This was my first Sally Hepworth novel and I was not disappointed. The Mother-in-Law is a perfect summer read that focuses on the complicated relationship between a mother and daughter-in-law. Full of family drama, secrets, and twists, the story is sure to keep you reading and trying to figure out the mysterious circumstances of the family matriarchs death.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 Stars! Lots of family drama here and I liked it. Very well drawn out characters I could relate to.
We start out knowing Diana (Lucy's mother in law) has been found dead. Her family believes it to be a suicide, but is it really? Lucy had a difficult relationship with Diana. As the story unfolds we see a lot more about that. It also turns out that some other family members had a difficult relationship with Diana. I felt at times I understood that, as she came across cold and unfeeling to her children. She seemed selfish and uncaring to me for much of the early part of the book. Some things come to light that made me feel I could understand a bit more about her, but she was a hard character to like.

This was a very well written book and I am interested in reading other books by Sally Hepworth. While some may go into this thinking it is a mystery it is really more contemporary fiction. I read this with the group The Traveling Sisters and the discussion we had made it all the more interesting. It was enjoyed by most everyone in the group.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for a digital copy to review. I recommend it!

Lucy hopes that she and her mother in law, Diana, will have a loving mother/daughter relationship but that doesn't come to pass. When Diana dies suddenly from what first appears to be a suicide but quickly turns into a homicide investigation Lucy finds herself answering questions and wondering which person who hated her mother in law did her in.

A great page turner with pace and tension that kept me turning the pages until the end. Thanks to NG and the publisher for the advance copy,

Sally Hepworth is quickly becoming a go-to author for me. I enjoyed this book even more than The Family Next Door. I loved that we got pieces of this story from the past, present, and future- and I really appreciated the alternating narrators- I liked having insight into each character’s thoughts and motivations, and it gave so much insight to Diana and her reasoning behind her actions and personality. I also didn’t expect the revelation of what actually happened regarding Diana’s death! Can’t wait to read the next book from this author- I’ll blindly read anything she writes at this point!

The Mother-In-Law examines relationships between members of the family. Through Sally Hepworth's writing in the perspective of the female characters, the reader is able to gain a knowledge of their backgrounds and how perceptions may not always correct. We find out at the beginning of the story that Diana is dead and that the causes surrounding it are suspicious. While the storyline unfolds we are brought into the investigation and suspense of what happened to Diana. I enjoy stories that captivate me from the beginning and focus on relationships of the characters as this book did and recommend it to those who like these style books as well.

Having enjoyed Sally Hepworth's book The Family Next Door, I knew that this book would be just as enjoyable. When I first read the title of this book ,The Mother In Law, I figured it was going to be a book about an evil mother in law who is out to destroy her child's life. But I was wrong. Diana was a mother that loved her kids but also wasn't one to give in to their wants and whims. I really had a soft spot for her. Yes, she made mistakes especially when it came to Nettie and her husband.. The ending was not a big shocker but I still enjoyed it. I really look forward to more books by this author.

A twisty novel about a complicated mother-in-law that let it be know that her son's wife was not up to her standards. When Diana, the mother in law, is found with a suicide note that indicates she can not continue to live with her cancer an autopsy reveals there is no cancer, but traces of poison are found. Who would want her dead?

This book was NOT what I expected, but it was a great reminder that we all have challenges we're facing and even those closest to us may not know what they are. I had figured out the whodunit part way through, but I just had to know how it all came to be. It also made me think about some of the challenging people in my life and what’s going on.

I enjoyed the book, but I didn't find the characters particularly compelling or engaging. They were likable enough, but the plot is what kept me reading past my bedtime.

First of all, I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book left me with mixed feelings though.... It was certainly an interesting read. Basically, it's about complex family relations and what lack of communication and empathy towards one another can lead to. I Personally, it took me a while to get into the story since it switches between past and present and chapters are alternatively being told through 2 of the main characters. The mother in law, Diana and her daughter in law Lucy. Having lost her own mother at just 13, Lucy is hoping she will have a close relationship with Diane. However, she soon learns that Diane is a particularly strong willed, rigid lady.and very hard to warm up to. I liked the fact that there are flashbacks to the past, explaining the life changing experience that has formed Diane. It changed my opinion of her. Nevertheless, I really craved for the family to come together, open up and have an honest conversation with each other. It frustrated me that all the family members were so preoccupied with themselves that they didn't notice what was going on with everyone else. All in all I think this book would make a great book club pick since there are lot's of topics to be discussed and everyone can relate to family issues. It's got a mystery at it's core, but don't expect edge of your seat tension, it's more of a family drama.

They always say you’re not just marrying your husband but his whole family. So true! I loved the two points of view...the wife and the mother in law. The book showed how people can show love so differently. How the mother in law can be trying to do what she thinks is right but still hurt her children in the process. Great read. I highly recommend! Thanks to netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

This was a quick read for me, but it didn't quite live up to the hype... I seemed to enjoy it a little less than other people I've seen review it. There wasn't really anything I didn't like specifically, I thought it was well-written, but I sort of guessed what was going to happen in the end so maybe that's why I just wasn't blown away. But a lot of people say they've liked it, so check it out if the synopsis sounds good to you!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book - it was a great story, it took a little while to get into but once the story took hold it was a great read. I enjoyed the dual aspect of the story telling, it was interesting to get both sides of the story.

The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth was an intense read. It was truly a book I would have stayed up all night reading, if it weren't for that pesky job of mine! The pace of the book was great; it did not give too much information up front, and really built on itself.

Lucy has always felt as though her mother-in-law didn't really care for her. Though her husband's family was generous and loving, Lucy had never felt accepted by Diana. When tragedy strikes, the family is thrown for a loop as an investigation begins!

I would highly recommend this book.

All hail messed up families!!! There’s only so many times that I can read a perfect love story with these adorable, barely flawed characters. Or a family that’s doing evvverything right and solves their problems with “teamwork” 🤮. Enough! Give me relationship issues, parenting mistakes galore, and alllll of the family drama!!! The Mother-in-Law was a super fast read centrally focused on family drama...and it delivered!

Diana is the mother-in-law that we are fear having. She’s terse, domineering and cold as ice. This is especially hard for her daughter-in-law Lucy who lost her mother at a young age and has craved that motherly bond. Diana and Lucy are NEVER on the same page and their push and pull relationship has grown tiresome. Until the moment that Lucy and her husband Ollie find out that Diana is dead. To make matters worse, the police suspect foul play. As the family tries to piece together the past and desperately tries to keep secrets buried, all family member turn on one another and realize that they don’t truly trust one another. As new information about the past and present is unearthed, they truly realize that no one really knew who the real Diana was.

Ahhhh! What I loved about this book is that I bounced back and forth about whose side I was on, who I thought was a turd and who I thought was the Diana-slayer! The characters never stopped developing and the story never stopped building. It was both scandalous and it tugged at my heartstrings. This isn’t an insane, twisty, turny thriller- but a true study in some crazy family dynamics! The majority of our #notyomamasbookclub gang LOVED this book and it gave us a ton to banter about!!!

I’m a sucker for “mother-in-law” family drama books, so when Sally Hepworth released her new novel I knew it was a must read! I’ve enjoyed many of Hepworth’s previous novels, however The Mother-in-Law just might be my favorite novel of hers. I was hooked from the very 1st page and found it completely entertaining that it was impossible to put down. Sally Hepworth will continue to be a must-read author!

Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillian USA for my advance copy of this book.  I am so terribly sorry my reviewed has been delayed, but I'm here with it now!

I just want to note that my husband was reading a magazine where The Mother-In-Law is featured as a book to read this summer...he made sure to let me know about this book because I had to go out and get it to read it...I let him know I already read it and he was right, I did love it!

Lucy meets Ollie, falls in love, and hopes to gain a mother since her own mother died when she was young.  Lucy gets everything except a mother...from the get go Diana, Ollie's mother, does not like Lucy and makes no qualms about it.

They have a strained relationship.  When Lucy births her first child, Diana puts priority in helping a refugee instead of being there for her family...so you get the idea of the type of person Diana is.  Yes, I loved hating her as I read this book.

A weird thing happens though...toward the end of the book I absolutely love and respect the relationship that Diana and Lucy have.  Is it a good one?  No.  It is one that is oddly filled with trust and some respect.  Yes.

Overall this story tells a tale of a mother who has all the means in the world, but refuses to help her own children.  She has a charity where she works with refugees from other countries and that is where her passion and assistance lay.  This starts to cause a rut between her and her children and well...you just need to read it.

The ending.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for creating an ending where we see a little into the future with what happens with everyone.  I will tell you, you may think you know who killed who (yes, someone dies), but you will not have pegged who did it.  Or why they did it.  

This is a wonderful 4 star read.  It's a page turning mystery that you won't be able to put down until you know who did it.  Plus, the strained relationship is a train wreck you can't help but keep watching.  Pick this book up, you'll be glad you did!

Lucy dreamed of having a close relationship with her mother-in-law, Diana, but she soon realized that this wouldn't be the case. This was devastating to Lucy, who lost her own mother and craved that motherly connection. Lucy hoped as time went on that Diana would warm up to her, but their relationship continued to be tumultuous (and at one point turned physical). When Diana is found dead of a supposed suicide, the family is shocked.... they're even more shocked when the police start asking questions as if they're performing a homicide investigation.

The Mother-in-Law alternates mostly from Lucy and Diana's perspectives (past and present). As their stories unfold, you find that all is not what it seems with this family. Diana's son (Lucy's husband) is deep in the hole with a bad business venture. Diana's daughter, Nettie, is desperate for a child, but can't keep up with the costs associated with infertility treatments. Diana has always been tough on her children with money and wasn't one to give handouts. Did Diana truly kill herself? Did Lucy finally have enough? Did one of Diana's children kill her for an inheritance? This one will keep you guessing! I'm looking forward to checking out more of Sally Hepworth's works!

I love a good thriller, and this was a great one! It was such a fun and exciting read, and I truly understand the hype.

The Mother-in-Law was a bit unexpected for me, but in the best way. I expected a twisty thriller but what I got was a great family drama. This was a first Hepworth for me but she reminded me a lot of one of my other favorite Aussie authors, Liane Moriarty. It was more of a domestic suspense, with such well thought-out characters. I loved the read, and it made me think of all the things we don't know about our own Mother-in-laws or Father-in-laws. We are quick to judge but may not know the full story behind their actions!