The Inheritance »

Simon Tolkien is the grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien. He studied Modern History at Oxford and has been a barrister for 17 years, living in London with his wife and son.

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

When a famed Oxford historian is found dead in his study one night, all evidence points to his son, Stephen. About to be disinherited from the family fortune, Stephen returns to home after a long estrangement—and it happens to be the night his father is shot to death. When his fingerprints are found on the murder weapon, Stephen’s guilt seems undeniable. But there were five other people in the manor house at the time, and as their stories slowly emerge—along with the revelation that the deceased man was involved in a deadly hunt for a priceless relic in Northern France at the end of World War II—the race is on to save Stephen from a death sentence.

Everyone has a motive, and no one is telling the truth.

Unwilling to sit by and watch the biased judge condemn Stephen to death, an ageing police inspector decides to travel from England to France to find out what really happened in that small French village in 1945—and what artifact could be so valuable it would be worth killing for.

Author Simon Tolkien received rave reviews for his first legal thriller, The 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. Part courtroom drama and part historical thriller, The Inheritance is a dark, dynamic thriller that tests the strength of blood ties, loyalty, and revenge.

Publishers Weekly

When an eccentric millionaire historian is murdered, his son falls under suspicion as a prosecutor seeks only a conviction, not the truth. But other suspects are soon exposed--as is a WWII crime of insupportable greed and cruelty perpetrated by the murder victim and his cronies. Tolkien (grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien) takes his story as far from fancy as it can go, writing of dark days during France's Nazi occupation and dramatic courtroom suspense, 1950s style. In this audio rendition, he proves himself a superb storyteller in his own right as he reads his mystery with a theatrical flair. His deep voice is resonant and cultured, and his characterizations are fully believable. A Minotaur hardcover. (Apr.)