Wild Meadows may have seemed like the perfect placement for any foster girl; however, looks can be greatly deceiving.

Darling Girls focuses on the current and past lives of three former foster girls: Jessica - the longest resident of Wild Meadows of the three girls, and now a highly perfectionist interior designer with a secret addiction, Alicia - a foster care specialist who hasn't learned how to open her heart to anyone besides her sisters, and Norah - the most volatile of the three, letting her anger and her poor decisions run her life. The three of them have relied on each other for most of their childhoods and the entirety of their adult lives, and they're about to face yet another major hurdle together.

The three sisters are living their lives as normally as they can after the horrors they experienced at the hands of Miss Fairchild, the owner of Wild Meadows and their foster "mother" for several years. All of that changes when they receive a call from a police detective. They've found human remains at the site of the former foster home. They're asked to go back to their old town so the police can interview them about their old home and their childhood.

As their current story continues, we're brought to flashbacks to help further our understanding of how things happened. We're also given a current POV from an unknown narrator as they go through therapy sessions, and these are interspersed at seemingly random times throughout the book.

There were so many twists and turns in this book that I truly wasn't expecting. Every time I thought I got a handle on things and figured out where things are going, another unexpected past or present was revealed. This was a gripping and horrific look into the realities that some foster children live through and the struggles that they endure as their trauma follows them into adulthood.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an ARC of this novel.

Women's fiction with a thriller vibe, Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is an intense mystery told in two timelines, with a psychological mystery, and three possible suspects. The police are interviewing the three grown women because bones were found buried at their former foster home. The story builds from there and is possibly Hepworth's best book yet!

The background on the girls is very important to discovering the actual killer.
I liked their deep kinship and the humor. The book deals with child abuse, drug abuse, and its aftermath in the three now grown women. An excellent read!

I would recommend this book to those enjoying Women's fiction, psychological mystery, thrillers and mysteries. #DarlingGirls #NetGalley
Thank you to #StMartinsPress #NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy; all comments and opinions are my own.

Sally Hempworth is a must-read for me, and this book did not disappoint!

The characters were complex and easily distinguished. You wanted to route for the girls, despite some moral greyness.

As much as I loved The Good Sister, dare I say that Darling Girls is my new favorite Sally Hepworth book.

I don’t want to say “I loved” Darling Girls because the content is quite disturbing and that word feels wrong- but I will, because I did. I could NOT put this book down! It reminded me of a VC Andrews book, but with Sally Hepworth’s classic dark wit. It was so easy to binge.

The gut-wrenching content may have been difficult to read, but it created an unbreakable bond between the three main characters. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia make such a heartwarming found family. Each of these three women were well-developed, which made each of the POVs distinctive.

That final twist had my jaw on the floor. Nearly literally. I truly didn’t see it coming.

5 out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

(PS: PLEASE check TW! Or DM me on Instagram at @bookishlee_kaci)

Darling Girls comes out April 23, 2024. Thank you, NetGalley for an early copy.

Sally, whoa, this book! (See what I did there? LOL) I loved the alternating viewpoints that Sally used to tell the story of the Darling girls. It was heartwrenching, engaging and kept me guessing until the very last page. The reveals that she included in the story, were unexpected and PERFECTION. If you love following characters through their lifetimes, and secrets, and being shocked, this book is for you.

This is a thrilling mystery, but more of a slowed down character study- which totally worked for me! I thought the pace and buildup was great and I was throughly intrigued and surprised by the ending!

Sally Hepworth always delivers a fantastic thriller that immediately captures readers and keeps them flipping the pages until the very end! While The Mother-in-Law will probably always be my favorite novel by Hepworth, this one still satisfied and would be a great summer reading pick!

If you are a more sensitive reader I would recommend reading trigger warnings before picking up this novel.

Sally Hepworth does it again!! I love her writing style. I flew through this book! A few of the scenes were uncomfortable (check trigger warnings) but overall, I really liked this book! Highly recommend

Thought it was fine. It'll get the job done if you're looking for a contemporary mystery marketed to women, complete with the "unexpected" twist at the end.

Three foster sisters return to their hometown 25 years after they left when a body is discovered under the home in which they grew up. Whose body, and why was it there? That's the primary mystery. Their stories are told in alternating chapters that focus on their present circumstances (none of them are particularly well-adjusted, even if they seem so on the surface) and how they first got placed at their foster home.

A second, related mystery is the identity of the woman who is speaking with a psychologist about her troubled childhood in other chapters. Readers will surely know who it is within a few chapters.

Not a lot of new ground here, and the final twist feels like a clumsy and obligatory epilogue. I acknowledge I might not be the audience for this book, so if you are fans of Lucy Foley or Ruth Ware, this might be a book to pick up.

3.75 stars

This was my second book from Sally Hepworth, but having loved The Soulmate, this one fell flat in comparison. It didn't read much like a thriller, and had more of a women's fiction spin to it with the plot of foster sisters and how they dealt with the trauma of their childhood as adults.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were all foster children at the strange Holly Fairchild's farming estate, Jessica having arrived as a 4 year old, and Norah and Alicia as preteens. Miss Fairchild psychologically abuses them, until the day they finally escape her care and go to the police when she attempts to drown her newest charge. Upon investigation, there is no trace of the child, and the girls are gaslighted into believing they made up her existence at all. Now, as adults, the farm has been sold, and upon the demolition of the house, bones are found buried underneath, and the women are called back to rural Port Agatha to assist in the investigation. About halfway through the book I started getting mad that I figured out the twist, and I did have the first few reveals pegged. The final twist in the last page I should have seen coming, so was mad about that too, but it felt both rushed and lackluster, like an afterthought to attempt one final "gotcha". Lots of triggers in this one with abusive childhoods, gaslighting, narcissistic parent figures, and drug abuse. The pacing was very quick and kept me motivated to read, but moreso to see if I was correct in my theories than caring about any of the characters.

Thanks to Saint Martin’s Press for gifted access via NetGalley. All opinions below my own.

I can’t believe this is my first Sally Hepworth Bouk, I’m sure I have at least three of them on the shelf waiting to be read. This one takes place in Australia giving us two timelines. One in present day where three foster sisters are contacted by the police when a body is found at their former foster home. And the other flashing back to their childhoods. We learn about their various upbringings and how they were bonded together by the unusual moods of their foster mother. I’ll stop there because I don’t want to give any spoilers.

I was very invested in these characters, despite being quite a few of them to get to know. The harness of the foster makes it a bit of a hard read because I’m sure there are many people living this reality. What I really loved was the bonding of the three sisters. Also, the twists were pretty good. There’s a last chapter one that was absolutely perfect. This is a great beach or pool read for the summer.

My thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the advance copy of Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth. I usually enjoy Sally’s books and this was no exception. 4.25 stars…it’s a thriller, which means I may forget about it a few weeks from now, but it was well-executed and it went down super easily like a milkshake. Content warnings for childhood abuse and trauma. Please note…there were a ton of typos in the advance copy, so I hope the editors clean that up before publication.

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again and again and again…Sally Hepworth truly is the queen of domestic suspense. I absolutely love listening to her novels because they grab my attention immediately, and hold it right till the very end. I usually save them for a massive housecleaning day which makes tackling chores more bearable. I’ll gladly disinfect the entire bathroom while listening to the drama, mystery, and tension that Sally creates.

I loved the storyline/set-up of Darling Girls. Three foster sisters return to the home that they grew up in for a less than ideal circumstance. Human remains were found on the property, so family members were brought in for questioning. But the big question is: Are the women merely witnesses? Or are they prime suspects? I went back and forth for the majority of the novel, pointing my finger at pretty much every single character.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Multiple perspectives and timelines
- Foster family stories
- Sisterhood and female bonding
- Murder mysteries
- Twists, turns, and suspense
- Dark and heavy reads
- Flawed and complex characters
- Australian setting

If you’re a big fan of Hepworth’s work, then there’s no doubt that you’ll enjoy her latest. It’s classic Sally, and will keep you guessing and stressing! I recommend the audiobook, of course. Sally’s books always have the very best narrators with the most gorgeous accents. Give this one a listen! Darling Girls releases on April 23rd, and it gets 4/5 stars from me!

Darling Girls is one of those books with multiple points of view in alternating chapters. It includes a "then" and "now" aspect, and an underlying mystery. It has all of the elements of an engrossing novel and for the most part, I was very taken in by the mystery. I felt like I understood the characters and their motivations. I sincerely disliked Miss Fairchild and that never changed. I had a hard time reading the parts about her. There is no justification for child abuse.

I received this as a digital copy and an audiobook, and enjoyed the narrator's Australian accent. However, I feel like this was a missed opportunity for an ensemble cast! Also, in audiobook version, it was difficult for me to keep up with all of the characters at first, and I would reference the digital copy, so it was helpful for me to have both.

Thanks to NetGalley for early access to this novel!

3.5 STARS - I've been a fan of Australian author Sally Hepworth for many years. Darling Girls, the ninth book I've read by her, has a different feel than some of her previous books.

While not a suspense read per se, I'd label this book as contemporary fiction with emotional (possibly triggering) issues and a bit of mystery when bones are found on the property of a former foster home.

The story is told using past and present plot lines. Through her three main characters, foster sisters Jessica, Alicia and Norah, Hepworth takes readers back to their childhood and their experiences at the mercy and mercurial emotions of their abusive foster mother. In present day, readers are privy to sessions between a (not overly professional or competent?) psychiatrist and an unknown female patient which add to the mystery.

I'll be honest, this was a hard and emotional read for me because much of the book focuses on the abuse and manipulation of children and the resulting trauma, giving the story a very dark, uncomfortable feel. The ending was over-the-top and not quite satisfying, but my big takeaway will be the unbreakable bond between the three sisters.

While this was a good story, it was not a darling of a read for me. That said, I remain a fan of Sally Hepworth and strongly recommend her work which balances tension, social issues and interesting characters.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to St Martin's Press for the advanced digital copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.

This was sooooo good! I could not put it down and finished it in two days!! All the characters are engaging and well thought out (even precious Phil). The plot is enticing and twists in ways you don't expect and the ending is just thriller gold.

Thanks to Netgalley, Sally Hepworth and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia grew up in foster care at Wild Meadows. Because of what they endured they became close and into adult hood remain sisters. Together they have to revisit their childhood in order to help the police.

This was a solid 3/5 stars in my opinion. The story is fast paced and engaging. It definitely kept the pages turning. I liked the main characters but got lost or confused with the side characters.

The ending was pretty good but didn’t have the shock value I was waiting for.

When a book by Sally Hepworth comes out, I will want to read it. I don’t need to know anything about it, I am going to get my hands on the novel and read it cover to cover within a day. And she never disappoints. Darling Girls was an excellent read about three girls growing up in foster care. The book goes between past and present and keeps the reader hooked until the very end.

Here is the plot:

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?

Don’t miss this novel, it comes out April 23

Darling Girls is the story of three "sisters" whose horrific backgrounds bind them together. Each was dumped on the steps of a monster by an unscrupulous child welfare worker. There are some very disturbing scenes in the book, but probably nothing that the reader cannot cope with.

Skip forward many years and the girls are still bonded. One is married and has a successful house-organizing business - but has some pill popping issues. Another is a social worker with a huge heart. The third sister hasn't quite found her place yet and suffers from anger issues as well as a bad habit of trading sex for help around the house. When the two converge she finds herself before a judge on assault charges. Since this happens on multiple occasions she is facing jail time for the latest assault.

When each of the girls gets a call from the police in the town where they grew up in foster care, they are asked to come in and give statements regarding their period in care. As it turns out, the house where they lived is being torn down and construction workers have uncovered the remains of a baby, buried under the house. It is unclear when the baby was buried there and since the (same) unscrupulous child welfare worker brought the Foster Mother a steady stream of babies for short stays while the sisters were in her care, the police were looking for clues of the baby’s identity and the circumstances of its death.

Although I don't need to have all my t's crossed and i's dotted, Hepworth rarely leaves any loose ends open for interpretation in her books. This is true also of Darling Girls. I'd say, in fact, that despite the cruel treatment the sisters suffered at the hands of the wicked Foster Mother, they each had their personal issues satisfactorily resolved by the end of the book - and even learned to love.

Sally Hepworth is a brilliant author and I think that this might be her best book to date (or maybe tied with The Good Sister). Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this novel for my honest review. Darling Girls is due to be published in five days, and I recommend reserving your copy now!

Three "found" sisters via the Australian foster care system and many buried secrets. Darling Girls is a mystery of childhood trauma, perceptions of truth, and the ties that bind even as adults. Told in 4 POVs (3 sisters and one unknown), the secrets unravel as a body is found on the grounds of their former foster home. As the secrets unravel, so do the sisters in each their remarkable ways. In some ways, I felt voyeuristic as their childhood experiences were revealed. If you are sensitive to abuse or see these types of domestic stories as trauma porn, this may not be the book for you. There was a twist at the end that made me feel a bit gullible... but being gullible makes you human I suppose.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.