I'm dreading the day when the house needs to be cleaned out, more than I dread the day that they leave us," laments Teresa C. of Winnipeg, Canada. Teresa, like several others interviewed for this story, did not want to give her last name because the hoarding is a source of tension in her family. For Teresa, inheriting her aging parents' hoard is a worry for the future. I returned to this quote after reading An Unwanted Inheritance because, to me, whether intentional or coincidental, Imogen Clark's latest novel is an examination of the subtle differences in the Bible saying we may have heard, with or without the love part.

Siblings Max, Ellie and Nathan’s father dies suddenly and Max’s wife Caroline discovers a suitcase full of a huge amount of money in his house whilst looking for the cat! I like the premise of this book and was quite excited to read it. Unfortunately it fell short of my expectations.You know that a writer has done a great job when you react to the characters. And, boy, did I have strong feelings about all of them here! James’s arrogance, in particular, was beyond the pale, and while I admired Caroline’s integrity, her behavior as a partner and not a sibling at times verged on the insane.

Although this is an intriguing, well-written and enjoyable read, I really didn’t like the characters that much. Ellie is a ridiculous spendthrift, James is a bit pompous. Nathan is in a mess of his own making yet thinks his family should bail him out time and time again and Caroline, well, perhaps she’s just a more virtuous person that me but, crikey, she’s a bit annoying! For me, the characters were unlikeable and I found the pace inconsistent. It’s not a terrible book, not at all. I suppose I just had very different ideas on what it would be to what it actually was. Which is a shame.

Uncommon Knowledge

It is an interesting idea for a novel, and is written with plenty of cliff-hangers to keep the reader interested. As a follower of this author I agreed to read a pre-publication copy in exchange for an honest review. The story explores the siblings’ reasons for wanting the money, looking into their relationships with each other and their father. Max, Ellie and Nathan have suddenly lost their beloved larger than life father. When it falls to Max and his wife Caroline to clear his house out, she finds a suitcase full of money!

When their father dies unexpectedly, siblings Max, Ellie and Nathan can’t even contemplate emptying his house—not least because he spent his last decade curating what feels like a museum to his polished public image. So it is Max’s wife, Caroline, who finds the suitcase under a bed…A suitcase stuffed full of an awful lot of cash.When their father dies suddenly, Max’s wife Caroline stumbles upon the hidden suitcase. The question is who it belongs too and why is it hidden in their late fathers spare bedroom?