Review of advance reader eBook

Lucy Goodwin and her mother-in-law, Diana, have a complicated relationship. Lucy, who lost her own mother when she was only thirteen years old, hoped for a close relationship with her husband’s mother. But Diana is distant, and despite Lucy’s efforts, she can’t seem to break through the woman’s reserved attitude.

And then Diana is dead, reportedly at her own hand. But the autopsy reveals something much more sinister.

The unpredictable narrative spins out its story in chapters alternating between the points of view of Lucy and Diana, between past and present. Well-defined characters populate this tale; the narrative reveals the complications inherent in family relationships and the dynamics of parents and children, husbands and wives.
The plot twists and turns in unexpected ways, keeping readers engaged in this unputdownable tale.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this digital galley from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley
#TheMotherInLaw #NetGalley

Not what I expected but still a very good read. This books reads a bit slow but it also takes to deep into a relationship that never works. Throughout the book you are constantly wanting to know how it all ends. It's a good suspense novel. The characters are ok, not as memorable you would think.

This was my first Sally Hepworth title, and I'm excited to read more! This is a fast-paced thriller that keeps you guessing -- you think you have everything figured out, only to discover that you were entirely wrong. It's the perfect beach read, full of compelling characters and a twisty narrative that ends all too soon.

Family drama plus a death? Sounds like my kind of book! This well-written book is a wonderful combination of both family dynamics and mystery. This is the first book by Sally Hepworth that I have read but I am now looking forward to reading other book written by her!

If you have been married, you know you are also inheriting your loved ones family. And with mother-in-laws it can feel like navigating a minefield. And this is what happens when Lucy marries Ollie and gains Diana.

Lucy lost her own mother long ago and has hopes that she and Diana will be close. Unfortunately Diana is not that type of mother-in-law. She keeps them all at a distance while running her own charity for refugees and young pregnant girls and being very hands on. 

And when Diana is found dead, Lucy is scared. Lucy and Diana have secrets.  Diana had a lot of secrets with a lot of people. So who had the strongest motive to kill her? 

I loved this story. I loved Diana. This family could have been so different if it weren't for all of the secrets. Everyone was assuming and no one was asking questions. 

I suspected everyone! They all wanted something from Diana that she had no intention of giving them and for one of them that will be the spark that ends Diana's life.

Always a solid writer, this one was very well done!

Netgalley/ April 23rd 2019 by St. Martin's Press

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.
What a great read this is! I loved every moment of it.
It's told alternatively by Lucy, mother of three and married to Ollie, and Ollie's mother Diana in the past and present. Lucy tries hard to be accepted by Diana, but doesn't seem to have much luck. Tom, her father-in-law, is a loving, easygoing father and grandfather, but Diana is distant and difficult to get along with. When she dies, her apparent suicide is deemed murder by the police and so the mystery starts. When her will is read, the family is in shock.
Diana was a enigmatic character, but I loved her and felt much empathy for her. I liked Lucy too, she tries so hard, but my sympathies lay with Diana.
Her difficult past shaped her character in such a way that she seemed hard, but she did what she thought was for the best, hoping to create strong and independent children who could stand on their own feet.
I couldn't put this book down and highly recommend it, it's great!

📖REVIEW🔊
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The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth 📚
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Sure, there’s a mystery of what happened to Diana, Lucy’s Mother-in-Law, woven into this story. Did she kill herself? Did someone murder her? Don’t worry, no spoilers here. We find out Diana is dead in the first pages of the book. When the mystery was revealed at the end, I felt satisfied. I really didn’t see it coming, so very good twist, but that isn’t the best part of this story for me.


Sally Hepworth really brought all of her characters to life. I found myself really drawn in by this family’s dynamics. Each person expressed love and frustration differently. Every family member was hiding something and dealt with the grip of those secrets on their lives in very contrasting ways.


This family’s trials and tribulations are what really stood out for me in this book, and speaks volumes to the power of this author’s writing. Bringing characters to life is a challenge for every writer. Although thrillers/suspense type novels are my go-to, many times the characters are lackluster, just an ends to a mean for that awesome twist we wait for at that end. This story doesn’t just have that. It felt way bigger. I highly recommend this book. It gave me all the feels!

Make sure you check this book out. It will be released April 23, 2019. Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the opportunity to read and review this gem!!!


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I finished this book in a day! This was such a twisty and thought provoking book and I appreciate all aspects of the characters. To be able to see and understand things for what they really are is important and this book makes you aware of that! I loved it! Thank you!

The Mother-In-Law was the first book that I have read by Sally Hepworth, and I am definitely looking forward to reading more by her after finishing this one! We all know the stereotype of the mother-in-law: that they are difficult to deal with and not known for making things easy, especially for those who marry their children. That definitely seems to be the experience of Lucy, who from the time she met her husband, Ollie's mother, has felt that Diana has never liked her. Diana does not present as the warmest of mothers, and despite her wealth, is known for not being willing to help their children out, instead making them struggle and work through their financial difficulties all on their own. One night, the police show up at Lucy and Ollie's house to inform them that Diana has been found dead of an apparent suicide. However, as their investigation continues, things do not add up, and it appears that they may be looking at a homicide. Lucy has had a stressful relationship, including a physical altercation; Ollie's business is going broke and he needs the money; Ollie's sister, Nettie, has been trying for years for a baby, and the alternative treatments for her to get pregnant or try to start a family of her own are astoundingly expensive; and Patrick, Nettie's husband, has never gotten along with Diana as well, and is losing his wife to her obsession with starting a family. Told from alternating points of view, both past and present, between Lucy and Diana, we see what made Diana the person she became, and the evolving relationship she has with her daughter-in-law, coming to rest on the similarities between them, rather than their differences. Amazing story, and wonderful writing, have made this one of my favorite books this year!

Thank you to St Martins Press, and NetGalley, for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

What a book !! I finished this book in only two days because I had to find out what happened. It is well written and captivating and it kept me hooked in from beginning to end. The story is told from multiple viewpoints and goes back and forth between past and present. The mother in law, Diana, is dead of an apparent suicide. The police are investigating to ensure it's not a homicide. It seems that each family member has secrets to hide and reasons to want Diana dead. The Mother-in-Law was an enjoyable book and highly recommended to fans of mystery/thriller books. I was fortunate to receive this novel from Netgalley as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.

The Mother-in-Law is part mystery, part family drama novel. Diana, the mother-in-law, has surprised her children and their spouses by committing suicide- or has she? While a note was left behind, other signs point to a struggle and perhaps more to the story than meets the eye. Told in alternating viewpoints from Diana (via the past) and Lucy (the daughter-in-law), this novel highlights how miscommunications within a family can snowball into something larger.

I enjoyed that this book was different from the usual thriller. While I was often trying to determine what happened to Diana, I was equally invested in the family relations and their struggles. This is a good choice for anyone who likes a book with some family drama, but also enjoys a suspense read.

It’s a rare treat to discover a book with an unusual plot twist. This is such a rare treat. Twists that kept proving my assumptions wrong and characters that kept me burning through the pages. Put this book high on your “to read” list.

I love Sally Hepworth's novels and have anxiously awaited her newest book "The Mother-in-Law." I am fortunate enough to have a great MIL, but I have heard the dreaded stories about infamous MIL's. This book was totally different from what I expected it to be!
The book is about the relationship between Lucy (daughter-in-law) and Diana (Mother-in-Law) and their differing view points during their entire relationship - this book will have everyone examining their opinions on how they think other people view them to be. Hepworth did a great job appealing to both sides of the relationship - while it wasn't friendly, it wasn't meant to be hurtful. I enjoyed watching the story develop and the mystery surrounding Diana's suspicious death - the ending will have you re-reading the entire book all over again to see what you missed!

Why did I let this hang out in my Netgalley for almost 4 months before I read it‽! I loved it, and read it all in one sitting. So fun! Liane Moriarty fans will love this one.

Magnificent book that I could not put down. This book kept me guessing until the end. It was interesting to see the relationships between the characters change. I loved seeing the relationship between Lucy and Diana change. At the beginning I just thought Diana would be the mother-in-law who would never get along with her daughter-in-law. At times I thought their relationship would improve early on. I was surprised that it took so long for them to develop a more positive relationship. This is a book I would highly recommend to anyone.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"Someone once told me that you have two families in your life - the one you are born into and the one you choose. Yes, you may get to choose your partner, but you don't choose your mother-in-law. The cackling mercenaries of fate determine it all"

I think all women have a hard time living up to the expecations of their mother in laws. Especially those who may not feel that their son's spouse deserves their son.

Lucy was young when her mother died. She never had that woman bond or guidance growing up. Enter Ollie who wants to Lucy to his family. Of course Lucy is nervous (who wouldn't be) but she's excited at the prospect of the empty hole being left by her mother, getting filled with Ollie's mother.

Entire Diane. She comes from a difficult background and has worked her but off to get to where she is and because of that she has gotten some pretty strong opinions about handouts.

A majority of the book is the interaction between Lucy and Diane. You get both points of views (Lucy and DIane) although Diane's delivery is extremely rough and down right rude. As predicted, something happens that causes Lucy to basically lose her cool and stops trying so to speak.

I don't want to give away too much more because I don't want to spoil if for the readers. I highly recommend this book and think it would make a great book club discussion.

Sally Hepworth has done it again! I was a bit worried about this one because the synopsis didn't sound like something I would like. But it's Sally Hepworth, so of course I'm going to read it. Oh man, was I wrong! This is the perfect blend of thriller and more just general fiction. I had so many theories about what happened, but I ended up never guessing the end. I loved the characters in this book-even though they were all very flawed. It's just such a good story! Highly recommend!

Brilliant!! My first thought as I read the last page of this book. How have I never heard of this author?? I don't know, but I'm now about to go look up everything she's ever written. That much I'm certain of!
This story... these characters were compulsively readable. I could not stop. reading. this. book. I literally fell asleep last night with my phone in hand reading it with one eye open. It was that good.
At some point in this story, every character was suspect to the murder of the mother-in-law, well everyone except the children. And truly, almost every chapter my thoughts on who done it changed. This is the best kind of suspense novel. Not a moment of boredom and constantly digging deeper and deeper into the minds, lives and relationships of the characters. I can't wait to read more by Sally Hepworth!!

When Lucy falls in love with Oliver (Ollie) and things get serious, he takes her to meet the family. Ollie's family is very rich and Lucy immediately feels intimidated when she meets his cool, reserved mother, Diana. Diana treats Lucy well but they never develop the fuzzy relationship that Lucy had longed for. Ten years later, Diana is found dead of suspicious circumstances and that is where this book takes on some captivating twists and turns. There are several story lines going on and the author does an excellent job tying everything together in the end. This is a gripping addictive read and it is a real page-turner. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an ARC of this very compelling book.

I really enjoyed this book! It was suspenseful but not overly so to the point that my life had to stop for me to finish the book. It was a story of a family’s relationship with each other and also a “who-dun-it”.

I found myself really loving the daughter in law Lucy and the Mother in law Diana. It’s usually hard for me to like both of the main characters in a book but this one did a great job!

I would recommend this book to anyone!