In Jeanne Rietzke's Inherited Death, New Orleans is the perfect backdrop for the McNulty family to implode after the death of their matriarch. As this dysfunctional Southern family reunites to bury their mother, the stages of grief are eating, drinking, and cursing, but in no particular order. For the middle child, Melissa Fairmont, the abusive reality is all too real as she relives her terrifying childhood, is emotionally abused by her sisters, wrestles with her true calling in life, and gets involved in a murder. What no ...
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In Jeanne Rietzke's Inherited Death, New Orleans is the perfect backdrop for the McNulty family to implode after the death of their matriarch. As this dysfunctional Southern family reunites to bury their mother, the stages of grief are eating, drinking, and cursing, but in no particular order. For the middle child, Melissa Fairmont, the abusive reality is all too real as she relives her terrifying childhood, is emotionally abused by her sisters, wrestles with her true calling in life, and gets involved in a murder. What no one saw coming was death. Follow Melissa and her husband, Ben, as they delve into the New Orleans culture and the history of art in World War II Paris to solve a murder that will change their lives forever. This page-turning story draws you in and takes you on an extraordinary adventure. "In the end, all she inherited was death. It was just too sad to comprehend."
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Add this copy of Inherited Death to cart. $13.41, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2025 by Page Publishing.
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Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 214 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Add this copy of Inherited Death to cart. $16.70, new condition, Sold by GreatBookPrices rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Columbia, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2025 by Page Publishing.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 214 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Add this copy of Inherited Death to cart. $21.19, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2025 by Page Publishing.
Add this copy of Inherited Death to cart. $21.33, new condition, Sold by Paperbackshop rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Bensenville, IL, UNITED STATES, published 2025 by Publishing Services Consortium, LLC (Psc).
Inherited Death, by Jeanne Rietzke, is a family-centered mystery novel with a strong Southern Gothic flavor, set largely in New Orleans. The story follows Melissa Fairmont after her mother�s death, which pulls her back into a messy family inheritance dispute involving her two sisters, an old family home, a beloved pub, suspicious money, and a mysterious painting tied to Bonnard, wartime France, jealousy, and possible murder. What begins as grief and sibling resentment slowly turns into an art mystery wrapped in secrets, curses, old wounds, and real danger.
The book is most engaging when it leans into Melissa�s voice. She's blunt, wounded, funny, and often exhausted, which makes her feel human rather than polished. Her grief isn't tidy. One minute she's mourning her mother, the next she's furious at her sisters, and then she's craving beignets, wine, or a moment of peace with Ben. That felt honest to me. Family loss rarely arrives alone. It brings boxes, old insults, unpaid emotional debts, and the strange smell of childhood rooms you thought you had left behind. Rietzke captures that well. The New Orleans setting also gives the mystery texture without turning the city into wallpaper. The hotel, the pub, the Irish Channel, Mardi Gras memories, and the family�s history all feel tied to the story�s bones.
The author makes a big, entertaining choice by blending domestic family drama with art-world intrigue and hints of voodoo lore. That mix pulls readers into a world that feels authentic. I enjoyed the ambition of it. The painting isn't just an object to appraise. It becomes a pressure point, exposing greed, jealousy, family mythology, and the lies people tell when money and pride are involved. The dialogue can be very direct, and some emotional turns arrive with a soap-opera punch, but there is also a lot of energy in that directness. The book knows what kind of story it is. It's a lively mystery with family knives out, secrets in the walls, and a past that refuses to stay framed.
I would recommend Inherited Death to readers who enjoy inheritance mysteries, art-centered suspense, and family dramas with sharp edges. Fans of cozy-adjacent mysteries who like more bite, more wine, and more emotional baggage will probably have the best time with it. It is especially suited for readers who enjoy stories where the real mystery is not only who did what, but why a family has been hurting each other for so long.
