The Inheritance: a psychological thriller with a killer twist

by Kevin Lynch

Jane must return to the one place she fears most. Her family home.

Jane’s father was murdered in cold blood at the family home. The killer was never found.

In the years since, Jane has done everything in her power to stay away from that house. To forget the nightmare and get on with her life.

But now she has to go back.

Her mother is ill and Jane must care for her. Her husband Joe goes with her but soon after they arrive at her family home, he begins to act strangely. Adding to her unease, Jane’s brother Dan is openly hostile.

Increasingly unnerved, Jane feels compelled to uncover the secrets of the old house. And discovers that her father may have been killed by someone close to her. Someone who’s been hiding in plain sight all these years.

Now it’s a race against time. Can Jane discover the shocking truth about her father’s death before it’s too late? Can she right the wrongs of the past?

Or will the killer get to her first?

The Inheritance – a gripping psychological thriller that’s guaranteed to keep you turning the pages.


What readers are saying about The Inheritance:

“This had everything a psychological thriller should have - a dysfunctional family, secrets, lies, plot twists. I loved it and it kept me guessing until the end. I’ll be happy to recommend…” -Netgalley Reviewer

“…keeps you guessing, that's for sure. There are twists and turns aplenty… the writing is so skillfully done… and made me keep reading till the outcome which I definitely didn't see coming. It’s a great read.” -Goodreads Reviewer

“This is a great novel… Kevin is a newish author to me and I really enjoyed his writing style. The pacing is good and I raced through it.” -Netgalley Reviewer

“Love everything by this author. He never disappoints. Writes in such a way that you cannot put the book down and leaves you hanging in suspense in the best way possible.” -Netgalley Reviewer

“…a real nail bitter, impossible to put down, I enjoyed it immensely and the ending was surprising and satisfactory. Definitely recommended!” -Netgalley Reviewer

“Lynch masterfully ratchets up the tension with each passing chapter, keeping readers on the edge of their seats... The plot twists and turns are expertly executed, leading to a satisfying conclusion…” -Netgalley Reviewer

Genres: Fiction, Thriller

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 27, 2024

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.

Reviews

[April Heath · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out strong but then slowed down quite a bit. I usually prefer a faster paced thriller, but this one was a pretty good slow burn read. I really enjoyed the two character POV because it really helped build the tension and suspense. This book had a lot of deception and plot twists, so it kept the book interesting. I had a hard time liking the majority of the characters, especially Dan. I will definitely look for more books by this author.

[Frances Cumming · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this Incredibly boring, lacking in any form of thriller. The twist at the end, wasn't exactly surprising

[Sonja Charters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book that I've read by this author and even though it was a slower pace than I usually read, I actually really liked the writing style and slow build of tension.

When Jane's mother falls ill, it's up to her to return home to care for her - but she's not been back since her father was murdered there and his killer was never found.
Returning brings back bad memories and she becomes obsessed with finding out the truth - but her husband is acting strangely and her brother is unwelcoming!
Will she discover the truth before the killer stops her...

This was definitely a slow burn and it took me a few chapters to get into it. But this helped to cement the characters and situation before ramping up the tension and throwing in a plethora of twists.

I liked that this was told through the 2 different pov's because then we could really get a feel for how each of them was reacting to the situation.
I always like to get deep into the minds of our characters and this format helped to understand them better.

I'm not sure I totally loved all the characters but this seems to have been done on purpose to mess with our heads and to create that element of mistrust.

I loved the writing style which, at times, had me feeling really uncomfortable - especially around Dan.
He was openly horrible and seemed to want to do anything to create an issue between Jane and her husband.

I kept trying to make theories as to what lots might be discovered but there were so many twists and I still never saw the ending coming.

A great read and I'm looking forward to more from this author in the future...

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fab. Jane moves with her husband back into her family home to care for her ailing mother. Her brother Dan pops in everyday. Jane's father was murdered on the driveway of this house and no one was ever caught. Is the killer still out there watching the house? Who could it have been? Jane can't let it go.

I really enjoyed it. Hated one of the characters and found another to be an idiot digging a massive whole for themselves. The plot was great and I like the ending, wrapping up nicely. Nice wee thriller.

[Nimalee Ravi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Inheritance is a cleverly written, slow burning thriller, and I really enjoyed it. Loved the descriptive writing style.

I loved how the relationship between Jane and Joe was portrayed. It felt realistic. The story was told told in two POVs, and it was very enjoyable.

The Inheritance definitely had some shocking twists and turns. I loved the book cover, too. It covers the beauty of the story. Definitely recommend The Inheritance.

[Rudrashree Makwana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book has shocking revelations at the end and so many unthinkable things happens in the plot. The writing is engaging. The characters were mysterious and deceiving.

Jane’s father was murdered and the killer was lurking around but it can be anyone. Jane is determined to find the killer. She wanted to leave behind the memories but her fate brings her back and she discover shocking truths and secrets unveils too.

Many Thanks to Zooloo’s book tours

[Karolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is my review of The Inheritance by Kevin Lynch

I found this one quite intriguing when I started reading it, it’s certainly something different. I haven’t read a storyline like this before so it kept me interested. Jane finds out that her mum can’t cope any longer on her own at home and that she is ill. It means leaving her own home that she loves to move her and her husband in with her mother, surprisingly her husband agrees. Only trouble is, she hates her family home where her dad was killed a few years ago. Her husband and brother’s attitudes change when they’ve been back home a short while, Jane doesn’t know what is going on. Is someone out to get her? A great psychological thriller to read. This is a new author to me so I will have to keep my eye out for more of his work so I can read him again.

Blurb :

Jane must return to the one place she fears most. Her family home.

Jane’s father was murdered in cold blood at the family home. The killer was never found.

In the years since, Jane has done everything in her power to stay away from that house. To forget the nightmare and get on with her life.

But now she has to go back.

Her mother is ill and Jane must care for her. Her husband Joe goes with her but soon after they arrive at her family home, he begins to act strangely. Adding to her unease, Jane’s brother Dan is openly hostile.

Increasingly unnerved, Jane feels compelled to uncover the secrets of the old house. And discovers that her father may have been killed by someone close to her. Someone who’s been hiding in plain sight all these years.

Now it’s a race against time. Can Jane discover the shocking truth about her father’s death before it’s too late? Can she right the wrongs of the past?

Or will the killer get to her first?

[Sierra| HooksxBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a 3.5 rounded up.

Now, The Inheritance, was a very interesting read. Joe and Jane are two people in a marriage where it seemed like they both overlooked each other. Jane felt that because she owned and ran the business and viewed Joe as just her "delivery driver" that she could make the decisions without consulting her husband. I mean to be fair, she packed that man and his belongings up like he was a purse, and signed him up to be her mother's caretaker. This, in turn left Joe feeling... well.. unseen and unheard and unconsidered. That also does not justify the terrible, and I mean TERRIBLE decisions that Joe made in this book either. Dan, that man was money hungry and cold. He didn't even really care for his mother either. He wanted that lady to die so he could cash out.

Jane's childhood was miserable, even before the death of her father. There was division in their house. It appeared to Dan and their Mother to be Them vs Jane and Dad. When in reality there was no such thing. But both Dan and Mom had their own narcissist complex going on that they felt that they were the only two whose ideals and feelings made sense and Dad and Jane were on the wrong side. When in reality, Dad was doing his best, and Jane was trying to spend time with her dad and trying to avoid the drunk wrath of her mother.

Now, the plot twist, I had an idea of. I didn't expect the book to end the way that it did... It kept me engaged, and I would def read another book by Kevin Lynch.

[Becci · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be a quick entertaining read.

We follow Jane and Joe, a married couple. Jane's mother, Helen, is unwell with her health deteriorating quickly so it was suggested that Jane and her husband move in with her to help her at this time.

Helens life is a blur of alcohol and medication but she is adamant she hears noises every night and see figures in amongst the trees outside her house.

Jane's brother, Dan, (a complete idiot) believes their mothers health is deteriorating enough for her to be put in a home but Jane seems to think he has an ulterior motive.

Jane doesn't know what to believe but it becomes apparent that Helens worries cannot be completely dismissed....

It's hard to go into too much detail here as things start happening from the start and then throughout so I don't want to give any spoilers but I did find this an entertaining read.

We have alternate pov chapters from Jane and Joe which also alternate with past and present which I really enjoy and I found it easy to follow. I found the characters to be annoying unfortunately especially the brother.

The ending fell flat for me, I was expecting a big reveal but there were no surprises really but I still enjoyed the book and would recommend. I will definitely read more books from this author.

[Padmajha [PJ] Me and My Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Jane, Joe, Dan, and their mom revolves around their mansion and the unsolved murder of Jane and Dan’s dad. Their mom is ill and needs care, so Jane and Joe move in with her. As strange occurrences escalate, things go from bad to worse.
Told from Jane and Joe’s dual perspectives, this book unfolds slowly but transforms into a thrilling narrative. The relationships between Joe and Jane, Jane and Dan, and Joe and Lara feel authentic. Over time, I grew to resent Dan and despised Joe for his deceitful actions toward Jane. Jane’s mom emerges as a pitiful character, her despair palpable. The conclusion is shocking, revealing surprising truths about their father’s murder.
The book's cover is beautifully crafted, capturing the essence of the story.
Overall, this gripping thriller weaves descriptive scenes with a handful of well-drawn characters, taking readers on a roller coaster ride of twists and turns.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was silly, surface level characters tossed into one book that didn't seem to know what direction it was going in.

Husband and wife move into wife's mother's house to help watch over here due to her acute anxiety. Her anxiety has heightened ever since the death of her husband and she think she hears noises at night, sees people watching the house. Wife is florist and her husband helps with deliveries but he is also secretly trying to get a pet photos business going but really outside of taking photos and posting them, he does very little to get the business going.

Husband and wife seem to have a "let's pretend to be grown-ups and having a real adult relationship but we really don't need to work at it, cause it's like, make-believe and pretend" relationship. I say this because there is very little loving or liking between them. And the wife's brother is a bit of a whacko, offering very little assistance for their mom.

What was the point? Dunno!?!

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Initially this started out as a fairly innocuous tale of a family dealing with the aftermath of a tragedy but it grew darker and darker as it progressed. I had my suspicions about the events which are constantly referred to and to a certain extent was right. I had suspected the right person but wasn’t wholly convinced and there was someone else in the frame. None of the characters were particularly likeable and I could have happily seen all but one as a suspect. I knew that there had to be a moment when everything came together and wrongdoings would be exposed but I have to say - I really didn’t expect what ensued. I guess I can go along with the strap line of “with a killer twist”

This was a pretty good read.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is my first by Kevin, it is a Physiological thriller and really gets to you and makes you question everything!
Its dual POV for both Jane and Joe and flicks between before the tragedy and current time.
Every time we go back we learn a little more and we follow Jane as she realises the problems may lay closer to home.

Dan is Jane's brother and he absolutely gives me the icky vibes from the beginning its just odd. But then again so is the plot 🤣

I have really enjoyed having the privilege of reading this one, I found it hard to put down!

💭 Physiological thriller
💭 Dual POV
💭 Dual Timeline

💭 Available on Kindle Unlimited

[Michelle Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. This is the first time I have read this author but I will definitely be reading more by him. Jane is terrified to return to her family home. Her father was murdered there and the killer was never found. Jane has stayed away for years but now that her mother is ill she must return to take care of her. Jane's husband Joe goes back with her to the house but he suddenly starts acting strangely when he gets there. When Jane realizes that her father may have been killed by someone close to her she realizes that she must get to the bottom of it once and for all.

[Elizabeth O'Keefe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read thriller. Took a little to get into it, you would think from the way it starts you would just be sucked into the book, but it was a slower start.

Didn't really have the 'wow' or page turning grab like the thrillers I typically read, however, it was still a decent story. Lies, secrets, deception, family dysfunction, etc.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books Publishing for my DRC in exchange for my honest review.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is my first by Kevin, it is a Physiological thriller and really gets to you and makes you question everything!
Its dual POV for both Jane and Joe and flicks between before the tragedy and current time.
Every time we go back we learn a little more and we follow Jane as she realises the problems may lay closer to home.

Dan is Jane's brother and he absolutely gives me the icky vibes from the beginning its just odd. But then again so is the plot

[Paul Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absorbing psychological thriller flipping between the perspectives of Joe and Jane a married couple forced to move in with her elderly mother which tests their relationship and stirs up past trauma. It’s a fast paced read as the lives of the couple are slowly unravelled. Jane’s troubled brother Daniel creates tension between the couple, flashbacks to the past reveal a cold case and Joe makes a series of clumsy decisions that nicely build up to a dramatic ending. Really enjoyed the setting and storyline and especially the twist, highly recommend.

[Tahnia Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Jane was fourteen, she heard a gunshot and rushed downstairs to find her dad on the ground with a bullet hole in his head. After being away from her childhood home for many years, Jane returned to care for her ailing mom, bringing her husband Joe along. Then her brother Dan moved in, and everything changed for the worse. This story is full of suspense. Very highly recommended.

[Ashleigh Mcquillan · Rating 2 out of 5]

didn’t love it

I wanted to like this book, but it felt rushed and the characters were very one dimensional. There was no relationships development between the husband and wife and their perspectives were ‘told’ like a teenager writing a story rather than an author immersing a reader in a novel. I still give it two stars for the idea, but it lacked a proper execution. I wouldn’t recommend.

[Michelle Price · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book was horrible

This book was very predictable and I lost count of how many times she had to describe the night her father died. The book was very slow moving and the characters were not well developed. Sadly I won’t read this authors books again. Book was boring to say the least.

[Lana Artley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

The book took some time to get into as it seemed to lack a wow factor. I felt like I had the book figured out and I was right. It includes lies, secrets, and a dysfunctional family. There are some plot twists that I enjoyed.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good quick read. It had all of the twists and turns that I was looking for. I didn't want to put the book down once I got started. I recommend this book to anyone that wants the occasional surprise!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. This is my honest and unsolicited review.

[trish · Rating 1 out of 5]

Im sorry but this was a terribile narrative, withnothing happening and repeating over and over and over the same narrative,a tabacco pouch and a cloth.....,I will not go for anything from this Author again,was painful to get through this book

[Sam Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

soooo bland and obvi

[Gwen Blodgett · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok read

The characters never came to life for me and the story flow felt stiff. The twist ending was a tad predictable and left me a bit unsatisfied.

[Monty Watts · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointed

Drugged on and on no suspense straight forward boring could see end coming won't save this author sorry but true

[Emma Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ was a good easy reading thriller fast paced and a good twist

[Hayley Cluness · Rating 1 out of 5]

I felt this dragged on and on for the most predictable ending.

[Erin L Downing · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very engaging

W
as hopeful this book would be good however it was quite predictable and not engaging. The characters were very dull.

[Mici Goodine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. Some of the story is predictable and a little drawn out.