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Fatal Inheritance

A Novel

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About The Book

Get swept away to the enchanting South of France with this “exquisite and shimmering” (Lisa Jewell, New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone) suspenseful historical novel, where perilous secrets lurk under the glitz and glam of seaside wealth.

She didn’t have an enemy in the world…until she inherited a fortune.

London 1948: Eve Forrester is stuck in a loveless marriage, isolated in her gray and gloomy house when out of the blue, she receives a letter. A wealthy stranger has left her a mysterious inheritance but in order to find out more, she must travel to the glittering French Riviera.

There, Eve discovers she has been bequeathed an enchanting villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and suddenly, life could not be more glamorous. But while she rubs shoulders with the rich and famous, challengers to her unexplained fortune begin to emerge—challengers who would love to see Eve gone forever.

Alone in paradise, Eve must unlock the story behind her surprise bequest—before her unexpected twist of fate turns deadly…

With Rachel Rhys’s “thrilling, seductive, and utterly absorbing” (Paula Hawkins, #1 bestselling author of The Girl on the Train) prose, Fatal Inheritance is an intoxicating story of dysfunctional families and long-hidden secrets, set against the decadence of the Côte d’Azur.

About The Author

Rachel Rhys is the pen name of a successful psychological suspense author. Dangerous Crossing is her historical fiction debut. She lives in North London with her family.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Atria Books (June 11, 2019)
  • Length: 400 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781982111571

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Raves and Reviews

Praise for Fatal Inheritance:

“An exquisite and shimmering read. I completely lost myself in Rhys’s lovingly evoked 1940s French Riviera and was gripped by the slow-burn mystery. An essential summer read!”

– Lisa Jewell, New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone

“Rhys offers another utterly captivating, mysterious historical novel, bringing to life the intoxicating beauty of the sea and the hidden dangers lurking at its edge.”

– Booklist

“Rhys (Dangerous Crossing) lyrically highlights how one woman’s staid existence is forever changed by her sudden inheritance….This alluring story will appeal to fans of historical fiction who like a twist of mystery.”

– Publishers Weekly

"A transporting Golden Age-infused mystery caper."

– The Sunday Times (UK)

"The perfect mix of glamour and intrigue."

– Good Housekeeping (UK)

"A fantastic book —glamorous and beautifully written...tantalising."

– Daily Mail (UK)

"The very definition of an escapist beach read."

– Evening Standard (UK)

"Compelling, evocative, and expertly crafted, this is immersive novel writing at its most accomplished."

– Heat (UK), 5 stars

"The perfect literary beach-read; both gripping and dripping with glamour. Rachel Rhys is a natural successor to Patricia Highsmith."

– Red Magazine (UK)

"With dreamlike descriptions of the Cote d'Azur and the dark underworld of those who live there, it is an addictive page-turner. The perfect summer holiday read."

– The Lady (UK)

“Rachel Rhys should be on everyone’s summer reading list.”

– Clare Mackintosh, international bestselling author of I Let You Go

"A deliciously intoxicating holiday read!”

– Heat (UK)

“With a dash of Agatha Christie and a nod to Zelda Fitzgerald, Rachel Rhys' historical mystery is simply gorgeous. The late 1940s Cote d'Azur setting is a character in its own right - one that will have you yearning to sip a gin fizz while watching the sun sink into the Mediterranean.”

– Kate Riordan, author of The Stranger

“Utterly enthralling; Rachel Rhys brilliantly evokes the shabby glamour and bruised hearts of the post-war Riviera, where everyone has a secret to hide. I adored it.”

– Jane Casey, author of Let the Dead Speak

Praise for Dangerous Crossing:

"A vividly descriptive ride from this enticingly mysterious author, leading up to a killer ending we did not see coming."

– Marie Claire

"Thrilling, seductive, and utterly absorbing."

– Paula Hawkins, #1 bestselling author of The Girl on the Train

"A gorgeously atmospheric read. Prepare to be transported."

– Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in Cabin 10

"Rhys captures the essence of the era, class structure, prejudice and fear of war...Suspense is built from the opening page until the jaw dropping ending due to her sharp plotting. Readers will be completely absorbed in every aspect of the characters’ lives, the voyage and two murders. Dangerous Crossing is a tale to savor."

– RT Book Reviews (Top Pick)

“This high-energy mystery isn’t a typical whodunit…The shocking sequence of events left me energized.”

– First for Women

“[Rhys] offers plenty of glamorous atmosphere, period detail, and engaging ports of call along the way to please both historical fiction readers and mystery lovers.”

– Library Journal

“A seductive novel that grabs readers’ attention from the first page and doesn’t let go. Rhys beautifully captures each scene during Lily’s five-week voyage, combining mystery, intrigue, scandal, and murder. Readers will love it.”

– Booklist

“The most compelling mystery here lurks between the lines.”

– Kirkus

Dangerous Crossing has the trappings of an Agatha Christie mystery…especially Death on the Nile, with which this book shares its era, shipboard setting and breathtaking scenery….[Christie] would have found this sumptuous, rewarding (and hopefully Masterpiece-bound) historical crime novel deadly.”

– Shelf Awareness

“An intriguing historical crime page-turner about an action-packed five-week voyage from England to Australia, with fancy-dress balls, First Class card parties, shipboard romances and whirlwind visits to exotic ports, all firmly rooted in a world on the brink of war. At the center of this gripping story is a young heroine named Lily Shepherd, eager to escape a troubled past and see the world, who gets more than she bargains for when she stumbles into a friendship with a wealthy, glamorous American couple. Impossible to put down.”

– Toronto Star

"An exquisite story of love, murder, adventure and dark secrets, Rachel Rhys brings this dangerous crossing brilliantly and beautifully alive."

– Lisa Jewell, New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone

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