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The Mother-in-Law Paperback – 14 December 2021
Sally Hepworth (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
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Everyone in this family is hiding something.
You may get to choose your partner, but you don't get to choose your mother-in-law.
From the moment Lucy met Diana, she was kept at arm's length. Even after marrying Oliver, Lucy knew they'd never be close.
But who could fault Diana? A pillar of the community, an advocate for social justice, the matriarch of a loving family.
That was ten years ago. Now, Diana has been found dead. There is a suicide note, but the autopsy reveals foul play. And everyone in this family is hiding something . . .
A thrilling page-turner about that trickiest of relationships.
Praise for The Mother-in-Law
'Will keep you guessing until the very end' - Us Weekly
'Sally Hepworth writes compelling, compassionate novels with characters you come to know and love. She is one of my favourite Australian writers' - Liane Moriarty
'Deliciously entertaining, packed with wit and suspense and also delivers sharp insights about family dynamics and love' - People Magazine
- Print length352 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherPan Australia
- Publication date14 December 2021
- Dimensions19.8 x 2.3 x 16 cm
- ISBN-101760988014
- ISBN-13978-1760988012
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Product description
Review
Book Description
From the Publisher
About the Author
Sally Hepworth is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels, including The Good Sister and The Younger Wife.
Drawing on the good, the bad and the downright odd of human behaviour, Sally writes incisively about family, relationships and identity. Her domestic thriller novels are laced with quirky humour, sass and a darkly charming tone. They are available worldwide in English and have been translated into twenty languages.
Sally lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband, three children and one adorable dog.
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Product details
- Publisher : Pan Australia (14 December 2021)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 352 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1760988014
- ISBN-13 : 978-1760988012
- Dimensions : 19.8 x 2.3 x 16 cm
- Best Sellers Rank: 4,003 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 443 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction
- 688 in Family Life Fiction (Books)
- 2,122 in Mysteries (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Sally Hepworth is the bestselling author of The Secrets of Midwives (2015), The Things We Keep (2016) The Mother's Promise (2017), The Family Next Door (2018), The Mother In Law (April 2019), The Good Sister (April 2021) and The Younger Wife (April 2022). Hollywood actress and producer, Amy Poehler, has optioned The Mother In Law for a TV series.
Sally's books have been labelled “enchanting” by The Herald Sun, “smart and engaging” by Publisher’s Weekly, and New York Times bestselling authors Liane Moriarty and Emily Giffin have praised Sally’s novels as “women’s fiction at its finest” and “totally absorbing”. Sally's novels are available worldwide in English and have been translated into 10+ languages.
Sally lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and three children.
Customer reviews

Reviewed in Australia on 7 July 2019
Top reviews from Australia
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The book is written in then and now sequences and through flashbacks we understand where Lucy and Diana are coming from. Diana didn’t have an easy time as a young woman and had to toughen up quickly. As is always the case, nature and nurture form character that in turn affects future generations. One excellent aspect of the novel is that the relationship between Lucy and Diana evolves after reaching a low point, becoming nurturing and even affectionate. The family faces various dramas but the big one comes with Diana’s death. It looks like euthanasia but is it? Certain things don’t add up and the police become involved.
The novel starts OK and improves as it goes along. I have a problem when a character says “I have done xyz” when people would normally say “I’ve ...”. While we’re being picky, I don’t think a woman of Diana’s vintage would say “There’s two pieces of advice ...”. She would say “There’re ...” or write it out in full: “There are ...”. Plural nouns need plural verbs. Yes I know “There’s” is used all the time now but not so much by older folk who learnt grammar. Good story though: well-plotted with well-realised characters who evoke an emotional response.
Sally keep writing!! Im on a mission to read all of your books 🥰
It really shows how we never really know someone's intentions, and how we judge (and MISJUDGE) people far too easily.
It has honestly given me a different outlook, and I spoke with my husband, and children about it, along with my usual book loving friends!!
I believe it is being made into a tv series/show, and I am so interested to see the interpretation.
I cannot recommend this book enough!!!
It's probably a typical mother-in-law story which is a bit sad really as mine was a nice lady.
Well worth a read though.
I loved the story but even more, I loved how relatable this one was. The kids especially, behave exactly like me and the family interactions are the same too (IPad, NOW!). The Brighton and Sorrento houses are all too familiar(sadly not in my family).
Finally, I enjoyed seeing the mother in law relationship from both perspectives. As always, insightful and heartwarming.
Top reviews from other countries


When Diana is found dead, the family comes under suspicion.
The author writes well but the story is too long and has a lot of unnecessary detail. It is more of a family story than a crime thriller. It is easy to guess who the perpetrator is and the ending is low key. I would probably buy another book by the author.


To further ram home what a horrible person Diana is, the author has her turning off her grandson’s baby monitor (didn’t want to make the baby weak and dependent) and being so neglectful when babysitting that her granddaughter ends up with a fractured skull. In the hospital Lucy attacks Diana, knocking her the floor so that she suffers a concussion. Later, one of the nurses tells Lucy that the staff consider her a “hero” for this action! Honestly, could you imagine any sensible person talking like this? Nurses must hate their mothers in law too.
It’s all pretty silly, with ridiculous cardboard cutout characters and a denouement that is beyond belief. A waste of time, in my view.
Just for the record, I adored my mother in law. She’s dead now, but was one of the kindest, nicest people I ever met. Just saying.
