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Overview
A complex mystery of deception and betrayal that follows the court case of a young man set to hang for the murder of his father When a famed Oxford historian is found dead in his study one night, all evidence points to his son, Stephen. About to be disinherited from the family fortune, Stephen returns to home after a long estrangement—and it happens to be the night his father is shot to death. When his fingerprints are found on the murder weapon, Stephen’s guilt seems undeniable. But there were five other people in the manor house at the time, and as their stories slowly emerge—along with the revelation that the deceased man was involved in a deadly hunt for a priceless relic in Northern France at the end of World War II—the race is on to save Stephen from a death sentence.
Everyone has a motive, and no one is telling the truth.
Unwilling to sit by and watch the biased judge condemn Stephen to death, an ageing police inspector decides to travel from England to France to find out what really happened in that small French village in 1945—and what artifact could be so valuable it would be worth killing for.
Author Simon Tolkien received rave reviews for his first legal thriller, The Final Witness. Now, in The Inheritance, Tolkien sharpens his craft even more, deftly weaving psychological suspense and family drama to create a mystery steeped in memories, betrayal, and the long shadow of the past. Part courtroom drama and part historical thriller, The Inheritance is a dark, dynamic thriller that tests the strength of blood ties, loyalty, and revenge.
Synopsis
A complex mystery of deception and betrayal that follows the court case of a young man set to hang for the murder of his father
When a famed Oxford historian is found dead in his study one night, all evidence points to his son, Stephen. About to be disinherited from the family fortune, Stephen returns to home after a long estrangement—and it happens to be the night his father is shot to death. When his fingerprints are found on the murder weapon, Stephen’s guilt seems undeniable. But there were five other people in the manor house at the time, and as their stories slowly emerge—along with the revelation that the deceased man was involved in a deadly hunt for a priceless relic in Northern France at the end of World War II—the race is on to save Stephen from a death sentence.
Everyone has a motive, and no one is telling the truth.
Unwilling to sit by and watch the biased judge condemn Stephen to death, an ageing police inspector decides to travel from England to France to find out what really happened in that small French village in 1945—and what artifact could be so valuable it would be worth killing for.
Author Simon Tolkien received rave reviews for his first legal thriller, The Final Witness. Now, in The Inheritance, Tolkien sharpens his craft even more, deftly weaving psychological suspense and family drama to create a mystery steeped in memories, betrayal, and the long shadow of the past. Part courtroom drama and part historical thriller, The Inheritance is a dark, dynamic thriller that tests the strength of blood ties, loyalty, and revenge.
Publishers Weekly
When an eccentric millionaire historian is murdered, his son falls under suspicion as a prosecutor seeks only a conviction, not the truth. But other suspects are soon exposed--as is a WWII crime of insupportable greed and cruelty perpetrated by the murder victim and his cronies. Tolkien (grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien) takes his story as far from fancy as it can go, writing of dark days during France's Nazi occupation and dramatic courtroom suspense, 1950s style. In this audio rendition, he proves himself a superb storyteller in his own right as he reads his mystery with a theatrical flair. His deep voice is resonant and cultured, and his characterizations are fully believable. A Minotaur hardcover. (Apr.)
Editorials
Publishers Weekly
Set in 1959, Tolkien's strong if somewhat formulaic legal thriller, his second after The Final Witness, centers on the trial at London's Old Bailey of Stephen Cade, who stands accused of murdering his Oxford historian father. The evidence against Cade is overwhelming. After learning that he was about to be disinherited, Cade sought out his father, from whom he'd long been estranged, and argued with him. The police found his fingerprints on the gun used in the killing. The investigating officer, Det. Insp. William Trave, questions the accused's guilt, despite the case's prosecutor urging him not to “muddy the water.” The truth may lie in Normandy, where the older Cade was involved in an incident that left several French civilians dead toward the end of WWII. While Tolkien, the grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien, could've done a better job of hiding the clues pointing to the real culprit, fans of English courtroom dramas will be satisfied. (Apr.)Library Journal
This second novel (after The Final Witness) by J.R.R. Tolkien's grandson is a legal thriller, World War II historical novel, and Da Vinci Code treasure hunt all rolled into one. Stephen Cade, son of a famed historian and war hero, is quickly convicted and sentenced to death for his father's murder, based on circumstantial evidence. Detective Bill Tave's instincts tell him there is more to the story, and right he is. There were five others in the Cade mansion that night, some of whom had a clear interest in whether the old professor lived or died. VERDICT This intricate story, which includes a distant father, the hunt for a religious artifact, and much detail about British society and its justice system, is a bit overambitious. However, it moves quickly, and the motives of the characters provide energy and drive to what turns out to be an absorbing 1950s-era mystery. Should appeal to fans of legal thrillers and British procedurals and such authors as Charles Todd.—Nancy Fontaine, Dartmouth Coll., Hanover, NHKirkus Reviews
Tolkien's second novel (The Final Witness, 2002), set in 1959 England, mixes an old-school murder mystery with courtroom melodrama. Professor Cade was well known for his knowledge of illuminated manuscripts, not for his warm demeanor and people skills. He was estranged from Stephen, his only biological son. Someone pierced his lung with a rifle bullet during a trip several years ago, and one can assume it probably wasn't because his personality was too winning. Entertainment at the evening meal at his manor house usually consisted of Sergeant Ritter, who served under the professor in France during the waning days of World War II and then as a housekeeper at the manor, mercilessly berating Cade's adopted son Silas. His assistant, Sasha, secretly hated the professor's guts due to the underhanded tactics Cade used to secure tenure, ruining her father in the process. Yet, despite being surrounded by people who despised him, when Professor Cade was shot through the head one night in his study the evidence against Stephen was so overwhelming, Inspector Trave, the man in charge of the investigation, had no choice but to lock him up almost immediately. Stephen was duly charged and tried, but as the trial dragged on, Trave began to have his doubts about Stephen's guilt. In any event, he began to wish he'd spent some time looking into certain unpleasant events involving Professor-then Colonel-Cade that happened in a church in northern France at the end of the war, something to do with a mysterious codex and an ancient, jewel-encrusted cross. Although ostensibly set in the late 1950s, Tolkien's book never captures the era. Apart from the plot's dependence on events that took place at the end ofWWII, there is nothing to anchor it to the time. Competently done, but largely forgettable.Publishers Weekly
When an eccentric millionaire historian is murdered, his son falls under suspicion as a prosecutor seeks only a conviction, not the truth. But other suspects are soon exposed--as is a WWII crime of insupportable greed and cruelty perpetrated by the murder victim and his cronies. Tolkien (grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien) takes his story as far from fancy as it can go, writing of dark days during France's Nazi occupation and dramatic courtroom suspense, 1950s style. In this audio rendition, he proves himself a superb storyteller in his own right as he reads his mystery with a theatrical flair. His deep voice is resonant and cultured, and his characterizations are fully believable. A Minotaur hardcover. (Apr.)From the Publisher
Praise for The Inheritance
“A fine novel. A thinking person’s Da Vinci Code.” –Chicago Tribune
“Simon Tolkien’s grandfather is J. R. R., but his new novel owes more to Agatha Christie—and Dan Brown.” –New York Times
“Expertly paced—the suspense builds to nearly unbearable levels—and filled with fascinating characters, The Inheritance also showcases Tolkien's spare, graceful prose—and his moral fervor. He spins a gripping story, but there's more to The Inheritance than smarts and skill. It's also a meditation on the death penalty, and Tolkien leaves no doubt that he's an ardent opponent.
A deft combination of Agatha Christie manor-house whodunit, Erle Stanley Gardner courtroom drama and Dan Brown thriller, The Inheritance is nonetheless unique to its creator. And Tolkien, with this compelling read, proves himself worthy—and then some—of his literary pedigree. —Richmond Times Dispatch
“Simon Tolkien is the grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien and, while there are no elves or dwarves in these pages, there is on display a narrative skill that the author of The Lord of the Rings would surely have recognized and admired…. It works so well, not because of cheap tricks like cliff-hanger chapter endings, but because of Tolkien's deft handling of ensemble. It is the differences in character and motive, the continual changes in viewpoint, that drive one to find out what exactly is going on and what actually happened.” –The Philadelphia Inquirer