6 Inheritance Mystery Books Filled with Secrets and Scandal
Some families pass down heirlooms. Others pass down murder. If you love a mystery that kicks off with a cryptic will, a creepy old mansion, or a surprise twist in the family tree, inheritance mystery books will be your ultimate guilty pleasure. These stories dig into the rot beneath the riches, the secrets behind the smiles, and the drama that unfolds when money, legacy, and bloodlines collide.
Expect sprawling estates, long-lost relatives, uninvited guests, and wills that come with chilling conditions. Whether you like your inheritance stories gothic, glamorous, or full of games, this list has you covered.
This post contains affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.
Modern Inheritance Mystery Books
The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha
A luxury island. A billion-dollar business. And one family about to combust. When the Agarwals gather to hear the patriarch’s succession plans, secrets, lies, and power plays explode into murder. Think Succession meets The White Lotus.
Key themes: family power struggles, corporate inheritance, locked-room mystery on an island.
Grab The Inheritance on Amazon
The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
Camden wants nothing to do with his infamous adoptive mother’s money. But when he returns to Ashby House, her gothic mountain estate, family skeletons come out swinging. Was Ruby a philanthropist—or something much darker?
Key themes: southern gothic, toxic legacy, twisted family ties.
Gothic and Psychological Inheritance Mystery Books
The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
A tarot reader receives an inheritance letter meant for someone else. But instead of tossing it, she heads to a decaying estate to play the part. Classic Ruth Ware tension meets Rebecca vibes with a seriously creepy family.
Key themes: mistaken identity, gothic estate, found family lies.
Grab The Death of Mrs. Westaway on Amazon
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
Libby inherits a crumbling London mansion with a dark past and discovers she was once the baby found at the scene of a triple death. This one blends cult vibes, domestic noir, and slow-burn dread.
Key themes: abandoned house, cult influence, family secrets unraveling.
Grab The Family Upstairs on Amazon
The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza
A woman inherits a plot of land in Sicily and uncovers a murder in her family’s past. As she traces her great-grandmother’s story, she discovers danger that still lingers in the present.
Key themes: dual timeline, feminist mystery, Mediterranean family legacy.
Grab The Sicilian Inheritance on Amazon
YA Inheritance Mystery Books with High Stakes
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
A teen girl unexpectedly inherits a billionaire’s fortune—and has to live in his puzzle-filled mansion alongside the four grandsons who expected to be named heirs. It’s Knives Out for the BookTok generation.
Key themes: riddles and puzzles, enemies-to-allies, unexpected heir.
Grab The Inheritance Games on Amazon
Why We Love Inheritance Mystery Books
There’s something irresistible about a mystery that begins with a will. These stories tap into the tension between wealth and worthiness, family and fraud, blood and betrayal. Whether the protagonist is a long-lost heir or a total outsider, the question remains: Why were they chosen and what did someone do to stop them?
If you love locked-room dramas, old estates with bad vibes, and characters you can’t quite trust, inheritance thrillers are a must-read subgenre.
Want More Like This? Drop your favorite inheritance mystery books in the comments!
You may also like:
Don’t miss a thing! Join our Susbtack and you’ll be the first to know when there’s new bookish content and recommendations posted across all our book platforms!
Pin it for later
