As adults, Jessica, Norah and Alicia are as close as sisters. Jessica is a successful professional organizer. Norah, who is the smartest of the group, is paid to take other people's employment competency tests and deals with anger issues. Alicia is a gentle and kind social worker. The women refer to one another as sisters as they spent part of their childhoods living at Wild Meadows Farm with Miss Fairfield, their cruel foster mother. Years later, after Wild Meadows was sold, human remains were discovered under the house. The three friends had to return to Port Agatha, Australia to be questioned by the police and face their childhood trauma. With the timeline shifting from the present to their awful time under the abusive Miss Fairfield, their sad stories are revealed as the mystery of who is buried under Wild Meadows comes to light. Was it murder and if so, who is to blame?
Sally Hepworth is the type of writer whose mystery thrillers hook me right from the start. In Darling Girls, my heart broke as the horrible Miss Fairchild inflicted such pain on the three girls who were left in her charge. We learn from the onset that the three "sisters" broke free and survived even as internal scars remained but there is a lot we don't know. As the story progressed, it kept me guessing. I enjoyed the creative twists as I sat on the edge of my seat. What a ride!
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this page-turner in advance.
Rated 4.25 out of 5 stars.
Mystery Thriller.
Publication Date: April 23, 2024.
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