A Deadly Inheritance

by Kelley Armstrong

After discovering she's an heiress to a billion-dollar corporation, seventeen-year-old Liliana finds herself at a new boarding school where she must navigate secret societies and a deadly competition. Not to mention two handsome boys.

The Reappearance of Rachel Price meets The Inheritance Games series in this new YA thriller from bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.

In the wake of her mother's death, Liliana Chamberlain's estranged (and very wealthy) grandparents swoop in. Or their lawyer does. Her grandparents aren't ready to meet her, but they want her to have the life her mother walked away from, starting with Westwood Academy, the elite boarding school her mother attended. It should be a Cinderella dream come true, but Lili has serious misgivings. Yet she doesn't have a choice, being under eighteen and dead broke.

Westwood Academy is a school of secrets as well as intriguing classmates, including Hollywood golden boy Theo Dubois and the mysterious Maddox Moreno. As she gets to know them all, Lili realizes there's more to the school than elite-level networking. Something deadly.

For the new girl at school, investigating the deaths of past students — including Maddox's own sister — is a very dangerous game. Do those deaths have something to do with why her mother fled Westdale at the cost of her inheritance?

When a fun night out turns bloody, Theo is the prime suspect, and Liliana must race against time to connect the past with the present and discover the truth behind her inheritance.

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Dark Academia, Fiction, School

424 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 24, 2026

About the author

Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed.

Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published March 24, 2026.

3 stars

Liliana’s mother has died and now the teenager is living on her own, hoping to make it to her 18th birthday and then to college before social services becomes aware of her. But just as child welfare finds her so does a lawyer named Cecelia. She works for the ultra-wealthy Chamberlain family and tells Liliana that, through her mother, she, Liliana, will be the sole heir to the fortune.

Liliana is immediately whisked away to an unusual boarding school that students only attend for their senior year of high school, Westdale Academy. Her mother went there too. It has lots of secrets, including dead former students, something Liliana decides to investigate. A few students in each year compete for some type of academic prize that Cecelia tells her not to worry about but that only makes her more determined to be a part of it. .

She also meets possible friends, possible love interests Theo Dubois, son of Hollywood royalty and the mysterious Maddox Moreno. Theo is also competing for the prize, Maddox seems to be keeping many secrets.

So, the story was OK, but had some holes (the prize is really built up then goes nowhere. Why did Liliana’s mother not reach out for help when she was ill? Her grand plan was to leave behind an underage orphan?). I was totally fine that Liliana was interested in both boys but I did cringe a little when…..SPOILER!!!!!! Skip to the end of this paragraph if you don’t want a minor spoiler!!!!! OK, she’s topless in bed with Maddox, then Theo comes into Maddox’s room and starts kissing her good morning. Ugh, no. It’s great that y’all have no labels and all that, but you guys are seventeen. Save something for when you are adults, please. Plus, you are making me vomit. Thanks.

Otherwise this was just your standard someone-finds-out-they’re-an-heir-goes-to-boarding-school-solves-mysteries thing.

[Spiri Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

POLY !!

[Cassie Nosko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much NetGalley, Kelley Armstrong and Tundra Book Group for providing me with a earc to review and provide my honest feedback.

Kelley Armstrong usually writes captivating, thrilling novels yet this one unfortunately fell short for me 😔

Initially the description of this book caught my attention, and the possibilities seemed endless yet the story alone had major holes in it.

Lilianna's mother passes, and she is praying that social services won't catch on before she makes it to college. At the exact same time social services finds her, a lawyer named Cecelia does too thus takes her away with the promise with a major inheritance.

I think too much transpires and major parts are left unattended to within the book.

Was this my favourite book by the author? Unfortunately no.
Am I disappointed? Yeah.
Will I be recommending this book? No.
Will I continue to read Kelley Armstrong books? Yes!

⭐️⭐️✨/5

[Tracy Shouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a page turner that kept me on the edge of my seat. After finding out she is to inherit a fortune, Lili is enrolled in a private boarding school. Once there she starts investigating why her mother gave up her inheritance and stayed on the move so that her parents could not find her. Soon Lili discovers that the school has a past of students dying or being hurt. Were her parents involved in one of the deaths that occurred when a girl was killed in a car crash? Is this death connected to other deaths? Lili along with her newfound friends embark on a quest to learn what has been going on at the school and how it is all connected. The dynamics of the love triangle to me was unrealistic and I think young adults will not connect with these characters because of this. It's a good read but it fell short in my opinion. Life and love can get very messy at times, and I feel that these characters are portrayed as just a little too perfect.

[Hillary · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's so rare to find mature teen characters who act like teenagers but not like complete idiots. It shouldn't be, but it is. There were several situations here that could easily have been mishandled spectacularly, but were instead treated with grace and consideration.

[Gina Malanga · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really a 3.5 for me.

When Liliana‘s mom died, she found herself an orphan with no way to pay the rent and is wondering how she’s going to finish school and get to college in the fall. That all changes when a lawyer shows up and says that she’s actually the errors to a billionaire’s family and that she’s now being enrolled in an elite private school. Now all of this seems fairly ridiculous, but it works in the context of the story, although there are some pretty big holes. What follows next is heart, murder mystery part love story and both are a little bit hole filled.

The murder mystery part is that there’s a secret Society within the secret societies and people tend to go missing and/or are dying and Liliana needs to find out why. Partly because her parents seemed to have a bit of a sore in history with the school that she is unaware of and is trying to figure out exactly what happened to her mom and dad.

In the midst of all of this, there is a bit of a trouble/open relationship/polyamorous thing happening. Now I’m super open minded think that this is great in a story, but I just wonder how appropriate it is for teenagers given that this is a YA marketed book. I’m not sure as a high school English teacher that I would give this certainly not to ninth graders but I think even for 12th graders it feels a little bit of a grown concept. Which isn’t to say that teenagers can’t have the same thoughts and feelings, I just wonder about the ease with which the relationship seems to transpire and that for most teenagers it would never be this easy and un messy. I just thought it took up a lot of time in the story and I’m not sure why.

Also, as I always say these books are just too long. Teenagers who are reluctant readers who maybe would actually really like a murder mystery like this are not going to stick around for 450 pages. I say this about so many YA authors and their books, but I’m not a publisher so I don’t have much control over it.

[Athena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️

Plot
After learning she’s the secret heiress to a billion-dollar fortune, seventeen-year-old Liliana Chamberlain is sent to Westwood Academy, an elite boarding school filled with privilege, secrets, and danger. As she uncovers a deadly pattern tied to past student deaths—including one close to her—and navigates a tense love triangle, Lili begins to suspect her inheritance is linked to a dark truth her mother died trying to escape.

Thoughts
I really enjoyed Kelley Armstrong’s A Rip Through Time series, so I went into this book with high expectations. While there were elements I liked, it ultimately didn’t quite deliver what I was hoping for.

The story lost me when it began focusing heavily on Lili and her romantic entanglements with Theo and Maddox. Both characters were interesting enough on their own, but the fact that they were seemingly fine with dating her at the same time pulled me out of the story rather than adding intrigue. The love triangle ended up overshadowing the plot, and not in a way that felt necessary or compelling.

What I missed most was the mystery. I was expecting the sharp, engaging investigative thread that made A Rip Through Time so enjoyable, but here it often took a back seat to the romantic drama. There were moments where the premise showed real promise, yet the tension and urgency of the mystery never fully developed.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad read, but it didn’t live up to my expectations. If you’re reading primarily for the romance, you may enjoy it more than I did but if, like me, you were hoping for a stronger mystery, this one might feel a bit underwhelming.

Thank you NetGalley and Tundra Book Group for sending me an arc.

[Hope Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is…fine. And honestly, that might be the biggest problem.

A Deadly Inheritance has a great setup: creepy old English manor, surprise inheritance, family secrets, and the promise that something bad definitely happened and might happen again. On paper, it’s exactly the kind of thing I should love. In reality, it never quite commits to being as dark or messy as it wants you to think it is.

The atmosphere is doing most of the work here. The house is gloomy, the history is shady, and everything looks like it should be more intense than it is. But the actual mystery moves at a very polite pace. Not a “slow burn” so much as a “we’ll get to it eventually, no rush.” A lot of the reveals feel obvious well before the book treats them like big moments, which takes the fun out of the whole thing.

The main character is capable enough, but emotionally she’s kind of…flat. Big secrets come out and the reactions are surprisingly calm for a story involving murder and betrayal. There were multiple moments where I thought, Wow, you’re taking this very well considering the circumstances.

Nothing here is bad. The writing is smooth, the plot makes sense, and it’s easy to read. It just plays things extremely safe. For a book with “deadly” in the title, it feels more like a cozy mystery that keeps insisting it’s darker than it actually is.

Overall, three stars for a solid premise, decent vibes, and a story that’s perfectly okay. I didn’t hate it, I didn’t love it, and I probably won’t think about it much now that I’m done—which might be the most honest review of all.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Thoughts

I’m always up for a young adult story that mostly takes place within a private school setting.

Westdale Academy is more than just an elite boarding school for Liliana to finish out her senior year of high school.

The Academy turns out to be where her own mother was sent as well.

Having lost her father and more recently her mother also, at 17 Lili is an orphan who is trying desperately to make it to 18 without being caught by Child Protective Services.

At the last of her resources and in danger of losing the roof over her head Lili is caught between a rock and a hard place as the saying goes.

When her wealthy grandparents lawyer shows up the same day a CPS agent does Lili finds herself thrust into a situation she never experienced before.

Luckily being a fast learner means she quickly catches up to her new curriculum and also has the opportunity to make friends among other classmates.

I enjoyed very much the setting, the interaction between Lili and her classmates, the way she was able to get a little more information about her mother and especially how over time she put together the clues that allowed her to solve several mysteries by books end.

Friendships, danger, mystery, romance secrets and more made this a read that was easy to follow and twisted enough to keep me guessing until its truths were revealed in full.

[EArc from Netgalley]

[Andi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A DEADLY INHERITANCE takes place at an exclusive academy where only extremely wealthy kids attend. Liliana lost both of her parents—her mom most recently—and is struggling to survive and avoid DHS until she reaches her 18th birthday. But just like that, she discovers that her grandparents are billionaires, and while her mother was disowned, her grandparents are willing to accept her into the family, despite that they’ve never met.

Lili is whisked off to the Westdale Academy to finish her senior year. Lili’s time at the school is interesting. She’s smart and a quick study, as well as a down-to-earth and genuinely nice person. So she’s very likable. I liked that the author didn’t fill the school with a bunch of mean girls, and that Lili is even able to form several meaningful friendships at the school.

There are a few mysteries surrounding her mom and the school that Lili begins to investigate. However, I lost interest when the plot took a turn by giving Lili two love interests who were both agreeable with her dating the two of them at the same time. And one of them was bisexual. This was just too much.

While the writing and plot were initially engaging, this book was ultimately a letdown.

🌟Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.🌟

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was so "meh" in terms of plot! It feels like a mash-up of a whole lot of other books set in incredibly elite schools (this one is more of a Sixth Form College in the UK than a Senior Year Only US school because, well, we don't really have those here). Oh, and one with secret societies despite only having 40 students per year. And for a school that relies on three feeder schools for entry, it's remarkably interested in publicity (it's not like random people can get in, so... why, exactly?). There is mystery/murder and Our Heroine (who is one of those "raised in poverty but really the heiress to an incredible fortune" people) tries to solve them going back to 1956. Suspension of belief is really helpful.

And that's not even dealing with the love "triangle" turned throuple. Because of course. And because every student at this school is somehow part of an elite family, this all gets explained in a way that makes these teens (17-18 years old) sound at least ten years older.

YMMV but there are other books that do the mystery part better. Ditto the triangle.

eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss.

[Briana Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rate A Deadly Inheritance by Kelley Armstrong 5/5 stars! I’ve been a fan of Kelley Armstrongs since I was a teenager and have thoroughly enjoyed all her books. A Deadly Inheritance did not disappoint. One of the things I love about Kelley Armstrongs books is that even though she wrote YA and adult books her YA books are not childish. There is a difference that they are not adult but not cringey or too young for an adult to read one of her YA books. A Deadly Inheritance is about seventeen year old Liliana being recently orphaned and having to fend for herself until she finds out that she is heiress to a billion dollar corporation. Her late bothers childhood best friend becomes her guardian sending her to a prestigious private school for her final year of high school. Liliana’s life is turned upside down and now she has to navigate a new setting, secret society and deadly secrets. A Deadly Inheritance is releasing March 24, 2025. Thank you so much to Kelley Armstrong, Netgalley and Tundra Book Group for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

[Jill Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love the way Kelley Armstrong tells a story - even when it's not necessarily the type of story I'd normally be drawn to. This had shades of things I'd read before and I was afraid it might feel duplicative at first, but I have faith in Ms. Armstrong and my faith was, once again, rewarded. She has a knack for characters, bringing three-dimensional people out of even the smallest and seemingly lease consequential individuals thrown into her stories, and she weaves them together with strong protagonists (and antagonists - her villains are always one of my favorite parts!) and plot lines that move along at a neat clip to produce entertaining tales that offer escape and enjoyment, even when things are difficult.

I really hope this turns into a series because I enjoyed these characters/this world and would be thrilled to see more of both. The secrets, the lies, the red herrings, the secret societies and hidden rooms - I loved it all. It was not at all realistic or plausible, but it was a wonderful break from reality and highly engaging. There was a gothic feel but a contemporary storytelling style, and the combination worked. I always like that she introduces complex characters with flaws and challenges and lets them work through things in ways that are imperfect and one-step-foward-two-steps-back in nature. It gives her a chance to really develop their personalities, and the work she puts in is very rewarding to me as a reader.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.

[Jenifer Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Deadly Inheritance" is an amazing thrill ride in dark academia. Seventeen year old Liliana has been on her own since her mother died and is down to selling the apartment's refrigerator just to have enough to get by until high school graduation when she finds out she is the heiress to a billion dollar company that her estranged grandparents own. After being enrolled in prestigious Westdale Academy to finish out her senior year, Lili has had her whole world upended and it seems as if someone may be trying to kill her. Is she a target because of her sudden appearance or because of running for the Optima position at the school. When Lili learns of other mysterious deaths at the school, she and others try to discover whether they really were accidents or something more.

I really enjoyed the book. The suspense kept me glued to the pages to find out what happened next. There is some romance, but only kissing on the page.

[Misty Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a 3.5 read rounded up to 4

I was really confident this was going to be a 5 star read. One of my favorite series is the Inheritance Games . Since this book was described as Inheritance Games meets The Reappearance of Rachel Price I was sold.

I love the idea of a book being set in a boarding school, and I love the thought of rich people even more. I am a sucker for a pauper to riches story, so this book had such a strong start. Liliana was a strong FMC and I found myself rooting for her throughout the book wanting her to solve the mysteries. I also loved Theo and Maddox, but ultimately Theo was my favorite.

Where the book lost me was essentially the reverse haram. In this book Lili has two male love interest who both know she’s with the other. They refuse to make her choose. I am all for a why choose, but in a young adult novel it felt a bit icky.

I really did have a hared time putting this book down and for the most part I did enjoy the story.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved Kelley Armstrong’s books for a long, long time, wolfing down earlier series. My hunger for her books is unabated. This is an urban elite boarding prep-school mystery thriller.

So smooth, lots of humour, interesting and fun characters, a mix of relationships, and many secrets to be revealed.

Liliana is going to find out that her mum, recently deceased, had a past that she never revealed. But she definitely protected her daughter. Unlike many who now have a very different point of view on Liliana’s future.

Watch out Liliana! Money talks. But finding friend to chat to is much more important.

Thank you to Tundra Book Group and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Deadly Inheritance by Kelley Armstrong

This is a stand-alone book. I love a good academy book. Usually the academy books I see are supernatural in some way. This is not; the supernatural is changed out for super rich. I was feeling definite RH vibes throughout this one.
So, what happens when a poor orphan finds out she is the sole heiress to a billion dollar corporation and sent to live at an elite boarding school, with people seemingly trying to kill her at every turn? This book has it all. Rags to riches, coming of age, getting the guy, and solving the mystery. I couldn't put it down and a little bit wonder where the characters are now...

#bookreview #2026 #heiress #ragstoriches #target #secretsociety #academy #rich #netgalley

[Shannon Priaulx · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it! A YA read with a good story line.

When seventeen year old Lili’s mom passes away she finds herself struggling to make ends meet in their tiny apartment while she wait to graduate high school and move onto college. She would never have excepted that a knock at the door would send her life into complete chaos.

Turns out she is a billionaire heiress and is being swept away to a private boarding school for her last year of high school. It’s here she meets new friends, new enemies, and uncovered deadly old secrets about her mother and father’s past.

I really liked it, it was a quick read and a bit different from what the author usually writes but as anyone that reads my reviews knows - if she writes it I’m reading it!!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Tundra Book Group | Tundra Books, for providing the copy of A Deadly Inheritance by Kelley Armstrong. I love how the book hooked me into the story right away, but I wish that same momentum had lasted through the whole book. The ‘romance’ scenes weren’t very compelling, maybe because I didn’t really understand the relationships and why they were such a big part of the narrative. I’m not a teen or YA person, so maybe the intended demographic will find it interesting. I enjoyed the numerous reveals, but the story got convoluted with all of the side characters. I enjoyed this book, but didn't love it as much as the beginning made me think I would! 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given the opportunity to read and review an ARC from Netgalley.

Kelley Armstrong is one of my favorite Canadian authors. I have enjoyed both her young adult and adult novels. So, when I had the opportunity to read another Kelley Armstrong, I jumped at the chance.

This novel actually took me by surprise. I did not love it. One of the major plot holes that I found was with the main character’s mother. Liliana claims that her mother wanted nothing more than to be a mom and wife, YET she makes no arrangements for someone to take care of Liliana after the death of Liliana’s father and if something happened to her. One character type that annoys me is useless mothers. And, I had a hard time with the grandparents wanting nothing to do with Liliana.

After that initial plot detail, I liked the other parts of the mystery. The deeper mysteries within the school were well done. I liked the interconnectedness and the twists.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is always fun and interesting when an author decides to branch out a little from their norm. Yes, this is YA, which she has done before. And yes, this is a mystery, that she has also done before but.. this is a mystery with friends, characters, and relationships like never before.

I have to say, I liked it. I had fun with it even though some parts, some things were a little unbelievable and hard to swallow, the rest, was brilliantly done. It kept me engaged and interested and really, that's all anyone needs in a good story isn't it? Overall, well done.

*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

[Randi A · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up. This had the pieces of a fresh intriguing story, but the execution was sloppy. Honestly there was so much here this would’ve benefitted from being multiple books. I wanted more of Lili building relationships and more of really scene setting at the school and with the characters. Too much was spent on the somewhat random throuple situation and not enough on the fact this mystery spanned several decades. The ending was way too rushed as well. Potential here, but I was left wanting more.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephanie Rivera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh man, this was a great twisty mystery that left me guessing until the very end of the book. I kept thinking I knew who the bad guy was but it kept being a red herring and getting disproved. I really enjoyed the romance and that it isn’t like most YA that usually has a love triangle but gives a different option. The ending was great and I loved that there was a bunch of tiny mysteries that ended up tying in to the bigger mystery.
Thanks to Tundra Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

[Charliegh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Tundra Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Publishing 3/24/26.

I’m always here for a YA thriller, and A Deadly Inheritance really worked for me. It had major A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder vibes. It was fast-paced, twisty and a page turner. I felt like I flew through this one.

The pseudo-throuple felt a little unnecessary, but it did add an interesting dynamic to the story. I didn’t fully figure things out until the very end, which is always a win for me. I’ll definitely be picking up more books by this author!

[Dee Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh. The throuple storyline was such a buzz-killer. There was way too much focus on that (the situation seemed unrealistic for a bunch of 17-year olds). I feel like this was just another box to check for Kelley.

The story was interesting at first, but got progressively more convoluted, which caused my interest to wane. I found myself eager for the story to be done.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
(3.5 stars rounded down)

P.S. I think Liliana technically still owes Allegra a secret.

[Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy. I am so grateful.]

[Jennifer Wurges byrnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Tundra Book Group for the arc ebook for review.

I’m my opinion Kelley Armstrong is the queen of mystery/thriller series with a strong female lead character. In recent years she’s been writing a lot of stand alone books, with mixed results. A Deadly Inheritance, a YA book about an orphaned teen who discovers she’s actually the heiress to a fortune, hits the mark.

I was thoroughly engaged and couldn’t put the book down. There’s a take on romance I’ve not read about before, mystery, thrills, and friendship.

I loved it. 4.5 stars

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dark Academia, rags to riches with a cast of other students who aren’t all terrible (but of course a few are). The things I most appreciate about this are spoilers of a sort. My biggest issue is that the characters feel younger than they are and the romance fell flat for me. I usually either love or am just meh about Kelley’s writing and this is no exception.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc.

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not been disappointed by a Kelley Armstrong book yet.

Liliana gets some news that's the tip of a string of events waiting to unravel her life. Some of what she finds out could be life-changing in a good way, but jealousy is a powerful force. Liliana finds her place at Westdale only to find that someone intends for her to lose it... and her life. She has to figure out who she can trust and unravel a mystery that began decades before she was even born.

The suspense in this novel was great. There was a lot of give and take with questions and answers that kept me guessing at what was really going on. The only thing I didn't care much for was the romantic element. It took more of a front row seat than I thought necessary, but the characters themselves were great.

[Debbie Ballard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading the exciting and engaging story. Liliana is trying. to make it financially after her mom's death, a lawyer tells her she has an inheritance, whisks her away to an elite high school, and when her life is in danger, Theo and Maddox come to her rescue. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written full of twist and turns, and another must read riveting story by the amazing and awesome author, Kelley Armstrong.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I enjoyed this book, I cannot say I loved it. It is a decent YA mystery, but has some very adult themes. I was able to parse most of the twists before they were revealed. It was nice to see teens portrayed as mature and capable people, and the romance was written well especially considering the target audience.