A review by nicolem_young
The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha

3.0

Book/Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5️
Book Cover: ⭐⭐⭐️.5

TRIGGER(S): MURDER, FAMILY TRAUMA, MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS, DOMESTIC ABUSE (OFF PAGE), LOSS OF CHILD/SIBLING (OFF PAGE), MISCARRIAGE, INFIDELITY (OFF PAGE)

POV: Dual, First Person
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Tropes: Locked-room
Dysfunctional family
Limited list of suspects
Spice: None
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Debut Novel: No
Safe or Dark: Dark
Release Date: January 21, 2025

“The trouble with keeping secrets is that you constantly worry about them being revealed.”

Family reunions can be stressful and, given the right circumstances, downright deadly. Money corrupts. That’s nothing new.

Money can make or break marriages and rip families apart (to quote the late, great Notorious B.I.G. “Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems”). The question is, will we let it? 

If the answer is yes, then how far are we willing to go to get what we believe is rightfully ours? 

Greed is a five-letter word that is often the motive for the most heinous of crimes. 

“Or maybe it’s because I know that no matter how lively our gatherings and how heartfelt our claims about family and loyalty, when it comes down to it, we all have our own agendas.”

It’s the first time the whole Agarwal family has been together in years, and they are hosting their parent’s fortieth anniversary, doubling as a less than friendly reunion on a secluded island. Oh, and the wealthy patriarch of the family is planning to announce how he will divide the money from the sale of his multimillion-dollar (pound) company between the three of his children. 

I mean, what could possibly go wrong? 

If you love unreliable narrators, this is the book for you! Because there are two of them. 

This story had me glued to the pages. I grabbed my dried apricots (we didn’t have any candy in the house), got comfy on the couch, and strapped in. What a ride! This was such a great read. The chapters were short, and the writing was suspenseful. I felt like I always had to know what was going to happen next. Despite parts of the story moving slowly and some of the drama being drug out at times while the family dynamic is set in place, I ate this up from start to finish. 

We know from the jump that someone on the island is dead; we just don’t know who or why. 

This was a domestic thriller done right. It checked off all the boxes of what a locked-room mystery thriller should be. You’re not only pulled into mystery but right into the middle of the Agarwal’s complicated relationships. You learn about the way siblings, parents, and in-laws treated one another. Add an outsider to the mix and things only get juicier. You not only want to get sucked into wanting to solve a murder but also into how this particular family dynamic is going to play out. 

“And when push comes to shove, none of us will hesitate to take what we believe is ours.”

I loved the fact that all the characters were fleshed out wonderfully and were able to pull different emotions out of me. They all had their own agenda and secrets they were keeping close to their chests. It was fun watching those get revealed slowly but surely. They all became more and more unlikeable as the story unfolded. The more things progress, the more each member of the family becomes more narcissistic, self-obsessed, and downright entitled. 

Despite all of them being intentionally unenjoyable characters, I definitely liked some more than others. 

It’s pretty clear that none of them are thrilled about attending this “family holiday” and gaslight, manipulate, and demean one another to walk away with what they wanted from the trip. 

I thought my family was unhinged, but let me tell you, they’ve got nothing on the Agarwal clan. 

There are so many key players that drive this story. So, I thought I would break down who they are. 

Raj – The patriarch of the Agarwal family and very wealthy owner of PetroVision. After suffering a stroke, he hands the reigns over to his only son to better focus on his health. 

“Perhaps the joy, and the curse, of family is being able to see multiple versions of the same person in any given moment, the past, the present and the what-if: the version that might have existed if history had played out differently.”

Shalini – The “fragile” matriarch of the Agarwal family. Shalini is the ever-dutiful wife and mother. She is also tops at manipulating people.

Spoiler

The fact that she was the catalyst that tore her whole family apart and made her son’s life hell disgusts me. She was never held accountable for her actions, and that infuriates me.

Myra – The eldest sibling of the Agarwal family and presumed “golden child." She buys a secluded island in Scotland (where the reunion is being held) with her estranged husband, Owen, with plans of building a luxury resort on the property.

Aseem – The middle child and only son of Raj and Shalini Agarwal. He cast aside his own dreams, stayed in the family home, and took over his father’s company after his health deteriorated, no questions asked. That’s pretty commendable, right?

“If there’s anyone in this family who can get away with murder, it’s her.”

Aisha – The youngest sibling and wild child of the Agarwal family. 

Zoe – Aseem's wife, Raj and Shalini’s daughter-in-law, and Aisha’s longtime best friend. 

Owen - Myra’s estranged husband and the Agarwal’s son-in-law. 

Gabe – Aisha’s newly minted boyfriend and an unexpected guest at the Agarwal family reunion. Oh, Gabe was a slick one. 

“I am wearing a gazillion layers yet somehow I feel completely naked.”

There is for sure more to say about these characters, and I could have gone into so much more detail about each of them. But I’m trying my best to not give too much away. 

I only saw one of the twists in the beginning coming from the start. Well, it wasn’t really a twist but a reveal, and honestly, the author made it pretty obvious from the jump, so maybe it was something we as the readers were supposed to figure out right away. 

The plot twists in this book and the ending were fantastic. The family drama was dramaing and the suspense was suspensing. The ending was spectacular despite being a bit rushed. I didn’t see that one coming from an inch away. 

“Love, money, control: each of us had an agenda. A motive.”

One line in this book will haunt me for a long time. Perhaps it will haunt me forever.

Spoiler

"If it was your brother, your family, wouldn't you have done the same?"

Spoiler

It’s a simple question really, but one that scares me because, as much as I’d like to believe that I know the answer to it at the end of the day, I don’t. 

I’m a good person. I’m not capable of murder. I’d like to think that I’m also not capable of covering one up. But my brother and I have a tight bond. My whole family does. And the scary part is that if one of my own were to commit murder, I in fact might do just that.

Well done, Trisha Sakhlecha; well done indeed. 

This is my first read by this author, but I doubt it will be my last. 

TLDR: A GREAT DOMESTIC MYSTERY THRILLER! A VERY TWISTED AND ENJOYABLE READ!

As always, please remember that reading is subjective, and that’s what makes it so great.