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Title details for Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth - Available

Darling Girls

A Novel

by Sally Hepworth
Jessica Clarke
Audiobook
2 of 2 copies available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
2 of 2 copies available

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 FALL
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    April 23, 2024

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781250328830
      • File size: 262178 KB
      • Duration: 09:06:12

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      February 5, 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.

    • Library Journal

      May 31, 2024

      Jessica, Norah, and Alicia came to Wild Meadows from different backgrounds and for different reasons, but the bond they formed in the foster home would last a lifetime. At the hands of their capricious caretaker, Miss Fairchild, they endured endless emotional and physical abuse, as well as the pressure of protecting the younger girls there. Though they developed different, sometimes destructive ways of coping, they always had each other. Decades later, when a child's body is discovered during excavations at Wild Meadows, they are forced to return and face the fact that secrets aren't the only thing buried there. Hepworth (The Soulmate) presents intricate, intense psychological suspense about unhealthy attachments, addiction, and abuse. Narrator Jessica Clarke gives an expressive performance that will immerse listeners in this eerie Australian novel. Her emotive and engaging presentation, paired with the descriptive, disturbing narrative, will leave listeners shaken. VERDICT This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a riveting suspense teeming with twists, a bleak story of sisterhood, secrets, and survival. Recommended for fans of Lucinda Berry, Lisa Jewell, and Jamie Day.--Lauren Hackert

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Jessica Clarke narrates this story told by three foster sisters. When a dead body is discovered under their childhood home, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia must confront their past. Each explores her memories of their makeshift family, which was led by the demanding Miss Fairchild. Clarke delivers this winding story as a masterful blend of suspense, drama, and emotional depth. Her dynamic narration conveys the distinct personality of each sister, making all feel real and relatable. She brings across the tension of the plot, keeping listeners glued to every twist and turn. In addition to adept character portrayals, Clarke's steady rhythm heightens the suspense, as the girls, now adult women, try to break free of their dark childhood. M.R. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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