This novel has it all. A good, believable plot with great twists and well developed characters, excellent writing (the dialogues, either real or inner ones are top notch) and a wonderful study of family relations and how people are not always how they seem yo be on the surface.

I identified so much with Diana; I am also an introvert like her who has difficulties with expressing myself and I'm so often misunderstood like she was… I specially liked that we get to see both sides of the story, with Diana and Lucy as narrators. It gives us perspective and also helps understanding them both, even when it seems impossible that the other side could not be horribly wrong. Just like in life, the reason is not always just on one view.

I'd like to thank Netgally and the Publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

The Mother-In-Law was my first Sally Hepworth, but it will not be my last (I may or may not be multitasking while writing this, trying to nail down copies of all her other works...).

The story explores the relationship between mothers and daughters-in-law, mothers and sons, wives and husbands, mothers and daughters, grandparents and grandchildren. I was struck by how real all of these relationships were in the novel. None were perfect, they all went through good times and bad. Each relationship morphed as the characters grew, but slowly, the way it happens in real life. Perhaps a major contributor to the relatable relationships in the novel was the shifting perspective from the mother-in-law to the daughter-in-law, jumping back and forth in time from 1970 to the present to 10 years in the future.

These relationships were hugely important to the book, but the mystery of WHAT HAPPENED to the mother-in-law was captivating as well, if at times put on the back burner. I never saw the ending coming, which I always appreciate in novels like this!

Overall, I recommend this to anyone who loves a good domestic suspense novel, or anyone having difficulty with their mother-in-law (haha).

**Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Sally Hepworth for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story was wonderful, though I was not expecting such an emotional read. The characters were basically all good people, but flawed, as are all of us. The story was told from several perspectives- the mother-in-law as well as the daughter-in-law and other family members - but I did not expect the one-two gut punch as each character recalled his or her version of events and their aftermath. Since I am “experienced” in both roles (MIL and DIL), it really blurred the lines on how the smallest event, comment, nuanced facial expression can be interpreted depending on perception. A very good storyline and another winner by Sally Hepworth not to be missed!

The police come to the door of Lucy and Ollie's house one evening to inform them that Ollie's mom has been found dead, apparently of a suicide. Our story then takes us between the past and the present as we find out that it was not as apparent as it seemed. The book goes back and forth between Lucy and Diana, the mother-in-law. It takes us back to the beginning of their relationship until the present. It is told in both of their voices, which really enhanced the story. Diana was a hard one to warm up to. I can say that for the most part, I was glad she wasn't my mother-in-law, but I loved the way their relationship evolved.

It took me a while to really get into the book but once I did, I could not put it down. Another shining outing from Ms. Hepworth.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this fast paced suspense novel. Everyone knows someone who doesn't exactly get along with their mother-in-law. It's a tale as old as time. This book however shows both sides of the power struggle. It held my interest throughout and I would highly recommend it to those who like some chick lit with bite.

I LOVED this book! I am a huge fan of stories that explore family dynamics from multiple perspectives - and this book does that and does it WELL! I loved getting to read Diana and Lucy’s takes on different events in their lives. A fascinating page-turner. Highly recommend! This is my second book by this author and I can’t wait to read more!

What a great book! I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading it, and the first chapter is not indicative of the rest of the book. Once I started reading it got better and better and I couldn't put it down.

The book is the story of a relationship between a woman named Lucy and her mother-in-law Diana, with all the complications that the relationship implies. The book opens with Diana dead from an apparent suicide and goes forward in alternating chapters told from Diana's and Lucy's point of view. The book is so well written, this is a must read in my opinion!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

This was a great book. Probably mostly a thriller/suspense book but also a narrative on the dynamics of a family. While the plot of the book is about discovering the truth behind a death, so not exactly warm and fuzzy, I thought there was a warm element to the book which I really enjoyed. It gave the book more substance than your typical who-done-it. I was invested in Lucy and Diana, the main characters, and felt empathy for them both. They were, sometime surprisingly, likable. I was able to figure out the puzzle pieces about 3/4 of the way into the book which is the only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5.

I enjoyed this quite a bit - would have finished it in one day if it hadn't already been past my bedtime. I was honestly expecting something more cliche, but was pleasantly surprised by the realistic characterizations of Lucy and Diane. The descriptions of motherhood were definitely legit.

The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth should be on everyone’s TBR list, if you haven’t done so already! It is fast paced, full of intrigue, and filled with well-developed characters who really get under your skin! Dysfunctional families, buried secrets, murder, money…it’s all part of family life, right?

Lucy and Diana, the mother and daughter-in-law combo, are both strong protagonists. The story is told from both their perspectives, taking place presently and in the past. It was the perfect way to write this novel as it makes both characters multi-dimensional. I really liked them both too because I could understand and relate to both their viewpoints. And it’s hard to disagree with either of them!

The supporting characters influenced the storyline significantly which is not always easy to do in this genre. Every one of them created tension and contributed to the unease in the unfolding situations, leading up to a climatic last quarter of the book. The relationships between parents and children, brothers and sisters, wives and husbands and of course in-laws is deeply and intricately explored and made me think about the dynamics in my own family.

This is the first novel by Ms. Hepworth that I have read, but it certainly will not be the last. In fact, I plan on reading all her previous novels and adding her to my “favourite authors” list!

A grim look at the intricacies of a family through the eyes of the mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law. Through the changing perspectives the reader gets a glimpse into each character's life which makes you wonder -- who did it?

With well-developed complex characters and a story that will keep you guessing, The Mother In Law is a twisty study of family dynamics. Do we really ever know what drives each other or do we just make assumptions and take each other at face value?

Engrossing, intriguing and totally heartbreaking.
Shows things and people are not always what they seem.
5 stars and a must read

Family drama at its finest!! The police arrive at Lucy & Ollie’s house announcing the death of Ollie’s Mother. Their live plays out, flashing back and forth in time, being told from both the mother-in-law, daughter-in-laws perspectives. Is everything as it seems? So many suspects formed in my mind while reading this.... yet I didn’t see the ending coming at all.

Pretty good mystery. Interesting twist in the end. While I enjoyed this one, it wasn’t as good as The Couple Next Door, in my opinion.

This book hooked me right from the beginning with the intriguing premise and Lucy's musings about how "the cackling mercenaries of fate" choose your family for you, and kept me going with its endless twists. I loved seeing the story unfold from the dueling viewpoints of Diana and Lucy; it helped give both characters much more depth and made some of the twists more difficult to anticipate.

At first, Diana comes across as the mother-in-law from hell. She cuts off Lucy mid-story and essentially ignores her future daughter-in-law's presence at their first meeting, but as the story opened up and revealed more of her mysterious past, she became much more endearing. Reading her reflections of certain moments (the raw chicken, the teddy bear, et cetera) after seeing how Lucy perceived them was very interesting and helped keep the story feeling real.

The tactic of the unreliable narrator worked really well for Lucy's side of the story. For much of the story, it seemed like she was either hiding something or truly did not know much about her mother-in-law. This helped make many of the twists even more shocking. Every time I felt like I guessed who was responsible for Diana's death, I was wrong-a great thing. Sally Hepworth did a great job with a clever, twisty psychological suspense story that will keep readers guessing until the last few pages. 4.5 stars from me!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Full disclosure: this book has been on “can’t wait to read list” for awhile because of my own in-law drama. It takes a lot for me to choose a book based solely of the title.
The-Mother-In-law lived up to my expectations in every way possible. I’m giving it 5 shiny stars. 10/10 would read again.

Sally Hepworth does such a good job writing a suspenseful story without scaring you. I read this in about 24 hours because I was enthralled. The differing points of view and movement forward and back throughout time were well done and not confusing. It was enlightening to see the same events from different characters viewpoints. This added to their depth and my full understanding of the story. I’ve loved all of Sally Hepworth’s books and this is certainly no exception!

This book is ok, I didn't get excited reading it, I guess I expected more excitement then there was. I did not see that ending coming. I was a little shocked by it. I will not go into detail ,because I don't like spoiling for others that haven't read it.

Lucy has been doing all she could to win over her mother-in-law Dianna who has not been very accepting of her marriage to her son. Over the years Lucy continues to attempt to get close and break down the walls, but Diana who is very well respected in the community will not budge.

Fast forward a few years later and poor Diana has been found deceased with a suicide note. She could not live with the cancer any longer. The kicker...... Diana's body showed no signs of cancer upon the autopsy. All that was found was light races of poison and an apparent suffocation.

In a town filled with people who adored her (with the exception of her daughter in law) the search for her killer could be a difficult one.