The Sister-in-Law

by Sue Watson

‘You don’t think Jamie and I have secrets, do you? No, we tell each other everything.’ She smiled. ‘Including your dirty little secret. So, thinking about it, maybe it’s time to start being nice to me?’

THE WIFE: Clare is ready for a break. It’s been a tough year and now she wants to put her feet up. Arriving at the Italian villa for their summer holiday, she decides it’s high time her husband and his family did some of the work. After all, her husband owes her…

THE HUSBAND: Even though Dan had his head turned by someone else, he’s realised the error of his ways. He’s here now, and he says it’s for keeps. Clare can trust him, can’t she? At least he’ll have his brother there, to keep him in line…

THE BROTHER: Jamie is the prodigal child, back in the family fold again, after years of travelling abroad. But when he gets to the villa, he’s not alone. He’s brought a wife, someone none of them have met before.

THE SISTER-IN-LAW: Ella is everything Clare isn’t. Glamorous. Young. Influential. But she knows a secret about Clare. Something that has the power to break the whole family apart.

And there’s someone who will do whatever it takes to make sure that this deep secret never comes to the surface.

An utterly unputdownable, gripping, twisty psychological thriller perfect for fans of Before I Go To Sleep, The Girl on the Train and Date Night.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Audiobook, Mystery

298 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 20, 2019

About the author

Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has sold almost 2 million books and explores the darker side of life, writing psychological thrillers with big twists. Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.
For up-to-date offers and news of Sue's latest books, click the 'Follow' button next to her photo on Amazon.

Sue would love to meet you on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/suewatsonbooks
And on Instagram @suewatsonbooks

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read something so gripping, stressing and unputdownable like this book I normally start biting my nails, arm and end my painful journey ends with bite marks on my triceps. But this time, I couldn’t stop and left bite marks on our couches and fantasized five million ways of killing a sister-in-law Ella who seems one of the most irritating characters I’ve ever seen for long time!

Confession: I have read so many dysfunctional family stories lately but I have never seen so unlikable human leftovers for a long time. Taylor Family is more manipulative than Ewing family, more shameless than Gallaghers, more despicable than Bundies ( I’m talking about Married, with children family not Ted Bundy’s household) more notorious than Kardashians (I take it back! I’m watching sisters’ cat fighting on youtube and I just fell down from my couch because of laughing too hard!) They’re doing things and sweeping under the rug, acting like nothing has happened and moving on their lives.

The story starts like a lovely family gathering. We’re introduced Claire, narrator of the story, lost her father in young age and took care of her depressing mother for years till she lost her battle against Cancer. She was so lonely and when she became a member of Taylor family she seems like she filled the emotional emptiness she suffers for so long.

She married with Dan, having wonderful three kids, working at the hospital. Her life seems quiet great, even though she caught her husband’s two times cheating, she is so ready to forgive and patch things up about her relationship with the help of quality family time. She has an amazing mother in law( if you don’t care her bitchy and bossy attitudes) who loves her so much, helps her decide everything about marriage ceremony and convinces her to forgive her son’s misdemeanors (come on, only two times infidelity doesn’t count! Third time is a charm!),and she also loves brother in law, her husband Dan’s charming and younger brother Jamie who has adventurer soul and who always like to take what his brother has. And her father in law Bob seems like quieter than Silent Bob: He just observes everything and lives in his own world.

But their peaceful, balanced lives consisted of lies, secrets and betrayals is about to shatter because there is a new sheriff in the town. Jamie brings a wife-y (trophy?) Ella to introduce to his family. A glamorous, young, influential, young, sexy, tempting and a former bikini model. And worse thing is she hates the guts of Clare. She makes so mean remarks about her swollen body after giving birth to three kids, her age when no one listens or witnesses. As Clare tries to warn everybody she wasn’t the person they see, everyone thinks she is jealous of her.

Ella looks so sweet, cool, classy and having amazing relationship with everyone including Clare’s
kids. And the worst thing about her, she threatens Clare to tell her secret which can completely destroy her family life. So Clare should do something to stop her, digging around to find out what her real motive is.
From the beginning, you want to punch Lena, hating her guts and wanting to throw the book against the wall, cursing like a sailor. But resume your reading maybe Lena is not the real bad guy of this story, because nothing as it seems and nobody is innocent in this family.

I enjoyed this book and it truly confiscated my mind. It is an amazing page turner to get your minds of from the quarantine life and entertain you a lot. Only the worse thing about the book: The characters are so hateful and irritating. My favorite most unlikable one was spineless Dan ( He deserved at least ten billion smacks!) I fantasized to put their holiday house in fire and drinking cognac when the flames rise up and burn it to the ground! It woke my vindictive bitchy side of me!
So I’m giving four blazing, secretive, gripping, riveting, exciting stars! I highly recommend this page turner to help you deal with your daily stress and thriller fans!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Bookoture for sharing this entertaining ARC with me in exchange my honest review and introducing me Sue Watson’s amazing writing!

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[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clare is ready for a break. In fact, she needs one. She and her husband, Dan are going to use their Family Holiday at an Italian Villa to work on their marriage. It seems that Dan can't quite keep his hands and eyes to himself. After his last affair, they really need this time for them.

Each year the Taylor family goes on vacation together. Dan's parents (Joy and Bob) pay for the vacation and pick the place. It's the perfect time to unwind, bond, and get some much-needed rest from running the family business. But this year, Dan's younger globe-trotting brother Jamie throws a wrench in all their plans when he shows up but not alone as he always does. This time he has brought his wife, Ella. A wife no one knows because they just got married and plan to use this time as their honeymoon.

Ella is glamourous, young, and brags of being an Instagram influencer. She also has her claws out and instantly begins to make jabs and rude comments to Clare. She knows a secret, a secret that Clare is afraid of coming out. Everyone seems to be drawn into her and she begins to steal the show. Even Joy, the family matriarch appears to have lessened some of her control and is bonding with her new daughter in law. While I was reading this, I kept wondering are Clare and I the only ones hearing the cutting and rude remarks that Ella is making to Clare? It is so obvious that she is being mean and rude on purpose, but the entire Taylor family appears to be either deaf or completely lacking in any moral decency.

This was such a fun and entertaining read. I was pulled in almost immediately and the story did not let go. This book is full of tension and characters who readers will either like, dislike, or find their feelings for the characters changing as the book progresses. I enjoyed the pace as the story built and the proverbial you-know-what began to hit the fan. This became a real page-turner for me, and I alternated from wanting to know what the secret was to once knowing, wanting to know when/if the secret was going to come out.

Entertaining, addicting, and full of twists and turns. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Sister-in-Law from hell!! This book had me fuming! Let me tell you what I liked about Ella.....nothing...not one single thing! Ughhh this girl got under my skin. Yet, I couldn't stop reading this, I literally couldn't put this down.

No surprise here… another fantastic thriller from Sue Watson ❤️. As soon as my book buddy Jayme and I saw this newest book from Sue Watson, well we instantly decided it was buddy read time! I can tell you this made for a terrific buddy read as there was ALOT to talk about!

You say we are going on a family vacy? Awesome...I can't wait. Ohhh your carefree world traveling brother Jamie is going to join us. Yesss! Jamie is fun! I love him. Oh wait, Jamie got married?! Oh wow she is something else isn't she? Instagram "it" girl or so she thinks. She loves herself...homes in London and New York, gorgeous glam girl. Yet where does she get all this money? Does she have any friends? A girl like this should have another BFF glam girl right? HMMMM ...my spidey senses are kicking in...

As usual Sue Watson got me with all her twists...seriously I did manage to figure one out...but they kept coming and coming...Just when I thought we were done with the twists...well let's just say it was very well played.......

Thank you so much to Bookouture for an ARC of this latest by Sue Watson! I loved it!

[Jayme · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Now you and I both know each other’s secrets. If You don’t tell mine, then I won’t tell yours.”

CLARE: the wife, is SO ready for the Taylor’s annual summer holiday- this year in a wonderful villa on the Amalfi coast.

After all, her HUSBAND, Dan, owes her for all that he has put her through, with his indiscretions.

She, Dan and their three children will be joining her father in law, Bob, and her mother in law, Joy.

Having lost her Mum early, Clare enjoys sharing meal preparation, gin and tonics and gossip, with Joy. It will be a wonderful summer...

Rounding out the group will be Dan’s BROTHER, Jamie, the prodigal son, who is often traveling abroad but plans to join them a day or so later...

He usually arrives by 🚕 taxi...laden with gifts and good cheer..but this time he arrives with something else...

WHO is that emerging from the passenger side door?

YOUNG, GLAMOROUS and INFLUENTIAL, Ella appears-the new SISTER IN LAW-nobody knew was coming.

She is everything that Clare is not. A woman who self describes as one who wants to move into stuff that REALLY matters-photography, blogging, and saving the planet!

Nobody knew he had gotten married!

And she arrives armed with a SECRET has the power to break the whole family apart.

A secret that seems to have something to do with Clare...

But has she met her match?

I loved “Our Little Lies” by Sue Watson, so I couldn’t wait to grab a copy of this book!

It proved to be just as good, if not even BETTER, as I kept wondering WHO was outwitting WHO?

Twists? YES...and they were twists that I could buy into...these dirty, little secrets were FUN!

And, can’t we all use some FUN, right about now?

4.5 ⭐️!!

Thank You to Bookouture, Sue Watson and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for a candid review!

And, to Kim-It’s All About the Thrill for buddy reading this with me!

This will be out SOON! April 30th, 2020-preorder NOW!

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you up for a twisty, entertaining read to get you through lockdown? Then look no further than this book!! Frankly, Sue Watson had me at the start with a drive down the Amalfi coast... which brought back some glorious memories somewhat different from the Taylor family’s vacation from hell! Actually, just being with this family would have been enough to send me hurtling for the nearest airport. Allow me to introduce you. There’s Clare and Dan who have three lovely, lively children - Violet, Alfie and Freddie. Dan is, shall we say not the best of husbands. There’s Dan’s mother Joy, who is the very definition of matriarch. Joy seems like a dream mother in law but is in fact very controlling and the most important thing seems to be what the ladies from the golf club would think. Shoot me now. Then there is patriarch Bob, who seems quiet, anything for an easy life but lets Joy get away with far too much. All seems hunky dory in their lovely holiday villa, g and t’s flow, lots of lovely food and lazy days by the pool. Then fun loving son, brother and uncle Jamie arrives fresh from his travels to great excitement. Hang on a minute, who is that bronzed goddess in the taxi with him - his wife???? What? Brace yourself for fireworks.

The setting is glorious, who can resist an old Italian villa with pool, overlooking one of the most beautiful places in Europe. Well, I for one can’t! The story is told from the perspective of Clare who sure has a lot to put up with but is she a bit martyrish??? Phew and as for Ella, let’s settle for manipulative, self obsessed Insta Queen, malevolent and twists things so she seems like the victim. In the ensuing battle of wills I’m in Clare’s corner despite my reservations about her. I cannot understand why Clare is so enamoured with Dan’s family because they are awful! I like the growing tension and Joys gin swilling attempts to brush anything that she doesn’t like under the carpet until disaster slaps her in the face.

My only reservations are that it takes a little while for the story to get going but when it does it’s full throttle. There’s some repetition at the start too as the scene is set. However, after that it’s impossible to put this book down.

Overall, this is a very entertaining read, full of twists, tension and surprises.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

[Oscar · Rating 5 out of 5]

"After tonight there will be no more hiding, no more secrets, and no more lies. If there's a hurricane building, I'm ready to face the storm."

The story follows a holiday gone wrong set in an Italian villa. For Clare, it is the perfect opportunity to rekindle and make things right with her husband, Dan. Unfortunately, Dan is not the favorite of the Taylor family for the longest time. That privilege is reserved for Jamie, the youngest, who now comes home to this holiday with an extra baggage: a wife named, Ella. And Ella knows Clare's dark little secret.

Buckle up everyone because for today I'm going to tell you, with my heart palpitating due to caffeine, how Sue Watson's Sister-in-Law is one of the biggest wins for this year. The most important thing is that this book is never boring. It has the perfect balance of it being character-driven and being plot-driven. Just the proper amount of exposition of who the characters really are without sacrificing too much the direction of the plot. Some books tend to focus more on the characters than the plot which personally makes the story dragged and too stretched. Luckily, it wasn't the case in this one. Things are happening right away. The tension was there the moment Ella stepped out of the taxi. Everyone's on high alert.

This book is frustratingly good. It composes of unlikable characters. I just want everyone to shut up and do something good for once and not to sweep everything under the rag. In general, they grated on my nerves. I was fuming all through out. I hate how the characters are so damn good in what they are supposed to be portraying. I hate the in laws. I hate the kids too!

The story may have went repetitive at times especially the two members of this family who can't seem to stand each other but thankfully it wasn't boring. The twists were also good. Nothing too insane nor crazy but will still leave you dumbfounded just like me. For finally all of these made sense. I figured like two of them to give myself some credit.

She's a hypocrite, uses wipes to clean off her make-up, and she travels all the time, has a place in America she says she visits regularly - she must jet around on aeroplanes like other people use buses. How dare she dictate to us, like she's some kind of eco warrior, while her make-up wipes are strangling the tuna. I died laughing!

[Kelli W · Rating 3 out of 5]

TERRIBLE HUMAN BEINGS MEET OTHER TERRIBLE HUMAN BEINGS! BOOM!

Wow! This was a cast of terrible people, and I didn't like any of them at all! But did I like watching them all squirm around each other...absolutely! Does that make me a terrible person? (don't answer that;))

We follow a woman who is a bit weak and needs a backbone, as she is leaving town for her families summer vacation to Italy. With her is her three children and her cheating womanizing husband. They will be spending the vacation at a villa with her in-laws and her brother in-law as they do every summer. Except this year, the brother-in-law has a huge surprise for everyone! He's brought along a female companion. And not just any woman, she is officially his wife as of that week! Surprise!

As the vacation continues, the new sister-in-law starts to make it clear she is not a fan and lays into our main character every chance she gets. Snide comments about her weight, about her parenting, about her cooking and so on and so on. I was so uncomfortable just reading it, I can't imagine being on the receiving end. And of course her in-laws, nor her husband are any real help. So she feels all alone and is left to endure this on her own. And then the big comment comes..."I know about your big dirty secret"....!

The rest of the story is told on pins and needles as the main character is frantic with worry over what her new sister in law may or may not tell everyone. What can she do? what should she do? What will happen if she does nothing? And more importantly....what is her big secret?? Oh the tension and suspense! This book does not disappoint! I only wish the ending had more fall out for some characters and we got to see more action from it.

Overall a solid suspenseful read!


*Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing the digital review copy.

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW this was deliciously twisted! Sue Watson has written one heck of an entertaining and addictive story with one of the most unlikable characters I think I’ve ever read. Clare thinks her upcoming family vacation will be a chance to rekindle things with her philandering husband Dan. Then her brother-in-law Jamie shows up with his new wife Ella. At first Claire is excited to befriend Ella, that is until Ella makes it clear that she is no friend to Claire. Secrets, lies, cutting remarks, manipulation, misdirection, twists, deceit.

Claire was a sympathetic character although sometimes I was hoping she wouldn’t be so easily manipulated by Ella. Ella, The girl seriously did not have a single redeeming quality. I could not figure out for the life of me what she had against Claire and the rest of the Taylor family. It was also so frustrating that no one else in the family seemed to be able to see Ella’s true side, or could they? And what was Ella holding over Claire? So many questions that had me furiously turning the pages of this book. and just when I thought I had figured everything out, there were several twists that proved me wrong. Well done Miss Watson!

This book in emojis 🍅 🍦 🌶 ☕️ 🍷 👙 🤳🏼

*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

[Herbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seems like I'm back in the "unpopular opinion camp" again. But I really just did not like this book or any of the characters in it. I feel like I was meant to sympathise with them, to understand their feelings, but they were all just irritating and irrational 🤦🏻‍♀️
The mid-twist was okay, slightly underwhelming but it was alright. The end for me was just eh 🤷🏻‍♀️
The one thing I will say in its favour is that it was a quick read that held my attention, despite hating everyone 😅

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire needed a holiday with her husband Dan & what a better place like a villa in Italy on the Amalfi Coast, she thought it would be a great time to get her & Dan's marriage on back on track. Dan's parents Joy & Bob had just retired & it was their villa they all stayed in , including Dan & Claire's 3 children.


Dan's brother Jamie turned up which was wonderful as he was Joy & Bobs blue eyed boy he travelled where ever around the world to them both boys are the apple of their parents eyes they would do nothing wrong. Jamie arrived with a long legged beauty Ella & to everyone's surprise they were married, it was a spur of the moment thing, well Joy & bob were taken aback but welcomed her into the Taylor Family.



Things are going fine until Ella says something to Claire that could ruin Claire & the family by telling her
I KNOW YOUR SECRETS ALL OF THEM!!
Weill this puts the fear of god into Claire so as the prose goes on its cat claws time with Ella's acid tongue & Claire trying to keep the peace so Dan & the others don't find out her secret. She tries to tell everyone that Ella isnt what she appears to be, but Dan, Joy & Bob can't see it they say she is nice. What really gets on Claire's goat is Ella starts putting her kids Violet, Alfie & Freddy on her Instagram page my family but she put the kids photo's on without Claire's permission this sends her into a rage, which she was trying. not to get Ella upset but Claire has enough.


Dan & Claire's Marriage wasn't the best as they were rrying to get back on track with Dan's infidelities she was trying so hard to put it behind her but can she or will their marriage fall apart & Ella get her way?



MY THOUGHTS
What i liked about Ella was NOTHING she came into the prose & reeked havoc with everyone except Jamie he was so gullible & naïve i loved everything about this domestic thriller i could not stop reading it , it was addictive compulsive & well written, the setting The Amalfi Coast with the hot sun Beaming down all the time sounded like magic, the pacing top notch , really there is nothing i did not like except ( Ella) of course i really could scratch her eyes out. This was my first read by Sue Watson & definitely not my last.

[Shruti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 rounded up.

The Sister-in-Law is a gripping psychological thriller by Sue Watson. It is an entertaining read that I found hard to put down!

The story starts with Clare and her husband, Dan on their way to their holiday villa in Italy with their three children. The Taylor family spends their holidays together every year because Joy, the matriarch of the family strongly believes that family needs to be protected at all costs. Dan's younger brother, Jamie arrives at the villa with an unexpected guest—his wife. Ella is gorgeous and flawless and Clare hopes to get along with her sister-in-law. The only problem is that Ella seems to detest her right from day one. And so begins a battle between the two—as the rest of the family are blinded by Ella's perfection, Clare comes across as being jealous of her sister-in-law's beauty. When Ella reveals that she knows Clare's dirty secret, Clare is determined to figure out what the woman who seems to live her life solely for Instagram is hiding and thus prove to her family that their beloved Ella is not what she seems to be.

None of the characters are likeable but Ella was absolutely frustrating. I COULD NOT STAND HER. It was so convenient that everyone else ignored her snide comments to Clare and only seemed to react when Clare did the same. The hints that were dropped a few times helped me guess the 'dirty secret' before it was revealed but that did not diminish my reading experience in any way because a lot of drama followed.

Joy's 'boys will be boys' excuse for her son's affair; her husband, Bob's comment on how the 'Me Too' movement is 'political correctness gone mad' and Dan's 'A man can’t say or do anything these days without some woman threatening the police', subtly show how the idea of not holding men accountable while blaming women for speaking up has been ingrained in the minds of the members of this family which is really sad because it's a reflection of what some parts of the society are like, even today.

I liked that Clare was a flawed character who was strong and independent but almost constantly had an inner conflict about her decision to stay married after Dan was found having an affair. Struggling to raise three kids while holding down a full-time job and having to deal with that family—Phew! What a nightmare.

The Sister-in-Law is a fun and fast read and I really liked how it ended. So I would definitely recommend it and I'll be sure to look into Watson's other works.

[I'd like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and Sue Watson for this ARC.]

[Bharath · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a very interesting story. The complex relationships and interactions among the multiple characters makes for good reading. That said, the book had a lot more potential.

Clare & Dan commence a vacation at Dan’s parents’ place with their three kids. Clare hopes she can use the time to rebuild the relationship, after Dan gets over his affair with someone else. The entire family is taken aback when Dan’s younger brother Jamie joins them with his newly wed wife Ella.
There is instantly an air of tension between Clare & Ella. While it appears that Clare is jealous of Ella’s looks, Clare feels Ella cannot be trusted. Clare has her own secrets as well, which Ella seems to have somehow come to know about. The stress in their relationship wrecks the vacation for all practical purposes with a lot of nasty exchanges, as well as quite some pettiness. Almost all adults in the family have their own priorities and have things to hide.

The book has an overdose of the acrimony between Clare & Ella for much of the early & middle portions. Also, since the narration is from Clare’s point of view, Ella’s character is not as well developed. However, the last few sections of the book are very well written, and the story ties up beautifully at the end. For that, it is well worth a read.

My rating: 3.25 / 5.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for a free electronic review copy.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve actually read a few books by Sue Watson before since she writes both contemporary romance and thrillers and I enjoy reading both so I was expecting this book to be a good one since I’d enjoyed the others in the past. Thankfully my expectations were completely met when I picked up The Sister-in-Law which is her latest psychological thriller.

In The Sister-in-Law we meet Clare who has been married to her husband Dan for quite a while with the couple having three young children. Clare had lost both of her parents early in life so when marrying Dan she loved gaining his family as her own and always looks forward to their large family vacations with his parents and brother.

The year though Clare and Dan have been struggling in their marriage so the family getaway is that much more important but after arriving to the Italian villa for the summer holiday the entire family is in for a surprise. This year Dan’s brother Jamie is not alone when he arrives but announces that the young woman with him is his newly wedded wife.

The Sister-in-Law was really one of those books that I just wanted to grab some snacks and watch the drama unfold in front of me. The tennis match of psychological torment between these new sisters in laws definitely kept me entertained. As usual Sue Watson gives readers plenty of action in this thriller to keep the pages turning along with a few twists to the story along the way that one probably will not expect.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sister-in-Law by Sue Watson is a psychological thriller that takes place in the beautiful Amalfi Coast of Italy

Setting the scene with amazing visuals, a villa that anyone would love to vacation in - and a family gathering holiday.

The Taylor Family have lots of secrets, and this story brings together the generations who all have their problems, and hidden stories.

A thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Author Sue Watson for sharing an advanced copy of The Sister-in-Law for me to read in exchange for my review.

A page turner!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh this book is perfect, if you are a fan of psychological thrillers this is the biz

Clare and Dan and family arrive in Italy for their yearly holiday with Dan’s parent’s Joy and Bob and are waiting for Jamie, Dans brother to arrive and join then

And arrive he does

With his new secret bride, Ella, a Insta goddess with a perfect body and an evil tongue that she takes no time in using to lash Clare, and once she starts she wont stop, but why is she so against Clare? what has Clare done and who is this evil beauty Ella?

Oh it’s a delicious feeling as you anticipate what is going to happen and what chaos Ella will cause and then I literally couldn’t wait for Ella’s downfall

I thought I had the book nailed and the outcome sorted and was happily waiting for it all to unfold

And unfold it does

But in so many different ways it kept me flicking the pages and as the story got more and more shocking so I loved it more and more

An ending to make you shout YES but not quite for the reasons you had imagined

Fabulously written, the best characters and I have to mention Joy ( the Mum ) whose disapproving looks, taut smiles and tightening jaw were just awesome

In the Authors letter at the end she says she hopes this book has taken the reader out the chaos of the current world situation just for a while and I can say 100% it did

Really really great read

10/10
5 Stars

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sister-in-Law is a psychological thriller by Sue Watson.

Dan and Clare and their three children were on their way for a two- week holiday, to spend time together as a family in an Italian villa, for their annual holiday with Dan’s parents, Joy and Bob and younger brother, Jamie. The annual holiday is always paid for by Dan’s parents, who are now retiring from the family business, a small property company on the outskirts of Manchester, England. Dan had been part of the company for twenty years but now Jamie, “free-spirited” travelled around the world, had decided to come home and join Dan in running the company.

Clare is a full-time nurse and maintained the company website, as well as looking after their three children; Violet the oldest at nine years old, Alfie four years old and Freddie who was two years old. She had her hands full. She is ready for a break. It has been a tough year and now she wants to put her feet up. Dan had cheated on Clare, and this holiday was in ways a chance to repair the damage and start fresh.

Dan is a cheater, but vows to Clare that he wants their marriage to work. Time will tell. But can Clare trust him anymore?

Jamie is the prodigal child, back in the family fold again, after years of travelling abroad. But when he gets to the villa, he’s not alone. He’s brought a wife, someone none of them have met before. Her name is Ella.

Ella, THE SISTER-IN-LAW is everything Clare isn’t. Glamorous. Young. Influential. But she knows a secret about Clare. Something that has the power to break the whole family apart. Clare and Ella do not get on.

Joy, the mother-in-law is the boss of the family and holds the reins over her two sons. She enjoys her daily Gin and Tonics, and likes to be in charge. Her husband, Bob is quite and will do anything to please his wife.

“This is what life was all about-family, people you love, your children close by, everyone safe, warm and happy.”

So many secrets and lies…

This is an excellent addictive psychological thriller/domestic drama told from Clare’s point of view. The characters and their actions come alive on the page, within the vivid imagery and intertwined plot. Twists and turns and volatile unexpected ending that I did not see coming. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for my digital copy.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently read 'First Date' by Sue Watson and loved it so much I just had to read more of her books. I really enjoy the writing style of Sue Watson, she creates some very unattractive characters and manages to make her books addictive. It's not so much the action in the novels as the suspense and intrigue. You just know something is going to happen but when. I am now a Sue Watson follower and I have already purchased the three remaining unread psychological thrillers to read in the very near future.

Clare and her husband Dan have three young children and their marriage needs a boost and what better way than to take a relaxing sun holiday on the Amalfi Coast. They are spending a family holiday with Dan's parents and his brother. But they are in for a shock when Dan's brother Jamie arrives with his newly wedded wife.

The sister-in-law Ella is very different to Clare, in fact the very opposite young, glamorous, influential and she knows a secret about Clare. Something that has the power to break the whole family apart.

And there’s someone who will do whatever it takes to make sure that this deep secret never comes to the surface.

This is a really addictive read and you really will struggle to put it down before you finish it. Full of suspense as the two sisters-in-law lock horns and you just know this isn't going to end well. The usual twists and turns make it more interesting but it is the battle of personalities that make it such an entertaining read.

[Michael David (on hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clare, her children, her husband, Dan, and his parents are vacationing in Italy. As they eagerly await the arrival of Dan’s brother, Jamie, it’s evident that there has been some rough patches in Clare and Dan’s marriage. When Jamie arrives, with a new wife named Ella, who none of the family knew about, the vacation takes a turn for the worse as Ella treats Clare terribly (while befriending everyone else) and finally telling Clare that she knows a major secret about her...and isn’t afraid to spill it.

This was a gripping thriller that made me anxious and angry with the way some characters treated others...and this was all before some unsuspecting plot twists that raised the bar. The only thing holding me back from 5 stars is that I found the last 15% of the book a bit slow compared to the rest. There were still revelations going on, but I found myself not minding if it had wrapped up at that point. Plus, I really didn’t care for the way it ended.

Still a solid and suspenseful read, and I thank author Sue Watson, Bookouture, and NetGalley for an ARC.

[SVETLANA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clare and Dan have a troubled marriage. Dan cannot keep his hands away from other women. Clare is ready to break the marriage but they have 3 children and she decides to try and heal the relationship on a vacation in Italy with Dan's parents.

A few days later to the villa Dan's younger brother Jamie with his new wife Ella. Clare is excited to have a sister-in-law, but Ella knows a secret about Clare and threatens to expose it. The tension between Clare and Ella is escalating. How far is going Dan's family to keep pretences that everything is perfect?

The book is a good read but I didn't find any likeable characters in the story. Of course, at the end of the book, a lot of things become clear, but in general, the fight between both daughters-in-law is sometimes too much.

This is the reason for only 3 stars for the book.

[Natalia R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clare and her husband Dan and their three children are vacationing in Italy with Dan's parents. After a tough year, Clare just wants to relax and work on her marriage. Everything is going great - that is until Dan's brother Jamie arrives with his new wife Ella. Ella is young, gorgeous, glamorous, and an Instagram model. At first, Clare is excited to get to know her new sister-in-law but Ella seems to have taken an instant dislike to Clare and warns her that she knows her secret...and isn't afraid to tell the family.

I am a huge fan of this author. Her writing style and storylines make me want to keep turning the pages until I get to the end. This book is no exception. I found it to be a thoroughly entertaining and addictive thriller, with lots of family secrets and family drama. Clare was a likable enough character and I was furious on her behalf at how no one from her so-called family stood up for her when Ella was constantly criticizing her and being rude to her. I was actually so upset at how Clare was being treated that I had to stop reading a couple of times. Even when it was revealed why Ella did what she did, I still couldn't muster up an ounce of sympathy for her. I'm happy at how things ended for Clare though, and after all these years she finally saw the Taylors for what they were.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slow burner domestic thriller that held me captive!

The last 5% is epic! I knew something big was coming, but damn, that reveal got me good.

I can see this playing out on the silver screen 🤞🏼

That’s all I’m giving away-if you don’t have this on your TBR, add it, you won’t be disappointed.

ARC provided by NetGalley

[Ankit Garg · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Sister-in-Law by Sue Watson is a novel with a very slow start. Sixty percent in the prose and I was still waiting for it to speed up. When it finally did, the twists were mostly average and easily guessable. Even in the narration, when I expected a murder, one was waiting just around the corner.

The act of projecting a character as an antagonist and then flipping the narrative was apparent from the beginning itself. Having said that, the character development is applause worthy. The portrayal of a dysfunctional Taylor family is excellent.

To sum it up, the book is a decent read.

Thanks to the author and the publisher for the ARC.

[Jessica ❥Chatterbooks Book Blog❥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Great read! Really enjoyed it!

It is one those books that hold no great mystery, and written rather lightly, simply, but they get you swept away like a big wave, and before you know you are sailing through the book.

This is what I call a "domestic thriller/mystery".

Clare is married to Dan. They have three children and Dan's family are all a very tight knit. But despite all that, their own marriage has cracks.

Clare and the family go on holidays. The beauty of Italian coast is supposed to help them heal and feel better, after all - family is the most important thing.
It is not a perfect holiday, the one to call a second honeymoon, but Clare hopes it'll give their marriage a chance. Dan's parents are still a family, and they are helping. Dan's brother is sweet and it all should be nice.

Only it all never goes according to the plan, does it. Jamie arrives with his new wife. Ella is young and pretty, she is smart and seems to breeze through life. Only she is not so fond of Clare.

From little bitchy remarks and sly references it all goes to an open war. And the war is worse when you don't know who exactly you are fighting against.

I loved the way Sue Watson unravels family dynamics in this book. Brilliant portrayal of the characters and the way interaction changes are shown by opening up new sides of each character.

Definitely an author that I'll be checking more books by.

[Hannah Fraser-Marks · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t normally write full reviews but if I can stop just one person from reading this book, I’ll have reserved a top spot in heaven.

WHAT A LOAD OF TOSH. The quality of the writing is approximately that of a year 9 English student, with repetitive and inconsistent character and event descriptions. The constant talk of ‘insta’ made me cringe and the story line didn’t even make sense. I’m too annoyed that I wasted my time reading this to write any more, just please don’t bother.

[menna hafez · Rating 4 out of 5]

#TheSisterInLaw #NetGalley #BookReview
Special thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with Arc and this is the third book in raw they send to me and i appreciate that.
This novel is so good, twisty and fast reading to me, i can't put it down.It's well written and i enjoyed it, this is the first novel to me by Sue Waston but not will be the last.
I hate Ella character so hard, she is a frivolous and foolish , she has no sense of responsibility, she represents most of the girls of this generation who have an unreasonable obsession with social media and the desire to bring in money by exploiting others naivety but i know she is psychologically ill and this makes me forgive her.
I loved Clare character so much , she is smart , brave and don't want to put her head in sand and continue this mesrable life, she know how to play tricks with Ella, i loved the way she love her children so much.
I hated Dan character so much , he is disgusting and pathetic and mummy boy and i swear to god that i know that Ella dead sister will be one of his mistresses.
Bob character is surprised me specially in the last chapters.
The cover is amazing, i always love water as a sea or a pool, anything that related to water admire me.

[Susan Z (webreakforbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about Clare, who is married to Dan. She's an only child without living parents, so Dan's family becomes her family. There are his parents, Joy and Bob, and Dan's younger brother Jamie. Clare has become comfortable with Dan's family, fitting in as if it's her own. Then comes Ella, Jamie's new wife. She is everything Clare isn't, young, fashionable, exotic and Clare immediately feels threatened.

You could feel all of Clare's emotions, jealousy, sadness, fear. I could completely empathize with her as Ella came in pretending to be somebody she wasn't, and she had them all fooled. Clare was completely incredulous as her family started tumbling down.

At the center of the story is Clare's secret, which we don't know, initially. Neither does anyone in the family but apparently Ella knows this secret and isn't going to make Clare's life easy.

Although this is marketed as a thriller, in my opinion it's more of an intense family drama with some thriller moments. For me, this worked great, but it might not be true for everyone.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to reading more books by Sue Watson.

[maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so stressful to read but in the best way...I was so conflicted on who to hate and who to trust, and I did not see the end reveal coming. So so good.

[Nomnivor · Rating 1 out of 5]

WIESO HAT DAS BUCH SO GUTE BEWERTUNGEN? Nicht nur, dass der Plot hindümpelt, die Protagonistin ständig wichtige Dinge vergisst, die Familie furchtbar ist, und konstant auf Veganern rumgehackt wird, weil man Eisen benötigt, nein, es ist auch noch echt mies geschrieben.

Dazu war die Sprecherin des Hörbuchs, Pippa Galli, schrecklich.

Zurück zum Buch. Es war, als hätte Sue Watson ein Hühnchen mit Veganern und Influencern zu rupfen, und ich musste dabei zuhören. Mit beidem habe ich allerdings keine Probleme und fand das deshalb eher unangenehm, wie beides verteufelt wurde. Dazu habe ich die Handlungen der Protagonistin überhaupt nicht verstanden und fand manchmal sogar, dass Die Schwägerin™ recht hatte. Ernsthaft. Ich wäre auch genervt, wenn ich morgens Yoga mache, und trotz mehrmaliger Bitte, mich in Ruhe zu lassen, auf mich eingeredet wird. Genauso gereizt wäre ich, wenn ich netterweise Abendessen für die ganze Familie koche, und jemand darauf besteht, noch schnell Hackbällchen zu machen, weil man doch Fleisch im Essen braucht.

Die einzigen, die mir in diesem Buch leid taten, waren die Kinder, die mit diesen Menschen leben müssen.

[Lisa B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars