"Darling Girls "by Sally Hepworth had all the ingredients for a gripping domestic thriller—sisterhood, secrets, murder, and a creepy foster mom—but for me, it just didn’t hit the mark. It was just OK...

Here’s the setup: Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were foster sisters raised by Miss Fairchild, a woman who seemed perfect on the outside, but had some seriously messed-up rules. Years later, when a body is found under their old home, the sisters are dragged back into the spotlight. Are they witnesses? Or suspects?

Sounds juicy, right? Except it wasn’t quite the thrill ride I was hoping for.

Don’t get me wrong, the premise is solid, and I liked the whole dark underbelly of the foster system vibe. But the pacing was slow, and the characters all felt pretty flat. There wasn’t enough distinction between the sisters' POVs, and I often found myself confused about who was narrating. The plot had potential but ended up feeling a bit predictable, and the "shocking" twist at the end... yeah, not so much. More like a shrug than a jaw-dropper.

One saving grace? Jessica Clarke’s narration. She did a great job keeping the audiobook engaging, even when the story wasn’t pulling me in. So props to her—I’d definitely listen to more of her work!

Special thanks to Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy via the NetGalley app!

This thriller mystery gave me all the satisfaction a good one should. Foster siblings with a mean foster mom are always a vibe and I loved how creepy and suspenseful it was. Thanks to @stmartinspress for the eARC and to @macmillan.audio for the ALC. Sorry I’m so belated in getting this review out, but this summer kinda chewed me up and spit me out. This book was quite excellent though, I highly recommend to all my thriller friends! Sally Hepworth does not disappoint on this one!

"Darling Girls" by Sally Hepworth is a solid read with engaging characters and a compelling premise. The novel explores themes of family dynamics and personal struggles, but it occasionally falls into predictable patterns. While the story kept me interested, it didn’t quite stand out from similar books in the genre. Overall, it’s an enjoyable, if somewhat formulaic, read for fans of domestic dramas.

I really enjoyed the audiobook performance, though! I felt the narrator, Jessica Clarke, did a fantastic job and I would happily listen to more from her!

This was a heartbreaking, poignant read. These girls and their experience of the foster system, ouf, it was a nightmare for them. That being said, I love how they banded together and the relationship they have now. The book is divided in past and present chapters. Admittedly, the past chapters held more of my interest, not just because of the drama about the foster system but because I felt we got to know the girls more from those chapters. The ending was surprising and a little shocking but all in all, a great slow burn thriller.

The narrator was great and played the characters well!

Thanks to Macmillan audio and NetGalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

This is a domestic thriller with serious trigger warnings, going into the dirty underbelly of the foster system and a LOT of child abuse, told in three POVs and two timelines. Although I usually love Sally Hepworth, I did not like this one, I thought it was kind of boring and had to constantly fight against myself to bring my attention back to the book. There was no real distinction between the different characters, which made it hard to know which POV we were in, and they all felt kind of flat. The "shocking" ending was borderline insulting. So, I think it's safe to say this one was not for me, but I have read many amazing reviews for this book so don't let mine deter you from picking this up!
I received an advance copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I'm a huge fan of this author so I was so excited and grateful to receive this one. Honestly, I enjoyed this story. I wouldn't say it was my favorite by this author but it was a good listen. The narrators did a fantastic job and kept my interest throughout the whole story. The plot was intriguing and the writing was well done. The pacing could have been a bit better but when you turn the speed of the audiobook to 2.5x you hardly notice the slow pacing. Overall, I'd recommend.

3/5 ⭐️

Darling Girls follows the story of three foster sisters—Jessica, Norah, and Alicia—who were once seen as the luckiest girls around. Rescued from tragic circumstances and raised by the seemingly benevolent Miss Fairchild on a picturesque estate, they were given what appeared to be a second chance at a happy life. However, the reality of their upbringing was far from the fairy tale everyone believed.

Miss Fairchild, while providing a home, ruled with an iron fist. Her strict rules, unpredictable nature, and the ever-present threat of her wrath created a tense and suffocating environment for the girls. After years of enduring her control, the sisters finally managed to escape, hoping to leave Miss Fairchild and their dark past behind. But when a body is discovered under their childhood home, their past comes crashing back, and the sisters are drawn into an investigation that positions them as either key witnesses or prime suspects.

While the premise of Darling Girls is intriguing, the execution leaves much to be desired. The pacing of the story is uneven, and while the characters have potential, their development feels somewhat flat. The tension between the sisters and the mystery surrounding Miss Fairchild could have been explored more deeply to create a more compelling narrative. Instead, the plot often meanders, and the suspense never quite reaches the level it seems to promise.

The novel’s conclusion also falls short, lacking the impactful resolution that might have elevated the story. What could have been a gripping exploration of trauma, family dynamics, and the long shadows of the past ends up being a rather middling read. For readers who enjoy thrillers with complex characters and deep psychological twists, Darling Girls may not fully satisfy.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This book was as twisty as it was heartbreaking. Stories about the foster system typically infuriate me, and this one was no different. Hepworth did a fantastic job crafting not only a strong storyline but a great lineup of characters. I loved learning about Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, and I enjoyed unpacking their shared trauma. It was both painful and rewarding. The Mrs. Fairchild character, though, is the real treat, a character that you love hating and just can't wait to see them get theirs!


This is definitely another fantastic audiobook. The phenomenal voice acting truly pulled me into the characters and story.

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC! The narrator was great! WTH did I just read!! Jessica, Alicia and Norah are foster children that were raised my Ms. Fairchild at the Wild Meadows estate and considered themselves sisters. Ms. Fairchild was supposed to be the epitome of a perfect parent, or was she?

Years later, when the sisters are now women, they get contacted my the police stating that they had found a body at Wild Meadows and are asked if they can come back for questioning. The authorities need help in finding who this person was and if they can assist with finding out who did this.

By going back to Wild Meadows, Jessica, Norah and Alicia start to unpack their childhood and we get to see what did they really go through and if they did have this perfect life that Ms. Fairchild portrayed. This story is told in dual timelines and multiple POVs this psychological thriller was good from beginning to end! Please check the trigger warnings for this book and it is on the dark side but it was really, really good and I definitely recommend it!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this audio book. You follow three sisters--bound by their time in foster care--with present and past timeline perspectives. There is also an interwoven section taking place in a psychiatrist's office and you don't know who the patient is. This is my second Hepworth book, and I found it superior to the first one I read. She developed the characters well, creating each persona to feel authentic and real; she did her research, and it shows in how the characters read. The topic of this story is very intense and triggering, so readers should do their due diligence if they are worried about the sensitivity of the plotline. In essence this was a police investigation story and a reckoning of a traumatic childhood experience between the three sisters. There was humor and sarcasm and ultimately this book did not take itself too seriously. It was wild in where it took you and that made it hard to put down.
The Australian narration was pretty solid, although at times it was hard for my American accent to digest. Because of this, I had it at normal speed, though this level was slightly awkward in its cadence and pacing. Nevertheless, the narrator was mostly easy and engaging to listen to, making the audio experience an enjoyable addition to the story itself.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for making this audiobook available. I have always liked Sally Hepworth but the last few titles have seemed so similar. I think that this will be my last go for this author.

I heard Sally Hepworth speak and she was a delight.
Her book was kinda creepy underneath the sparkly exterior.
Fans of gothic suspense and modern psychological thrillers will enjoy this book.

Don't hate me. I absolutely adore Sally Hepworth's books, and I don't believe I've ever given her anything other than a 3.4 or 4 star. I just couldn't get into this and after three attempts and a solid 3h into the book, i finally DNF'd. It's getting such good reviews and i read all of her books, so i'll probably try again, at which time i will update my rating.

Sally Hepworth is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. Her books are so easy to read and keep my attention with the way she weaves mystery with human connection is masterful. Darling Girls was no exception here, I needed to know what happened to these girls and what Ms. Fairchild had going on. Found siblings, tragic childhoods and now a child's body is found where these girls spent their childhood? A recipe for an un-put-downable read!

Thank you, MacMillan Audio, for the audio review copy of this book! The opinions in this review are my own and unbiased.

I went into this book without any expectations. I did read the description, but I didn't have any other information or thoughts. The book turned out to be a great read with a nice little twist. Some of the plot was predictable. However, there was definitely more to the story than met the eye. The characters were multi-dimensional, with some of them being morally gray (which I always like). Overall, a great book!

I was wanting to like this book but it was a DNF for me. I’ve liked other books by Sally Hepworth, but the plot of this story didn’t grab my attention. I was glad I tried it as an audiobook because I was able to make it farther than I probably would have with a physical copy/kindle.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I like how Hepworth writes a psychological thriller but adds some humor to it. The character of Nora with an H was especially amusing. True, her humor came because she was a train wreck.

This story moved a bit slower than some of the author’s other works. I did like the characters and their developments and there was a major twist.

I liked the narrator. She did a good job of giving different voices to different characters and emotes well.

If you liked the author’s other works, you should enjoy this one as well.

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth was a near unputdownable book for me.
It is a dual timeline story told through multiple characters. In the beginning it might be a little bit confusing to keep all the characters apart, especially in the audiobook format, but I thought that the author as well as Jessica Clarke, the narrator, did an excellent job giving each character a distinctive voice. The pacing was good, the characters were well developed and the story itself kept my attention. The plot twist might have been a little predictable for those who frequently read the genre, but I thought it was entertaining regardless.
Checking trigger warnings might be advised.

This book grabbed me from the beginning anything having to do with young girls kind of raised in an orphanage or in a different situation is totally up my alley I was intrigued by what these young girls went through. Was there a missing girl was there not a missing girl? Did they imagine that there was someone else really a gripping story Sally Hepworth has done it again great book highly recommend.

The narrator of this audiobook was fantastic! I usually only really enjoy one specific narrator of audiobooks but this one was really great! She really did a good job of acting out the story line. Thank you for this copy!