What do you think?
Rate this book
Fatal Inheritance
1948: the French Riviera: an English housewife trapped in a dull marriage escapes to the South of France to claim a mystery inheritance. But rivals to her unexplained fortune begin to emerge, and now they want her out of the way ...
But don’t you think it strange? she presses him. That this man I have never heard of should have left me such a gift?
1948: Eve Forrester is trapped in a loveless marriage, in a gloomy house, in a grey London suburb.
Then, out of the blue, she receives a solicitor's letter. A wealthy stranger has left her a mystery inheritance. And to find out more, she must travel to the glittering French Riviera.
There Eve discovers that her legacy is an enchanting pale pink villa overlooking the Mediterranean sea. Suddenly her life could not be more glamorous. But while she rubs shoulders with film-stars and famous writers, under the heat of the golden sun, rivals to her unexplained fortune begin to emerge. Rivals who want her out of the way.
Alone in this beguiling paradise, Eve must unlock the story behind her surprise bequest – before events turn deadly . . .
Reminiscent of a Golden Age mystery, Fatal Inheritance is an intoxicating story of dysfunctional families and long-hidden secrets, set against the razzle-dazzle and decadence of the French Riviera.
But don’t you think it strange? she presses him. That this man I have never heard of should have left me such a gift?
1948: Eve Forrester is trapped in a loveless marriage, in a gloomy house, in a grey London suburb.
Then, out of the blue, she receives a solicitor's letter. A wealthy stranger has left her a mystery inheritance. And to find out more, she must travel to the glittering French Riviera.
There Eve discovers that her legacy is an enchanting pale pink villa overlooking the Mediterranean sea. Suddenly her life could not be more glamorous. But while she rubs shoulders with film-stars and famous writers, under the heat of the golden sun, rivals to her unexplained fortune begin to emerge. Rivals who want her out of the way.
Alone in this beguiling paradise, Eve must unlock the story behind her surprise bequest – before events turn deadly . . .
Reminiscent of a Golden Age mystery, Fatal Inheritance is an intoxicating story of dysfunctional families and long-hidden secrets, set against the razzle-dazzle and decadence of the French Riviera.
400 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2018
261 people are currently reading
4118 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Rhys
4 books196 followersRachel Rhys is the pen-name of a successful psychological suspense author. A Dangerous Crossing is her debut novel under this name. The story is inspired by a real diary which the author discovered by accident while helping her mother move house. It was written with care and attention by a servant girl who travelled from England to Australia on a cruise liner in the late 1930s.
Rachel Rhys lives in North London with her family, including a much-loved dog.
Rachel Rhys lives in North London with her family, including a much-loved dog.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 413 reviews
July 8, 2018
Rachel Rhys writes a post war historical mystery drama set in the French Riviera where the reverberations of the war cling to the beautiful Mediterranean hotspot that attracts Hollywood filmstars, famous writers, artists and the rich. It is 1948 and Britain still has rationing, goods are hard to get with austerity the lot of the people. In Sutton, Eve Forrester has a joyless rancorous mother, short on love, who has engineered her marriage to Clifford after she lost her fiance, Archie, in the war. She lives a drab existence with a husband who treats her as an irrelevance. A letter promising a mysterious inheritance from Guy Lester, a stranger to her, has her travelling alone to the French Riviera to find out more. The Lester family are less than pleased to hear of her existence, resentful and hostile of her quarter share with Guy's other children, Noel, Duncan, and Libby to the Villa La Perle.
In complete contrast to her miserable and unsatisfying life in England, Eve is now surrounded by the glamorous elites of the sunny Riviera, attending parties thrown by aristocrats. The Hollywood film star, Gloria Hayes is marrying famous playboy, Laurent, in the celebrity wedding of the year. Surprisingly Gloria and Eve connect, with her receiving a rare wedding invitation. Eve finds herself drawn to an art dealer, Victor Meunier, as she tries to adjust to her new and exciting milieu. However, a strange set of 'accidents' keep happening to Eve, is she imagining that someone wants her out of the way? Facing a Lester family that are pressuring her to sell her part of the Villa, Eve's only friends are Sully, an American writer, and the Cornell family, Ruth, Rupert and their son, Jack, who she first met on the train to the Riviera. Desperate to solve the mystery of her connection to Guy, Eve refuses to return to Sutton at Clifford's bidding, particularly as she pictures their home with the heavy dark wardrobe with its brass handle that resembles a coffin.
Rhys gives us a wide cast of characters, a Riviera that had recently been inhabited by Nazis, with many in the area having links to them. Eve's quest to find out why she inherited a share in the villa provides plenty of intrigue, family drama, and the emergence of secrets and lies that shatter Eve's world completely. I loved Rhys's characterisation of Eve, the woman who will go to great lengths to please in her efforts to seek approval to an Eve that begins to find her backbone and stand up for herself. This is a lovely and enjoyable read that shimmers with the joy of the sun and sea, and with rich historical details capturing the glamour and the dark undercurrents that run beneath the famous and wealthy elites. Many thanks to Random House Transworld for an ARC.
In complete contrast to her miserable and unsatisfying life in England, Eve is now surrounded by the glamorous elites of the sunny Riviera, attending parties thrown by aristocrats. The Hollywood film star, Gloria Hayes is marrying famous playboy, Laurent, in the celebrity wedding of the year. Surprisingly Gloria and Eve connect, with her receiving a rare wedding invitation. Eve finds herself drawn to an art dealer, Victor Meunier, as she tries to adjust to her new and exciting milieu. However, a strange set of 'accidents' keep happening to Eve, is she imagining that someone wants her out of the way? Facing a Lester family that are pressuring her to sell her part of the Villa, Eve's only friends are Sully, an American writer, and the Cornell family, Ruth, Rupert and their son, Jack, who she first met on the train to the Riviera. Desperate to solve the mystery of her connection to Guy, Eve refuses to return to Sutton at Clifford's bidding, particularly as she pictures their home with the heavy dark wardrobe with its brass handle that resembles a coffin.
Rhys gives us a wide cast of characters, a Riviera that had recently been inhabited by Nazis, with many in the area having links to them. Eve's quest to find out why she inherited a share in the villa provides plenty of intrigue, family drama, and the emergence of secrets and lies that shatter Eve's world completely. I loved Rhys's characterisation of Eve, the woman who will go to great lengths to please in her efforts to seek approval to an Eve that begins to find her backbone and stand up for herself. This is a lovely and enjoyable read that shimmers with the joy of the sun and sea, and with rich historical details capturing the glamour and the dark undercurrents that run beneath the famous and wealthy elites. Many thanks to Random House Transworld for an ARC.
June 11, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon&Shuster Canada for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.
I have already through past reviews admitted my weakness for covered wagon, spoiled rich kids, and Jane Austen retellings. Well, in Fatal Inheritance I find myself delighting in the "protagonist receives a mysterious inheritance that leads them to unveil many family secrets." It is 1948 and Englishwoman, Eve Forrester finds herself traveling to the French Riviera to discover why she's received such a wealthy gift. Neither her husband nor her mother are quite pleased with Eve's behavior, but along the way Eve learns a lot about herself as well as the fallout from particular people's actions during WWII.
Fatal Inheritance turned out to be an intriguing historical thriller that turned out to be a wake up call for how Eve should live her life. The only thing that probably didn't work for me were the parts where romance and/or seduction were pushed upon the character. Overall, it is a book that makes a good vacation read recommendation.
Publication Date. 11/06/19
Goodreads Review published 09/06/19
I have already through past reviews admitted my weakness for covered wagon, spoiled rich kids, and Jane Austen retellings. Well, in Fatal Inheritance I find myself delighting in the "protagonist receives a mysterious inheritance that leads them to unveil many family secrets." It is 1948 and Englishwoman, Eve Forrester finds herself traveling to the French Riviera to discover why she's received such a wealthy gift. Neither her husband nor her mother are quite pleased with Eve's behavior, but along the way Eve learns a lot about herself as well as the fallout from particular people's actions during WWII.
Fatal Inheritance turned out to be an intriguing historical thriller that turned out to be a wake up call for how Eve should live her life. The only thing that probably didn't work for me were the parts where romance and/or seduction were pushed upon the character. Overall, it is a book that makes a good vacation read recommendation.
Publication Date. 11/06/19
Goodreads Review published 09/06/19
May 28, 2019
Fatal Inheritance is a perfect read! I was fully immersed from page one until the last page in this historical mystery. The glamorous setting of the Riviera and the mystery of why Eve Forrester was left an inheritance by a total stranger is totally enthralling!
Rachel Rhys' newest novel is set in 1948, from the setting of the bleakness of post-WWII London, where rationing was still in place, to the sumptuous and lavish setting of the French Riviera, where royalty, artists, writers, and Hollywood celebrities partied in carefree abandon. Rhys' vivid, detailed descriptions of both made for a captivating atmosphere that immediately transported me to the era.
Eve, an English housewife trapped in a loveless marriage, receives a letter informing her that she's received a mysterious inheritance following the death of a man she's never met. To claim her inheritance, she must travel to the Riviera where she discovers she's inherited a share in a villa overlooking the Mediterranean.
Eve falls in love with the villa and life away from her dull husband while trying to solve the mystery of why Guy Lester made her his heir. However, Eve's happiness is in danger not only from the other heirs since they resent her claim on the villa but also by her husband who wants her to immediately return to England. Will Eve discover the mystery of who she is to the Lester family before things turn dangerous?
The plot is perfect, as well as the characterization. There's just a bit of romance to the book but that's not the focus. Instead, the mystery is the focus of the narrative. The mystery was so well-done and had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure it out (I was wrong), and it had an Agatha Christie vibe that I just loved. There are some dark and sinister things going on that made the book completely unputdownable!
I cannot recommend Fatal Inheritance more, and it's already on my favorite books of 2019 list. This is a brilliant, gorgeous read that I highly recommend you pick up this summer.
**Thank you NetGalley and Washington Square Press-Atria Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.**
Rachel Rhys' newest novel is set in 1948, from the setting of the bleakness of post-WWII London, where rationing was still in place, to the sumptuous and lavish setting of the French Riviera, where royalty, artists, writers, and Hollywood celebrities partied in carefree abandon. Rhys' vivid, detailed descriptions of both made for a captivating atmosphere that immediately transported me to the era.
Eve, an English housewife trapped in a loveless marriage, receives a letter informing her that she's received a mysterious inheritance following the death of a man she's never met. To claim her inheritance, she must travel to the Riviera where she discovers she's inherited a share in a villa overlooking the Mediterranean.
Eve falls in love with the villa and life away from her dull husband while trying to solve the mystery of why Guy Lester made her his heir. However, Eve's happiness is in danger not only from the other heirs since they resent her claim on the villa but also by her husband who wants her to immediately return to England. Will Eve discover the mystery of who she is to the Lester family before things turn dangerous?
The plot is perfect, as well as the characterization. There's just a bit of romance to the book but that's not the focus. Instead, the mystery is the focus of the narrative. The mystery was so well-done and had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure it out (I was wrong), and it had an Agatha Christie vibe that I just loved. There are some dark and sinister things going on that made the book completely unputdownable!
I cannot recommend Fatal Inheritance more, and it's already on my favorite books of 2019 list. This is a brilliant, gorgeous read that I highly recommend you pick up this summer.
**Thank you NetGalley and Washington Square Press-Atria Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.**
July 1, 2018
Rachel Rhys is the pen name for the very popular psychological thriller writer Tammy Cohen and this her second book "Fatal Inheritance" is a wonderful, historical fiction novel that will appeal to many readers young and old.
Although not quite as gripping as the author's first book "A Dangerous Crossing" that I also enjoyed, this is however just as fabulously written and beautifully atmospheric.
Set in 1948 on the gorgeous French Riviera, I could have been sitting there myself on the sun-drenched beach reading this book, it was so descriptive. I truly could smell the scent of lavender and honeysuckle and could easily imagine the uninterrupted views of the Mediterranean.
I liked the main character Eve a lot and sympathised with her mundane life and husband. I particularly loved how although she was not worldly wise she wasn't frightened to try new things and explore her new surroundings. Her new and very unexpected inheritance breathed new life into her and the mystery surrounding her benefactor Mr Lester, added to the intrigue.
This cleverly written mystery is the perfect summer read whilst relaxing on holiday and I'd happily recommend it, Rachel Rhys is a fabulously talented and atmospheric author that writes like a dream and I will definitely be reading more by her again in the future.
A well-deserved 4 stars!
Thank you to LoveReading for my copy of the book in return for an honest review.
Although not quite as gripping as the author's first book "A Dangerous Crossing" that I also enjoyed, this is however just as fabulously written and beautifully atmospheric.
Set in 1948 on the gorgeous French Riviera, I could have been sitting there myself on the sun-drenched beach reading this book, it was so descriptive. I truly could smell the scent of lavender and honeysuckle and could easily imagine the uninterrupted views of the Mediterranean.
I liked the main character Eve a lot and sympathised with her mundane life and husband. I particularly loved how although she was not worldly wise she wasn't frightened to try new things and explore her new surroundings. Her new and very unexpected inheritance breathed new life into her and the mystery surrounding her benefactor Mr Lester, added to the intrigue.
This cleverly written mystery is the perfect summer read whilst relaxing on holiday and I'd happily recommend it, Rachel Rhys is a fabulously talented and atmospheric author that writes like a dream and I will definitely be reading more by her again in the future.
A well-deserved 4 stars!
Thank you to LoveReading for my copy of the book in return for an honest review.
November 26, 2018
For full review please visit my blog: https://umutreviews.wordpress.com/201...
I enjoyed this book quiet a lot. It was one of these books that pull you in immediately, and want to learn more and more about its characters. I liked Eve and her development throughout the book. I also thought the addition of side characters was done very well. It was not overwhelming, and it didn’t confuse the reader with unnecessary extra pocket of events on the side. For these reasons, it was a delightful, simple, yet entertaining read.
I also liked the set up of the atmosphere, French Riviera after war. I learned how things affected the local people, war dynamics and its aftermath. The descriptions were delicious, and sometimes I wanted to be there to jump into the cold, blue water 🙂
Another element I enjoyed was the mystery. I guessed some things, but I couldn’t figure out the whole picture till the end, and it unfolded in an exciting way. It was also more complex than I thought, so I guess that was a good bonus.
In the middle of the book, it slowed down for some time. But, in the end, there was a lot of tension and the reveal of the mystery. I think it would be better if there was a more even build up to the reveal throughout the book, as it would make it equally entertaining. Regardless, I kept going and I’m glad I did, as it turned out to be a really interesting finish.
I enjoyed this book quiet a lot. It was one of these books that pull you in immediately, and want to learn more and more about its characters. I liked Eve and her development throughout the book. I also thought the addition of side characters was done very well. It was not overwhelming, and it didn’t confuse the reader with unnecessary extra pocket of events on the side. For these reasons, it was a delightful, simple, yet entertaining read.
I also liked the set up of the atmosphere, French Riviera after war. I learned how things affected the local people, war dynamics and its aftermath. The descriptions were delicious, and sometimes I wanted to be there to jump into the cold, blue water 🙂
Another element I enjoyed was the mystery. I guessed some things, but I couldn’t figure out the whole picture till the end, and it unfolded in an exciting way. It was also more complex than I thought, so I guess that was a good bonus.
In the middle of the book, it slowed down for some time. But, in the end, there was a lot of tension and the reveal of the mystery. I think it would be better if there was a more even build up to the reveal throughout the book, as it would make it equally entertaining. Regardless, I kept going and I’m glad I did, as it turned out to be a really interesting finish.
August 3, 2018
When Eve Forrester received the notification from a solicitor to announce she had an inheritance from an unknown person, she was informed she had to travel to the French Riviera to find out what it was. Clifford, Eve’s cold and aloof husband, was against her going, especially on her own, but she put her foot down. Soon enough she was on her way, admittedly for a few days only, but she was on her own and heading to glamour – something she had never imagined.
It was 1948 and the war was over. But the effects lingered everywhere Eve looked. Learning her legacy was a quarter share in an elegant but run-down villa called Villa La Perle, she was enchanted when she saw the delightful pale pink villa which overlooked the glittering Mediterranean sea. Even knowing the other three were the wife of the man who had died, and his two sons – and the fact they didn’t want anything to do with her – couldn’t change her pleasure.
But Eve wanted to know why she was included in this legacy. Who this man was she had never heard of before. And as her determination to find the answers ramped up, so too did the danger. Someone wanted her gone. The French Riviera was a glittering façade – one that could turn deadly if she wasn’t careful…
Fatal Inheritance by Rachel Rhys was a wonderful read. Mystery, intrigue, glamour and danger – what a combination! Set mostly in the French Riviera in the aftermath of war, the descriptions and the beauty of the author’s words captivated me. Fatal Inheritance is my first by this author, but I’m sure it won’t be my last. For fans of historical mysteries, this one will hit the spot! Highly recommended.
With thanks to Penguin Random House for my ARC to read and review.
It was 1948 and the war was over. But the effects lingered everywhere Eve looked. Learning her legacy was a quarter share in an elegant but run-down villa called Villa La Perle, she was enchanted when she saw the delightful pale pink villa which overlooked the glittering Mediterranean sea. Even knowing the other three were the wife of the man who had died, and his two sons – and the fact they didn’t want anything to do with her – couldn’t change her pleasure.
But Eve wanted to know why she was included in this legacy. Who this man was she had never heard of before. And as her determination to find the answers ramped up, so too did the danger. Someone wanted her gone. The French Riviera was a glittering façade – one that could turn deadly if she wasn’t careful…
Fatal Inheritance by Rachel Rhys was a wonderful read. Mystery, intrigue, glamour and danger – what a combination! Set mostly in the French Riviera in the aftermath of war, the descriptions and the beauty of the author’s words captivated me. Fatal Inheritance is my first by this author, but I’m sure it won’t be my last. For fans of historical mysteries, this one will hit the spot! Highly recommended.
With thanks to Penguin Random House for my ARC to read and review.
August 13, 2018
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
A mysterious inheritance that must be claimed in the French Riviera by a complete stranger to Eve Forrester, a British woman, is the intriguing premise of Fatal Inheritance. Rachel Rhys is the pseudonym for Tammy Cohen, a popular psychological thriller author. Fatal Inheritance is the second novel by Rachel Rhys and it is one stunning read that I devoured from cover to cover.
Fatal Inheritance is set in the post World War II, in the year 1948. The events of the novel begin with Eve Forrester, a woman locked in an unhappy marriage. Eve’s dreary existence in London is disrupted by an unexpected letter from a solicitor’s office. The details of this life changing letter leads Eve to embark on a journey from London, to the opulent French Riviera, in order to claim her inheritance. When Eve arrives in the French Riviera, she is shocked to learn that she owns part of a villa, overlooking the beautiful Mediterranean sea. Eve is soon thrust into a world far removed from her own; she rubs shoulders with artists, movie stars, writers and other well known figures. Slowly Eve begins to unlock the finer details of her surprising legacy. But not everyone is happy with Eve’s presence and her bequest. In this luxurious hideaway, Eve alone must uncover the puzzle of the strange fortune that has come her way.
I read and very much enjoyed A Dangerous Crossing, the first novel penned by Rachel Rhys. I was keen to immerse myself completely in this novel. Fatal Inheritance is one beguiling read. I really appreciated the structure of this novel, it made the novel something spectacular. Rhys slowly divulges information from Eve, the main protagonist’s point of view, and interchanges it with Guy Lester’s story, which unfurls only a few months earlier. Guy is Eve’s benefactor and events in the narrative also cover the time just prior to his death, which reveals the reason why he has issued part of this personal wealth to Eve.
Rachel Rhys has cast a fine lead in Eve Forrester. There is a sense of normalcy to Eve. She is a down to earth and grounded protagonist. Eve is acutely aware of her background and her current position. I felt a great deal of empathy for Eve from the very beginning of the novel and throughout the progression of the book. It was a pleasure to observe Eve’s character growth, she moves from quite an unsteady young woman, to a grown woman who is confident in her needs and desires.
Eve’s exchanges with the secondary characters that populate the pages of Fatal Inheritance are worthy of your attention. From Eve’s stilted relationship with her husband, through to Guy Lester’s family and the new figures Eve is introduced to during her time in the French Riviera. I loved how Rhys was able to insert some famous faces in her setting, from writers, to artists and actors. For me it added an extra interest layer to this already fascinating tale.
Rhys does an absolutely excellent job of capturing the period, setting and mood of the post war era in which Fatal Inheritance is set. This is a fascinating period to me personally, Rhys resurrects the grief, loss and sense of regret, to the rise of more lax attitudes. Although many had lost so much in the war, there was a sense living in the moment, which is carefully evoked through the passages of this book. In addition, Rhys issues the reader with a picture postcard image of life in the French Riviera. Through Rhys’ prose, we are able to get a great feel for the luxury, glamour, riches, picturesque scenery and celebrity sparkle of this region.
My interest level in Fatal Inheritance was sustained by the integral mystery of why Guy Lester, a man unknown to Eve Forrester, gifted her a fortune. At first I thought Eve was an illegitimate child of Lester’s, but my guess was off the mark. I could understand the frustrations and suspicions cast on Eve on behalf of Lester’s family, but when the final reveal is made, it all falls into place. What a cracking secret it is! This element of the narrative is where Rhys truly glitters, I think she performed a significant amount of research into inheritance laws in France, at this point in time (confirmation of this is contained in the Acknowledgements section of the book). It completely captivated me!
Underneath the pivotal mystery of Fatal Inheritance is a slight hint of romance, but it never overshadows the procession of the main narrative. We explore Eve’s frustrations with her loveless and confining marriage. While in the Riviera, we watch Eve grow into her own skin and explore her desires, with surprising results! Rhys does a fine job of portraying this side of the novel.
I hope I have managed to convey how much this historical mystery novel enthralled me. I couldn’t have asked for a better read. I am declaring Fatal Inheritance one of my top reads of 2018. I’m so looking forward to seeing what Rachael Rhys composes next.
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
A mysterious inheritance that must be claimed in the French Riviera by a complete stranger to Eve Forrester, a British woman, is the intriguing premise of Fatal Inheritance. Rachel Rhys is the pseudonym for Tammy Cohen, a popular psychological thriller author. Fatal Inheritance is the second novel by Rachel Rhys and it is one stunning read that I devoured from cover to cover.
Fatal Inheritance is set in the post World War II, in the year 1948. The events of the novel begin with Eve Forrester, a woman locked in an unhappy marriage. Eve’s dreary existence in London is disrupted by an unexpected letter from a solicitor’s office. The details of this life changing letter leads Eve to embark on a journey from London, to the opulent French Riviera, in order to claim her inheritance. When Eve arrives in the French Riviera, she is shocked to learn that she owns part of a villa, overlooking the beautiful Mediterranean sea. Eve is soon thrust into a world far removed from her own; she rubs shoulders with artists, movie stars, writers and other well known figures. Slowly Eve begins to unlock the finer details of her surprising legacy. But not everyone is happy with Eve’s presence and her bequest. In this luxurious hideaway, Eve alone must uncover the puzzle of the strange fortune that has come her way.
I read and very much enjoyed A Dangerous Crossing, the first novel penned by Rachel Rhys. I was keen to immerse myself completely in this novel. Fatal Inheritance is one beguiling read. I really appreciated the structure of this novel, it made the novel something spectacular. Rhys slowly divulges information from Eve, the main protagonist’s point of view, and interchanges it with Guy Lester’s story, which unfurls only a few months earlier. Guy is Eve’s benefactor and events in the narrative also cover the time just prior to his death, which reveals the reason why he has issued part of this personal wealth to Eve.
Rachel Rhys has cast a fine lead in Eve Forrester. There is a sense of normalcy to Eve. She is a down to earth and grounded protagonist. Eve is acutely aware of her background and her current position. I felt a great deal of empathy for Eve from the very beginning of the novel and throughout the progression of the book. It was a pleasure to observe Eve’s character growth, she moves from quite an unsteady young woman, to a grown woman who is confident in her needs and desires.
Eve’s exchanges with the secondary characters that populate the pages of Fatal Inheritance are worthy of your attention. From Eve’s stilted relationship with her husband, through to Guy Lester’s family and the new figures Eve is introduced to during her time in the French Riviera. I loved how Rhys was able to insert some famous faces in her setting, from writers, to artists and actors. For me it added an extra interest layer to this already fascinating tale.
Rhys does an absolutely excellent job of capturing the period, setting and mood of the post war era in which Fatal Inheritance is set. This is a fascinating period to me personally, Rhys resurrects the grief, loss and sense of regret, to the rise of more lax attitudes. Although many had lost so much in the war, there was a sense living in the moment, which is carefully evoked through the passages of this book. In addition, Rhys issues the reader with a picture postcard image of life in the French Riviera. Through Rhys’ prose, we are able to get a great feel for the luxury, glamour, riches, picturesque scenery and celebrity sparkle of this region.
My interest level in Fatal Inheritance was sustained by the integral mystery of why Guy Lester, a man unknown to Eve Forrester, gifted her a fortune. At first I thought Eve was an illegitimate child of Lester’s, but my guess was off the mark. I could understand the frustrations and suspicions cast on Eve on behalf of Lester’s family, but when the final reveal is made, it all falls into place. What a cracking secret it is! This element of the narrative is where Rhys truly glitters, I think she performed a significant amount of research into inheritance laws in France, at this point in time (confirmation of this is contained in the Acknowledgements section of the book). It completely captivated me!
Underneath the pivotal mystery of Fatal Inheritance is a slight hint of romance, but it never overshadows the procession of the main narrative. We explore Eve’s frustrations with her loveless and confining marriage. While in the Riviera, we watch Eve grow into her own skin and explore her desires, with surprising results! Rhys does a fine job of portraying this side of the novel.
I hope I have managed to convey how much this historical mystery novel enthralled me. I couldn’t have asked for a better read. I am declaring Fatal Inheritance one of my top reads of 2018. I’m so looking forward to seeing what Rachael Rhys composes next.
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
March 11, 2019
Three and a half stars
1948 and Eve Forrester receives a solicitor’s letter telling her a stranger has left her a mystery inheritance. To find out what it is she has to travel to the French Rivera. Her husband Clifford is less than thrilled with letting her go but will not take time off to go with her. Eve discovers her inheritance is a quarter share in a pink villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. But who could have left it to her? And why? The other three heirs, all members of the Lester family, are eager to sell and less than thrilled with Eve’s appearance on the scene. Eve is determined to try and find out why she has been left a share in the house and what connection her benefactor has to her. The Lesters and her husband are upset with her decision to stay. But Eve is adamant. She receives some threats before events turn dangerous.
It took me a while to get into this novel. I’m not a huge fan of reading about the rich and privileged, especially when most of them were fairy unlikable. Eve is one who has gone from what appears a difficult, solitary childhood where she feels little love from her mother to a loveless marriage. Both her mother and Clifford are unlikable and controlling so it is a shock to them when Eve asserts herself and starts making decisions that do not fit in with their ideas. She is enjoying being part of the glamour and glitz society where she meets with famous authors and film stars. Or at least she is, until what is fun turns deadly. The longer the story progressed, the more interested I became. Towards the end tension escalates. The way the story is resolved is well handled, Eve is a likable character and the setting well conveyed. Somehow though it just didn’t grab me quite as much as I expected, but it is still an enjoyable read.
1948 and Eve Forrester receives a solicitor’s letter telling her a stranger has left her a mystery inheritance. To find out what it is she has to travel to the French Rivera. Her husband Clifford is less than thrilled with letting her go but will not take time off to go with her. Eve discovers her inheritance is a quarter share in a pink villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. But who could have left it to her? And why? The other three heirs, all members of the Lester family, are eager to sell and less than thrilled with Eve’s appearance on the scene. Eve is determined to try and find out why she has been left a share in the house and what connection her benefactor has to her. The Lesters and her husband are upset with her decision to stay. But Eve is adamant. She receives some threats before events turn dangerous.
It took me a while to get into this novel. I’m not a huge fan of reading about the rich and privileged, especially when most of them were fairy unlikable. Eve is one who has gone from what appears a difficult, solitary childhood where she feels little love from her mother to a loveless marriage. Both her mother and Clifford are unlikable and controlling so it is a shock to them when Eve asserts herself and starts making decisions that do not fit in with their ideas. She is enjoying being part of the glamour and glitz society where she meets with famous authors and film stars. Or at least she is, until what is fun turns deadly. The longer the story progressed, the more interested I became. Towards the end tension escalates. The way the story is resolved is well handled, Eve is a likable character and the setting well conveyed. Somehow though it just didn’t grab me quite as much as I expected, but it is still an enjoyable read.
August 1, 2020
4.5 stars
Fatal Inheritance is a highly entertaining mystery set in the South of France following World War 2. Eve Forrester lives outside of London with her overbearing and boring husband. After learning she has been left a mysterious inheritance, she heads to the French Riviera to claim the bequest. Upon arrival, she discovers that she has inherited one-quarter ownership in a stunning villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea from an individual she does not know named Guy Lester. Determined to understand why she was given this gift, Eve decides to stay and investigate against the wishes of her husband and the dead man’s family.
Thrown into a world very foreign to her, Eve is fascinated and intrigued with the glitzy Riviera lifestyle and initially bends over backwards to try and please her unwelcoming hosts. As the story progresses, Eve escapes her shell and learns to stand up for herself while realizing that much of the wealth and privilege hide a darker underbelly. Her transformation is one of my favorite aspects of the book.
Rhys’s descriptions of the French Riviera following World War 2 are fascinating and add depth to an already intriguing tale. The fallout from the Nazi Occupation of France and that area particularly left residents and visitors questioning everyone’s allegiances, and Rhys weaves that bit of history seamlessly into her tale. Her descriptions of the Riviera itself and 1940’s-era famous residents such as Picasso will also delight the reader.
The mystery itself is very well done. The pacing is perfect, and the resolution is clever and realistic. Fatal Inheritance manages to accomplish what only well-written historical fiction can: the transportation of the reader to the glittering sun and sea where villas dot the coast and famous movie stars, writers and artists enjoy the decadence and beauty of the French Riviera.
Listen to my podcast at https://www.thoughtsfromapage.com for fun author interviews. For more book reviews, check out my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfro....
Fatal Inheritance is a highly entertaining mystery set in the South of France following World War 2. Eve Forrester lives outside of London with her overbearing and boring husband. After learning she has been left a mysterious inheritance, she heads to the French Riviera to claim the bequest. Upon arrival, she discovers that she has inherited one-quarter ownership in a stunning villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea from an individual she does not know named Guy Lester. Determined to understand why she was given this gift, Eve decides to stay and investigate against the wishes of her husband and the dead man’s family.
Thrown into a world very foreign to her, Eve is fascinated and intrigued with the glitzy Riviera lifestyle and initially bends over backwards to try and please her unwelcoming hosts. As the story progresses, Eve escapes her shell and learns to stand up for herself while realizing that much of the wealth and privilege hide a darker underbelly. Her transformation is one of my favorite aspects of the book.
Rhys’s descriptions of the French Riviera following World War 2 are fascinating and add depth to an already intriguing tale. The fallout from the Nazi Occupation of France and that area particularly left residents and visitors questioning everyone’s allegiances, and Rhys weaves that bit of history seamlessly into her tale. Her descriptions of the Riviera itself and 1940’s-era famous residents such as Picasso will also delight the reader.
The mystery itself is very well done. The pacing is perfect, and the resolution is clever and realistic. Fatal Inheritance manages to accomplish what only well-written historical fiction can: the transportation of the reader to the glittering sun and sea where villas dot the coast and famous movie stars, writers and artists enjoy the decadence and beauty of the French Riviera.
Listen to my podcast at https://www.thoughtsfromapage.com for fun author interviews. For more book reviews, check out my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfro....
July 28, 2018
Eve Forrester has a loveless and dull marriage with Clifford. Whilst he is not abusive, he seems totally unconcerned about her happiness and sucks all the joy out of life; there is no fun or spontaneous affection. He is very much a penny pincher and everything Eve has is old and worn. Eve is not an experienced or worldly person, although a previous relationship had shown her what love can be. She does not have a happy or loving relationship with her mother Mary and one of the reasons she married Clifford was to get away. Whilst wishing for more from life, Eve accepts her lot as the best she can expect and, rather sadly it seems, considers herself fortunate to find any man to marry her.
That is until she receives a letter out of the blue from solicitors. It appears that she has been left an inheritance by a man called Guy Lester but to find out more she must travel to the South of France. Eve has no idea who her benefactor is or what if any, his connection is to her or her family. Against Clifford’s advice, she decides to go and find out.
Set on the post war French Riviera in 1948, Eve finds a very different way of life. Having been used to rationing in England, the decadence and extravagance is completely alien to her. She finds herself mixing with the rich and famous – such a contrast from her life in Surrey with Clifford.
Life is not all sunshine and glamour though. She is resented and distrusted by the Lester family because she stands between them and their plans and it becomes clear that somebody wants her out of the way. As the outsider, Eve is unsure who she can trust. There is a sinister undercurrent; not just affecting Eve but also as a hangover from the war. Many French people in the area collaborated or colluded with the Germans during the war and as a result there is a lot of distrust by the French towards their own.
Fatal Inheritance is a beautifully written and captivating read with a nod to the glamorous parties and lifestyle of F Scott Fitzgerald. The locations are superbly described with sights and smells that evoke the senses. There are many strong characters which come to life and make the story so compelling, Gloria the Hollywood actress being just one. I was so engrossed that I read over half of the book in one sitting – I just couldn’t put it down until I’d finished. The main part of the story is told in the third person whilst a separate strand is narrated in the first person. The intriguing mystery that runs through the story kept me wondering and although I was convinced that I had worked out the who, I was completely stumped as to the why. When later on, certain events are revealed and loyalties are shown to be have been severely tested, I was willing Eve on to live the life that SHE wanted. Eve was an extremely engaging character and I loved seeing her gain in confidence.
Tammy Cohen has long shown her skill as a writer of psychological thrillers and suspense novels. Writing as her other persona, Rachel Rhys, she is clearly an extremely talented historical fiction author too. I adored this book and I can’t recommend it enough. It is just a gorgeous sumptuous read and will be one of my favourite books this year. Go get it!
That is until she receives a letter out of the blue from solicitors. It appears that she has been left an inheritance by a man called Guy Lester but to find out more she must travel to the South of France. Eve has no idea who her benefactor is or what if any, his connection is to her or her family. Against Clifford’s advice, she decides to go and find out.
Set on the post war French Riviera in 1948, Eve finds a very different way of life. Having been used to rationing in England, the decadence and extravagance is completely alien to her. She finds herself mixing with the rich and famous – such a contrast from her life in Surrey with Clifford.
Life is not all sunshine and glamour though. She is resented and distrusted by the Lester family because she stands between them and their plans and it becomes clear that somebody wants her out of the way. As the outsider, Eve is unsure who she can trust. There is a sinister undercurrent; not just affecting Eve but also as a hangover from the war. Many French people in the area collaborated or colluded with the Germans during the war and as a result there is a lot of distrust by the French towards their own.
Fatal Inheritance is a beautifully written and captivating read with a nod to the glamorous parties and lifestyle of F Scott Fitzgerald. The locations are superbly described with sights and smells that evoke the senses. There are many strong characters which come to life and make the story so compelling, Gloria the Hollywood actress being just one. I was so engrossed that I read over half of the book in one sitting – I just couldn’t put it down until I’d finished. The main part of the story is told in the third person whilst a separate strand is narrated in the first person. The intriguing mystery that runs through the story kept me wondering and although I was convinced that I had worked out the who, I was completely stumped as to the why. When later on, certain events are revealed and loyalties are shown to be have been severely tested, I was willing Eve on to live the life that SHE wanted. Eve was an extremely engaging character and I loved seeing her gain in confidence.
Tammy Cohen has long shown her skill as a writer of psychological thrillers and suspense novels. Writing as her other persona, Rachel Rhys, she is clearly an extremely talented historical fiction author too. I adored this book and I can’t recommend it enough. It is just a gorgeous sumptuous read and will be one of my favourite books this year. Go get it!
August 28, 2018
A few years after the end of the War, Eve Forrester is living a dull, monotonous life with with her husband Clifford. Her mother engineered the marriage after Eve lost her fiance, Archie, in the war and tells her that she should be grateful, that she is lucky to have a husband and a home of her own. Eve tries but she can’t quite manage it, because Clifford disregards her and is quite unresponsive to her efforts to be a good wife and to make a nice home for him.
One unexpected letter changes everything.
That letter comes from a solicitor in Cannes on the French Riviera and it tells Eve that Guy Lester has just died and he has left Eve a bequest that she must visit him to claim. Eve has no idea who Mr Lester was. Clifford is too busy to go, he doesn’t approve of married women travelling without their husbands; but as he likes the idea of a legacy, and as all her expenses will be paid, he agrees that Eve may go.
And so begins the story of Eve’s journey and her time in the South of France – a lovely period piece, threaded with mystery and intrigue.
She makes friends on the train, but the Lester family are less than pleased to discover that a complete stranger has inherited a quarter share of Guy’s family home, the Villa La Perle; and they have no more idea why than she does. Clifford is also unhappy when he learns that his wife will need to stay at the villa to deal with all of the necessary formalities and legalities.
Soon Eve finds herself mixing not just with Lester’s suspicious family, but with film stars, writers and artists, and a whole host of others. It’s a world away from the one Eve has left behind and it helps her to blossom in the warmth of the sun and to find the confidence to think and act for herself.
It was all lovely to see.
Eve realises she must uncover the history that brought her to the South of France; and that is when accidents began to happen and she begins to wonder if somebody wants her out of the way …
I was captivated from the first page to the last.
I was very taken with a wonderfully diverse characters. Every one was vividly drawn, and as the story progressed I realised that everyone of them had depth and complexity . It has to be said that some of them were not very nice people, but there were enough that were – who cared and would be good friends to Eve – to bring warmth of the story.
I felt the warmth of the sun too, and Eve’s life in her new world is so well drawn that I might have been beside her, seeing the same places and the same people, asking the same questions. Some of the answers that she uncovered made my heart lift and some of them made my heart fall. Some of them I foresaw, and some of them came as complete surprises.
The period is beautifully evoked, and the consequences of war in both countries are drawn out. England is austere and rationing is still in force while the south of France is warm and colourful, but still haunted by the ghosts of the Nazi occupation. The author has clearly thought about this and about how to use it into her story, and she has used it very well.
The characterisation of Eve was lovely, and watching her grow from a downtrodden housewife to a woman ready to set her own course in life was one of my favourite things about this book. I also appreciated the stories of other women living with the consequences of war. There was one who was coming to terms with the loss of one of her sons, there was another who Eve could see was making the same mistake that she had – marrying the wrong man because another one might not come along ….
Rachel Rhys deployed her whole cast of characters very effectively, she gave her story many different aspects, she caught her period and her settings beautifully, and she spun her slow-burning mystery story around all of that so cleverly.
There were times when I would have liked a little more subtlety, and there were characters and storylines that I would have like to have had a little more or a little less time and attention.
Those are minor points though.
The resolution of the story was exactly right; everything that needed an explanation had one, and the book as a whole worked very well indeed.
One unexpected letter changes everything.
That letter comes from a solicitor in Cannes on the French Riviera and it tells Eve that Guy Lester has just died and he has left Eve a bequest that she must visit him to claim. Eve has no idea who Mr Lester was. Clifford is too busy to go, he doesn’t approve of married women travelling without their husbands; but as he likes the idea of a legacy, and as all her expenses will be paid, he agrees that Eve may go.
And so begins the story of Eve’s journey and her time in the South of France – a lovely period piece, threaded with mystery and intrigue.
She makes friends on the train, but the Lester family are less than pleased to discover that a complete stranger has inherited a quarter share of Guy’s family home, the Villa La Perle; and they have no more idea why than she does. Clifford is also unhappy when he learns that his wife will need to stay at the villa to deal with all of the necessary formalities and legalities.
Soon Eve finds herself mixing not just with Lester’s suspicious family, but with film stars, writers and artists, and a whole host of others. It’s a world away from the one Eve has left behind and it helps her to blossom in the warmth of the sun and to find the confidence to think and act for herself.
It was all lovely to see.
Eve realises she must uncover the history that brought her to the South of France; and that is when accidents began to happen and she begins to wonder if somebody wants her out of the way …
I was captivated from the first page to the last.
I was very taken with a wonderfully diverse characters. Every one was vividly drawn, and as the story progressed I realised that everyone of them had depth and complexity . It has to be said that some of them were not very nice people, but there were enough that were – who cared and would be good friends to Eve – to bring warmth of the story.
I felt the warmth of the sun too, and Eve’s life in her new world is so well drawn that I might have been beside her, seeing the same places and the same people, asking the same questions. Some of the answers that she uncovered made my heart lift and some of them made my heart fall. Some of them I foresaw, and some of them came as complete surprises.
The period is beautifully evoked, and the consequences of war in both countries are drawn out. England is austere and rationing is still in force while the south of France is warm and colourful, but still haunted by the ghosts of the Nazi occupation. The author has clearly thought about this and about how to use it into her story, and she has used it very well.
The characterisation of Eve was lovely, and watching her grow from a downtrodden housewife to a woman ready to set her own course in life was one of my favourite things about this book. I also appreciated the stories of other women living with the consequences of war. There was one who was coming to terms with the loss of one of her sons, there was another who Eve could see was making the same mistake that she had – marrying the wrong man because another one might not come along ….
Rachel Rhys deployed her whole cast of characters very effectively, she gave her story many different aspects, she caught her period and her settings beautifully, and she spun her slow-burning mystery story around all of that so cleverly.
There were times when I would have liked a little more subtlety, and there were characters and storylines that I would have like to have had a little more or a little less time and attention.
Those are minor points though.
The resolution of the story was exactly right; everything that needed an explanation had one, and the book as a whole worked very well indeed.
July 27, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 5 rounded up!
Fatal Inheritance by Rachel Rhys is one of those books that has a slow, languorous feel to it, and I was in just the mood for that!
What it's about: It is 1948 and Eve Forrester lives in London with her husband in a marriage that is more of a transaction than one built on love. So when she receives a letter saying a complete stranger has left her something in his will, but she needs to travel to the French Riviera to find out what it is, she is more than happy to oblige (much to her husband's chagrin). But when she gets there, she finds more confusion than understanding. The stranger's widower and children want nothing more than to get rid of her, and the longer she spends trying to unravel the mystery of why she was left a quarter of a villa, the more her life seems to be in danger. What does someone want to hide so much that they want Eve dead? She will need to find out before anything happens to her...
Fatal Inheritance is a book to savor, and I really enjoyed the experience of reading it. Rhys' language reminded me of a heady summer day, which also happens to be the time of the year I think it should be read! This book is seriously a perfect one to read by any body of water; be it a pool, the sea, a lake, or the ocean. The French Riviera in the late 40s after World War II sounds like an interesting place to be, and Rhys really knew how to bring it to life.
I don't think this will be a fast read for too many people, and it took me almost 6 hours to read, but I enjoyed every second of it. There is glamour, romance, tragedy, wit - all things which I like to see in a summer read. The mystery in Fatal Inheritance was a really good one, and I would say the end definitely surprised me. I didn't know how things would turn out, didn't even have any guesses, and the ending packed a punch I was not expecting.
The characters in this novel are some that will evoke plenty of emotions in the reader. They all seemed complex and fully formed to me, and I loved Eve. She transformed throughout the book like a flower in spring, and I enjoyed seeing her bloom.
Song/s the book brought to mind: Bed of Lies by Nicki Minaj & Skylar Grey
Final Thought: If you are ready for a slower read and to be transported to the French Rivera then I definitely recommend checking out Fatal Inheritance. The historical fiction aspect was enlightening, the mystery mysterious, and the setting breathtaking. This was a joy to read and I can't wait to read all of this author’s other books including the psychological suspense novels under her own name. Overall, this gets a highly recommended from me!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Fatal Inheritance by Rachel Rhys is one of those books that has a slow, languorous feel to it, and I was in just the mood for that!
What it's about: It is 1948 and Eve Forrester lives in London with her husband in a marriage that is more of a transaction than one built on love. So when she receives a letter saying a complete stranger has left her something in his will, but she needs to travel to the French Riviera to find out what it is, she is more than happy to oblige (much to her husband's chagrin). But when she gets there, she finds more confusion than understanding. The stranger's widower and children want nothing more than to get rid of her, and the longer she spends trying to unravel the mystery of why she was left a quarter of a villa, the more her life seems to be in danger. What does someone want to hide so much that they want Eve dead? She will need to find out before anything happens to her...
Fatal Inheritance is a book to savor, and I really enjoyed the experience of reading it. Rhys' language reminded me of a heady summer day, which also happens to be the time of the year I think it should be read! This book is seriously a perfect one to read by any body of water; be it a pool, the sea, a lake, or the ocean. The French Riviera in the late 40s after World War II sounds like an interesting place to be, and Rhys really knew how to bring it to life.
I don't think this will be a fast read for too many people, and it took me almost 6 hours to read, but I enjoyed every second of it. There is glamour, romance, tragedy, wit - all things which I like to see in a summer read. The mystery in Fatal Inheritance was a really good one, and I would say the end definitely surprised me. I didn't know how things would turn out, didn't even have any guesses, and the ending packed a punch I was not expecting.
The characters in this novel are some that will evoke plenty of emotions in the reader. They all seemed complex and fully formed to me, and I loved Eve. She transformed throughout the book like a flower in spring, and I enjoyed seeing her bloom.
Song/s the book brought to mind: Bed of Lies by Nicki Minaj & Skylar Grey
Final Thought: If you are ready for a slower read and to be transported to the French Rivera then I definitely recommend checking out Fatal Inheritance. The historical fiction aspect was enlightening, the mystery mysterious, and the setting breathtaking. This was a joy to read and I can't wait to read all of this author’s other books including the psychological suspense novels under her own name. Overall, this gets a highly recommended from me!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
June 9, 2019
Picturesque, mysterious, and incredibly captivating!
Fatal Inheritance is an alluring, compelling tale predominantly set in the idyllic French Riviera during 1948 that takes you into the lives of the rich and glamourous Lesters. They are affluent. They are privileged. And like most families with money and power everything is not always as it seems and behind all the fame and fortune hides an abundance of lies, secrets, temptation, scandals, secrets, heartbreak and tragedy.
The prose is polished and lush. The characters are multi-layered, alluring, and materialistic. And the plot is a well-paced, sweeping saga filled with familial drama, love, loss, mystique, heartbreak, romance, rivalry, greed, red herrings and jealousy.
Overall, Fatal Inheritance is a beautifully crafted, exceptionally absorbing novel that transports you to another time and place and immerses you so thoroughly in the decadence, lifestyle, luxuries, and scandalous behaviour of the characters you never want to put it down. It is a true guilty pleasure and undoubtedly one of my favourite novels of the year.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Fatal Inheritance is an alluring, compelling tale predominantly set in the idyllic French Riviera during 1948 that takes you into the lives of the rich and glamourous Lesters. They are affluent. They are privileged. And like most families with money and power everything is not always as it seems and behind all the fame and fortune hides an abundance of lies, secrets, temptation, scandals, secrets, heartbreak and tragedy.
The prose is polished and lush. The characters are multi-layered, alluring, and materialistic. And the plot is a well-paced, sweeping saga filled with familial drama, love, loss, mystique, heartbreak, romance, rivalry, greed, red herrings and jealousy.
Overall, Fatal Inheritance is a beautifully crafted, exceptionally absorbing novel that transports you to another time and place and immerses you so thoroughly in the decadence, lifestyle, luxuries, and scandalous behaviour of the characters you never want to put it down. It is a true guilty pleasure and undoubtedly one of my favourite novels of the year.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 9, 2020
Too many plot twists to give a higher rating, though the historical feel for the south of France in the immediate post-war period is good.
July 16, 2018
I also mention this book in a recent blog post: Why do we read seasonal?
This book is coming out later in the month and despite having the worst strapline on the cover, I think it is a fun, summer read. It has touches of Mary Stewart and Patricia Highsmith and is just the kind of thing you want to read on a deckchair, cocktail in hand. Set in the glitz and glamour of post-war South of France, we have Eve, a proper fish out of water, who is dazzled by an unexpected inheritance, wanting to find out why this stranger left her something in his will. Needless to say: there is plenty of mystery, quite some danger and a light dose of romance. I loved it.
This book is coming out later in the month and despite having the worst strapline on the cover, I think it is a fun, summer read. It has touches of Mary Stewart and Patricia Highsmith and is just the kind of thing you want to read on a deckchair, cocktail in hand. Set in the glitz and glamour of post-war South of France, we have Eve, a proper fish out of water, who is dazzled by an unexpected inheritance, wanting to find out why this stranger left her something in his will. Needless to say: there is plenty of mystery, quite some danger and a light dose of romance. I loved it.
February 26, 2019
Eve, an unhappily married young woman, receives news of an inheritance from an unknown person. The result is Eve must travel to the French Riviera to learn exactly what she has inherited and from whom. The novel is so enjoyable with glamour, atmosphere, suspense, secrets and a bit of romance. I recommend this book!
March 28, 2024
Author spends too much time describing the surroundings every paragraph that it takes you out of the reading experience… very boring and annoying
The story dragged on and there was no tension or anything. I just wanted it to be over
The story dragged on and there was no tension or anything. I just wanted it to be over
August 14, 2018
One word : LOVE!!!! There. Now go and buy it.
I adored Rachel Rhys’ previous book, A Dangerous Crossing, and couldn’t wait to read more by her. I had super high expectations for Fatal Inheritance and needing to wait for the stunning hardcover to finally land on my doorstep was excruciating! However, within the first few pages I already knew it had most definitely been worth the wait.
There is something immensely captivating about the way Rachel Rhys writes and it only took minutes for me to find myself completely transported to 1948, where we are introduced to the character of Eve Forrester. To say Eve is a wee miserable might be a slight understatement. Caught up in loveless marriage and living in a grey London suburb in a gloomy house where nothing is to her taste, she often wonders if this is it. Is this the best it’ll ever be?
But then she receives a letter, telling her of an inheritance left to her by a wealthy stranger. To find out more, Eve needs to travel all the way to the south of France. But with a family resentful of her status as an heir, all is not fierce sunshine and lovely smelling flowers.
Set right after the second world war, there was no hardship at all in sympathising with Eve’s circumstances. After all, women had been doing their bit during the war, finding their own feet and surviving, doing jobs intended for men as they were off fighting. Yet now, they are expected to go back to being submissive. Eve’s husband, in particular, is incredibly domineering and highly unlikeable. Her trip to France, where she gets to mingle with celebrities and get a taste of how things could be, will change her life.
I’ve never been to the south of France but the gloriously vivid descriptions made it incredibly easy to imagine the sights, the scents and the feeling of the sun on my skin. Although considering I read this in the middle of a heatwave, the latter wasn’t too hard to do. The mystery as to who has left Eve this inheritance is slowly revealed throughout the story and while I did figure bits out quite early on, it didn’t bother me at all.
Fatal Inheritance is historical fiction from the top shelf. It’s mysterious and exquisitely written. One to savour and enjoy and be utterly immersed in. Did I mention I loved it? I absolutely can’t wait for more by Rachel Rhys!
I adored Rachel Rhys’ previous book, A Dangerous Crossing, and couldn’t wait to read more by her. I had super high expectations for Fatal Inheritance and needing to wait for the stunning hardcover to finally land on my doorstep was excruciating! However, within the first few pages I already knew it had most definitely been worth the wait.
There is something immensely captivating about the way Rachel Rhys writes and it only took minutes for me to find myself completely transported to 1948, where we are introduced to the character of Eve Forrester. To say Eve is a wee miserable might be a slight understatement. Caught up in loveless marriage and living in a grey London suburb in a gloomy house where nothing is to her taste, she often wonders if this is it. Is this the best it’ll ever be?
But then she receives a letter, telling her of an inheritance left to her by a wealthy stranger. To find out more, Eve needs to travel all the way to the south of France. But with a family resentful of her status as an heir, all is not fierce sunshine and lovely smelling flowers.
Set right after the second world war, there was no hardship at all in sympathising with Eve’s circumstances. After all, women had been doing their bit during the war, finding their own feet and surviving, doing jobs intended for men as they were off fighting. Yet now, they are expected to go back to being submissive. Eve’s husband, in particular, is incredibly domineering and highly unlikeable. Her trip to France, where she gets to mingle with celebrities and get a taste of how things could be, will change her life.
I’ve never been to the south of France but the gloriously vivid descriptions made it incredibly easy to imagine the sights, the scents and the feeling of the sun on my skin. Although considering I read this in the middle of a heatwave, the latter wasn’t too hard to do. The mystery as to who has left Eve this inheritance is slowly revealed throughout the story and while I did figure bits out quite early on, it didn’t bother me at all.
Fatal Inheritance is historical fiction from the top shelf. It’s mysterious and exquisitely written. One to savour and enjoy and be utterly immersed in. Did I mention I loved it? I absolutely can’t wait for more by Rachel Rhys!
November 11, 2019
4.5 rounded up
This was a wonderful book. Eve, a young woman living a dull life with a boring, somewhat older husband, has resigned herself to this existence having lost her true love in WWII. When she travels to the French Riviera after learning of an unexplained inheritance, her life starts to blossom. How is she connected to Guy Lester, the recently deceased man who left her the inheritance? Is this her chance to escape from her lackluster life or will things turn too dangerous first? Enjoy.
This was a wonderful book. Eve, a young woman living a dull life with a boring, somewhat older husband, has resigned herself to this existence having lost her true love in WWII. When she travels to the French Riviera after learning of an unexplained inheritance, her life starts to blossom. How is she connected to Guy Lester, the recently deceased man who left her the inheritance? Is this her chance to escape from her lackluster life or will things turn too dangerous first? Enjoy.
October 15, 2018
*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*3.5 stars*
Fatal Inheritance by Rachel Rhys. (2018).
It's 1948 and Eve is bored in a loveless marriage in a gloomy house in London. Out of the blue she receives a solicitor's letter advising that a wealthy stranger has left her a wealthy inheritance which turns out to be a share in a villa in the French Riviera. Suddenly her life is glamorous and she is rubbing shoulders with film stars and famous writers but there are also rivals to her unexplained fortune who want her out of the way. Eve must find out the story behind her inheritance...
This book was a fairly pleasurable read. I personally didn't quite understand some of the plot points - some things weren't followed up on as much as I would have liked. I also struggled to understand why most of the characters really didn't seem that interested in why Eve had received this inheritance; they seemed to have a slight curiosity and that was about it, they weren't fussed in helping Eve find out why. But other than that it's an enjoyable read with quite a few interesting characters. The mystery around the inheritance is absorbing and when the secret is finally revealed it is worth the wait as it's a very clever storyline.
This book has very impressive reviews on Goodreads - I think I went in with quite high expectations which may explain why I didn't enjoy it as much as others. It's definitely worth a read for those that are fans of historical fiction.
*Rachel Rhys is the pen-name of psychological suspense author Tammy Cohen.
*3.5 stars*
Fatal Inheritance by Rachel Rhys. (2018).
It's 1948 and Eve is bored in a loveless marriage in a gloomy house in London. Out of the blue she receives a solicitor's letter advising that a wealthy stranger has left her a wealthy inheritance which turns out to be a share in a villa in the French Riviera. Suddenly her life is glamorous and she is rubbing shoulders with film stars and famous writers but there are also rivals to her unexplained fortune who want her out of the way. Eve must find out the story behind her inheritance...
This book was a fairly pleasurable read. I personally didn't quite understand some of the plot points - some things weren't followed up on as much as I would have liked. I also struggled to understand why most of the characters really didn't seem that interested in why Eve had received this inheritance; they seemed to have a slight curiosity and that was about it, they weren't fussed in helping Eve find out why. But other than that it's an enjoyable read with quite a few interesting characters. The mystery around the inheritance is absorbing and when the secret is finally revealed it is worth the wait as it's a very clever storyline.
This book has very impressive reviews on Goodreads - I think I went in with quite high expectations which may explain why I didn't enjoy it as much as others. It's definitely worth a read for those that are fans of historical fiction.
*Rachel Rhys is the pen-name of psychological suspense author Tammy Cohen.
August 4, 2019
Review written August 4, 2019
4 1/2 STARS - Beautifully told + a great (SWE) narrator
Yes, yes, yes !!!
This was such a wonderful and captivating story.
**********************************************
Fatal Inheritance (in Swedish: Dödligt Arv) by a for me new writer Rachel Rhys, is a pretty new novel published last year.
I loved the feeling of Fatal Inheritance from start.
• It is set in a magical beautiful place in post war Europe back in 1948.
• We meet a 29 years old heroine, a bunch of odd and interesting characters and in the beginning a very strange and mysterious inheritance.
• It had it all; a complicated family story, a mysterious history, jealousy, betrayal, hidden secrets, infidelity and some cozy crime parts. It was also a nice feel-good feeling here, some heartwarming sweet love stories to care about and a in the end a remarkable heartbreaking great storyline there in the old shadows.
You could feel the rich and glamorous noblesse, those famous movie-stars from Hollywood and all these grand and lazy English and French people there on the French Riviera back then in the 40:s.
I just wish to go there and live in one of those grand white estates, swim in the Mediterranean and sip a good drink on a beautiful terrace now immediately.
Fatal Inheritance is really a good sweet, and in my opinion also a well told, story. It could maybe be labeled as a kind of mix between women fiction, cozy mystery and post war historical drama added with tiny bit of romance. This made me happy and I got hooked exactly a# I like a good book.
**********************************************
I was listening to the 12:36 hours audiobook so very beautiful and great narrated by Sofia Berntsson (a translated Swedish edition).
**********************************************
Will without doubt look for more stories by this author and of course also more audiobooks narrated by this narrator.
I LIKE - a feeling of old times and grand love
4 1/2 STARS - Beautifully told + a great (SWE) narrator
Yes, yes, yes !!!
This was such a wonderful and captivating story.
**********************************************
Fatal Inheritance (in Swedish: Dödligt Arv) by a for me new writer Rachel Rhys, is a pretty new novel published last year.
« London 1948: Eve Forrester is stuck in a loveless marriage, isolated in her gray and gloomy house when out of the blue, she receives a letter. A wealthy stranger has left her a mysterious inheritance but in order to find out more, she must travel to the glittering French Riviera. »
I loved the feeling of Fatal Inheritance from start.
• It is set in a magical beautiful place in post war Europe back in 1948.
• We meet a 29 years old heroine, a bunch of odd and interesting characters and in the beginning a very strange and mysterious inheritance.
• It had it all; a complicated family story, a mysterious history, jealousy, betrayal, hidden secrets, infidelity and some cozy crime parts. It was also a nice feel-good feeling here, some heartwarming sweet love stories to care about and a in the end a remarkable heartbreaking great storyline there in the old shadows.
You could feel the rich and glamorous noblesse, those famous movie-stars from Hollywood and all these grand and lazy English and French people there on the French Riviera back then in the 40:s.
I just wish to go there and live in one of those grand white estates, swim in the Mediterranean and sip a good drink on a beautiful terrace now immediately.
Fatal Inheritance is really a good sweet, and in my opinion also a well told, story. It could maybe be labeled as a kind of mix between women fiction, cozy mystery and post war historical drama added with tiny bit of romance. This made me happy and I got hooked exactly a# I like a good book.
**********************************************
I was listening to the 12:36 hours audiobook so very beautiful and great narrated by Sofia Berntsson (a translated Swedish edition).
**********************************************
Will without doubt look for more stories by this author and of course also more audiobooks narrated by this narrator.
I LIKE - a feeling of old times and grand love
June 12, 2018
I loved "A Dangerous Crossing " from Rachel Rhys, pen name of the incredibly talented Tammy Cohen and whilst I still love her psychological thrillers I have to say these stories are where her beautiful writing lives and breathes.
Fatal Inheritance is a classic family drama with hints of mystery done in such an absorbing and beautifully crafted manner that you just live the whole thing from the moment you start until the moment you, very reluctantly in my case, leave it behind.
The historical aspects are authentic, the setting of the French Riviera, post war, comes to vivid gorgeously described life, the glamour and the dark side, utterly compelling.
Into this setting comes Eve Forrester, leaving her rather dull husband behind her, trying to find out why a stranger to her has included her in his will. Here she meets his family, the Lester's, all suspicious of her and her motivations. Soon she is living an entirely different life to the one she knows but dark secrets abound and danger lurks.
The characters are truly memorable, one of the things I absolutely adored about this was how Eve came to change and adapt and finally discover her own self worth. She is a highly engaging character on her own but the group dynamic plays into the themes being explored and her growing relationships with all the people she meets along the way form the heart and soul of this novel. It is utterly riveting, totally addictive and highly immersive.
I'll never forget Eve. Or indeed Gloria who is one of the standout characters here amongst an extraordinarily strong cast. The sense of time, that post war era when everything and everyone was adjusting to a new reality is captured pitch perfectly and is hugely emotionally resonant.
Fatal Inheritance is a glamorous novel with a dark dark heart. I adored every minute of it and I genuinely can't wait to see what Rachel Rhys brings us next.
Highly Recommended
Fatal Inheritance is a classic family drama with hints of mystery done in such an absorbing and beautifully crafted manner that you just live the whole thing from the moment you start until the moment you, very reluctantly in my case, leave it behind.
The historical aspects are authentic, the setting of the French Riviera, post war, comes to vivid gorgeously described life, the glamour and the dark side, utterly compelling.
Into this setting comes Eve Forrester, leaving her rather dull husband behind her, trying to find out why a stranger to her has included her in his will. Here she meets his family, the Lester's, all suspicious of her and her motivations. Soon she is living an entirely different life to the one she knows but dark secrets abound and danger lurks.
The characters are truly memorable, one of the things I absolutely adored about this was how Eve came to change and adapt and finally discover her own self worth. She is a highly engaging character on her own but the group dynamic plays into the themes being explored and her growing relationships with all the people she meets along the way form the heart and soul of this novel. It is utterly riveting, totally addictive and highly immersive.
I'll never forget Eve. Or indeed Gloria who is one of the standout characters here amongst an extraordinarily strong cast. The sense of time, that post war era when everything and everyone was adjusting to a new reality is captured pitch perfectly and is hugely emotionally resonant.
Fatal Inheritance is a glamorous novel with a dark dark heart. I adored every minute of it and I genuinely can't wait to see what Rachel Rhys brings us next.
Highly Recommended
January 27, 2020
It is 1948. The war has ended and civilian life has resumed. People are trying to forget the recent atrocities. Eve, living in England, has moved on after losing her fiancé and love of her life to the war. She and her husband Clifford live a monotonous existence in a loveless marriage with very little fun and no friends. When Eve unexpectedly receives a letter from Antibes, France indicating she has inherited something from the late wealthy Guy Lester, she is surprised and curious. She doesn’t know anyone by that name so why would he include her in his will?
As the story focuses on this mystery, it is interspersed with the life of the rich and famous who now call Antibes their home. There are a host of entertaining and sometimes over-the-top characters who glide in and out of the plot including writers, actors, and rich socialites.
The writing was enticing and the setting descriptions painted a vivid picture of post-war glam in southern France. However, the characters lacked personality and seemed more caricature than real. I was keen to know how the mystery would resolve but wished more of the plot focused on the mystery itself. It felt that the vast descriptions of the lives of the rich and famous sometimes derailed the story. As a result, it was just an okay read for me. One that will mostly appeal to fans of period historical fiction.
I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
As the story focuses on this mystery, it is interspersed with the life of the rich and famous who now call Antibes their home. There are a host of entertaining and sometimes over-the-top characters who glide in and out of the plot including writers, actors, and rich socialites.
The writing was enticing and the setting descriptions painted a vivid picture of post-war glam in southern France. However, the characters lacked personality and seemed more caricature than real. I was keen to know how the mystery would resolve but wished more of the plot focused on the mystery itself. It felt that the vast descriptions of the lives of the rich and famous sometimes derailed the story. As a result, it was just an okay read for me. One that will mostly appeal to fans of period historical fiction.
I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2019
I saw this book on two different "beach reads" lists in various media, so I went for it. It really is good for a relaxed read, but it is meaty enough to be worth reading even indoors when it's pounding rain all week.
It was a pleasure to watch the main character Eve Forrester grow from a subservient, unhappy housewife in post-WWII suburban England to a strong and self-aware free woman in southern France. This happens because of a strange inheritance she receives from a man she doesn't know. This leads Eve to the French Riviera, where she encounters a lifestyle diametrically opposite to the dreary existence she was leading in England. It also leads to exposure of some significant secrets in her life that she never knew. This was a pretty satisfying story, not maudlin or trite as so many of these kind of novels can be. I will definitely look for other books by this author.
It was a pleasure to watch the main character Eve Forrester grow from a subservient, unhappy housewife in post-WWII suburban England to a strong and self-aware free woman in southern France. This happens because of a strange inheritance she receives from a man she doesn't know. This leads Eve to the French Riviera, where she encounters a lifestyle diametrically opposite to the dreary existence she was leading in England. It also leads to exposure of some significant secrets in her life that she never knew. This was a pretty satisfying story, not maudlin or trite as so many of these kind of novels can be. I will definitely look for other books by this author.
July 25, 2018
Oh what a sumptuous piece of historical fiction this is! I adored Dangerous Crossing which was the first book written by Rachel Rhys (the pen name of psychological thriller writer Tammy Cohen) and couldn’t wait to see if her second book lived up to the dazzling charm of the first. And I am so happy to report that, not only did I love it, I loved it MORE!!
Eve Forrester lives a dull, grey and loveless existence with her husband in post war Britain. So the delivery of a letter addressed to her is a real cause for excitement even though her level headed husband thinks nothing will come of the cryptic request to attend a meeting with a solicitor. But an unexpected inheritance means a journey to the jewel coloured waters of the French Riviera and the heady heights of mixing with the rich and famous. But someone isn’t happy with Eve’s turn of the wheel of fortune and wants her out of the way. Now Eve needs to follow the trail left by her mysterious benefactor to solve the secrets that have been kept hidden away for too many years.
I was immediately transported to the post war era when I started to read Fatal Inheritance. The sense of time and place came together so perfectly that by the time Eve was on the sleeper train traveling throughout France, I felt as though I had been transported back to the 1940s. My eyes were as wide as Eve’s as she first took in the sights of the beautiful French countryside, a country recovering from the ravages of the Second World War. Once at her destination she meets a variety of characters who are glamorous, rich and intriguing. All are charming and engaging, but there are undercurrents that Eve doesn’t understand. Slowly, mysteries are resolved and agendas are revealed as the plot unfolds. The central mystery was one I didn’t guess but that wasn’t the be all and end all of this novel and it was Eve’s journey of self discovery that became the main focus of enjoyment for me.
I became so involved in the beautifully written storyline that it was a shock when I finished reading it and I looked up from the pages to find darkness had fallen around me! This is an atmospheric and bewitching read that is perfect for your summer getaway. Read it on the beach, read it in the garden but do read it!
Highly recommended by me!
Eve Forrester lives a dull, grey and loveless existence with her husband in post war Britain. So the delivery of a letter addressed to her is a real cause for excitement even though her level headed husband thinks nothing will come of the cryptic request to attend a meeting with a solicitor. But an unexpected inheritance means a journey to the jewel coloured waters of the French Riviera and the heady heights of mixing with the rich and famous. But someone isn’t happy with Eve’s turn of the wheel of fortune and wants her out of the way. Now Eve needs to follow the trail left by her mysterious benefactor to solve the secrets that have been kept hidden away for too many years.
I was immediately transported to the post war era when I started to read Fatal Inheritance. The sense of time and place came together so perfectly that by the time Eve was on the sleeper train traveling throughout France, I felt as though I had been transported back to the 1940s. My eyes were as wide as Eve’s as she first took in the sights of the beautiful French countryside, a country recovering from the ravages of the Second World War. Once at her destination she meets a variety of characters who are glamorous, rich and intriguing. All are charming and engaging, but there are undercurrents that Eve doesn’t understand. Slowly, mysteries are resolved and agendas are revealed as the plot unfolds. The central mystery was one I didn’t guess but that wasn’t the be all and end all of this novel and it was Eve’s journey of self discovery that became the main focus of enjoyment for me.
I became so involved in the beautifully written storyline that it was a shock when I finished reading it and I looked up from the pages to find darkness had fallen around me! This is an atmospheric and bewitching read that is perfect for your summer getaway. Read it on the beach, read it in the garden but do read it!
Highly recommended by me!
June 13, 2018
An enjoyable frothy read perfect for unchallenging sunshine reading with a cocktail by your side... I kept having flashbacks to other books: The Enchanted April for Eve’s liberation from an almost comically uptight husband; a million romances where the love interest is flagged from the outset by his green eyes, broad shoulders, and seeming lack of interest in Eve... except for the fact he’s always turning up and whisking her off in his car.
There’s definitely a Cinderella-fantasy vibe about the whole thing as Eve steps out from her dowdy no-friends life in Sutton and straight into something far more glamorous and enticing in the Riviera where she’s insta-friends with a Hollywood starlet, a famous writer (who himself knows the Fitzgeralds and Hemingway) and is invited to parties thrown by a couple we assume are Edward and the previous Mrs Simpson, now simply dubbed the Duke and Duchess.
Throw in dark family secrets, the inserted voice of the now-dead Guy Lester, Nazis and Eve’s life being threatened and you have something that looks over its shoulder, vaguely, at the films of Hitchcock. I didn’t find this as gripping, subtle and engrossing as Rhys' A Dangerous Crossing but there’s certainly a deck-chair nearby just crying out for a book like this.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley
There’s definitely a Cinderella-fantasy vibe about the whole thing as Eve steps out from her dowdy no-friends life in Sutton and straight into something far more glamorous and enticing in the Riviera where she’s insta-friends with a Hollywood starlet, a famous writer (who himself knows the Fitzgeralds and Hemingway) and is invited to parties thrown by a couple we assume are Edward and the previous Mrs Simpson, now simply dubbed the Duke and Duchess.
Throw in dark family secrets, the inserted voice of the now-dead Guy Lester, Nazis and Eve’s life being threatened and you have something that looks over its shoulder, vaguely, at the films of Hitchcock. I didn’t find this as gripping, subtle and engrossing as Rhys' A Dangerous Crossing but there’s certainly a deck-chair nearby just crying out for a book like this.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley
Want to read
February 27, 2019The dazzling French Riviera is the setting of Fatal Inheritance. It's 1948 in London. Eve is living the life of an unremarkable wife in a stale marriage. One day, she receives a letter informing her that she has inherited part of a house on the Mediterranean. Shocked, Eve sets out to see this inheritance. Once she arrives, things go wrong. Other relatives are not happy to see this woman who has come to take their money away. Also, as the story unfolds, someone is out to get Eve. But, this is the French Riviera, so Eve has her share of glitz and glamour and romance along the way. This is a great post WWII read. It's well written and researched and entertaining. Eve is sympathetic, intelligent and likeable. Overall, I enjoyed this story. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2018
A truly spellbinding novel which brings the glamorous French Riviera to life during the late 1940s, a time when everyone wishes to put behind them the trauma and loss of the Second World War. Eve Forrester's story is engrossing as she discovers that the Rivera is not quite the paradise she was expecting. This is the perfect summer read and as beautifully written as you'd expect from the author of one of my favourite novels of recent years - Dangerous Crossing. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.
February 8, 2020
4.5 rounded up! Amazing from start to finish with a mystery that was very well played. Fatal Inheritance is a riddle which takes the complete novel to be solved but when all is finally revealed, it makes perfect sense and puts everything in a complete new picture. I can’t wait to get my hands on the author’s newest novel, Island of Secrets - due out June 2020.
June 29, 2019
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Hannah Lillywhite
Fatal Inheritance is a beautifully woven mystery that encompasses elements of Agatha Christie-style crime fiction and historical fiction to create a story that takes you on a journey to a more glamorous time where danger might be just around the corner…
It’s 1948 and we find our heroine Eve Forrester living a tediously dull life with her husband in post war England. Eve is stirred from her humdrum life by the news that she has been bequested a mysterious inheritance that finds her travelling solo to the glistening French Riviera. Here she befriends famous writers and movie stars that pull her into their lavish lifestyle of glittering parties, luxury villas, and intrigue. Eve must try not to lose herself in amongst the intoxicating decadence and instead focus on discovering the secrets behind her mysterious benefactor and his connection to her as this will lead Eve to delve into family secrets and lies that have remained buried for decade. However, Eve’s investigation is not appreciated by everyone and she begins to suspect that her life may be in danger.
The book is dotted with chapters told from the perspective of Guy Lester, Eve’s mysterious benefactor. In these sections we gain insight into his motivation for his bequest and his true connection to Eve. The tone of these chapters are very different to the rest of the book as they convey a sense of regret that the dying Guy Lester feels about the secrets hidden in his past.
Fatal Inheritance is the second book by celebrated psychological suspense author Rachel Rhys, and it is a perfect holiday read since its rich description transports the reader into a vivid Mediterranean summer that you wish would never end. The opulence and freedoms of the rich Mediterranean lifestyle are starkly juxtaposed against the harsh realities of the grey food stamp life of post war England that Eve has left behind.
Throughout the book we see a real growth in Eve with our protagonist transforming from someone who is passive in her own life into a strong and independent thinker. Eve has never really questioned her life until she sees it in contrast to the lives of the people she meets on her journey.
The plot is nicely paced with a slow leak of information, just enough to keep you guessing until the very end. The book drives you on to solve the mystery, but also at the same time you just want to float amidst the cool azure waters of the Mediterranean or sip a cocktail and take in your surroundings. Finishing this book will feel somewhat like coming home from a luxurious holiday!
Overall, I found this book a fabulous read from start to finish. It is the sort of book that immerses you so much in its landscape that you mourn the warmth of the sun over the French Riviera when you finish. A perfect book for anyone wanting a holiday with a dash of intrigue without even leaving the house.
Fatal Inheritance is a beautifully woven mystery that encompasses elements of Agatha Christie-style crime fiction and historical fiction to create a story that takes you on a journey to a more glamorous time where danger might be just around the corner…
It’s 1948 and we find our heroine Eve Forrester living a tediously dull life with her husband in post war England. Eve is stirred from her humdrum life by the news that she has been bequested a mysterious inheritance that finds her travelling solo to the glistening French Riviera. Here she befriends famous writers and movie stars that pull her into their lavish lifestyle of glittering parties, luxury villas, and intrigue. Eve must try not to lose herself in amongst the intoxicating decadence and instead focus on discovering the secrets behind her mysterious benefactor and his connection to her as this will lead Eve to delve into family secrets and lies that have remained buried for decade. However, Eve’s investigation is not appreciated by everyone and she begins to suspect that her life may be in danger.
The book is dotted with chapters told from the perspective of Guy Lester, Eve’s mysterious benefactor. In these sections we gain insight into his motivation for his bequest and his true connection to Eve. The tone of these chapters are very different to the rest of the book as they convey a sense of regret that the dying Guy Lester feels about the secrets hidden in his past.
Fatal Inheritance is the second book by celebrated psychological suspense author Rachel Rhys, and it is a perfect holiday read since its rich description transports the reader into a vivid Mediterranean summer that you wish would never end. The opulence and freedoms of the rich Mediterranean lifestyle are starkly juxtaposed against the harsh realities of the grey food stamp life of post war England that Eve has left behind.
Throughout the book we see a real growth in Eve with our protagonist transforming from someone who is passive in her own life into a strong and independent thinker. Eve has never really questioned her life until she sees it in contrast to the lives of the people she meets on her journey.
The plot is nicely paced with a slow leak of information, just enough to keep you guessing until the very end. The book drives you on to solve the mystery, but also at the same time you just want to float amidst the cool azure waters of the Mediterranean or sip a cocktail and take in your surroundings. Finishing this book will feel somewhat like coming home from a luxurious holiday!
Overall, I found this book a fabulous read from start to finish. It is the sort of book that immerses you so much in its landscape that you mourn the warmth of the sun over the French Riviera when you finish. A perfect book for anyone wanting a holiday with a dash of intrigue without even leaving the house.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 413 reviews