Who can you trust when family inheritances are on the line?

When Janice Thornhill is found at the foot of an overlook in Fort Tryon Park, near the Cloisters where she is a volunteer tour guide, her estranged adult children are surprised to learn they have been cut out of her will. Expecting a sizable inheritance which would solve their various financial problems, both Hazel, a social media influencer with a taste for extreme wealth, and her brother Kagan, an addict who can’t hold a job or stay married, suspect their new stepfather, Perry, is to blame for their change in fortune. As if that’s not enough, the police suspect foul play and begin to focus on Hazel and Kagan. Perry, meanwhile, has an airtight alibi.

So begins this con artist/revenge tale that builds suspense dramatically until an action-packed finale with a satisfying twist at the end. McCullough Keenan and Wands weave a tight plot, told through multiple points of view and chock full of sketchy characters you will love to hate and whom you certainly can’t trust.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

This book is a frustrating read from start to finish. The plot is muddled, and the characters feel more like caricatures than fully developed people, making it hard to care about any of them. The dialogue is often stilted, and the pacing drags on unnecessarily, leaving the story feeling repetitive and drawn out. The central themes of trust and betrayal are overshadowed by poorly executed plot twists that feel contrived and unrealistic. Overall, it lacks emotional depth, and instead of building tension, it leaves you more annoyed than engaged. A disappointing experience, especially for readers who enjoy character-driven stories with substance.

Such a fun read! Laugh aloud humor and shocking gasps with several of the most despicable characters ever! The authors have created a spinning book of odd circumstances, cons and chaos resulting in an entertaining story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Janice Walters, tragically, plunges to her death leaving her husband, Perry, in charge of her wealth and her children, Hazel and Kagan, desperate to get their hands on their shares. Sadly, Hazel, a MeTube influencer, has already spent through her trust fund. Kagan spent all of his on his addictions. Both kids are entitled and bratty and old enough to know better. When they appeal to Perry for their inheritance, it is not forthcoming. Even more sinister, they quickly come to believe that Perry isn’t who he claims to be. To complicate matters, the police don’t think their mother’s death was an accident and Perry has a watertight alibi, while the kids fall under suspicion. Going broke and desperate to get their hands on their mother’s money, they seek out Perry’s daughter, Ava. In her they hope to find help in getting to their money and clarity on the real Perry Walters but, instead, the siblings quickly fall under her spell as they compete for her affection. In the end, it’s anyone’s guess who will end up with Janice’s fortune.

This story is full of suspense and surprises. If you love sketchy characters then this one is for you!

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Group Dutton, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on January 28, 2025

What a stellar con mystery with an emotional depth not always found in this subgenre!

When siblings Hazel and Kagan get a call from their stepfather saying their estranged mother was found dead, decades long, complicated family dynamics bubble to the surface as they immediately worry about the inheritance they are due. After meeting with their stepfather, they learn they've been cut out of their mother's will, prompting them to look into the man they barely knew. The more they discover about his invisible existence, the more questions they have, and when they encounter someone who just might be able to take him down, a revenge plot is hatched. But as they plot their vengeance, their warring motivations lead to an explosive finale.

I loved diving into the world of Hazel and Kagan, which immediately had me questioning everyone's motives. As an avid fan of both con and revenge stories, I was hooked by their journey for vengeance, even as they became more and more unlikeable characters. The character development felt authentic to the situations the siblings grew up around, and the ending was absolutely fantastic and satisfying!

Fans of First Lie Wins and The Lies I Tell will devour this one!

Thank you Dutton for the gifted digital ARC!

When Ashley Winstead posts about a book, trust and believe it will go to the top of my TBR.

This book is a case of "everyone sucks here" but not in a way that annoyed me one bit. I was fascinated by every single one of these unlikeable characters. (Actually there was one exception but I won't say who so I don't spoil anything).

I really liked how this story progressed and I felt the twists were very well-placed and added a lot to the story. I also found the ending to be incredibly satisfying!

Trust Issues pub date is January 28.

This was such a fun and engaging premise. After Kagan and Hazel’s mom tragically dies under suspicious circumstances, they are surprised to learn they are not included in the will. They begin to suspect their mom’s second husband, and a game of cat and mouse begins. There are plenty of twists which make for good surprises.

While I enjoyed having a book chock-full of unlikeable characters (Hazel and Kagan are spoiled and ungrateful, more concerned about getting free money than their mom when she was alive), I did find it difficult to believe that Kagan and Hazel were around 40. Both their personalities and the way they thought made them seem early 20s. This would throw me sometimes when something would remind me they were older, but this immaturity portrayed could have also been intentional. I would have preferred them written slightly differently though.

Thank you @duttonbooks #partner for the gifted copy of this eARC!

What it’s about:

Hazel and Kagan’s mother recently found herself at the bottom of a cliff and her children suspect something isn’t quite right. When they meet with their estranged step father they quickly question whether he is
someone they can trust. You’ll be shocked to know…they all have trust issues! 😂 He is taking control of the money their mother left behind leaving her kids feeling hopeless. They decide their only way to fight back is to dig into their stepfathers past life and they dig up someone unexpected!

Thoughts:

What a tangled web these crazy characters weaved! This is a juicy, deceitful, unpredictably fun book where the characters are the type you love to hate! I am not sure I liked any of the characters in this one but trust me it’s why I liked this book! This book was deliciously twisty with the perfect amount of suspense! I would definitely categorize this one as more of a popcorn thriller so grab your cocktail and settle in for a very wild ride!

Trust Issues by Elizabeth McCullough Keenan and Greg Wands is an intriguing suspense novel that follows two adult children who discover their mother has passed away, leaving her entire fortune to her new husband. Feeling betrayed and suspicious, the siblings embark on a quest to uncover the truth behind their mother’s sudden will and the disappearance of their stepfather with all of the money. Along the way, they discover they have a stepsister who may hold the key to understanding who their stepfather really is and where he’s gone.

The plot is engaging, and the mystery surrounding their mother’s death and the inheritance keeps the story moving at a fast pace. The search for answers leads to twists and turns, and while the ending is somewhat predictable, it still holds a few surprises that make it worthwhile.

However, while the plot is interesting, the two main characters can be hard to sympathize with. They come across as somewhat spoiled and greedy, particularly given the circumstances of their mother’s passing. This made it difficult at times to connect with them emotionally, though their motivations are clear enough within the context of the story.

Overall, Trust Issues is a good, quick read that will appeal to fans of family drama and suspense. While the characters may not be easy to love, the plot is engaging enough to keep readers hooked. I would definitely be open to reading more from these authors in the future.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

Two of the most dislikable siblings in a book, Hazel and Kagan Bailey, are stunned when their mother dies and they learn they were cut out of her will. They suspect their stepfather had something to do with their mother's death, and they want to prove he's a liar and killer. They enlist the help of his hacker daughter to bring down the man.

Hazel and Kagan, both in their thirties, are too immature for their age, and they're both in it only for the money. In the end, everyone gets what they deserve, and I was happy to see that happen.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC of Trust Issues, by Elizabeth McCullough Keenan and Greg Wands. The title to this book is perfect! There isn’t one person you can trust in this story. Hazel and Kagan are devastated by their mom’s death, and enlist the help of their stepfather’s daughter to get their inheritance back. Is it all about the money? Do they really care who killed their mom? I look forward to reading books by these authors.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Hazel and Kagan are considered suspects in their mothers death. When they learn an individual has stolen from them, they team up to capture thus individual. This book grabbed my attention from the beginning.

This book is such a fun story. Part murder mystery part heist and part thriller. It’s a real page turner that will keep you guessing till the very end. Highly recommend to mystery/thriller lovers.

A fascinating novel about trust. How well do we every really know someone? A woman is found at the bottom of the cliff. Her husband was not there and had just come back from a business trip. The woman was wealthy and he will meet her siblings for the first time.

The woman was afraid of heights, so the siblings do not believe she would have gone that close to the cliffs.

A riveting novel and the events that lead up to the death. What secrets will come out? Who is telling the truth? Was money the motive or something else?

Thank you Dutton for the gifted e-ARC.

This would be a good plane or vacation novel, but it doesn’t enter any new territory.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214709014

Estranged siblings, Hazel and Kagan, discover that the police think their mother’s death was not an accident but murder. They find that their mother has cut them off because they are very entitled and greedy and have not been in contact with their mother for years. Their stepfather meets with them but informs them they were only left a month’s stay at a luxurious rehab facility. They find someone who has been released from prison to help them get their money. Turns out she is the daughter of their stepfather who is a con artist. So the scheming begins. The ending was clever and not what I expected. A good read! I recommend it to mystery and suspense lovers.

This ended up being such a pleasant surprise! I couldn’t even out this book down (especially when I got to 70% mark!)

Hazel and Kagen are spoiled and entitled - they take their mother and her money for granted so much so that they become estranged from her when she cuts them off. They go no contact and struggle without her money, but when an accidents occurs the siblings are recommitted the non existent relationship.. but before they have any opportunity to get their inheritance they’re met with a crippling realization that their mothers new husband may have everything in the end. Determined to get what they feel is owed to them they embark of a revenge mission that doesn’t always have the desired effect.

I ended up really enjoying this book and I was so happy to see the twist at the end! I had a feeling it would happen, but even before then I was hoping for the twist! And the end really got to me.. this was more than just a story of revenge it was also a story about a mother who wanted better for her kids even if they’re adults. I’m a very pro no contact with abusive family members, but the dynamic you usually see isn’t how it works in this story! I thought that was a very cool twist,

I would HIGHLY recommend this book! I couldn’t put it down and had to stop myself from reading ahead!

Janice's second husband receives the police visit that no one ever wants. The officers come to their lavish New York apartment and informed him that his wife has died in a tragic fall from the top of the Cloisters where she worked as a docent. Even worse news-police think that it might be a homicide. Kagan and sister Hazel meet with their step-father at a nice restaurant to discuss their beneficiary status. Neither were particularly close to their mother but each was assured of a small fortune from her estate, even though they had already frittered away millions on fancy vacations, luxury purses, and in Kagan's case, up his nose. Their step-father said they had been left nothing but a month's stay at a luxurious rehab center.
After digging around and pulling in some favors, the siblings found someone who could help them get their money. Ava was a computer hacker who was just released from jail. She was very conversant in the grift, having been raised by her con artist father and participating in his schemes since childhood. And it just so happens that she knows their step-father very well because he's her long-lost dad. Can they pull off a sting together that rivals The Sting?
This was a very enjoyable romp through inheritance, greed, and the lengths one can go to get revenge. It was smart, it held my attention, and even though the mark was the only character that you could root for, it was fun to see how fast the manipulators became the manipulated. Want to read Sting 2.0...go no further.

Don’t judge a book by its cover. The cover of this book definitely didn’t do the book any justice. It was a good easy read, but also had a decent amount of thrill in it to keep you hanging!

I went into this expecting a thriller, but this is much more a suspenseful mystery. I found the first third of the book to be a bit slow. It picks up towards the middle, but this wasn't my favorite read.