The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha

On a private island off the west coast of Scotland, the Agarwals gather for a much-awaited family reunion…

Raj, the patriarch and business tycoon, who has six weeks to decide how to split his petrochemicals empire between his three children.

Shalini, the fragile mother, who longs to see her family healed.

Myra, the eldest daughter and golden child, who, unbeknownst to the family, is on the brink of bankruptcy.

Aseem, the son and supposed heir, who must choose between his wife and his family.

Aisha, the fun-loving youngest daughter, who is tired of being treated like a child.

And Zoe, the outsider whose #Instaperfect life is built on a foundation of lies.

They’ve all got secrets that they would die to protect.

But only one of them is capable of murder.

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I’m thrilled to be sharing my review of The Inheritance today.  This is an excellent novel featuring a seemingly closeknit family who are, under the surface, highly dysfunctional, and I highly recommend it when it publishes in February.

The premise of the novel is quite straight forward. Raj is the patriarch of the Agarwal family and has made millions in the petrochemical industry.  Now ready to retire, his fortune will be divided between his three children now rather than upon his death, with some held back to support himself and his wife in their golden years.  He has previously indicated that this fortune may not be split evenly between his children (and doesn’t that say so much about them?!), and as the family gather for Raj and Shalini’s wedding anniversary, Raj intends to announce how the trust will be divided.  The question for his children – Myra, Aseem, and Aisha – is who will get what?

The Agarwal family is one that you will love to hate.  I found it difficult to sympathise with any of the characters in the novel, and while that can sometimes be a hinderance, I found that I didn’t mind it at all here.  I wanted to know Raj’s intentions, particularly as he’s so intent on keeping his cards close to his chest.  On the surface, the family seem very loving and close knit, and yet it’s clear that there are secrets and resentment under the surface of this united front.  And from the beginning, some of the relationships feel a little off and a little too much.  I was fascinated by the family dynamics, and intrigued as to how the author would rationalise it.  The explanations, when they came, did not disappoint.

The Inheritance is mostly told from the alternating perspectives of Myra, the eldest daughter, and Zoe, Aseem’s wife.  Zoe’s narrative is particularly fascinating.  She, like the reader, is an outsider to the family, and so can look on the dynamics more objectively than the Agarwals themselves.  Through her, we sense the power of “Mama” and “Papa”, and the slightly strange hold they have over their children.  Is it really just familial loyalty which, due to her own troubled upbringing, Zoe can’t appreciate?  I didn’t think so.  I found it as cloying as Zoe did, and distinctly uncomfortable at times.

This ought to make Zoe a sympathetic character, and yet it soon becomes clear that she has secrets of her own.  I also found her interactions with her husband, Aseem, a little manipulative at times.  She puts pressure on him repeatedly to find out their stake of Papa’s fortune, believing that as Aseem has been acting CEO since Raj experienced some health problems, that they deserve a larger share.  Zoe’s interest seems excessive, although I could appreciate that this was at least partly driven by a desire to live their own lives which have been put on hold to support the family.  This is particularly true as Mama’s interference, under the pretence of care and concern, is presented as excessive and controlling through Zoe’s eyes.

Myra’s perspective paints things a little differently. The eldest child of the family, she had a successful career in law, stepping in and saving the company millions in a difficult lawsuit – an act that makes her believe that she deserves a larger share of the trust.  She now lives in isolation on a small island of the coast of Scotland, renovating an old manor house with the intention of creating a luxury retreat.  Unfortunately, her grand plans have left her on the verge of bankruptcy, and she desperately needs her share of the trust to see her plans come to fruition.  Her view of her family is accepting – to her, it has always been the same and she is, for the most part, comfortable with, not questioning it the way that Zoe does.

The cover of the novel tells you that there will be a murder at this family gathering, and the prologue captures the aftermath without revealing either victim, perpetrator, or motive.  While I always had it in mind that there was a murder, it became almost secondary to the plot.  I never quite forgot it, but I was so wrapped up in the family drama unfolding that I didn’t have time to dwell on it.  I didn’t guess the victim or murderer until the reveal.  I think it’s a real testament to the strength of the writing that this wasn’t always forefront of my mind while reading as would usually be the case in a thriller when everything is about whodunnit. 

The Inheritance is tense and claustrophobic throughout, and it’s a novel that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.  What seems like an idyllic family get together to celebrate a wedding anniversary quickly reveals a family bound by its secrets as much as its familial bonds.  I loved it.

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The Inheritance will be published by Century on 13 February in physical, digital, and audio formats.  Huge thanks to Rachel Kennedy for the opportunity to read and review this novel ahead of publication.

Disclaimer – I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has in no way influenced my review.