I was invested in what had happened to the girls and what would become of them in the future. I do wish she would come closer to my area on her book tours in the states.

This was amazing!! It took me a week to read but that’s only because I have been super busy. These three sisters are each so different from each other, but they went through a horrendous childhood together that bonded them for life. This is their story, in their words. (Not a true story, it is fiction, but it felt so real.) I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Highly recommend.

Riveting story! Sally Hepworth delivers another page turner with three women who once lived at Wild Meadows as foster children. Willow Brook is not what it seems and is the domain of Miss Fairchild whose description reminds me slightly of Professor Umbridge. Each women gets to tell us her story as the storyline moves from past to present. Each woman has their unique set of problems but one finds them likeable characters.

The story really takes off after bones are discovered under Wild Meadows. The mystery brings them all together to try to determine whose bones they are. The conclusion of the book left me a bit shocked but it was a great closure to the story. Overall I really enjoyed this thriller. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to review.

This is a story of 3 women’s lives today and as foster children in an abuse home. There is a lots of trauma throughout their lives attempting to deal with what happened to them in those years. Please check trigger warnings before reading this book. I listened to the audiobook and it was told well. The story is back and forth from then until now and there are 4 points of view. If your not paying attention, you can lose the refs to whom is speaking. The first half is all background as to what occurred and it was a bit tedious for me. The second half was much better as it is entirely about today and trying to solve the mystery. Overall it’s interesting but sad. I gave this 3.5 stars.

This is my 2nd Sally Hepworth book and I will say I am a fan. Darling Girls was so suspenseful and intriguing. I loved how dark but also sweet this book was and loved the connection with the sisters.

And that twist at the end? My jaw was on the floor!!! Sally knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.