Lucy's mother-in-law, Diana, is dead. But was it suicide or murder?

Excellent writing with well developed characters. I was captivated from the very beginning. The book explores the family dynamics between a mother and her child and a mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law. The story is told from the perspectives of Lucy and Diana and alternates between the past and the present.

I recommend reading this book and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of Sally Hepworth's "The Mother-in-Law" in exchange of an honest review.

"It's all about support. Whether you want to give it or not...actually it's about whether to give money or not. And that's not the same thing."

Most of us have or ARE a mother-in-law. Depending on who you are and who she is, the relationship can be fraught with issues, it can be smooth and mutually beneficial, or it can be one of benign neglect. Of course you don't get to choose your mother-in-law, but it's often been said that you don't just marry the man (or woman) -- you also marry the family.

Lucy has a difficult relationship with her mother-in-law, Diana. When Lucy married Ollie, she really wanted to be close to Diana because Lucy's own mother had died when she was only 13. But Diana is aloof and opinionated and strong and doesn't seem to have much regard for Lucy -- or at least not in the way that Lucy would prefer. It's not just Lucy who perceives Diana as difficult -- Ollie's sister, Nettie and her husband, Patrick, also have their share of issues with Diana. Only Tom, Diana's husband, exudes the warmth and generosity that everyone really craves. Why won't Diana help them all out financially, it's not like she and Tom don't have plenty of money. It causes a lot of friction between them all and it seems pointless since they all know they'll inherit someday.

Well, apparently someone could not wait patiently for their share of the money. Diana is found dead, at first suicide is suspected, but then the autopsy has some startling revelations for them and the police have been calling them down to the station for interviews and questions. Did one of the family actually kill Diana? NO SPOILERS.

The narrative flips back and forth in time and is primarily written from the points of view of Lucy and Diana. The reader learns some interesting truths about each of the two women as their vulnerabilities are revealed. I particularly enjoyed this device in this story because it tantalized me and I felt that I really got to know each woman quite a bit better and so could relate to them more easily. I wasn't sure who had 'done it' and I liked how the author reached the climax and how it yielded a very sad, but satisfying conclusion. Nicely done! This was most of all family drama with a bit of murder mystery, but I'd say a relationship novel most of all. I loved the end quote: "I worked hard for everything I ever cared about. And nothing I ever cared about cost a single cent."

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-book ARC to read and review.

More than anything, Lucy wanted her future mother-in-law to love her. Lucy's mom died when she was young, and she really missed having a mom. Unfortunately, Diana was not at all the mother-in-law she had dreamed of. Diana was standoffish, often appearing indifferent or even cold towards Lucy. Lucy never felt like she measured up. So when Diana is found dead in suspicious circumstances, Lucy is the one who seems to miss her the most.
The police begin to look closely at all of the family ties and suspect one of them was the murderer. Everyone, even Lucy, has something to hide... something that would make them look completely guilty.
This book is told in alternating chapters, past to present, with Lucy and Diana as the narrators. The more I delved into the book, the more I saw a different side to Diana, and understood some of the things she had done and said weren't really intended to be taken the way they were. This book was so good that I couldn't put it down until the very end. Then however, I had to wait a little bit to finish crying before I could even write this. I cannot recommend this book enough!

This is a family drama about the relationships between mother-in-laws and daughter-in laws. And also between mothers and their children. And husbands and wives. It is about the complicated bonds of family, in the good times and the bad.

When Diana, the family matriarch, is found dead, the investigation leads from suicide to homicide to questioning Lucy (Diana's daughter-in-law) and Ollie (Diana's son). Lucy has never had a great relationship with her mother=in-law and the unusual circumstances surrounding Diana's death bring everything about their relationship into question.

This story jumps around in time, which I both liked and didn't like. Early in the book it was hard for me to connect with each of the characters and storyline jumps. It was a slow start. However, I did eventually get pulled into all the different timelines and enjoyed learning more about each of the characters in this family. It just took some time to get to that point.

I would give this book 3.5 stars. I liked it quite a bit, just wish that it would have done more to grab my attention in the early parts of the book. Still, a solid read!

The plot develops in two timelines, and is told in alternating points of view of the daughter-in-law, Lucy, and the mother-in-law, Diana. Lucy and Diana have always had a complicated relationship, and now Diana is dead...

I loved the book up to around the 75% mark, after which I felt it didn't pick up as much as I thought it would. The ending didn't live up to the rest of the book, but I still liked it and will definitely read more books from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

THE MOTHER-IN-LAW, by Sally Hepworth is as much a family saga as it is a mystery. It's an emotional read, but well worth reading. The story is told in a dual narrative, Diana and Lucy, in a series of flashbacks - The Past, and present day - The Present. Diana, has died, an apparent suicide., but there are many questions surrounding her death, and official police investigation ensues - hence the mystery element.

Diana, the mother-in-law, appears to be wealthy, cold, unfeeling and miserly, which she is; but she is also so much more. It's a fascinating read, discovering her background, that which wrought her pride of standing on her own two feet, and expecting everyone else to to the same - this is a woman who does not take excuses, or give hand outs. The awkwardly stilted relationship she has with her daughter in law, is somewhat painful to read, at times, heartbreaking actually. She loves her own children, Ollie, and Nettie, but has awkward and strained relationships with them, as well. The one person she lovingly adores is her husband, Tom.

I can see why the ratings for this book are all over the place - some very negative, and some glowing. I suppose I'd be in the glowing category - I'enjoyed being a fly on the wall of this eccentrically dysfunctional family.
Thank you NetGalley, Sally Hepworth and the St.Martin's Press for the ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

After her mother died when she was thirteen, Lucy dreamed of the day she would have a mother-in-law. Unfortunately, Lucy's mother-in-law Diana is not what dreams are made of -- in fact, Diana and Lucy have a rather fractured relationship. So when Diana turns up dead with evidence of foul play, the family begins to wonder who would harm Diana?

Told in alternating perspectives, The Mother-in-Law details the past, present, and Diana's untimely death. While some books involving suspicious deaths seem too far fetched, Sally Hepworth turns a family drama into a frighteningly realistic murder mystery. The entire book I spent looking for clues as to what actually happened to Diana.

Definitely more a book about family dynamics than a mystery, but I enjoyed it anyway. Actually, I loved it. It captivated me from the first page and helped my interest until the last. It kept me guessing too. Everyone had a reason to want "the mother in law" dead, but in the end, what really happened?! I would definitely recommend (and already have) this book to friends. I have never read a book by this author before, but I plan to now.
Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Sally Hepworth for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Lucy’s Mother-in-law, Diana, is dead. Cause of death- apparent suicide. However, the police aren’t convinced that foul play wasn’t involved. Could her death have been at the hands of a family member? As you gain insight from both the past and present, you will quickly learn that there are people who may have viewed their lives to be better off without Diana in it.
This novel rotates between characters and time periods and will engross you to learn the truth about Diana’s death. It was a quick, enjoyable read that had me guessing until the end.
Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for providing me with this copy for an honest review!
This one comes out this month! Who will be adding it to their list? 👍
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
#bookstagram #books #fiction @sallyhepworth #motherinlaw #domesticsuspense

The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth was an interesting read in that it was both told from the point of view of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law as well as from past and present. Bouncing back and forth between story tellers and time makes you have to pay attention to details. And I paid so much attention that I thought I had this little mystery figured out a handful of times! However, Hepworth did not disappoint keeping me in the dark until the very last minute.

These characters were relatable even though I have very little in common with any of them. I found myself rooting for different people at different times. Even when the unthinkable happens, I still believed it and couldn’t put this book down trying to uncover the truth of what happened.

The Mother-in-Law was well written and hard to
put down. I think you will agree!

I really enjoyed this thriller with heart. This is not your typical in-law story, although it appears so at first glance. As Lucy and Diana's stories unfold, you feel your heart start to break a little more. This story explores the reasons why people do things that hurt others, especially the ones they love the most. By contrasting voices, the author physically puts you in the minds of each woman and how they differently interpret each event. I was not expecting this novel to make me reflect on my own life, but it did. The twist at the end was the icing on the cake.

This would make an excellent book club book and I hope publication includer's reader guide questions at the end.

Compelling and twisty murder story strengthened my strong characterizations and shifting points of view and time
One of those stay up and read in the middle of the night books

The Mother-in-Law is classic Sally Hepworth. She excels in writing about family drama, and this book is no exception. The story alternates viewpoints for much of the book between Lucy (the daughter-in-law) and Diana (the mother-in-law). Lucy's storyline alternates between the past and the present. Once you can figure out the changing viewpoints, the story flows well. There are a few instances within the chapters where the storyline jumps as well (Lucy is trying on wedding dresses and then suddenly she's out to dinner with her husband and a friend?, Lucy and her husband are in the car with her sister-in-law and her husband and then they're at home having a discussion?).

Overall, it was a good family drama and interesting mystery. It's a little predictable, and there were some story threads that were introduced but not really followed through well. It's an easy read and for anyone that typically enjoys Hepworth and family drama, this is for you.

I am still thinking about this book, the relationships, how they evolve, the past history coloring the events that happen and the dynamics behind Lucy and Diana. This book is full of psychological insights into the characters, there are so many layers to their lives that kept me second guessing motives. How can Lucy ever truly get to know Diana?...To say she is aloof doesn't cover it... Lucy feels Diana's whole family, including her husband Ollie is intermixed with intense suspicions. There is suspense, a murder, dark secrets all of which keep the pages turning at a fast pace. I loved this book, it is truly brilliantly written ...and eerily not hard to believe how it all happened.

There are numerous twists in this tale, told from multiple perspectives (Lucy and Diana). I was expecting more of a mystery than I found. I did like learning the backstory of the characters with the past/present format of the story. But, with the title, I was expecting a bit more drama overall. The action does pick up about midway (2/3) through the story, as you really want to know whodunit. The tension is better as the story goes on, but I wish it had been more consistent throughout the book.

Depending on one’s personal experience, the title, THE MOTHER-IN-LAW, may or may not immediately bring bad connotations and/or distasteful jokes to the forefront, but keep an open mind, because the author flawlessly portrays poetry in motion as the story unfolds.

Oliver “Ollie” Goodwin and his thirty-year-old wife, Lucy, have three children, seven-year-old Archie, four-year-old Harriett, and two-year-old Edie. The story opens with Sr. Constable Arthur and Constable Perkins delivering the news that Ollie’s mother, Diana Goodwin, is dead.

The next chapter reverts back ten years to Lucy’s story. Lucy was thirteen when her mother died of breast cancer; she was raised by her dad and was mothered by a 50-ish year-old housekeeper until Lucy turned eighteen. Lucy then had high hopes that one day that she would have a mother-in-law. Thus, when she meets Ollie’s parents for the first time, she has all of these preconceived expectations of a relationship with his mom, but they are quickly extinguished. Lucy discovers that the family is “huggers” except for Diana who comes off as rather frosty and to top it off, she overhears Diana telling her son that it should not matter what she thinks of Lucy, but that she does think that Lucy is “fine.” To Lucy, this meant that she would be a daughter-in-law who is not wanted, but on the other hand, could be worse, and to Lucy, being called fine is as “good as dead.”

During this visit, Lucy also meets his sister, Antoinette, or “Nettie,” and her husband, Patrick. At thirty-two, Nettie is married, childless, and a finance manager for a marketing firm; as the story unfolds, Nettie’s obsession with having a baby has dire consequences.

The story continues to masterfully revert back and forth between the past and present life experiences of primarily Lucy and Diana. Diana grew up in a middle class, well-to-do Catholic family, whereas her husband, Tom, did not, but he went on to be a very successful business partner in one of the largest residential development companies in Australia. Diana now single-handedly runs a charity to help refugees in Australia, many pregnant or with small children.

The writing of this author is masterful in explaining how one’s life experiences can shape the decisions and relationships with others throughout one’s lifetime. This is indeed one of the best stories I have read, and look forward to reading more by this talented author. I wish to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read a pre-release of this magnificent book in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend this to all readers who appreciate a well-written story.

Wow! I was not expecting that ending! Now, I'll be up all night recovering from the adrenaline rush.
Lucy's mother-in-law Diana does not welcome her son Ollie's wife. In fact, she's polite but standoffish for 10 years. So when Diana is found dead with a suicide note, the family is left to wonder exactly what happened. Someone's hiding something, but what? Could Lucy really be responsible for Diana's death?
In my opinion, author Sally Hepworth kept the story moving at a steady but engaging pace. She cleverly inserted clues to keep me guessing until the final page. The book does include a few grammar mistakes and curse words, and in places, the story moves between time periods with no transition or warning, which is a bit confusing. However, I would recommend "The Mother-in-Law" to readers who enjoy a thrill and are interested in family dynamics and why we act the way we do.

4.5 Stars

We've all heard and read the stories about the notorious, mean and, ruthless mother-in-law, and I thought going into Sally Hepworth's newest book that this was going to be another story about that kind of mother-in-law, come on, you know the one! Trust me, though, you've never met a mother-in-law like Diana, the namesake in Hepworth's intensely complex book The Mother-in-Law...

Diana has been found dead, and it initially looks like she's committed suicide since there is a note found nearby yet an autopsy soon points to homicide leaving every member of the family suspect as they all seem to have some motive in wanting her dead.

Hepworth's writing is smooth, intoxicating, and mesmerizing as she plays into the twisted emotions surrounding Diana's death, the subsequent homicide investigation, and the build-up to the fateful day of Diana's death. The story is told through shifting POVs and time periods both past and present by Diana and Lucy, the daughter-in-law.

When Lucy married Ollie, she hoped to find in Diana a loving, caring mother-in-law since her own mother was dead but instead, she found a woman who was cold, aloof, practical, and emotionally distant not only to Lucy but also to her son Ollie, her daughter, Nellie, and her son-in-law, Patrick.

Yet, Diana has no problems being loving and caring towards pregnant refugees who need money, jobs, and places to live, yet she won't raise a hand or give any money to help her own children when they need it. Instead, her philosophy, at total odds from her husband Tom, is that they have to stand for themselves no matter what the situation or the repercussion.

Diana is undoubtedly the center of this family with her controlling ways although she may not have realized it because as you get deeper into the chapters and learn more about Diana, you discover all isn't as it seems. Is she cold and aloof? Yes. Is she emotionally distant? Very. But there's more to her than meets the eye, and her behavior and attitudes have reasons, which is all slowly and skillfully revealed throughout the book.

Still, I had to decide if I liked Diana or if I didn't while reading, and I'm still unsure of that. There were parts of her that I abhorred and parts that I understood, which I think can be said about so many book characters, and she's certainly not the only unlikeable/likable character in this novel. However, I thought she was by far the most complex even though Hepworth did an absolutely brilliant job bringing each of her characters to life. 

The Mother-in-Law is a compelling and powerful domestic mystery that examines the dynamics between not only daughters-in-law and their mothers-in-law, but husband and wives, sisters and brothers, mothers and daughters, as well as family relationships as a whole. It is a book with some moments that will leave you picking your jaw up off the floor because they're so unexpected and twisted with suspense--that ending! I didn't see it coming at all!

I love Hepworth's books because she really is a brilliant storyteller who writes superb characterizations and well-executed plots. I highly recommend you get a copy of The Mother-in-Law as soon as you can; it comes out on April 23, 2019!!

**Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC to read in exchange for my fair and honest review.**

Fast-paced and full of twists and turns, this book did not disappoint. I really enjoyed seeing events from both the daughter-in-law’s POV and the mother-in-law’s. It brought an interesting depth to the story. I also liked the author’s using chapters in the past and present to tell the story. I did find the ending a bit weak, however.

All in all, though, this was a very enjoyable book and I think it would make a great book club selection. Think of the discussions this book could start!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The first time that Lucy met her future mother-in-law her high hopes of a close bond were dashed. Lucy had lost her own mom to cancer, and longed for a motherly figure to fill that void.
Through a series of missteps, miscommunications and unspoken words, Lucy and Diana built an invisible wall between themselves. Now Diana is dead of an apparent suicide and a delicate spider web of secrets is about to be swept away.
I think anyone who enjoys a good mystery is a perfect fit for this book, but more than that, anyone who has a Mother-in-Law or is one herself may see fragments of themselves in the relationship between Diana and Lucy.