I enjoyed Watson's writing a lot which made me request an eArc this. Although I was delighted to be sent an Arc of The Sister-in-Law, I had problems with my e-reader from March onwards so unfortunately, I didn't manage to finish reading it before the archive date.
Thank you Netgalley for the free eArc in exchange for an honest review.

TW: death, infidelity

I have mixed feelings about this novel. The story, told from Clare’s perspective, showed how easily an idyllic vacation can spin out of control. The way the author created and maintained the tension throughout the story was great; I was always wondering what would happen next. However, the payoff wasn’t that great because the telling vs. showing made the revelations anti-climactic. All of the characters were very one-dimensional, which didn’t help me connect with them. The ending was also extremely abrupt and took me by surprise; the last few sentences both seemed to promise a sequel while also being extremely vague. What was the author trying to get at? How is Clare going to get revenge – and why does she want to suddenly be a champion for women?. It was quite out-of-the-blue and took away from my enjoyment of the novel.

Clare and Dan need a vacation after experiencing some personal problems in their relationship. Dan's perfect-can't do anything wrong- brother Jamie joins them, and introduces his new wife to the fold. From there nothing is as it seems, and wow, with a sister in law like that, who needs enemies! Recommended.
TB

Clare and Dan need a vacation. A vacation away from everything. They need to work on their marriage. Dan had been unfaithful and can't keep his hands and eyes to himself. And as with most families there's a lot of issues that are between each family member. But when Jamie Dan's brother decides to join them, which was fine he is a fun person to be around. But his new wife oh no. A gorgeous girl with everything, the looks, the glam, and money from who knows where. Sister In Law is more like Demon In Law 😱 Twisty and page turning!

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for the advance ecopy.

A tense, well-crafted read that kept me turning the pages until the end! Thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for the ARC,

I love this book, think its your best one yet Sue, really couldn't put it down good job i'm off work and can devour in one sitting

I received a copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This book was the first I’ve read by this author and holy cow was it addictive. This is the best kind of book to read while we are all stuck at home during a pandemic. Do not skip adding this to your TBR pile!

First, let me thank netgalley and the publishers for approving my request for an early release of this book. All reviews of my netgalley books can be found on goodreads and youtube. Please be sure to check out the links attached.

Clare along with her husband Dan  and her three young children is on a family vacation hoping to rekindle her marriage .Everything is going well till Dan’s brother Jamie arrives with his newly wedded wife Ella. At first Claire is excited to meet Ella but Ella is not interested and she makes it clear that she knows Clare’s secret which may end up tearing the whole family apart . 

The Sister-in-Law by Sue Watson  is a domestic psychological thriller .She has written another  well written plot  with some unexpected twists and turns that makes it a highly entertaining read . 

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

First, thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc and provide feedback. This is my first book by author Sue Watson, but it definitely won't be my last. This book hooks you from the first page. There's good backstory and character development in this story, and you can just fly right through it. It didn't drag on, it wasn't necessarily predictable either. It was a good story with a good story teller. Will be recommending this book to friends and picking up more of this author's books. Thanks!

This book has a very interesting story. The complex relationships and interactions among the multiple characters makes for good reading. That said, the book had a lot more potential.

Clare & Dan commence a vacation at Dan’s parents’ place with their three kids. Clare hopes she can use the time to rebuild the relationship, after Dan gets over his affair with someone else. The entire family is taken aback when Dan’s younger brother Jamie joins them with his newly wed wife Ella.
There is instantly an air of tension between Clare & Ella. While it appears that Clare is jealous of Ella’s looks, Clare feels Ella cannot be trusted. Clare has her own secrets as well, which Ella seems to have somehow come to know about. The stress in their relationship wrecks the vacation for all practical purposes with a lot of nasty exchanges, as well as quite some pettiness. Almost all adults in the family have their own priorities and have things to hide.

The book has an overdose of the acrimony between Clare & Ella for much of the early & middle portions. Also, since the narration is from Clare’s point of view, Ella’s character is not as well developed. However, the last few sections of the book are very well written, and the story ties up beautifully at the end. For that, it is well worth a read.

My rating: 3.25 / 5.

The Sister-in-Law is a psychological thriller by Sue Watson.

Dan and Clare and their three children were on their way for a two- week holiday, to spend time together as a family in an Italian villa, for their annual holiday with Dan’s parents, Joy and Bob and younger brother, Jamie. The annual holiday is always paid for by Dan’s parents, who are now retiring from the family business, a small property company on the outskirts of Manchester, England. Dan had been part of the company for twenty years but now Jamie, “free-spirited” travelled around the world, had decided to come home and join Dan in running the company.

Clare is a full-time nurse and maintained the company website, as well as looking after their three children; Violet the oldest at nine years old, Alfie four years old and Freddie who was two years old. She had her hands full. She is ready for a break. It has been a tough year and now she wants to put her feet up. Dan had cheated on Clare, and this holiday was in ways a chance to repair the damage and start fresh.

Dan is a cheater, but vows to Clare that he wants their marriage to work. Time will tell. But can Clare trust him anymore?

Jamie is the prodigal child, back in the family fold again, after years of travelling abroad. But when he gets to the villa, he’s not alone. He’s brought a wife, someone none of them have met before. Her name is Ella.

Ella, THE SISTER-IN-LAW is everything Clare isn’t. Glamorous. Young. Influential. But she knows a secret about Clare. Something that has the power to break the whole family apart. Clare and Ella do not get on.

Joy, the mother-in-law is the boss of the family and holds the reins over her two sons. She enjoys her daily Gin and Tonics, and likes to be in charge. Her husband, Bob is quite and will do anything to please his wife.

“This is what life was all about-family, people you love, your children close by, everyone safe, warm and happy.”

So many secrets and lies…

This is an excellent addictive psychological thriller/domestic drama told from Clare’s point of view. The characters and their actions come alive on the page, within the vivid imagery and intertwined plot. Twists and turns and volatile unexpected ending that I did not see coming. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for my digital copy.

I devoured this book. Totally loved it. It is my first by this author but definitely not my last. The characters were so well developed and interesting I felt I knew each and everyone of them by the end of the book. When a family holiday turns in to a living hell for Claire when her husbands brother arrives with his new wife. Ella has it all, a glamorous lifestyle, beautiful and everyone lives her except Claire. Why can't everyone see Ella for what she is or is Claire being too harsh. Is the real issues in Claire's life closer to home.

This was a fun book to read. The first page grabbed my attention. Lots of characters to connect to. I couldn't stop turning the pages and wanting to know more. Lots of twists to keep you on the ball. Lots of dramas with this dysfunctional family. This is my first Sue Watson book and it wont be my last.

This twisty book will keep you up at night. You will actually feel all short of anger and dislike towards the sister in law, Ella. Definitely a 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2 star rating from me! Thank you BookOuture, Susan Watson, and Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review!

I've been a fan of Sue Watson since I read Ella's Ice Cream Summer. I've read all her books since then, whether it be contemporary romance or mystery thriller. I enjoyed reading both and so I expected for this one to be good as well. She never disappoint, I must say. Out of all the mystery titles though, The Sister-in-Law was by far my favorite. I was gripped by the story despite it having unlikeable characters. I don't think I sympathize to any one of them. And yet, I was deeply invested by the family drama while reading. Some twists can be easily guessed but that doesn't make it any less brilliant. Five solid stars!

I really enjoyed this book & all the twists & turns. It flowed nicely & was well thought out. I would recommend this to anyone.

Oh this was a good book, really well written and engrossing story with a very clever twist. I couldn't put it down, thank you for the great read!

The book opens with Clare, her husband Dan and their three children heading to a villa on the Amalfi coast to stay with Dan’s parents. Clare is feeling very vulnerable as their marriage is floundering due to Dan’s affairs. She is hoping that this holiday will give them a chance to get closer again. Bob and Joy, Dan’s parents, own a small company. Dan works in the company and as Bob is thinking of retiring he will take it over. His brother Jamie, who has been travelling, has decided that he will join him in running the business. When Jamie turns up at the villa he has a beautiful young woman with him, Ella, and stuns everyone when he introduces her as his wife as they have just got married. It soon becomes clear that Ella has taken a dislike to Clare but everyone else seems fooled by her and seem unaware of the nasty cutting remarks she makes to Clare. The conflict between them escalates with terrible consequences. I was totally hooked by all the family secrets and personality clashes and raced through the book to reach the conclusion. This was an excellent read, highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Clare's annual family holiday with her parents in law is thrown into disarray when her brother in law Jamie arrives with a new bride Ella. Clare is eager to be friendly towards the new woman in the family, but her efforts are rejected and Ella begins a campaign of undermining Clare at all times.
Clare's marriage is fragile due to her husband's multiple affairs and she too is hiding a secret. Meanwhile, she is having to negotiate family politics with her parents in law and now Jamie and his new wife as they seek to assert themselves within the family dynamic.
The Sister in Law is a clever psychological drama about the power of words and how damaging they can be. It isn't particularly pleasant to read much of the book as the snide remarks and disparaging comments are relentless. It is, however, fascinating to watch as the drama unfolds and Clare's reality begins to unravel completely.
The concept of family politics is very thought provoking. The mother of my first long term boyfriend really hated me and put me down whilst my current mother in law is wonderful and has welcomed me into her family despite me being a single mum. I fear for the women my sons will bring home...
I think most readers will be able to identify with Clare and her insecurities which are played upon to destroy her self esteem. As a mother, it is sometimes difficult to be a woman rather than a mum, and also to work while fulfilling the role of childcare. Women are often expected to be emotional negotiators within the family to ensure peace and love permeate the home, whlst their own emotional needs are ignored.
There are two twists at the end and I did consider both of them earlier but this did not spoil my enjoyment as it was still a surprise to see how events played out. The suspense and drama are maintained until the very end of the book.