Estate matters are often the source of a great story: death, family conflict, money, greed. 

As noted in a recent article in The Guardian, “Divided fortunes can create divided families – and good stories”.  

Just in time for summer reading, here is The Guardian’s list of the top 10 novels about inheritance: 

1. A Thousand Acres, Jane Smiley 

2. The Quincunx, Charles Palliser 

3. Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier 

4. Howards End, EM Forster 

5. My Monticello, Jocelyn Nicole Johnson 

6. We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Shirley Jackson 

7. The Spoils of Poynton, Henry James 

8. Inheritance, Nicholas Shakespeare 

9. The Eustace Diamonds, Anthony Trollope 

10. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens 

The article contains a short description of each book. I’ve put many of them on my “To Read” list. 

Other good “inheritance” books that I would add to the list include: 

• The Testament, John Grisham 
• Bleak House, Charles Dickens 
• The Descendants, Kaui Hart Hemmings 
• The Nest, Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney 

Thanks for reading. 

Paul Trudelle