The Bequest

by Suzy Vitello

Destitute after being conned by a recent beau, Nadine Bishop learns she' s been named in a will under the condition she monitor the sobriety of the dead man' s twenty-nine-year-old son, Remmington. The catch? The dead man was her first married lover. The caveat? If Remmington cannot remain sober and gainfully employed for the six months leading up to his thirtieth birthday, Nadine will inherit the sizeable estate. Meanwhile, Remmington has no intention of allowing his inheritance to be scooped up by his late father' s mistress. Nor does he intend to succumb to the conditions of the bequest. When legal maneuvers fail, he turns to Caroline, a cartel-adjacent con artist from his past, along with a disgraced former high school teacher, Ed. With their help, he intends to thwart his late father' s meddling, and reclaim his birthright.When a freak winter storm forces the unlikely foursome together, and Caroline' s felonious ex-husband further complicates things, Nadine and Remmington must come together, forging an unlikely unified front. Things turn violent, however, and when their newfound partnership is tested, they must overcome their biggest obstacles yet to redeem and rebuild their individual lives.

322 pages, Paperback

Published September 9, 2025

About the author

Suzy Vitello is a proud founding member of a critique group recently dubbed The Hottest Writing Group in Portland, and her short stories have won fellowships and prizes (including the Atlantic Monthly Student Writing Award, and an Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship).

Suzy's novels, FAULTLAND, THE MOMENT BEFORE, THE EMPRESS CHRONICLES and THE KEEPSAKE are available wherever books and ebooks are sold.

An e-chapbook of some of her stories, UNKISS ME, can be found here

Find out more about Suzy

Reviews

[Jackie Sunday · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is action-packed and all the characters seem to have a variety of issues.

It started with was an unusual bequest. Dunaway Martin at 73 died by suicide in his 5,000 square-foot home in Portland. The condition within the will stated that his son, Remmington, still living there at 29, had six months to be sober and employed or else he would get nothing.

The will stated that Nadine would be in charge of making sure he was on track by living there with him. If he didn’t meet the requirements of the bequest, she would benefit from getting the house. Who was this woman?

It’s complicated. Years ago, she was paying off her mother’s health bills and sold a fertilized egg to a clinic. Remmington was brought into this world with Martin’s wife carrying this egg. Sadly, she died of cancer and Martin hadn’t been the faithful husband with a few women on the side.

Sure, Nadine remembered this man whom she had an affair with and now she was broke again. This could be a good money-making scheme. However, nothing could be that simple. It came with a situation that was almost beyond repair.

It was fast moving with a dialogue that fit the character’s way of living. However, it was easy to get confused at times trying to grasp everything that was happening in this rather bleak existence. The only likeable character was a smart young girl that enjoyed hanging around the people in this home. I was eager to find what would be next in the cascade of mishaps. The story had a surprising closure.

My thanks to Running Wild Press and LibraryThing for an advanced copy of this book to be released on September 9, 2025.

[Chaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nadine is down and out, on her last dime, when she is informed about being named in a will left by her one-time lover many years ago. There's a huge catch, which makes the premise of this novel very interesting. Things are complicate by secondary characters who crash the party during an ice storm. Conflict, tension, and drama ensue.

Vitello's prose lifts off the page with its energy and color. The writing is vibrant. The characters are a little shady, a little suspect, a lot interesting.

[Dan]

Nadine is low on cash and was named in the will of a past married lover. All she has to keep the son of the deceased sober and he has to keep a job for six months. That’s a lot since the son, Remmington wants the inheritance all for himself and will do all it takes to keep her from getting it. Interesting premise and when they are locked in during an ice storm, others crash the party. Overall, there was a lot going on and I got lost more than once. It was an okay read.

[Gemma Whelan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-paced, can’t-put-down novel that propels the reader along from one sticky situation to the next. Suzy Vitello crafts an intricate plotline involving drug dealers, a massive snowstorm, shady family members, a surprising and convoluted bequest, and a winning central character, Nadine, who navigates this tricky territory with spirit and grace. “The Bequest” is equal parts slapstick and hilarious, poignant and touching.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for a review. The book as ok. The cast of characters all have many issues they are dealing with individually as well as together. I still have so many questions that were left unanswered. What happens next? Maybe there will be a sequel but I felt like I was left hanging.

[Natalie Hirt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable novel. It is at once darkly humorous and poignant.