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Deadly Inheritance
Andi Buckner and her twin brother, Bolden, have had enough of the rough streets of Detroit. When they can no longer bear the drugs and abuse within their home, the twins make their Bolden to the military, and Andy to wherever the wind takes her. With few belongings and no specific destination, Andi eventually finds herself across the table from a kind old man in a quaint café in Spring Hollow, Montana. Louis “Gramps” Granger, a retired cop, takes Andi under his wing. Andi soon finds a peace she’s never known as she roots herself in the small town, working at the café and living in a cabin on Gramp’s property. But her peace is short-lived. . . When an enemy from Gramp’s past murders the old man, Andi’s need to see justice served draws her into an investigation far beyond her own abilities. But hundreds of miles away, her twin brother senses her despair and heeds her silent plea for help. Andi is soon reunited with her brother as well as with Bolden’s friend, private investigator Mason Crowther. Together, the trio delves into a mystery and soon discovers that the murderer’s motive goes far deeper than any of them imagined. With the truth almost within reach, they find themselves directly in the path of a killer who will stop at nothing to finish what they’ve started. . . .
260 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2017
34 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
Clair M. Poulson
54 books295 followersClair M. Poulson was born and raised in Duchesne, Utah. His father was a rancher and farmer, his mother a librarian. Clair has always been an avid reader, having found his love for books as a very young boy.
He has served for forty years in the criminal justice system. Twenty years were spent in law enforcement, ending his police career with eight years as the Duchesne County Sheriff. For the past twenty years Clair has worked as a justice court judge for Duchesne County. Clair is also a veteran of the US Army where he was a military policeman. He has served on various boards and councils during his professional career, including the Justice Court Board of Judges, Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, Utah Judicial Council, Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, an FBI advisory board and others.
In addition to his criminal justice work, Clair has farmed and ranched all of his life. He has raised many kinds of animals, but his greatest interest is horses.
Clair has served in many capacities in the LDS church, including fulltime missionary (California Mission) bishop, counselor to bishop, young men president, high councilor, stake mission president, scoutmaster, High Priest group leader, etc. He currently serves as a Sunday School teacher.
Clair is married to Ruth, and together, they have five children, all of whom are married: Alan (Vicena) Poulson, Kelly Ann (Wade) Hatch, Amanda (Ben) Semadeni, Wade (Brooke) Poulson, and Mary (Tyler) Hicken. Between them they have twenty-three children. Clair and Ruth met while both were students at Snow College and were married in the Manti temple.
Clair has always loved telling his children, and later his grandchildren, make-up stories. His vast experience in life and his love of literature has always contributed to both his telling stories to children and his writing of adventure and suspense novels.
He has served for forty years in the criminal justice system. Twenty years were spent in law enforcement, ending his police career with eight years as the Duchesne County Sheriff. For the past twenty years Clair has worked as a justice court judge for Duchesne County. Clair is also a veteran of the US Army where he was a military policeman. He has served on various boards and councils during his professional career, including the Justice Court Board of Judges, Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, Utah Judicial Council, Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, an FBI advisory board and others.
In addition to his criminal justice work, Clair has farmed and ranched all of his life. He has raised many kinds of animals, but his greatest interest is horses.
Clair has served in many capacities in the LDS church, including fulltime missionary (California Mission) bishop, counselor to bishop, young men president, high councilor, stake mission president, scoutmaster, High Priest group leader, etc. He currently serves as a Sunday School teacher.
Clair is married to Ruth, and together, they have five children, all of whom are married: Alan (Vicena) Poulson, Kelly Ann (Wade) Hatch, Amanda (Ben) Semadeni, Wade (Brooke) Poulson, and Mary (Tyler) Hicken. Between them they have twenty-three children. Clair and Ruth met while both were students at Snow College and were married in the Manti temple.
Clair has always loved telling his children, and later his grandchildren, make-up stories. His vast experience in life and his love of literature has always contributed to both his telling stories to children and his writing of adventure and suspense novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
April 4, 2017
Clair Poulson has a gift for writing and telling a story. I've read so many of his books but I think this one is my favorite of his last few.
Andi is such a tough girl. All through this book I though to myself that if I were the main character in this book I would be dead. Andi knows martial arts, is a deadly shot with a gun, has nerves of steel, can keep a car from flipping with her master driving skills, knows how to use a knife and did I mention those nerves of steel? Yeah, I'm nothing like that. I'd be dead. Twenty times over. Andi deserves a cape. And maybe the ability to fly.
I enjoyed the pacing of this book. The forward momentum was always there and I was interested the whole time. There were so many bad guys, so many plots and so many different angles that just when I thought I had things figured out, I had to think again. That's a fantastic thing in a mystery/suspense book!
Content: Some violence, LDS Fiction (characters are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints so there is talk of things specific to that religion- God, praying)
-I received a copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.
Andi is such a tough girl. All through this book I though to myself that if I were the main character in this book I would be dead. Andi knows martial arts, is a deadly shot with a gun, has nerves of steel, can keep a car from flipping with her master driving skills, knows how to use a knife and did I mention those nerves of steel? Yeah, I'm nothing like that. I'd be dead. Twenty times over. Andi deserves a cape. And maybe the ability to fly.
I enjoyed the pacing of this book. The forward momentum was always there and I was interested the whole time. There were so many bad guys, so many plots and so many different angles that just when I thought I had things figured out, I had to think again. That's a fantastic thing in a mystery/suspense book!
Content: Some violence, LDS Fiction (characters are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints so there is talk of things specific to that religion- God, praying)
-I received a copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.
April 3, 2017
This is the fourth book of Clair M. Poulson's that I have read. So far it has been my favorite. He has many books that I have yet to read.
This book is about a young lady who grew up in an abusive home. She needed a new start, so she drove, not knowing where she would end up. She landed in in Montana after meeting "Gramps". They needed each other and were drawn together as a granddaughter and grandfather. Gramps was a detective and put many bad guys in jail. This book is what happened when the bad guys found him.
Deadly Inheritance has many intense moments. Andi, her brother Bolden, and his detective friend Mason are trying to unravel the clues to find the killer. Danger comes from all sides. They need to keep their wits about them and find the bad guys before they are hurt or killed.
The plot has many turns. The plans of the killer are intricate and hard to figure out. Just when you think that you know exactly what is happening there is more to the story. It was pretty tricky how it is all brought together and resolution is found.
I read this book quickly and found it enjoyable. There is romance, mystery, action, and adventure. The book contains violence.
Source: I received a copy from the publisher to review.
This book is about a young lady who grew up in an abusive home. She needed a new start, so she drove, not knowing where she would end up. She landed in in Montana after meeting "Gramps". They needed each other and were drawn together as a granddaughter and grandfather. Gramps was a detective and put many bad guys in jail. This book is what happened when the bad guys found him.
Deadly Inheritance has many intense moments. Andi, her brother Bolden, and his detective friend Mason are trying to unravel the clues to find the killer. Danger comes from all sides. They need to keep their wits about them and find the bad guys before they are hurt or killed.
The plot has many turns. The plans of the killer are intricate and hard to figure out. Just when you think that you know exactly what is happening there is more to the story. It was pretty tricky how it is all brought together and resolution is found.
I read this book quickly and found it enjoyable. There is romance, mystery, action, and adventure. The book contains violence.
Source: I received a copy from the publisher to review.
April 6, 2017
(3.5 Stars) Andi has no idea of the danger she's in when her old friend, Gramps, is murdered. In a race against time to discover the murderer, Andi, her twin brother, Bolden, and his friend, Mason, endure danger and suspense like you won't believe.
My feelings on this book are like a yo-yo. I found myself getting caught up in the drama and suspense one minute and then getting dragged down by the inconsistencies and clumsy relationships the next. And I'm not just talking about romantic relationships. The character interactions, at times, are gauche and there are some repetitions that I felt were unnecessary. There are two instances where the wrong names are used, so if you're picky about those kinds of technicalities, beware.
That aside, I thought I knew who did it and just how the book was going to end by the time I read a few, but boy, was I surprised! This isn't a boring, predictable storyline at all. The twists and turns had me doubting myself and second guessing my theories. A plethora of possible suspects emerge and the danger levels would've had me passed out cold from my nerves, had I been in Andi's shoes. For the most part, she's a competent heroine and I enjoyed the steady tension.
Content: very mild romance; moderate violence (murder, violence, attacks, etc--some blood, but not extremely gory); mild religion (the characters are LDS--Mormon--and some references are made to faith and believes).
*I received a copy through the publisher. A positive review was not required and all thoughts are my own.*
My feelings on this book are like a yo-yo. I found myself getting caught up in the drama and suspense one minute and then getting dragged down by the inconsistencies and clumsy relationships the next. And I'm not just talking about romantic relationships. The character interactions, at times, are gauche and there are some repetitions that I felt were unnecessary. There are two instances where the wrong names are used, so if you're picky about those kinds of technicalities, beware.
That aside, I thought I knew who did it and just how the book was going to end by the time I read a few, but boy, was I surprised! This isn't a boring, predictable storyline at all. The twists and turns had me doubting myself and second guessing my theories. A plethora of possible suspects emerge and the danger levels would've had me passed out cold from my nerves, had I been in Andi's shoes. For the most part, she's a competent heroine and I enjoyed the steady tension.
Content: very mild romance; moderate violence (murder, violence, attacks, etc--some blood, but not extremely gory); mild religion (the characters are LDS--Mormon--and some references are made to faith and believes).
*I received a copy through the publisher. A positive review was not required and all thoughts are my own.*
April 5, 2017
This was a great suspense. I loved the twists and turns that happened as Andi, Bolden and Mason worked toward Gramps's murder. It kept me on my toes the entire book. The characters were instantly likable and it was fun to read about them. The story is fast-paced and keeps the pages turning. However, the romantic element that was present felt forced throughout most of the book. I cringed anytime things seemed to happen. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a great suspense and can put up with a little awkward romance.
April 5, 2017
I so love a good suspense story!
This book is fantastic! Riveting even!
I loved how Andi and Gramps came together-- and the list of suspects keeps you reading until the very last page to know what really happened-- Such great writing!
Do not miss out on this one!!!
This book is fantastic! Riveting even!
I loved how Andi and Gramps came together-- and the list of suspects keeps you reading until the very last page to know what really happened-- Such great writing!
Do not miss out on this one!!!
April 9, 2017
Deadly Inheritance is a fast-paced murder mystery that builds up the suspense and intrigue so quickly you know you won't be putting the book down anytime soon. Not only is the plot richly layered, but the characters are interesting and you want to know more, even if they are already dead. The one thing that I loved was how with each new layer added to the story the more the reader is throw off track of the real killer. I honestly was so surprised by the many twists that the author revealed as the story progressed.
My favorite characters in the book were Andi, the leading lady, Gramps who took Andi into his life and heart, the dog Shadow, and Mason the P.I. who is outright amazing in the story. I'm not giving details away in this book review because that would be cruel to any reader who picks up this book after me. Just realize when starting this book that it was written by a man who worked in the criminal justice system for many decades, so details about the police, investigations, and actions of criminals are written very realistically. The twists and turns with many shocking moments and never ending action will keep you reading and loving Deadly Inheritance. This one comes highly recommended by me giving it 5 stars.
My favorite characters in the book were Andi, the leading lady, Gramps who took Andi into his life and heart, the dog Shadow, and Mason the P.I. who is outright amazing in the story. I'm not giving details away in this book review because that would be cruel to any reader who picks up this book after me. Just realize when starting this book that it was written by a man who worked in the criminal justice system for many decades, so details about the police, investigations, and actions of criminals are written very realistically. The twists and turns with many shocking moments and never ending action will keep you reading and loving Deadly Inheritance. This one comes highly recommended by me giving it 5 stars.
April 4, 2017
Another thrilling mystery book by author Clair Poulson! I have read some of his books off and on over the years and have really enjoyed them.
I really liked the main characters Andi, Bolden, Mason, and Gramps in this story. It was nice to see how Andi and Bolden were able to pull their life around after having such an awful childhood and relationship with their mother.
Andi decides to settle down in a small town after meeting Gramps in the local cafe one day. Years later she finds contentment but not the peace she is hoping to find. After former cop Gramps Granger is murdered, Andi and her brother try to figure out the killer is and why someone is trying to hurt them as well.
Fast paced, clean, christian mystery that is sure to keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat! I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
I really liked the main characters Andi, Bolden, Mason, and Gramps in this story. It was nice to see how Andi and Bolden were able to pull their life around after having such an awful childhood and relationship with their mother.
Andi decides to settle down in a small town after meeting Gramps in the local cafe one day. Years later she finds contentment but not the peace she is hoping to find. After former cop Gramps Granger is murdered, Andi and her brother try to figure out the killer is and why someone is trying to hurt them as well.
Fast paced, clean, christian mystery that is sure to keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat! I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
September 2, 2024
• 3.25 ⭐️ •
In order to run away from her past.. and the many abusive partners her mother has, Andi just gets in her car one day, and drove. She drove until she felt safe and far away enough from all of it, And that’s where she meets Gramps.
Gramps is an old man who’s soon becoming Andi’s best friend and just like a grandfather to her.
one day, she finds him killed and hell breaks loose!
~•~
It started great, with a fast-pace and quickest to the events of the book. It’s well-written and beautifully structured even though it’s a bit too fast?
The murder investigation was going great until it got a bit too repetitive and it felt like they were spiraling or going in circles. The killer was expected but also not? It just felt like a lot of people were involved in it.
There’s a side-plot of a romance going on which seemed a cute but a bit -insta-lovey- which I kinda dislike..
You don’t just meet a guy today and fall in love with him or feel “sparks” within 2 seconds!
But overall the book is pretty good and better than I expected tbh!
If I had more reading time, I bet I would’ve finished it in max. 2 days. But as I was reading only before going to bed, it took a bit longer to get through it.
In order to run away from her past.. and the many abusive partners her mother has, Andi just gets in her car one day, and drove. She drove until she felt safe and far away enough from all of it, And that’s where she meets Gramps.
Gramps is an old man who’s soon becoming Andi’s best friend and just like a grandfather to her.
one day, she finds him killed and hell breaks loose!
~•~
It started great, with a fast-pace and quickest to the events of the book. It’s well-written and beautifully structured even though it’s a bit too fast?
The murder investigation was going great until it got a bit too repetitive and it felt like they were spiraling or going in circles. The killer was expected but also not? It just felt like a lot of people were involved in it.
There’s a side-plot of a romance going on which seemed a cute but a bit -insta-lovey- which I kinda dislike..
You don’t just meet a guy today and fall in love with him or feel “sparks” within 2 seconds!
But overall the book is pretty good and better than I expected tbh!
If I had more reading time, I bet I would’ve finished it in max. 2 days. But as I was reading only before going to bed, it took a bit longer to get through it.
March 25, 2017
Excellent read. If you like Clair Poulson you'll love this suspense novel. If you've never read his books this is a great one to start with. It was exciting and unpredictable from start to finish.
April 9, 2017
Thus book was pretty sappy and the smartest character in the book was the dog. It was a little ridiculous the way the characters would unwisely get themselves in difficulty and how slow they were to pick up on the obvious clues. Not my favorite by this author.
January 9, 2019
I love the writing of Clair Poulson - his stories are always exciting regarding the mystery of murder and danger but not in an uncomfortable way - this is about a Andi who leaves her drunken/abused mother to start a new life of her own. She ended up in Montana - becoming friends with "Gramps" and his German shepherd. Gramps had been in the military police but also a detective in CA where he captured many criminals and made a lot of enemies. He assisted the local sheriff with cases that were difficult and created more enemies. Andi finally finds peace and happiness among new friends but that is shattered one day when Gramps is killed - Andi calls in her twin brother, Bolden to help he brings his PI friend Mason to help uncover the murderer. As they investigate and uncover things, they find this mystery runs deeper than they thought putting their lives in danger several times. Exciting story that kept my attention.
December 29, 2019
I was halfway into this book and was thinking, how nice that the author finally didn’t throw super cheesy dialogue into the story. But I thought too soon - **spoiler alert** I read parts out loud to my son laughing my head off. The guy fights with a suspected killer and lets him go?? Cuts off his ear and throws it in the garbage?? Then calls the police and tells them to go get him?? Why not just contain him right then? Then we have nitwit police officers arresting the good guy, spouting off what a dangerous man he is - insulting the fine officers of Helena. It got crazy from there but still a pretty good read. 🙂
May 16, 2017
I listened to this book using Bookshelf Plus on my commute to and from work. I admit I may have taken the long way home a time or two to keep listening. This is the 3rd book I've listened to by Clair Poulson and I'm becoming quite a fan of his writing.
Gramps is an endearing character from the beginning. You can't help but really like the old guy - just like Andi, the main character. She stumbles into a mystery but with the help of her brother and his friend they unravel the truths.
This keeps you intrigued to the end.
Gramps is an endearing character from the beginning. You can't help but really like the old guy - just like Andi, the main character. She stumbles into a mystery but with the help of her brother and his friend they unravel the truths.
This keeps you intrigued to the end.
June 2, 2017
Not my favorite, but far from his worst. Andi is "adopted" by a sweet old man who everyone in town calls Gramps. When he is murdered, she is quickly swept up in the murder investigation. Luckily for Andi, her brother and his best friend come to help solve the mystery. There were plenty of bad guys to choose from-SPOILER-but it ends up being all of them! It is a let down when you try to figure it out and end up being right with ALL of the people you suspected!
An easy and clean mystery with LDS characters, but not much more than praying.
An easy and clean mystery with LDS characters, but not much more than praying.
March 20, 2021
This book follows Andi, who runs away from an abusive home and takes to the road. A kindly old man—Gramps—befriends her in a café in Montana and invites her to live on his property in the guesthouse. She gets a job at the café and begins a new life…one where she is safe and happy. Until Gramps turns up dead—murdered. Her twin brother returns to help her, along with his army friend Mason. The mystery to unravel who the murderer is takes lots of twists and turns in this story, always keeping me guessing. A great crime thriller.
March 25, 2017
Thanks to a bout of insomnia, I finished the book pretty quickly.
I think this is a great book. I like that it takes place in a setting similar to what Mr. Paulson would have known in law enforcement--rural western U.S. I also like that the trajectory and pace of the story aren't the standard rush to a big ending but more closely approximate what I think an actual case would be--twists and turns with things slowly unfolding. I like the police procedure he throws in. The romance portion isn't awkward.
I think this is a great book. I like that it takes place in a setting similar to what Mr. Paulson would have known in law enforcement--rural western U.S. I also like that the trajectory and pace of the story aren't the standard rush to a big ending but more closely approximate what I think an actual case would be--twists and turns with things slowly unfolding. I like the police procedure he throws in. The romance portion isn't awkward.
May 15, 2018
I used to love Clair's books. It seems the last several I have read lack the same draw and pull that the others had. His characters are only partially developed and his ability to build suspense and create an inspiring and well developed interaction between the love interests is sadly lacking. The book is entertaining but not exciting and while I think the storyline and plot are good ones, they just don't seem as fleshed out as some of his earlier work. That said, it's still a good read.
December 11, 2024
I've enjoyed other books by this author but not so much this one.
When Andi's twin brother Bolden is arrested for attempted murder, the officers barge into the lawyers office to aggressively arrest him without any proof. It was so ridiculous I had to skim past it.
Then, every time I turned around there was somebody else who wanted Andi dead.
This one just didn't work for me. It probably should get 2 stars instead of 3.
When Andi's twin brother Bolden is arrested for attempted murder, the officers barge into the lawyers office to aggressively arrest him without any proof. It was so ridiculous I had to skim past it.
Then, every time I turned around there was somebody else who wanted Andi dead.
This one just didn't work for me. It probably should get 2 stars instead of 3.
May 10, 2017
This book satisfied my need for a good murder mystery. I really liked it. I haven't read the last few books Clair Poulson has written because I just couldn't get into them. This book was like his older books. Lots of intrigue and murder and a little bit of romance. I'm wondering now if I should go back and see if I can get into the previous books.
September 12, 2017
Maybe 2.5 stars Another audiobook for a long, long drive.
Clean
Awkward pseudo-romance of sorts
Unbelievable storyline regarding handling of long-term abusive relationship between mother and her two children/mother's boyfriend
Lots of twists and turns but I just couldn't really get into this story, too far-fetched
My favorite believable character - the German shepherd, truly
Clean
Awkward pseudo-romance of sorts
Unbelievable storyline regarding handling of long-term abusive relationship between mother and her two children/mother's boyfriend
Lots of twists and turns but I just couldn't really get into this story, too far-fetched
My favorite believable character - the German shepherd, truly
April 18, 2019
An easy read. The book rambled on in a few places but other than that it was an enjoyable mystery novel. It gets more and more difficult to find authors who don’t resort to violence and foul language just to sell their books, so finding a mystery author who can tell a compelling story without using either is rare.
May 7, 2017
Loved the mystery and suspense. I instantly loved Andi and her bravery in setting out on her own to get away from a bad situation. It was sweet how Gramps took her in as his granddaughter. Gramps death and her inheriting his worldly possessions started a domino effect of threats.
May 14, 2017
I really enjoy a good murder mystery. This author keeps me in suspense without being overly graphic or violent. As with his other books, I would love a little longer epilogue with more of the happily ever after details. Still an enjoyable and recommended read.
March 14, 2018
A complex murder mystery. I did not figure out who had committed the murder until it was revealed, which is rare for me. I did figure out other key aspects of the mystery. The book was good but not as good as some of his others.
July 17, 2018
Great read
Poison continues to write orbiting novels, crime murder, suspense, romance, all without crossing any lines that would make the reader wash their hands, or clean entertainment. I try to read everything he writes.
Poison continues to write orbiting novels, crime murder, suspense, romance, all without crossing any lines that would make the reader wash their hands, or clean entertainment. I try to read everything he writes.
December 27, 2018
One of the first audiobooks I’ve listened to. It was ok but went on forever. It had its moments where it was interesting. I’ve now listened to 3 of his books. They’re are definitely all similar in writing style and pattern. Not my favorite but for a fluff mystery, it’s ok.
January 6, 2023
Deadly Inheritance by Clair Poulsen is one I highly recommend. I enjoy all of his books, but this one tops the list. It kept me turning pages well into the night because I had to know what happened next. Great, clean, suspense novel with just the right amount of romance. 5 stars 🌟
January 20, 2025
This suspense novel had me on the edge of my seat as I was trying to figure out how everything would be solved and come together. I liked the twin aspects and light romance in the story along with the multiple POVs.
August 1, 2025
I've read enough of Poulson's books by now that I know exactly what I'm going to get. A slight romance between a girl in trouble and a PI/cop/lawyer who saves the day (or possibly vice versa). But sometimes predictable is just what I need.
May 28, 2017
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews