Simply irresistible! A definite page turner! The suspense, the complex relationships, and unexplained murder keep the reader begging for more. A must read!

Wow! Start as you mean to go on, they say, and as The Mother-in-Law was my start, my reading for 2019 is looking very promising indeed. This is my first NetGalley read, and what a gem! I must preface this by saying that, for me, Sally Hepworth can do no wrong with a domestic thriller, and her latest proves to be no exception.

Diana Goodwin is found dead of an apparent suicide and through the alternating narratives of Lucy Goodwin, her daughter-in-law, and Diana herself, and moving between past and present, the strained relationship of the two women unfolds in a she said/she said account of events. We quickly learn that the two women have always been at odds in a passive aggressive way. As Lucy reflects,"only a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law can have an all-out war without anyone so much as raising their voice." Having no experience with the mother/daughter-in-law relationship in my own life, I was fascinated by the dynamic between these two women, and could empathize with each side of the narrative. Diana's tireless work with refugees and her unwavering devotion to her husband are humanizing, just as we feel Lucy's frustration with what she perceives as her mother-in-law's omnipresent disapproval of her,

Contributing to this strained relationship are issues of money and greed, and when Diana's death is looked at as a possible homicide, financial motives become apparent and each member of the family is under suspicion. Is Lucy's hatred for Diana deep enough to push her to murder? As Lucy herself states, "Diana has made me do things I never thought possible." Or is greed and desperation at the root of Diana's demise?

I was fully engaged with this story and loved all of the twists and turns that had me questioning and guessing until the very end. For a domestic thriller, this ticks all of the boxes for me. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this fabulous ARC.

This touching story tells of the issues that arise when the in-laws are well off, and the children and their spouses are counting on inheritance and help when they need it. The mother-in-law puts her foot down, but the father-in-law sometimes goes behind her back to help. The daughter Nettie is married and wants more than anything to have a baby. The son is married and can't seem to get his act together, except to give his wife 3 children. You must read this.

30 yr old Lucy marries Ollie Goodwin, son of wealthy Tom and Diana (who couldn't be more different) and elder brother to married and childless Nettie. The mystery is who kills mother-in-law Diana. This story moves along, I will give young and prolific author Sally Hepworth that; but there's something about the premise of this book that made me uncomfortable throughout. While I delighted in that effect entirely with The Slap, which is another family-based drama in novel-form written by Australian author Christos Tsiolkas in 2009, The Mother-in-Law for me missed the mark.

Some of the problems I found with Hepworth's writing seem quite popular with other readers, for example the gimmicky shifting timeline, alternating narrators, and comically inappropriate parenting (unending screen time, a 4-yr old watching a PG film at a sleepover, a kid with a brain injury climbing trees, multiple near-drownings etc). But most of what I object to is plot flaws and inconsistencies, like unsubstantiated characteristics that suddenly crop up ("Tom could be dreadfully hot-headed" we learn 67% of the way in with no basis whatsoever). How does DIL Lucy who was popular growing up, have nobody in her life now outside of the Goodwins - just her father, no friends no former co-workers, no mother's group? Whereas cold, judgmental, un-fun MIL Diana has multiple sets of friends?? If Diana was so poor she had to go to the grocery store carrying her baby, how did she get the groceries home?

I always enjoy Sally Hepworth's novels. I liked how each chapter was a different person's view. This would be an excellent read for book clubs, bringing out much discussion.

This book goes back and forth between the mother in law, Diana, anc daughter-in-law, Lucy. It is a quick and enjoyable read. The characters and story are relatable, and between the two points of view, it keeps you turning the pages. I really was on the edge of my seat wanting to know what would happen next. I Am a fan of this author, so I was excited to read this one and it did not disappoint. Thank you to Netgalley for a advance digital copy!

I loved this book!!! It was so well told from all sides!!! I really enjoyed the depth of characters, and the way they related to each other. I would highly recommend this!

Another triumph for Sally Hepworth. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC.

Although the story revolves around one family, the main players are Diana matriarch to the family and her daughter in law, Lucy. Lucy spends much of her life dreaming of the day she can call someone her Mother-in-law. Having lost her own mother at a young age she dreams of shared confidences, advice and motherly love. Well she doesn’t quite get that in Diana. Diana is old school, a bit prickly but mostly I believe lacks the trait of such a close bond. This doesn’t mean she doesn’t care, she just has a harder time expressing herself. Even though her days are devoted to family and charities and other good works.

When Diana is discovered dead in her home no one is above suspicion. Is it a suicide or something all together more sinister?

A very satisfying read.

Thank you to Net Galley for this book in exchange for an honest review. To be perfectly honest, I’m not entirely sure why I didn’t enjoy this mystery more. I felt like bouncing back and forth between characters and time periods made the story feel disjointed. I didn’t connect to any of the characters and I did not find Diana’s change of heart at the end believable. However, I am giving this book two stars because it held my interest enough for me to want to finish it.

Really enjoyed reading this book! I was instantly hooked and couldn’t put it down! Loved all the twist and turns! Highly recommend to all my friends!!! Thank you!

Thank you to net galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book I couldn't put it down

Hepworth worked some magic with The Mother-In-Law. By showing events through multiple perspectives over a fragmented timeline, the irony of the characters’ complicated relationships came to light. Incompatible as they seemed, Diana and Tom were really delightful together. It wasn’t unlike my own in-laws (minus the vast fortune).

It’s unusual for me to strongly relate to multiple characters in a book, but that’s what happened with this one. I really connected with Lucy, who tried to endear herself to Diana but kept missing the mark. Lucy’s internal dialogue was often downright hilarious and so realistic. On the other hand, Diana’s strong personality resonated with me. I see many adults in my family looking to their parents for assistance, and it gives me the resolve to turn away from that sort of dependence. I also want my own kids to learn to stand on their own, even though it might feel better to “help” them along.

I loved the ending of this book, too. Though heartbreaking, it was the perfect way to wrap things up.

The Mother-In-Law was a great clean read. I appreciated that Hepworth didn’t resort to profanity or unnecessary adult content. It was so good that I might even re-read it in 2019!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read The Mother-in-Law as a Kindle ARC. This was the first book I've read by Sally Hepworth and I enjoyed it so much that I read it in two days and logged into Goodreads to add more of her books to read. The Mother-in-Law is primarily the story of Diana (the mother-in-law) and her strained/misunderstood relationship with Lucy, her son Ollie's wife. The relationship between the two women is strained from their first meeting. The story is told from several points of view, including Lucy, Diana and others that I won't name so I don't spoil the story. There are many misunderstandings between Diana and Lucy and the majority of the book is told through their points of view. The story was suspenseful. At one point I thought I had figured out what happened but the story took turns I could not predict and I was pleased that it kept me in suspense the entire time. Sally Hepsworth's writing style is seamless and smooth. The book kept me fully engaged the entire time I read it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dramatic and suspenseful fiction.

Wow! I REALLY enjoyed this book. I loved how the characters developed and changed. They seemed so real. The relationships were deep and complicated. I love the way that Lucy and her mother-in-law Diana slowly became close, with the shared interest in a bond. Sometimes true family aren't born together, we find each other. I couldn't stop reading this book. I read it in a day. Like literally started early this morning and just finished.

I completely recommend this book to lovers of women's fiction, thrillers, and books that you just can't put down.

I would like to thank the author/publisher/netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

It's such a rare, delightful feeling when you come across a book that keeps you on your toes the entire time!

The Mother-in-law tells the story of Diana's suspicious "suicide" from multiple points of view. Alternating between past and present, and the points of view of multiple characters, including Diana, her kids, and her daughter-in-law, the story never once felt confusing or convoluted. The characters are exceptionally well-developed, and you learn to love and sympathize with each one.

Usually I can figure out where a book is headed by the time I'm halfway through it, but I can honestly say I did not anticipate the way the story ended!

Sally Hepworth did magnificent work with this page-turner and would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a book that they can quickly become absorbed in.

This was a great read! The characters were well-developed, interesting and relatable. I was pulled in to the story right away, as the author created the perfect balance of entertainment and cleverness. The storyline flowed very well and the writer kept her audience intrigued right to the end. I had a hard time putting this book down, and would recommend to fans of mystery/thriller.

Wonderful book, read cover to cover in less then a day. I loved how the book constantly switched narrator and time period but was very easy to follow.

Lucy’s never had a great relationship with her mother in law. Once it even turned violent. Perhaps that’s why she feels like a suspect when detectives arrive to announce that her mother in law has been found dead.
Told through points of view both past an present, we see snippets of the lives of both Lucy, and her mother in law, Diana. We also see the miscommunications from both perspectives.
I quite enjoyed this book. It reminded me of another book I can’t quite place but on the whole was a refreshing break from many murder mysteries of late which I have also probably read and loved. It raised interesting questions to me and will be one I think about long after.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for my review.

Not a fan of this one at all. Some of the wording choices and grammar made it hard to read.
The story goes back and forth between past and present and explores the death of Diana, "the MIL"
While at first, the death appears to be of suicide, the story unravels into a murder plot which revolves around money and family drama until the twist at the very end reveals the truth.
Diana comes across as this hoity toity character you really just do NOT want to like and to me, Lucy appears as the pushover daughter in law who is just too overly eager to please her MIL and become the DIL of her dreams.
I think it would be a good story had it been written a little better

Lucy has always pictured her life becoming BFFs with her mother in law. When she meets Diana her boyfriends mom she knows her dreams becoming friends with her are falling past. Diana is to the point and no nonsense. She wants her kids to know what it is like to struggle and not hand them everything in life. When Diana is found dead everyone is taken in for questioning. After seeing a picture of the room her death had taken place in and finding out there was a suicide note but it wasn't out for all to see but tucked away in a drawer for no on to find Lucy know something is off. This tale switched points of view from Diana and Lucy to see how their past has shaped their present.