Promo text
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 conwoman, 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.
Tropes present
Game between heirs Not only is Avery contending with her legitimacy as an heir, but the will includes all kinds of puzzles and riddles that have to be solved to get the money.
Unlimited wealth fantasy Avery had been a struggling high schooler before inheriting billions.
Glow up Avery gets to buy superstar clothing she could have only imagined of.
Found family The brothers are close, which is appealing to Avery, the only child of a single mother. But their competitive nature can also be dysfunctional.
Love Triangle There are two brothers, Jamie and Grayson, who are Avery’s primary love interests.
A note by the wiki editor
The Inheritance Games is different than most books on this wiki. It’s in here because the author, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, gave these two talks called “writing for your id” and the “the psychology of fiction” in which she laid out the basis for why tropes are so darned effective at connecting with readers, and it was one of the inspirations behind this wiki. In it, she talked about how we evolved to like cheesecake — lots of fat and sugar in one dish will keep us alive on the savannahs of Africa. She encouraged writers to create the story equivalent of cheesecake, with found family, love triangles, wealth glow-ups, and other highly satisfying experiences. (I actually liked her talks better than The Inheritance Games, but that’s beside the point.)
You can watch one of her talks at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvC5Gasj27k