Megan Fordham, 28, wakes up in a hospital and learns that she and her husband, Rick, were in a car accident. Their car went off the road into a river and he died. They had been fighting for control of the steering wheel.

Megan’s mother had died a year or so before and she and Rick lived in her mother’s huge home. She and her mother had been very close and losing her had been quite traumatic for Megan. Her mother’s best friend, Elaine, took her under her wing and helped her plan the funeral and cared for her. Megan likes Elaine but does not like the woman’s husband, Keith.

At the funeral, a young pregnant girl introduces herself to Megan saying she is Emily, Rick’s younger sister. They had not seen one another in years and when Emily learned of Rick’s passing, she had to attend the funeral. Megan sits with her for a while to get to know the girl. After a few meetings, Megan learns that Emily’s boyfriend has been abusive to her and with little money she is afraid to go back home. Megan invites her to stay in her home.

Oh, what a twisty novel! With the dual points of view by Megan and Emily, we see how devious Emily is and what a nasty piece of work she is too. Oh, but as the book barreled to the end, I was really surprised at the conclusion. Wow! Some people are really ruthless. Enjoy!!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

"The Sister-in-Law" by Joanne Ryan is a gripping psychological thriller that will have you hooked from the very first page. The story follows Megan, who is struggling to cope with the loss of her husband when a stranger appears at his funeral claiming to be his estranged sister. As Megan welcomes this woman into her life, she soon realizes that she may have made a terrible mistake. The author weaves a tale of suspense, with twists and turns that will leave you guessing until the very end. The characters are well-developed and the plot is full of surprises. The ending is fantastic and ties everything together and it was NOT what I was expecting.

I enjoyed reading this novel. Megan has been in a car accident and is in hospital. Her husband Rick is dead but she can’t remember what happened. When his estranged sister turns up Megan lets her move in. Lots of twists and turns that keep you interested.

This was an intriguing, twisty read. I always like dual pov stories and this one was cleverly related. Great twist at the end. I didn't see that coming.

This was a fast-paced read with an intriguing premise, but the execution left me frustrated at times. The dual POV kept things moving, though the overlapping perspectives made some sections feel repetitive, almost like I had accidentally reread a chapter. Emily’s overwhelming sense of entitlement was downright infuriating, making her a character I did not like, though it did keep me engaged. Despite its flaws, this is a solid pick for those new to the genre or anyone looking for a quick, suspenseful read in a single sitting.

Megan loses her husband in a tragic accident at the start of this book… she encounters her estranged sister in law at the funeral, whom she has never met before. But of course everything is not as it seems. This was a fun, fast paced thriller that left me bewildered at some parts. I really enjoyed the plot twists and the character development, and I really was not expecting where it headed at all.

Highly recommend!

Megan just lost her husband Ricky in a fatal car accident which she survived. At the funeral, she meets a pregnant woman who tells her she is her late husband's sister Emily. Emily tells her she is getting out of an abusive relationship and needs a place to stay till she gets back on her feet. Shen moves in and quickly takes advantage of Megan by using her credit cards with abandon. Megan seems oblivious to all that is going on around her house. But in this book, nothing is like it appears. Joanne Ryan slowly eases you into the story and then throws plot twists left and right leaving you speechless. I recommend this for fans of British Psychological Thrillers.

Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

The Sister-in-Law
by Joanne Ryan
Pub Date: Jan 27 2025

The Sister-in-Law is a quick and easy read at only 256 pages. The story begins with a tragic car accident, Megan survives but her husband, Rick doesn't. At the funeral Megan sees Emily, Rick’s estranged sister. The story centers on Megan and Emily and is told in alternating POVs.

It's an entertaining read, at times it get's a little crazy! There were some unexpected twists I did not seem coming. All in all I found it a psychological thriller that was hard to put down once I started it!

Many thanks to #TheSisterinLaw #NetGalley and #Boldwoodbooks for providing me with an E-ARC of this psychological thriller!

This is a gripping and emotional thriller that will resonate with readers who enjoy complex family dynamics, the exploration of grief and loss, and the blurred lines between trust and deception, making it a perfect fit for fans of psychological suspense and domestic thrillers.

Joanne Ryan’s The Sister-in-Law is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into grief, trust, and the unsettling feeling that nothing is quite as it seems. When Megan loses her husband, Rick, in a tragic car accident, she is left devastated and adrift in a home that suddenly feels cold and empty. But her sorrow takes an unexpected turn at Rick’s funeral when she meets Emily—a pregnant young woman claiming to be his long-lost sister.

At first, Emily’s presence offers Megan a sense of comfort and connection to the husband she loved so deeply. As she welcomes Emily into her life—and even into her home—Megan begins to feel a glimmer of solace. But as time goes on, unsettling questions creep in. Who is Emily, really? Why did Rick never mention her? And why does Megan feel like she’s losing control of her own life?

Ryan masterfully builds tension, keeping readers hooked with Megan’s increasing paranoia and the slow, chilling realization that Emily might not be who she claims to be. The novel expertly balances Megan’s emotional vulnerability with the creeping sense of dread that permeates every interaction between the two women. As Megan unravels the layers of deception, the story takes unexpected twists that will leave readers questioning everyone’s motives until the very end.

The psychological depth of Megan’s grief and loneliness makes her a relatable and sympathetic protagonist, while Emily’s enigmatic presence adds an intriguing and unsettling dynamic to the story. The book’s pacing is steady, with a gradual escalation of suspense that keeps the pages turning, culminating in a shocking climax that ties everything together in a satisfying yet haunting way.

Overall, The Sister-in-Law is a compelling and atmospheric thriller that explores the vulnerabilities of grief and the dangers of misplaced trust. Fans of psychological suspense and domestic thrillers will find themselves captivated by this eerie and emotional tale of secrets, lies, and the lengths people go to in order to belong.

Megan wakes up in hospital, not recalling how only she escaped when the car she and husband Rick were in veered into a swollen river. At Rick’s funeral, his estranged sister Emily shows up, who Megan has never met before.
Pregnant and fleeing an abusive relationship up north, Emily is invited to stay with Megan until she finds her feet. But it seems Emily isn’t who she says she is.
I raced through this book in one night, desperate to get to its resolution. It’s the ideal book for when you’re looking for a story to immerse yourself in and I’ll be keeping an eye out for the author’s other titles.

Megan wakes up in the hospital and her memory of what happened in the car with her husband Rick is blurry. She finds out that Rick didn’t make it and is frustrated that she can’t remember what happened. At Rick’s funeral, Megan meets Rick’s sister Emily. After bonding over Rick, Emily moves in with Megan and things where things get interesting. There were many good twists in this book that kept me glued to my kindle. Thank you Netgalley, Boldwood Books and the author Joanne Ryan for the early copy.

First off, thank you Netgalley, Boldwood and Joanne Ryan for allowing me the opportunity to read this advanced copy of The Sister-in-Law.

This was a slow burn, but once the twists started coming it was hard to put it down which made up for how slow paced this was. In the end, I was left wanting to know what happens next.

OMG. the twists in this book were excellent and kept me guessing. I was shocked by the ending, even yelling at the book. I almost wanted to skip till the end, i did not do that however.

The Sister-in-Law by Joanne Ryan is a fast-paced psychological thriller in which all is not what it seems. Megan wakes up in the hospital having only a vague memory of her and her husband Rick in the car struggling over the steering wheel. Megan unfortunately is the only survivor and now must try to live her life without her handsome husband. At Rick's funeral Megan meets his estranged and heavily pregnant sister Emily. Emily has only just tracked Rick down and now she will never have a chance to talk to him again. Bonding over their grief Megan and Emily try to connect and Emily quickly becomes more and more invested in Megan's life. Having nowhere else to go after escaping an abusive relationship, Emily is invited to stay at Megan's house until she can get on her feet. But just what are Emily's intentions?
This was a quick read with many twists especially towards the end. The beginning was a bit slow but I felt it was necessary to get all the information on our two main POVs. Once it picked up it did not disappoint! I will definitely be reading more from Joanne Ryan!
Thank you to NetGalley, Joanne Ryan, and Boldwood Books for this ARC. Expected release date is January 27th 2025.

The Sister-in-Law really won me over with the slam of plot twists at the end, which I was hungry for after the slow-pace of the first 3/4. The characters were written very well to where I hated the antagonist early on, and despised their actions with every turn of the page - oh the audacity, Emily! I also didn’t care much for the protagonist’s behaviors through the story, but it made sense in the end. I felt the twists were sorta predictable, but there was enough held back from the reader to give that surprise when the truth unfolds. The only thing that had me banging my head and speed-reading (and ultimately had me decide on the 3-star review) was the repetitiveness in the back-and-forth POV writing style; there were too many chapters where I felt I read the exact same thing twice, only from a different point-of-view and with no added value to the story. I would recommend this book to readers who are looking for a physiological thriller and don’t turn away from slow-burns with a pay-off.

Thank you Netgalley, Boldwood and Joanne Ryan for the eArc of The Sister-in-Law.

I have read a few of Jane Ryan's books and I find them all easy to get in to. The Sister-in-Law is a medium paced psychological thriller and even though you will probably pick up on the foreshadowing and direction of the narrative. It kept me turning the page and fully engaged through the whole book. The plot is duel POV in 3rd person. which makes the narrative more 3D and easier to get into the storytellers heads. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

I also listened to the audiobook , Sophie Mackall (Narrator), Gemma Lawrence (Narrator), Julie Maisey (Narrator) did a fantastic job in narrating the characters and bringing them to life.


4 stars

This book was ok, but I had trouble really getting into it. There was a twist in the end, but it was all a little too predictable.

I enjoyed the different POV from each character. The storyline was well crafted. I thought I had it all figured out, then the ending took a twist that I didn't see coming.

The story begins with megan and her husband in a car crash, with only megan waking up in hospital being the only survivor.
At her husbands funeral she comes across a young woman called emily, who is megan's pregnant sister in law however she hasnt seen her brother in many years. Megan offers to help emily until after the baby is born as she is family, however when they start living living together
it is far from ideal. Apart from Emily being lazy, lounging around the house and not helping, Emily also has more psychological problems than megan could ever imagine.
The book was a good read and the story was easy to follow even though there was a dual point of view, it didnt get complicated.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.