The Will: Gossip Girl meets Knives Out, the gripping, addictive new crime thriller for winter 2022

I read the first chapter of “The Will” in the Friday literary supplement of the Daily Mail. Quite often it leads me to books I would not otherwise find or look at. I was on to Kindle at once and soon I was caught by the romance of how the estate and house was left and all the subplots. The affair between the ‘cousins’ might seem contrived, but I come from a very diverse family and it could happen. I wanted to get to the end, but I didn’t and now I have and I have to write a review. I am sure anyone would find this a good read.

4+Well, that was a highly entertaining, never a dull moment read! Let me take you to Roxborough Hall in Norfolk, a traditional stately home in every way bar one… Yes, of course, The Will. This house is always bequeathed to the one deemed the most worthy and a letter is given to those in line to inherit the Mordaunt estate explaining why or why not they’ve been selected or rejected. On Cecily’s death in 2022 will it be her pompous son David and his ghastly second wife headteacher Bryony or their rather odd nine-year-old son Lucca? Maybe it’s the youngest son, ageing playboy Grant, definitely his Ma’s favourite, who has a much younger French girlfriend Angelique hanging on his arm. Perhaps the grandchildren, Lizzie or Willa, David‘s daughters by his first marriage or Jonty, Grant’s adopted son. Overseeing proceedings is Cecily‘s loyal friend and companion Violet who has looked after Cecily since her 21st birthday in 1958. Heaven forfend it should go to her, a servant! Shock horror! The story is told in the present from several perspectives and via various different timelines to fill in some utterly delicious or maybe some scandalous gaps. These different points of view works so well as it keeps things very interesting!What an enjoyable few hours spent with this dysfunctional lot! The characterisation is excellent, they’re very definitely a mixed bag and they’re certainly not dull that’s for sure. The only thing I become invested in is that David and Bryony will not get their hands on it but I’m not telling if my wish comes true! The atmosphere is fabulous with assumptions, presumptions, deviousness, secretiveness and many resentments and issues abounding. All is most definitely not what it seems. The tension and suspense builds as we head to the reading of the Will with the author using the atmosphere of the house to add an extra level of anticipation. There are numerous twists, it’s darkly humorous it makes me smile as we head to the very unexpected denouement.What fun!

I tore through this deliciously twisted tale of family secrets and loyalties.Roxborough House has been in the same family for generations, but rather than being inherited by the oldest child, the current owner can decide who the next owner of Roxborough will be based on who they believe is the most deserving. No-one knows who it is going to be until after the death of the predecessor, when all potential inheritors receive a letter and have to open them together.Cecily has lived in the House for over 50 years, bringing up her children there and often having her grandchildren to stay for extended holidays. The House means a lot to several members of the family and they are all hopeful that they might be the ones to inherit. When it is time for her to pass it on, the family gathers together, keen to see who it might be, but nervous that it might not be them. When they find out who it is, no-one is more surprised than the new owner - what does it mean?There are multiple viewpoints and timelines, with secrets being spilt and bonds being forged across generations, which kept the story interesting and alive, The tension builds and builds, with futures depending on what the outcome is. There were some brilliantly unlikeable characters who must have been great fun to write - and some more pleasant ones too, thank goodness.If you're looking for a page-turning tale of family intrigue and mystery, this is a great choice!

What a family! This book is about a family all waiting to see who will be the next owner of their ancestral home, Roxborough Hall in Norfolk.The current owner Cecily has just died and has to leave it to someone else, but the Mordaunt's have a strange tradition that it is up to the current owner to decide who gets the house next, and it doesn't automatically go to the next in line, i.e. eldest son/daughter, but the one who needs it the most. This is revealed by all the family members coming to the house to have dinner and an envelope will be placed on their plate, each with a message as to why they have or haven't got the house, and one will be revealed as the new owner.Of course nothing goes to plan and there are blank envelopes, missing envelopes, reappearing envelopes, along with some hidden family secrets that some member of the family know and some don't.There are twists and turns throughout the book and you don't really know the whole story until the very end. Even though I didn't like a lot of the family, and I felt a bit dissatisfied with how some parts turned out, it was a very entertaining read.

The Will is a story of family, death, betrayal, desire and love.The book is so easy to read that I whizzed through it. The story line is gripping and the family skeletons keep coming! Told from multiple time points we learn the history of the family and Roxborough, the family estate.The characters are varied and quirky. There is someone for everyone to relate to and someone for everyone to be annoyed by!The story is dark and deceptive and makes you consider how far you would go to get what you want!

A great read which keeps you guessing! A real family drama over who will inherit and of course it’s never deserved by the person who does. Family secrets abound which kept me turning the pages.

A very enjoyable read based on the complexities of a wealthy family. I really enjoyed the different timelines that gave glimpses into the past and unravelled secrets aplenty. Some really selfish characters gave a more authentic feel to this family drama.