WOW! This one shocked me throughout. I gravitate towards thrillers because I enjoy trying to piece the puzzle together. BUT anything with harm towards children (or even the vulnerable) disgusts me, so it was a little hard to get through sometimes, and what was surprising is -for the most part- there isn’t anything that was especially graphic or repulsive in comparison to other books I have read, it was dark in the manner of emotional abuse, manipulation, narcissistic behavior that took place.

I liked the alternate timelines, I find that keeps my interest rather than being presented with all the information up front and it keeps up with the shock factor. The way the story is all wrapped up in the end, I feel it all comes together, although it is beyond disturbing when it is revealed what actually occurred.

There was a bit of emotional rollercoaster that took place reading about childhood traumas and understanding why people behave the way that they do, but even that was worked out by the end of the book. I even felt guilty for being suspicious of some characters.

One thing I thought was strange, and although not the *point* of the book, was the relationship that Jessica had with her husband Phil. I’m sure it was to show that growing up in foster care and not having been shown real love and affection, it was hard for her to understand it and give that to someone else, but it was also weird that he was just “patient” with her and didn’t really “try” and work things out as they happened. He seemed standoffish and always looking in on his own life, to me, like how he left the room when the sisters were talking about their upbringing.

If you are a thriller reader, or a fan of Sally Hepworth, I’d def recommend adding this to your TBR! Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for my DRC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars. Jessica, Norah and Alicia grew up in a foster home called Wild Meadows Farm, owned and operated by a woman known to them as Miss Fairchild, who turns out to be a wicked foster mother. Years later, after the girls are grown, the body of an infant is found buried under the farmhouse, and the girls travel back to where they grew up.

The plot is told from the three girls’ points of view in both the past and the present, as well as portions told by a mysterious someone who appears to be speaking with Dr. Warren a psychiatrist. This was definitely a page turner (although there is a lot of unnecessary repetition) and some interesting twists and turns. I had much of what happened towards the end figured out, and as I neared the very end I was pretty disappointed that I had and that it all seemed pretty trite . . . but then a huge twist occurred that I would have never seen coming, thus making my overall reading experience a better one.

I’m struggling with this one.

On the one hand, I thought the characters were very compelling. It’s a dual timeline but I found myself equally interested in both stories, which is a hard thing to do. It’s highly suspenseful- a nail biter. I cared about the kids in both present day and the past and was worried about what was in store for them.

On the other hand, this was a tough read. It features child neglect and abuse heavily. And although I don’t think it was gratuitous, and I think the proper research was done, it’s just so hard to read. There are also mentions of sexual assault and rape, as well as a portrayal of addiction and overdose. If you have triggers in any of those categories, please avoid this book.

I liked most of the ending and found it ended on a hopeful note for the girls, which the book really needed. It’s just the final chapter I wish hadn’t been included. I found it extremely off putting for some reason, and also unnecessary. It sort of rendered everything that came before just absolutely senseless, and shifted the view of the story as a whole. It just made the book so much darker after seeing that glimmer of hope. I’m not sure if that even makes sense but I strongly disliked it.

The book flows smoothly and the writing is fine. Will probably read from Hepworth again? I just hope the next book is maybe a little lighter in subject matter.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy.

This is my first Sally Hepworth book and I was not disappointed! I was hooked from the first few pages and the plot kept me guessing until the very end.

3.5* rounded up to 4

Thank you to netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I have liked her books in the past so I was excited to be approved for this one.

Darling Girls is a dual time-line thriller about three foster children who grow up with an abusive foster mother. They remain close as adults and consider themselves real sisters. The home is being demolished in present time and bones are discovered under the house.

I think I read too many thrillers because this book was well written and suspenseful but I didn't find anything too shocking about it or the ending. There was an interesting element of an unnamed character talking to a psychiatrist but I didn't think it was too difficult to figure out who it was. Overall, it was enjoyable but not my favorite of hers.

I loved that we got a POV from multiple characters and I always enjoy a past/present timeline. This book read more like a family drama with a mystery than a thriller. It was a fast paced story that definitely kept my attention. I was afraid we weren’t going to get that shocking twist that I need out of a mystery/thriller, but the last 3 pages were worth the wait!

As this story unfolds, you really feel for these young girls, children, orphans, who are sent to live with a foster mother. All is not as it seems to be, well, except for the psychological torturing these girls suffer at the hands of their foster mom. The three of them form an inseparable bond because of it. We meed Jessica, Norah, and Alicia as adults when the remains of a human are found under the home they grew up in. What exactly happened at their home, Wild Meadows, who belongs to the body that was found, are the girls involved? As the story evolves and the way these girls were punished comes to the surface, is it any wonder they turned out the way they did? This one is a slow burn and keeps you riveted to the end. The narration is well done. This might be my favorite by Sally Hepworth. Apr 2024 release

This is a page turner filled with secrets, lies, and murder! Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have an unbreakable bond as sisters that was forged when they were foster kids at Wild Meadows Farm under the parentage of Miss Holly Fairchild. Their childhood memories are filled with gaslighting and terror but the girls survived and nothing can come between them now. As adults, they are lured back to Port Agatha once again when a body is found buried under the house they lived in. Who is the victim? There is a lot to unpack in this one and the ending will spin you around! Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on April 23, 2024

Twisted mystery about 3 foster sisters and the foster mom that connected them all. Miss Fairchild comes across as eccentric and nutty when Jessica arrives but she slowly becomes strict and abusive when the other two arrive. The girls bond like sisters as they know it’s the only way to survive Wild Meadows.
They return 25 years later when they receive a call from police that the bones had been discovered and Wild Meadows. Each sister is hiding things. Will they all come out? Whose bones? How did they get there? And why did Miss Fairchild take them in anyways?
Really enjoyed the ARC I read. Another good Sally Hepworth!

What on Earth did I just read !?!? 🤯🤯🤯

I absolutely devoured this book! I will say please k is there are triggers for this book in my opinion and the biggest one being child abuse.

Right when I thought this book couldn’t get anymore dark the ending just jumped out and made my jaw drop to the ground! And that alone gave it five stars for me. However the entire book was so incredibly done. I love all the shocking events and turns of events. I loved trying to figure out what happened to Amy along with the three girls. Just bravo on this book 👏🏻

Sally Hepworth has once again created an intriguing and suspenseful thriller. Three women who were fostered together as girls learn that a body has been found under the house they stayed in. An investigation and much chaos ensue as the women try to come to terms with their difficult pasts. This has multiple time periods and lots of layers, which all come together for an unpredictable conclusion. The characters are very raw and real and it’s interesting to see them develop through the book. Fans of Liane Moriarty and B.A. Paris will enjoy this.

Darling Girls focuses on three girls who were raised together in a foster home, and are dealing with a dark mystery that is bringing their troubled childhood to light. The book shifts between multiple perspectives and timelines. I absolutely devoured this thriller, which is a great non-scary domestic thriller that I highly recommend to anyone who loves the genre.

LOVED Darling Girls! This was the psychological thriller I needed from my TBR. Just the right amount of slow burn without an overly complicated plot to follow.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are sisters in every way that matters except blood. Bound together by trauma, each sister is grappling with current issues when they receive a phone call dredging up their past.

The remains of a young child have been found under their old foster care home. As the police bring the women in for questioning, each relive the abuse they experienced under the care of their foster mother Miss Fairchild. They also struggle with current relationships and missteps that are keeping them from moving beyond their past.

The plot builds slowly, but hold on it picks up quickly. The ending has a very Silent Patient vibe that I did foresee and yet it was incredibly well executed.

4.5 stars!

I really enjoyed this book! It is fast paced, easy to read, and twisty. The POV shifts and the alternating timelines worked well, and all the characters were well defined. And that twist at the end... mind blown! This was my first Sally Hepworth novel but it won't be my last!

The only drawback was that it needs another round of serious editing. There were A LOT of typos and grammatical errors. I know this was an "uncorrected" ARC, but for a traditionally published novel, the amount of errors was surprising.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martins Press for an advanced copy of Sally Hepworth’s newest novel, “ Darling Girls”. Every book Hepworth has written I have DEVOURED in a few sittings, and this one definitely is binge worthy. The story follows three girls who have all shared the same foster home for a short period of time. The experiences they had in that home have shaped them in who they are as adults today for better or for worse. They receive word that a dead body has been found buried at their foster home, and all go back to face the demons that they thought they buried down. This book was hard to read at points since I have young kids, but I couldn’t put it down. Hands down her best work yet.

OMG! This was SO good, like a good mystery/thriller/suspense novel should be with all the twists, turns, and unfounded predictions! Nope, I never guessed what happened until the last chapter! I am so in love with this book and how the author unfolded the entire story of the 3 sisters: Jessica, Alicia, and Norah. They were raised by a foster mom named Holly Fairchild, who was anything but what anyone would want a foster parent to be. The sisters had a horrific upbringing. Then when they were adults and living various lifestyles with different job careers, one day they find out that the police need to talk to all three because they'd found buried bones at Wild Meadows, the foster home they grew up in.

The journey these girls went on took me on a wild goose chase of a journey and I loved it! Kudos to Ms. Hepworth whose books I'll be looking into and reading more of her work!

This had me hooked from page one until the very last page. I’m stunned. This was my first Sally Hepworth read and definitely not my last!

Sally Hepworth's latest novel, Darling Girls, is a suspenseful exploration of past trauma and the lasting bonds of sisterhood. The story follows three women, Alicia, Jessica, and Norah, who were brought together as foster children in a seemingly idyllic setting called Wild Meadows. However, the discovery of bones buried on the property sends them back to confront a dark past they thought they'd left behind. Hepworth easily brings the reader between past and present timelines building suspense with each new chapter. You will be left constantly guessing about the truth behind the buried bones and the secrets of Wild Meadows. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced reader copy. I give it a solid 4.5 stars!

4.5-4.75⭐️ which I’ve rounded up

Alicia, Jessica and Norah regard themselves as sisters after their stay together in foster care in the care of Miss Fairchild. They are carrying emotional baggage from that time of their lives.

It’s written in a light chatty humorous tone, don’t be fooled as the storyline is deliciously dark.

It alternates between the present police investigation and the past, the time frames work really well to disclose the story. There’s some great twists and turns.

This is one of my favourites by this author, it’s one that’s well worth reading

I love anything I have read by this author. I love her subtle writing style, full of nuances. This one was slightly different in writing style……not quite as subtle. But, definitely a page-turner.

In this story, Ms Hepworth tackles the foster care system. The main characters are three young girls who meet at one foster home and become “sisters” by circumstance. Their foster home is far from perfect but they are loyal to each other and give each other strength. The narrators change throughout the book from one sister to another. The chapters tell the past and the present.

The author interviewed 12 survivors before writing the book. Each one of them experienced “bewilderment, displacement and powerlessness” at being taken from their home and placed with strangers in foster care. While those foster parents may have been kind, these feelings followed them from childhood to adulthood. Sadly, the home the three girls in the story were placed in, was not a kind one. And, their experience affects their adult life.

The story has a mystery, discovered in the present day. There are lots of twists and turns. The characters are well-developed. The three sisters got closure at the end.

I hope this is not a spoiler: there was a final twist at the end, totally unexpected. Some of the other reviewers did not like this twist. Perhaps it was over the top. But, I thought it was reminiscent of the old Alfred Hitchcock tv series. (Yes, I am old!) Just when the viewer thought it was over, there was that final zing. Yes!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.