I love the quote at the beginning of the blurb here – you can choose your partner, but you don’t get to choose the family they come with. And yeah, it’s true, you only marry the person. But when you marry someone, a whole bunch of other stuff comes along with it. Their family dramas and dynamics become a minefield to navigate and it’s so easy for misunderstandings and conflicts to arise.

Which is what Sally Hepworth tackles so admirably in this novel. Lucy meets Oliver through work and she hopes that when they become engaged, she can develop a real relationship with his mother Diana. Lucy lost her mother as a teenager and she longs for that maternal bond. Diana however, is a difficult woman to get to know. Oliver comes from a wealthy, privileged background and Diana is every inch the formidable matriarch. Not warm, she holds Lucy at arms length and the two of them never really hit it off. Over the years as the grandchildren appear, things ebb and flow, fleeting moments of understanding contrasting with aggression that even once becomes physical.

Now police officers have arrived at Oliver and Lucy’s house to tell them that Diana has been found dead in the family home and a suicide note discovered as well. Diana has struggled since losing Oliver’s father to illness and although she retains passion for her work helping refugees, she hasn’t been the same. It soon becomes apparent though that everyone in the family seems to be hiding something – whether it be their last known interaction with Diana or something else. Maybe Diana didn’t commit suicide after all…..but with everyone seemingly having motive and opportunity, if someone did help her on her way, which one of them was it?

This book was a ride. It’s told in a back-and-forth kind of way, beginning in the present and then taking the reader back in time to Lucy meeting Diana, when she and Oliver get engaged, the birth of their children and various other moments over the years. It also includes both Lucy and Diana’s points of view, including several of the same incidents told from both perspectives. So at first you get Lucy’s impression of Diana and her feelings on various incidents that happen over the course of her marriage to Oliver and then later on you get Diana’s life story and also her side of the same incidents. I found that really interesting and it really served to highlight how two people can experience the same moment and see it completely differently. I really appreciated that because so often a book will present to you one side of the story and doesn’t always delve into the other side and it’s the same in life. You have your side and how you perceive the other side is feeling but……chances are, you’re probably wrong. This book demonstrates admirably I think, how both Lucy and Diana tried to have the relationships they wanted with each other respectively and how each felt that they were constrained by certain rules or societal customs and the fact that they were just different people with different ideas that prevented them from really developing things more intimately.

I found this such an intriguing mystery – more and more layers unfolded with the plot. Did Diana really commit suicide? I enjoyed the portrayal of her marriage and how it came about and also, how things at first glance were not really accurate! Then you factor in her personal wealth, the way in which she chose to view that wealth and her work and disgruntled family members and all of a sudden, there are a myriad of possibilities for what happened to Diana. This is not a particularly long book, but there’s not a word wasted and I find that this is quite regular in Sally Hepworth’s novels. She is able to tell a really detailed and involved story with intricate plot points and multiple points of view, without getting bogged down in extra details and dragging it out. Everything that happens, happens for a reason and ends up being relevant. It’s the sort of sharp, observant novel that I absolutely adore. Excellent portrayal of realistic family relationships and dynamics and all the complications that come along with them. This ended up being so much more than just the story of a woman whose mother-in-law dies in what perhaps are suspicious circumstances. I found a lot to mull over in this, especially the conditions of Diana’s will and how that would make people feel. I also really liked the inclusion of her work with refugees and how that evolved to become such a key part of the story, particularly looking to the future.

All in all, this was a brilliant story and I loved it. Sally Hepworth’s books always have me hooked from beginning to end and I just admire her storytelling abilities. I always look forward to a new book of hers and they never disappoint!

9/10

Sally Hepworth is an absolutely amazing writer, and this book holds true to that. At first you might think it's the old overdone "daughter-in-law and mother-in-law" relationship, but it's not, so don't let that stop you from picking up this book and devouring it like I did!

The characters are well-described and the situations make you really look at how different people can have so many different interpretations of tone, words, etc.

This is a well-paced, engrossing story with an end that will leave your jaw dropped. I am purchasing this for my library in several formats, and it's definitely getting a "Staff Pick"!

Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this.

This is the second story I've read by Sally Hepworth and I found it just as engaging as the first. It was interesting and kept me reading and wondering what happened to the MIL?

I liked that the author added sections from the deceased MIL from the past so you can get to know her and the way she thinks. It was a great way to build some compassion for her. In addition, the back and forth between past and present worked very well for this story and merged perfectly.

I would recommend this book for anyone that enjoys contemporary fiction with just a bit of mystery.

"When you're drowning and someone offers you a life raft, you don't check for punctures before climbing aboard."

I found this really underwhelming considering its buzz. None of the characters were exactly likeable and I felt no empathy for any of them. There were really interesting family dynamics at play and I loved how Diana's relationship with Lucy developed but everything else was quite a snooze-fest.

As an avid reader of domestic thrillers, this one was really bland and forgettable. I wouldn't call the ending much of a twist either. I did, however, love this one quote:

"I worked hard for everything I ever cared about. And nothing I ever cared about cost a single cent."

A good read from start to finish! So many twists and turns and it made me think about relationships and how we judge them. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read this one.

This is the first book I have read from this author and found this book to be captivating. There is a lot more to the mother-in-law than meets the eye and things are not what they seem in this book. I liked that the POV changed and the book went from past to present tense throughout the book. It really made the book more compelling and kept the suspense going. Thanks for the ARC, Net Galley. This was a good read and will be seeking out more from this author in the future.

As others have stated in their reviews, the plot line of this was completely unexpected but nonetheless enjoyable. Diana, a seemingly difficult to please and cold woman, is Lucy’s mother-in-law and their relationship is typically complicated. When Lucy and her husband Ollie receive word that Diana has been found dead in a suspicious manner inside her home, they immediately become suspects. The story has alternating narrators and time periods and in which we learn of much of the family’s complicated dynamics which lead to Diana’s tragic demise.

I find Sally Hepworth’s writing to be fast-paced and easy to follow but with just the right amount of depth and the added pleasure of unexpected twists. I’ve loved both her books and would particularly recommend them to fans of Liane Moriarty and the like.

Many thanks to Netgalley and goodreads giveaways, St. Martin’s Press and Sally Hepworth for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book just didn't hold my interest. I liked the premise but it seemed to drag.. I finished it but if I hadn't gotten the ARC, I probably wouldn't have.

I completely devoured The Mother in Law by Sally Hepworth. What a revealing, emotional, twisty, suspenseful, and dynamic story about family, secrets, lies, and the resilience of a (sometimes complicated and brash) mother’s love.

Lucy has an expectation of who her mother-in-law will be. After losing her own Mom she thinks a strong relationship with her mother-in-law will be in her future. After meeting her mother-in-law for the first time, she’s sadly disappointed. Diana, Lucy’s mother-in-law, has been through much more than anybody knows. It’s her resilience and sense of self which grounds her in her convictions and interactions with her children and daughter in law.

This book speaks loudly to what happens when expectations are crushed, misunderstandings are born, and words left unspoken leave false interpretations. Then add in family secrets, family lies, murder, and suicide and you have one whopper of a read! Told from both Lucy and Diana’s points of view, this book is both dynamic and revealing about our expectations, our perceptions of others and how we can get it so wrong. Murderously wrong!

I read this book in less than 12 hours. I just couldn’t put it down! This was the first book I’ve read by this author but plan look for her other works to devour them as well.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Synopsis from the Publisher/NetGalley.com
A twisty, compelling new novel about one woman's complicated relationship with her mother-in-law that ends in death...

From the moment Lucy met her husband’s mother, she knew she wasn’t the wife Diana had envisioned for her perfect son. Exquisitely polite, friendly, and always generous, Diana nonetheless kept Lucy at arm’s length despite her desperate attempts to win her over. And as a pillar in the community, an advocate for female refugees, and a woman happily married for decades, no one had a bad word to say about Diana…except Lucy.

That was five years ago.

Now, Diana is dead, a suicide note found near her body claiming that she longer wanted to live because of the cancer wreaking havoc inside her body.

But the autopsy finds no cancer.

It does find traces of poison, and evidence of suffocation.

Who could possibly want Diana dead? Why was her will changed at the eleventh hour to disinherit both of her children, and their spouses? And what does it mean that Lucy isn’t exactly sad she’s gone?

Fractured relationships and deep family secrets grow more compelling with every page in this twisty, captivating new novel from Sally Hepworth.

I loved this book and recommend it highly. Brilliantly written, this is a powerful tale of family dynamics. It is told, past and present, by Lucy and her mother-in-law, Diana. There is no difficulty keeping track, as the author clearly labels each chapter. I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.

The highly anticipated book The Mother-In-Law was amazing! The author present a dynamic story about a family that has taken their deceptions and locked them with a key. Hepworth has mastered the art of revealing just enough backstory on the characters to leave the reader wanting more and turning the pages.

Set in Melbourne, Australia, the story goes back and forth between Lucy's perspective - both past and present - and her mother-in-law, Diana - past. Their relationship is the spotlight of the book. Both Lucy and Diana are in defensive mode and both are territorial women. The reader gets to notice lines are crossed between the two female characters and layers starts to peel back and we see both sides have rights and wrongs. This one would be an excellent book club pick as there's a lot that can be discussed.

When Diana is found dead in her home, questions surfaces and family members are called in for questioning. Was it really a suicide or is someone responsible for her death?

For those who enjoy creative and action-packed storylines, I highly recommend this one!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my copy via NetGalley. As always, my reviews are my honest and unbiased opinions.

Excellent book with plenty of twists and turns. How well do you know your in-laws? I found the characters to be very realistic and the story extremely well written. I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

This was a pretty okay, average thriller.

It started off pretty average and dragged through out the most of the book.

You follow Lucy and her Husband and one day they find out their mother in law is dead. The story goes back in forth in time from the present day and what happened in the past leading up to Diana's death.

I feel like the reveal was pretty predictable and the ending was quite rushed, it seemed to all be over quite quickly

I also think the ending could be a bit problematic for some people, which I won't go into because of spoilers.

But ultimately this was quite average, there was a point towards the end when I was invested but apart from that I didn't care too much about this book.

Trigger warnings: suicide and grief

Sally does it again in such a big way!! This book is absolutely incredible. I can't get it out of my mind. I'm a daughter in law and mother in law and reading about this relationship was so much fun!! In this book, Sally had us believing one thing happened and then gives us a completely different story!! Truly remarkable!!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. This book had me hooked! Diana, Lucy’s mother in law is murdered. The story alternates between those two, and past/present day. I found all of it intriguing! Recommend!

Wow!!! This is a book that I read in two sittings, could not put it down. So many twists and turns and a surprise ending that will blow you away. Loved how it was told in a dual POV, Lucy the daughter in law and Diana, the mother in law. It also goes from past to present in the POV's. I highly recommend this book!!

Anyone married knows the relationship with their mother-in-law can be tricky at best. Sometimes a person can hit the jackpot in that department and sometimes...not so much. Unfortunately for Lucy the relationship she has with her mother-in-law Diana is quite complicated at best. From their first meeting when Diana deemed Lucy "fine" as her son Ollie's girlfriend to denying them a loan (Diana and her husband Tom are filthy rich) when they were a little short meeting the down payment on their starter home.

Diana it seems lacks emotions. At least on the outside. She is hard to read and in this dysfunctional family hard to please. So when the family finds out Diana has breast cancer it comes as a shock, but when they receive a call that she has committed suicide and the autopsy shows not only no cancer, but she has been murdered everyone becomes a suspect. Who would want to kill Diana? Maybe everyone in the family?

To add insult to injury the family upon her death find out she has left her vast fortune to the charity she started years earlier. A charity which provides for women and their families who come to America from other countries.

So many questions, and so many secrets. Who killed Diana and for what reason.

The story unfolds in chapters by Lucy and Diana hopping from present day to the past. Each chapter leaves the reader hanging for the next part of the story. It gives one the feeling of being on a rollercoaster ride.
But for Lucy she must come to terms with the death of a woman who she may have thought she disliked yet is mourning a woman she realized she may have actually admired.

The twists and turns in this fast paced novel keep coming, with dark secrets, some which are never revealed--only to the reader and of course the shocking ending as to who and why someone would want to kill the mother-in-law.

Thank you #NetGalley #St. Martin's Press #The Mother-in-Law #Sally Hepworth for the advanced copy. The book out now.

Loved this new Sally Hepworth! Such rich characters and astute observations of the nuances of relationships. Plus there's the intriguing element of murder. Thoroughly wonderful read!

She’s dead. Diana was found dead and the authorities are treating it as a homicide but who would want to kill her? The folks in town speak highly of her yet when this question was asked amongst her family, they all turned their eyes to one family member. But, did they really kill Diana?

It was entertaining looking inside this family and seeing their “dirt.” All families have some type of “dirt” that they try to hide from the outside world and I enjoyed reading and seeing how this family dealt with it. To see, what others do not see and hear is powerful. The emotions and the drama that conflicts families can be seen in this family.

As I read, I wanted to hate a specific character but then, I wondered if I knew everything about that character yet. I wondered if whether my feelings were actually justified. Did I actually know this character or were they hiding something from me? It’s funny how I questioned this in this novel.

Some secrets are okay and some secrets can get you into trouble. This was an interesting novel that I really enjoyed. Looking into the private lives of others, you start to examine your own life and your own secrets.
I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for this e-copy.

This is a fantastic book with so much to say about relationships and perspective. I loved the intricacies behind each of the relationships in this novel--husbands and wives, parents and children, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. The relationships are so complex, yet again so simple.
What makes this book truly shine is how different perspectives of the same thing come into play. It really made me think about the people I love in my own life and how each of our backgrounds, experiences, and slightly different views of a situation can completely change our reactions. How Lucy and Diana each viewed a common event through their separate lenses of life was eye-opening. Hepworth has an immense gift to show two sides of an event and how the results and rationale differ with who is looking at it.
I know this seems rather vague, but the bottom line is--definitely pick up this book. It's filled with drama, a bit of mystery, and complicated family dynamics. It's very fast-paced and engrossing.