Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

 

Three girls bond as sisters when raised in a horrendous foster home.  Jessica came as a toddler and she and Mrs. Fairchild had a maternal child relationship until Jessica went to school and Mrs. Fairchild wasn't her whole world.  Norah came later and was always a strong individual so she came in for most of the abuse Mrs. Fairchild handed out.  Alicia came last when her beloved grandmother died leaving her without a home.  

Mrs. Fairchild insists the house always be spotless.  Sometimes there was food, sometimes not.  There was verbal, psychological and physical abuse.  But the girls never told anyone as they didn't want to ever be separated.  Mrs. Fairchild started taking in babies but she would get tired of them and make the girls take over their care.  Finally she adopted a toddler named Amy but again she got tired of her when Amy started transferring her affections to the girls.  Mrs. Fairchild started abusing Amy and the girls decided they had to tell someone.  But when the authorities come to save Amy, there is no trace of her and Mrs. Fairchild said the girls made her up.  Amy is never found but the girls are taken away to a group home where they finish growing up.

Now years later, bones have been found under Mrs. Fairchild's house.  They are the bones of a small child.  Jessica, Norah and Alicia return to the town to help the police.  Mrs. Fairchild is still there and she tries to incriminate the girls.  Who was the body and what happened?

Sally Hepworth is an Australian author.  Her thrillers focus on various family relationships and are full of twists and turns.  This one follows the same formula and readers will be fascinated at this tale of abuse and murder.  Each of the girls has made a life for herself, one a social worker, one a home organizer and one moving from job to job.  This may be the final piece that makes their lives whole.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.