The Mother-in-Law is a gripping psychological suspense thriller. It follows the story of Dana who after a whirlwind romance with Sam is engaged to be his wife. I really enjoyed this book and found it entertaining with some great twists. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

Oh my goodness, what a book ! I was gripped from the start and just coudnt work out who was the baddie. Lots of twists and my guesses at how the story would work out all proved wrong. Fab book that I will definitely recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC and I cant wait for the next book by Karen King

WOW ! What a suspenseful story! The twists and turns had me turning the pages. I am anxiously awaiting any new Karen King book. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC copy of this book.

3.75 stars!!

This was very fun and VERY addictive.

It started out slow enough but then picked up the pace, which is when things started getting juicy.

I thought there were a few weak points in the book but nothing major honestly. The end felt a bit sudden and I think it could use some more work???


Otherwise, it was VERY enjoyable and I liked reading this book!! A bit misleading in a few places but still. And also a few things that were left unresolved. But oh well, can't have everything always, can you?


Still a great read, and would recommend it.

Although this book is much like other books I read, it's worthy of 4 stars in my opinion. This is a quick fun read with a dingbat main character who refuses to accept the most logical conclusion in every situation. I guessed how this book would end but still kept reading because each chapter ended and I wanted to keep reading. This book is perfect for those that just want to be entertained, this is a good vacation read. Thanks for the advance review copy.

After a whirlwind romance and with wedding plans underway Dana couldn't be happier. Okay, maybe her future in-laws are a little intimidating, but with a house purchase well under way she'll soon have a home of her own. However, when the sales falls through due to a house fine, Dana, who has already given notice on her rented flat, has no choice but to move in with husband to be Sam's parents.
Evelyn is definitely the Queen of Snobs and looks down on her daughter to be who has come from more humble roots. Dana's attempts to fit it and show she's worthy of Sam, find all sorts of things going wrong. In fact she soon suspects someone has given these 'accidents' a helping hand. Lesser women would have given up but she clearly loves her man and tries to see beyond the present, to a time when they are married with a home of their own. Unfortunately, it appears someone is trying their best to stop her big day from happening.
Sam's mother Evelynn was a real piece of work. A dreadful snob who used Sam's child hood friend and possible ex-love interest Tamara, to humiliate Dana at every turn. Husband Harold was a meek man, the couple reminding me of Hyacinth Bucket and Richard in the Keeping Up Appearances comedy of the 1990s. Sam, well he came over as a bit of a fence sitter. Trying to please everyone and in the end making things worse.
But who was the guilty party? Well, it certainly had me wondering as everyone seemed to have an issue with poor Dana.

The last few chapters, when the truth was revealed felt a little surreal at times, particularly as there appeared to be two guilty parties. However, it was an enjoyable read and worthy of four stars.
My thanks to Bookouture, Karen King and NetGalley for an ARC of The Mother In Law in exchange for an honest review.

The Mother-in-Law by Karen King started fine, but as I read further, more and more sinister things began to happen to Dana Wynters as her wedding day approached.

Dana and Sam Corbett are looking forward to their wedding day. Sam’s mother seems to like Dana, but then she starts trying to take over the planning of their wedding. At first, Dana demurs to her since Sam seems to be okay with his mother doing that. Sinister little things start to happen and it seems that not only does Sam’s mother want to take over, but she also seems to be sabotaging the wedding planning and the wedding itself.

As I kept reading I was saying to myself, “Get out of there, girl!” This book was so thrilling that I read it in one day. The suspense was just too great to leave until the next day

I highly recommend this book as one you cannot put down. The ending will be such a surprise and you won’t know it’s coming.

Dana and Sam have a whirlwind romance. They are head over heels in love and, after only a few months of dating, decide to get married. Sam is perfect… except for the fact that he’s 35 and still living at home with his parents. Evelyn, Sam’s mother, is quite overbearing and wants Sam to stay under her roof for as long as possible. Suddenly strange things begin to happen to Dana: broken glass in her purse, a mysterious stomach bug, a fall down the stairs, and more. Dana begins to fear for her life, but no one believes her concerns. After all, would a mother really be so determined to keep her son close that she would hurt the person he loves most?

This book was so good! I finished it in two days. Such an easy, suspenseful read! I was dying to know how things were going to play out because I was suspicious of everyone. Even being suspicious of all the characters, I was still surprised by ending. I liked the short chapters and I also liked the bonus storyline with Ruby. If you enjoyed The Other Woman by Sandie Jones, you’ll love this one!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an early copy of The Mother in Law. I really like Karen Kings books. This was a winner!!! Very predictable but a good, fast read. The ending was a bit of a shock. These are the type of books you know you will love on a rainy day.

This was a fairly good read although not stand out brilliant. Dana meets Sam who is a very rich 30 year old man who still lives with his parents.. Despite his wealth and her relative poverty they get together and fall madly in love with each other. In steps the evil mother-in-law, obsessed with keeping her son in the family home. Unsurprisingly, things start to happen to Dana and, when the house the couple were planning to buy inevitably burns down, it becomes clear that someone is out to sabotage the relationship. Although most of the plot is predictable, there are a few twists; perhaps not as dramatic as I would have liked. Also living in the house is a maid who also holds some answers but why is she there? The answer to this adds a not entirely convincing. layer to the plot. This is not the best written thriller ever but it made a pleasant summer read and I was happy to finish it and learn the whole truth behind the threat to Dana and Sam's relationship.

This book really irritated me. How could a man who supposedly loves his girlfriend/wife not realise when someone is out to kill her, honestly I could see that one coming a mile off. I that respect I’m only giving this book three stars. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

What a fantastic suspenseful read this was! It was an excellent domestic thriller that really had you on edge all the way through!
I found it really easy to get onside with the vulnerable Dana, It really is a fairy-tale turned sinister. I found the telling from Danas perspective really effective as you were as much in the dark as she was all the way through, even if at times I found myself very frustrated by her!
I loved the way that time switched, so you knew you were building up to something and wondering what came next. The tension and suspense were built beautifully through these clever techniques, this meant I found it impossible to stop reading!
An easy five star read for me, I look forward to reading more from this author in future!

A whirlwind romance comes to a pretty sudden halt when you meet the ‘in-Laws’ doesn’t it?
I have enjoyed this trope before so when I came across this book and read the description, I was very interested. I loved the storyline as well as the outcome of this book, it left me, the reader, just as confused and paranoid as Dana! I love psychological thrillers like these that are a puzzle to work out and I’ll be honest, I didn’t see it coming.
For me I think what let the book down somewhat was the likeability of the characters. I didn’t find myself warming to any of the main characters and I think this hindered the book. I wasn’t very emotionally invested in what was happening with Dana and also thought the romance between Dana and Sam wasn’t fully realised.
Aside from this I think it was a good read if you’re looking for a short, thrilling book. I would be inclined to read more of Karen King’s works in the future.
3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review posted to Goodreads.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Karen King's The Mother-in-Law.

Whoeeee, what a wild ride! Read it!

Wow! What a page turner, so many twists and turns and keep you guessing moments, I couldn't put it down, excellent read and thrilling until the end

Ahhh, what to say. Such a wonderfully suspenseful book. I was hooked from the beginning! I was always waiting to see what was in store next for poor Dana. It had you constantly thinking who was the culprit. I enjoyed having a quick and easy read this time around.

I do recommend if you're in the mood for an easy, quick read.

Publish date 7/29/2022

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity for the ARC. Much appreciated!

I love reading books with horrible mothers-in-law and this is a good example. Evelyn is so over the top, if she wasn’t so mean and controlling you would laugh at her. She’s absolutely perfectly dressed and made up, is a terrific cook and knows exactly what she wants for her only son Sam. And that’s not Dana. Sadly for her Sam and Dana fall madly in love and are eager to start their own life. We read the whole story from Dana’s viewpoint, including the horrible ‘accidents’ that happen to her. Sometimes I wanted to shake her and tell her to speak up for herself, and I was glad when she finally did. The characters are not very deep, nor is the story, but it was a perfect holiday read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for this review copy.

What a thrilling ride! This book starts off right after the vows are shared at a wedding. However, our bride, Dana, is on the floor and is passing out, possibly dying. She is suffering from an allergic reaction, and before she does fade out, she locks eyes with her brand new mother-in-law.

But, then, our book takes us back to six months previously. Sam and Dana began dating, and soon became engaged. Sam and Dana are truly in love, and their lives are about to start as a married couple before too long. However, things do not go smoothly. In fact, there are several hiccups, and these are major.

Sam still lives at home with his parents and Dana has her own place. But, the couple want to buy a home together. When something happens to their impending purchase, Dana has no choice but to move in with Sam and his parents. While not all that comfortable at first, Dana is rather relieved to see that Sam has a nice wing, with its own rooms. Maybe this won't be so bad. After all, they will marry soon and they will buy their own home.

However, one thing is more than clear. Sam's mother Evelyn is very controlling and gaslighting is rampant. No matter how small or how big the conflicts occur between Evelyn and Dana, Sam is convinced that his mother only means well. In fact, there are even times when Sam dismisses Dana's concerns. Dana just wants to marry Sam, so she endures trial after trial when it comes to Evelyn. She feels that their time living in the same house is only for a rather short duration and she doesn't want the rest of their lives soured by her having a bad relationship with Evelyn.

With surprising twists and turns, things go from bad to worse. This engaging read takes a sharp turn, one that was incredibly shocking, only to make this intriguing book even more compelling. The Mother-in-Law is a wonderful domestic thriller that kept me riveted from beginning to end.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

The Mother-in-Law was a fun and surprising read. It's rare I can't guess what will happen next in a novel, but Karen King kept surprising me. This is a book I'll be recommending for a while.

The Mother-in-Law by Karen King


Dana cannot believe how lucky she is to have found Sam; they love each other so much. Sam is so kind and considerate and when they have been dating for only a few months Sam asks Dana to marry him, Dana thinks she cannot be any happier. But Dana doesn’t think Sam’s parents, Evelyn and Harold like her very much.

As the wedding planning gets taken over by Evelyn, Dana does not want to make trouble and agrees to all of Evelyn’s suggestions but then Dana could not help over hearing Evelyn’s comments to her neighbour that Dana is “such a meek, compliant little mouse” but if Dana does not agree and things are done Dana’s way her future mother-in-law says “What Dana wants, Dana gets” so she cannot win.

When the dream house Dana and Sam want to buy falls thru Dana has to move in with Sam, who lives with his parent, Dana starts having accidents, cutting her hand on a broken mirror that happened to just magically break in her hand bag, getting electrocuted by a kettle that was working fine the day before, falling down the stairs. Dana is starting to suspect these are not just accidents but maybe someone is trying to stop her marring Sam not caring if they kill her in the process.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review