The Mother-in-Law is a gripping new novel by Sally Hepworth, who is a wonderfully engaging story teller. It is a story about how family secrets, hidden agendas and extreme obsessions can result in tragedy. This compelling novel kept me guessing all the way to the completely unexpected conclusion. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

When I initially began this book, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read another book about a mother-in-law that feels her daughter-in-law is not good enough for her son. Wow was I wrong!

This book has many twists and turns. It is written from several POVs. This is often difficult and confusing for the reader. However, Sally Hepworth made it work seamlessly. Her characters were well developed. She brought out the positive and negative characteristics of each. This made them seem like someone you might know. All were likeable in their own way (except for Eamon – what a jerk!)

This is a fantastic mystery. You may figure out the end but it won’t be until a few chapters from it. You will make guesses about what is happening but soon there will a nugget will play havoc with your theory.

I cannot recommend this book more. What a great read!

I received an ARC from St. Martin Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book.

What happens when you don't measure up to your mother in law? This book had so many questions . What was the true story? This book had one twist, one surprise, one after another. What really happened to Diana and what really happened? Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this.

The Mother-In-Law is a suspenseful drama with a shocking ending that had me amazed. Diana, the patriarch of her small family, is found dead in her home of an apparent suicide, but not all the evidence points to her taking her own life. The novel is told between the past and present, and between the points of view of Diana and her daughter-in-law, Lucy. As events unfold, and the past is revealed, the suspects become numerous including Lucy, her son, Ollie (Lucy's husband), her daughter, Nettie, and Nettie's husband, Patrick. But in the end, the real story develops into the special relationship that forms between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

I loved this book because I could not put it down. With real, in-depth, relatable characters, the writing was easy and quick, keeping the reader interested and wanting more. It had suspense, mystery, and love, everything you want in a terrific read. I highly recommend this book!

This is a must read! I live the writing style of the author. I was hooked from the beginning. There are so many twist and turns. Will definitely read more from Sally Hepworth.

Given the last several years' plethora of "psychological thrillers," I kind of expected to find here the usual unreliable narrator who has "done something very bad," but endeavours to conceal that from the reader as long as possible. So I was agreeably surprised to find multiple narrators, each bearing distinctive personalities, and mostly not trying to shovel fog over truth. Additionally, THE MOTHER-IN-LAW contains a number of enterprising surprises, red herrings, and a genuinely evil villain--but you have to read to discover that identity. A good beach or vacation read.

The Mother-in-Law is a story about family dynamics. I think it's been described as a thriller, but it's not that, it's really more of a mystery, uncovering the truth behind a death in the family. The story is told by two narrators, the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law, and it alternates between the past and the present. I really enjoyed the format of the story and the storyline itself, it kept me guessing until the very end.

I thought it was so interesting how the author portrayed these characters. Reading the different perspectives was eye-opening for me, thinking about my own relationships, and how we so often think of something in one way when someone else is having a very different experience.

Another great book from Sally Hepworth!

Thank you so much to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book had so much potential to me and for a majority of this book I was hooked and couldn't stop reading. I actually finished this in less than 12 hours, I was that into the story. And then I got to about the last 30 pages and it completely tanked for me.

Diana has raised two wonderful kids, Ollie and Nettie, with her amazing husband and is living a very privileged life. Even though the past still comes back to haunt her occasionally she has her family and her loving husband by her side. When her son Ollie brings home his girlfriend, Diana isn't a huge fan of her at first and then Ollie and his girlfriend Lucy decide to get married. Diana tolerates her new daughter-in-law and the feeling is mutual but then Diana's husband Tom dies and Diana is sucked into a state of depression. She contemplates suicide but then changes her mind about it but yet Diana still ends up dead and it doesn't look like it was the suicide that it was staged to look like.

I was really enjoying this book until about 80-90% of the way in. I loved all of the family dynamics in this book and how Lucy and Diana finally put their differences aside and became close. And then the big "bombshell" dropped on who actually killed Diana.

*SPOILER ALERT*

First off a little back story. Every member of the family was looked at and questioned for her murder. Ollie because his company was tanking bad and he needed money, why not kill off his rich mom since he assumed the money was going to him and his sister? Lucy was looked at because of the assault that took place in the hospital after Tom accidentally drops his granddaughter and Diana just wants to smooth it over and move on. But lo and behold in was Nettie that killed her mother, all because she wouldn't give her any money to help her have her own baby. I honestly cannot say how mad I got when that was revealed, that was the whole reason she died? Because her daughter's obsession and madness about having a child of her own went that far and her mom wouldn't help her so she killed her? I understand Nettie felt like her mom had never been there for her and or didn't pay enough attention to her when she was younger and I understand the mental hit that women go through that can't have a baby but really, REALLY?

I loved this book so much up until then which is the only reason I'm giving it a 3 star review. The characters were great and the storyline was gripping up until the ending but the truth behind the murder is what really killed it for me. I will more than likely try to read other books by Sally Hepworth but this was a disappointing book for me.

The Mother-in-Law is the latest fascinating novel by Sally Hepworth. Lucy longs for a close relationship with her mother-in-law Diana, but her feelings are not reciprocated. Five years into Lucy's marriage Diana is discovered dead of an apparent suicide. The police investigate and questions are raised. Hepworth's plot takes many fascinating twists and is full of interesting characters. How horrible can a mother-in-law be? Is this a story of revenge? The Mother-in-Law is a definite must read.

The Mother-in-Law didn't quite live up to its potential for me. It's more women's fiction than mystery, although there is a mystery involved. However, by the time I made it to the big reveal, my question wasn't who killed Diana, but who didn't want to. The book comes across as preachy, and I quickly grew irritated at the number of times Diana mentions or thinks about what could feed a third-world nation. Charity is a wonderful thing, but I kept thinking maybe Diana should've looked in the mirror before passing judgment about how someone else might spend their own money. And she really needed a lesson about charity beginning at home. That aside, what most of the story boils down to is two women who get off on the wrong foot and can't seem to find their way back with tidbits of who killed Diana thrown in here and there. Maybe my disappointment stems from expecting one thing and finding another, so take my opinion for what it's worth, but this one was clearly not for me.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the free advanced reader’s copy in return for an honest review.

Lucy’s mother died when she was young so she was so excited to have a mother in law. When she meets Ollie’s mother, Diana, she knows that they will never have a loving mother-daughter relationship. After a strained relationship for many years, Diana is found dead in her home and the suicide looks suspicious. After looking deeper into the family, everyone has their secrets. So who killed Diana?

This wasn’t necessarily a thriller like I originally thought, but I really enjoyed it. I kept changing my mind throughout the book on who I thought killed the mother in law. I definitely recommend this book!

Oh, where to begin?!? Let me just tell you: I finished this in one sitting, wrapping up around 3am. Worth. Every. Minute.

First of all, let’s all admit that mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationships can be complicated. In even the healthiest relationship, it can take some time to sort out boundaries, roles, and traditions.

Readers… this isn’t one of those relationships. The best I can say is that Diana and Lucy got off to a rocky start and went downhill from there.

The story is told from both alternating points of view and alternating time frames. We start in present day where police visit Lucy and her husband Ollie to deliver some sad news: Ollie’s mother Diana has been found dead of an apparent suicide.

As the story unfolds, we discover secrets held by each of the characters, and we get glimpses of the family over time to see how relationships and dynamics have evolved. There was some crazy in this family, and all the dysfunction you could hope for.

I don’t want to give too many details about the story, because you’ll enjoy this book more if you discover events and plot points as you read. I will say that one of my favorite things was how many events were woven through the story, but not explained until later in the book… it’s somehow satisfying when pieces of the puzzle click together. The ending wasn’t what I’d expected, but once it happened it made a lot of sense and it tied up the story well.

This was a great read, and I look forward to reading more of Hepworth’s books! The publisher’s description says “twisty and captivating” and I couldn’t agree more! I’d highly recommend it for lovers of domestic suspense and other mystery enthusiasts.

Gah! This was so good! I had a really hard time putting it down, which didn’t fare well for my work life.

Hepworth fooled me again! I’m an amateur sleuth at heart, and I tried to figure out where this was going and who did the mother-in-law in. I failed on all fronts. Hey, I didn’t say I was a good sleuth.

I really enjoyed the different perspectives and time shifts that played the story out. I loved Lucy and Ollie’s marriage and how they trusted each other even when there were reasons to distrust. Absolute love and faith.

Diana’s viewpoint chapters explained so much about her and why she was the way she was—I kept hoping she’d finally explain to her children and Lucy. And Hepworth, in her own special way fulfilled the storyline perfectly
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For fans of Suburban Suspense, this is a perfect addition to the genre and a must-read.

I received an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

This is the first book written by Sally Hepworth that I have read and it won’t be the last. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and it turned out to be so different than what I expected. The book was full of mystery mixed with family drama and a developing relationship between a daughter-in-law and mother- in-law.
The story was a great depiction of what goes unsaid between family members and how powerful unspoken words can be in relationships. I found myself falling in love with the mother-in-law when I least expected to. This story had a bit of everything wrapped into one great read.

I LOVED this book. I went into it thinking it was a thriller, but it turned out to be a domestic mystery with life lessons and so much wisdom about relationships and self-identification. I absolutely loved the relationship between Diana and her husband. Getting into her head during alternating chapters to understand her reasons for choices she made really shed light to me on why relationships are so fraught with conflict. Most people have reasons they believe what they do but until someone who believes differently knows that person's story, there is not always a way to make a person without the same life story believe or feel the same way. Lucy, the daughter-in-law, as a character reminded me a little bit of Lou from Me Without You. While The Mother-In-Law had less humor than Me Without You, I felt it had a lot of the same life lessons. I was so pleasantly surprised to feel myself so moved to tears of empathy and understanding while reading a mystery. I hope others go into Mother-In-Law knowing that it is not a thriller. To me, it absolutely was a page-turner, though and will be among my top books of 2019.

This was my first by Sally Hepworth and I really enjoyed her writing style. I thought this was fun, quick read thriller that weaved in interesting and engaging family dynamics. I thought the characters were very well developed and layered and relatable. I am very interested in reading more by Sally! Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy!

This story is told from the alternating perspectives of Lucy, the daughter-in-law, and Diana, the mother-in-law. It goes through the family dynamics of adding a daughter, that doesn't really know what a mother should be, and a mother that doesn't really know how to embrace people and family. Then Diana's life is cut short, and we have to figure out what happened. Was it suicide, or was it something a bit more sinister?

This was a great read. I kept telling myself that I would stop reading after one more chapter, and I ended up reading the whole thing in one night. In-law relationships fascinate me on a personal level, since I have no clue what it is like to have in-laws that you actually interact with.

I thought I had the plot figured out, and I just knew who done it for the money. I was wrong, but oh so close! After the plot is revealed, I went back through everything and was like yeah, I should have seen that coming!

Thank you #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for an early review copy!

Happy Publication Day to Sally Hepworth for The Mother-in-Law! Oh, how I loved this incredible family drama. I’m quickly learning that family dramas are my jam. I’m instantly drawn to them and I just can’t get enough! This is why I love Hepworth’s writing so much. In my opinion, she is the queen of family dramas! The novel begins with the most hilarious dedication:
“For my mother-in-law, Anne, who I’ve never thought about murdering. And for my father-in-law, Peter, who, on the odd occasion, I have.”
This was perfect. I immediately knew that I was going to enjoy this story. And I absolutely did. Without giving too much away, I’ll tell you that the story begins with news that Lucy’s mother-in-law, Diana is dead. How did this happen? Suicide? Murder? The reader goes on a wild and crazy ride, flowing from past to present as we learn about this family’s history. I was blaming pretty much each and every family member throughout the entire novel. The best part? I was completely WRONG in the end. So wrong. Not even close. That is why this book gets all the stars from me!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this e-galley in exchange for my honest review. The Mother-in-Law is available today! You must read this book. Trust me! 5/5 stars for The Mother-in-Law!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

It has already been said, but I will say it again, The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth is not your typical mystery / mother-in-law story. I cried like a baby multiple times during this book and it has a lot more depth than I was expecting it to have.

What it's about: All Lucy has ever wanted was her mother-in-law Diana's approval, but Diana has always seemed distant, and they never got as close as Lucy would have liked. Now 10 year's later, Diana has been found dead with a suicide note. But did she commit suicide or did someone murder her? Evidence of suffocation points to murder. Diana and her husband Tom were very rich, and everyone in the family has something to hide . . .

So I went into this book thinking it was just going to be about Diana's death and boy was I wrong! The timelines switch from past and present, mostly between Diana and Lucy's perspectives. The way Hepworth was able to craft the two storylines and eventually bring them together just totally blew me away. There is so much emotion in The Mother-in-Law that I highly recommend keeping a box of tissues close by. I know I am not going to be the only one moved to tears by this story.

I read The Family Next Door by Hepworth last year, and while I really enjoyed it and gave it a 4/5, it didn't get to me near as much as The Mother-in-Law did. I think she really outdid herself this time and this book deserves ALL the stars.

Final Thought: The Mother-in-Law was so good that I didn't want to put it down. It was a quick read as well and one that I managed to read in just under 4.5 hours so I think a lot of people would be able to read it in one sitting. There is a lot of focus on the story here and not just the mystery surrounding Diana's death which I think is important to know. The story is about the characters and how everything made it to this point. I would recommend this book to fans of family drama's that involve a mystery, and people that like a lot of depth to their mysteries. I will be waiting [quite] impatiently for this author's next book!

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

So lately there seems to be many "mother-in-law" books that have overtaken the psychological thriller genre. Some more successful than others. However, Sally Hepworth does something different here. Most definitely it wasn't what I was expecting. This is NOT a psychological thriller but there is a mystery to solve.

Lucie and Ollie meet and fall in love. Ollie decides it's time for Lucie to meet his parents and Lucie wants nothing more than to impress them. Having lost her own mother at a young age she is eager to have a mother-in-law to turn to for advice and friendship. Once she meets Diana she finds out that their relationship is going to be anything but friendly when she receives Diana's frosty, at best, reception. Lucie is at a loss as to how to win this woman over.

Fast forward 5 years and the unthinkable happens. Diana has been found dead by apparent suicide but was it really suicide? You'll have to read it to find out.

I enjoyed the heck out of this book and had trouble putting it down. It was just so compulsively readable. Why this book differs from those other mother-in-law books is that both of the women are likable people and only want whats best for those they love. I especially adored Diana. This book was a perfect example of miscommunication between people. That sometimes the things we don't say actually say more than we think. A reminder as to why we should tell the people we love how we feel about them more often. Let people know that you appreciate them. I'm going to try to do that more in my own life because, let's face it, we are only here a brief time and we really do need to make the best of it.

"I worked hard for everything I ever cared about. And nothing that I have ever cared about cost a single cent."

That quote says it all. 💖

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.