Member Reviews
this one took me awhile to get into and i considered dnf’ing a few times - it’s a slow burn and it took a long time for me to keep track of the 2 narrators because they read so similar. I pushed through and it definitely got more interesting at the halfway point with some solid reveals near the end but by that point I wasn’t invested enough in the story for it to leave much of an impression on me.
This was really giving some Daisy Darker vibes. Family reunion turns deadly as people fight for what they believe belongs to them.
On a remote island owned by Myra, the entire family gathers to celebrate Raj and Shalini’s wedding anniversary and for Raj to tell his children how their inheritance is divided among them.
The tension is already high as the children – Myra, Aseem and Aisha – are all hoping to get their fair share. Zoe, Aseem’s wife is tired of being controlled by his parents. And none of them are what they seem. Family secrets become deadly.
Told in alternating narratives between Myra and Zoe was so effective in giving the inside/ outside of the family perspectives. The first half was a slow burn, but then it really got started and I could not putit down . I could not figure out what the unknown person in the first few pages was running from and I love storylines that keep me guessing.
RECOMMEND
Thank you #NetGalley for the complimentary copy of #TheInheritance in exchange for an honest review.
This book is another thriller in the "rich people behaving badly" trope. While the overarching theme is far from unique, this story definitely stands out. The character development and pacing of the book are top-notch. Instead of going for shock value with major twists (although there is a pretty big hitter in the end), the author unravels secret, after secret, expertly pulling you through the story. It was hard to put this book down, but it isn't one you fly through and forget the next day. The plot does an excellent job of exploring family dynamics and the weight of familial expectations and trauma. There is so much more to this book than I expected, and I highly recommend giving it a read!
My only critique (and reason for subtracting a star) is that the two female main character POVs have very similar voices. I got confused a few times and had to go back to the chapter heading to confirm who was speaking. Normally, this wouldn't bother me quite as much, but the two women are portrayed as having polar opposite dispositions and values. So, it seemed like such a disservice to the story that their perspectives were written in that way.
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy!
This book was a slog to get through. It felt like nothing happened. So boring with a terrible ending. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for the ARC.
The Inheritance is set on a secluded Island off the coast of Scotland, the Agarwal family is meeting for family reunion and to celebrate the parents 40th anniversary. Oldest daughter Myra had bought the island along with her husband before they separated. She is now very concerned about money because she is going through it too fast, she knows her husband is about to cut her off. Her father is planning to sell his company which should solve her money problems when the profits go into a trust for the kids.
Myra's brother Aseem is there with his English wife Zoe, and they each have their secrets and reasons for wanting a part of that trust. And then youngest sister Aisha, who is a bit of a wild child, shows up with her boyfriend Gabe. No one trusts that Gabe's there only for Aisha and not to gain something from her. Everybody has secrets, secrets that are alluded to but not revealed until the end of the book.
I loved the setting for the book and could picture it in my mind as I read. I wasn't crazy about anyone in the Agarwal family, they were all consumed with money and prestige and the way they treated people outside the family was truly disgusting. You can't even say they did any of the things they did out of love, all they seemed to want was control.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
I really enjoyed this twisty, complex family story. Apart from the mystery aspect, I found the characters interesting, in particular the details of an upper class Indian family, The Scottish island setting was great, too. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Dark and compelling family saga. 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review
This is a fantastic book, but for me read more like a family drama than thriller. As long as you know that going into the book I think you'll be so glad you picked it up! Dive into this messy, rich family's drama while they are secluded on a remote island and someone is dead.
Family secrets, a family business, and a family reunion off the coast of Scotland sets the stage for The Inheritance! The Agarwals have gathered on the luxurious island where Raj, the family patriarch is expected his plans to step down, his plans for secession, and his three children's expected inheritances. They are an interesting bunch who harbors secrets and can't wait to get their hands on their father's money! What ensues is a dramatic, twist filled, book full of toxicity, dysfunction, greed, and jaw dropping secrets.
The characters are an unlikeable bunch who has a lot to gain when they get their inheritance. They also have a lot to lose if their secrets come out. They are a tight yet toxic family who will stop at nothing to get what they want. Being stuck on the island together with each other, knowing that one of them is going to die, made for interesting reading. There were many times where I wondered "is this the character that doesn't make it?" and other times I thought "but who and why is the killer?" This book kept me guessing until the very end.
This book has that trapped feeling that I enjoy in books. It also has tension galore and a feeling of unease. Families can be messy, and the Agarwal family wins the prize for being a mess. The saying is true "you can't pick your family." One thing that I thought the author nailed was family obligation, family secrets, and allegiance.
While I enjoyed this book; the mystery and the dynamics between the characters, I struggled with the slowness. What I did not struggle with was the shocking end which I felt I should have seen coming but was blind sighted. Nicely played!
Well crafted and well written, this novel was gripping and I was invested throughout.
More family drama than mystery or thriller, each character is deeply flawed and unlikeable. The trials and tribulations of a really, really wealthy family.
You think you know what’s going on, but you don’t.
And it all works.
Recommended.
Thank you to Pamela Dorman Books and NetGalley for the DRC
The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha is a very slow read. The build up of the characters took way too long and once the story actually picked up you were almost at the end. The ending was predictable and anti-climactic. It did hold my interest, but wasn’t one that I felt I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next. Frankly, by the end of the book I disliked every single character in it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced readers copy.
What a complex family dynamic! I enjoyed the alternating POVs and how everyone had a reason to be the one behind the dead body. Families stick together!! I loved the remote scottish setting and all the red herrings. This will be big in 2025.
I feel like this was more of a family drama, rather than a thriller/mystery. It didn't really keep my attention like I wanted.
A solid read, with two parallel stories running side by side. I think we can ALL understand Zoe's pain with an overbearing, over-involved mother in law.
The Inheritance is a book about family secrets fighting over their inheritance while on vacation on a remote island in Scotland. I was afraid the book was going to be a repeat of many similar books I've read but the author successfully made this one unique and compelling. "If there's anyone in this family who could get away with murder, it's her" [Aisha, the youngest sister] I
I fell in love with most of the characters, especially Aisha who I pictured as Pelotons Ally Love (even though she's not Hindu) and Zoe, both who are not fans of family gatherings.
"If there's one thing more complicated than being on a family holiday, it's being on a family holiday on a Scottish island with no one to talk to except your in-laws and $300 mil pounds hanging in the balance "
The Agarwal family thinks Aseem is far too easily influenced by his wife, Zoe, the influencer @AccidentallyAdulting
First born Myra has been "keeping many small secrets from the family" and has asked the staff to take the week off while they vacation at Kilbryde. There's too much at stake now. "Domestic help is like furniture in India: essential but invisible. But invisibility doesn't guarantee discretion.
There's lots of great characters. Some I liked to hate. A beautiful setting. Red herrings & lots of surprises.
I was going to rate it a 4 but I really enjoyed the shocking ending so I bumped it up to a 5. Readers should definitely add this to their 2025 TBR list.
A billion dollar company. A family reunion. And a murder mystery?! This has all the dressings of an Agatha Christie and is just as satisfying. It really made me guess and question everything as I read, and I was still surprised.
The Agarwal family is gathered on a private, luxury island off the coast of Scotland. Raj, the patriarch of the family, is about to announce his retirement and plan for his family’s inheritance of money from his multi-million-dollar company. Shalini, the matriarch, is ready to finally have her husband to herself. Myra, the owner of the island, is secretly on the verge of bankruptcy. Aseem, the son, is stuck between what his family wants and what his wife wants. Aisha, the youngest, is always the life of the party, and can’t resist a chance to mix things up a bit. Finally, Zoe, Aseem’s wife, is the outsider with an Instagram-perfect life that is really full of lies. They all have secrets they would do anything to protect.
This book kept my attention, but it wasn’t what I thought it would be. It was mostly a family drama. There were no twists until the end of the book. I did enjoy those twists, but I wish there had been more twists earlier in the book. If you like thrillers that spend a lot of time character-building, this is the book for you. I give it 3/5 stars.
I am unsure how I feel about this book. We are introduced to several different characters, all counting on the patriarch to retire for different reasons. It is evident from the start that his wife wields the most power, but I was left feeling as if what for? The entire book lead to a sequence of events that seemed to have no real purpose , and it was hard to root for any of the characters.
In the end, you are left with a group of flawed individuals who just seem to feed upon each other's weaknesses.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to share my thoughts.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books Viking for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.
@netgalley
@penguinbooks
@trishasakhlecha
Available: 1/21/25
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you are looking for a juicy thrilling family drama this is the book for you! The twists got me and I didn’t want to put this one down! A must add to your tbr!!!
The Agarwal family gathers on their private island in Scotland for a very anticipated family reunion. All of them have secrets they would die to keep hidden. Is this really a reunion to celebrate their supposed unity as a family, or will they be victims of their own greed?
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