157. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Book ONE of TWO

Listened on Libby/TPPL

narrated by Christie Moreau
Unabridged audio (10:45)
2020
384 pgs.
YA Mystery
Finished 12/29/2020
Goodreads rating: 4.15 - 8651 ratings
My rating: 3
Setting: Huge gothic mansion and estate in Texas

First line/s: "When I was a kid, my mom constantly invented games."

My comments:  I'm not sure what I expected from this, perhaps something in the line of The Westing Game, but that's not what it was.  Lots and lots of characters, (yes, like the Westing Game) made it confusing at times, a huge Gothic house that was really hard to imagine, and the girl put into a situation that, even at the end of this part of the story, was impossible to believe.  Making her the heiress and not his four brilliant grandsons....ever?  Sure.  Give me a break!  Reading the next installment will be difficult if this first one isn't reread just prior - there are so many people and bits of information that should probably be remembered in order to move forward in good faith - I hope there's a good summarization somewhere on the internet, lol!  

Goodreads synopsis:  A Cinderella story with deadly stakes and thrilling twists, perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying and Knives Out.

          Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why--or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch--and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes.
          Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a con-woman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.