Member Reviews

The Agarwal Family get together for a family reunion - Raj - patriarch, Shalina - Mother, Myra - eldest, Aseem - middle child and Aisha - youngest - on a private island off the coast of Scotland. Raj has been ill and his son, Aseem has been looking after the wealthy family's business and is in the process of looking for a buyer to take on the business for his father. The sale will take of the children for life! Throughout the story, I found it was dark, menacing and full of threats to their future lives! It was well written and the characters are flawed, full of secrets and lies, All I can say is, all the sub plots tie neatly with a surprising ending.

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The Agarwal family are all staying on Myra’s island on the west coast of Scotland.

Raj is planning on selling his business and the trip is to determine who is getting what from the sale.

Aseem has been running the business since his father took ill, which knocked all his own plans on the head. His wife, Zoe, is determined that they will get a decent share of the money.

Aisha is the baby of the family, and seems to head from one disastrous relationship to the next.

This story is entertaining and it was very hard to work out who did what! Many secrets and lies slowly spilled out turning everything upside down in what I thought I knew.

A well crafted story that had me turning the pages as quickly as possible.

A deliciously dark thriller that kept the shocks coming right to the end.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

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Loved this book from the very start. It is the story of two generations of the Agarwal Family. For them family comes first. The relationships are close, but perhaps all is not as it seems.
I liked the fact that I did not work out how all the pieces fit together.

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Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

This book started off well and I thought I would enjoy it very much but then I felt that it flagged a bit. It is one of those books which keeps referring to the mysterious pasts or secrets of characters, in this case nearly everyone has a secret but we don't find out about anyone's secret until nearlt 3/4 of the way through the book. i find constant references and hints without any revelations to be very annoying. When the reveals come, they are fairly mundane..

The characters seemed fairly well drawn if all too recognisable - the overly dutiful oldest son; the girl from the poorer background who marries into wealth; the wild child younger daughter; the interfering mother in law; the couple with reproductive difficulties but I thought their interactions and dialogue seemed generally authentic. I found the whole situation with Myra and her employing staff without checking references etc., to be unlikely. Even if she, herself, was preoccupied, surely she could have used some sort of vetting service?

I was not entirely convinced by whodunnit and felt that the "Now" chapters did not chime very well with what we knew about that character.

The actual resolution to who was blamed for the murder did not sit well with me at all. It is one thing for someone to be a willing sacrifice but what happened here, left a very sour taste.

Overall, not a bad read.

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This is a brilliant read! A really well thought out and clever story. The storyline is incredibly well plotted with plenty of well timed twists and turns that all work perfectly together to weave a brilliant story that keeps surprising you right to the end. I love it when I read a psychological thriller knowing that someone has been murdered and knowing that it could be any of the characters as they’re all equally capable and all have a motive! A highly recommended read.

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I absolutely loved this book! It's full of drama, distrust, so many twists and one hell of a finale! This is the first book I've read by Trisha Sakhlecha, but it definitely won't be the last.

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Family dynamics truly on show at their rawest in this storyline, I really enjoyed it and got draw in very quickly, wondering who did was murdered and by whom. It wasn't a jaw dropping revelation personally, it wasn't who I thought it could be but it wasn't a complete twist.
The story follows the Agarwals, Raj the father owns a multimillon-dollar Delhi-based company currently being run by Aseem following Raj's health scare a few years previously.
Raj is about to announce his succession plan ahead of his retirement, they travel to the eldest daughters Myra's private island off the Scottish coast for a family get together. Myra is holding her own secrets, she is on the verge of bankruptcy and in desperate need of her inheritance to keep her afloat.
Aisha, the trouble child turns up with a new boyfriend Gabe, being accepted by the Agarwals should be earnt, his smarmy ways don't earn him any friends unfortunately.
They all have their lies and secrets to protect, it could be any of them that becomes a victim of their greed.
Family dynamics truly on show at their rawest in this storyline, I really enjoyed it and got drawn in very quickly. The author was very clever to unfold new secrets and lies, making it harder to know who was murdered and by whom until the last few chapters, it was only in the end chapter that I guessed who it could be, this didn't detract from the storyline as until this point I wasn't sure.
Thank you NetGalley, Trisha Sakhlecha and Random House UK, Cornerstone for this ARC, all opinions expressed are my own.

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This is the first book by Trisha Sakhlecha I have read and I enjoyed the storyline. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

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I enjoy a story about a "holiday" on an isolated island with family secrets ready to spill and the suggestion that not everyone will return safely. However I was wondering if I'd maybe read too many and there were no new angles left. I was therefore pleasantly surprised by this book which was a well written page turner with some satisfying twists and peopled by some very flawed characters..
I havent read anything by this author before, so was pleased to discover a new writer and look forward to reading more of her books
Thank you to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book

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This is a new and welcome author for me. The privileged and wealthy Agarwal family gather to celebrate 40 years of marriage for the parents on the remote Scottish island owned by the eldest daughter. The menacing atmosphere together with the claustrophobic family dynamics set the scene for the twists and turns of the weekend. Told from a multi point of view, the secrets and lies and the extreme manipulation by both parents provide a shocking conclusion. Compelling and dark, I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend.

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The Agarwal family have gathered on a private island off the coast of Scotland, to celebrate their parents wedding anniversary, but this family reunion will end in murder.

This is not an author that I am familiar with, and domestic type thrillers don't usually appeal to me. However the blurb hooked me in so I said I'd give it a try. Make no mistake, this is not your typical domestic thriller. It is engaging throughout, and the characters are brilliant, each with a backstory that has secrets to hide.

The story is told from the point of view of two different characters, Myra and Zoe. Myra is the eldest of the Agarwal sibling, and gives a good insight into the family. Zoe is married to one of the Agarwal siblings, and through her we get a great insight from an "outsider". We know from the very beginning that something bad has happened. The story then goes back three days to tell us what happened in the lead up. I had so many theories of what had happened, but none of them were right.

I highly recommend this book, and I'll certainly be checking out more offerings from this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Ok, set on a Scottish island, a family of rich businessman come together to celebrate their parents wedding anniversary and for business reasons as the company is to be sold. The book is told from 3 points of view, Zoe, the son's wife and an online influencer , Myra the eldest child and the owner of the island and an unknown person who says little. The family is mostly obsessed with money and looking after family interests. They have had their troubles throughout the years and all have their own secrets. I can't say that I particularly cared for any of them. I had been hoping for more description of a Scottish island, but the owner is determined to make it into a luxury resort. The plot is quite twisty and some one does die, not who I expected. The action is mostly in the last couple of chapters.
I did not really engage with the book, characterizations did give some insight into the family members but you have to wait too long to find out their histories which explains why they are in the situation they are in. Rather than drawing out the suspense, I found it reduced the affinity I had with any of the family. I was at the point a couple of times where I didn't want to carry on with the book, but did finish it. Not sure if it is that believable.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

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This is a fabulous book and the story twists as various voices tell the events.

Zoe is married to Assem, they have been living with his parents in Delhi, it is expected that his father is going to hand over the business to him. There is a family meeting on a Scottish Island that Myra owns, she has helped her father in the past with his business. Aisha is the youngest of Aseem's family, she has arrived with her latest beau, and this shocks the family as they were expecting to discuss family matters.

This book is effectively a clash of characters and personalities. Each has their viewpoint, perspective, expectations and wishes for their future. Their parents, Raj and Shalini have built up a business, they have brought up their children to be respectful and for the most part, have made sure that they are a family unit and there are traditions and customs to follow.

As the family get together it soon becomes apparent that things are frayed around the edges. There is a family secret that plays a huge part in this story and it is one that I am not going to mention as it hovers over the family.

Zoe has married into the family, but she is a Western woman being part of a successful Indian family. She was originally the best friend of Aisha, before getting to know Aseem. Aseem is very respectful of his parents and what they require of him. But why is he the only one of the three siblings who spends all of his time living with and working for his parents? His dreams and those of his wife are on hold.

I really enjoyed getting to know the characters, there are some that you are obviously going to like more than others, but I found by the end of the book, my opinion of some had changed. There is one main secret, but that is not the only one. The author gradually reveals more and more about each of the characters and to a certain extent there are explanations as to what they are.

This is a character-led story and one that had me hooked, it is a crime and mystery but it also has a psychological side to it. Full of mystery and secrets, lots of twists and one that I would happily recommend.

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The Inheritance is about family intrigue, with characters who are pretty unlikeable but nevertheless interesting. A wealthy Indian family gather together one weekend on a remote Scottish island to celebrate the wedding anniversary of their parents, Raj and Shalini. Children Aseem, Myra and Aisha are expecting their father to announce his retirement plans and consequently hope to hear news of their inheritance. The story is told from the point of view of Myra, who owns the island, and Zoe, Aseem's wife, who is an outsider. A murder takes place but it's not until much later in the book that it becomes part of the story and this slows down the narrative. Overall I found The Inheritance rather disappointing.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK/Cornerstone for the opportunity to read and review this book.

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What I really liked about this book was the way the reader discovered a lot about the Agarwal family before any bodies were found!
Myra, part of the wealthy Agarwal family has invited the family to her Scottish island to celebrate their parents forty years of marriage. The three remaining children are expecting their father to sell his business and distribute the proceeds between his children.
As chapters are written from. The perspective of different family members, so the tension and menace grows.
I found this a gripping read, one very hard to put down.

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A remote Scottish island. A wealthy, dysfunctional family. The promise of an inheritance announcement. Trisha Sakhlecha's new novel pieces together the perfect components for a locked room murder mystery thriller, and it delivers a whole lot more.

On the surface, the Agarwals seem like a regular, close-knit family - admittedly, with a little more money than the average. Raj and Shalini are parents to Aseem, Myra and Aisha, and the story is told using two narrators, Myra and Zoe, Aseem's wife.

The story takes place over one long weekend, when the wealthy, globetrotting family have come together, supposedly to celebrate Raj and Shalini's wedding anniversary, but the younger generation are also expecting important news on their father's retirement, his business and inheritance plans.

You'd think the looming retirement and inheritance would be enough to contend with, but there's more dark secrets lurking under the family's glossy exterior. What unfolds over the long weekend, is a character-driven, slow-burn story. The author takes time revealing the layers of these characters as the mystery unfolds.

I have to admit, when I got halfway through the story and no murder had taken place, part of me was feeling a little cheated of my murder mystery. In fact, the murder doesn't occur until relatively near the end of the story and it's wrapped up fairly quickly - but don't worry, there's still a final twist to look forward to.

In fact, this story is much more intelligent than an average murder mystery; it's a complex family drama, with just a little murder and intrigue thrown into the mix. The author tackles themes of grief and past trauma alongside money and influencer fame, and it's all wrapped up in a gripping, complex story.

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A remote island off the Scottish coast, cut off from civilisation. A dead body. A rich family gathered to celebrate the 40th Wedding anniversary of the Patriarch and his wife - and the expectation that the family's petrochemical business (@ £300 million) will be soon divided amongst the adult children. We don't know whose the body is, or how it got there and the journey to that end involves learning about the family's past; its inter-relationships, tragedies, secrets, manipulations, hidden financial problems and 'back-stabbings'.
The story unfolds, told from the different viewpoints of the characters - not very likable; greedy and self- absorbed for the most part. Descriptions of the desolate landscape are wonderful and the feeling of claustrophobia is ever-present. The atmosphere and suspicion never leave you and the ending is a surprise but as others have said, with the long build up to it, it does feel a bit rushed.
However all round a very good, suspenseful read. I enjoyed 'meeting' these characters and was reminded of 'Succession' at times - you don't have to like the characters to be massively interested in them!

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I liked this 'locked room', or more like 'locked island' mystery. I enjoyed finding out the story from the different characters' point of view and it certainly kept me interested.

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The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha

The Agarwals, a rich Indian family have gathered on their daughter's private island in Scotland to celebrate the anniversary of Mama and Papa. There is another reason for the gathering. Papa, Raj is selling his company and dividing up the dividends between his three children.

I liked that each chapter was written in the voice of one of the family members so that the reader reads the story from their point of view as well as gradually revealing each of their back stories.

Family, loyalty, image, social class and manipulation are the main themes of the book. Just how far are all the individual players willing to go to protect their family and their perfectly engineered image and their place in society?

Trisha keeps the suspense up right to the end. Just when you think that you've worked everything out you are proved wrong.

Setting the story on an isolated island which has no internet access and is reached only by boat is a clever way of adding to the claustrophobic atmosphere.

It's always good to read about how the other half live. This priveliged life is not always all it's cracked up to be, though. Money doesn't necessarily buy you happiness!

I really enjoyed this book and would definitely read more of Trish's books. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Penguin Books for a pre release e-copy of the book in return for an honest review.

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From the first pages, you know someone's dead- but who? This is the tale of the Agarwal family, a dysfunctional bunch if there ever was one, and what happens on the weekend they spend on a private Scottish island that was meant to celebration and an announcement about the future-the inheritance. Told by Zoe, wife to Aseem. who is an outsider to the clan and her sister-in-law Myra who owns the island, it's got more twists than even veteran thriller readers would expect. Aisha, the younger daughter has brought along her new boyfriend Gabe. Everyone, everyone has a secret and there's a lot of sadness lurking in the background. This is hard to review without spoiler but know that you should not trust anyone or anyone's motives. The atmospherics of the island (I'd love to go mussel-ing) are good especially when Sakhlecha leans into the creepy. The pacing works as do the short chapters and the way the onion is peeled. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A page turner!

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