I was excited to read Fatal Inheritance (great title and the cover's beautiful!), as the blurb promised the kind of a story that I usually enjoy and I liked the author's books written under the name of Tammy Cohen. I must admit, I was disappointed. I didn't like the contrived writing style, the characters were cliche and the main mystery rather dull. This one was definitely not for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

This was a glorious read that transported me away! I loved it, as I have the author’s other work. A really summer sun lounger read that didn’t disappoint.

Prepare to be whisked away to the French Riviera in Rachel Rhys'(the pen name of psychological suspense writer Tammy Cohen) new novel Fatal Inheritance. A stunning read which will keep you guessing and have you gripped from beginning to end. This is the second novel from the author after last years brilliant A Dangerous Crossing and this new story is just as good and will have you rapidly turning the pages as you witness the main character Eve Forrester seek to decipher just why she was left an intriguing inheritance by a man she had never heard of until a letter arrives through her door from his solicitor.

This book has all the elements of what some would call a Golden Age mystery. The beautiful setting in which you think nothing untoward could ever happen. The family feeling desperately betrayed following the revelation that their father was not the man they believed him to be. The glamorous Hollywood starlet on a trail of self destruction, the at times drunken American writer attempting to complete his latest novel and those characters who at first seem all sweetness and light and who would do anything to help those in need but are they really? A perfect façade is about to be shattered, long buried secrets in more ways than one are about to come to light and through this process Eve will be taken out of her comfort zone but in doing this will she have stepped into a boiling pot of suspicion and danger never to emerge again?

Housewife Eve leads a dull life married to businessman Clifford. Her existence is one of routine and order where Clifford believes he is providing the best life possible for his wife. Instead Eve longs for a spark that has failed to ignite in her marriage. She is bored and unsatisfied so when an unusual letter arrives through her door requesting that she visit a solicitor her interest is more than piqued. Against Clifford's wishes she arranges a meeting and soon discovers she has to travel to the French Riviera if she desires to know more. Of course Eve views this with some trepidation but there is something within her driving her on, that desire to know more in the hopes something exciting will happen. Eve was very much like a fish out of water as she arrived in France and as she travels on the train to her destination she meets the Colletts, a couple travelling to the place where their son had been killed in action during World War Two only several years ago. I sensed the Colletts would have a pivotal role to play in the story and I was glad their introduction was a necessary one rather than having surplus to requirement characters.

Having led such a sheltered life Eve is amazed to discover that Guy Lester has left her a quarter share in Villa La Perle in Cap D'Antibes. This really does set the cat among the pigeons as his wife Diana and sons Noel and Duncan are not very happy. Who was Guy Lester and what connection does he have to Eve? This forms the basis of the novel but as events take on a more sinister edge it becomes apparent that someone wants rid of Eve. Why? What has she done? Who could it be and what are their motives? Are the family that desperate to sell the villa for funds that they would wish to see Eve gone unable to sign the necessary papers?

What I loved about this book was that the author established so many different strands to the story. Each character be it writer Stanley Sullivan, film starlet Gloria Hayes, art gallery owner Victor Meunier, or the sons Noel and Duncan all had their own storylines. As the layers to the story are peeled back and Eve delves a little deeper she sees that although she is out of her comfort zone that really this glamorous lifestyle with sunshine, drinking and sumptuous parties is all but a front for behind the glitz and allure there is a lot more going on than one would have first have thought. Will the title A Fatal Inheritance come to pass or can Eve unlock the past surrounding the surprising bequest before time runs out and things turn deadly?

I enjoyed how Eve was a normal woman living her life in England and then was taken out of her routine and comfort zone. She should have been totally out of her depth but she had spirit and wasn't going to let a bunch of people push her around and force her into signing papers so she would make a swift exit. Her inquisitive nature shone through and she was determined to find out what connection if any she had to Guy. This wasn't a fast paced read with bodies strewn across every chapter, that's not my kind of thing at all. Instead I felt everything was subtlety slipped in and would eventually lead to a dramatic conclusion when all would be revealed. The author drip feeds the reader tantalising teasers, hints and yes on reflection there were plenty of clues that I should have picked up on. I had vague notions as to two strands of the overall picture but never quite hit the mark with my predictions and that's what a good book packed full of mystery, puzzlement and secrets should contain.

I wouldn't have as enjoyed this book as much as I did if I was to have guessed everything early on. What was clever was to have brief chapters every now and again from Guy's perspective written a few months prior to the main events of the book. This gave an insight into Guy's state of mind and threw up even more questions rather than everything being answered so quickly and neatly. Although Guy had passed away, including said chapters gave his character a strong voice and allowed the reader to attempt to make connections to events in the present and to make sense of the man who meant so much to his family yet they are deeply hurt and let's be honest frustrated that he has left them with this predicament.

The connection between Guy and Eve could have been all to obvious and straightforward but bravo to the author for weaving a tale that didn't venture down such an easy get out route. The connection once revealed could have been viewed as being just that bit far fetched and unbelievable but instead I felt it fitted in perfectly with the overall story and really was quite ingenious. It opened up a whole can of worms for everyone and really Guy from up above was revealing an entirely new side to his character. I thinking he was hoping for redemption and forgiveness but given his early death couldn't have achieved it and in some way he hoped what was revealed in his will could achieve this.

Eve does undergo a transformation. At first I thought she was vulnerable and placing herself in a compromising situation, finding herself way out of her depth but she surprised me how much she acclimatised to the situation and danger that befell her. Maybe she was destined for this kind of life away from the banality of her existence in England but with so many strange and unusual goings on perhaps this new strand to Eve's life would be over before it ever began and before the truth could finally be revealed?

There is a reason Fatal Inheritance has appeared on lots of recommended summer reading lists this year and it's simply because this is the sort of read that will have many readers entertained and gripped as they sit on their sun loungers this summer and even beyond. It's impossible to stop reading once you begin and you are rooting for Eve right from the beginning. You can see the opportunities that await her if only with the help of new found friends she can overcome all the barriers placed in her way.

Rachel Rhys is brilliant at taking you on a journey of suspense and tension packed full of multi-layered characters and plots twists and changes with each turn of the page. It's atmospheric and you are with Eve every step of the way on the slippery slope to deciphering fact from fiction and truth from lies. This book comes highly recommended and whether you are lucky enough to be sitting by a pool on the French Riviera whilst reading it this will only enhance your reading experience. If you are sat in the sunshine in the back garden Rachel Rhys will take you to France for an exhilarating journey that will leave you desperately wanting more from this superb author.

I was such a huge fan of Rachel’s first book so I was very excited, though a little bit nervous, to read her second book. I needn’t have worried though as I thought this book was just as amazing.

The author has a fantastic way of taking the reader to another time and place so that they feel like they are actually there watching everything unfold themselves. I loved the vivid descriptions of life in the French Riviera at that time, the music, the fashion, the people were wonderfully described and helped me to envision it perfectly. The stunning natural beauty of the place is also beautifully described and I especially loved the descriptions of the wonderful sunsets Eve experiences, I’d love to have seen those myself.

Helen was a very sweet character that I found I felt quite protective about. I felt very sorry for her being in such a loveless marriage with a man who seemed to be quite controlling of her. I loved that she was getting to have time to herself and that she, at first anyway, was having such a great time as I felt she really deserved it. I felt very sorry for her when her wonderful new freedom was ruined as her confusion was almost palpable at times. I really wished I could stand up for her or give her a hug.

This isn’t a particularly fast paced novel, nor should it be. Instead the reader is given the chance to immerse themselves fully in the wonderful world Eve finds herself in and to get to know the characters very well. The mystery of who Mr Lester was and why he left the money to Eve was very intriguing and definitely helped keep me reading as I wanted to find out the answers.

This is the second book by Rachel Rhys I have read and I can’t wait to read more from her in the future. If you want a fantastic book to relax and lose yourself in then pick up this book.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Transworld publishers for my copy of this book.

Set in post war 1948 - Fatal Inheritance is overflowing with glamour and suspense.

When we first meet Eve her desolation and loneliness spill from the page, her husband Clifford is cold, unfeeling and rather quite loathsome. When she is given the opportunity to travel to the Riviera it is impossible not to find yourself cheering her on from the sidelines!

On arrival I, like Eve, found myself completely intoxicated by the lavish and exotic surroundings - the sun beating down on my neck as I read, the heady scent of flowers in bloom tickling my nose. The landscape so richly painted, the characters so intricately brought to life that you can almost taste the extravagance.

The wealth of the Lesters is fascinating and yet almost a little nauseating - their lives full of excess whilst the rest of Europe tries to recover in the aftermath of war and the destruction it caused. As Eve looks more closely at what initially seems like paradise the darker heart of this Mediterranean utopia is revealed.

Sophisticated with a splash of sunshine and more than a sprinkle of intrigue - Fatal Inheritance is the perfect companion for long blissful summer days - highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this book.

It's atmospheric, stylish and intriguing. The setting and cast of characters echoed vintage Agatha Christie, and the plot was full of suspense and pace.

My only criticism is that I felt the book continued for too long after the big reveal; I would have preferred it to be concluded more quickly after the climax of the plot.

Overall, a great read and I would definitely recommend this. Thanks for the proof.

England, 1948. When Eve Forrester is informed that a certain Guy Lester has mentioned her in his last will, she cannot make any sense of it. Her husband is not very happy about the news, especially since it means his wife will have to travel to southern France to attend the opening of the will alone since he cannot leave work. Mr Lester’s notary Bernard informs the unhappy housewife that she together with Guy’s three children is the heir of a Villa in Cap d’Antibes. None of them is very happy about this, especially since nobody understands how Eve relates to the rich and famous of the Côte d’Azur. Eve prolongs her stay there to find out what had happened and it is obvious from the start that there must be a link to her mother who refuses to talk. The longer she stays and the more she mingles with her new acquaintances, amongst them a famous film star, the farer away Eve gets from her old life. But still, what was Guy Lester’s motivation, what is the secret that had been kept hidden for so long?

Rachel Rhys’ historical novel is the absolutely perfect summer read. Escaping the heat to the south of France to a time long ago and a gorgeous place with villas and parties and people living a life which you don’t find anymore. Added to this, the story comes with a certain mystery which slowly unfolds and finally bursts with a big bang.

First of all, I really liked the protagonist Eve. She is quite a lovable, modest young woman who is fascinated and appalled by what she sees at the Riviera at the same time. The peoples’ lifestyle is so far from her own life that she never really adapts and sticks to her own values and convictions. Even though she is greeted with a lot of hostility and rejection, she doesn’t forget her upbringing and manners. Just like at home, she feels a bit lonely and forlorn which make the reader stay on her side and support her against all the rest. The longer she is away from her husband, the more confident and independent she grows and I really appreciated the woman we see at the end of the novel.

The mystery was also very well played. It is all but obvious what had happened in England long time ago and the small pieces of information you get, just refuse to fall into place. It’s a riddle which takes the complete novel to be solved but when all is finally revealed, it makes perfectly sense and puts everything in a completely new picture.

All in all, an absolute joy to read and to indulge in on a hot summer day.

A beautifully written story of a bygone era. The characters and settings are richly described and endearing. The story features love, mystery, glamour, personal strength and growth.

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.

Fatal Inheritance – there’s something deliciously thrilling about a title like that, so I was dying to read it. I was even imagining sitting in a yellow swimsuit and mirroring that lady’s pose whilst doing so, but the novel is so evocative of place that I didn’t need to thankfully.

Imagine being left a legacy – a home – possibly more, in the South of France. Imagine not knowing who this man is or why you have been even mentioned in his will, let alone been gifted something such as this.

Now add the golden era of the actors and actresses swarming along the French Riviera, post war, when outsiders were viewed more suspiciously than most, when everyone, rich or poor was adjusting to a new post war world, and in a place where glamour is second nature to some, until the dark shadows appear overhead.

I found Eve, the main character utterly engaging as she left her pathetic husband and came looking for freedom and insight into this Fatal Inheritance. The people she meets, the relationships she forms and the unexpected sting in the tail…Rachel weaves and twists those group dynamics until there’s not a drop of clarity left…and that’s what’s so gripping. Who are these people, what are they and how does Eve fit in with it all?

Two worlds collide and the fallout is emotional and strong.

Grab a cocktail and head to the French Riviera but be careful as that jolly colourful umbrella poised in your glass might well stab you in the eye or indeed heart…

Rachel Rhys last novel, Dangerous Crossing, was one of my top reads last year and this book will be joining it this year. I didn't even bother to find out what it was about, I just knew I loved Dangerous Crossing so jumped at the chance to read it. With that glorious cover - who could resist? So it was an unexpected pleasure to discover it is set largely in France - where I was on holiday reading it. And it was just the perfect book to read in the hot sunshine.

Eve is married to the rather dry and stuffy Clifford when she receives news of a completely unexpected inheritance from someone she doesn't know. She has no idea of any connection between herself and Guy, who has died very suddenly so didn't meet her to be able to explain. Chapters from his point of view interspersed with the main narrative give tantalising hints of what's behind the mysterious bequest. She has to go to the south of France to meet his family and find out more about the bequest. There she discovers a whole new way of life, a glamorous life she had never dreamed of, but it seems that her life could be endangered by this bequest. Her mundane married life in England pales in comparison to the glitz and glamour of the Riviera, mixing with authors, artists, film stars and millionaires. It's a million miles from her previous experience so no wonder Eve is dazzled and entranced.

Fatal Inheritance is wonderfully atmospheric and rich in detail. It brings to life the decadence of post-war Riviera life in a very visual way. I could see this making a wonderful film or tv series. It certainly had the feeling of a Golden Era thriller, as is rightly mentioned on the back of the book. It felt to me like an Agatha Christie style novel: classy and elegant. And quite the enthralling thriller it is too, with so much mystery and so many people with unexpected secrets being uncovered. I was completely captivated by Rachel Rhys' writing.

Fatal Inheritance is a stunning, evocative read and I highly recommend you add it to your summer reading lists.

I don't tend to read historical fiction unless it's intermingled with the present, so this book didn't jump out at me when it arrived (despite the Australian edition's beautiful cover). However, I decided I'd give it a go as there was something about the blurb that made me think about Agatha Christie's A Caribbean Mystery, Evil Under the Sun or The Mystery of the Blue Train.

Fatal Inheritance by Tammy Cohen (writing as Rachel Rhys) wasn't really a hardcore whodunit requiring a Belgian detective or woolly but whip-smart spinster however. Instead it's an intriguing story with delightful characters and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

In reality there was no edge-of-the-seat suspense or murderous mystery to be solved (other than one that pops up toward the end). There is the intriguing question though of 'why' Eve has been left money in the will of someone she's never met. Naturally the family initially assumes she's one of Guy Lester's many (many) trysts, then later.... perhaps a resulting lovechild?

Which was a bit awkward cos - I was kinda hoping she was going to leave her boring and belittling husband (Clifford) for Guy's oldest son... the Mr Darcy-like brooding and slightly-contemptuous-but-secretly-nice Noel. (And of course the brother-sister thing would put the kibosh on that!)

Although once the mysterious Victor Meunier appears on the scene Eve is quite bewitched.

As Eve's enjoying her Cannes escape (Shirley Valentine-style) and soaking up all the French Riviera has to offer, there remains the background fascination of the source of her good fortune and Eve finds herself intrigued enough to go against her husband's wishes, deciding to stay and sort it out.

The backcover blurb hints at danger, but it's probably an overstatement, though there is an evil (of sorts) afoot - completely separate to the mystery of Eve's inheritance. Kinda.

We do eventually uncover that mystery. It's probably something that's hard to solve although we're given a few hints as to the potential past secrets.

Rhys offers readers some great characters: perhaps a little cliched at times, though I loved the droll American author (Sully) who befriends Eve and the Hollywood starlet set to marry a well-bred local, as well as the fairly down to earth (and very kind) family Eve meets on The Blue Train.

Guy, his wives and children were understandably suspicious of Eve and not-all-together pleasant... and I was reminded a little of a TV show I watched, Riviera - which also centred around the beneficiaries (ahem) family of a wealthy man after an unexpected death.

I liked that Rhys takes Eve out of her comfort zone and into a world of aristocracy as well as the rich and famous but keeps her feet firmly planted...

"How must it be to dream of a life of luxury and society lunches and charity balls and a handsome, wealthy husband, and then to get it all and more? How great a vacuum must the loss of that dream in a life that has been entirely geared up to its attainment?" p 257

I particularly enjoyed the ordinary-ness of Eve.

Sure, she was apparently lovely with a kind and pleasant disposition, but there were no secret talents or expertise, or anything in particular that set her apart from her contemporaries.

Depressingly she'd 'settled' for marriage after her previous fiancee was killed in the war.

"For years, growing up, she dreamed of someone coming to rescue her from her life, but no one came, and she settled for Clifford because he was the best thing available." p 177

I bookmarked this sex scene between Eve and Clifford. I'm usually a serial eyeroller when it comes to awkwardly blunt or overly flowery sex scenes - this one however I ADORED!

"He reaches up suddenly and switches off the light so that they are plunged into darkness. There follows the usual silent manoeuvring of pyjama bottoms then he is inside her so abruptly she exclaims 'Oh,' and then just as abruptly he is finished and out again, with only a trickle on her thigh to show he was ever there." p 15

*Snigger*

This is an enjoyable read with a really likeable lead, an interesting central plot and enough other stuff happening in the background to keep readers intrigued. Rhys's writing is really accessible and engaging and hit the mark in terms of reflecting the language and feel of the post-war years as there was indeed a strong sense of newfound frivolity mixed with gratitude and relief.

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.

I completely immersed myself in this novel about secrets, unexpected inheritance, celebrity parties, and the beautiful south of France. The protagonist of the novel is Eve Forrester, a woman who travels to the Riviera to find out more about the unexpected inheritance she just received. Eve’s life is quite dull, spending her days waiting for her husband to come home from work, so, when Guy Lester, a man she’s never heard of, leaves her a share in his house in the south of France, she can’t wait to escape her boring suburbia life to spend time partying and sunbathing among actors and writers. While she quickly finds new friends in Sully, an American author, and the Cornell family, Eve is not welcomed by the Lesters who are surprised as much as her that their father left her a share in their house. And, while she tries to find out more about her connection to Guy, there is also someone who is trying to get rid of her.

I really liked the character of Eve. It was fascinating to watch her change and become her own person when she arrives to the Riviera. She is no longer the young woman eager to please her husband and her mother – with whom she has a complicated relationship – and I rooted for her as she refused to go back to England to her husband and delayed the sale of the house until she found out more about the mysterious inheritance.

The novel is set in 1948, right after World War II, and the author perfectly depicts an Europe still trying to recover, from parents grieving for their children died in battle to suspicion towards people believed to be linked to the Nazis. But the Riviera is full of wealthy people looking to forget all of that with actors and writers partying and remembering the golden age before the war (I loved the references to the Fitzgeralds and the Murphys).

I am ashamed to admit that this is my first novel by Rachel Rhys (who writes also under her real name Tammy Cohen), but I plan to catch up soon, because I really enjoyed her riveting and engrossing plot, her atmospheric setting, her engaging characters, and her captivating writing style, and I’d like to thank Alison Barrow and Transworld for providing me with a proof of this charming and entertaining novel.

Eve is living in a drab suburb in post-War London, trapped in a loveless marriage to a deeply unpleasant man, when she receives a letter alerting her to an inheritance that comes out of the blue: a man she's never heard of, Guy Lester, has left her a share in his villa in Antibes. Travelling to the Riviera alone, she is able to shake off the fetters of her previous life as she encounters a range of characters (who, unfortunately, rarely develop beyond archetypes): the glamorous but troubled Hollywood star, the Hemingway-esque American author, the bitter widow, and the charming art dealer, amongst others.

However, I can't fault Rhys' evocation of place, with Antibes being brought to glowing, sun-soaked life by her prose. In this it reminded me of Mrs Hemingway by Naomi Wood, which would make an excellent reading partner with Fatal Inheritance, as would Elizabeth Von Arnim's An Enchanted April. Although I found the tension of the central mystery somewhat lacking (surprisingly, as Rhys is a pseudonym for best-selling thriller writer Tammy Cohen), it would still make a marvellous holiday read.

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.

There are some writers I just *know* I’ll enjoy right off the bat and Rachel Rhys is one of them. One because I’ve always enjoyed the work of her alter-ego, Tamar Cohen and two because I lovedlovedloved her last book, A Dangerous Crossing, a glamorous mystery set aboard a 1930s ship on a long-haul journey.
Fatal Inheritance is no less glamorous, set in the South of France in 1948. It’s heroine, Eva Forrester finds herself staying in a beautiful villa after she becomes the beneficiary of the will of a man she’s never met and never heard of. Escaping from her dull suburban Sutton life and her irritatingly boring husband (as well as an overbearing monster of a mother) and desperate for an escape from dull post-war Britain still in the grasp of rationing and greyness, Eva grabs the opportunity to experience adventure and a new, if temporary, life surrounded by writers, socialites and film stars, acutely aware of the feeling that she doesn’t belong in such a social stratosphere.
There’s also the added stress of the family of the man who left her a share in the gorgeous house; acutely suspicious of who she is and how she became involved in their affairs, Eva must pick her way around family jealousy and hostility- as well as battling someone who definitely wants her out of the way. It’s a lot of work when you’re also trying to work out just why your benefactor chose you- especially when you have your husband demanding you return home and the wedding of the year to attend.
This is a stylish novel that I found absolutely gripping. I mean, who needs sleep, right? It was too hot to sleep well anyway. I loved how Eve navigated a world that she was so unprepared for- I really felt for her, because most of us would probably be exactly the same. I would love to see this as a film adaptation because it is SO perfectly suited to the screen, I can just imagine the gorgeous costumes and settings now. Please can someone make this happen?
This novel is getting a lot of love as a holiday read and I agree that it’s definitely one to keep you hooked from beginning to end. If you like your mysteries elegant and grown up, with a hint of sparkle and a relatable protagonist, this is definitely a book you need to read.

An perfect summer read! In the vein of Agatha Christie, this sumptuous thriller is totally addictive. Great read.

Wow! This is a knockout of a book. Very Hitchcockian and Highsmith-esque with a delicious building of tension throughout and set on the beautiful French Riviera.

In the first few chapters we are whisked away with Eve, the main character, on a mysterious and excitingly luxurious train trip to the south of France. The place itself is as mysterious and stunning as the characters in the novel.

Strangely, this is the second book that I have read this month about a mysterious inheritance that draws the female lead in and ends up being about a lot more than the money.

This is a well-written historical thriller. Without giving anything away, the denouement was much more satisfactory than I had anticipated and more complex.

I will certainly now be reading Rachel Rhys's (nom de plume) other book: A Dangerous Crossing and I would highly recommend this current book.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and Rachel Rhys for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you read Dangerous Crossing last year as I did, you will surely enjoy Fatal Inheritance which is another historical suspense novel. It is well researched and set in the 1948 Côte D’Azur which was great as I was able to immerse myself in this wonderfully atmospheric setting.
Eve is trapped in a loveless marriage in post war London where everything is dark and food and clothing are still rationed.
One day she receives a letter from a solicitor and she discovers that she has inherited something from a man called Guy Lester, someone she has never heard of. The catch is that she must travel to the South of France to visit his notary and claim her inheritance.
Her stuffy husband Clifford decides he cannot leave his business to accompany her so Eve has to travel alone.
Arriving in France, Eve begins to experience a completely different lifestyle, meeting the Lester family, film stars and rich socialites. In a few days she has settled in and resolves to discover what connection there is between the Lesters and her own family. However not everyone is pleased to help her and the inheritance itself seems to attract danger.
We discover the easy route of asking her family is not open to her as she is not close to her Mother,
finding her cold and uncaring and her father is dead.
I do not want to reveal too much of the plot for fear is spoiling the story. Suffice it to say the book had me gripped as I raced through it desparate to find out the link between Eve and Guy.
I liked the way the author injected some sections written by Guy Lester before his death as this ratcheted up the tension.
Like Dangerous Crossing this book has a wonderful cover which really captures the spirit of the novel.
This is a great read and would be perfect for the beach due to its holiday setting and compelling nature. Be sure to reserve your copy when it is published next month.
Thanks to a NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.