THE
INHERITANCE With his debut novel, The Final Witness (2002), Simon Tolkien was acclaimed as a naturally gifted storyteller who possesses a terrific command of language and a unique perception into the darker sides of human nature. The grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien, with whom he had a very special relationship, Simon Tolkien’s writing is set firmly in this world and is informed by his career as a barrister in England specializing in serious crimes. THE INHERITANCE is taut thriller set in England in 1959 that blends history, courtroom drama, and psychological suspense, delivering a high order of entertainment and intrigue. Stephen Cade is on trial for his life, charged with the premeditated murder of his father. At the outset Stephen’s guilt seems certain. He was the last person seen with his father who was about to cut him out of his will, and Stephen’s fingerprints were all over the murder weapon. However, as the evidence unfolds at the Old Bailey, Stephen’s girlfriend, his reclusive adopted brother Silas, and his father’s beautiful but disfigured personal assistant, Sasha Vigne all come under suspicion. Sasha is trying to find an ancient cross of priceless value that her employer may have had in his possession. The cross is identified with an old church in Northern France where a family was massacred at the end of the Second World War. As the noose tightens around Stephen’s neck, the policeman in charge of the case starts to doubt his guilt and sets out for Normandy in a search for past secrets that might save the life of the young man whom he charged with murder six months before. Engaging, fast-paced and suspenseful THE INHERITANCE tests the strength of blood ties, loyalty and revenge while raising probing questions about the death penalty and Britain’s legal system. Simon Tolkien was born and raised in England and currently lives in Santa Barbara, California.
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