The Inheritance [Audio Cassette]

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Recorded Books; Unabridged edition
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0788754548
• ISBN-13: 978-0788754548
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,811,764 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Barely a modern Gothic, more of a puzzle, December 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Inheritance: A Novel (Hardcover)

In his acknowledgments, Savage likes to think that this novel owes so much to Poe, Hawthorne, D.H. Lawrence (a Gothic writer?!), Dickens and other 19th century writers. In fact, this novel (as do his earlier books) owes more to Agatha Christie, John Dickson Carr and writers of fair play puzzle mysteries of the early 20th century. I don't think Savage has ever really read a real Gothic. He certianly doesn't acknowledge the creators of the genre: Anne Radcliffe and Horace Walpole, or the 19th centruy writers who made it entertaining Sheridan LeFanu, Wilkie Collins. This book is great on plot but is fairly mediocre in every other respect. Surprising since this is Savage's third novel. The characters are stock; the dialogue is banal, stilted and surprisingly lacking in wit; the setting (aren't Gothics supposed to be 95% local color?) is unimaginatively realized. It definitely is "lite" reading. But as always the Savage twists and surprises are plenty. It strikes me that this would do better as a tongue-in-cheek send-up of Gothic stories. It's a borderline gay camp thriller, if you read between the lines. The characters certainly lend themselves to parody especially the evil Catherine and her lusty husband. It's all so ridiculously serious and the plot is too preposterous to be taken seriously. By the end (outrageous and close to immoral), not a single character is who you thought they were, most of them having every last bit of decency wrung out of them. Easily knocked off in one sitting, "The Inheritance" is recommended only for those who like trying to outguess the writer at his own tricks.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shocking ending makes the entire story, August 23, 2001

By 

R. Zadorozny (Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Inheritance (Paperback)

I read this book in a matter of 2 days, which is good for me seeing how many books I have that have a bookmark somewhere in them where I either got bored or just quit reading. I thought the story moved well and you will get used to the fact that it's being told in first person. Don't worry, you find out who drowned the lady in the beginning and all the other questions you have throughout the book will be answered. I thought the last page of the book made the entire story. In fact, I covered it with a post-it so that the next person who borrowed it from me wouldn't cheat. I doubt it would make sense even if they did read it, but you never know. In fact, about 8 people have borrowed my now tattered book whose cover is long gone and all have loved it as much as I did and yes, the post-it note is still covering that last page and everyone agrees to just leaving it that way! ;)

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More of the same, August 5, 2002

By 

Angel L. Soto (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Inheritance (Paperback)

Former travel agent, Holly Smith has recently discovered that she is the heir to the Randall fortune. When she was a baby she was put up for adoption and now her grandfather wishes to leave all his fortune to her after his death. She is unaware of the circumstances of her adoption but once she comes to live at Randall House she will learn the truth. Holly's other relatives are not happy with her appearance since she now owns most of the Randall Estate. They want her dead and make it look like an accident in order to get their hands on the money.

If you have not read any of Tom Savage's novels you are in for a treat. Things are not what they seem. This book has its requisite twist and turns with a surprise ending. Unfortunately most of his novels carry the same formula. If you have never read his novels you will enjoy this one, if you read him before the surprise will be lost on you.