The Mother-in-Law

by S.L. Harker

"I’m stuck in this house until my husband returns from his trip, and I’m going to have to figure out how to live with this woman in this dark and cold place. I fear that deep down, she might be quietly unhinged and harboring a dark secret."

Newlyweds Jess and Mark have it all… except a place to call their own. Moving into Mark’s family home feels like the right step, a temporary solution until they can buy a place. But what should be a cozy interim quickly unravels into something far darker.

The house, a looming Gothic relic, gives Jess the chills from the start, but it’s Mark’s mother, Catherine, who truly unnerves her. On the surface, Catherine is polite, even doting, but soon after Mark leaves for a business trip abroad, Jess finds herself alone with a woman whose kindness edges dangerously close to obsession. Catherine’s constant intrusions grow bolder, her presence more inescapable, until Jess is on edge in her own bedroom, unable to escape the suffocating watchfulness.

When Jess uncovers a hidden stack of letters, her world tilts. The letters, written by a woman claiming to be Mark’s real mother, shatter everything Jess thought she knew about the family she’s married into. Who, exactly, is Catherine? And what will she do to keep her secret buried?

This gripping psychological thriller is perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Kiersten Modglin, and Daniel Hurst. Meeting the in-laws has never been so dangerous….

Genres: Thriller

228 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 9, 2024

About the author

Even as a young child SL Harker would conjure up stories to share with her family. That love of books and storytelling never went away, but her skills have improved since then.

As a lover of twisty fiction, her books are fast-paced domestic thrillers with a little spice added in.

Reviews

[Megan The Book WHOaRdEr · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was:
- a nail biter
- a page turner
- filled with terror
- frightening
- a quick read

It also had a pretty good story arc and great twists and turns. The subject matter was pretty dark. I didn’t expect it to go down some of the roads it did. Overall, I enjoyed it very much and would read other books by this author and recommend this book to readers who are looking for something on the more psycho side.

[Wendy Deerwester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book did suck me in from the beginning. There is evil and then there is mother-in-law evil😂😂😂 I recommend this book!

[Agnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely the mother-in-law from hell. Actually it might be worse than that if possible. There is definitely something wrong with her and Jessica finds that out early in the book. It is not only a page-turner but also every chapter has you sitting on the edge of your seat. Great read..

[Shellie Storie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

This book will have you gripped from the beginning and won't want to out it down! You will want to know what evil is lurking next for this family.

[Diana Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read it was awesome. Didn’t want it to end but I needed to know the end.

[Keli Rothwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this had so much potential, it felt rushed in places and fell short.

[Carrie Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝑴𝒚 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒂 𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒂𝒔 𝑰 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒔 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑯𝒂𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓.

As soon as I saw this author had a new book coming, I messaged a friend, and we anxiously awaited its release date. I inhaled this one in record time!

Jess and Mark are newlyweds who make the tough decision to temporarily move into Mark's childhood home with his mother so they can save money for a home. Jess has some reservations, especially when she sees it's a huge Gothic mansion with a faintly sinister vibe. But her mother-in-law Catherine quickly puts her at ease, and Jess finds herself relaxing. However, Mark gets the news that he's up for a huge promotion, but there's one catch--he'll have the leave the country for about six weeks.

With Mark gone, Catherine begins acting strangely, treating Jess as if she's a child; scolding her, demanding to know her whereabouts, even walking in on her while she's undressing. Despite her efforts, Jess can't get the woman to understand boundaries. But when Catherine leaves for a short retreat with a friend, Jess gets the chance to explore the house, and she finds something that will change everything about Catherine...and her husband Mark.

This was an absolute thrill ride from start to finish! It was creepy, intense, and I couldn't believe the secret Catherine was hiding. Highly recommended! This book is available now on KU and paperback.

[Bridget Hollister · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a Nail Biter

This book will have you on the edge of your seat. The story starts out innocently enough. Newlyweds Mark and Jess want to save money to purchase their own home so they move into Mark’s childhood home where his mother, Catherine, lives alone. His father, a prestigious judge, died when Mark was just a child. His only memory of him is he was extremely strict. Catherine is extremely doting on the couple, something independent/private Jess is not used to or comfortable with. Catherine changes when Mark leaves for an extended meeting in Japan. That’s when the scary and creepy stuff begins. I found myself rooting for Jess and then sympathy for a small boy named Clay who was stuck in the same room as Jess years before. It was easy to overlook how a woman in her 60s could have moved a drugged, 135 pound or so woman, but I guess it is possible. The story is definitely a page-turner and I will read another novel by this author.Technical error = on pages 6 & 88 Mark is said to work for an insurance company whereas on page 53 it says an advertising firm. I thought the characters were well-developed and believable, although the mother was creepy as hell. As I said before, it kept me on the edge of my seat but the ending was a too little “happily ever after.” I thought for sure Mark would be in on it and frankly, was a little disappointed to find out he was a nice guy. Thought it would be more fun if he wasn’t.

[La Femme Readers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Newlyweds Jess and Mark decide to temporarily move into Mark's family home until they can buy a place. The house gives Jess the chills from the start, but it is Mark's mother, Catherine, who truly unnerves her. Catherine's constant intrusions grow bolder, and her presence becomes more inescapable. When Jess uncovers a hidden stack of letters, her world is shattered. The letters, written by a woman claiming to be Mark's real mother, upend everything. Who, exactly, is Catherine? And what will she do to keep her secret buried?

MOTHER-IN-LAW is a twisty psychological thriller about a woman's struggle against her unhinged mother-in-law. Picture this: your husband's away on business for a month, and you're stuck at home with your mother-in-law, who has zero boundaries. Doesn't sound fun, huh? Jess possessed a likable personality, coupled with keen instincts and a strong will to survive. As for Catherine, she's a definite monster-in-law. But she does bake a mean casserole and pie. 🤣

As the plot unfolded, Catherine's erratic behavior became increasingly noticeable. She was very protective of her secrets and would go to great lengths to keep them from her son. I felt great sympathy for Jess, and I was frustrated by the crazy situation she found herself in.  Unfortunately, I can't reveal too much of the story, but I will say the plot twists were satisfying, and the ending wrapped up nicely.

[Ronita · Rating 3 out of 5]

A newly wed couple make the decision to stay at the husband’s mother’s home. The husband has to leave for an unexpected business trip (gasp!) leaving the wife to stay at home with this mother. That’s where things start to get interesting and soon, sh!t hits the fan! It was a good read, no major twists or turns but still held my interest. The best way to describe this is that this is a story straight out of a lifetime movie - predictable, some mystery, a little drama and a happy ending. The end.

[Jodi Selders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this book because I have a wicked mother-in-law haven’t seen her in 15 years thankfully
I visualized myself being trapped in that house with her . Because she’s a cold hearted person . Thank goodness my husband chose me over her and we live a happy life
Thank God for Clay and his notebooks otherwise Jess would never have gotten out
Of there
I read it straight through. Couldn’t put it down
You never know what evil lies behind the surface of some people

[Justin Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic!! Kept me gripped from start to finish with twists I didn’t see coming. The conclusion, in my opinion, sets up a great opportunity for a sequel or prequel.

What’s even more interesting to me is how this plot line isn’t really out of the realm of possibility. If I didn’t love my mother-in-law I’d be giving her the side eye, for sure!

[karin whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mother-in-law

Wow! Jessica and her husband Mark ask Catherine to take his wife in while he goes to Japan for six months for his insurance job training.Also well at first, Jess finds her a bit strange, then all things go astray. Fast paced, well written and characters that will scare you.A great , interesting drama. Twists!

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25✨loved this book, thought it was actually so dumb but in like the best way. i LOVE the way it ended with them being able to actually meet clay, it was a slay ending, i wish there was a bit more about the journey that her husband went through after finding all that shit out but that’s okay. love a good easy thriller

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmmm …. I loved the suspense through the whole book and kept reading more but I felt disappointed reading the ending …. It was too perfect. Not a bad read but I just wanted a little more at the end.

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was ok but I found it a little predictable. The storyline was similar to a dozen different horror movies. Parts of it were exciting but the ending was a let down for me. Not all stories need a happily ever after and in this case I think it ruined the story.

[Jaime Owens · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 rounded down -
i didn't care for this at all.. we didn't get much of an explanation or resolution and the characters were very annoying - the husband used "baby" and "vibe" in the same sentence MULTIPLE times...

[Kimberley H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy and suspenseful from the start, a real page turner of a story. A mother in law without boundaries, and over sensitive behavior leads to unraveling secrets and extreme behaviors. Twisted and well put together. Doesn’t disappoint with surprising conclusions.

[Raquel Longoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy, good story!!!

I was expecting a strange and weird twist, but certainly NOT what happened in this story! The feelings and emotions send you reeling. You are compelled to finish the story. Highly recommend!

[Jana Cruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

the start was a bit boring / slow for me so it took me a long time to finish the book. middle part was when I got hooked. loved the twist but kinda hoping for something dark & another twist at the end 😂 the ending was too happy for a thriller/horror book

[Mrs. Dunwell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absurd

What a ridiculous novel. I actually liked the start of the book right until the climax; then it just became a cliched storyline we’ve all read before. I got so bored I started skipping pages to get to the end.

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was a bit of a slow start but grips you with an early twist. There are many chapters that I skimmed because it didn’t seem to progress the story very quickly. I loved the end and how the story resolved. It was a good experience overall!

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick read but I found myself skipping paragraphs and then pages to get to the end. The premise was OK. The story dragged and became predictable. Not a lot of depth the character and it all wrapped up too neatly in the end. Missed opportunity to dive deeper into Paul, Steven or Mark’s stories.

[Vicki McNally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scary!

I found this book to be terrifying in certain situations. I can't imagine anyone going through this in real life. Couldn't wait till the end, but refused to jump forward, didn't want to miss any of it. Excellent writing!

[Denise Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not that many twists in this story, predictable ending, was expecting a twist at the end

This book was ok, but it lacked suspense for me and the ending was a predictable, happy ending. I prefer more twists and turns ….

[Lauren Farren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a fast paced read that got me out of a reading slump! It started a little slow but once it picked up I could not put it down! Probably not the most thought provoking plot but it gets 5 stars from me for entertainment value alone.

[Anna Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good read, a good pace and didn’t drag on at all. I was expecting a crazy twist at the end but that doesn’t happen, more just a summary and explanation of how things came to be. Very wild and unrealistic but still a good one

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh!

[Cheryl Teplitzky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and Suspenseful

I thoroughly enjoyed the suspense and twists in this book. Couldn't put it down. The mother-in-law was every daughter-in-laws nightmare!