This was a great read — good characters, well paced, intrigue and mystery with a few twists and turns.

The balance between what happened 25 years ago and the present day investigation were well balanced and doled out the details just right.

And point of interest, I was also born with six toes on one foot — you’ll understand the reference once you read the novel!

3.5 ⭐️

This book was just okay for me. It was a fast read. Once I devoted time to sit down to read it, I was flying through it. I always appreciate a fast paced thriller, so I liked that aspect. But overall, it just wasn't anything Earth shattering for me as far as thrillers go.

With this book, we follow along three main characters, women who met and became lifelong friends through foster care. We get the back and forth timeline of then versus now, which was easy to follow with no confusion. But just a heads up the past timeline shows the horrors of foster care and gives us detailed child abuse that was disturbing to read.

I will say I wasn't expecting that ending, and because it is a mystery trope, where we are fed parts of the puzzle as we continue reading, it kept my interest enough to see how it all played out. Based on the high ratings so far, I don't think anyone who picks this book up will be disappointed. I was just wanting more I guess.

**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my Goodreads account immediately and will post it to my Amazon & Instagram accounts upon publication.

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth // Mystery/Psychological Thriller
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

ARC Review:
Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have a sisterly bond that could withstand anything. After spending years of their lives as foster children at Wild Meadows under the care of Ms. Fairchild, they share a life story of trauma, love, and resilience. When the call comes that human remains have been found under what was once their foster home, they aren’t surprised. Who is it? Who did it? And how can they prove their innocence?

By the end of chapter one, Sally Hepworth already had me on the edge of my seat… and by the end of chapter three I was hooked.

Around the half way point things heated up even more, by 80% I thought I had it figured out. I was completely off the mark, though — the last chapter will throw you for a loop!

I HIGHLY recommend this book! I was absolutely stoked to get approved for this ARC… I just knew Sally wouldn’t disappoint, and she didn’t! It is available in Australia and New Zealand now, and comes out in the US on 4/23.

Okay this was fantastic!!! So eerie and so much happened. Darling girls follows 3 orphans in foster care. Their foster mother is cruel and absolutely horrible. Then as adults.. they get a call that bones were found under their childhood home. Gaaaah!!! So much drama. I loved all the girls so much the characters were all so different but had so much detail.

Thank you netgalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

This one…woah! The drama itself is off the charts. The back and forth between past and present kept me on my toes and I was turning the pages so fast to just inhale as much of this book as I could. Jessica Norah and Alicia have a bond that honestly can’t be broken and what they went through is enough to tug at anyone’s heart strings but the twists and turns in this story are the real stars. Absolutely addictive and captivating.

I was not disappointed by this book and it’s definitely another winner by Sally Hepworth! I did a mix of audio and ebook and really enjoyed the audiobook!

I loved the relationship between the three sisters. The past and present timeline of the book really helped explain how their actions in adult life were a result of their childhood trauma. I enjoyed the mystery person’s POV and was surprised by the twist at the end. This book was definitely a slow burn but the building suspense throughout and twists kept me reading and needing answers. I thought the ending was great and I appreciated how all the loose ends came together and my questions were answered.

There were a few slow parts in the middle of the book and I thought a few of the twists were predictable. Overall it was still a great thriller filled with suspense and drama.

I definitely recommend this book, especially if you love a suspenseful and slow burn thriller.

My Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth is a fast-paced domestic thriller that shines the spotlight on foster care worldwide. Even though the story is set in Melbourne, Australia, and a small village a few hours away, the issues illuminated in this story impact children everywhere, including the United States. As someone who has been involved in foster care advocacy in my role as a mental health counselor, I find this book resonated deeply with me.

When bones are discovered under the house where Jessica, Alicia, and Norah grew up while being fostered, everyone who has ever lived in the home is brought together and questioned. As the timeline switches back and forth, the case is concluded; I was left with such a significant chill down my spine that I had trouble sleeping.

Usually, I have a hard time with a story focused on the mistreatment of children, but the way this story is written - starting in the present and revealing the past in small, tantalizing glimpses - and the nature of the mistreatment (more emotional and not physical) - I was not only able to read the story but I was instantly drawn in and fully invested in it before I knew it. The narrative structure, with its alternating timelines, added to the suspense and kept me turning the pages. It was only towards the end that I started getting fatigued by the amount of abuse, but by then, it was almost over.

One of the most compelling aspects of My Darling Girls was the resilient journey of the foster sisters. Despite their diverse paths and ongoing struggles, their unbreakable bond as sisters shines through. This exploration of their family dynamics, even after they've aged out of the system and become independent adults, kept me deeply engrossed in their stories, evoking both admiration and empathy.

The conclusion of My Darling Girls was brilliant. To say that it sent chills down my spine would be an understatement-it was a fully immersive and satisfyingly creepy experience. The perfect ending to a thrilling journey that will leave readers eager for more.

Good book!
The ending was definitely unexpected!
It started out a bit slow but picked up about halfway through.
Thank you for the chance to read this.

I'm a sucker for a Sally Hepworth book, and Darling Girls did not disappoint! I do not think it's possible for her to write something I will not love.

Three women bonded by their upbringing in a foster home - sisters in all ways but blood. They have overcome the odds having grown up on a farm with their evil foster mom.
Years later, as the farmhouse is being demolished, bones are found buried underneath and they are brought back together as the book alternates between past and present. Their stories of abuse and perseverance throughout a traumatic childhood will bring the reader chills, as the investigation into who the bones belong to brings the past into light.

A creepy domestic thriller that will shock you all the way to the twisted ending!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Pub Date 23 April 2024

In solidarity with the St Martin’s Press boycott, I will not be reviewing this book. SMP must address the Islamophobia and racism among their staff and treat their Muslim and Palestinian authors and readers with the respect they deserve.

An addictive new thriller from Hepworth! Perfect for summer reading - propulsive, emotional, and a bit of cat-and-mouse mystery! While I will read everything Hepworth writes, I especially appreciated that this novel explored new territory and shed light on the foster care system and systemic trauma.

I have really enjoyed this book so far, but unfortunately I am DNFing at 50%.

I think this is a great story and I'm sure it has a really stellar ending, I've been hooked the whole time. However, I do think there should be a trigger warning indicating that there are infant remains. I was thinking it would be the remains of the foster mom.

Again, I think this is probably a really great book. I just cannot handle the infant remains at 21 weeks pregnant right now.

Love Hepworth! This was a very quick read with no loose ends. I loved the past and present to put the pieces together of whose body was buried. TW for abuse of children. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Darling Girls
3.75 stars

I am a die hard Sally Hepworth fan, she is an auto buy author for me.
This was a solid read. Throughout the novel, I had a sense of dread and tension. I found the relationship between the sisters believable and intense. I would classify this book as a character driven story as I felt the plot wasn't as interesting as the relationships.
I look forward to the next book!

I think Darling Girls is my new favorite by Sally Hepworth! There are definitely trigger warnings to be aware of and parts that were a little disturbing, but I couldn’t put it down from start to finish. I was immediately invested in the characters and loved that we got chapters from 3 different perspectives, plus some flashbacks into their childhood foster care experiences. I thought I knew where the book was going, but then the last couple of chapters through me for a loop and left me stunned.

Synopsis: Jessica, Norah and Alicia, were always told how lucky they were to be fostered by a loving woman named Mrs. Fairchild, however, their life in the beautiful farmhouse was far from the fairy tale everyone thought it was. The girls escaped and thought they were free from Mrs. Fairchild’s grasp until one day a body is discovered under the home they grew up in. The “darling girls”, who are now adults, head back to Port Agatha for the investigation, unsure if they’re being questioned as witnesses or suspects.

This was one of the most exciting thrillers I’ve read in a long time and I can’t wait for others to read it! Thank you for sharing an early copy with me to read and review!

You know those books that you stay up until the middle of the night reading? This is the one. I felt gaslit, on the edge of my seat, and outraged for 95% of this book. I couldn’t believe what was going on and couldn’t wait to find out what was happening. I don’t stay up until 3am reading books … ever. But with this one I did. I’m still thinking about it days later and am already planning a re-read. What an amazing book!

I read this book and listened to the audiobook at the same time as I was approved for both.

Wow this was a good one. Lately thrillers just aren’t as fun to read but THIS ONE PROVED THAT WRONG! WOW this was so good. I did not expect that ending what so ever!

I initially thought 4.5 ⭐️, but as I started writing this review, I realized I have nothing but positive things and will likely read this again, so 5 ⭐️ from me!!
I loved that I was able to read and listen to this at the same time, so I have a dual review of both audio narration and book.

I had all the feels! I was literally cracking up laughing, borderline crying and angry all at different points. Alicia’s jokes were on point! 😂

Sally Hepworth is truly an amazing storyteller! I was hooked from the beginning. The setting, the plot, the character development, all so great! The sisters were all so different and so well developed, I had a hard time not falling in love with all 3 of them. I even felt for miss Fairchild!

I have a pedi psych background, making the foster children story line more relatable to me, so that part of the story really tore at my heart strings and made me tear up at some parts.

The narration was great! I’ve never actually listened to an audiobook with an Australian accent and I loved it! The performance was perfect for the story line and Jessica Clarke nailed it for me. She was animated at all the right times, didn’t miss a beat.


The pacing of this book was just perfect, it wasn’t slow and it wasn’t fast, and I didn’t want to put it down or to end!! But it did end, and I love how nicely it was tied up.

Looking forward to my next Hepworth novel!!

Special thank you to NetGalley, St.Martins Press and Macmillan audio.

OOH this was such a good one! I loved the found family relationship between the three girls, the way that the past and the future were connected for them, and the unsettling vibes of the house and foster mom. We get the story of the 3 women themselves, their past in the house and current day, as well as the story of the foster mom. I thought I saw some of the twists coming, but I was mostly all wrong and I loved it. I usually find slow-burn thrillers frustrating, but I really liked this one. There were sufficient twists and the story itself was compelling enough for me to keep reading to find out more. There's some heavier content here around child abuse, so please proceed with caution if this is a difficult topic for you.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This book was intense, but amazing. I’ve only read a few of Sally Hepworth’s books, and this is by far my favorite by her! It was so close to 5 stars, but ended up being 4.5. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I got into the book thinking the dead body will be one person, then you think another, and ultimately it’s someone I didn’t even think about. The last chapter twist had me mind blown. 🤯

Reading books like this that talk about the foster care system, and shows what happens to these kids always makes me so angry. It’s not fair to these kids! I hate what happened to Jessica, Alicia, and Norah, but I’m so glad they had each other through it all. They stayed sisters into adulthood which is great and much needed for them. Miss Fairchild got what she deserved.