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Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

Thriller

Darling Girls

Repeat author

by Sally Hepworth

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Quick Take

When a body turns up under their former foster home, three sisters must confront their past to keep their names clear.

Good to know

  • Illustrated icon, Psychological

    Psychological

  • Illustrated icon, Multiple_Viewpoints

    Multiple viewpoints

  • Illustrated icon, LGBTQ_themes

    LGBTQ+ themes

  • Illustrated icon, Nonlinear_Timeline

    Nonlinear timeline

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?

Content warning

This book contains scenes that depict child abuse.

Why I love it

Sally Hepworth has become a standout writer in her genre. Her pacing is fantastic and she always keeps the twists coming, but what makes her stories stand out for me is that she never shies away from examining tough topics. As a result, the stakes always feel high, and the characters are compelling and complex. Darling Girls is no exception.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia met when they were all put under the care of their foster mother, Miss Fairchild. While their situation seemed perfect on the outside, things were not as idyllic as they appeared. Miss Fairchild was a cruel and unpredictable caregiver. All three girls left her care as soon as they had the chance. Though they never saw Miss Fairchild again, their foster mother was always lingering in the back of their minds. When a dead body is discovered under the house where they grew up, they are forced to revisit their past and become key witnesses in the investigation…except not everyone believes their innocence.

While Darling Girls has all the twists and turns you might expect, it is also a poignant story of three young women trying to survive the traumas of their pasts. If you’re a fan of Sally Hepworth, you won’t be disappointed. If this is your first time reading her work, you’re in for a treat.

LGBTQ+ themes
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The Three Lives of Cate Kay
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The Last Hour Between Worlds
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The Pairing
Under Your Spell
The Stars Too Fondly
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Darling Girls
The Haunting of Velkwood
The Other Significant Others
Interesting Facts about Space
Gwen & Art Are Not in Love
Alice Sadie Celine
The Future
Let Us Descend
Stars in Your Eyes
Masters of Death
Just Kids
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Ink Blood Sister Scribe
The London Séance Society
Really Good, Actually
The Light Pirate
Kiss Her Once for Me
Foul Lady Fortune
Siren Queen
Yerba Buena
Love & Other Disasters
Afterparties
Razorblade Tears
One Last Stop
Honey Girl
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Girl, Serpent, Thorn
Red, White & Royal Blue
Wayward Son
This Time Will Be Different
The Red Scrolls of Magic
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
LGBTQ+ themes
View all
Gifted & Talented
Oathbound
Liquid
Our Infinite Fates
We Could Be Rats
The Bones Beneath My Skin
Sister Snake
The Three Lives of Cate Kay
I Might Be in Trouble
The Last Hour Between Worlds
High School
The Pairing
Under Your Spell
The Stars Too Fondly
The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye
Spitting Gold
Darling Girls
The Haunting of Velkwood
The Other Significant Others
Interesting Facts about Space
Gwen & Art Are Not in Love
Alice Sadie Celine
The Future
Let Us Descend
Stars in Your Eyes
Masters of Death
Just Kids
Pageboy
Ink Blood Sister Scribe
The London Séance Society
Really Good, Actually
The Light Pirate
Kiss Her Once for Me
Foul Lady Fortune
Siren Queen
Yerba Buena
Love & Other Disasters
Afterparties
Razorblade Tears
One Last Stop
Honey Girl
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Girl, Serpent, Thorn
Red, White & Royal Blue
Wayward Son
This Time Will Be Different
The Red Scrolls of Magic
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo