Synopsis

Struggling artist Parker Derrick faces the death of her mother – and the emergence of villainous family members when she’s named the sole heir to her aunt’s North Arkansas estate. Surrounded by new friends and enemies, Parker must decipher who is really on her side…to help uncover a deadly secret.

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Review

This new author has written an intriguing tale that captured my attention and I ended up staying up to finish the book. While parts are predictable and there isn’t much of a mystery behind some events, I found the story to be more about family, second chances, and forgiveness.

Parker is a struggling artist that falls into a fortune left by a great aunt that she doesn’t really remember. On the heels of her mother’s death, this is a godsend for her as Parker doesn’t know what she wants to do now that her mother has passed and she isn’t needed in the small town of Lakeview anymore. She is on a journey to rediscover who she is because she isn’t having the best of luck as an artist and is at a loss what to do with her life. Luckily, the caretakers of the estate have been around for some time and are willing to show her the ropes and help her however they can. Lydia and Charles both have strong opinions and sometimes I feel like they might cross a line between being helpful and trying to control situations.

I enjoyed this story and was sad when one character turned out to be not so nice. I was hoping for a different outcome, but when the full truth is revealed it is rather shocking.

The story wouldn’t have any tension if it wasn’t for the family members that didn’t inherit anything and have decided that Parker is not deserving. It angered me how much danger they put people in and didn’t seem to care. And when some other truths come out, it is very sad to hear the lengths some will go to just for money.

A standout minor character is Cash, the beagle. He is adorable and I had to chuckle when Parker said he couldn’t sleep in her room with her and where is he a few nights later?  Yes, you guessed it, with Parker in her bed.

This is a good debut novel and I feel that the stories will only get better from here. We give this 4 paws up.

Excerpt

Striding towards the house entrance, she glanced around nervously as she stepped up the white concrete steps and felt the soft plunk-plunk-plunk of the wooden floor of the front porch beneath her shoes. Ferns were hanging from the rafters all in a row, blowing ever so slightly in the cool afternoon breeze, the soft creaking of their ropes the only noise she could pick up on. It was oddly quiet. Clearing her throat, she knocked a few times with the brass ring at the door and waited. Of course, there’s a brass knocker, she thought.

After a couple of minutes, there was no answer, nor could she detect any movement from inside. She pushed bits of hair behind both ears, a nervous habit that often comforted her. After another minute, still nothing. She knocked again for good measure, and after waiting around and attempting to peer into the dark windows for what felt like an embarrassing amount of time, she decided to try the door herself. Surprisingly, it came open with little effort, and she found herself stepping into the foyer. Three chandeliers lined the massive ceiling of the entrance, and the light was reflected in every single space of every front room by the absurd number of mirrors hanging on each wall. To the right sat a black piano, polished so vigorously that it gleamed as if covered in black oil. To the left, past a wall of delicate and willowy vases, there was a bevy of sofas, and classic chaise loungers, scattered across what she could only assume was the entertainment room. Next to the piano was a large pedal harp made of mahogany, and even this simple instrument was possibly the most extravagant thing she had ever seen up close. Parker walked over to it first, running her hands over the steel strings, marveling at its craftsmanship and wondering how old it must have been. Even amid such extravagance, it had to be the most prominent item in the room.

There were several eye-catching marvels – marble statues of naked goddesses, a large bust of a bearded man, a cherry-red buffet holding oversized china pieces- and simply too much to see at first glance. Parker had fallen entirely silent while taking in the sights, and she realized that she was still standing alone in the house, as far as she could see. There was the soft ticking of a grandfather clock somewhere in the vast expanse of the house, but otherwise no other noise. There was a winding wooden staircase to the left, gleaming red and as shiny as a new penny. The steps led up and around a corner, out of sight, and she felt tempted to follow them. However, uncertainty kept her rooted to the spot. Finally, it was apparent that no one had heard her come in. “Hello?” she called, the eyes of the nude statues seeming to glare at her for interrupting their blissful slumber.

Parker stepped down off the porch and could feel the soft grass being crushed underneath her feet as she walked towards the pavilion, drawn in by the glorious plants that surrounded it. Once underneath its shade, she sat down on one side of its bench and looked out at the creek. Everything, from the sway of the trees in the breeze, the faint groaning of the frogs, and the stillness that had settled over the area, had a dream-like quality to it. She looked back at the house and could see stained glass biblical figures staring down at her from the windows. Next to the house, she noticed a pumpkin patch. A row of its fruits was ready to be picked.

Suddenly, a dog ran up the pavilion steps quietly and joined her, startling her so badly that she nearly fell off her seat. It was a beagle, and he appeared to be very friendly, poking his head into her lap, forcing Parker to pet him. As soon as she ran her fingers through his fur, distant childhood memories came to her, of running across the soft green grass, hearing the bark of a dog and her mother’s laughter, touching the dog’s sleek fur, and feeling the hot sun warm her hair. She realized the memory was from the first time she had visited this place and was perplexed by how the beagle had triggered those emotions. The inexplicable joy that had erupted in her chest was initially overwhelming, and she dabbed at her cheek, feeling a warm tear sliding down.

About the Author

By day, he’s a mild-mannered nurse, loving husband, and father of three dogs – who just so happens to write stories in his spare time. Inherit is his debut novel.

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