I love Sally Hepworth and was so excited to get the opportunity to read The Mother-In-Law and it did not disappoint. I enjoyed how so many different relationships were explored in this book...Mother/Husband, Mother/children, Mother-in-law/Daughter-in-law. Part thriller and part family drama, this story pulled me in from the beginning .

I enjoyed The Mother in Law, but I definitely liked The Family Next Door better. This novel is in large part a character study and unfortunately I wasn't completely invested in either Lucy or Diana. Perhaps because of my lack of investment (which might have been due to my own mood, I'll admit) the novel dragged a bit for me. Don't get me wrong, I still wanted to know what happened to Diana, which was compelling. And Hepworth deftly handles the back and forth movement in time. But overall I never felt that pull to get back to my Kindle that I often find when I'm reading a great story. Nonetheless The Mother in Law is a sure bet for fans of thoughtful women's fiction, especially if you're interested in seeing how different people can interpret the same scenario in disparate ways.

Sally Hepworth has earned a spot in my favorite authors to read with this one. This is my first read by Sally and I can guarantee you it will not be my last. Such brilliant writing all the way to the end. Sally Hepworth keeps you guessing as to what will happen and then my whole idea of how it is going to end is blow clear out of the water. Very well thought out and planned for sure.

Lucy is a young lady that we soon find out has lost her mother early on in her life. Lucy's dad has stepped up and tried to fill both roles for her, but we all know that there are just times when a mom is needed. When Lucy falls in love with Ollie, she thinks that his mother may be able to fill in for some of those times when a mom is needed, but boy was Lucy wrong about that one.

Diana is a woman that has very little to say, but has a way with what she does end up saying that makes it cut clear down to the bone. We learn that Diana has a fondness for women and babies from other countries that are trying to make a living in the US. Diana has a foundation that helps with baby necessities and clothes for mother and baby. You would think that a woman like this would also have a big heart for her new daughter-in-law, right? Well, not so much.

Diana and Tom have been married for years and are very well off. Diana is not one to give her kids money for what they need or want though, and that is where some of the problem comes in with the family. Nettie (Diana and Tom's daughter) has been battling infertility issues for years and has been out lots of money on all the treatments. Tom is willing to help and ends up doing so behind Diana's back a lot. Ollie (Diana and Tom's son and Lucy's husband) has started a business with a longtime friend and things have not been going good for them in that aspect.

There are so many lessons to be learned in reading this story. I fell in love with all the characters and was heartbroken when I got to the end and found out what all had happened to each one of them and the way it all ends. Sally Hepworth pulls at your heart strings for sure with this read. This is not your typical murder mystery, but one that will leave an impression on your heart for awhile after you get done reading. I cannot wait to read more from Sally Hepworth. Definitely a favorite of mine now!

Thanks for Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own!

What a fantastic read! There is a mystery here but so much more. This story is told by alternating narrators (Diana the matriarch and Lucy the daughter in law) and switches from past to present. It flows seamlessly and serves to give all the characters such dimension.

The writing was so clever. We see numerous times how one scenario can be interpreted so differently between two people. The relationships were so deliciously complicated and surprising! The reveal was a good twist and the conclusion was extremely satisfying, highly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for a copy in exchange for a review.

I finished my first NetGalley read, The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth and I was not disappointed. Throughout the book the narration is by both Diana, the mother-in-law and Lucy, the daughter-in-law. The chapters also switch back and forth between the past and the present. I felt like each chapter from Diana or Lucy’s past was like peeling an onion of their relationship. We learn so much about them as individuals and as a family {via marriage} it gives you a sense of who these two ladies are. Their pasts along with the present day of trying to find out how Diana died was enough to have me turning pages so quickly to find out what happened. Every time I thought I knew ... I had no idea. This story was a little thriller, a little who done it, and a lot of family drama all rolled into one. A must add to your TBR list for 2019! Thank you Netgalley and St. Marina Press for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Thanks for the early review copy!

I picked this up because of the cover. It was a well-written thriller with interesting characters. I recommend this book to fans of adult mysteries.

I am a sucker for family drama, so this book had me from the blurb. A great balance of thriller and domestic drama that worked very nicely. I look forward to enjoying the author's other works.

Lucy has been looking for a mother figure for most of her life and hopes to have finally found that in Diana, her mother in law. But that’s not to be the case. Now Diana is dead and the police want to know who is responsible. With a broad cast of characters, it could be anyone.
The ending was great and the book was a page turner. You won’t be sorry for reading this one!

This is a great read. The author makes you care about the characters. Do not think that it is all feel good just like life it takes a turn and you will find yourself wanting to rush to end of the book to find out on things turn out (don't do it). It is well written and you will not want to stop reading until you get to the end.

I've been hooked on Sally Hepworth's books since discovering her via The Family Next Door earlier this year. It's been great going back and reading her earlier works, but I was super excited to get NetGalley approved for her new book: The Mother in Law.

Since the death of her mother Lucy has been seeking a maternal figure in her life. When she meets Ollie, she has high hopes his mother will fill that void in her life. Ollie's mother, Diana, is cold and distant though, not at all what Lucy was hoping for. One night the police turn up on Lucy and Ollie's door step with the news that Diana is dead, and everyone is lift wondering, what happened?

The story is told is present time through Lucy's point of view, and flashbacks to the past through from both Lucy and Diana's perspectives. Normally I'm not a fan of changing perspectives, but in this instance I really enjoyed it and thought it was well done. When one of the characters thought the others behaviour was strange, we would get to see inside their head and see the justification for that behaviour. These little insights really helped flesh out Lucy and Diana's characters.

I was utterly hooked, and actually knocked over the majority of the book in one sitting because I just did not want to put it down, I needed to know what happened next. And now it's over, I feel strangely lonely.

Another incredible read from Sally Hepworth. I'm seriously in love with this woman's writing.....but now I have to wait even longer for more....

**I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Something about this book that I can’t quite put my finger on, stuck out to me when I was browsing books to request. From the moment I started reading, I knew this book was one that I would not be able to put down. In fact, I found myself reading the whole thing in just a few hours.

Sally hooks you from the start with a book full of characters you think you’ve figured out, only to later realize you couldn’t be more wrong. Through the twists and turns of this book, you are left guessing til the very end. An end that you never really see coming, yet it makes all the sense in the world.

I just finished “The Mother- in -Law” and am speechless. I’ll be processing this book for days. Everything about this story was amazing. I laughed, cried, and felt so many emotions you’d think the characters were my actual family members. I’ve read over 100 books this year, and it is my favorite one (I don’t say that lightly). It is Sally Hepworth at her best.

This new compelling novel by Sally Hepworth will have you rapidly turning pages to follow the twisted path to the surprise ending. This novel is Sally Hepworth at her very best and one of my favorite books of the year.

When you get married, you become part of your husband's family. Most important of all is the mother-in-law that you gain. She can welcome you as part of the family or make your life a living hell because of her dislike of you. I won't admit which side I ended up on except to say that I really identified with Lucy. When Lucy meets her husband's family for the first time, she has dreams of her mother in law replacing her mother who died years earlier. She thought that they could become friends. She found out very quickly that Diana doesn't want to be her friend and really isn't it very nice to her. Five years later, after numerous battles large and small, Diana is found dead and Lucy is left to wonder who is to blame.

Lucy is a fantastic character - written like someone that you know - flaws and all. In the beginning of her marriage she tries so hard to make Diana like her but as their battles continue, she asserts her independence. By the time Diana is found dead any one of several characters could be to blame - was it suicide or was it someone in the family? As I read, my person to blame changed over and over until I got to the surprise ending that was just perfect!

Clear your calendar before you start The Mother-in-Law because you won't want to put the book down until the end.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

I was given this book from NetGalley for an honest review-
There are two sides to every story. Lucy meets her cold rich mother in law.
The mother in law meets Lucy and doesn't know what to think - so begins the relationship.
The mother in law has struggled all her life to make a living and expects this from her family too. She doesn't believe in hand outs although her husband tends to slip things to the children.
Lucy's husband's business is going bottoms up. The daughter wants a baby and need money for fertility shots. The son in law is sick of baby wishing and begins having affairs.
And then - the mother in law is found dead!
Who killed her?

Sally Hepworth’s novel is about an Australian family, their relationships to each other and their communication, or lack there of. When Lucy marries Ollie she longs for a warm and loving surrogate mother. Instead she finds her mother-in-law cold and formal, and they have trouble understanding each other. But five years later when Diana commits suicide Lucy is startled to realize how much she misses her, and when murder is suspected, she is even more surprised, especially as they’re all under suspicion. The chapters alternate for the most part with Lucy and Diana, moving from past to present forming a complete picture as we get to know Ollie, his sister, Nellie, Patrick, her husband, and Tom, Diana’s beloved husband. This novel is a nuanced psychological thriller that drew me in from the first sentence until it’s startling but great conclusion. I highly recommend this books. Thanks for the chance to read an advance copy and give an honest review.

I’ve loved everything I’ve ever read by Sally Hepworth and this is no exception! Great storytelling and writing style. This was a very compelling storyline about a somewhat complex family (aren’t they all!?) who has wealth and issues. Unfortunately some life lessons are a painful experience but we all have to learn to deal - or we can’t deal and the results aren’t pretty.

This just did not interest me. I completed the novel, but only to find out who was guilty. It was not at all twisty.

The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth is not the normal "evil mother-in-law" scenario. The wide range of relationships in the story fits the saying, "it's complicated" to a "T". The characters are very well presented and each is relatable in their own unique way. The family dynamics feel genuine and not contrived. The mystery does hold throughout the book until the very end. Highly recommended.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for an advance of this title in exchange for my honest review. I thought I recognized the name of the author, but wasn't certain. I also thought I understood the plot of this book before I started reading it. I was wrong. This book was so intriguing and the characters well done. I felt I learned more about the characters as the story went on, and the way I felt about some of them completely flipped during my reading. Afterward, realized I had read another of the author's books, AND I took the opportunity to read another...also spot on! I added Sally Hepworth as an author to follow, and I think you'd love this title!

This was different than what I expected but this is a good thing! It was not the typical cliche mother-in-law story.