The Inheritance by Samantha Hayes

The Inheritance by Samantha Hayes
Published by Bookouture on August 8, 2023
ISBN: 9781837906895
Genres: Psychological Thriller, Domestic, Family & Relationships
Pages: 389
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
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I thought he took my secret to the grave. But the truth can't stay buried forever...

In the wake of my darling husband's death, I am so lucky to have my three beautiful, grown-up daughters by my side at our holiday home in Scotland. We need some time together, to recover from the shock. But I also need to set some things straight about their beloved father...

I've always known this house was the perfect place to bury secrets - remote, isolated, surrounded by nothing but miles of dense forest.

But this time I'm not here to hide more of my lies. I'm here to expose one.

I promise everything I've ever done has been to protect my daughters. I just hope they understand that too...

By the end of the trip, nothing will ever be the same again. I knew revealing the truth about the inheritance would have consequences, but I could never have imagined we wouldn't all survive it.

And now the truth is out, am I in danger too...?

A totally gripping psychological thriller from an Amazon No1. bestseller that will have your head spinning and your jaw on the floor with every twist. Fans of The Housemaid, Gone Girl and The Family Upstairs won't be able to put this down!

What readers are saying about Samantha Hayes:

'Wow!!!!! Loved!!!!! Unforgettable!!!!!... a jaw-dropping ending that I never saw coming, not in a million years.' Blue Moon Blogger, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'THIS. WAS. INCREDIBLE... Nail-biting... Kept me up way past my bedtime. I was sucked into the drama and couldn't put it down. I cannot find a single flaw... Every plot twist had me gasping... A wild ride... Gosh this was incredible.' @mariaareadss, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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!