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The Inheritance
Imagine the surprise when family members receive DNA tests for Christmas, revealing shocking, dangerous secrets to two women.
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About the author
Kate Horan
2 books65 followersBestselling author of crime and suspense
Kate’s debut novel, The Inheritance, was an instant Australian Bestseller, and was chosen as QBD’s Fiction Book of the Month in January 2025. Her second novel, On the Edge, will be published by HQ HarperCollins in January 2026.
When she’s not dreaming up twisty stories about people with dark secrets, she’s chauffeuring her teenage boys to and from social engagements, listening to true crime podcasts and walking her golden lab on Sydney’s beautiful Northern Beaches.
Kate’s debut novel, The Inheritance, was an instant Australian Bestseller, and was chosen as QBD’s Fiction Book of the Month in January 2025. Her second novel, On the Edge, will be published by HQ HarperCollins in January 2026.
When she’s not dreaming up twisty stories about people with dark secrets, she’s chauffeuring her teenage boys to and from social engagements, listening to true crime podcasts and walking her golden lab on Sydney’s beautiful Northern Beaches.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
January 2, 2025
Isobel Ashworth is the youngest child of Malcom and Heather and she has two older brothers. Her family are rich and her dad is a property developer, and she lives in an apartment in Sydney and with her fiancé Hugh Thorburn a lawyer. Isobel can’t believe it when she’s sent to Hartwell, one of the oldest towns in New South Wales and where her father’s company is renovating the old goal and it’s running behind schedule. Issy has no idea the locals are not happy about the way the historical building is being developed and they think it should have been a museum.
Meg Hunter is a free-lance journalist, she needs to find a good story and to save her career. Meg’s mother has dementia and recently she’s mentioned the town of Hartwell and someone called Tina? Meg has no idea who her mum is talking about, she’s an only child and her mother told her years ago she has no relatives and she’s never heard of Hartwell. Meg arrives in town, the cheapest place to stay is the pub and it doesn’t take long for her to notice two things, the locals hate the Ashworth family and are very reluctant to talk about them and she wonders why?
The Ashworth’s celebrate Christmas in style and of course it's catered for at their property called Kilmore and it’s not far from the country town, when they gather around the tree to give out the presents and Isobel and her brothers Spencer and Felix are given DNA testing kits by an anonymous person and their parents think it's a prank and a very tacky one.
By this stage Isobel has met Meg and she’s starting to question why she was sent to Hartwell, did her dad have an ulterior motive and she decides to take the test and she has no idea Meg has also taken one.
I received a copy of The Inheritance by Kate Horan from Harlequin Australia and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I can’t believe this is the author’s debut novel, I was hooked by the end of the first chapter and I have always found stories based on DNA testing interesting and this one didn’t disappoint. A narrative about a wealthy and powerful family, entitlement and succession, greed and corruption, secrets and lies, shocks and cover ups and Isobel and Meg’s quest to discover the truth and it gets dangerous.
I highly recommend The Inheritance, the story is full of lots of twists and turns and most I didn’t see coming.
Meg Hunter is a free-lance journalist, she needs to find a good story and to save her career. Meg’s mother has dementia and recently she’s mentioned the town of Hartwell and someone called Tina? Meg has no idea who her mum is talking about, she’s an only child and her mother told her years ago she has no relatives and she’s never heard of Hartwell. Meg arrives in town, the cheapest place to stay is the pub and it doesn’t take long for her to notice two things, the locals hate the Ashworth family and are very reluctant to talk about them and she wonders why?
The Ashworth’s celebrate Christmas in style and of course it's catered for at their property called Kilmore and it’s not far from the country town, when they gather around the tree to give out the presents and Isobel and her brothers Spencer and Felix are given DNA testing kits by an anonymous person and their parents think it's a prank and a very tacky one.
By this stage Isobel has met Meg and she’s starting to question why she was sent to Hartwell, did her dad have an ulterior motive and she decides to take the test and she has no idea Meg has also taken one.
I received a copy of The Inheritance by Kate Horan from Harlequin Australia and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I can’t believe this is the author’s debut novel, I was hooked by the end of the first chapter and I have always found stories based on DNA testing interesting and this one didn’t disappoint. A narrative about a wealthy and powerful family, entitlement and succession, greed and corruption, secrets and lies, shocks and cover ups and Isobel and Meg’s quest to discover the truth and it gets dangerous.
I highly recommend The Inheritance, the story is full of lots of twists and turns and most I didn’t see coming.
January 2, 2025
It's a fantastic debut from Kate Horan. A page turning mystery/family drama that I thoroughly enjoyed. I will be looking out for more from this author in the future.
The Ashworth family is rich and powerful. They own everything and have their fingers in many many pies. Meg, a freelance journalist, is confused when her elderly mother, who is in a nursing home suffering dementia starts asking about a Tina and a town called Hartwell. She sniffs a story and gets a whole lot more than she bargains for.
I loved the setting of this story, in Sydney, and 90 minutes south. This family was ruthless! The DNA part of the story was intriguing and twisty, which I really enjoyed. There are a lot of talking points and it would make a great book club or buddy read choice.
Thanks to Harlequin Australia for my copy of this book as part of the thrillerfluencer BOTM. Out on January 1st, a great way to start your new year.
The Ashworth family is rich and powerful. They own everything and have their fingers in many many pies. Meg, a freelance journalist, is confused when her elderly mother, who is in a nursing home suffering dementia starts asking about a Tina and a town called Hartwell. She sniffs a story and gets a whole lot more than she bargains for.
I loved the setting of this story, in Sydney, and 90 minutes south. This family was ruthless! The DNA part of the story was intriguing and twisty, which I really enjoyed. There are a lot of talking points and it would make a great book club or buddy read choice.
Thanks to Harlequin Australia for my copy of this book as part of the thrillerfluencer BOTM. Out on January 1st, a great way to start your new year.
January 5, 2025
Big thanks to Harlequin for sending us a copy to read and review.
A debut that will create conversation….
The talk of the town will be in full force as The Inheritance, a superb, melodramatic and highly entertaining read and will be on everyone’s reading pile now.
The year has literally started off with a bang of a read.
Isobel Ashworth comes from privilege and money.
Everything that luxury gets her from the family name.
Wanting to impress her father, she accepts a decision from him to take a trip to investigate a property development in small town Hartwell.
But everything begins to fall apart…..
Journalist Meg Hunter arrives in town to uncover the truth and explore her mother’s past.
Then at Christmas an ancestry present creates chaos and brings to life more than anyone bargained for.
Both Isobel and Meg are drawn together to seek answers and expose family secrets.
A definite Aussie family saga that goes into the effects of a DNA test when gifted as a surprise.
Wealth, secrets, entitlement, power, extortion, greed, lies, deception, danger, family dynamics and sibling rivalry, it’s all here to get the reading mind working overtime.
A wicked plot, a fantastic cast, tense atmosphere and a whole lot of surprises, this is the book you have been waiting for.
A debut that will create conversation….
The talk of the town will be in full force as The Inheritance, a superb, melodramatic and highly entertaining read and will be on everyone’s reading pile now.
The year has literally started off with a bang of a read.
Isobel Ashworth comes from privilege and money.
Everything that luxury gets her from the family name.
Wanting to impress her father, she accepts a decision from him to take a trip to investigate a property development in small town Hartwell.
But everything begins to fall apart…..
Journalist Meg Hunter arrives in town to uncover the truth and explore her mother’s past.
Then at Christmas an ancestry present creates chaos and brings to life more than anyone bargained for.
Both Isobel and Meg are drawn together to seek answers and expose family secrets.
A definite Aussie family saga that goes into the effects of a DNA test when gifted as a surprise.
Wealth, secrets, entitlement, power, extortion, greed, lies, deception, danger, family dynamics and sibling rivalry, it’s all here to get the reading mind working overtime.
A wicked plot, a fantastic cast, tense atmosphere and a whole lot of surprises, this is the book you have been waiting for.
January 2, 2026
A quick convincing fun read from a new Aussie writer. Already downloaded her newest. Great respite from ‘A Little Life’ which is amazing but dark, and Andrew Miller’s ‘The Land in Winter’ which is also dark and I am not sure I will finish.
February 17, 2025
Based on the current trend for DNA testing this novel considers the secrets that a kit as a gift under the Christmas tree can explode within a family.
I quite enjoyed this book but overall grew a little frustrated by it as it went on. I think the problem for me was that it tried to wrap the mystery of the genetics and that of the dubious family together so that neither reached their full potential. For a mystery or a suspense novel it was just not up to scratch - not enough twists so it was quite predictable from an early stage. This also meant that the issues around DNA testing and the potential destruction of family relationships also turned out to be a bit underexplored and felt a little like an after thought, especially in the way the book ended. That might be a personal thing as I am not a fan of the "lets cut to one year later" scenario!
An easy read and it will be interesting to see what Horan does with a second book.
I quite enjoyed this book but overall grew a little frustrated by it as it went on. I think the problem for me was that it tried to wrap the mystery of the genetics and that of the dubious family together so that neither reached their full potential. For a mystery or a suspense novel it was just not up to scratch - not enough twists so it was quite predictable from an early stage. This also meant that the issues around DNA testing and the potential destruction of family relationships also turned out to be a bit underexplored and felt a little like an after thought, especially in the way the book ended. That might be a personal thing as I am not a fan of the "lets cut to one year later" scenario!
An easy read and it will be interesting to see what Horan does with a second book.
January 22, 2025
8/10 Unputdownable. Family secrets and small-town, big-money intrigue at its finest.
December 4, 2025
An incredibly thought-provoking and intriguing mystery, exploring complex family dynamics, entitlement, corruption and cover-ups.
The Ashworth family are accustomed to their wealthy and privileged lifestyle. Isobel Ashworth is the youngest child of the family, with two very different older brothers, Spencer and Felix. When she is sent to the town of Hartwell, in New South Wales, to manage a controversial property development – as requested by her father, to prove as a serious player in the family succession plan – her perfect life starts to unravel.
Meg Hunter is a freelance journalist, excited with the promise of a big story, arrives in Hartwell planning to expose the Ashworth family dealings. As she follows the trail of corruption, she uncovers clues about her mother’s mysterious past.
During the elaborate and stylish Ashworth family Christmas, the three Ashworth children receive an anonymous DNA testing kit. Their parents believe this is a distasteful prank. Isobel, starts to question all that she knows about her family and is drawn to Meg and her pursuit of the truth…
I was fully absorbed in this story and appreciated the wide range of characters depicted in this mysterious family drama. I enjoyed the addition of the DNA sleuths facebook community to explore the mystery of DNA and varying implications of testing.
This would make a great book club story, and there is even the helpful addition of book club questions at the end of the book.
The Inheritance is such a brilliantly powerful debut novel! I am very excited to read what comes next from Australian author Kate Horan.
4.5 stars (rounded up)
The Ashworth family are accustomed to their wealthy and privileged lifestyle. Isobel Ashworth is the youngest child of the family, with two very different older brothers, Spencer and Felix. When she is sent to the town of Hartwell, in New South Wales, to manage a controversial property development – as requested by her father, to prove as a serious player in the family succession plan – her perfect life starts to unravel.
Meg Hunter is a freelance journalist, excited with the promise of a big story, arrives in Hartwell planning to expose the Ashworth family dealings. As she follows the trail of corruption, she uncovers clues about her mother’s mysterious past.
During the elaborate and stylish Ashworth family Christmas, the three Ashworth children receive an anonymous DNA testing kit. Their parents believe this is a distasteful prank. Isobel, starts to question all that she knows about her family and is drawn to Meg and her pursuit of the truth…
I was fully absorbed in this story and appreciated the wide range of characters depicted in this mysterious family drama. I enjoyed the addition of the DNA sleuths facebook community to explore the mystery of DNA and varying implications of testing.
This would make a great book club story, and there is even the helpful addition of book club questions at the end of the book.
The Inheritance is such a brilliantly powerful debut novel! I am very excited to read what comes next from Australian author Kate Horan.
4.5 stars (rounded up)
March 7, 2025
An intriguing pacey read that had me speeding through the book in four days. A family mystery set in modern Australia that touches on classism and the back door deals suspected in the property world. Excited to see what is next for Kate Horan!
December 30, 2024
Loved this book! I never knew where it was going which is exactly what I want in a mystery. Plot twists left right and centre and I really enjoyed the characters as well. I can see anyone who loves a mystery enjoying this book!
January 10, 2025
This was excellent!!!!! I devoured it in a day and stayed up way too late to finish it!!
February 22, 2025
Great to read an Aussie book with an accurate representation of DNA & genetic genealogy at the heart of it.
February 27, 2025
Imagine the drama at family holidays in the future! Great idea for a story. I'm not a fan of some of the characters but I loved the story.
July 31, 2025
Super boring. Weak plot line, unlikeable two dimensional characters and the lynchpin of the story was… the billionaire family famous for real estate developments are dodgy and corrupt? Shocker
January 4, 2025
I’m excited about two things as we enter 2025: that I got to start the year with a five-star read and that I had the spare time to really indulge in long hours of reading. I’m astounded that this book - so cleverly plotted and filled with love-em-and-hate-em characters - is a debut.
It is told from the perspective of two female characters. We have Meg, a freelance journalist (I was feeling her anxiety!!) who grew up alone with just her single mother, who is now in a home suffering from dementia. But when her mother starts talking about someone called Tina and the village of Hartwell, just outside of Sydney, Meg’s news instincts kick in and she starts to investigate.
Then we have Isobel “Issy” Ashworth, who grew up with the money’s-no-issue affluence of her hotel and property developer family. While she works in the marketing department of the family business, she feels she can offer much more, if only her father would trust her.
The women face off in Hartwell as Meg tries to uncover why there is so much opposition to the latest Ashworth property development and Issy fights to prove herself to her father by getting the development complete by the looming launch deadline. In the midst of it all, someone places three DNA test kits under the Ashworth Christmas tree, the results of which could throw Meg and Issy’s world upside down.
There is so much going on in this book, but in a good way. Kate writes so believably about family interactions and those good and bad nuances that exist in every family. She has a real gift for building great characters, something that gives this book real depth and authenticity. And that ending was just perfection!
I’m excited by what she will do next!
It is told from the perspective of two female characters. We have Meg, a freelance journalist (I was feeling her anxiety!!) who grew up alone with just her single mother, who is now in a home suffering from dementia. But when her mother starts talking about someone called Tina and the village of Hartwell, just outside of Sydney, Meg’s news instincts kick in and she starts to investigate.
Then we have Isobel “Issy” Ashworth, who grew up with the money’s-no-issue affluence of her hotel and property developer family. While she works in the marketing department of the family business, she feels she can offer much more, if only her father would trust her.
The women face off in Hartwell as Meg tries to uncover why there is so much opposition to the latest Ashworth property development and Issy fights to prove herself to her father by getting the development complete by the looming launch deadline. In the midst of it all, someone places three DNA test kits under the Ashworth Christmas tree, the results of which could throw Meg and Issy’s world upside down.
There is so much going on in this book, but in a good way. Kate writes so believably about family interactions and those good and bad nuances that exist in every family. She has a real gift for building great characters, something that gives this book real depth and authenticity. And that ending was just perfection!
I’m excited by what she will do next!
March 9, 2025
Easy fun read, a tale of family dynasty, power, corruption and family secrets.
Page turning and a satisfying conclusion after some twists and turns, if a little simplistic and contrived.
Page turning and a satisfying conclusion after some twists and turns, if a little simplistic and contrived.
August 10, 2025
3.5 🌟 Started out very slow with the duel point of view changing with each chapter. The gradual build up did provided opportunities to develop each protagonist character - personality, position and purpose within the story - and how they each interpreted the information that comes to light throughout.
It wasn’t till 50% in however, when they finally received, did and subsequently got the results back from the DNA test, that it got interesting leading me to read the last 40% in a day (Though I thought the results came through a little too quick. It takes longer than a few weeks, especially between Christmas and new year, to get DNA results).
Not sure about the random DNA Facebook forum throughout, didn’t really seam to add anything to the story line till the end, an answer to a riddle we could have found out another way I’m sure.
Did enjoy it in the end. A few little twist and surprises thrown in to keep us on our toes. The end did made up for the sluggish beginning bumping the rating the extra half star.
It wasn’t till 50% in however, when they finally received, did and subsequently got the results back from the DNA test, that it got interesting leading me to read the last 40% in a day (Though I thought the results came through a little too quick. It takes longer than a few weeks, especially between Christmas and new year, to get DNA results).
Not sure about the random DNA Facebook forum throughout, didn’t really seam to add anything to the story line till the end, an answer to a riddle we could have found out another way I’m sure.
Did enjoy it in the end. A few little twist and surprises thrown in to keep us on our toes. The end did made up for the sluggish beginning bumping the rating the extra half star.
October 12, 2025
wait its so funny bc i was supposed to read another book w the same title for my book club but ended up w this one because i downloaded the wrong epub and only realized once i was 100 pages in 😭😭 BYE
but wait what the heck!!! i enjoyed this one + its actually very timely with everything that’s going on in the country right now. the book follows a journalist (megan) investigating about a corrupt contractor that her mother (w/ dementia) mentioned in passing. don’t wanna give away too much but if you’re into mysteries and the lost family trope, i would def reco this!! :D
but wait what the heck!!! i enjoyed this one + its actually very timely with everything that’s going on in the country right now. the book follows a journalist (megan) investigating about a corrupt contractor that her mother (w/ dementia) mentioned in passing. don’t wanna give away too much but if you’re into mysteries and the lost family trope, i would def reco this!! :D
August 24, 2025
Best book for this year so far!
July 9, 2025
I really enjoyed reading this book it’s her first and l I’ll definitely be reading others of hers hopping that will be the case
August 22, 2025
Parallel stories of family intrigue and secrets made for an interesting read.
November 16, 2025
This was a 2.5 stars for me. An Australian family drama with a mystery at its heart centred on ‘where do I belong’ - why did Meg’s mother move them constantly and why was it just the two of them, who is her father and why were they never connected to any extended family? Given her mother’s descent into dementia there is no way of finding these answers, so Meg decides to find out.
The story is told from two POVs: Meg, a journalist, who is investigating a story and finds a link to a town that her mother has mentioned and a real estate development that looks suspicious, and Issy the daughter of the wealthy developer who is trying to carve out her place in the family dynasty. Meg and Issy’s worlds converge due to Meg’s investigation and DNA testing.
The story was a little predictable from early on and the character exploration was a little shallow. There was no exploration of the impact of the complexity involved in the destruction of family relationships and also in this case a family dynasty. Issy’s family is destroyed: at the end her fiancée is dead, her brother is in prison deemed a rapist and murderer, a family business is mired in corruption charges, and an inheritance lost.
Issy starts as spoilt, naive and superficial, she is bent on a career in the family dynasty but then changes quite swiftly and dramatically to be a supporter of Meg in exposing the crimes of her own family. It appears she is accepting of the destruction of her family and its wealth as necessary, but we don’t get much insight into her feelings or the real impact of this on her.
The ending seemed to wrap everything up rather too neatly, all set around a ‘Merry Christmas’, which seemed to me a tad unrealistic. We all know that Christmas is more likely to fuel the complex emotions and connections in families, so the harmonious ending seemed a bit of a lost opportunity - it could have provided an opportunity for more real interaction and a sense of more authenticity and depth in the characters.
The story is told from two POVs: Meg, a journalist, who is investigating a story and finds a link to a town that her mother has mentioned and a real estate development that looks suspicious, and Issy the daughter of the wealthy developer who is trying to carve out her place in the family dynasty. Meg and Issy’s worlds converge due to Meg’s investigation and DNA testing.
The story was a little predictable from early on and the character exploration was a little shallow. There was no exploration of the impact of the complexity involved in the destruction of family relationships and also in this case a family dynasty. Issy’s family is destroyed: at the end her fiancée is dead, her brother is in prison deemed a rapist and murderer, a family business is mired in corruption charges, and an inheritance lost.
Issy starts as spoilt, naive and superficial, she is bent on a career in the family dynasty but then changes quite swiftly and dramatically to be a supporter of Meg in exposing the crimes of her own family. It appears she is accepting of the destruction of her family and its wealth as necessary, but we don’t get much insight into her feelings or the real impact of this on her.
The ending seemed to wrap everything up rather too neatly, all set around a ‘Merry Christmas’, which seemed to me a tad unrealistic. We all know that Christmas is more likely to fuel the complex emotions and connections in families, so the harmonious ending seemed a bit of a lost opportunity - it could have provided an opportunity for more real interaction and a sense of more authenticity and depth in the characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2025
Kate Horan's The Inheritance is an impressive debut that hooked me from the start and has left me eagerly anticipating her next book. This Aussie author has crafted a compelling story that perfectly balances family drama, secrets, and suspense.
Isobel Ashworth has lived a life of privilege and wealth as the only daughter in a successful and powerful family. Recently engaged, she believes it’s time to prove to her father that she deserves serious consideration in the family company’s succession plan. But when he sends her to the small town of Hartwell to oversee a controversial development project, cracks begin to form in her perfect life. Meanwhile, journalist Meg Hunter arrives in Hartwell chasing a big story. However, her mission takes a personal turn when her mother, who has dementia, reveals cryptic details about her mysterious past—details that may link her to the town.
Fellow author Cassie Hammer’s endorsement on the cover says, “…if you love Sally Hepworth’s novels, you’ll love this,” and I couldn’t agree more. The Inheritance delivers the perfect blend of family secrets, power dynamics, and the lingering impact of past mysteries. The pages seemed to turn themselves as the story gained momentum, culminating in a clever and satisfying ending.
This was an entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable read, and I highly recommend checking it out.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Isobel Ashworth has lived a life of privilege and wealth as the only daughter in a successful and powerful family. Recently engaged, she believes it’s time to prove to her father that she deserves serious consideration in the family company’s succession plan. But when he sends her to the small town of Hartwell to oversee a controversial development project, cracks begin to form in her perfect life. Meanwhile, journalist Meg Hunter arrives in Hartwell chasing a big story. However, her mission takes a personal turn when her mother, who has dementia, reveals cryptic details about her mysterious past—details that may link her to the town.
Fellow author Cassie Hammer’s endorsement on the cover says, “…if you love Sally Hepworth’s novels, you’ll love this,” and I couldn’t agree more. The Inheritance delivers the perfect blend of family secrets, power dynamics, and the lingering impact of past mysteries. The pages seemed to turn themselves as the story gained momentum, culminating in a clever and satisfying ending.
This was an entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable read, and I highly recommend checking it out.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
October 2, 2024
I got an ARC of this and I really enjoyed it. I thought I knew where it was going when it started - I was in the ballpark, but not quite there. It’s a good cosy read where you think you know what’s going to happen, but there is enough other things happening that it does not matter.
Honestly, it was a rainy day and I was exhausted, and it was the perfect read for my mood. I look forward to reading more of her work.
Honestly, it was a rainy day and I was exhausted, and it was the perfect read for my mood. I look forward to reading more of her work.
August 17, 2025
Two women from very different backgrounds. Isobel Ashworth, the youngest in a very privileged family who is trying to move up in her family's business dealings. Meg Hunter has grown up with just her mother and is now trying to make a break in her journalism career. Her mother now with dementia brings up the name Tina and a placename Hartwell. What are the connections? The Ashworth family have many business dealings there and in a bid to get a scoop story on possible corruption Meg goes there to investigate. For Xmas the Ashworth offspring all get a Xmas gift of a DNA kit. Who is the giver and are they trying to expose old secrets within the family. A great read.
April 13, 2025
It took me about 50% of the way through to really get into this book. It’s definitely one of those books where there are a lot of loose threads that all come together in the last few chapters. I did love the way everything was resolved and came together and found the last twist to be particularly good in keeping me on my toes!
I really enjoyed the discussions around the traits we inherit from our family and the theme of family throughout.
A solid debut novel and one I really enjoyed in the end!
I really enjoyed the discussions around the traits we inherit from our family and the theme of family throughout.
A solid debut novel and one I really enjoyed in the end!
June 3, 2025
aggressively mid thriller that left me wanting a little more. i feel mean saying that, especially as this is a debut novel and i know that there is a lot of potential for this author to grow. it was just such a small scale and boring setting, that i struggled to really care. and one of the characters was even a spoilt rich girl, an archetype that should be entertaining if nothing else! but i think she was a little too out of touch with things going around her that her even with her privilege, it was hard to care much. the other main character was also pretty boring, though realistic - a journalist sick of writing click bait trash articles, but also depends on them for a steady income, while also emotionally struggling with her mother's dementia.
the central mystery of the novel surrounds said mother. meg has always moved around from town to town with her mother jenny and has always wondered why. when jenny starts talking about nearby town hartwell, and someone called tina, meg starts investigating. thankfully, with property mogul company the ashworths doing some work down in hartwell, she gets the okay from work to go investigate for any shady business dealings, so meg drives down to investigate both the town and her mothers past. the other main character is isabel "issy" ashworth, daughter of said mogul family sent down to oversee the work as a test from her father. you can definitely see some of the twists coming, though the author does try her best to subvert them in some ways, but it's still the same type of twist in the end.
small town australia also just does not interest me, sorry not sorry. 😭 on the plus side, the book had some positive/neutral sex work OF rep so that was cool and unexpected! and it is a "rich people suck and are corrupt" book so can't argue with that! just such an obvious 3 star book to me. the audiobook helped pass the time, but i was never itching to pick it back up, but there's also no obvious flaws to it, it was just a bit bland.
the central mystery of the novel surrounds said mother. meg has always moved around from town to town with her mother jenny and has always wondered why. when jenny starts talking about nearby town hartwell, and someone called tina, meg starts investigating. thankfully, with property mogul company the ashworths doing some work down in hartwell, she gets the okay from work to go investigate for any shady business dealings, so meg drives down to investigate both the town and her mothers past. the other main character is isabel "issy" ashworth, daughter of said mogul family sent down to oversee the work as a test from her father. you can definitely see some of the twists coming, though the author does try her best to subvert them in some ways, but it's still the same type of twist in the end.
small town australia also just does not interest me, sorry not sorry. 😭 on the plus side, the book had some positive/neutral sex work OF rep so that was cool and unexpected! and it is a "rich people suck and are corrupt" book so can't argue with that! just such an obvious 3 star book to me. the audiobook helped pass the time, but i was never itching to pick it back up, but there's also no obvious flaws to it, it was just a bit bland.
February 1, 2025
3.5*
I saw the reviews comparing this to Sally Hepworth, and I love a domestic thriller/mystery so I was very interested!
Love the Australian setting, and the way Isobel and Meg's stories played off one another.
I did find the beginning a bit slow, and found my mind wandering at a few points in the story as it didn't fully capture my attention, but enjoyed the storyline overall and think the writing is solid. I will definitely look out for more from this author as I was pretty impressed this is a debut novel.
I saw the reviews comparing this to Sally Hepworth, and I love a domestic thriller/mystery so I was very interested!
Love the Australian setting, and the way Isobel and Meg's stories played off one another.
I did find the beginning a bit slow, and found my mind wandering at a few points in the story as it didn't fully capture my attention, but enjoyed the storyline overall and think the writing is solid. I will definitely look out for more from this author as I was pretty impressed this is a debut novel.
January 18, 2025
So good! I was engrossed from start to finish. I didn’t want to put this down. A little bit family drama, a little bit mystery with a side of action to keep you reading. This was a fantastic first novel examining class, corruption, family and secrets. The novel is carefully crafted, well paced and thoroughly engaging throughout.
January 4, 2025
Reading this book was at times tricky, dealing with a parent who has dementia, there were moments that were a little too raw and real. Perhaps my favourite quote of the book dealt with this: ‘The books on the top shelf, the newest ones, will tumble first. The memories at the bottom will barely move. Once the books at the top have fallen, the ones on the lower shelves will feel more recent.’ The onerous nature of delving into a family mystery without being able to tumble the books easily or willingly, without knowing who was or was not family was intriguing. The tension built nicely throughout the plot development as investigations progressed and the main character was self assured and confident in her actions. There was a marked contrast between the different female perspectives as they came into contact with each other more and more. Overall a very enjoyable read and lovely to read a book based in NSW.
January 15, 2025
Absolutely loved it. Such a well paced page turning debut novel. DNA doesn’t lie, and you may find out more than you ever wished for. I could relate to this so much as I have had personal experience of finding half siblings through DNA testing.
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