The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth

"It's all about support. Whether you want to give it or not...actually it's about whether to give money or not. And that's not the same thing."

Most of us have or ARE a mother-in-law. Depending on who you are and who she is, the relationship can be fraught with issues, it can be smooth and mutually beneficial, or it can be one of benign neglect. Of course you don't get to choose your mother-in-law, but it's often been said that you don't just marry the man (or woman) -- you also marry the family.

Lucy has a difficult relationship with her mother-in-law, Diana. When Lucy married Ollie, she really wanted to be close to Diana because Lucy's own mother had died when she was only 13. But Diana is aloof and opinionated and strong and doesn't seem to have much regard for Lucy -- or at least not in the way that Lucy would prefer. It's not just Lucy who perceives Diana as difficult -- Ollie's sister, Nettie and her husband, Patrick, also have their share of issues with Diana. Only Tom, Diana's husband, exudes the warmth and generosity that everyone really craves. Why won't Diana help them all out financially, it's not like she and Tom don't have plenty of money. It causes a lot of friction between them all and it seems pointless since they all know they'll inherit someday.

Well, apparently someone could not wait patiently for their share of the money. Diana is found dead, at first suicide is suspected, but then the autopsy has some startling revelations for them and the police have been calling them down to the station for interviews and questions. Did one of the family actually kill Diana? NO SPOILERS.

The narrative flips back and forth in time and is primarily written from the points of view of Lucy and Diana. The reader learns some interesting truths about each of the two women as their vulnerabilities are revealed. I particularly enjoyed this device in this story because it tantalized me and I felt that I really got to know each woman quite a bit better and so could relate to them more easily. I wasn't sure who had 'done it' and I liked how the author reached the climax and how it yielded a very sad, but satisfying conclusion. Nicely done! This was most of all family drama with a bit of murder mystery, but I'd say a relationship novel most of all. I loved the end quote: "I worked hard for everything I ever cared about. And nothing I ever cared about cost a single cent."

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre -- family drama, relationships, women's fiction