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The Mother-in-law by Sally Hepworth

Meeting date: September 24, 2019 ;
Star rating: 4.5/5 stars

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 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 eleventh 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 page in this twisty, captivating new novel from Sally Hepworth.

Comments and questions from attendees:
  • Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship is SPOT ON in this title. Fantastic!
  • The relationships between older women are also spot on - especially since they changed over time.
  • What is the responsibility of a parent to their adult children? Prevent suffering? Preparation?
  • Why doesn't Diana ever explain her motivations or past to those around her?
  • Do we view our parents as people? Children always say "you wouldn't understand."
  • Parents are cast as good cop and bad cop. Is that fair if you are always bad cop?
  • Is the good cop the vulnerable one in the relationship and the bad cop the strong one?
  • Diana and Lucy's relationship starts to work when Lucy begins to ask questions.
  • Both women have preconceived notions of what their relationship will look like/should be.
  • The more human Diana became the more Lucy could view her as a role model.
Lowest rating: 4 stars
Highest rating: 5 stars

Discussion Questions (courtesy of Macmillan)
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