G1208 E-reading Book Review of He started it by Samantha Downing

Name of Book: He started it

Author: Samantha Downing

ISBN: B07XJL1YSM

Publisher: Berkley 

Type of book: Road trip, psychological, thriller, USA, secrets, family, siblings, murder, crazy road trip, money, greed, sociopath, heroes, loyalty, antiheroes 

Year it was published: 2020

Summary:

Beth, Portia, and Eddie Morgan haven't all been together in years. And for very good reasons—we'll get to those later. But when their wealthy grandfather dies and leaves a cryptic final message in his wake, the siblings and their respective partners must come together for a cross-country road trip to fulfill his final wish and—more importantly—secure their inheritance.

But time with your family can be tough. It is for everyone.

It's even harder when you're all keeping secrets and trying to forget a memory—a missing person, an act of revenge, the man in the black truck who won't stop following your car—and especially when at least one of you is a killer and there's a body in the trunk. Just to name a few reasons.

But money is a powerful motivator. It is for everyone.

Characters:

Main characters include Beth, Portia, Eddie and grandfather. How to describe the characters without spoilers? Beth is a narrator and from first few lines she describes herself as an anti-heroine. She is smart alecky, suspicious, and doesn't trust anyone. She is also a bit sociopathic. Portia is the youngest sibling and is described as a moocher as well as a kleptomaniac. Eddie, well, Eddie is a predator with secrets and deeds as big as mountain Everest. Grandfather is perhaps best described as warped yet mysterious. Let's say it this way: this is one road trip you will feel lucky to never be part of. 

Theme:

Do you truly know your siblings? 

Plot:

The story is in first person narrative from Beth's point of view. It is also written chronologically with background info on previous road trip given by diary entries written by one of the siblings. Let me also say that just like her debut, this is a stunner filled with red herrings, suspicions, secrets and how much can be revealed by secrets and memories. It wasn't a fast read like MY LOVELY WIFE, but a slow and worthwhile burn. 

Author Information:

Samantha Downing currently lives in New Orleands, where she is furiously typing away on her next thrilling book. MY LOVELY WIFE is her first novel.

Opinion:

I imagine that due to COVID-19, many people miss road trips, especially when it involves five adults only with no kids, and if three of them are siblings and two other their spouses. What if part of the road trip involves dumping off ashes of a grandfather and a promised treasure That will only be given if certain requirements are met? ( No jail time during this road trip, no murder, etc.) And what if everyone has a powerful motivator for wanting this treasure? And what if along this road trip you are being pursued by people who possibly might want you dead and you realize you cannot trust either them or your siblings? Still want to go on this particular road trip? Welcome to HE STARTED IT by Samantha Downing, the one who had written MY LOVELY WIFE the previous year. Just like the debut,  the sophmore entrance of HE STARTED IT is an exciting tour de force of lies, secrets, and of mirages and memories. It's a trip I loved taking and hope to retake once more, just to feel grateful that I don't need to take a road trip or spend the quarantine with siblings from hell. 

This is for a review

4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)