Quick Synopsis

When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, three foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects?

Publisher’s Synopsis

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.

Book Review

I started reading Sally Hepworth a few books ago. I have enjoyed her books up until her last, The Soulmate, which I thought was quite awful. I debated whether to pick up her latest, Darling Girls, and am happy I did.

Darling Girls is a thriller that follows three foster sisters who all lived at Wild Meadows many years ago with their foster mother. When a body is found under Wild Meadows, the sisters must face their past and the maniacal woman who made it hell.

Darling Girls is narrated through two timelines – the past and the present, each examining both the viewpoints of all three foster sisters – along with an unidentified character telling their story to a therapist. Hepworth excels at creating multiple timelines that are easy to follow and differentiate. However, in this novel, the past timeline outshone the others and was the most interesting. I also think that switching between timelines created an inconsistent pace. Yet, I hardly noticed as I was enthralled with the story and wanted to uncover its mysteries. But, if you prefer only edge-of-your-seat thrillers, Darling Girls may not be for you.

The plot of Darling Girls is dark and ends with a twist (undoubtedly for shock value). For me, this story’s strength is the relationship between the three sisters. Although not related by blood, the three girls bond through their childhood trauma and act as a family going forward. The clear love and support they have for one another shined and ingratiated the story with me. As far as the final twist is concerned, I think some readers will love it, some will find it unnecessary, and others will start thinking of possible plot holes it causes. Your enjoyment of this novel really depends on the amount you critically examine books.

Often when a book has multiple protagonists, their identities and personalities blend together until they are undistinguishable. Hepworth created the three foster sisters with unique personalities that allow readers to easily recognize who is who. I found this to be a strong point of the book, although I wish their voices were as distinct as their personalities.

Overall, Darling Girls is a dark, entertaining thriller that will make you think both about people’s capacity for evilness and where the world redeems itself. I do recommend Darling Girls, but I acknowledge not everyone will love it.

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