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A twisty, compelling new novel about one woman’s complicated relationship with her mother-in-law that ends in death…
From the moment Lucy met her husband’s mother, she knew she wasn’t the wife Diana had envisioned for her perfect son. Exquisitely polite, friendly, and always generous, Diana nonetheless kept Lucy at arm’s length despite her desperate attempts to win her over. And as a pillar in the community, an advocate for female refugees, and a woman happily married for decades, no one had a bad word to say about Diana…except Lucy.
That was five years ago.
Now, Diana is dead, a suicide note found near her body claiming that she longer wanted to live because of the cancer wreaking havoc inside her body.
But the autopsy finds no cancer.
It does find traces of poison, and evidence of suffocation.
Who could possibly want Diana dead? Why was her will changed at the eleventh hour to disinherit both of her children, and their spouses? And what does it mean that Lucy isn’t exactly sad she’s gone?
Fractured relationships and deep family secrets grow more compelling with every page in this twisty, captivating new novel from Sally Hepworth.
Praise for Sally Hepworth:
“With jaw-dropping discoveries, and realistic consequences, this novel is not to be missed. Perfect for lovers of Big Little Lies.” —Library Journal, starred review
“Hepworth deftly keeps the reader turning pages and looking for clues, all the while building multilayered characters and carefully doling out bits of their motivations.” —Booklist
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poorly written
So good I read it in one sitting! It was a long night but well worth it.
Good psychological story line with some twists towards the end. The book starts out with the feeling that Lucy and Diana May never get along. They seem to mix like oil and water, not well. Although, I see both characters as very strong independent women. Marriage doesn’t change that for either of them. This book does cover a bit of today’s societal notions that children should be handed everything and not have to earn it. I love that Diana made a point that she was not going to just hand money over to her kids. Nettie is very obsessed individual and mom finally saw she needed help, albeit too late. As I read the story, I was not sure who killed Diana, originally I thought Ollie was behind it. Boy, the author really worked hard to ensure not sharing the truth until it was time. This is the 3 book that O read where ALS is mentioned. I do hope it brings more awareness to the disease. I can see how the unwed mother of Ollie/young Diana decided that her greatest gift was to help pregnant refugees; she felt like a refugee in her own family.
Once again Ms. Hepworth doesn’t disappoint!
Told from two points of view, intrigue builds as the story unfolds!
Oh my goodness, The Mother-in-Law is a ride and a half. Just when I thought I totally disliked Diana, I found myself empathizing with her and really liking her. Then bam! I mean really! Just when I liked the woman, she was gone.
This is such a twisted story of family members keeping secrets from each other, desperation, love and loss that I never wanted it to end.
I enjoyed the characters and felt for them in different ways. This book was pretty true to life in that when one person says something is fine, another gets their feelings hurt thinking fine isn’t good enough. Or someone wants to help and the help is mistaken for someone thinking they don’t know how to handle things. It’s so easy to see how some of the misunderstandings in this book came about.
If you like family drama and a good solid whodunit, this is the book for you. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an ARC. My thoughts in this review are my own and freely given.
Thank you Sally Hepworth for creating a character/MIL (Diane) who I both loved and hated. Both emotions were incredibly satisfying and kept me reading. The lessons through this Mother-in-Law’s silence and indifference are ones I have thought about since turning the last page. A deeply moving story of family and the fierce bonds that connect us. Sometimes what we don’t say is more important than what we do. Loved!
Great job! Don’t miss this one. Quick read will keep you turning the pages. But watch it! You won’t see it coming!
Hooked at the first page. Definite page Turner. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, I was guite surprised. Realistic characters sometimes almost comical but keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering.
Wow!!! This is a book that I read in two sittings, could not put it down. So many twists and turns and a surprise ending that will blow you away. Loved how it was told in a dual POV, Lucy the daughter in law and Diana, the mother in law. It also goes from past to present in the POV’s. I highly recommend this book!!
Absolutely stunning. The Mother-in-Law has so many layers – I’ll be thinking about it for a long time.
The first time Lucy met her mother-in-law, Diana, things did not go exactly as planned. Lucy was kind of shocked with how bad it really went. Diana didn’t hide the fact that Lucy is not the person for her son, Ollie. As time goes along, their relationship gets more complicated. Then, Diana dies under mysterious circumstances.
Lucy is a character I enjoy. She tries hard not to ruffle feathers and to keep the peace, even though it is difficult to do in many situations. Diana is not actually a nice person and this leads to many misunderstandings and miscommunications. This can really wreak havoc on a marriage plus, this puts Ollie in some bad spots.
The story took me a while to get into. It has a very slow start. It does get better as you go along. But, it is a struggle in the beginning. This is a twisted tale about family and all the hurts AND joys that come with it. But the best part is the unexpected twist at the end. Who, if anyone, killed Diana? Why did she change her will? Hmmmm….must read it to find out!
I thought this book was amazing! It grabbed my attention from the first page and I could hardly stand to put it down. There are secrets in this book, lots of them, but there are also those things that aren’t secrets but are simply things left unsaid. Many regrettably, but not all. I loved that we get to read both Lucy’s viewpoint (past and present) and Diana’s viewpoint (past) throughout the book. Also, each of their marriages are presented very positively in the book, which is not often the case in the domestic suspense genre. The ending was wonderful & thought-provoking, and it made me shed a few tears (while holding the book close – yes, I admit, I’m a total book nerd. My little dog was gazing at me with his “are you okay?” look.) This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but now I want to read everything she has written! Highly recommended!
/ 5
It has already been said, but I will say it again, The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth is not your typical mystery / mother-in-law story. I cried like a baby multiple times during this book and it has a lot more depth than I was expecting it to have.
What it’s about: All Lucy has ever wanted was her mother-in-law Diana’s approval, but Diana has always seemed distant, and they never got as close as Lucy would have liked. Now 10 year’s later, Diana has been found dead with a suicide note. But did she commit suicide or did someone murder her? Evidence of suffocation points to murder. Diana and her husband Tom were very rich, and everyone in the family has something to hide . . .
So I went into this book thinking it was just going to be about Diana’s death and boy was I wrong! The timelines switch from past and present, mostly between Diana and Lucy’s perspectives. The way Hepworth was able to craft the two storylines and eventually bring them together just totally blew me away. There is so much emotion in The Mother-in-Law that I highly recommend keeping a box of tissues close by. I know I am not going to be the only one moved to tears by this story.
I read The Family Next Door by Hepworth last year, and while I really enjoyed it and gave it a 4/5, it didn’t get to me near as much as The Mother-in-Law did. I think she really outdid herself this time and this book deserves ALL the stars.
Final Thought: The Mother-in-Law was so good that I didn’t want to put it down. It was a quick read as well and one that I managed to read in just under 4.5 hours so I think a lot of people would be able to read it in one sitting. There is a lot of focus on the story here and not just the mystery surrounding Diana’s death which I think is important to know. The story is about the characters and how everything made it to this point. I would recommend this book to fans of family drama’s that involve a mystery, and people that like a lot of depth to their mysteries. I will be waiting [quite] impatiently for this author’s next book!
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Lucy and her mother-in-law, Diana, have never gotten along that well. From their very first meeting, Lucy, who lost her mother at a young age, hoped for a strong relationship. Diana, however, was standoffish and a bit cold. Even after being married to Diana’s son, Ollie, for ten years, and the birth of three grandchildren, 7 year old Archie, 4 year old Harriet, and 2 year old Edie, their relationship hasn’t improved much. There are just so many misunderstandings and things left unsaid that when Diana unexpectedly dies, everyone will wonder… was it suicide … or murder? Find out in this suspenseful, twisty, and twisted page turner!
Lastly, I loved the author’s dedication because it made me laugh: “For my mother-in-law, Anne, who I’ve never thought about murdering.”
Location: Australia
I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
“The problem is it’s so easy for a mother-in-law to get it wrong. It seems there is an endless list of unwritten rules. Be involved but not overbearing. Help with the grandkids, but don’t take over. Offer wisdom but never advice.” – Diana
“I worked hard for everything I ever cared about. And nothing I ever cared about cost a single cent.” – Diana
Lucy and Diana’s relationship has been tumultuous since they met. Diana has always kept Lucy at arm’s length, never letting her get close. In turn, Lucy imagined that Diana thought that she wasn’t good enough for her son. Their relationship is kept at a friendly stalemate.
Then came the day when the police showed up at Lucy and Oliver’s house. The day that they found out that Diana was dead with a suicide note near her body. But an autopsy shows that she was suffocated. And then there is the shocking news that Diana changed her will. Who could have wanted Diana dead?
A word of warning to those that think this book is going to be a psychological thriller. It isn’t. Not even close. It is a mystery, though. I did think that the mystery part of this book was well written. The author did a fantastic job at keeping who killed Diana under wraps. I did think it was another person until the chapter where the murder was seen through the killer’s eyes, who the killer was surprised me. Why that person killed Diana didn’t.
I loved watching Lucy and Diana’s relationship evolve. While Diana was standoffish at first, I did wonder how she felt about Lucy as the book went on. My questions about her feelings were answered when the author started writing the chapters from her perspective. The author did a fantastic job of showing how complex a mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship was. It also showed how a lousy relationship could turn good.
When Lucy was first introduced in the book, she rubbed me the wrong way. She wanted an instant, loving relationship with Diana. Which I thought was ridiculous. She read into situations with Diana the wrong way and assumed things. But, it was after that confrontation at the hospital that I started to like her. My liking of her grew with what she did at Tom’s funeral. The secret she carried about Diana was a huge one. In the end, though, Lucy was the one who kept Diana’s dreams alive.
I did think that Diana came across as cool, calm and not that interested in Lucy. Her words during the dress fitting were cruel. But once the author started writing from Diana’s POV, I understood why she acted the way she did. I did think that she overstepped her bounds a couple of times (I mean, who brings a raw chicken to a nursing, new mother???). But her heart was in the right place.
Diana’s relationship with her children was odd. She did love them but believed in tough love. Her kids were not allowed to borrow any money (for anything). I do think that her tough love approach put a big rift in her relationship with her kids.
The end of the book was shocking. I was surprised at who killed Diana and why. But, at the same time, my heart broke for that person. The very end of the book, which takes place ten years after the fact, was eye-opening. I liked seeing what happened to the main characters after the story ended.
I gave The Mother-in-Law a 4-star rating. This is a gripping mystery that explores family bonds and secrets. The characters were relatable. The plot lines were well written. My only issue with the book was with who killed Diana and why. But, it was more of a personal bitch than anything. It didn’t affect my rating.
I would give The Mother-in-Law an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is mild violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be the h of a parent, death of a spouse, forced adoption, ALS, assisted suicide. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.
I would reread The Mother-in-Law. I would also reccomend this book to family and friends.
Sally Hepworth, Author of “The Mother-in-Law” has written a captivating, intriguing, and suspenseful novel. The Genres for this Novel are Fiction, Mystery, and Suspense. Someone always has something to say about their Mother-in-Law. Various comedy shows portray the Mother-in-Law/ Daughter-in-Law relationships in humor, satire, and intense dislike. “Monster-in-Law”, a movie, with Jane Fonda and Jennifer Lopez is one romantic comedy where the Mother-In-Law will do anything to destroy her son’s relationship.
Sally Hepworth has taken a unique approach to the “Mother-in Law” in her novel. Diana, the Mother-in-Law has been found dead. One of the questions asked is it suicide or murder? The author describes her characters as complex, complicated, greedy, and dysfunctional. Lucy has certainly tried to please her mother-in-law, and has wanted some positive feedback. Nothing does seem good enough.
Both Lucy and Diane “tell” their stories. The other members of the family do as well. I appreciate that Sally Hepworth discusses the importance of family, love and hope, with a sense of humor. I would highly recommend this unpredictable novel to readers, who enjoy a suspenseful mystery.
This is my second Sally Hepworth book and both have been amazing reads. It was a close 5-star read.
A perfect book to show how money can ruin lives.
Would I recommend this book for a teenage reader? No, as it has many adult situations (not sexual) that might be too much. This would make a perfect book club book. I wish I was in one just to have some animated discussions in the plot.
I received a complimentary copy from St. Martins Press through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
When I saw that Sally Hepworth had a new book, I didn’t even bother reading the description because I knew it would be good! The Mother-In-Law tells the story of so many family relationships besides the sometimes adversarial relationship between a daughter in law and her mother in law. While I first saw Diana as cold and calculating, I soon realized why. Sally Hepworth seamlessly blends familial relationships and issues along with a whodunit that kept me turning the pages! I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
What a great mystery! This book went in no direction that I expected it to go in and kept me guessing throughout the entire story. But it is more than that; it is also an in-depth character study about the relationships between women, specifically mothers- and daughters-in-law. I thought that Diana was an incredibly complex person, and I loved the way the reader was allowed to figure that out through Diana’s actions (rather than just being told). Without giving away plot points, the situation that materializes with Tom and Diana hit very close to home as I recently went through something similar with my parents (not to the same extent, but close enough that I teared up reading through particular sections). Thank you to the author for addressing that issue with frankness, but understanding. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes contemporary mysteries and non-nonsense writing. This review was voluntarily written based on a pre-release copy provided by NetGalley.