𝒟𝒶𝓇𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒢𝒾𝓇𝓁𝓈 𝒷𝓎 𝒮𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝐻𝑒𝓅𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓉𝒽
𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 • 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 • 𝘍𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮
𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 • 𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢
eARC • 𝘗𝘶𝘣 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦 23 𝘈𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘭 2024

I’d classify Darling Girls as crime fiction, family drama, and contemporary fiction. It pulled me in from the jump when the bones of an unidentified child are unearthed at an estate that formerly housed foster kids. Three foster sisters (“darling girls”) find themselves at the center of the murder investigation when they are called as key witnesses along with their not-quite-right foster mother Mrs. Fairchild. The girls, now adults, all have secrets, some shared and some of their own. They are thick as thieves, bonded through shared past trauma, while each having very distinct and differing personalities, interests, and looks. All, however, share the incapacity to form meaningful, trusted relationships with others. But are they responsible for the death of a child and what lengths will they go to keep their secrets buried forever?

I especially enjoyed the Australian setting which alternates between Melbourne and Port Agatha. This book also highlights how the foster care system is very broken worldwide, not just in the US. Dual timelines and multiple POVs, including interviews with a psychologist, kept the book interesting and allow for a deliberative unveiling of answers to the mystery shrouding the Wild Meadows Estate. The final chapter left my jaw on the floor.

The scenes involving child abuse were hard to listen to, so check the trigger warnings: Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Rape, Sexual Assault, Drug Abuse, Addiction

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 St Martins Press for the digital ARC & MacMillan Audio 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘓𝘊! All opinions are my own.

This story had multiple view points which made it fast paced and impossible to put down. It was twisty with a slightly sinister feeling and quite a ride! The reader is taken through the life of 3 foster children. We are shown their lives prior too and during placement with Miss Fairchild and the present as adults. Hepworth weaves their stories together past and present and I thought this was done very well. I highly recommend it!

Jessica, Norah, and Alice are survivors. They had to survive living in foster care with Ms. Fairchild. Their childhoods weren't the best. They tried leaving it all behind until one day each of them got a call saying they found a body buried underneath the home. Now the three of them must go back to where their story started and figure out just who is buried under the house.


The story is told in past and present in multiple POVs, which I love. It was nice being able to get Jessica, Norah, and Alice's sides of things. You got to feel them grow up and then become adults. Alice was my favorite one! As adults each of them had their own thing going on, their own demons to face, but they were still just as close as when they were kids.

I am one of the few but I didn't LOVE this book. I thought it was good, and I did want to know how the story ended. If you've read Sally Hepworth before, I would totally suggest reading this!! She did a great job.

I listened as I read and the narrator did a good job! It kept me engaged. Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the copies of this book, in exchange for my review.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by an absolute favorite, Sally Hepworth, with the audio perfectly narrated by Jessica Clarke. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Twenty-five years ago, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, became as close as sisters when they shared a foster home called Wild Meadows, run by Miss Fairchild. Now, they are both shocked to receive a call from detectives that human bones were discovered buried under Wild Meadows. Who do the bones belong to? And did the girls have anything to do with whatever happened?

Told in the POV from each of the women, in both past and present timeframes, as well as from an unknown person talking with a psychologist, Dr. Warren. I was immediately drawn into each woman's story, and both timelines were intriguing. Hepworth is a master at creating characters that are realistic, strong, intelligent, and funny. While the subject matter of childhood abuse is never an easy one, you will still find yourself laughing out loud at many points along the way. This book showcases how childhood trauma spreads so deeply into a person's character, yet also presents us with strong characters who are always there for each other. Another must read by Hepworth!

Jessica, Norah, and Alice grew up as sisters with their unpredictable and abuse foster mother, Miss Fairchild. Although they escaped this home as teenagers, when a dead body is found under the house, they are all thrown right back into the past.
Told from multiple perspectives through the past and present. Great read with many twists and turns! Highly recommended!!

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for my honest review.

Darling Girls was no different! It kept me entertained and that ending truly shocked me! I truly enjoyed the characters in Darling Girls and loved the humor mixed in. Some parts felt a little slow and the pacing didn't feel consistent, but overall I would recommend this one to Hepworth fans & think this one would be a fun vacation/summer/weekend read!

5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What an emotional rollercoaster! “Darling Girls” by Sally Hepworth kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The storytelling through multiple perspectives added depth to the characters, making their journey through the foster care system & the subsequent investigation into Wild Meadows incredibly gripping. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, Hepworth throws in twists & turns that will leave you speechless. I never could have predicted the outcome of this intense thriller! Sally Hepworth has once again solidified her place on my must-read list with this captivating novel. An absolute MUST read for thriller fans out there!

Publication Date: April 23, 2024

Thank you #NetGalley, #stmartinspress, and #sallyhepworth for the ARC. My review is honest and voluntary.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an eARC for review!!

I was so intrigued the entire time! The family dynamics of the foster girls with the foster parent was crazy. I think the research done on the foster care system was incredible and brought a lot of insight to the things that could be improved.

Overall, it’s a page turner for sure. The ending got a tad bit too dark for me, but it made the story even crazier.

*I would be aware there are quite a few trigger warnings like: emotional abuse, child abuse, foster system abuse, and another one at the end that spoils the book but just knows it’s really sad!

Loved this one. Starts off quick and strong and I was invested in the story immediately. The story follows 3 women and jumps back and forth in time, but is super easy to follow. This is my second book by Sally Hepworth and I look forward to reading more.

3.5 Stars ⭐️

Darling Girls was very enjoyable and it really kept me engaged throughout the entirety of the book; however, some of the twists and turns were easy to pick up on before they were revealed. The ending did shock me some and I also appreciated that we find out how Jessica, Norah, and Alicia ended up. I would recommend this book and will definitely read more Sally Hepworth in the future.

3 "sisters" that were raised together in foster care. with a dual timeline, one describing compete over the top horrors in the. way it was done. I think it lacked true depth and the main hook was shock after shock. This generally has the opposite effect on me and I get bored, which I did. This may have been my least favorite by Hepworth.

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is a spine-tingly multiple perspective thriller taut with suspense and fascinating twists. Flashbacks are cleverly done and give necessary back stories.

Jessica, Norah and Alicia come from brokenness and are thrust into a walking-on-eggshells situation with their disturbed foster mother. They become sisters through shared trauma and loyalty to each other. Miss Fairchild is unhinged and treats the girls abysmally, neglects them yet at times smothers. Her rules are unusual, she is unpredictable and she must not be crossed. At first Jessica felt adored and loved but things change. Some time later, the girls finally leave. As adults, they are contacted as a dead body is found at the foster home they shared as girls. They're understandably not enthused about re-living their nightmares but have little choice.

Though well plotted, riveting and beautifully written, my mind was unsettled and not in a good way. Abuse and dysfunction are rife and left an acrid impression. This is not my favourite Hepworth but is more of a personal taste thing.

Those seeking a gripping psychological thriller may love this. Just know child abuse is rampant.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this engrossing novel.

Well… the fact that at ONE point I felt sorry for Miss. Fairchild ONLY to have that final twist absolutely make myself disgusted that I could EVER feel sorry for someone so sick and cruel shows just how well her character was written! I enjoyed the back and forth timelines, as well as Jessica’s perspective. I didn’t quite find myself caring much for Alicia’s or Norah’s though. Overall, addictive towards the 60% mark to the end.

Amazing book! I love the color and the way the title is linked to the story. I enjoyed the multi POV. While not a thriller in the usual sense, this book kept me hook from the beginning. I read this whole book in one sitting. There were some typos, but nothing that wouldn’t be caught in final editing. Definitely looking forward to more by this author.

2.5 ⭐️
Three grown foster sisters head back to their childhood foster home when the bones of a child are found. The majority of the story features flashbacks to the girls’ time in foster care with their abusive foster mother.

Too much was tackled here: child abuse, substance abuse, a broken foster system, murder… the author tried to do too much and for me, it was just too disjointed and contrived and. The nonlinear timeline also felt fragmented and didn’t flow well.

There were parts that were good and I love Hepworth’s signature twist endings, but unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me.

The story pulled me in right from the beginning and held my interest throughout. This is the story of 3 foster girls that forged an everlasting sisterhood bond while living at Wild Meadows with their foster mother, Miss Fairchild. Definitely a page-turner to unbury the secrets that lies under Wild Meadows. Once again, great writing from this author. A suspenseful plot with well-developed characters. Loved Norah's character.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Sally Hepworth for an ARC of "Darling Girls".

Darling Girls definitely pulled me in and was a page turner with a compelling mystery. I would normally have flown through it, but the child abuse, and the constant threat of it, made me feel uneasy and put the book down for a time. While it isn't my favorite book by this author, it was a solid thriller with a hard twist.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this arc.

Overall this was a super entertaining thriller. The pacing at the beginning felt a little off for me personally, but once I was hooked I flew through this book. This story jumps between multiple POVs and multiple timelines which worked really well for me. Hepworth really stuck the landing with the ending as well.

** I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Dazzling Girls" is an enthralling psychological mystery/thriller that captivated me from beginning to end. The tale of three foster girls forging an enduring bond in the face of their harsh foster mother's cruelty held my attention every step of the way.

My rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫

Thank you to @Netgalley and the publisher for an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review

Darling Girls is yet another winner from author Sally Hepworth! This thrilling and suspenseful tale of a decades old murder being uncovered is told by changing the point of view and by switching from a past timeline and the current timeline.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia met as children as they all past through the foster care system and were eventually all placed with their foster mother, Miss Fairchild. The girls time with Miss Fairchild was tough to endure but bonded the trio as sisters who are now adults and forced to look back at their past.

After receiving a call from the local police near their old foster home Jessica, Norah, and Alicia travel together to face the past. After the old home was torn down bones of a child were discovered underneath. The women are asked to help police determine just how that child came to be there and who it could possibly be.

It might be a little obvious that Sally Hepworth is an author that I absolutely love returning to after enjoying all the books I’ve read from her so far. Darling Girls quickly showed it would rate right up there with her past novels as it drew me into the story and just wouldn’t let go. This book is one that is obviously not going to be for everyone with child abuse being the main theme or the story but if the dark theme is one that will pull you in I highly recommend checking this one out and hold tight until the very end!

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.