Wow this was a real page-turning-edge-of-your-seat-novel that I just couldn’t put down! You knew something big was afoot but you couldn’t put your finger on it (well I couldn’t anyway)... until it all unfolded, rather sadly, at the end of the book.

The title says it all, it’s about Diana, who quite frankly I found cold and heartless and couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t take to her loving daughter in law Lucy. The book starts with the fact Diana has died, and obviously, we are instantly thinking that Lucy has something to hide. It turns out everyone has something to hide - and everyone - including Diana, has a story to tell. Once we start to learn about her life, her struggles, and her capability to be loving and caring, it becomes apparent that the barriers she put up can be broken down.
The book flips between Diana’s past and present story and Lucy’s past, from meeting Ollie to how her mother in law came to have apparently committed suicide.
I liked Lucy a lot, and felt sorry for her at times. In fact I liked Ollie, her husband and the whole family, especially the Father in law who is so endearing, I think most people have someone in their life he reminds them of. Ollie’s sister is clearly disturbed, and her bumbling bordering on alcoholic husband isn’t helping things, but just how deep her issues lie remains to be seen.

There is so much going on in this book that you actually have to take a step back to realise just how much it covered. There’s the obvious family issues, love and loss, but also illness, infertility, unfaithfulness, charity and so much more. It’s so wonderfully written, you can’t fail to enjoy this whodunnit, thrilling and mysterious novel.

This book started off pretty strong for me but by the end, I was a little disappointed. I think it was because there were certain storylines that I just wanted more of and didn’t get. I think it is overall a great read and was one I was really interested in.

This book was not at all what I expected! I really thought that I had the ending all figured out and it really surprised me! I loved that the story was told from different perspectives and that you got to hear both sides of things. I really loved this book and will be recommending to everyone I know!

This was a book a lot about a family’s relationship with each other and a little bit of a “who done it” thrown into the mix. Chapters alternated from past to present and back again, from the viewpoint of different characters. This served to keep the book going and allowed you clues to what was happening. I was given an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I enjoyed this book.

Hepworth has penned an intriguing book. There is much tension between Lucy and her mother-in-law Diane. Each chapter flips back and forth between the women and the past and present. Diane tums up dead but was it really a suicide? Questions are raised and just when you think you know what happened, the author puts a bend in the story and leads you down a different path. It has a satisfactory end.

Wow. This book was a pleasant surprise! I had not read anything by this author before and really did not know what to expect. It’s a difficult book to place in a genre. It’s a suspenseful read, but ultimately as much a family drama as a suspense novel. I found myself really identifying with Diana and Lucy both and enjoyed seeing Lucy’s mature through the course of the novel.

This book effectively shows that you can’t ever truly know and understand a loved one without knowing their history. A highly enjoyable read. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

There are not many books that have me enjoying every single moment, but this is one of them. It was so hard having to put this book down and do my housework or go to sleep but I had to force myself to. I was hooked from the beginning and did not want it to end.

Sally has written a page turning story, that you  are not going to put down so free up your time and don't start it just before bed.

The Mother-in-Law is indeed suspenseful, thought-provoking, perceptive look into the relationships of a family. The story was told from both Lucy and Diana’s points-of-view through past and present events. This book will keep you guessing throughout and then questioning yourself as more is revealed.

I do not want to ruin this story for you as you are going to want to enjoy every minute of it for yourself. Sally has created some exceptional characters and the plot is executed to perfection!!! It is not all black and white....

I will definitely recommend this one!!! It is a top read of 2019!!!

"It's not my job to give them what they would accept. It's my job to give them what they deserve."

Sally Hepworth is one of my VERY favourite authors. I’ve read The Secrets of Midwives and The Things we Keep, both of which I loved. The Secrets of Midwives is the one book that I constantly recommend to friends when they ask me for a well-written, interesting and happy book. I enjoy immensely how Hepworth takes some heavy subjects and crafts some wonderful stories around them.
This story is told from both Lucy’s (the daughter-in-law) and Diana’s (the mother-in-law) POVs and it alternates between the past and the present.
I loved how Hepworth develops the relationship between the daughter and mother-in-law. To be honest, I was so intrigued by their relationship that the mystery took second place for me. As a motherless mother of three myself, I expected to like Lucy more than Diana but by the end of the book, Diana became my favourite person and I loved to read her chapters. I found her such a fascinating and strong character and I would have loved to meet her in real life. I think that if they had more time, they would have a wonderful and extremely close relationship.
The only thing that I found a little bit hard to believe is the choice of the murderer of Diana. I found the personality turnaround of the murderer too hard to believe. I think that the book needed some more chapters on that particular character as to make the ending more believable.
The Mother-In-Law is a very thought provoking book. Although it is characterised as a domestic suspense book, it is also about family, infertility, immigration, the complexities of raising responsible children, our relationship with money. Once again, Sally Hepworth has established herself as one of my favourite authors.

Lucy, who lost her mother at a very young age, tries to find one in her Mother-in-Law Diana. But Diana has her own past with struggles and sacrifices. Diana is not the mother-in-law what Lucy expected. They have their own ups and downs over the course of years and It charms the reader to know these two individuals.

As a reader I expected a tale of jealousy, revenge and murder. But Sally Hepworth has presented something more interesting than that. A twisty domestic relatable tale. I loved each and every character. Short chapters alternating between Lucy and Diana and I loved them both. A admirable character development and a real page turner!!


Happy Reading!!!

This was my first book by Sally Hepworth, but I have had my eye on her books for a while. I am so glad that I started with this one. It was full of family drama and unexpected twists. Well written and it kept me engaged throughout the story.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely loved this book, especially as it started to show the story from other characters' perspectives. This was such a great story full of love and good intentions. Classic example of there are two sides to every story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and strongly recommend it.

Thank you to St. Martins’s Press, NetGalley and Sally Hepworth for the free advanced digital copy!
I loved this book by Sally Hepworth.. I have read her other books and this one is just as good - I highly recommend it. This book was quite the page turner and also included a surprise or two I wasn't expecting!

This book was wonderful. The story showed how two people can view something so differently and intentions do not always come through to others. I truly enjoyed the story. I started out disliking Diana’s character, and, by the end, I really enjoyed her and understood her so much better. This book shows the true complexities of family in a real-life manner. I cannot recommend this enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy of this e-book in exchange for my honest review.

What a great page turner! This book kept me on my toes guessing about what happened to Diana. Why was she so bitter? What were her reasons? Who was she in her early years? Why would she take her own life...or did she? I questioned every character, every conversation, and may have even grown to like Diana a little in the end. Everyone always wants what is best for their children, and we want them to learn to work for what they have. Through this story you learn about true loves and hardships and that what matters most may never even cost a single cent.

Excellent and emotional read. This book isn't exactly a page turner, but isn't difficult to get into at all. It also relates with many women with "stereotypical" mother in laws.

Firstly, I must say, I don't know whether it's because it's an advance copy, but there were a worrying number of spelling/grammatical errors and even missing words in this book, something which really irritates me.. Because I was unsure of the status (i.e. whether this was the final cut), I haven't marked the book down for this.

Anybody who has ever had a Mother-in-Law, or been one, will totally be able to relate to this book. Is anybody ever good enough for our child? Can we ever truly love the family that we choose (through our husband/wife)?

Lucy has a love/hate relationship with her Mother-in-Law, Diana. When Diana is discovered dead, initially it is thought that she has taken her own life, but when investigations reveal that this was not the case everybody is a suspect, including Lucy.

This is a compelling, fabulous read. I really enjoyed the way that Diana and Lucy's stories were revealed as the book progressed, and I was willing the two of them to find the things they could love about each other. The twists and turns in the storyline were interesting enough to keep me guessing and I literally couldn't put the book down, I had to know what was going to happen next.

I loved the author's writing style, and the format of the book, skipping forward and backward, from then to now, and the different perspectives of both Diana and Lucy. It was a truly uplifting and enjoyable story, highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this fast-paced, thought-provoking novel. The characters were great, the relationships complicated but realistic, and I found myself very satisfied with the way everything turned out in the end. After reading The Mother-In-Law, I find myself eager to check out more of Sally Hepworth's books.

An amazing book by Sally Hepworth! This was definitely one I didn’t want to put down. Lucy and her mother-in-law, Diana, have a relationship that shifts and changes throughout the book. Sometimes you want to hate Diana, and other times you love her. There are constant twists and turns that make you want to read more. Definitely recommend this book!

I really enjoyed this novel! The setting is in Australia and the characters are so well developed. It's a story that I personally haven't read before, very unique and full of family dynamics. The ending is unexpected. I'm looking forward to more books from this author!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Publishing for an arc of The Mother In Law by Sally Hepworth. When Lucy marries Ollie, she thinks she is gaining a whole new family. Lucy's mother had passed away recently, so she is looking forward to her new relationship with her mother in-law. Surprising, Diana, Ollie's Mom, is very distant. She wants her kids to make it on their own with no help. Diana is found dead. Is this a murder or suicide? What was Lucy & Diana's relationship really like? Was this murder or suicide? This book will keep you twisting!!