Fatal Inheritance whisks readers off to Côte d’Azur, on the southern coast of France. Its 1948, and WW2 is over finding people trying to move forward with their lives. Eve Forrester is in an unhappy marriage with an odious man, as well as having an uncomfortable relationship with her unfeeling mother. She receives a letter from a solicitor informing her that a wealthy stranger has left her a mysterious inheritance. She must travel to the French Riviera to find out more. Once she arrives, she finds out that she has been bequeathed 1/4 share of gorgeous villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The family want to sell, but they also want to know what right she has to inherit anything from their father. She doesn't want to accept this inheritance, but she does want to find out more about the man behind the bequest, as well as why she is in his will.

I enjoyed Fatal Inheritance, but it did take time to get to the heart of the story. I found the beginning slow and mundane, but I am glad I stuck with it. There is a mystery behind Eve's story, but it is not the only storyline here. As Eve unravels Guy Lester's story, it is not until the end that she finds out all the facts and reasons behind her bequest. Eve is a great character, honest and down to earth. She enjoys rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous, yet feels out of place, humble in her background. The longer she stays at the villa, the stronger she becomes. I loved the setting and the stories about the area, especially during the war. With a second plot surrounding the selling of the home in the background, I loved how it all came together at the end. Eve proves she is a strong woman and just needed to stop feeling responsible for or that she owed her mother anything. This was a lovely story with mystery, intrigue, dysfunctional families, and history. I recommend this one and will look for more books by Rachel Rhys.

This is my first Rhys novel and I’m so glad I finally read it. Fatal Inheritance is a beautiful and atmospheric story about a young woman who receives an invitation to France to accept a mysterious inheritance. Talk about intriguing!

I was quite invested in the story and loved how the mystery unraveled. This was quite movie-worthy and I’d love to see it in film. My only complaint was it became very slow paced for me at times which slightly spoiled the suspense for me, but in some ways I don’t think the story could’ve been rushed either.

Lastly, just take me to Paris already! I’m obsessed with reading anything about France, so that definitely hit the mark for me.

I definitely plan to be reading more from this author.

Thank you to @netgalley and @Atriabooks for my advanced e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

An intoxicating historical mystery, Fatal Inheritance is set against the decline of the Côte d’Azur during the 1940s.

Eve has inherited a beautiful villa in the French Riviera. However, in order to finalize everything she has to deal with unexpected challenges that are trying to remove her from the picture.

Surviving will be tricky and the story is written in such a way that it flows effortlessly. You are going to love reading Fatal Inheritance, I'm certain.

Available now: Fatal Inheritance by Rachel Rhys

**** 4 stars, Loved it: Fatal Inheritance is a roller coaster of emotion, excitement and mystery.

Recommended readers:

If you like mystery and a little history
If you want an action-packed, historical read
If you like a come-back story

Here's my Rankings:

4/5 for characters
4/5 for plot
4/5 overall
REVIEW FROM BOOKS FOR HER:

Eve Forrester is a perfect wife to a unloving husband and bored life when she finds out she's inherited a villa in the beautiful South of France. There she meets a cast of characters and discovers many unsettling secrets and dysfunctional people trying to challenge her new fortune.

An exciting trip from lonely wife to enchanted heiress to targeted person, Fatal Inheritance is a roller coaster of emotion, excitement and mystery.

Available now: Fatal Inheritance by Rachel Rhys

Eve Forrester is living a conventional life in 1940s  England where she is married (to the first man who asked) and is in a relationship that is passionless and stifling.  However, Eve's life changes early in the book when, in a common fictional trope, she receives a letter.  This letter sends Eve to France where she has been left a quarter share in a house on the French Riviera. Why?  Who was the mysterious Guy who left a piece of a home that is like technicolor to Rachel's formerly drab life?

The reader meets many of the people with whom Eve interacts in France including a writer, an actress, an art dealer and members of Guy's family.  Reminiscent of the novels of Mary Stewart or Daphne DuMaurier's Rebecca, there are threats to our protagonist. 

As is true of books of this genre, the reader turns the pages feeling confident that. after turmoil, all will be better for Eve.  The fun of the novel is watching as she gets there.

Rachel Rhys does a lovely job in describing the settings of the book.  I wanted to spend time in the house where Eve stayed.  The characters are slightly stock, the mystery a bit convoluted yet I very much enjoyed the escapism of this read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Quite fast-paced story about remembering past mistakes and trying to atone for them. It is a little bit of a mystery, a little bit of a romance story and a little bit adventure. Sometimes predictable but overall, I enjoyed it.

This is my first Rachel Rhys title, and it was a perfectly fine novel. I was not blown away by it, perhaps because I found Eve (the protagonist) a bit unlikable. However, I will still recommend it to fans of historical fiction and people looking for authors similar to Beatriz Williams.

Thank you to Rachel Rhys, NetGalley, and Atria Books for sending me the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bored housewife Eve receives a strange inheritance- a house in the South of France. The strangest part- it’s from a man she has never met. Yearning for more, Eve travels to the French Riviera to unravel the mystery of this inheritance. Once there her life takes a glamorous turn and suddenly, Eve begins to dream of a life and love beyond her dull marriage.⁣
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Fatal Inheritance has a little something for everyone! Historical fiction, mystery, romance , and suspense. But what brings this book to the next level is the extraordinary, sumptuous details that make this book come to life. What would ordinarily be an ok plot is richly detailed and instantly transports the reader to the South of France. I appreciated the author adding details about this region returning to a new normal after the horrors of war. This was a lighter historical fiction set in a beautiful locale. For me, Fatal Inheritance was ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 stars. Thank you @atriabooks for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.⁣

Rachel Rhys looks at a Fatal Inheritance in this post World War Two story. Eve Forrester inherits a quarter share in a house in southern France in 1948 from a man she has never met or heard of; as she travels to explore her inheritance she is enmeshed in a deadly combination of family secrets and wartime misbehavior. Her husband Clifford and her mother want her to sell up and come home; the family of Mr. Lester, the deceased, are hostile. Whose secrets will be revealed and can Eve keep safe. Read on.

Fatal Inheritance was a light historical fiction novel in a great setting. I enjoyed the setting of the French Riviera and the interesting cast of characters. I did find the pacing of the book to be a bit slow at the beginning however Eve had great character development and the mystery was intriguing!

I'm a probate attorney and a historical fiction lover so this book was right up my alley. Loved it! I felt like I was on on the French Riveria.

Welcome to post-WWII London. It's 1948. Eve Forrester lives a drab, colorless existence. Life is not easy in London after the war. There is rationing. Many goods and services are hard to come by and Eve's marriage is not a good one. Her first love, Archie, died in the war and she married a man named Clifford on her mother's advice.

One day, Eve receives a letter informing her that she is part of an inheritance from a man named Guy Lester. Eve does not know this person and to receive her inheritance, she must travel to the French Riviera to claim it. What a contrast to her life in London! Suddenly, Eve is transported to sunny beaches where the rich and famous live and play.

This book is historical fiction with mystery and suspense. Eve is not exactly welcomed by Mr. Lester's family and she comes to believe that someone wants to do her harm. If you enjoy historical fiction with a side of mystery that will transport you to the glitz and glamour of the French Riviera, I think you would find this book an enjoyable escape.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Washington Square Press for my copy. All opinions are my own.

This was an enjoyable read, although I must admit I kept waiting on 'something' to happen. The writing is wonderfully atmospheric, you really do get the feel of the Riviera and post WWII sentiments. But I really wanted a dead body to show up!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

#FatalInheritance #NetGalley

1948

Eve is married to Clifford Forrester, a relatively boring man. When she receives a letter from a London solicitor requesting she visit his office, she is quite intrigued. It appears that a Mr. Guy Lester passed away and has left Eve an inheritance. However, she must travel to Cannes to find out about the legacy details.

In Cannes, Eve learns that Mr. Lester has left her a quarter share of his home, Villa La Perle, and she is so mesmerized by the beauty of it along with the trees, plants, and the beautiful sea views.

Mr. Lester’s widow and two sons are not happy that Eve is there and they do not know why she was left this inheritance. Eve doesn’t know why either, but she has decided that she does not want to sell her share, but wants to keep it.

More characters are introduced including a well known Hollywood actress and a well known American author.

As little clues come together to solve this complicated puzzle, the descriptions of this beautiful area of the Mediterranean coastline with its lush plants, trees, and cliffside dwellings are well done. Having visited this area many times myself, I can say that the author did a good job with her representations.

Unfortunately, I found this story dragged terribly for way too long before getting to the end where it then picked up and finally knitted together.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Fatal Inheritance is the perfect mix of historical fiction, mystery, and family drama. All three are genres I enjoy, and I've never read a book that mixes them together quite so well. Eve receives an unexpected note that she has an inheritance to collect in the French Rivera. She does not know anything of the person who has left her an inheritance, or why they would leave her such a gift. She travels there in search of answers, and finds a world wholly unlike her life in England waiting for her.

Underlying all that is the strength of a woman to forge her own path in an era when that was uncommon. Eve is searching for her place in life, always feeling as though something has been off. The French Rivera is the perfect setting for her to examine her life and find out what her true story is.

If you are searching for a light historical fiction mystery - look no further. This novel contains a wonderful location and a great set of characters who are connected by one mysterious secret.

Let's start from the beginning. Eve Forrester is caught in loveless and dishonest marriage. She has no close friends or relatives. Therefore, Eve and her husband are caught by a surprise when a letter arrives announcing that Eve has come to a large inheritance. Intrigued by this surprise, for the first time since their wedding, Eve dismisses her husband's orders to stay in England, packs an overnight bag and sets off to sunny french riviera.

On her journey to the south of France, Eve befriends a couple who will become her dear friends. Upon her arrival to her final destination, she also meets not so friendly members of Lester family, handsome American writer, a Hollywood start and many other fascinating characters. Between glamorous riviera parties and outings, Eve makes it her mission to find what connection she has to famous Guy Lester. And she is not the only one who is searching for the answers.

"Fatal Inheritance" was an enjoyable virtual vacation with charming personages and interesting events. However, I was able to figure out all the twists before the explanation was revealed in the story. Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Export for a free and advanced copy of the novel.

Fatal Inheritance is one of those dreamy sort of books that transports people to a different place and time. There's an element of glamour to it.

Eve lives a sad, boring life with a husband who was basically a replacement for her true love who died during the war. She receives a letter - with a promise of an inheritance from a stranger - which leads to her traveling to the French Riviera to find out the details. The strangers family isn't happy about Eve's presence.

At the same time, Hollywood's Gloria Hayes is in the French Riviera to be married to a world famous playboy. Gloria and Eve somehow meet and become friends - however Eve keeps finding herself in instances where she may not survive - is someone trying to get rid of Eve?

This is a fabulous read with a huge cast of characters. It's begging to be read poolside with a cold drink.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

"Get swept away to the enchanting South of France with this “exquisite and shimmering” (Lisa Jewell, New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone) suspenseful historical novel, where perilous secrets lurk under the glitz and glam of seaside wealth.

She didn’t have an enemy in the world...until she inherited a fortune.

London 1948: Eve Forrester is stuck in a loveless marriage, isolated in her gray and gloomy house when out of the blue, she receives a letter. A wealthy stranger has left her a mysterious inheritance but in order to find out more, she must travel to the glittering French Riviera.

There, Eve discovers she has been bequeathed an enchanting villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and suddenly, life could not be more glamorous. But while she rubs shoulders with the rich and famous, challengers to her unexplained fortune begin to emerge - challengers who would love to see Eve gone forever.

Alone in paradise, Eve must unlock the story behind her surprise bequest - before her unexpected twist of fate turns deadly...

With Rachel Rhys’s “thrilling, seductive, and utterly absorbing” (Paula Hawkins, #1 bestselling author of The Girl on the Train) prose, Fatal Inheritance is an intoxicating story of dysfunctional families and long-hidden secrets, set against the decadence of the Côte d’Azur."

I'm a sucker for a story where an inheritance appears out of nowhere and then the mystery truly begins!

Fatal Inheritance is a perfect read! I was fully immersed from page one until the last page in this historical mystery. The glamorous setting of the Riviera and the mystery of why Eve Forrester was left an inheritance by a total stranger is totally enthralling!

Rachel Rhys' newest novel is set in 1948, from the setting of the bleakness of post-WWII London, where rationing was still in place, to the sumptuous and lavish setting of the French Riviera, where royalty, artists, writers, and Hollywood celebrities partied in carefree abandon. Rhys' vivid, detailed descriptions of both made for a captivating atmosphere that immediately transported me to the era.

Eve, an English housewife trapped in a loveless marriage, receives a letter informing her that she's received a mysterious inheritance following the death of a man she's never met. To claim her inheritance, she must travel to the Riviera where she discovers she's inherited a share in a villa overlooking the Mediterranean.

Eve falls in love with the villa and life away from her dull husband while trying to solve the mystery of why Guy Lester made her his heir. However, Eve's happiness is in danger not only from the other heirs since they resent her claim on the villa but also by her husband who wants her to immediately return to England. Will Eve discover the mystery of who she is to the Lester family before things turn dangerous?

The plot is perfect, as well as the characterization. There's just a bit of romance to the book but that's not the focus. Instead, the mystery is the focus of the narrative. The mystery was so well-done and had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure it out (I was wrong), and it had an Agatha Christie vibe that I just loved. There are some dark and sinister things going on that made the book completely unputdownable!

I cannot recommend Fatal Inheritance more, and it's already on my favorite books of 2019 list. This is a brilliant, gorgeous read that I highly recommend you pick up this summer.


**Thank you NetGalley and Washington Square Press-Atria Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.**

Like so many women, English housewife Eve Forrester's fiance died in World War II. She ended up marrying a man who is a bit pompous but generally very good to her. So what if her days are unendingly boring and she doesn't have a child? She's alive and married to a good man. Her carefree days of adventure are long behind her. At least, they are until a mysterious letter from a French solicitor comes to her doorstep. Her husband is convinced it's a scam but Eve decides to take advantage of the ticket to get away from her husband and her nagging, always unhappy mother.
On the train ride down, she starts to meet the cast of characters who will change her life. The mysterious inheritance from a man she never knew sets a number of wheels in motion including propelling Eve into the fading but still glittering world of the Riviera in the late 1940s.
Included in the cast of characters are the man's two sons from his first marriage and one of their fiancee's (who is purported to be in love with the brother she's not marrying), the second wife and her daughter, an American writer, and a famous film actress who is more hopped up on pills than not.
Rhys manages to weave together several fairly disparate plotlines into one story. The use of present tense made it hard for me to settle into the story. It took over half the book for me to catch on to the rhythm. I think I understand the use of it (it's sort of a Gothic novel and the present tense adds to the general creepiness) but it did almost make me quit the book.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out June 11
ARC kindly provided by Atria Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own