The Mother-in-Law

By: Sally Hepworth

Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik

Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

A twisty, compelling new audiobook 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 no 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 11th 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 chapter in this twisty, captivating new audiobook from Sally Hepworth.

©2019 Sally Hepworth (P)2019 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Deliciously entertaining, this Australian novel is packed with wit and suspense, and it also delivers sharp insights about family dynamics and love.” (People Magazine)

OK read.

Unless I missed something it never said how Diana got her money. Started out well enough, ending just ok.

Nettie’s character

SPOILER ALERT!
I thought the way that Nettie’s character was depicted almost made her seeking to be a mother a cruel joke. I can’t imagine how a woman who is struggling with infertility would feel reading this book. I’m sensitive to this topic because I have family members who’ve not been able to have children and it’s devastating for them. It’s not trivial nor does it make Nettie immature or crazy for wanting a family. I wish that if the author wanted to show Nettie as a crazy person that she layered on other characteristics to show that she was unstable and laid off of just using the infertility as what drove this woman mad. The author makes great life points in this book, but I just found the depiction of Nettie to be a little ridiculous.

Captivating!

It was very intriguing and kept me guessing, I had my theories about what happened but it wasn’t predictable at all.

Character views

I loved that the story showed the different views of the characters. I loved the reality of the emotion the book provoked.

A must read!!!!

I enjoyed this book from the beginning til the end. As always, I was trying to examine who did it from the beginning.I really loved how Lucy and her mother-in-law came to have a very close relationship.

Loved every single minute

Writing + story + narration = pure audio bliss. So enjoyable and lovely. Will be reading more of this author/narrator.

Enjoyable Listen

This book was easy and enjoyable to listen to. It definitely made me peruse my own relationship with my MIL. The author does a fantastic job of intertwining tiny details that come together seamlessly. This was my first book from this author and I am about to to look for another.

Page turner!

If you like twists and turns, this is a book for you! It far exceeded my expectations!

Excellent

This may have been one of my all time favorites. I am a mother in law and have had a mother in law and the dialogues in this book really rang true. Excellent

Complicated relationships and a murder mystery

I was surprised by how much I liked this book. Good story with lots of interesting, strong female characters. Had you guessing who the murderer was the whole time.