The Inheritance - Simon Tolkien

Firstly, I would like to thank St. Martin's Publishing Group for putting up an ARC of The Inheritance as a giveaway on the Goodreads site. The book comes out on April 13, 2010, and I would definitely recommend purchasing it. The Inheritance is a combination of historical novel and mystery. Stephen Cade, son of a famous historian, is accused of murdering his father--all the evidence points to him, and he has motive. But as the book goes on, we find out more about the other characters that were in the manor house that night, and suspicion shifts from one person to the next.

I really enjoyed The Inheritance. It was extremely captivating, and kept me guessing up until the very last chapter. Simon Tolkien writes in an entirely different style than his grandfather J.R.R. Tolkien, but at the same time it is evident that writing must be a family affair among the Tolkiens. Unlike Box 21, the characters in The Inheritance are very relatable (except perhaps Paul...and I don't think he's supposed to be relatable), and Tolkien is very good at shifting the suspicions of his audience from one character to the next as the book progresses. Additionally, Tolkien's background as a lawyer shows through in the plot and writing of The Inheritance.

I would definitely recommend reading The Inheritance if you like mysteries or historical novels, or if you are interested in reading Simon Tolkien's writing because he is related to THE Tolkien. Again, the book comes out on April 13, and the Amazon link is here: http://www.amazon.com/Inheritance-Simon-Tolkien/dp/031253907X