Book Description:
Your new husband has a shocking secret. Would your mother-in-law kill to protect it?
From the moment I meet my new mother-in-law in her beautiful country house, she makes it clear I’m not welcome. Lilian Fletcher hates me for marrying her precious boy on a golden beach far away from her.
Starting our marriage living in the Fletchers’ family home is a nightmare. Then I discover Seb was married before and his first wife is dead. I wonder why the man I love didn’t tell me the truth. And I wonder what happened to her: the woman who came before me. How did she die?
Lilian’s steely blue gaze follows me everywhere. Then the accidents start to happen, and I know she is behind them. It starts with small things, like a dropped birthday cake, a spilt glass of wine. But then my mother-in-law accuses me of something terrible. This woman is determined to get me out of her son’s life.
Now I wish I’d never met my handsome, clever husband. Or come to this luxurious house that feels more like a prison.
But I have secrets too. And no-one knows who I really am…
From the USA Today bestselling author, this totally addictive psychological thriller will keep you guessing all the way to the final shocking twist. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and The Wife Between Us.
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Daughter In Law' by Shalini Boland.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Shalini Boland, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 4th November 2022.
This is the eighth book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'The Other Daughter', 'The Wife', 'The Couple Upstairs', 'One Of Us Is Lying','A Perfect Stranger', 'The Family Holiday' and 'My Little Girl', all of which I highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and The Wife Between Us'. I am a huge fan of 'Gone Girl' and 'Girl On The Train' so am looking forward to seeing if it lives up to this! I am also a huge fan of Shalini and if this is half as good as 'The Other Daughter', 'The Wife', 'One Of Us Is Lying', 'A Perfect Stranger', 'The Family Holiday', 'The Couple Upstairs' and 'My Little Girl' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists a prologue, 52 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Dorset, England 🏴, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. The fact that this book is based in England is even better as I have been on holiday in England many times so may even recognise some places Shalini has set the book around. I have in fact literally just returned from a holiday in Dorset!
This book is written in a mix of third and first person perspective with the main protagonists being Caroline, Lillian, Amy and Michelle. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything. To have the benefit of both first and third person perspective ensures you don't miss out on anything.
WOW!! Where to even start?!? Firstly I must say yet again I was NOT disappointed by the very talented Shalini Boland!!! I started reading this book this morning and finished it in a few hours. Yet again being completely blind sighted by THAT ending!!
It is extremely well written as is every book I have read by Shalini with vivid descriptions that really put you in the storyline. The blurb and cover work perfectly with the storyline. Every single time I told myself I'd finish the chapter and then put it down and every single time I was left with a sort of cliff hanger refusing to allow me to put it down.
If your planning on reading this I would recommend clearing your schedule!!!
Absolutely gripping storyline which I got completely sucked into. A great unputdownable page turner filled with suspense, mistrust, revenge, tension, accusations deceit, mystery, love, power struggles, lies and absolutely everything you could want in an absolutely gripping family drama/psychological thriller!! . I loved the storyline, especially the shocking plots that I would never have seen coming! Not just one either!! There's nothing worse than when you have worked everything out and your not even half way through a book so a massive well done for that!! I definitely did not even have the person involved in my suspect list AT ALL, wasn't even close to working out what was going on, soooo many red herrings and as for the epilogue don't even get me started!!!! Absolutely mind blown!!! I absolutely love the fact that I know Shalini will never fail and that every time I read one of her books I can guarantee it is going to be an absolute page turner. If you have never read any books by this extremely talented author then you are definitely missing out!! An absolutely explosive rollercoaster ride with family drama and a mind blowing twist.
I haven't been that shocked in a book in a while so WELL DONE Shalini!! This book is will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. I really could not compliment this book any more it is an absolutely gripping, addictive and shocking page turner.
I absolutely LOVED the locations and I really did feel like I was having a holiday in Dorset too, an absolutely gorgeous country and I was devastated when I came to the end and had to mentally unpack my bags even with all the action, suspense and mystery going on, or maybe especially because of all that!!
I read approximately half of this book on kindle and listened to approximately half on audio book. I must also give a huge congratulations to the narrator Katie Villa who not only brought the storyline to life by really portraying the emotions through his voice but by doing absolutely fantastic impressions of males and females so a HUGE congratulations Kate!! I cannot imagine that this was anywhere near an easy feat!!! I am looking forward to discovering more books read by yourself as you definitely have a perfect "book" voice!! I sometimes struggle to absorb the storyline through an audio book but if you are the same as me I can promise you will not have that problem with this amazing narrator!!
The characters were all well rounded and realistic with their own personality traits, strengths and weaknesses. It was very interesting watching how the bonds strengthened and weakened between characters throughout the storyline. I had mixed feelings for each of the characters throughout but one thing I love about the characters in all of Shalini's books is that she makes them jump out of the page and puts you right next to them throughout. Having so many different perspectives ensures you get to know each one and see what they are doing. I absolutely loved the last chapter, something I love with Shalini is that she always seems to dedicate the last chapter to a certain character in books and completely shocks you making you really want to see what happens next and several times I've been left hoping and wondering if that storyline will be carried on.
Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read a chapter of Shalini's psychological thriller 'The Secret Mother' which sounds absolutely gripping and I'm looking forward to reading myself!!,
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Shalini Boland for another absolutely fantastic success!! I cannot wait to read more of your amazing work!! I really would love to see your books on the big screen one day, I can guarantee they will be a success if they are even half as good as the books you write!!! Here is to your next huge "blockbuster"!!! 🥂
Overall a page turning, gripping, epic psychological thriller with an explosive ending that will blow your mind!!.
Genres covered in this novel include Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Romance Novel and Psychological Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and The Wife Between Us and of course Shalini Boland and just anyone looking for an epic read with a twist. What are you waiting for?? Go grab your copy now!!!
313 pages/7 hours and 42 minutes.
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free on kindle unlimited, £16 for audiobook and £7.99 in paperback via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
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@ShaliniBoland @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
Author Bio:
Shalini lives in Dorset, England with her husband, two children and Jess their cheeky terrier cross. Before kids, she was signed to Universal Music Publishing as a singer songwriter, but now she spends her days writing suspense thrillers (in between school runs and hanging out endless baskets of laundry).
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Buy Link:
Amazon: https://geni.us/B0BFX32X13social
Audio:
Listen to a sample here:
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