The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I really enjoyed Sally Hepworth's last book, The Family Next Door, so I jumped at the chance to get to review this one. The Mother-In-Law is a mystery that opens with the death of Lucy's mother-in-law, Diana, then continues by alternating between the present and the past, detailing both the investigation and the events that led to Diana's passing. While Diana's death appears to be a suicide on the surface, things just aren't adding up. And if it wasn't a suicide, who is responsible? Why does everyone in the family suddenly have something to hide? I would put a trigger warning on this book for miscarriages/failed pregnancies.

I liked this book fine, although unfortunately not nearly as much as The Family Next Door. The plot was good but didn't grab me, and while the ending wasn't quite predictable per se, it wasn't at all surprising either. I just couldn't get invested in this one as much as I was expecting.

I did enjoy the alternating points of view of both Lucy and Diana, as well as how the book incorporated both present day and flashbacks to the past. This really made it clear that you don't always know a person's intentions, and they aren't always as malicious as you think. The characters were fine, but not really memorable, although Diana and her husband Tom completely reminded me of Emily and Richard, the grandparents from Gilmore Girls. Of course I have to mention how much I love the cover.

Overall it was a solid story and I'm glad I read it, but to me it just wasn't as good as Hepworth's last book. 

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Thanks so much to St. Martin's Press for a finished copy of this read! The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth is out TODAY, April 23rd, so be sure to pick up a copy! 

The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

At first glance this book doesn't look like much, and it might be hard to guess what it's even about, but it quickly sucks you in. The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth follows three moms in the perfect neighborhood, who seem to have it all together. But you soon realize that Fran is hiding a secret. Ange is trying to uncover one. And Essie doesn't know which way is up most days. So when single, childless Isabelle moves in, eyebrows are raised and the women begin to obsess over her to distract themselves from their own issues.

I absolutely did not see the twist coming in this one. Even though this really isn't a thriller per se, there is a huge reveal at the end. Everything you thought was playing out was actually something completely different entirely. Some of the subject matter is definitely heavy, including postpartum depression and infidelity. 

I appreciated getting the perspectives from all the women, in addition to the flashbacks. They were all relatable in different ways, and I really felt for them all at different points. 

I did think a few parts of the book were unrealistic, especially when it came to things like hospital security. I honestly can't comprehend how I would have reacted to the new knowledge at the end, so I don't want to say if the ending was valid or not because it would be such a precarious situation to be in.

I loved that this was set in Australia! So many thrillers are set in the US, or somewhere in England, so this change of scenery was nice. Hepworth is also a Melbourne resident, so this totally makes sense.  This was the first book I'd ever read by Sally Hepworth, but after finishing I know I need to pick up some more of her works ASAP!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to St. Martin's Griffin for a finished copy of this read! The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth is out in paperback on February 5th, so be sure to pick up a copy!