While I am certainly a fan of a good mystery, I wasn’t sure what to expect with my first experience reading a novel by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. With its unpredictable plot twists, relatable characters, and moments of romance and humor, I found the first installment of her popular series The Inheritance Games to be very interesting and fun.
In this book, seventeen-year-old Avery Grambs is used to being invisible. She lives with her half-sister Libby in Connecticut and works at a hole-in-the-wall diner to pay for rent. She gets good grades in school and doesn’t speak up, figuring it’s best to keep quiet. All she wants to do is finish high school, major in statistical risk assessment in college, then get a high-paying job so that she can finally travel the world like she always dreamed about.
However, all of this changes one day when a handsome stranger shows up at her school. This stranger, who calls himself Grayson Hawthorne, tells her that his billionaire grandfather left her money in his will. To receive this money, she will need to get on a plane and fly to Dallas, Texas for the reading of his grandfather’s will.
Of course, Avery is skeptical at first, since she has no idea who this “billionaire grandfather” actually is. Libby urges her to go, and finally manages to convince Avery to attend the will reading. Once she’s in Texas, however, there’s a bit of a shock—this billionaire has left almost everything to Avery, including all of his belongings and his gigantic mansion. He left almost nothing to his children, and even less to his grandchildren—four half-brothers who were each hoping to take over the mansion and take the money for themselves.
Who is this man? Why did he entrust billions of dollars to Avery? As Avery works together with the four brothers Nash, Jameson, Grayson, and Xander, she learns that this mansion may not be what it seems. Throughout the book, Avery uncovers mysteries, makes friends, and even makes a few enemies both inside and outside the mansion.
I personally really enjoyed this book. It’s a thrilling mystery with puzzles around every corner and unexpected answers to each one. The plot twists are hard to predict but often make sense later on. The characters are funny and relatable, sometimes to a point where you begin to laugh out loud. There is romance, but it’s not the main focus of the story, so if you prefer romance over mystery and puzzle games, this book may not be for you. The book is mostly action, moving you from one scene to the next so quickly that it’s easy to get absorbed in the adventure. If you’re a fan of fast-paced mysteries or rags-to-riches stories, this book may be one that’s hard to put down.
