The Bequest

⭐⭐⭐

“The Bequest” by Joanna Margaret is a gripping literary thriller that combines epistolary elements, Gothic suspense, and an atmospheric “dark academia” setting. The story follows Isabel Henley, who flees a disastrous affair in Boston and moves to Scotland to begin her PhD. However, upon arrival, she learns that her advisor has died, and another scholar is about to publish a book on her dissertation topic. As Isabel struggles to acclimate to her new home and find a new subject, she reconnects with Rose Brewster, a charismatic former classmate. When Rose suddenly goes missing, Isabel's life is thrown into chaos. A suicide note surfaces along with a coded message indicating that Rose is alive but in danger. To save both their lives, Isabel embarks on a journey from Genoa to Florence and Paris. Along the way, she uncovers secrets, that if she can put the pieces together in time, may solve a 400-year-old mystery.

While “The Bequest” has many flaws like messy writing style, painful dialogue between characters, and lack of character development for anyone involved; it still managed to captivate me with its intriguing plotline. It proves that, even though executed poorly at times, a book can still be engrossing. On the positive side, the author impressively captured atmospheric settings and delved deep into historical aspects with thorough research.

Overall, “The Bequest” offers readers a mixed bag of thrilling suspense combined with vividly depicted settings and well-researched history.

ARC Via NetGalley