Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing with me with an ARC of "The Mother-in-Law" in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't know what to expect going into this book. I have never read any previous works from Sally Hepworth, so I was not aware of her writing style. After reading this book, I am a fan! I finished this book in less than 24 hours. I am already looking forward to reading more of her works.

Hepworth did a wonderful job of writing characters who were relatable and likeable, flaws and all. Alternating chapters from the perspectives of the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law provided a unique experience. I was able to get inside both of their minds and gain a better understanding of why people act the way they do. It made me reflect on my own life and people I may not see eye to eye with and wonder what is behind their words and actions.

What I found most telling for me was that rather than constantly thinking about the outcome and what happened to Diana, I was more enthralled with the journey. That is a sign of a well-thought-out and written book.

I had the privilege of reading Two Houses, the author's prior book, before it was released, so I was excited to read this book hoping it would have the same charm and wit that I had enjoyed in her previous book. And I wasn't disappointed! I love how she highlights how what we say can be interpreted so differently by different characters and how what we choose not to say can have such a profound impact on our relationships, as we all know that it so true in life as well as fiction. Once again, the author successfully drops hints along the way that lead you to believe you have figured it out, but you haven't! I don't read many mysteries but there is just something about this author's writing that I really enjoy. Don't let the title keep you from reading it - I know it's an old worn out topic but this book puts a new spin on it. Can't wait for her next book.

I really enjoyed this book! The book is somewhat of a mystery in that there is a death that looks like suicide, but is it really? However, there is more here than just a "who-done-it". This book is about family and family dynamics. I loved the sentence "you don't choose your mother-in-law-the cackling mercenaries of fate determine it all" So true for all of us with a mother-in-law! I found myself having a hard time putting the book down, especially during the first 3/4 of the story as the plot began to take shape. This is one I would definitely recommend.

This book was recommended to me by two of my colleagues, and boy, it did not disappoint! Hepworth delivered one of the best books I have read in a long time!

The Mother-In-Law takes readers through a tale of a ridiculously rich family where things don't appear to be as they seem. Hepworth pays particular detail to character development by switching between Diana's (the mother-in-law) and Lucy's (the daughter-in-law). However, throughout the course of the book, you get to know the entire family very well through the twists and turns Hepworth weaves. How did Diana REALLY did? Once you think you have things figured out, think again!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc of this fantastic read

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked this book! At the beginning of the book, Lucy and Diana (the mother-in-law) do not really care for each other. As the story unfolds, the reader gets to know both of these women and the many layers of their complicated relationship. I won't give the ending away, but it ended with a twist I wasn't expecting. Highly recommend!

The Mother In Law was different then what I had thought it would be but I still really enjoyed this one. I liked that the chapters were told from Lucy and Diana's different perspectives and also went back and forth between the past and present. I went into this book thinking that I was going to have a negative opinion on the mother in law Diana, which I did at first, but I liked how the author was able to write her character in a way that created a deeper understanding of Diana and her actions. This was a solid read that I will be recommending to friends this year. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Whew. This story. Sally Hepworth is the queen of creating a twisted story that is anything but predictable. If you loved The Family Next Door then you are surely going to love The Mother-In- Law. We all know the difficult relationships of the wife and the mother-in-law. Whether we are lucky (ahem-not so lucky) enough to have her in our own family or we have a friend who has stories of her own, we all know THAT mother-in-law. And while some might secretly imagine a stampede of wild elephants smashing her into a pancake or a mysterious explosion sending her into oblivion, nobody actually means it. Right? But what happens when that is exactly what becomes reality? That is exactly what this story dives into. It’s complicated, it’s heart wrenching, and it leaves you scratching your head. This was such a fun story to dive into and watch unfold. And maybe, just maybe, you will come into it with a new appreciation of your own mother-in-law (unless yours is worse. Then let me sign up to be the first to read your own book)

This book kept me going all day trying to decifer what really happened. Several twists in relationships and personalities will keep you guessing until the end. Characters I didn't like, I grew to appreciate over the length of the book. Very intriguing psychological thriller will keep you turning pages until the end. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC

4.5 STARS

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Macmillan Australia through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Sally Hepworth, Macmillan Australia, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I totally and completely loved, loved, loved this book!! It was INCREDIBLE with so many twists and turns that I got dizzy reading it!! The characters were very well thought-out, the plot was believable and good, and the plot twists were intense!!

I have read ALL of Sally Hepworth's book and she is getting better and better! This book is going to be THE book of the year!!

HIGHLY recommend this book!! Go and get this book when it comes out and read it!!

Thank you to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of The Mother-in-Law.

This is my first book by this author so I went into this with an open mind.

The Mother-in-Law is a decent domestic drama between a cold mother-in-law named Diana and her daughter-in-law, Lucy.

It was a refreshing change from most domestic thrillers that feature a wife and husband, or a husband and a mistress and his wife, or a husband and his mistress....well, you get the picture.

Told from each woman's perspective, readers are introduced to Diana, the affluent wife of two children, Nettie and Ollie, and Lucy, Ollie's naive wife who lost her mother when she was 12. Lucy is shocked when her fantasies of Diana subbing as her de facto mom are dashed when Diana remains cold and indifferent to her.

As time passes and events unfold and Diana is drawn into the lives of her children's dramas, readers are given insight into how Diana's personality was created, how she met her kind husband Tom, and how her stern demeanor was forged.

When Diana is found dead under mysterious circumstances, all signs point to Lucy, who had an acrimonious relationship with her but as the story unfolds, we discover she wasn't the only one.

There's a little bit of everything in here, soap opera wise but its not dragged out incessantly; infidelity, infertility, money woes, loss and sorrow. All of these factors are a possible motive behind Diana's untimely death.

I was indifferent to Diana, though I respected her for her wisdom and age, the lessons she learned from the mistakes she made as a young woman and the strength she hoped to instill in her own children. I could see where she was coming from though I found her strangely cold to her own children. Why couldn't she just be forthright and explain her actions to them?

I didn't like Lucy; I thought she was silly and naive and kind of dumb. I understand she's an only child and misses her mother desperately but she had a Disney version of how Diana would act and that's just childish. Seriously, how old are you to imagine your mother-in-law would be someone who loves you as much as your mother?

I wouldn't call this book suspenseful; its just a matter of eliminating the suspects and its not hard. It's about two women and how their past and experiences have shaped them into the women they are now.

I did enjoy the character development and a look at how our assumptions based on appearances and first impressions are almost always inaccurate.

We can never really know a person until we take the time to speak to each other and it takes time, patience and effort to find similar ground on which to bond over.

Unless your mother-in-law is a real witch, then you're out of luck.

Wow! What a good book. I could not put it down, but had to every now and then just to absorb everything. Lucy has a very complicated relationship with her mother in law Diana. Lucy is sweet, maternal and loveable, she was just 13 when her own mother died, so she really wants a close relationship with Diana. Diana is cold, blunt, and totally uninterested in Lucy. they are totally different people and a lot of the problems stem from miscommunication, however, it must be said that Diana has difficulty forming close attachments, even her own children feel estranged from her. The story is told through the points of view of both Lucy and Diana. Ollie, Lucy’s husband and Diana’s son has had a very privileged upbringing. He and his sister also always had a huge legacy dangling over them. Diana and her husband Tom are extremely wealthy, however, Diana wants her children to be self sufficient and self reliant. Unfortunately Ollie’s business is failing, he and Lucy’s house is too small for their growing family. His sister Nettie is is desparate for children and needs money for a surrogate and Diana refuses to help either of her children. Tensions escalate, then Diana is murdered. You know someone in the family is quilty, but who? The alternating points of view from the past through to the present works very effectively to help understand Diana.
Highly recommend. Thanks to netgalley for a free copy, all opinions are my own.

Since their first meeting, Lucy’s mother-in-law Diana kept her at a distance. They never quite seemed to understand each other, and their relationship was fraught with subtle tension. Still, when Diana is found dead with a suicide note near her body, Lucy is devastated at the loss. But as police continue to discover inconsistencies in the death that suggest foul play, everyone in the family is a suspect.

This novel is a delicious combination of family drama and slowly unraveling suspense. We get both Lucy and Diana’s perspectives over time, which gives us a front row seat to the misunderstandings and miscommunication between daughter-in-law and mother-in-law. That relationship—in all its glories and foibles—is explored deftly by Hepworth, and I found myself nodding and smiling as we discovered more about each woman.

Flawed but likeable characters, solid writing, an interesting structure, and the mystery of Diana’s death combine to make this a page turner! Recommended for readers who enjoy stories about complex relationships with a note of suspense. Releases April 23, 2019 so put it on your TBR. I’m sure it’s going to be a hit!

Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, what a book! I loved this book....I liked how it was written, I loved the characters, and I loved the story. I am usually pretty good at figuring out the villain but I missed it in this book. I loved how the author went back and forth in time to give the reader the back story and still keep the current story going.

Diana's son Ollie is married to Lucy and her relationship with Diana would not be described as 'warm'. Diana works tirelessly to provide aid to refugees, so this isn't a story of a woman without heart, and yet in her interactions with her family, she appears distant and well at times downright cold. Lucy and Diana are two very different women and at best, they are polite to each other, but why? When Lucy first met Ollie's parents, she hoped to forge a close friendship with the mother of the man she loved, but Diana steadfastly keeps her distance. It is usually never a good thing when the police are at your door and when they inform Lucy and Ollie that Diana is dead and that her suicide seems suspicious, things quickly unravel.
The point of view shifts from Diana to Lucy and is told in the past and the present. Many secrets are revealed and at times I thought it possible that Ollie or Lucy had murdered Diana. Then the focus would shift and I wondered about Diana's daughter Nettie and her husband Patrick. Both children and their spouses have had issues with Diana, but were any of these differences enough to lead to murder?
Short chapters and the alternating viewpoints made this a quick read and the whodunit and why was well done. This is the first book I have read by Sally Hepworth and I am headed to GoodReads to see what else she has written. A good mystery that kept me guessing and one I would recommend.
I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.

I really enjoyed The Mother-in-Law. Very intriguing, fast-paced whodunit plot, which I totally appreciated. If you like murder mysteries, or thrillers that hold your interest easily, then this book is for you. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for gifting me with a copy of The Mother In Law for review.

This was my third time reading a Sally Hepworth novel and I find the more I read her books the more I appreciate her humor and artistic angle. Ms. Hepworth has the ability to write believable characters and dialogue while still being entertaining and engaging.

In her latest offering Lucy, a stay at home mom is thrust into an investigation when her mother in law is found dead by a suspicious suicide. Diana, the MIL was a tough somewhat cold woman who was quick to pass judgement and showed little warmth or kindness to her family. As the novel progresses we learn the circumstances of Diana’s temperament and the reasons behind her cool exterior.

This book told through Diana’s & Lucy’s point of view goes back and fourth in time allowing the readers to gain a bigger picture of the family history, including past and current resentments. There are a lot of numerous side plots ( sometimes I felt the author was attempting too much) but it certainly makes for a page turner.

If you enjoy family dramas, domestic thrillers, feuding family dynamics & current hot topics then this book will be your perfect read.

Simply irresistible! A definite page turner! The suspense, the complex relationships, and unexplained murder keep the reader begging for more. A must read!

Wow! Start as you mean to go on, they say, and as The Mother-in-Law was my start, my reading for 2019 is looking very promising indeed. This is my first NetGalley read, and what a gem! I must preface this by saying that, for me, Sally Hepworth can do no wrong with a domestic thriller, and her latest proves to be no exception.

Diana Goodwin is found dead of an apparent suicide and through the alternating narratives of Lucy Goodwin, her daughter-in-law, and Diana herself, and moving between past and present, the strained relationship of the two women unfolds in a she said/she said account of events. We quickly learn that the two women have always been at odds in a passive aggressive way. As Lucy reflects,"only a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law can have an all-out war without anyone so much as raising their voice." Having no experience with the mother/daughter-in-law relationship in my own life, I was fascinated by the dynamic between these two women, and could empathize with each side of the narrative. Diana's tireless work with refugees and her unwavering devotion to her husband are humanizing, just as we feel Lucy's frustration with what she perceives as her mother-in-law's omnipresent disapproval of her,

Contributing to this strained relationship are issues of money and greed, and when Diana's death is looked at as a possible homicide, financial motives become apparent and each member of the family is under suspicion. Is Lucy's hatred for Diana deep enough to push her to murder? As Lucy herself states, "Diana has made me do things I never thought possible." Or is greed and desperation at the root of Diana's demise?

I was fully engaged with this story and loved all of the twists and turns that had me questioning and guessing until the very end. For a domestic thriller, this ticks all of the boxes for me. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this fabulous ARC.

This touching story tells of the issues that arise when the in-laws are well off, and the children and their spouses are counting on inheritance and help when they need it. The mother-in-law puts her foot down, but the father-in-law sometimes goes behind her back to help. The daughter Nettie is married and wants more than anything to have a baby. The son is married and can't seem to get his act together, except to give his wife 3 children. You must read this.

30 yr old Lucy marries Ollie Goodwin, son of wealthy Tom and Diana (who couldn't be more different) and elder brother to married and childless Nettie. The mystery is who kills mother-in-law Diana. This story moves along, I will give young and prolific author Sally Hepworth that; but there's something about the premise of this book that made me uncomfortable throughout. While I delighted in that effect entirely with The Slap, which is another family-based drama in novel-form written by Australian author Christos Tsiolkas in 2009, The Mother-in-Law for me missed the mark.

Some of the problems I found with Hepworth's writing seem quite popular with other readers, for example the gimmicky shifting timeline, alternating narrators, and comically inappropriate parenting (unending screen time, a 4-yr old watching a PG film at a sleepover, a kid with a brain injury climbing trees, multiple near-drownings etc). But most of what I object to is plot flaws and inconsistencies, like unsubstantiated characteristics that suddenly crop up ("Tom could be dreadfully hot-headed" we learn 67% of the way in with no basis whatsoever). How does DIL Lucy who was popular growing up, have nobody in her life now outside of the Goodwins - just her father, no friends no former co-workers, no mother's group? Whereas cold, judgmental, un-fun MIL Diana has multiple sets of friends?? If Diana was so poor she had to go to the grocery store carrying her baby, how did she get the groceries home?