I’ve always been fascinated by families and what drives their unique dynamics. I think perhaps it’s because mine is so small; both my parents are only children and I have only one sibling. But what fascinates me even more than the family we’re born into, is the family we marry. After all, we choose our spouses, but their families come as a package deal.
This is probably the moment I should caveat that I have a mother-in-law I adore. But I know that not everyone is as lucky. We all know of a mother-in-law from hell: controlling, conniving, always there to nitpick on the tiniest thing. And so, when I needed a villain for my next thriller, Her Sweet Revenge, I knew just where to look.
Geraldine came to me fully formed and leapt onto the page. Wealthy—or so she lets the world believe—pompous, and headstrong in her belief that Helena is nowhere near good enough for her darling son. And she is not afraid to show it, there’s no subtlety to her bullying—no gaslighting or manipulation—just a constant stream of criticism. I dare you not to immediately empathize with poor Helena.
Of course, Geraldine isn’t just a cardboard cut-out antagonist dressed in a vintage Diane von Fürstenberg dress and holding court at the country club with her cronies. There is nuance to her; a genuine love for her son, her own less than happy marriage to an abusive husband, the sword of serious money problems that will financially ruin her hanging over her head. But if anything, those things will make you hate her more; because despite all of this, she still expends her energy hating her daughter-in-law.
Popular culture is littered with terrible mothers-in-law. Take the 2005 film Monster-In-Law staring Jane Fonda as the titular monster-in-law determined to ruin her son’s impending marriage to his fiancée, played by Jennifer Lopez. Or for a far more sinister take, see Cersei Lannister from Game of Thrones and her treatment of daughter-in-law Margaery. Of course, it’s not only mothers-in-law, there are some pretty awful fathers-in-law too! Who could forget Robert De Niro in Meet the Parents, grilling poor Ben Stiller CIA-style?
But why do we love to hate on the in-laws? Are they really so bad, or has it just become a running joke, something so ubiquitous it’s become a cliché? Or maybe it’s both of those things; after all, clichés tend to have a root in the truth.
Helena in Her Sweet Revenge is hardly alone. While I was writing the novel, I spent a lot of time digging into real life tales of terror: there’s even a subreddit r/mothersinlawfromhell that has over 70,000 members! And that’s before you venture onto MumsNet (a UK-centric website for all things parenting and a mecca of advice and gossip). From tales of a mother-in-law insisting she was right there in the delivery room to witness the birth of her first grandchild like it was some kind of spectator sport; to unwelcome houseguests overstaying their welcome by literally months; to thrice daily calls to “check in” on what her darling son has been eating; to constantly trying to buy bigger and better presents for the kids than the mom, there is seemingly no end to the horror stories!
For those who have awful in-laws of their own, the exploration of similar relationships in popular culture may offer a sense of solidarity. And even if you’re lucky—as I am—to enjoy a good relationship with your in-laws, there’s still something alluring in the opportunity to peek behind the curtain of other people’s lives. So here are a few recommendations for other novels which explore the mother-in-law from hell trope (in addition to my new thriller, Her Sweet Revenge, of course!).
The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth
Lucy has always had a strained relationship with her mother-in-law, Diana. She might have been polite and friendly, but it was clear she didn’t think Lucy measured up. After all, Diana herself was a beloved member of the community, selflessly helping refugees to assimilate.
But then Diana is found dead, apparently having committed suicide to end a long battle with cancer. But her autopsy finds no cancer, just evidence of poison and suffocation. Was she murdered? And did it have anything to do with her last-minute changes to her will; one that disinherited both her adult children and their spouses.
The Mother-In-Law is twisty and compelling; a proper “read in one sitting” book.
The Daughter-In-Law by Nina Manning
Annie raised her son, Ben, all by herself. It was just the two of them against the world. Until Ben brings home Daisy, his mysterious new wife who Annie absolutely does not trust. But then Ben disappears, leaving Annie and Daisy alone in her remote house. Tensions rise as Annie attempts to expose the secrets she is convinced her daughter-in-law is keeping.
The Daughter-In-Law is a gripping thriller which turns the trope on its head.
Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth
If you want something a little more horror-esque, check out this darkly funny novel about a woman at war with the vengeful ghost of her mother-in-law.
Abby dreams of forging a deep connection with her mother-in-law, Laura. Until Abby and her husband move in with her and she makes their lives a misery. But however cruel she was in life, nothing compares to the nightmare Laura becomes in death. Now Abby must find a way to vanquish the ghost of her mother-in-law and free them from her clutches.
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