Publishers Weekly
02/05/2024
Australia’s broken foster care system comes into focus through the eyes of three women who’ve endured it in this bleak domestic thriller from bestseller Hepworth (The Soulmate). Jessica Lovat is a professional home organizer with obsessive tendencies; Norah Anderson takes other people’s employment competency tests for money and struggles with anger issues; and social worker Alicia Connelly’s low self-esteem keeps her locked away from the world. Though not blood-related, the trio call themselves “sisters” since living together at Wild Meadows Farm under the watch of their abusive foster mother, Holly Fairchild. Now, 25 years later, Wild Meadows has been sold, leading to the discovery of human remains buried under the farmhouse, and authorities bring Jessica, Norah, and Alicia from Melbourne to the crime scene in Port Agatha for questioning. Hepworth toggles viewpoints and timelines, revealing how each girl was placed at Wild Meadows and showcasing Holly’s erratic—possibly even murderous—behavior. While Hepworth’s vivid prose helps to maintain the plot’s momentum, the unrelenting descriptions of child abuse grow grim and tiresome, and the payoff to the core mystery is deflating. Hepworth has done much better in the past. Agent: Rob Weisbach, Rob Weisbach Creative. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
"This is the rare story that’s equally character and plot driven, with the “sisters” portrayed as distinct and lovable and the plot just packed with twists. Hating Miss Fairchild is the icing on the cake." First Clue
"Sally Hepworth's Darling Girls is the kind of story that grabs you hard and doesn't let go. Easily one of the best books I've read all year. An absolute page-turner from first word to last... A superb and haunting mystery." New York Times bestselling author Jane Harper
"As in The Soulmate, compelling themes of trust, betrayal, and brittle façades circle the sisters’ relationships, raising the stakes of the investigation painfully high. Hepworth's fans will be primed for her newest unnerving thriller." Booklist
"Australia’s finest thriller writer since Liane Moriarty, Sally Hepworth has found the perfect combination of character-based drama and completely unpredictable plots. Her latest rollercoaster of a novel follows three women who escaped a strict and mercurial foster mother when they were children, only to be reunited with her when bones are found on her property and the women are called in for questioning by the police." Bookpage
“A compelling read. All the women are sympathetic and interesting, each showing the scars of her upbringing.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"Emotionally gripping. Hepworth's tightly coiled plot exposes problems in Australia's foster care system, exacerbated by overworked social workers and a lack of oversight. Darling Girls flawlessly illustrates each girl's backstory, how they entered foster care, and how vulnerable they were to the system's failings, showing how their pasts shaped the adults they became. A stunningly clever twist elevates the intense plot." Shelf Awareness