Entitled

by Leonard H. Orr

"A knotted and frequently engaging tale of deception and family secrets." -Kirkus Reviews

"...Orr demonstrates that he is a superb writer of spare, precise, and compelling prose." -Peter Carry, writer, editor

"...Orr's engaging tale is a feast of family disfunction, privilege, and secrets." -William C. Rempel, bestselling author of The Gambler and At the Devil's Table

To protect their lavish allowances, four charismatic sisters in their thirties try to seduce, cajole, and mislead their less well-off neighbor Benjamin, who their father has hired to investigate an attempt to smother him while he was in the hospital recovering from a car crash. Their feckless brother responds by threatening Benjamin with a shotgun, while their socialite mother falsely confesses to the crime. Trying to dominate everyone is their father, a wheeling, dealing, helicopter-flying entrepreneur who is afraid he might have hallucinated the smothering, even more afraid that it might have been real, and terrified that he might be losing control of his family and fortune. Desperate, he implements a devious and dastardly scheme . . .

Played out on the fashionable Connecticut shore and Manhattan's Upper East Side, the shenanigans of the entitled rich don't prevent Benjamin from finding the truth, and maybe even love.

319 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 26, 2024

About the author

Leonard H. Orr has written for The Village Voice, The New York Times, and other publications. A graduate of Swarthmore College, he has also been an editor and investment manager, where he’s been a witness to the ambition and entitlement and sorrow his novel portrays.

Reviews

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an interesting and engrossing read! I enjoyed all of the abhorrent characters, they are always quite interesting. It’s amazing how money makes people act. Even when it’s amongst their own family members! I was truly surprised at some of the non family characters as well. Between Whitney, Benjamin, Jody, and Phil, no one seemed to really be the good guy, and that worked perfectly for this book.

There were a few really suspenseful scenes that kept me on the edge of my seat. First there was a scene with Theo, Tess, Charlie, and Whitney. Then there was a scene towards the end of the book with the whole family. I couldn’t believe what I was reading! I was not prepared for that twist. Then the very end of the book threw in another twist, and that was another great one. Again, I didn’t suspect it but I’m glad we got an answer.

Each of these siblings are cunning, secretive, greedy, and…. Entitled. The perfect title for this wonderful book.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Money, Secrets & Attempted Murder?

This was an interesting read as the author does a good job of giving the reader some information that helps in trying to solve who may have tried to smother Charlie Cantling in the hospital but still keeps you in the dark about the truth till the very end. The Cantlings are a crazy rich family with so many secrets and have many reasons they need a continued money flow well after their patriarch is on the mend. Any one of them could have motive to snuff Mr. Cantling out, but would they have the guts. Poor Benjamin is sent in to investigate and discovers how each might be in trouble of losing what they hold dear. There are twists and turns with every character, but most seem like they won't ever change their ways entirely. I felt it was a nicely written and easy to follow story. The ending seemed a little anticlimactic but finished on a good note.

[Country Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entitled is a book about a rich family who will do anything for money and it's realistically true of people and money no matter how rich or poor they are. All of the characters in this book are written interesting for the readers and no one is either good or bad in this book, they are just who they are. And it shows how people are neither good or bad even with money, people are just who they are and will do what they do.

The writing was well done for a suspense book with a thriller involved in the pages. I think the author did a great job in writing the story about Charlie and his family. I really enjoyed the character of Benjamin who is sent to investigate the characters and that some could loose a lot in the scheme of things. The author chose a really well done name for the book also Entitled fits this book perfectly. And that ending was super unexpected!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really great book, full of unexpected twist and surprises. I went in without any foresight and was immediately submerged and hooked. The drama between Benjamin and his grouchy neighbor, Charlie when Benjamin is assigned the sticky and impossible task of spying on Charlie’s children and wife to gather information. The lies and suspicions and drama kept me thinking and wanting more. There’s never a lull, which I find in a lot of books I’ve read recently. Each chapter full of drama and suspense. Never would I have guessed the outcome! A fantastic and charming whodunit with wit and style. Mr. Orr did a wonderful job and I hope he’ll bring us more!!

[Robin Raborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A first novel! I search for first novels, the book a writer has been waiting a lifetime to write. I was impressed by the educated language and brilliant dialogue. What a relief to find a writer who doesn’t just resort to the “f” word as noun, adjective and adverb. I could hear the characters bickering with each other in this mystery. “Entitled” is concise. So many writers do not know when to end a story and write “The End.”

[Kristen Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. When Mr. Cantling is recovering in the hospital after an accident, he believes that someone tried to smother him in his sleep. Was he hallucinating or was someone truly trying to kill him. He believes his children are trying to kill him so that they can take all his money. What will someone do for money? Would one of his children try to kill him? This was a tale of deceit, greed, and family turmoil. Highly recommend!

[Kim Wilch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great cast of characters, each as different as the last. The Gould and Cantling children spent their childhood summers together and ended up as friends or something like that. As adults, enemies and lovers. This is a story of wealth and the lack of wealth converging on mystery. The twists are endless in this contemporary fiction. Will you see what’s coming? I’m betting not.

[Stephanie Stoffella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hired to uncover who made an attempt on their father’s life, Ben finds himself immersed in the lives of 4 sisters. Such a well written take on what entitled children may try to ensure “their” money doesn’t stop.
Well written characters, multiple POVs, and dialogue full of whit and comedy with twists and revelations that concludes the story nicely. Great first novel (applause).

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author selected the perfect title for this book - the characters really are entitled! This was a book that kept me on the edge of my seat and kept my interest throughout - I read the book quickly wanting to know what would happen next. This was a good whodunit book that I would recommend!