The Inheritance - (Inspector Trave) by Simon Tolkien (Paperback)

About the Book

A dark, dynamic thriller that tests the strength of blood ties, loyalty, and revenge, "The Inheritance" is 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.

Book Synopsis

Part courtroom drama and part historical thriller, The Inheritance is a dark, dynamic mystery that tests the strength of blood ties, loyalty, and the thirst for revenge.

Author Simon Tolkien received widespread critical praise for his first legal thriller, 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.

When an eminent art historian is found dead in his study, all the evidence points to his son, Stephen. He was the last person seen with his father, his fingerprints are on the murder weapon, and he was about to be disinherited in his father's will. Stephen's guilt seems undeniable. But as Inspector Trave of the Oxford Police uncovers the stories of the five other people who were also in the house--along with the revelation that the deceased man was involved in a deadly hunt for a priceless relic at the end of World War II--he feels the case begin to unravel. As Stephen's trial unfolds at the Old Bailey, Trave travels to France to find out what really happened in 1944, and the race is on to save Stephen from the gallows.

Review Quotes

"Simon Tolkien's grandfather is J. R. R., but his new novel owes more to Agatha Christie--and Dan Brown." --New York Times

"A fine novel. A thinking person's Da Vinci Code." --Chicago Tribune

"A first-rate writer...Written with great surety and absolutely compelling." --Booklist (starred review)

"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

"Display[s] a narrative skill that the author of The Lord of the Rings would surely have recognized and admired." --Philadelphia Inquirer

"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... an absorbing 1950s-era mystery." --Library Journal

About the Author

Simon Tolkien was a successful barrister in London, specializing in criminal justice, before moving to California with his wife and two children. His first novel, Final Witness, was published in 2002 to widespread acclaim and his second, The Inheritance, received equally positive reviews when it came out in 2009. He is the grandson of J.R.R.Tolkien.