Darling Girls

Sally Hepworth

Thriller

SISTERS, SECRETS, LOVE, AND MURDER… Sally Hepworth’s new novel has it all.

For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.

But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed. In a moment of desperation, the three broke away from Miss Fairchild and thought they were free. Even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects?

A thrilling page-turner of sisterhood, secrets, love, and murder by New York Times bestselling author Sally Hepworth.

-Excerpt taken from Goodreads.

Check Goodreads to see the book’s ratings.

My Opinion

(4 / 5) Jess, Norah and Alicia all end up in foster care at Miss Fairchild’s home when they were kids. Miss Fairchild and her beautiful home appeared to be exactly what every child would want; A doting mother figure, a beautiful house and extensive land to play on. What their lives actually were is where the interest begins.

As adults, all three women are called back to the house for an investigation of bones found on the property. Everyone is a suspect, memories are sifted and examined and each character is challenged.

I loved the bond the three women had, enough so that they called themselves sisters. Miss Fairchild was a paradox of sweetness and cruelty. We are taken from the present back through each of their memories to find the truth.

The end was satisfying but also had a spectacular twist. While the foster stories were difficult at times to hear, they was imperative to the story. I highly recommend this one to those who love sister stories, found family and overcoming trauma.

AUDIO REVIEW: Jessica Clarke did a great job with each character. Her light Australian accent made her voice even more enjoyable. She portrayed sinister vibes well along with the love the women had for each other.

General content summary: F words= 20+

Language

Foster care (previous)

Mentions of intimacy (no details)

Parent suicide (previous)

Parent drug death (previous)

Child sexual abuse (previous, few details)

Child bullying (previous, physical)

Child mistreatment (previous, multiple, some details, many questionable disciplinary actions, locked in rooms)

Child missing 

Anxiety/panic attack and abusing the drugs

Grandparent/caretaker death and grief 

Nude pics sent over phone 

M/F teen intimacy (few details)

Child/teen sexual assault (previous, pregnancy)

F/F kisses and relationship (naked briefly, closed door 2x)

Physical spouse abuse

Teen pregnancy and birth 

Attempted suicide (pills, hospital))

Kidnapping 

Child skeleton found (few details)

Child murder (few details)

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the copy!

The book releases April 23, 2024.

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