The source of the money is a mystery to them all, and each has a strong opinion about what to do with it. Ellie and her husband James have an expensive lifestyle to maintain and could do with their share of the windfall—James in particular, for reasons he doesn’t dare reveal. Nathan can’t be trusted with money, as the others all know; he’s desperate to get his hands on some (or all) of the cash. But Caroline is the one guarding the suitcase, and she’s insisting to Max that they take it to the police. The three siblings have always been close. But now, with this money from nowhere threatening to rewrite what they thought they knew about their father and their family, nothing seems certain. Could it really tear them apart?

I loved that, in addition to giving us a twisty, compelling story, Clarke also explores some big questions — about the insidious power of money, about personal integrity and honesty — and challenges us to consider what we might do in similar circumstances. We complete hundreds of pro-bono cases every year, helping with stories of reunions of family separated by war or forced adoption and reuniting people with family heirlooms such as their ancestors lost war medals or long-lost books. However maybe there is a bigger picture after all. When one tragic accident brings even more truths to the surface, Cara’s forced to question all that she believes, and fears, about long term. And these answers aren’t at all obvious. Could she possibly rewrite her family’s history and create a love story of her own?

Featured Reviews

This book explored how money can change relationships and lives. Would greed or morals win the day ? I found myself wondering how I would act if I were in their situation! This book will make you consider which of the characters you would be and ponder on whether an unwanted windfall would be more trouble than it’s worth. Imogen gets inspired to write by asking herself ‘what if?’, and if the answer is an interesting one, then she begins jotting ideas down. Sometimes the ideas just go nowhere. But sometimes they will sit in her head for months or even years at a time before she’s able to work out how they might make a book. The basis of the book is based around the discovery a suitcase full of cash under the bed of 3 recently deceased father -The story gradually unfolds to explore all that comes along with what money can do to people and how it can affect families and relationships Blog – I’ve been writing my blog since 2008 so if you dig deep you’ll find lots of posts about how I became a writer, amongst many other topics. One finds a stash of cash hidden by the man they thought they knew, and it raises all sorts of dilemmas.

An Unwanted Inheritance by Imogen Clark is the story of a family and a suitcase full of money. It examines values of honesty, integrity and honour through - what I felt were - unlikeable characters. An Unwanted Inheritance is a book to enjoy and its premise forces the reader to examine their own values and beliefs. Caroline is married to Max, the eldest son. She found the money. Her instincts, and that of her husband, are to keep everything above board.

Uncommon Knowledge

I don't think [hoarders] want to leave their children with a mess," says Dr. Fugen Neziroglu, a psychologist with the Bio Behavioral Institute in New York. "They don't go through in their minds what's going to happen with the clutter, or what the kids are going to do with it." She suggests raising the topic as part of an intervention that's carried out with love and encouragement rather than anger and blame—and capping it off with a visit to a therapist. But as an expert in the field, Dr. Neziroglu is well aware that's easier said than done. There's no magic bullet or wonder drug for hoarding, and relatives often throw in the towel in frustration. They'd rather "wait it out" and deal with the hoard "when the time comes."