Another excellent read by Samantha Hayes! She has this way with words and her stories are written in such a way that they make you feel like you are watching real-life events unfold before your eyes.

Excellent read. You do need to be fully focused when reading this one as it could be easy to miss an important detail. An interesting tale of a coercive man who rules over his wife.

My first read of any of the authors books and I’ll be looking out for more. The family mystery was intriguing but also a little distracting at times. It’s slow to start but worth keeping on with it.

Thank you for the advanced electronic copy of this book.
Whilst the story line was intriguing, I found the delivery a bit chaotic. Set over several days on a family get together, everyone has secrets they are trying to keep hidden. There are some clever twists but also some untied loose ends.

This was an interesting domestic suspense book about what happens in a family in the wake of death. Quite often a death and a will seem to bring out the worst in people.

The book starts out a little slow with a lot of POV characters but then picks up speed until the end when the pace is quite fast. The plot is complex with everyone having secrets and some of them are quite juicy. Just as they start to unfold, the story rewinds back to when the mother and father, now deceased, were first together. The plot is complex and the some of the twists are shocking. Not all the characters are likable and I was always on the fence about which of them were reliable.

Once you make it about 75% in, clear your schedule because you won’t be able to put this one down.

The Inheritance is a twisty, by-the-seat-of-your-pants read. There’s no denying that I love Samantha Hayes’ writing. She creates stories that leave you with heart palpitations and nerves that take hours to settle back to normal. My first experience with this was when I picked up ‘Until You’re Mine’ in 2014. I was blown away at the time, and it thrills me to see that she is still delivering twisty tales in 2023. ‘The Inheritance’ is no exception, with a plethora of twists and turns that keep you guessing. Her writing is so captivating and her stories so suspenseful that you cannot help but be drawn in, and the ending will leave you breathless.

As soon as you hear the title, you immediately think of houses, estates, and heirlooms. You’re right, but sometimes long held secrets come to light. The secrets you’ve tried so hard to keep buried. If revealed, these secrets could tear entire families apart. These secrets reveal hidden truths about a family’s past, and sometimes these truths are difficult to accept.

I love a domestic thriller about families and this story had its claws dug into me by the end of the first chapter. Ray Hunter, the patriarch of the family, is dead. On the surface, it appeared that he was the glue that held the family together, but underneath was a man who ruled through control and dominance. While his wife, Connie, is devastated that he’s gone, she can’t help but feel lighter, as she has her freedom back and doesn’t have to watch what she says. As his will is read, Connie discovers that a long-buried secret is about to be exposed – one that will destroy everything she worked so hard to keep secret. A daughter has been disinherited. Connie is left reeling as she grapples with the consequences of her husband’s decision. She’s determined to make things right, but she’s not sure how.

In this story, difficult themes such as domestic abuse, sexuality, and sexual assault are explored along with the interweaving threads of family life. Leaving you thinking and questioning, it’s the kind of book you can’t put down. Even though you know you’ll get the answers by the end of the book, they aren’t always the answers you expect.

Connie is a fascinating character. Mother to three girls, Kate, Darby, and Bea. She would do anything to protect her family – I mean anything. There is something off about her, but you cannot quite pinpoint what it is. Despite her limited interactions with the owner of the local shop, you just know they share a history of misery, Ray being the common denominator among them.

The Sisters were my favourites. In her marriage to Adrian and as a mother to twins, Kate always felt like a part of her was missing. She seems to be floundering in her marriage and with Adrian becoming more secretive, she feels like she is losing herself. Having lost her husband, Chris, to a tragic accident, Darby still feels that loss terribly. However, she has moved on and remarried a single dad. The youngest child is Bea, who seems flaky and a bit emotionally vulnerable. Her partner dumps her after she announces she’s pregnant. In many families, like the sisters’, there is a bit of disjointedness, but there is always a sense of love between them.

The Inheritance is another stellar outing from Samantha Hayes, and this was a masterclass in tension. It’s a wild ride!

Connie's husband, Ray, died a few months ago and exposed their secret in his will. Before the three girls find out, she wants to tell them herself so she invites all the girls, significant others and children to the lodge. But everyone else also has secrets.

This is unlike any other thriller I've read. It doesn't centre on figuring out a recent murder, instead, its focus is on the secrets and how they affect the family as they come out. A different sort of domestic thriller. I just loved this. The first part lets us in on a couple of secrets as the family gathers then the last half has the secrets spilling out and crimes are being brought to light or are actually happening. The writing was superb. The pacing brought tension as it slowly built up then released with quick ups and downs at the end. I was amazed with the reveals and thought the ending was brilliant and creepy. I now want to read more of the author's work.

The Inheritance by Samantha Hayes is not a thriller as I was expecting and that may be the reason I din't enjoy this book as much as I might have.

For the first 80% of the book it is a family drama, at the beginning we get to know the characters and see that there are many secrets among them. I kept waiting for something to happen as it had all ingreadients of a juciy thriller but unfortunately it very soon became very repetitive story of family dynamic.

Only towars the end, things started happening. There were many twists and turns which were quite interesting but the ending was so much.

I really liked different POV's and enjoyed them a lot. I also liked the setting.
Even though this book had a very good premise, great characters and fabulous setting it didn't deliver as I had hoped.
I think the main reason was that I expected a fast paced suspensful novel which went into different direction.
This is a very good family drama with few unexpected twist and a nice choice for those who prefer steady paced stories.

The Inheritance by Samantha Hayes will give you whiplash from all of the twists in the book. The ending will have you wondering if maybe there will be a sequel? I sure hope so! Connie invites her 3 daughters to the cabin in the Scotland woods where they share so many happy memories. She's invited them to share their father's will with them. Ray died a few weeks ago and it's time to let the girls know what he left them. The daughters Kate, Darby, and Bea bring their husbands, kids, and a dog to the cabin. One big happy family, right? What could go wrong being all together for 10 days?

Connie is stressed to the max as she doesn't want the girls to find out the big secret she's been keeping from them their entire life. When she reads Ray's will, the secret will be out, and her happy family may be no more. What should she do? Her oldest daughter, Kate, is going to be so hurt by the will as there's another secret that impacts only her. Will Kate forgive her mother for never telling her the truth? Is there a reason Ray preferred Darby and Bea over Kate? He was so obvious about it at Christmas and whenever the 3 girls were together.

When the neighbor's son comes over he seems nice, even familiar in some way. Cameron shares that he is visiting to take care of his Dad. He's going to be here for the foreseeable future as his Dad is in a wheelchair and the caregiver's he hires don't last more than a week. His Dad is not easy to get along with. Bea takes a liking to Cameron as he seems like a genuinely nice guy. Bea is pregnant and her longtime boyfriend has kicked her out as the baby can't be his. Bea is beyond emotional with no home to go back to and she's keeping a secret about her pregnancy. Did she cheat on Louis or did something more traumatic occur? When Cameron is invited to dinner at the cabin, he accepts once he makes sure he can bring his Dad with him.

When Cameron and his Dad arrive for dinner, Connie is shocked at who comes in. Cameron's father can't be him, can it? The girls notice something between their mom and Cameron's Dad, but they don't know each other right? Why does it seem like they know each other? Has Cameron's Dad always been in a wheelchair? What caused the injury to put him there? What does Connie know about it? He seems genuinely delighted to meet Kate's twins. Does he just like kids or is there more to it? Why are Darby and Kate's husband always sneaking off and whispering together? Is something going on between them? Kate thinks they might be having an affair right under her nose. Do they think she doesn't suspect? Why would Darby cheat on Travis and with Kate's husband? Is there more to it?

Who was the woman wearing a vail at Ray's funeral? Did anyone know her? Why was she speaking to Darby afterwards? Things escalate quickly in the second half of the book. Secrets come out and so many twists that you'll have trouble keeping up. Try hard because this book is really good. The first half of the book is a bit slow like a slow burn, but trust me the second half makes up for it. The pace picks up so much and so. many secrets are revealed that once you get to that part of the book you won't be able to put it down! I rate The Inheritance 4 stars with a high recommendation. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of The Inheritance in exchange for a fair review. #TheInheritance

This book didn't disappoint. Samantha Hayes definitely knows how to write a good thriller that keeps you on edge and guessing till the last page!! Definitely recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Connie has her 3 daughters up to their seldom used place in the country to share a big secret with them regarding their father's will. She knows they will be shocked and she dreads telling them. As we begin to get introduced to the characters, it is obvious they all have issues and it appears that some shady things are going on.

I liked this book as I have liked many book by this author. There were a lot of characters to keep straight, which is usually frustrating for me, but not in this case. I think they must have been introduced in a way that made keeping the straight less of a struggle. This book kept my attention because there was always some new information being revealed. I never got bored. The ending was a bit farfetched but that is typical with this author and I was entertained throughout, so this book did its job. Looking forward to her next novel.

Sorry to say this one was not as thrilling as I had hoped.
Here are three things I liked:
🌟 The Scottish loch setting lent the perfect atmosphere
🌟 There were several twists that took me by surprise
🌟 Twins!

Here are three things I did not like:
👎Every so for character except one
👎 Inconsistencies in character development
👎 The multiple POV gave me whiplash at times

I seem to be a bit of an outlier. Could be this author just isn't a good fit for me.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Told from different viewpoints, this is a family drama. Lots of secrets, but too drawn out for me and I did not particularly like any of the characters , Some of the secrets were told early on, others were fairly obvious and there are few major twists towards the end and the action does pick up then too. I did not feel that all the loose ends were tied up though.
I am afraid I had to push myself to finish this book, the different strands of the plot irritated rather than intrigued me and I skim read a lot of the middle part of the book. A shame because the premise was interesting .
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Hunter Family have met together for holidays by the loch for years. It was always an enjoyable occasion with Connie cooking & keeping everyone comfortable & Ray arranging outing & activities. But now Ray is dead & this is the first time they have all been together since the funeral. Connie knows that this time will be difficult, not just because Ray isn't there but because his will is going to cause a storm with their three daughters.

Samantha Hayes builds up a great picture of the family & gradually drops in details that reveal that this group are not all they seem to be. I loved the setting & the way my views of the characters changed as the story went on- particularly Theo.

This was a great read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Wow! What a ride this was. This family is absolutely NUTS!

The family is meeting for a reunion and Connie is hiding a secret of her late husbands. What is it?

As the secrets unfold and the family gets nastier you will want to keep reading ! Another good thriller by Samantha!

Thank you to netgalley and Bookouture for this arc!

Even from halfway through, I truly couldn’t guess where this was going and I can say I was pleasantly surprised. This book was a very fun read, lots of twists and reveals that i did not see coming which made this fly by! The pacing was fast but we still got a good amount of information and context which helped understand the family as a whole. I loved the multiple pov changes as we got to know a lot more about the characters and how their relationships all differ as well as how they’re all linked, sometimes without even knowing it. I have to say i think my favourite character is Theo, not what i expected when i started reading. Overall, I enjoyed seeing everyones secrets unfold and the amazing plot twists scattered throughout, I would recommend to any thriller lover.

Ten whole days together, almost…

“How had their family holiday turned into this horror? How had none of them seen this coming?”

Connie arranges for her daughters, the Hunter girls, and their families to get together at their holiday cabin, Hunter Castle, which had been in the family since the late 70’s.

Connie’s husband and the girls father, Ray, had recently passed. Connie had a secret to get off her chest which she wished to tell the girls herself, before they found out via a heartless solicitors letter with details of Ray’s will wishes.

The first half of the book was quite slow but was still intriguing, there were so many suspicions, then twists and turns which had me racing to the end to find out what happened.

I both loved and hated the majority of the characters throughout the book, I am still unsure how I feel about some of them 😅

I have recently been on a Samantha Hayes binge so getting an ARC of this was a treat.

Thank you NetGalley, Samantha Hayes and Bookouture for allowing me to read this book before it’s release 📚💫

The way Hayes skillfully weaves the story's intricate web of mystery and suspense kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly turning page after page to uncover the truth. The plot's twists and turns were executed with a masterful touch, leaving me guessing and second-guessing the characters' motives and actions. The layers of secrets slowly unraveling ensured that every revelation was a moment of exhilaration and surprise.

"The Inheritance" is not just a thriller; it's a captivating exploration of the complexities of family, the weight of secrets, and the power of self-discovery. Hayes' prose is both engaging and evocative, drawing me deeper into the story with every word. I was left with a sense of satisfaction, having experienced a rollercoaster of emotions and a satisfying conclusion that tied everything together.

If you're a fan of gripping psychological thrillers that keep you guessing until the very end, "The Inheritance" is an absolute must-read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you so much!

Overall, The Inheritance is a good book. However, the pacing of the book was just too slow for me. Considering this as a thriller, I would have wanted to see everything happen a bit quicker than it did.

The Inheritance follows Ray's will and a secret his wife has kept from everyone being exposed after his death.

🅱🅾🅾🅺🅾🆄🆃🆄🆁🅴 🅱🅾🅾🅺🆂 🅾🅽 🆃🅾🆄🆁

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 - 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗛𝗮𝘆𝗲𝘀

𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯

I thought I had safely buried the past – protecting my family from the secrets I’ve been keeping. But now my lies are exposed in my husband’s will, and one of us will pay for them with their life…

My darling husband, Ray , is gone. My three beautiful daughters and I have come to Scotland to walk the trails we once enjoyed together, hold each other, and cry over our loss.

But the awful thing is, I feel relieved. Because now Ray is gone, I’m finally safe…

Except for the terrible secret I tried so hard to bury – the real reason we’re here.

I pull one of my daughters aside and tell her the truth. Ray has left her nothing in his will. I see the shock, the pain, the confusion on her face.

I am terrified. My darkest secret is about to be exposed.

I could never have imagined that one lie would lead to this. Trapped in this house together, emotions spiralling, truths coming out at last. Everything I’ve worked so hard to protect begins to unravel before my eyes…

I have no idea what’s going to happen next, but I’m not sure my family can survive the fallout from all our lies.

And my greatest fear is that someone’s secret is worth killing for…

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

It took me a while to become engaged with the characters and the plot as it was a little slower paced than I'd like, this did not distract in any way from my enjoyment of the book.

The Inheritance is a family centred thriller/drama based on secrets and lies with some great twists and an ending I did not see coming. The characters were realistic and somewhat relatable - there's always a family drama to be had where a will is concerned, I've had first hand experience of this!

I found the book to be enjoyable and entertaining, and look forward to reading more from Hayes.