Inheritance

Written by American author Nora Roberts and published in 2023, Inheritance is the first installment of the Lost Brides Trilogy and is followed by The Mirror and The Seven Rings. Set in the haunted and atmospheric Poole Manor, Inheritance follows a graphic designer named Sonya MacTavish as she uncovers her family’s mysterious past and confronts the literal and metaphorical ghosts that reside within her ancestral estate. The novel explores love, resilience, and the intersection of history and identity, blending romance and suspense with supernatural elements to examine the myriad ways that the past shapes the present.

Known for her prolific career in romance and suspense, Roberts has written over 225 novels that have been translated into over 25 languages and have sold more than 400 million copies worldwide. She was the first author to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. With Inheritance, she delves into gothic contemporary paranormal fiction, interweaving themes of family legacy, supernatural intrigue, and personal growth.

This guide refers to the 2023 St. Martin’s Press e-book edition and the 2023 Macmillan Audio audiobook.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of death, child death, death by suicide, graphic violence, addiction, sexual content, and cursing.

Plot Summary

In 1806, Astrid Grandville marries Collin Poole, a shipbuilder from Poole’s Bay, Maine. During the wedding reception, Astrid encounters a lost guest named Hester Dobbs, a witch who is in love with Collin. Overcome with jealousy, Hester stabs Astrid, placing a curse on her and all future Poole brides; the only way for Collin to prevent the curse would be to choose to stay with Hester. Hester takes Astrid’s wedding ring and vanishes. Astrid dies in Collin’s arms, and Collin chooses to die by suicide rather than living without his bride. These events mark the beginning of a dark legacy for the Poole family.

In the narrative present, 28-year-old graphic designer Sonya MacTavish discovers her fiancé, Brandon Wise, cheating on her with her cousin Tracie. Devastated but resolute, Sonya ends the engagement, removes Brandon from her life, and turns to her best friend and former college roommate, Cleopatra (“Cleo”) Fabares, for support. Shortly afterward, Sonya faces challenges at work when Brandon spreads lies about her, claiming that she had a mental health crisis due to wedding stress. After enduring sabotage at work, including deleted files and damaged property, Sonya decides to leave her job and launch her own design business, Visual Art by Sonya, and gradually rebuilds her professional and personal life.

In January, Oliver “Deuce” Doyle II visits Sonya with unexpected news: She has inherited a family estate, Poole Manor, from her late uncle Collin Poole. Deuce explains that the manor, known locally as “Lost Bride Manor,” is worth $8 million and includes a trust to cover maintenance, taxes, and a yearly stipend. However, the inheritance comes with a condition that Sonya must reside in the manor for three years. The estate has a dark history involving seven Poole brides who died under mysterious circumstances. Sonya learns from Deuce that her late father, Andrew MacTavish, was Collin’s twin brother. The family gave Andrew up for adoption after the deaths of Andrew and Collin’s parents, Lillian “Clover” Crest Poole and Charles Poole. (After Clover’s death, Charles died by suicide.)

Curious but cautious, Sonya agrees to a three-month trial stay at the manor. Her mother, Winter, reveals that Andrew inexplicably drew sketches of the manor; he also drew a peculiar mirror featuring the reflected face of Collin—even though Andrew had never seen Collin, the mirror, or the manor. When Sonya arrives at the estate, she is immediately enchanted by its beauty and history. She meets Oliver “Trey” Doyle III, who warns her about the paranormal activity in the house. Sonya dismisses the warnings but soon begins experiencing unexplained phenomena. She repeatedly wakes up at three o’clock in the morning to hear phantom piano music, the sound of sobbing, and the chime of a grandfather clock.

Sonya dreams of Astrid Poole, who pleads with her to find seven rings and break the curse. As Sonya delves into the family’s tragic history, she discovers portraits of the lost brides, including Johanna, the seventh bride, who was married to Sonya’s uncle Collin. She places the portrait in the music room. The manor’s paranormal occurrences increase, with benevolent ghosts tidying the house and malevolent forces locking Sonya outside in the snow. Cryptic messages such as “7 lost” appear in mirror condensation, deepening her unease.

Cleo visits and immediately recognizes the house’s haunted nature. She agrees to move in with Sonya, and together, they begin investigating the curse’s origins. Trey and Sonya’s cousin Owen Poole assist Sonya in uncovering more details about the Poole family. They discover that Hester took the wedding rings from each cursed bride, a detail that was overlooked in prior investigations.

Sonya adopts Yoda, a Boston terrier-dachshund mix, to ease her loneliness and improve her safety. The dog quickly becomes attuned to the house’s ghosts and often alerts Sonya to Hester’s malevolent presence. Sonya continues to dream about the lost brides, including Catherine, who died in a blizzard; Marianne, who died in childbirth; and Agatha, who succumbed to an allergic reaction. Sonya identifies the music-playing ghost as Clover, her grandmother. As Sonya’s romantic relationship with Trey intensifies, the ghostly Clover appears to Trey and urges him to help Sonya break the curse.

Meanwhile, Hester’s attacks grow increasingly dangerous. During one confrontation, Hester leaves an ice burn on Sonya’s wrist. Sonya begins to suspect that the mirror she frequently sees in her dreams holds the key to breaking the curse. Guided by her dreams and the spirits, Sonya, Trey, Cleo, and Owen search the house for the mysterious artifact.

Cleo’s presence brings new revelations, including encounters with benevolent ghosts such as Molly, who cleans the house, and Jack, a playful nine-year-old boy who teaches Yoda tricks. Meanwhile, Hester escalates her aggression, sending a blackbird to attack Sonya and Yoda. Sonya and Trey also uncover more details about the Poole lineage and learn about Lisbeth, a bride who died from multiple black widow spider bites. Trey’s mother, Corrine, shares her own experience of seeing Johanna’s ghost, who asked her to care for Collin. Sonya finds a portrait of Clover that Andrew, her father, painted. She places that portrait in the music room. At three o’clock in the morning, Sonya and Owen notice that the wedding rings in the portraits disappear, only to reappear when the clock finishes chiming.

Hester then turns her attention to Cleo, appearing behind her in the bathroom before turning on all the hot water. In the mirror, Hester writes, “Leave or die,” unsettling Cleo.

One night, Cleo observes Sonya sleepwalking and follows her, calling Trey for assistance. Sonya leads them to the ballroom, where they discover the mirror from her dreams. While Trey and Cleo only see their reflections, Sonya and Owen perceive light and movement within the mirror. Determined to end the curse, Sonya and Owen step through the mirror together.