Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth tells the story of three foster sisters, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, who grew up under the strict care of their foster mother on a farm, hiding dark secrets beneath a seemingly perfect upbringing. Their past comes back to haunt them when a body is found under their childhood home, turning them from witnesses into potential suspects in a disturbing case.

Sally Hepworth's books have been hit or miss for me so I wasn’t sure what to expect from Darling Girls. The intriguing premise initially excited me, however, I didn't anticipate the heavy subjects being described in such graphic detail. While I expected the thriller to be dark and twisted, the story turned out to be more sad and heartbreaking. It unfolds through three distinct POVs, but the audiobook's single narrator made it challenging to differentiate between them—I would have preferred multiple narrators for a more immersive experience. The narrative alternates between the present and the characters' childhoods, with the present timeline being more slow paced and the past providing a faster pace. Unfortunately, I found the ending somewhat predictable. I gave this three stars and I recommend taking a look at the trigger warnings beforehand.

Another engrossing Sally Hepworth novel, although this one contains challenging material, with stories of abused children in foster care. Plenty of twists to keep the reader guessing.

This is the fifth story of psychological suspense I have read by Sally Hepworth. Two of these books were highly entertaining and engaging, while the remaining three, including Darling Girls, were less compelling. This was a fast-paced book, but it contained some unnecessary threads, and I thought parts lacked credibility. The four main characters were well-developed and intriguing. I was not expecting the surprising twist near the end.

This was a dark and disturbing tale of the mental and physical abuse of children in foster care. It is a sad truth that some people become foster parents for prestige, money, and to get free help in the home or on farms from the unfortunate children. It is a sad truth that some uncaring foster homes cause life-altering trauma. This unsettling story shows how abused, unloved children become adults with issues of anger, self-esteem, anxiety, and addictions and have difficulty forming adult relationships. It ignores the fact that some foster parents are caring and have the best interests of the children at heart. The story includes sexual blackmail, violence, and a drug overdose, with pre-foster placement alluding to rape and pedophilia and the possible killing of a baby.

Alternating chapters tell the stories of three former foster children and chapters of an unknown person in sessions with a psychiatrist. Jessica was placed in foster care at age five on the farm of Miss Fairchild. The foster mother was both emotionally and physically abusive, manipulative, and unpredictable. She gave a pleasant and generous face to the public and social services. Young Jessica was presented with the false adoring side of the bright, cheerful woman, and she clung to her for love, approval, and attention. Jessica was shattered when this was withdrawn, and she experienced hostility or was ignored.

Later, Norah, age eleven, and Alicia, age twelve, joined the now similar-aged Jessica. They were forced to clean the house for many hours, kept awake at night, fed a scanty diet, locked in the dark basement, and constantly criticized, threatened, and punished. The three young girls formed an unbreakable bond, always regarding each other as 'sisters.' Miss Fairchild began taking in babies to foster. She soon loses interest in each baby and makes the girls look after them until sending them back. She next takes in an adorable two-year-old girl, Amy and dotes on her but becomes enraged when Amy prefers the three older foster 'sisters.' Amy vanishes, and there is no record that she has ever existed. Authorities believe Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are making up the child's presence.

Twenty-five years later, a child's body is found under their former foster home, now being demolished. The police are involved. Jessica has developed OCD but has turned her disorder into an asset. She has a thriving business organizing the homes of clients. She has feelings of stress and anxiety and has been discovered stealing prescription drugs from the homes where she works. She is distant from her calm, kind husband due to her stronger bond with Norah and Alicia. Norah trades sexual favours for household and yard work. She has always had anger issues she is unable to control. She lashed out at a man she dated, injuring him, and he was hospitalized. She may be jailed for assault. Alicia has become a social worker to give children the best foster placement possible. She lacks the confidence to enter a relationship.

The three 'sisters' are now called back by police investigators to the place where they grew up. They never wanted to see or think about it again. The police are anxious to identify a child's body recovered at the former foster home and question everyone who lived there at the time. Are they being questioned as witnesses or prime suspects? The three 'sisters' fear the body is that of Amy and also are suspicious that one of them may have killed her. Also present for the investigation are three former babies that Miss Fairchild only kept briefly. The investigation has some surprising reveals. The story ends with the changes Jessica, Norah and Alicia have made for a better life. Who was Dr. Warren, the psychiatrist, interviewing? This was a shock.

Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher, for this twisty and surprising story with a disturbing
examination of foster child abuse. The date of publication is set for April 23.

Ahhh- my new favorite Sally Hepworth book. This story is told from 3 sisters POV and goes between present day and their childhood in a foster home. Kept me at the edge of my seat with a story about strength, and how some bonds can never be broken.

I first read a Sally Hepworth book as an ARC, and I absolutely loved it – the ending was a complete shock to me, and I was riveted from the first page. This book didn’t quite hit that same level for me. It felt more predictable, although the ending still caught me off guard a bit. There was a LOT going on in this story – multiple perspectives, going from present day to the past and then back again. Thankfully that wasn’t super hard to follow, but something to be aware of. All this to say that while I enjoyed the book, this wasn’t my favorite of the author’s that I’ve read.

It's also worth mentioning that there are a LOT of trigger warnings to this book, including child abuse, foster children, death of a child, sexual abuse, physical abuse, death of a parent, trauma, and more that I’m probably not thinking of right this second.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the chance to review this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sally Hepworth does not miss! This story, revolving around three foster sisters, with alternating POVs and timelines, was exciting and interesting and wicked. Foster sisters are called by police after a body is found buried beneath their former foster home. While I suspected the end result, it was really satisfying to see the way it came through. I couldn’t put it down once I hit the last quarter of the story. I also loved the different characters, showing how the foster system and different childhood traumas can affect someone.

I have enjoyed Sally Hepworth novels in the past, and this one did not disappoint. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were complex characters whose stories were revealed like an onion...layer by layer as the chapters unfolded. Miss Fairchild sounds like every foster child's worst nightmare. It was a twisting story that kept me guessing the whole time. Well written and highly recommend reading this if you like a thriller.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

This was really good; I didn't expect the ending. Twisted in a good way. It took a few chapters for me to get into it but after it was a great read. I liked seeing how the sisters were after they grew up. It also highlighted how hard it can be to be in the foster system.

I have read several of Sally Hepworth's previous novels, so I jumped at the chance to read an early copy of Darling Girls. Like her previous books, Darling Girls is an intriguing mystery with great characters, and I enjoyed this one, too. This new book is deeply unsettling, with a foster home that appears nearly perfect and a foster mother that is evil behind closed doors.

The three main characters, foster sisters with a lifelong bond, clearly had been damaged by their time in foster care, and especially the years under Miss Fairchild's care. When a body is discovered buried under the now-demolished house, the three women return to their former foster home to assist the police with solving the mystery. The story is told in dual timelines, with interjections by an unnamed person discussing their past with a therapist. The overall effect is creepy and sad, as the many layers of abuse and gaslighting are revealed.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC of Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth. The opinions in this review are my own.

4.5 stars!

Sally Hepworth has always been one of my favorite authors. Her books are unique, twisty, and thought provoking. This one was right on par, and the jaw dropping final chapter was the cherry on top! Don't miss this one!

Thank you netgalley & publisher for the e-arc!

Sally Hepworth writes great thrillers and this one was no exception. She always keeps me enthralled and guessing. The family dynamic adds some depth with psychological aspects. You will literally be kept on the edge of your seat for the entire read, the suspense is absolutely top tier. I will read anything this woman writes.

Such a great story. I love all of Sally’s books. Part of the book was predictable but I did NOT expect the last chapter. Great twist at the very end

I enjoyed the dual timelines and multiple POV’s. The premise had promise but the execution was just okay; there’s drama but no real thrills. Like most of Sally Hepworth’s books, I never really LOVE them. They’re quick to read through but never really grip me.

The audiobook was well done but maybe because I started to zone out, the “twist” at the end didn’t hit me like it should’ve I guess. I was a bit confused at first but then it clicked. This is a well-loved one so read for yourself but I wasn’t overly impressed.

This has got to be my new favorite Sally Hepworth book! I could NOT put this one down. One of the main characters, Miss Fairchild infuriated me so incredibly much! While covering heavy topics including child abuse, and foster care, this book kept me guessing until the very end!

Thank you to NetGalley, and Sally Hepworth for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

OKAY SALLY WHAT WAS THIS WHO ARE YOU. This one was giving Sally with a dash of Karin Slaughter. Or someone equally as dark (maybe a splash of Winstead). I really liked this one! It was definitely leaning suspense moreso than mystery/thrillers as Sally's usually do, but despite that it was still an absolute page turner and I was hanging off every word and wanted to know what happened.

The book followed foster sisters years after they left the foster home, after the police found human remains beneath their foster home. Each of the characters were well developed and I feel like I really understood all of the decisions they made even when they were the "wrong" ones I felt like I had empathy for them and wanted to support them in any way I could.

Overall, was very intrigued by this book! Knocked the last star off just because I would've liked a bit more mystery thriller!

In Darling Girls, we are introduced to Norah, Jessica, and Alicia, three girls raised together as foster children at the Wild Meadows estate. By all outward appearances, their foster mother Miss Fairchild provided a loving, happy home for the girls, but the reality was far different. In the present day the three women are drawn back to town when a child’s body is discovered buried under Wild Meadows. Are they witnesses, or are they suspects?

I hate to say it, but I didn’t enjoy this book. I know it’s marketed as a thriller, but I didn’t feel any of the tension that should be an integral part of a thriller. This was especially apparent because I just recently finished a fantastic mystery/thriller, and I couldn’t help but compare them. I know the author wanted to shine a light on the very real problems with the foster system, but anyone who reads this should definitely get a trigger warning for lots, and lots, and LOTS of child abuse.

By halfway through the book I felt like it was a slog, with very uneven pacing, and I didn’t feel any depth to the plot or the characters. I had difficulty relating to, or caring about, any of them. After dragging through all the scenes of abuse, all of sudden at the end everything wrapped up very quickly and easily. I didn’t feel like there were any surprising twists, and the ending was very frustrating; it felt almost like it undid everything.

Also, the typos. I know my copy was a review copy and not the final manuscript, but there were a remarkable number of typos, and it was really distracting.

I’ve heard that Hepworth’s other books are very good, and this is a departure from her usual, so I may give her another try for a different book. But this book was definitely not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

🤯🤯🤯 yup, you must read this! If you love a fast paced, cringy, heart breaking and jaw dropping thriller, this is it! Ooo those foster care flashbacks were rough!! A few of them had my cringing and my heart breaking for these girls.

3 girls are placed in foster care, they are unrelated but become fast sisters. You are taken through their lives as adults with flashbacks into their past of their foster home. When a body is found, everything must get uncovered.

I loved all the girls. They were all unique in their own ways and it was easy to follow their individual stories and personalities throughout. You felt connected to these women, their bond and love for each other is unmatched. The last few chapters went by sooo quickly. I was able to get through this read in a day! I couldn’t stop reading and had to know the end! It helped that each chapter was 3-5 pages 😆

This may be my new favorite Sally Hepworth book!

Delightfully surprised by Sally Hepworth's "Darling Girls," where she skillfully diverges from the conventional to present a captivating tale of unconventional family dynamics. Set against the backdrop of Wild Meadows, three girls find themselves entwined in a foster care nightmare under the facade of a seemingly idyllic farmhouse. Fast forward to the present, where the discovery of human bones resurrects buried memories and forces the trio to confront their past. Through alternating perspectives, Hepworth masterfully crafts a narrative that intricately weaves past traumas with present-day challenges, showcasing the resilience and camaraderie of her protagonists. Despite the heavy themes, the story maintains a perfect balance of darkness and light, with characters that are not only relatable but also fiercely endearing. Hepworth's clever storytelling and unexpected twists make for a gripping read, underscored by the empowering portrayal of female friendship.

A must-read that leaves a lasting impression. ★★★★½

Thank you Netgalley, St-Martin’s Press and Sally Hepworth.
This was such a read, three very young girls who were put in the same foster home and through adversity became more than sisters could ever be in adulthood.
The story spans their lives, good and bad. I could not put this book down. It was not an easy read, some of the stuff those girls went through was heart-wrenching.
I think this is the best one I read so far from Sally Hepworth.

Recommend
4 stars

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
Format: ebook
Release Date: 4/23/24
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a difficult book for me to review, but I will try to be fair! I really struggled with the content of this book and I don’t think I’d ever recommend it to someone. It was a tough subject matter and I really struggled to read such constant flashbacks of foster child abuse. I usually don’t mind dark thrillers but this one just hit different for me.

That being said, it was a well crafted thriller. The flashbacks were used well in order to build suspense and keep the reader guessing. And there is definitely a reveal at the end that I didn’t see coming!!

I also really loved the bond Jessica, Alicia l, & Norah built along the way and seeing how they coped together in the past as well as present day.

Unfortunately, I’m just not sure Sally Hepworth’s novels are for me and that is fine. I do think a good amount of people might enjoy this one. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.