The Mother-in-Law: everyone in this family is hiding something

In less than a month, I've devoured my second Sally Hepworth novel, and once again, I found myself unable to put it down. "The mother-in-law" seamlessly blends an easy reading experience with a gripping narrative, drawing readers into its world of suspense and intrigue. Despite its murder storyline, Hepworth manages to maintain a light and engaging tone throughout, making it a truly enjoyable read. What strikes me most about Hepworth's writing is her ability to craft characters that feel real and relatable, each with their own complexities and secrets. As the plot unfolds, she skillfully weaves together multiple storylines, keeping readers guessing until the very end. I found myself eagerly turning the pages, eager to unravel the mystery and discover the truth behind the chilling events that unfold. Hepworth's pacing is spot on, never allowing the story to stagnate or lose momentum. As I reluctantly reached the final pages, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for Hepworth's next book that I already purchased. Her novels are like literary comfort food—satisfying, addictive, and always leaving you wanting more.

C’è un velo di mistero che appassiona come Un bel giallo.

I wanted to read this book ever since it was published, because the title is a hot topic amongst married Indian women. What I liked: a) the dynamics between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, their perspectives, backgrounds, where they come from and how it affects their thoughts and actions – why they do what they do. b) There are a lot of matter-of-fact statements about relationships. c) The part where Lucy and Diana have a conversation and the former mentions how the men in the room thought it was a perfectly normal one and were totally unaware of the hostile undercurrents in it, is simply excellent. The best part was Diana’s retort to Rhonda on the overpriced wedding dress. What I did not like or found odd: a) the pace of the book is slow, it lacked the feel or suspense of a thriller. b) The police investigation leaves a lot to be desired, or rather the author has not devoted many pages to it and the reader does not get any idea of the police views, how the investigation concludes is not mentioned at all. c) Diana’s background story is incomplete. How Tom and Diana became wealthy is a mystery. d) Why Diana chooses to help only Afghan refugee women is not explained. Also why does she not advise them on family planning, instead of just helping them with their multiple deliveries? e) Lucy is struggling to take care of one kid and still decides to go for two more! This is absolutely absurd. Overall, I liked the book for the relationship dynamics more than the mystery part.

Highly recommended! Read it in a single day.

Voici le deuxième livre que je lis de Sally Hepworth, après the Good Sister. Cette écrivaine est tout simplement fantastique. Je ne fais pas seulement référence à la structure du récit, mais aussi et surtout, à la profondeur de ses personnages. Quelle subtilité ! Ce qui est exceptionnel, et parfois dérangeant, c'est qu'on retrouve toujours un peu ou beaucoup de soi dans tous les personnages, même ceux qu'on a adoré prendre en grippe de premier abord . Un véritable miroir. Et c'est en ça que Sally Hepworth est exceptionnelle, cette profondeur psychologique. Après The Good sister et The mother-in-law, J'ai hâte de découvrir The family next door, avant de lire tous les autres !