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Darling Girls - by Sally Hepworth
$15.99 sale price when purchased online
$29.00 list price
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About this item
Highlights
- SISTERS, SECRETS, LOVE, AND MURDER... Sally Hepworth's novel Darling Girls has it all.
- About the Author: Sally Hepworth is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, including The Good Sister and The Soulmate.
- 368 Pages
- Fiction + Literature Genres, Thrillers
Description
About the Book
"Get ready for another twisty domestic thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of THE SOULMATE. From the outside, Alicia, Jessica and Norah might seem like ordinary women you'd meet on the street any day of the week. Sure, Jessica has a little OCD and Norah has some anger issues. And Alicia has low self-esteem that manifests itself in surprising ways. But these three have a bond that no one can fully understand. It's a bond that takes them back decades, to when they were girls, and they lived on a farm with a foster mother named Miss Fairchild. 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 they thought they were free. But the reach of someone with such power is long, and even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When bones are discovered buried under the farmhouse of their childhood, they are called in by the police to tell what they know. Against their will, they are brought back to the past, and to Miss Fairchild herself. DARLING GIRLS asks the questions: what are we capable of when in a desperate place? How much can we hide the demons inside us? And can the past ever truly be buried?"--Book Synopsis
SISTERS, SECRETS, LOVE, AND MURDER... Sally Hepworth's novel Darling Girls 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. "Sally Hepworth writes characters you love." --LIANE MORIARTY, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF APPLES NEVER FALLReview Quotes
"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 AwarenessAbout the Author
Sally Hepworth is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, including The Good Sister and The Soulmate. Drawing on the good, the bad and the downright odd of human behaviour, Sally writes incisively about family, relationships and identity. Her domestic thriller novels are laced with quirky humour, sass and a darkly charming tone. They are available worldwide in English and have been translated into twenty languages.
Sally lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her family and one adorable dog.Dimensions (Overall): 9.48 Inches (H) x 6.5 Inches (W) x 1.2 Inches (D)
Weight: 1.22 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 368
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Sub-Genre: Thrillers
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Theme: Domestic
Format: Hardcover
Author: Sally Hepworth
Language: English
Street Date: April 23, 2024
TCIN: 89029423
UPC: 9781250284525
Item Number (DPCI): 247-12-6649
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 1.2 inches length x 6.5 inches width x 9.48 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 1.22 pounds
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4.3 out of 5 stars with 7 reviews
100% would recommend
6 recommendations
Enjoyed
4 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Heather00 - 6 months ago, Verified purchaser
Great book. Interesting plot, well written.
Good but Predictable
3 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
SuPo - 1 year ago
Three “sisters” are called after human bones are found under the home they lived in as foster children, called Wild Meadows. Alternating between each character AND past/present, the reader gets to see the challenging life these girls lived while under the care of their foster mother at Wild Meadows, how these experiences have shaped who they are as adults, all while working to figure out the mystery of who the bones belong to. After being introduced to Sally Hepworth last year, I was really excited to gain access to Darling Girls. While the premise is not a bad one, there was something about this book that I couldn’t get into. Normally in books like this, I form more of an emotional attachment to the characters, especially after learning about their childhood, that makes me want to keep reading, to keep learning about what happens to them. I couldn’t form any attachments to these characters. I also wasn’t surprised by most of the twists and turns in the book, which also didn’t help me stay invested. In my opinion, predictability in a thriller is what determines if one will ultimately like the book or not. I’m giving this book 3 stars because while I guessed most of what was going to happen in this book, I don’t think all readers will. If you can stay surprised as you read, I think Ms. Hepworth’s writing ability will not disappoint.
Another Winner from Hepworth!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Aqueenofcrime - 1 year ago
Sally Hepworth’s latest you-won't-believe-what-happens-next novel is a dual timeline story told from the POVs of Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, three women, who as foster children were placed at Wild Meadows farm to live under the care of the manipulative and sadistic Miss Fairchild. As girls they formed a close-knit bond, which helped them endure and survive until they got out. Twenty-five years later, when human remains are found under their former foster home, the police require them to return and recall the memories they've tried so hard to forget in order to help solve the case. Darling Girls feels different than other Hepworth books I've read. While it still has the trademarks she's known for - a complex family drama, roller coaster twists, and heart pounding suspense - this time she's masterfully crafted a poignant novel, rich with flawed, human characters - some you'll care about, some you'll hate - all the while weaving the past and present into a journey to the truth, decades in the making. Darling Girls is not a light, easy read. Due to of the subject matter, it can be uncomfortable to read at times. Yet, I found it throughly addicting and entirely affecting. I absolutely loved it. I could not put it down and finished it in less than a day. Darling Girls is a page-turning look at what is the definition of a family and shouldn't be missed. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Sally Hepworth, and Netgalley for an advance digital copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and given voluntarily. Darling Girls explores the world of foster care system and cycle of abuse that can occur. There are a lot of triggers in this novel - abuse of children, drug abuse, violence, emotional abuse, depression. 5 Bright Shining Stars Recommended for readers of: General Fiction, Women's Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Suspense, Mysteries, Psychological Thrillers, Family Dramas
Suspensful & Twisty!
4 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Ashley12345 - 1 year ago
I binge read this book over this past weekend but if I didn’t have other things to do I 100% could have finished it all in one sitting! It was just the right amount of suspenseful & shocking. This book is like a twist between domestic thriller/psychological thriller & it definitely makes you think. I thought I had figured this book out & was just enjoying the ride until that very last chapter!! This story is a little bit darker than Sally Hepworth’s previous books & it did make me a little bit anxious at times so I would definitely check trigger warnings! This ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review!
A phenomenal read!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
carvanz - 1 year ago
I just recently discovered this author and have loved everything I’ve read. However, this beat the rest, hands down. This story kept me guessing. I was scrambling to figure out what exactly had happened in the past and trying to catch the twist before it was revealed. I failed. I loved the format this was written in with the labeled flashbacks as well as another point of view that was slowly unraveling throughout the story. Thus began the scrambling and the guessing. I have never flipped from back to front to back again and again as often as I did while reading this book. I was desperate to find the answers to my questions. This was such a great story filled with characters that were flawed but that called to me in a way I’ve not experienced before. As much as I was thrilled to learn all of their secrets, I hated to see their story end.
A Page Turner
4 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Akbaird - 1 year ago
Jessica, Norah, and Alicia all became foster sisters when they were eventually placed with Miss Fairchild. All placed for different reasons and all treated differently depending on the mood of Miss Fairchild. Miss Fairchild was at times on the cusp of being abusive. After escaping her wrath and never hearing from Miss Fairchild again, 25 years later they receive a call from Detective Patel. A body was found at Miss Fairchild’s estate! They are asked to come in for questioning. Is it what it seems? Will the sisters be accused? What will be discovered? Sally Hepworth’s latest book incorporates the foster care system into her latest domestic thriller. The uncanny characters and unsuspecting twists and turns create a page-turning and entertaining read! A great book to take on vacation!