Captures New Orleans in sultry, atmospheric detail.
Inherited Death by Jeanne Rietzke plunges into the sweltering unease of New Orleans, where family tensions prove as combustible as the heat. The McNulty clan reunites to lay their formidable matriarch to rest, but grief only stirs long-buried resentments. This is especially true for Melissa Fairmont, the middle child who still carries the wounds of a cruel upbringing and the scorn of her domineering sisters. Leaning on her husband Ben for solace, Melissa expects only to weather the storm of familial cruelty until a sudden, brutal murder shatters the turbulent gathering. Drawn into an investigation that winds from the charged atmosphere of Louisiana into the hidden history of stolen art in wartime Paris, Melissa and Ben confront truths that extend far beyond family grudges. As betrayal, violence, and memory entwine, Melissa grapples with who she is beneath the weight of generational trauma and decides what kind of life she wants to claim as her own. With biting wit, vivid tension, and a mystery steeped in both Southern Gothic menace and historical intrigue, Rietzke delivers a story that is as much about survival and self-definition as it is about uncovering a killer.
With language that smacks of the region and southern charm on every page, Jeanne Rietzke has a way of pulling readers into a story. The suspense is high from the very first page, and Rietzke captures New Orleans in sultry, atmospheric detail so that readers can feel every sight, sound, and scent that passes them by. With these gorgeous textures laid down as a rich backdrop, it’s time for the character work to shine, and Melissa Fairmont is the complex, unforgettable heroine at the center of everything. The dialogue presentation brings plot and emotion into sharp focus through natural storytelling, with the sisters’ abusive dynamic offering both painful and compelling reading. Ben and Melissa’s partnership is beautifully portrayed with depth and heart, and this embroils readers in the mystery plot all the more as we get increasingly invested in their intertwined fates. Fans of history will appreciate the research that’s clearly gone into the WWII Paris art subplot, which enriches the narrative beautifully and adds more opportunities for those slivers of dark humor to mingle with the tense, emotional drama that unfolds. At its emotional core, the story explores themes of trauma, inheritance, and resilience with nuance, and the sharp dialogue and raw family conflict focused around these issues will surely hook readers. A masterful blend of family drama and murder mystery, Inherited Death is a highly recommended novel that is hard to resist.
