The problem with being an avid reader and a writer is that you tend to find plot holes and issues with stories. I’ve spent enough time participating in writing workshops to recognize what works, what went wrong, and what I would have done if I wrote the book. And, of course, I didn’t write it – so who am I to criticize?
For fun, I’m going to critique the book anyway. 🙂
The Mother-In-Law is a murder mystery in which the woman dies, and everyone in the family is considered a possible suspect. From the children to the in-laws, everyone had a reason to do her in.
The book started off with a look at the happy couple when they first met and in present day. The timeline changes between the past and present, and the story unfolds with both the victim and her daughter-in-law engaged in a conflict and sharing different sides of the story. At first, I thought this would be difficult to follow, but it turned out to be an entertaining way to keep the story moving along at a good clip. Whatever the confrontation, the reader sees it from both sides, understands the underlying miscommunication and subsequent fallout. And, in my case, sympathizes with both main characters. I think the author wanted me to sympathize with the daughter-in-law but I found her to be oversensitive and a tad whiny. While her mother in law did some questionable things — she had her reasons.
Here’s what I didn’t like about the book. I thought it was a shame that we didn’t hear more from the other family members – aka suspects. I think the author could have spent more time and pages on each of their lives to create some fun moments of confusion and wonder as to who did the deed. Also, as murder mysteries go, usually, there is a law enforcement component. I found myself intrigued by how the detectives handled the family members and proceded with their investigation. Unfortunately, they all but disappeared from the storyline a few chapters into the novel.
If you are thinking this book is the new “Gone Girl,” far from it. However, it is a fun read, and you will be left wondering who the murderer is until the bitter end.
Spoiler alert – if you what to know who did it without reading the entire book, the table of contents offers a dead giveaway.
Back when I was pregnant, people would ask me whether I hoped for another girl or a boy. I didn’t care either way as long as the baby was healthy. But, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I had doubts about my own parenting skills when raising a son. It sounds ridiculous now, but I remember thinking to myself that I only know about girls, having a sister of my own. What did I know about boys?
As his mother, I could go on and on about how great he is, but I think you get it. In Judaism, we call him a mensch which is Yiddish for a good person. He is such a mensch.