Meet the In-Laws: An Absolutely Thrilling and Totally Gripping Psychological Thriller

by Emily Shiner, Elise Roth (Narrator), Madeline Pell (Narrator)

As my mom greets my husband for the first time, I spot the new diamonds in her ears. She’s trying to impress him, although I know her smile is fake. But that’s okay. Because so is mine…

The Carol has planned a weekend of home-cooked dinners and cocktails on the deck getting to know her new son-in-law. But then she sees the way handsome Owen grips her daughter Gina’s arm too tightly. She knew Gina got married too fast. And Carol will make sure Owen wants for nothing while she uncovers all his lies.

The Owen has put what happened when Gina met his parents behind him. Now, he’ll charm her mother Carol with compliments and ignore the way she hovers. But when he catches her snooping through his medicine bag, he knows he’ll have to keep her quiet…

The Owen has never asked Gina very much about her parents. He’ll regret that now he’s here. Her mother was never very attentive when she was growing up. But she did like things to be perfect. So Gina is going to show her all of Owen’s flaws… and Carol just won’t be able to help herself.

By the end of this trip, a marriage will be over. But who will make it out alive?

Meet the In-Laws is an absolutely gripping psychological thriller that will keep you up late into the night! Fans of Daniel Hurst, Freida McFadden and The Perfect Marriage will be totally hooked.

This book can be listened to as a standalone.

Audible Audio

Published July 30, 2026

About the author

Emily lives in the mountains of North Carolina and loves hiking with her dogs--only when she's not thinking up twisted tales, that is. She loves books that keep you up long after you should be in bed.

Reviews

[Lee]

This author once again delivers the kind of twist tight, character driven tension I absolutely love, crafting a domestic thriller that unravels with delicious precision. The story follows a newly married couple visiting the bride’s mother, and from the moment Gina’s forced smile mirrors her mother’s, you can feel the cracks forming. The weekend is meant to be warm and welcoming, yet every interaction carries an undercurrent of suspicion, Carol noticing Owen’s too‑firm grip, Owen catching Carol rifling through his belongings, and Gina quietly feeding the fire by exposing his flaws. What I enjoyed most is how the author layers each perspective so cleverly that you’re never quite sure who’s manipulating whom. The shifting alliances, buried resentments, and escalating tension make the unraveling of this marriage utterly addictive. By the time the truth finally detonates, the journey feels as sharp, unsettling, and satisfying as I’ve come to expect from this writer’s work.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.

[Chapters_with_VDKeck]

Y’all, Meet the In-Laws turns one awkward family weekend into an absolute pressure cooker of secrets, lies, and suspicion.

At first, Carol thinks Owen is the perfect match for Gina. But when cracks begin to show beneath his charm, a family visit turns into a tense game of cat and mouse. And Carol’s husband? He had me raising an eyebrow too.

Emily Shiner’s sharp, fast-paced writing and twisty multiple POVs kept me questioning everyone. I guessed one reveal early, but the family drama and nonstop suspense kept me flying through the pages.

If you love domestic thrillers where every family dinner feels like it could end in murder, this one belongs on your TBR. This is Book Two but can be read as a standalone.

Thanks to #NetGalley, Emily Shiner and #Bookouture for a copy of Meet The In-laws for my honest, voluntary review. #MeetTheInLaws #EmilyShiner #DomesticThriller