This was a quick read by a fantastic author and I'm glad I was able to read it! Foster children/families are something close to my heart, as I have a close friend who actually established a camp to reunite foster kids with their biological and foster siblings. She also adopted a daughter that she fostered and continues to foster babies still to this day. Foster families/parents can be amazing for a child, or they can be a nightmare, as it was in this book!

This book starts with us getting introduced to the main characters one by one as they are contacted by police because a body of a child is found buried under the home where they all lived as foster kids, with Miss Fairchild. We meet Jessica, the first one adopted by Miss Fairchild, who is wound up as tight as a top. We are introduced to Norah, who is the second one adopted, and the one in continually gets into trouble for her use of violence to solve problems. Finally we are introduced to Alicia, who was the third child fostered, and who has unresolved issues with her self-worth. The three of them are trying to determine whether the last child they knew there, Amy, is the child buried under the house. Facing all of the unresolved issues from their childhoods and fear that Amy's dead is only the beginning, as they then need to face Miss Fairchild herself which is no easy feat!

There are many twists and turns throughout the book and they keep you guessing about what really happened to these girls, especially Amy. The end may surprise you.

This was a slow burn that deals with a very difficult subject matter in a delicate way. Don't be fooled by the slow burn because it builds up into a raging fire that will have you saying what did I just read. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my review.

I really enjoyed this one! The different perspectives added to the storyline and I liked how it jumped around in timeline!

Ms. Hepworth gives us everything we love about thrillers — dark story line, twists and turns, characters we love as well as those we love to hate, and a story line that draws us in. She also provides more than we expect— some humor with laugh out loud moments, a time line that keeps us guessing, and a sibling dynamic that is so powerful! A enjoyable read from start to finish. Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for providing me with an ARC.

Darling Girls was such a compelling read from start to finish. Once the sisters arrived in their hometown, the story really picked up speed. While learning about how their bonds began and progressed over their time with Miss Fairchild was interesting, it was nice to already have present day knowledge that they were still close. The ending was such a twist! I was not prepared for the direction it took.

I have always enjoyed Sally Hepworth's books and this one was no exception. Told in her classic style, the book is very readable, leaves you unsure where it is going, but isn't too over the top (unlike some thrillers out there these days). Highly recommend!

8/10. Holy moly, was this book intense. I was on pins and needles the entire time waiting for something to happen. It was more a slow build of anxiety that made you really feel for Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, but also respect and be amazed at the bonds they were able to create despite their upbringing. I'd classify it more as women/literary fiction rather than a thriller because of that.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I didn't know what to expect with Darling Girls, but I knew it was going to be a wild ride because of Sally Hepworth! In past books Hepworth has always had me second guessing what was going on all the way until the end.

Darling Girls is about the foster system and what a couple of girls/women had to go through with their foster mom. It's about how family doesn't have to be blood related, but whoever always has your back. While this wasn't as fast paced as I would have liked, I did enjoy the storyline and the last 50 or so pages were phenomenal!!

Ready for a wild ride? Because Sally Hepworth is about to take you on one with Darling Girls. This is one twisty thriller, my bookworm friends. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were all told how lucky they were to end up at Wild Meadows with the lovely Miss Fairchild. Turns out that lady was bananas with a capital B. At first, it’s just Jessica, but she’s joined shortly after by Norah and Alicia, and the three form an unbreakable bond. It grows stronger when Amy arrives, as does Miss Fairchild’s crazy factor. The girls manage to engineer a breakout, but there are consequences to crossing a crazy lady. Like suddenly, poof, no Amy.

Years later, Jessica owns her own house-cleaning business where she steals pills from her clients, Alicia is a social worker trying to help foster kids like herself, and Norah is still always in trouble. The girls are called when a body is discovered buried in the basement of Wild Meadows, forcing them to rehash memories they thought were long buried.

The book is told from multiple POVs, from Jessica, Norah, Alicia, and an unnamed narrator, and bounces between the past and the present.

It’s really hard to write spoiler-free reviews of thrillers because I don’t want to inadvertently give anything away. But I’ll say this: that last chapter came out of LEFT FIELD for me. Not because I didn’t suspect who the unnamed narrator was (I did), but because I totally bought the original story. Not that it made me feel any better about it, but holy cow, Miss Fairchild is a psycho.

This is my first read by Sally Hepworth. The cover got my attention and I made me interested. Despite the slow start, I really enjoyed the plot and the multiple points of view. This is a superb read!

Fast becoming a fan of Sally Hepworth! I may have read every book she's written and this one does not disappoint!

Three foster sisters, Jessica, Alicia and Norah are still haunted by the trauma they endured while children in foster care. Years later. bones have been discovered on the grounds of their old foster home and they must return and face their past. The mystery of who the bones belong to kept me turning the pages.

The story is told in different perspectives and alternates between past and present. I highly recommend for thriller lovers! I anxiously await Ms. Hepworth's next book. 4.5 stars!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!

4 stars! Darling Girls is a psychological thriller following foster sisters, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia after a body is discovered underneath their foster home. The book starts with an interview with Dr. Warren, a psychiatrist and is written from multiple perspectives. The sisters depict their lives growing up with Holly Fairchild as their foster mother along with the struggles of experiencing this discovery. It definitely picked up throughout the book and by the end I was invested!

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martins Press and the author for the ARC!

4.5 stars. 3 girls who grew up together in foster care are reunited by a call from the police...a skeleton was found under the house that they grew up in. Miss Fairchild was their foster mother, and the book alternates between past and present. This is a thriller like I've never read before, with an evil stepmother vibe. Just when I thought I knew where the plot would go, I was wrong...time and time again...There is a sense of foreboding throughout the entire book with a totally unexpected ending.

The beginning was slow but the last 25% was great and I didn’t see any of the plot twists coming. I loved the dual timelines with multiple POVs. Literally heart wrenching

Darling Girls is like that friend who’s always fun at parties but never quite the life of them. Hepworth serves up a juicy family drama with enough twists to keep things lively, even if some of them are as predictable as a soap opera plotline. The characters are engaging, and I definitely enjoyed the read—it's the kind of book that makes for great weekend entertainment. It’s got its moments, but it doesn’t exactly redefine the genre. Perfect for when you’re in the mood for a bit of drama without needing to solve world mysteries. All in all, it’s a delightful read with just enough cheekiness to make it worthwhile!

This wasn't what I expected this to be but I still enjoyed it. I liked the character studies but wish the mystery was a bit more shocking at the reveal.

This was very intriguing and I was hooked from the very start! I loved the plot and can say I have not read a book quite like this one before! I loved being on the edge of my seat throughout, trying to figure out who did what- who it was- just all of the things! I loved the different POVs we were given and think they helped tell this story perfectly!

Always love a Sally Hepworth!! She writes so well and turns the characters into real life. I loved reading this one and thank NetGalley for the early read. I can't wait to share with my followers who will love it too. Looking forward to more!

REVIEW: Darling Girls 📝📚

SUMMARY: Three sisters are called in for questioning when a child’s bones are discovered on the rambling property of their childhood foster home. Jumping between their youth in the care of enigmatic Miss Fairchild and the struggles they face as adults in the present, Darling Girls is a story of secrets, love, and loyalty. 💔👧🏼👧🏽👧🏻

I LOVE Sally Hepworth! Her domestic thrillers are always psychologically intriguing without veering too dark, and this book was no different. While the book does touch on serious topics such as emotional abuse and toxic parents, the tone is relatively neutral and enjoyable to read. 👍🏼📖

Also, and I’ve said this before, I need characters to root for. I don’t love thrillers where everyone low-key sucks, and I feel like this book delivers the type of characters I like while keeping them interesting and multi-dimensional. 🙌🏼👩‍❤️‍👩

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Oh what a fun little murder mystery this was! This book is twisty and had me hooked from the very beginning. Hepworth is my go-to when I need to escape into a thriller that will keep me on my toes. I loved the focus that this story had on sisterhood - Hepworth always does domestic thrillers so well!