The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a mysterious young adult novel, that delivers just enough spooky vibes for the Halloween season. The novel follows Avery Kylie Grambs take on the challenge of the Hawthorne family.
Avery, who living in her car to escape her sister’s toxic relationship after the death of her mother, balances her time between school and working at a whole in the wall diner to make ends meet and support herself. The last thing she expects is billionaire Tobias Hawthorne to leave her his entire fortune in his will. This opportunity comes on the condition that she moves into the sprawling Hawthorne estate which is littered with puzzles, secret passages, and jilted members of the Hawthorne family- all of which she cannot help but get wrapped up in.
Something that sets this mystery apart from others is the way the author goes about exposing the unknown. It starts out at a slower pace, all the information given is something that can be found in the blurb on the back cover. Once reaching the meat of the story line, where Avery is moved into the Hawthorne estate and familiarizing herself with the property, plot holes begin to appear. Usually plot holes are a sign of an incomplete story with a disappointing ending, but in this case, they add to the integrity of the mystery. So many loose strings are left hanging that it makes the ending so much more satisfying when they come together.
Another layer of this book that makes it a personal favorite of the mystery genre is the relationship that Avery forms with the four Hawthorne brothers. Each of the brothers has a completely different personality that appeals to Avery in separate ways. She forms more complex relationships with the two brothers closer to her age (Grayson and Jameson), while the eldest brother and youngest brothers (Nash and Xander) make delightful background characters.
The plot and set up of this book are perfect for newer readers or people who are looking for a quick mystery to set the mood for the spooky season. This also happens to be part of a trilogy, and after reading, you will have to know how the cliffhanger in the first picks up in the second.
