The Heirs

A murder brings long-buried family secrets to light in this tense mystery from Àbíké-Íyímídé (Where Sleeping Girls Lie). Sixteen years ago, billionaire Leontes Button adopted five children and raised them to become experts in selected pursuits. Bilal is an Olympic fencer, Octavius is a renowned pianist, Fola is a respected scientist and mathematician, Perdita is a talented painter, and Romeo is an author whom many regard as a failure. Having moved out of their childhood home several years ago, the now-17-year-old siblings reluctantly reunite for their father’s annual Prodigy Ball, during which old hurts and grievances born from their grueling upbringing resurface. But when Leontes is killed, the teens—as well as Leontes’s assistant Henry Xu and chef’s daughter Evie Gray—become prime suspects in his murder. The hours following the death paint a macabre picture of a dysfunctional family helmed by a tyrannical patriarch, and what happens when individuals are pushed past their breaking point. Perceptive storytelling recalls elements of The Umbrella Academy, and the novel’s convoluted cascading revelations lead from one surprise to another. Despite disjointed pacing, this quietly brutal tale excels in its portrayal of intersectionally diverse teens contending with emotional trauma amid sky-high expectations. Ages 14–up. Agent: Chloe Seager, Madeleine Milburn Literary. (June)