I really enjoyed this fast paced suspense novel. Everyone knows someone who doesn't exactly get along with their mother-in-law. It's a tale as old as time. This book however shows both sides of the power struggle. It held my interest throughout and I would highly recommend it to those who like some chick lit with bite.

I LOVED this book! I am a huge fan of stories that explore family dynamics from multiple perspectives - and this book does that and does it WELL! I loved getting to read Diana and Lucy’s takes on different events in their lives. A fascinating page-turner. Highly recommend! This is my second book by this author and I can’t wait to read more!

What a great book! I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading it, and the first chapter is not indicative of the rest of the book. Once I started reading it got better and better and I couldn't put it down.

The book is the story of a relationship between a woman named Lucy and her mother-in-law Diana, with all the complications that the relationship implies. The book opens with Diana dead from an apparent suicide and goes forward in alternating chapters told from Diana's and Lucy's point of view. The book is so well written, this is a must read in my opinion!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

This was a great book. Probably mostly a thriller/suspense book but also a narrative on the dynamics of a family. While the plot of the book is about discovering the truth behind a death, so not exactly warm and fuzzy, I thought there was a warm element to the book which I really enjoyed. It gave the book more substance than your typical who-done-it. I was invested in Lucy and Diana, the main characters, and felt empathy for them both. They were, sometime surprisingly, likable. I was able to figure out the puzzle pieces about 3/4 of the way into the book which is the only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5.

I enjoyed this quite a bit - would have finished it in one day if it hadn't already been past my bedtime. I was honestly expecting something more cliche, but was pleasantly surprised by the realistic characterizations of Lucy and Diane. The descriptions of motherhood were definitely legit.

The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth should be on everyone’s TBR list, if you haven’t done so already! It is fast paced, full of intrigue, and filled with well-developed characters who really get under your skin! Dysfunctional families, buried secrets, murder, money…it’s all part of family life, right?

Lucy and Diana, the mother and daughter-in-law combo, are both strong protagonists. The story is told from both their perspectives, taking place presently and in the past. It was the perfect way to write this novel as it makes both characters multi-dimensional. I really liked them both too because I could understand and relate to both their viewpoints. And it’s hard to disagree with either of them!

The supporting characters influenced the storyline significantly which is not always easy to do in this genre. Every one of them created tension and contributed to the unease in the unfolding situations, leading up to a climatic last quarter of the book. The relationships between parents and children, brothers and sisters, wives and husbands and of course in-laws is deeply and intricately explored and made me think about the dynamics in my own family.

This is the first novel by Ms. Hepworth that I have read, but it certainly will not be the last. In fact, I plan on reading all her previous novels and adding her to my “favourite authors” list!

A grim look at the intricacies of a family through the eyes of the mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law. Through the changing perspectives the reader gets a glimpse into each character's life which makes you wonder -- who did it?

With well-developed complex characters and a story that will keep you guessing, The Mother In Law is a twisty study of family dynamics. Do we really ever know what drives each other or do we just make assumptions and take each other at face value?

Engrossing, intriguing and totally heartbreaking.
Shows things and people are not always what they seem.
5 stars and a must read

Family drama at its finest!! The police arrive at Lucy & Ollie’s house announcing the death of Ollie’s Mother. Their live plays out, flashing back and forth in time, being told from both the mother-in-law, daughter-in-laws perspectives. Is everything as it seems? So many suspects formed in my mind while reading this.... yet I didn’t see the ending coming at all.

Pretty good mystery. Interesting twist in the end. While I enjoyed this one, it wasn’t as good as The Couple Next Door, in my opinion.

This book hooked me right from the beginning with the intriguing premise and Lucy's musings about how "the cackling mercenaries of fate" choose your family for you, and kept me going with its endless twists. I loved seeing the story unfold from the dueling viewpoints of Diana and Lucy; it helped give both characters much more depth and made some of the twists more difficult to anticipate.

At first, Diana comes across as the mother-in-law from hell. She cuts off Lucy mid-story and essentially ignores her future daughter-in-law's presence at their first meeting, but as the story opened up and revealed more of her mysterious past, she became much more endearing. Reading her reflections of certain moments (the raw chicken, the teddy bear, et cetera) after seeing how Lucy perceived them was very interesting and helped keep the story feeling real.

The tactic of the unreliable narrator worked really well for Lucy's side of the story. For much of the story, it seemed like she was either hiding something or truly did not know much about her mother-in-law. This helped make many of the twists even more shocking. Every time I felt like I guessed who was responsible for Diana's death, I was wrong-a great thing. Sally Hepworth did a great job with a clever, twisty psychological suspense story that will keep readers guessing until the last few pages. 4.5 stars from me!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Full disclosure: this book has been on “can’t wait to read list” for awhile because of my own in-law drama. It takes a lot for me to choose a book based solely of the title.
The-Mother-In-law lived up to my expectations in every way possible. I’m giving it 5 shiny stars. 10/10 would read again.

Sally Hepworth does such a good job writing a suspenseful story without scaring you. I read this in about 24 hours because I was enthralled. The differing points of view and movement forward and back throughout time were well done and not confusing. It was enlightening to see the same events from different characters viewpoints. This added to their depth and my full understanding of the story. I’ve loved all of Sally Hepworth’s books and this is certainly no exception!

This book is ok, I didn't get excited reading it, I guess I expected more excitement then there was. I did not see that ending coming. I was a little shocked by it. I will not go into detail ,because I don't like spoiling for others that haven't read it.

Lucy has been doing all she could to win over her mother-in-law Dianna who has not been very accepting of her marriage to her son. Over the years Lucy continues to attempt to get close and break down the walls, but Diana who is very well respected in the community will not budge.

Fast forward a few years later and poor Diana has been found deceased with a suicide note. She could not live with the cancer any longer. The kicker...... Diana's body showed no signs of cancer upon the autopsy. All that was found was light races of poison and an apparent suffocation.

In a town filled with people who adored her (with the exception of her daughter in law) the search for her killer could be a difficult one.

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC. It was a page turner and I wasn't sure what was going to happen next. I really liked that the story was told from different points of view by characters. A twisted family situation and a hidden motive lead to murder. Definitely recommend reading.

Lucy has tried to get along with her mother-in-law, Diana since she met her. But, even after marrying Ollie and giving her three grandchildren, Diana continues to treat Lucy coldly. Diana has had a difficult life. Now, her and her husband Tom have plenty of money and a beautiful home. Diana runs a charity that helps new mothers and their children that do not have much money. She loves her children, Ollie and Nellie, but she refuses to help them when they need money for different reasons. She wants them to learn how to deal with their issues on their own, much like she did when she was younger.
Several years later, Diana is found dead in her home, leaving a suicide note. However, police have found evidence of suffocation. Has someone murdered Diana? This compelling family drama is told in the alternating perspectives of Lucy and Diana. It also alternates between past and present. The characters are well developed. Lucy is such a likeable character; while Diana is someone you'd love to hate. I read this book very quickly. Loved it!

Thanks for the advanced copy. A thrilling, twisting story that kept me going until the very end. I thought it would be the typical mother-in-law story, but it was so much more. Highly recommend

Relationships are always complicated--especially marriages. I feel like there are a plethora of books out there about dysfunctional relationships between in-laws and this one started out the same way. Lucy lost her own mother when she was young and craves a meaningful relationship with her mother-in-law-to-be, Diana. But Diana is cold and judgmental so Lucy is immediately disappointed and wary; however, as time goes on the reader comes to many realizations about why Diana's personality appears to be so distant. Told from both Lucy and Diana's perspectives, both past and present, the novel is a thought-provoking look at the layers of deceit and secrets that bind us all in family life. It is both poignant and relevant as the truths are peeled back like an onion, revealing a core that is bittersweet and heartbreaking all at once. Yes, I shed some tears but they were there to remind me never to see someone in just one light. My dad often told us to "always examine a person's motives before you judge someone," and he was usually right. This is a very thoughtful look at a family's search for answers amid tragedies that could either bring them closer or tear them apart...maybe a little of both. I am a Sally Hepworth fan for life!