Probably best not to pick this one up when you have a lot of cleaning to do. This page turner was a lot more compelling than my chore list this weekend! After losing her own mother, Lucy is very eager to meet her future mother-in-law Diana but their relationship is vastly different than what Lucy expected. Sally Hepworth develops characters with surprising depth and reveals each layer to us little by little.

Ugly cry risk: Low
Chance of getting cleaning done before finishing the book: Extremely Low
You'll enjoy this if you're a fan of: Liane Moriarty
Conclusions: Momming is hard. Don't judge a book by it's cover (re: characters....not the actual book and its cover)

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest feedback.

Lucy is married to Oliver. One day there's a knock on the door and they find out that Oliver's mother, Diana, is dead. Suspected suicide. Despite their differences, Lucy is just as devastated as Oliver and indeed the rest of the family that Diana has left behind.
But then, after the autopsy points to suffocation rather than suicide, fingers start to point to various members of the family and we flash back to Oliver and Lucy's early days of going out. To when Lucy met Oliver's family and how her relationships with them, especially Diana, started to form. As more and more secrets start to out, concerning more than just Lucy, Diana and Oliver, it becomes evident that there is much more going on behind closed doors than face value suggests.
There's a lot going on in this book and I am not just talking about all the secrets, lies and duplicitous behaviour exhibited by various characters along the way. The story is told by two people; Diana and Lucy and we see both side of their relationship as it starts, forms, develops and changes along the way. We also see two sides of some of the things that happen in the book as there are scenes that are replayed by either Lucy or Diana in turn. I found these to be very interesting and quite cleverly done, gave me food for thought anyway. If there was ever a book that nails the masks we wear with other people, this is that book. So many times along the way I was shouting at the characters to just be honest and communicate, but then, if they had done that, there wouldn't be a story to tell... Diana was a bit of a cold fish, but she has her reasons for what she does. Lucy tried everything to break down her barriers, to warm her up, rather than just accept the distant relationship they had. And then there's Diana's charity work which deserves more here but I'm reluctant to spill due to spoilers.
This was definitely a book with two themes for me. To examine the relationships between both family and extended family and also to get to the bottom of what happened to Diana. I am pleased to say that it satisfied on both. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I loved this book! It was such a fun, light read, but well-written and not too obvious a solve. I did consider it but it was a good one where I considered most characters as a possible suspect. The characters were well-developed and multi-dimensional.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

The positive:

The writing is good in this novel. Characters are well defined and you get a good picture regarding the setting and contrast between personalities. A book that can invoke emotion from you is a good book. I loved the mother-in-law and disliked the self-entitled daughter in-law. I swear Lucy had a stick up her butt. In reality, she was simply damaged by her mother’s abandonment when her mother died. She was looking for a new mommy and the new mommy was about making you stronger, not weaker by handing you everything. You can’t afford the house. You best wait until you can or buy something cheaper. What a bitch.  Needless to say this novel is more about family dynamics than a who done it? As far as I can tell, there were zero clues until the end of the book.

The negative: Time jumps. I hate time jumps. It stopped the flow of the story cold multiple times. As soon as the police arrive to announce the death, we jump back to where Lucy (the daughter-in-law) was ten years ago. It is here Lucy meets her mother-in-law and takes her first slight. Back to the present.  Stick up Lucy’s butt or not, she is sad at the death. And so it continues with a bunch of time jumps, including all the way back to when the mother in law gives birth to her first born. None of this give us any clues as to whether the death is a murder or a suicide.

The positive: the characters are a bit complex. And Lucy is not as bad as I made her out to be. I was simply impatient with her and I’m proud of her growth.

I would recommend this novel if you like family drama and are interested in getting to know who the characters are and what drives them. I would not recommend it if you are looking for a good who done it mystery.

(4.5) This book had me hooked from the beginning. I loved the two main characters, Diana and Lucy (especially Diana, the mother-in-law), and really enjoyed seeing what happened to their relationship and how it changed over time. I thought this book was going to be a suspenseful thriller but it ended up being full of heart and some good life lessons.

From their very first meeting, the relationship between Lucy and her future mother-in-law, Diana, is strained and not at all what Lucy had hoped. Ten years later, Diana is dead. Even though it appears to be a suicide, the autopsy points to murder. Even though Diana’s death is revealed from the onset, <i>The Mother-in law</i> is not a mystery. Told through the eyes of these two main characters, there are a number of other interesting characters – most of whom are not very likeable and, as it turns out, all are hiding something.

Once I realized this wasn’t a typical murder mystery, I kept pushing despite the slow build and times the story got bogged down in repetitive descriptions of daily living. But, just past half way, the layers began to reveal some interesting, and surprising, dynamics in play. Some original turns in the story took it to a whole different level - more complex and intriguing. Even though the final twist was a surprise, I’m still debating its credibility and how it made me feel. Bottom line is that <I>The Mother-in-law</i> earned stars for being both thought-provoking as well as entertaining,


FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Super enjoyable quick read! Highly recommend!

Told both from the point of view of Lucy (the daughter-in-law) and Diana (the mother-in-law), the book explores the past and present after Diana is found dead in her home. The mystery of her death unravels as we learn more about both Lucy & Diana’s history, their differences, and their similarities.

This book kept my attention and I wanted to keep learning more. The characters continued to develop in surprising ways over the course of the book and my views of them changed as more was revealed.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Sally Hepworth, & NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for a honest review!

This book was a page turner from the very beginning! I was guessing what really happened from the first few pages. I really enjoyed how it told the story moving forward and then the past moving forward til we find out who it was. I also loved how the mother in law and daughter in law relationship shaped over time. I will be honest, I did she’s some tears.

Thank you to Netgalley & St Martin's press for this advanced copy of The Mother-In-Law.
I want to start off by saying I am a huge fan of Sally Hepworth, and while I found this book a bit different, it didn't disappoint.
This novel explores family relationships, and is mostly narrated by Lucy, Ollie's wife, and Diana, Ollie's mother. It digs into the ups and downs of the relationship between a daughter in law and mother in law. The book starts off with a tragedy, and goes back and forth between the past and present. I initially felt this book had a 'slow burn' type vibe, as it didn't captivate me right at the beginning. It took me awhile to connect with the characters, especially Diana. Once I hit the middle of the book, however, i couldn't stop reading. Secrets are divulged, lies are told, and a with complete shock of a climax, this book is right up there with Hepworth's bests. It all comes together with a completely satisfying ending that leaves you sad and happy for the characters at the same time. I have no doubt this novel will be a best seller !

This book is an intricately woven tale of a family told through different perspectives, using both past and present scenes. It’s a murder mystery that explores complex issues and secrets of each family member, including the mother-in-law who is dead. Very compelling read, a page turner!

Lucy hopes for a mother-in-law that she can be friends with, because her mother died when Lucy was 13, but Diana at first glance does not appear to be that person. But is Diana really that person or is she more hands-off and intentionally not all up in her grown kids' lives? As a secret from Diana's past comes to light, you get a feeling of why she was the way she was and why her charity helping pregnant refugee women was so important to her.

Not quite halfway through, I developed a theory on what happened to Diana, and I'm not ashamed at all to admit I was wrong! The ending was unexpected and I truly didn't see it coming.

I have read all of Sally Hepworth's books and she is queen of the complicated family dynamic!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy; all opinions are my own.

I was expecting much more from this book. I thought it was a mystery, when really it was just women's fiction with a mysterious twist right at the end.. 95% of this book was repetitive fluff. I also could not connect to any of the characters in the story. I didn't feel like the Mother-in-law was such an awful person to justify the treatment that she received from most of the characters. Perhaps something was missing such as background information on the daughter-in-law and her husband, the antagonists daughter and her husband, and etc. Ultimately I felt as though I was reading with no purpose. Perhaps the synopsis on this novel is inaccurate and it swayed me to believe that there was something else on the horizon. If I had went into the novel blindly, maybe I would have not had such high expectations. On the plus side it was an easy read. Thank you NetGalley for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Mother-in-law by Sally Hepworth is a quiet, but captivating novel. It is not truly a traditional mystery, though it contains a mystery, and it is definitely not a typical thriller, though it is fascinating. It’s also not necessarily fast-paced, though I was intrigued the whole way through. It’s more of a family saga with characters who have rich histories and complicated relationships with one another. It offers an insightful and unique look at the relationship between a particular daughter and her mother-in-law, and family dynamics as a whole, and how the interplay affects the trajectory of the lives of all involved.
I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s writing style and her perceptive glimpse into the psyche of certain familial relationships. It was intuitive, keen, and spot-on. I enjoyed the plot, the multi-layered character development, the mystery and the resolution. It was not only interesting to read, but thought-provoking as well, offering depth along with a compelling plot.

With two Mother-in-Laws under my belt, which honestly was two too many, and being one myself, I felt I was ready to tackle Sally Hepworth's latest novel, The Mother-in-Law. I was, after all, an experienced pro. I was not, however, at all prepared for the multi-layered, character driven drama that unfolded before me - not even close!

When Lucy first met her Mother-in-Law, Diana, she immediately knew she was not going to be the wife that Diana had hoped for her son. Diana was one of those mothers/wives who was perfect in every way: immaculate home, perfect spouse, marvelous and adored mother, a planner, a doer, someone who made things happen in life for those she loved. If she didn't love you - well, therein was the issue. But Lucy tried and she tried hard. When Diana is discovered dead, Lucy is perhaps the one most shocked, especially when it is indicated that Diana was already dying from cancer. You see, Lucy knows better. Lucy knows a lot of secrets about Diana and this family. As the investigation continues and the secrets are revealed, the layers that covered this perfect family begin to crack and we see that not was not as perfectly pretty as it appeared - but are they ever?

I absolutely adore Hepworth and her dramas. I don't always like each and every book, some are not always five star hits for me, but each of her books leave me emotionally charged and the characters that she builds stay with me forever. The Mother-in-Law is definitely a winner! There are so many twists and turns and layers to this story that just when you think you have it all figured out - and you probably will figure the "whodunnit - a new discovery is revealed and you find yourself back at square one. While there is the underlying mystery of Diana's death in the novel, The Mother-in-Law truly is a family drama at its core. It's about relationships that grow, alter, are amended and die. It's about family - those that work and those that are dysfunctional. Mother's relationships with their children are complicated; when they become adults it is even more so. When they marry... well, complicated doesn't even scratch the surface for many. And yet, The Mother-in-Law does scratch that surface and what it reveals will leave you stunned.

"With jaw-dropping discoveries, and realistic consequences, this novel is not to be missed. " --Library Journal, starred review

Many thanks to #Netgalley @StMartinsPress and @SallyHepworth for copy of #TheMotherinLaw available April 23 at Amazon and your local booksellers.

A great book! This novel has strong, likeable characters and plot development that is riveting. I can’t wait to share this title with our readers. It would be a great book for discussion

Lucy lost her mother at a very young age. Growing up without a mom has been very difficult for her and when she meets the love of her life Oliver, she sees an opportunity to fill that hole in her life. Upon meeting Oliver’s mother Diana, Lucy has high hopes she can forge the kind of mother-and-daughter relationship she has longed for. Unfortunately that will be easier said than done!

I must admit that this book was not the book I was expecting. I thought it would be a really intense story about a mean and nasty mother-in-law. So if that is what you are looking for, you should look somewhere else. That being said I really enjoyed this book! It explores the complexity of relationships within a family. It is about misunderstandings, honesty, acceptance, and communication. Yes, there is also mystery, intrigue, and death, but underneath all of that it is about love and family.

The character development was fabulous! Some of the characters were more likable than others, but I found them all utterly fascinating! I was most drawn to Lucy. While my heart went out to her, I also kept hoping she would open her eyes and see things more clearly. Diana was also a very interesting character. She comes across as cold and uncaring, but there is a whole lot more to her than meets the eye.

This is my second Sally Hepworth book, the first being – The Things We Keep. I am definitely looking forward to more from this terrific author in the future!

This book was great! This book had a background about family dynamics, as well as providing some suspense with many twists and turns. This book was part family dynamics, part psychological thriller. This book alternates past and present tense, but not always consistently. The book spends a few chapters in present tense, then switches to past at times. My one complaint is that the narrator switches each chapter too, which gets a little confusing with past/present and each specific chapter. Sometimes the “past” part is two weeks before, sometimes multiple years, though the chapter heading doesn’t specify. Because the chapter heading doesn’t specify when in the past, it sometimes takes a little bit to figure out where in the story it fits. Aside from the past/present, this book was a quick, engaging read that I’ll be recommending to my book club and friends.

All families have secrets and strife . Lucy and Oliver’s family was no different, but when Ollie’s motherDiana is found dead a cloud of suspicion surrounds everyone. The shock, grief, and anger percolates through already fragile relationships and everyone, including the reader wants to know how Diana died.

Lucy has always been desperate for a relationship with her mother-in-law Diana, but Diana wasn’t the soft and approachable type. She is one of the narrators of the books, along with Diana from a time before she died. Through both perspectives and varying time periods we are led on a journey through family secrets and ultimately what happened to Diana.

The Mother-in-Law starts with Lucy opening her door to the police informing her, and her husband (Ollie) of the death of Diana-Ollie's mother. It continues with flashbacks of the past- what formed Diana's and Lucy's relationship and the present-how the family deals with the aftermath of Diana's death. The story was fast paced and a great read. HOWEVER, the blurb giving the description is a little misleading. Overall great read!

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my review. The Mother-in-Law has gotten a lot of praise and attention and I feel it is well deserved! It doesn’t really fit into a genre...is it a mystery? Women’s fiction? Whatever genre it is, it is a thought provoking read that will be a certain hit with book clubs!