I had a great time with this book! I thought that the mystery was solid and loved that the story kept me guessing until the very end. This story is about 3 girls, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, who grew up together in foster care with Miss Fairchild. We meet these girls in the present day after a body is found at their old home and get to know their pasts, both in foster care and the time leading up to placement. I found this book almost impossible to put down once I started reading.

I liked Jessica, Norah, and Alicia but I wasn’t entirely sure if I should trust them. All 3 women were obviously still dealing with the events from their past. They consider themselves to be sisters and have remained very close in the years after leaving Miss Fairchild’s care. Miss Fairchild seemed loving at first but as the story progressed, it became obvious just how difficult she would be to please.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that Jessica Clarke did a fabulous job with the narration. I love the way that she was able to bring this story to life through the character’s voices which seemed to contain just the right amount of emotion. I found her voice to be very pleasant and had no issues listening to this book for hours at a time. I am certain that her performance added to my overall enjoyment of this story.

I would recommend this book to others. I was quickly hooked by this mystery and couldn’t wait to see how things would work out. I grew to care about the 3 women who grew up under Miss Fairchild’s rule and wanted to see good thing happen for them. I will definitely be reading more of this author’s work in the future.

I received a review copy of this book from Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press.

Phenomenal book! Kept me captivated and engaged with every twist and turn!! This is a must read! Loved it.

CLEVER AND CAPTIVATING DRAMA TURNED MYSTERY

SUMMARY
Three young and unrelated girls named Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were saved from family tragedies and placed in foster care. They were fortunate to be placed with Miss Fairchild, who appeared to be a loving and caring foster mother. She had a beautiful and welcoming home in the countryside; however, things are not always what they seemed. The girls had to endure several years of difficulty and hardship before they were finally able to escape from the clutches of Miss Fairchild. But the emotional scars caused by Miss Fairchild will last a lifetime.

Many years later, the three foster sisters, now grown women, are still very close. One day, the police reached out to inform them that a dead body was found under the house where they were raised. They request that the three return to their foster home for interviews. The sisters are shocked and frightened. Are they the key witnesses to the crime, or are they, in fact, the prime suspects?

REVIEW
DARLING GIRLS is a clever and captivating novel by Sally Hepworth. The heart-racing story is a drama-turned-mystery, and the writing is well-structured and atmospheric. Hepworth flawlessly blends the past and present.

The characters, including Jessica, Norah, Alicia, and Miss Fairchild, are all well-developed and intriguing. The book also explores the heartwarming story of female friendships that can offer support during the most challenging times and last a lifetime. DARLING GIRLS is a highly enjoyable and fast read. I listened to the audiobook and found the performance by narrator Jessia Clarke delightful.

I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher St. Martin’s Press
Published April 23, 2024
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Darling Girls is Sally Hepworth’s latest thriller. This is another fantastic book by this extremely talented author. It is told in dual timelines and multiple point of views. Fast paced and engaging this is a compelling story of three girls/women and a murder that happened decades ago. Ms. Hepworth will keep you on the edge of your seat with many twists that are perfectly placed. The characters are well developed, flawed, damaged and relatable. There are some sensitive subjects but this author handles them well without taking away from the story. I read and listened to this one, the narrator added to many of the thrills. I highly recommend this book and wonderful author, she never disappoints.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, MacMillan Audio and Sally Hepworth for this page turning domestic suspense to read and review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
#netgalley #stmartinspress #macmillanaudio
#sallyhepworth. #darlinggirls. #arc #domesticsuspense

Wow, I couldn't stop listening to this dark, twisty, character-driven mystery thriller! I appreciated seeing all the perspectives since the story was told through the alternating POVs of foster sisters Jessica, Nora, and Alicia, as well as a mystery person. It also includes past and present timelines. Each of these characters was complex and interesting on their own. While narrator Jessica Clarke doesn't significantly vary her voice for the three women, it was easy to follow who was speaking. Clarke's chilling portrayal of Miss Fairchild was incredible!

I loved the bond between the three sisters. These women remain loyal to and support one another long after leaving Miss Fairchild's house, no matter where they are.

This powerful, dark, wild ride of a thriller was a great listen you'll think about long after finishing it!

3 "sisters" who grew up with their foster mother, Ms Fairchild try to come to grips with their childhood at the country manor when a body is found on the estate. This book pokes hole with the foster care system. The climax and ending threw me for a loop. Jessica Clarke did a fantastic narration.

Darling Girls followed 3 foster sisters, Jessica, Norah (“with an h” 😉), and Alicia who live with Miss Fairchild at Wild Meadows. The girls have anything but a good start in life. Fast forward to 25 years later and we get an update on where they are and how they are coping. They are still very much looking out for each other. Things take a turn when there is a call from the police detective informing the girls that a body has been found buried underneath their old house. Are the girls witnesses or suspects??
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We hear a voice from all three sisters, which I really enjoyed. I was happy with how things wrapped up. I’m not a big fan of books with some sort of child abuse, so I was treading lightly with this one. But it was hooked right from the start and never let go! I ate.this.one.up. 🔥
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The narrator had an Australian accent and spoke quickly so there was no speeding it up. But Jessica Clark delivered a solid read. I would enjoy listening to another read by her.
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Darling Girls reads very quickly. Highly recommend for thriller lovers!

"Darling Girls" by Sally Hepworth is about three young girls in the Australian foster care system. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are all put in the care of Miss Fairchild. This placement seems like a "lucky break" to their social workers, who only see a beautiful house and a sweet foster mom. The adults are very wrong; Miss Fairchild is a master manipulator. The girls form a powerful bond while helping each other through their time at Miss Fairchild's. When they finally escape, they vow never to go back. But years later, when the police find a body buried on the property, the girls have no choice but to go back and revisit old memories that they wanted to leave far behind them.

This storyline was incredibly interesting. I enjoyed the pacing of the plot and the multiple POVs. The characters were well-developed, and even though they weren't very likable, I still cared about them - which isn't always easy for an author to accomplish. Hepworth was able to put us deep in these characters' heads, which I appreciate. This was an excellent psychological thriller, and it kept me guessing! I may have figured out one twist, but I was surprised by many more that I didn't see coming. If you enjoy books by authors like Gillian Flynn or Paula Hawkins, I think you'll find "Darling Girls" to be a compelling read. Sally Hepworth is definitely an auto-buy author for me after this one!

The narration was excellent; I had no trouble following changes in POV. Jessica Clarke really brought the story and characters to life. I will be looking for other audiobooks by this narrator!

Tropes: found family, sister bonds, buried secrets, multiple POVs, dual timelines.
Trigger Warnings: child abuse, foster care abuse, addiction.

4.5/5
Sally Hepworth has done it again! I've yet to read anything by this woman that I did not devour and Darling Girls is no exception. The novel follows three foster sisters, now adults, who return to the town they lived in with their abusive foster mother when bones are found beneath the house they escaped from as children. The story seamlessly flows between the perspective of each sister, flashes back to their childhood memories, and explores the complicated, terrifying relationship they had with their foster mother, as well as the bond of sisterly love that develops between them. This book will tug at your heart strings, make you incensed, and desperate to stay up all night to finish. Hepworth is a master at creating raw, flawed characters that are so real and relatable, you feel like you know them. This is everything you want in a mystery thriller.

Jessica, Norah and Alicia have been raised in a foster home by Miss Fairchild. On the outside, it looks like they are so lucky. They live in a nice home on a farming estate. But, all is not as tranquil as it seems!

These three sisters have grown up now and have their own lives. They have stayed very close. So, when the cops find a dead body on their foster home estate, these three circle the wagons and become very tight lipped and protective.

All three of these young women have issues from their time in foster care. And it all goes back to Miss Fairchild and her unpredictability and her insane behavior.

I have only read a couple of books by this author and they have been 3-4 star reads for me. BUT YALL! This book is so good! I could not stop listening to it. You just knew something creepy and evil went on, you just couldn’t quite put your finger on what. You think you know…but do you???

The narrator, Jessica Clarke, nailed it! I love a narrator that is strong and steady!

Need a good thriller which will have you guessing till the end…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

A psychological mystery that has it all!! It reminds me of gone girl but is way more entertaining and keeps ahold of your attention! Darling girls is another winner for Sally!!! She is a master of suspense !

DARLING GIRLS - SALLY HEPWORTH

4.5⭐

PLOT
Jessica, Norah & Alicia were rescued as young girls and Ms Fairchild raised them foster kids on her farming estate. But it wasn't a fairy tale everyone thinks their life was.
Now a body is discovered under the home they grew up in and these three sisters are under spotlight as key witness or even prime suspects?

MY THOUGHTS -
This book will keep you hooked from page 1 and guarantee you will binge read it. The best part it was told in alternative Pov and timelines. The final twist was something which I didn't see coming but what I liked the best was that each character had a perfect resolution this making it very satisfying !!
Would definitely recommend audiobook for this one it was so well done!

It has been twenty-five years since Jessica, Norah, and Alicia left Port Agatha and Wild Meadows. the farming estate that had been their home where they lived under the care of their cruel and manipulative foster mother, Miss Fairchild. Their memories of those years are far from happy ones and though they are no longer the scared teenagers they were when they reported Miss Fairchild to the authorities all those years ago, their experiences have left an indelible imprint on their lives. But they had each other and together, they endured and survived their ordeal. Though not related by blood, they consider themselves sisters, and their love and unwavering support for one another has only grown stronger over the years. When a body is discovered under the farmhouse, the ensuing investigation draws the sisters back to Port Agatha, where they are forced to revisit their past and the memories that have haunted them.

I thoroughly enjoyed Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth. The narrative is shared from the perspectives of the three main characters with segments from sessions between a character, whose identity is revealed later on in the story, and a psychiatrist interspersed throughout the narrative. The author does a commendable job of depicting the flaws of the foster care system and the long-lasting effects of childhood trauma. I really liked how the author defines the three main characters and their distinctive personalities – strong women who have survived, complex and flawed yet vulnerable, each battling their own demons. The author deftly weaves between past and present timelines into a consistently paced ( a tad on the slower side), suspenseful narrative with convincing characters (even the unlikable ones) and enough twists and turns that keep you turning the pages till you reach the final revelation, which did surprise me ( I always love that!).

I paired my reading with the audiobook and I have to say that I loved Jessica Clarke’s narration and thought she did a remarkable job of breathing life into this story and the characters.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the digital review copy via NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book had a slow start but WOW did it hook me. It pulled me in & I sped through it desperate to know how it ended. And the very end made my jaw drop!

I would recommend checking out the trigger warnings because it does deal with some dark topics.

I was excited to receive this title but it wasn't as mystery/thriller as I would have liked, just a lot of family drama.

I finally read a Sally Hepworth book! I can't believe I waited this long. I truly enjoyed her writing style and captivating narrative. In this book three foster sisters are forced to relive their traumatic childhood at a foster home, when years later the police finds human remains at the home's site.

This book had all the elements of the perfect psychological thriller. Girls with a broken childhood and a rough adulthood, manipulative foster mother, decades-old haunting mystery. I loved multiple POVs with dual timelines. They were seamlessly executed and the shocking ending really came together.

The amazing thing about the three main characters, the sisters, was that despite the terrible situation the girls were in, they grew up to be loving, compassionate and loyal. Yes, they carried some trauma with them as adults, but they were so strong because they had each other. It gave me comfort knowing that the sisters were working on their healthy future. I knew they would be ok.

The story was propulsive and unpredictable. The ending carried a shocking twist. It was such a bingeable read! Audiobook was very well narrated - highly recommend. I am really looking forward to adding more books by this author to my tbr.

I originally read the eARC of Darling Girls in September and was thrilled to do a reread in April when I was sent an ALC! Thank you St Martins Press and Macmillan Audio!

It is difficult to read a book by Darling Girls and gush about it, considering the sensitivity of the subject matter. However, gush I will, as this story blew me away.

Three girls, Jessica, Norah and Alicia, with completely different backgrounds all end up in the same foster home with Miss Fairchild. At first seeming idyllic and lovely, Fairchild’s true despicable nature seems to worsen and reveal sooner with the arrival of each additional child. As adults, Jessica Norah and Alicia are thankfully still family, but are called back to their former home when skeletal remains are found…

The story is told between past and present timelines of the three girls, and a fourth character who is a mystery for the majority of the story. These characters all feel so distinct, layered, and deeply flawed. They are also dealing with unfathomable trauma. Somehow in all of this, there is a strong undercurrent of hope with splashes of much needed humor. I loved it.

The narration of the audiobook was so well done. Jessica Clarke perfectly captured the full range of characters which is no small feat! With short chapters and gripping storytelling, Darling Girls shines in a way only Hepworth is able to deliver! This dark, twisty mystery will both enthrall readers and break their hearts.

HAPPY PUB DAY to 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓖𝓲𝓻𝓵𝓼 by @sallyhepworth! This one is my favorite SH book to date! She is definitely an auto-buy author for me.

Three foster girls all grown up and called back to the town where they grew up to answer questions in a murder investigation. Bones were found buried on the grounds of their old foster home, and everyone involved is a suspect. With dual timelines and three POVs, it gives you a chance to get to know each of the girls and care for them all. They’ve all got secrets that they’ve tried to keep hidden which makes for a good twisty novel. I loved the bond the girls formed as kids. It was tough to read at times, but I also couldn’t stop reading. Loved that I didn’t see the ending coming!

Be sure to add this to your list! If you already love Sally, you’ll love this one. It’s darker than her other books but so binge-worthy! If you haven’t ready any of her books, I’m coming at you!

I really enjoyed this book and read it over a couple days. I liked the three points of view. The author spend a lot of time showing you their childhood , growing up together, and getting to know the dynamics. There were a lot of twists and it kept me guessing. A great read and would recommend .

I enjoyed the audiobook tremendously! Narrator Jessica Clarke really brings the story and characters to life!
I did love the format of now and then chapters and having all three characters' points of view. I felt like we learned a lot about Jessica, Norah and Alicia through their younger years. They have a lot to be upset about but they stuck together no matter what they went through and that carries into their adult lives. At times some of the now was hard to follow, or understand to begin with; some of the character quirks until we got to know a lot more about the characters.
Sally Hepworth writes a gripping, suspenseful tale that will keep you guessing to the end! It is the first book I've read from the author. I had a hard time putting it down. I kept predicting small pieces along the way, but not enough to put the whole picture together! The ending was a real jaw-dropper that I didn't see coming.
I highly recommend reading this book, as the twists and turns were plentiful!! I read this book late into the night, and the ending was well worth it!!
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an early listen to the audiobook.