Book Review: Darling Girls | Sally Hepworth

This is a spoiler-free review of Darling Girls. Are you looking for spoilers and the ending explained? Head over to the spoiler review where I unpack it all and that chilling final scene.

A dark suspense novel, Sally Hepworth’s Darling Girls is another incredible story with rich character development, surprising humor, and her signature delicious little twists.

What is Darling Girls about?

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have spent their life being told that they were fortunate to meet at Wild Meadows, a foster home owned and run by a single woman named Miss Fairchild. The three girls were saved from tragic losses by the benevolent Miss Fairchild, and it brought them together. They have remained as close as sisters ever since their two shared years at Wild Meadows.

Unfortunately, everything others thought about their idyllic childhood was a lie. Miss Fairchild was an emotionally abusive, malicious, and cruel foster mother. Cold and calculating, Miss Fairchild was good at knowing exactly what each girl wanted most, and how to take it from them. After two years with Miss Fairchild, the three managed to break away and flee Wild Meadows.

It’s been twenty-five years since they thought they freed themselves from Miss Fairchild. But when they learn that a body was discovered buried underneath the house at Wild Meadows, the sisters find themselves at the center of the investigation. But are they witnesses or suspects? The secrets held for twenty-five years may finally come to light, but will anyone believe them?

What did I think of Darling Girls?

I’ll give the TLDR first—I loved it!!! Sally Hepworth has become one of my favorite authors. I’ve never been disappointed by one of her books yet. She crafts compelling plots, writes authentic characters, and is a master storyteller. She spins together stories that I don’t want to leave at the end. Darling Girls is another showcase of Hepworth’s incredible talent and knack for an expertly spun twist.

For those new to Hepworth, her stories are less popcorn-like than American psychological thrillers. They tend to be deeply character-driven and lean on the “psychological” side of the genre over the thrills—a style of psychological thriller that I find much more common in the UK and Australia than in the US. Sometimes I see readers call them a slow burn, but I think that implies the book is slow. I’ve never found any of Hepworth’s books slow. What those readers are really saying is that Hepworth’s books don’t have the quick and wild twists and heart-pounding jump scares that some are used to.

She does write one heck of a twist, though!

How are the characters?

Sally Hepworth knows how to write great characters. They read like real people, whole and imperfect. Though the book is narrated by all three sisters, Jessica feels like she’s directly at the heart of the novel. She was the first to arrive at Miss Fairchild’s home, and her early time there when it was just the two of them was…strange. Jessica desperately wanted a mother, and Miss Fairchild was willing to be that person. But Miss Fairchild treated Jessica like a child much younger than her age, babying her and creating an unhealthy dependency.

When Norah arrives at the age of eleven (about the same age as Jessica), everything changes. Miss Fairchild is cold and cruel, emotionally abusing and isolating both girls. Jessica responds by trying to be perfect. Norah is much feistier, having grown up in the care of an addict who was rarely sober to care for her. Norah learned early in life to use everything at her disposal to survive. Usually that meant her beauty and physical violence.

Alicia arrives third at the age of twelve. Initially Miss Fairchild doesn’t want to Alicia because unlike Jessica and Norah, Alicia had a happy childhood. When her grandmother fell ill, Alicia was temporarily placed in foster care. Until it becomes permanent. Miss Fairchild sees Alicia as spoiled, and heavily restricts her access to food and comfort. Alicia learns to doubt her own worth.

In the present timeline, all three sisters carry damage from those years. Just before the police reach out about the remains, the three women are spiraling. Jessica runs a successful business but is caught stealing Valium from her clients. Norah assaults a man who she went on a bad date with, and he begins to blackmail her. Alicia is a social worker who sabotages any chance of a healthy relationship.

I found all three sisters to be compelling and loveable characters. Their imperfections felt human; Hepworth dives deep into their psychology and mental health as she explores the events in their past that led to their present disfunction. Can they overcome their demons and have a happy future? I was hopeful!

What is the main tension?

The discovery of the remains sets off the events of the novel. The story weaves back and forth in time, showing scenes from the sisters’ time at Miss Fairchild’s as it builds towards their escape, as well as what is happening in present time and with the investigation. Hepworth throws in a few twists that I never saw coming. The stories from their past are told as part of what the police are interviewing them about in the present. I was tense and locked in, wondering what exactly happened to allow them to break free.

Miss Fairchild is cruel to the girls, but she’s also clever. The abuse the girls reported was never something that could be verified; there was no physical evidence. Over the course of their time at Wild Meadows, the girls learn that no one believes them. Eventually, they stop trying to share what they are experiencing. This both bonds them as sisters and damages them. Eventually, they question their own version of events.

There’s also a story being told to a psychiatrist, and that was another interesting piece of the puzzle. That story chronicled abuse that happened to the woman as a child, but we aren’t told which woman this is until later. It’s also not clear when the story is being told—is it in the past, present, or future? And what is the deal with that weird psychiatrist?

Final Thoughts

While I loved all three sisters for the unique, damaged, resilient women they are, Norah steals the show in my opinion. She’s tough and continues to struggle with aggression and violence when she feels threatened. But she’s also loyal and protective of her sisters. She’s the type of person who will put herself in the line of fire to save them.

Though the themes in this book sound dark (and they are indeed dark), the dynamic between the sisters and Norah in particular adds levity and humor throughout the story. Norah is a star—she has a wonderful dry sense of humor that you won’t be able to resist. At it’s core, this is a book about sisterhood, found family, mental health, abuse, and healing. There’s a feeling of women’s empowerment by the end that I liked. Don’t expect Hepworth to let these women off the hook just because we love them and grieve the childhood they never got—Hepworth is unafraid to give her characters authentic storylines, and she does this boldly and without apology. The ending is perfect.

One of the best books of the year for me, and it may be my favorite of Hepworth’s yet!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my copy. Opinions are my own.

If you liked Darling Girls, what should you read next?

Audiobook

About the Author

Sally Hepworth is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, most recently Darling Girls. She is also the author of Uncharted Waters, published by Amazon Original stories in 2022. Several of Sally’s novels have been optioned for TV and film.  

Sally’s novels are available around the globe in English and have been translated into over 20 languages. She has sold over one million books worldwide.

Sally lives in Melbourne, Australia with her family.