The Inheritance (Secrets of the Shetlands) - Softcover

Michael Phillips

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0764217488 ISBN 13: 9780764217487

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers, 2016

Synopsis

Dramatic New Series from Fan Favorite Michael Phillips

The death of the clan patriarch has thrown the tiny Shetland Islands community of Whales Reef into turmoil. Everyone assumed MacGregor Tulloch's heir to be his grand-nephew David, a local favorite, but when it is discovered that MacGregor left no will, David's grasping cousin Hardy submits his own claim to the inheritance, an estate that controls most of the island's land. And while Hardy doesn't enjoy much popular support, he has the backing of a shadowy group of North Sea oil investors. The courts have frozen the estate's assets while the competing claims are investigated, leaving many of the residents in financial limbo. The future of the island--and its traditional way of life--hangs in the balance.

Loni Ford is enjoying her rising career in a large investment firm in Washington, DC. Yet in spite of her outward success, she is privately plagued by questions of identity. Orphaned as a young child, she was raised by her paternal grandparents, and while she loves them dearly, she feels completely detached from her roots. That is until a mysterious letter arrives from a Scottish solicitor. . . .

Past and present collide in master storyteller Phillips's dramatic new saga of loss and discovery, of grasping and grace, and of the dreams of men and women everywhere.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

The death of clan patriarch Macgregor Tulloch has thrown the tiny Shetland Islands community of Whales Reef into turmoil. Everyone assumed Tulloch's heir to be his much-loved grandnephew David. But when no will is discovered, David's calculating cousin Hardy submits his own claim to the inheritance, an estate that controls most of the island's land. And Hardy knows a North Sea oil investor who will pay dearly for that control.

While the competing claims are investigated, the courts have frozen the estate's assets, leaving many of the locals in dire financial straits. The future of the island--and its traditional way of life--hangs in the balance.

Meanwhile, Loni Ford enjoys a rising career in a large investment firm in Washington, D.C. Yet, in spite of outward success, she is privately plagued by questions of identity. Orphaned as a young child, she was raised by her grandparents, and while she loves them dearly, she feels completely detached from her roots. That is, until a mysterious letter arrives from a Scottish solicitor. . . .

Past and present collide in master storyteller Michael Phillips' dramatic new saga of loss and discovery, of grasping and grace.

"The first in Phillips' new Secrets of the Shetlands series is a comprehensive saga told in alternate viewpoints, in various geographical locations, weaving the past with the present...as soon as the plot is revealed and secrets start to come out, there's a sense of nervous excitement for where it will lead. Phillips does what he does best: creates visually stunning stories with rich history, intriguing backdrops and an ending that will have readers craving a sequel."--RT Book Reviews

From the Inside Flap:

David Tulloch drove the remaining mile out of the village to the house he affectionately referred to as his "wee cottage," to distinguish it from the Cottage of the laird which had stood vacant in the three months since Macgregor Tulloch's death.

He had not expected the legalities and protocols to take quite this long. He had continued to pay his uncle's hired help out of his own pocket until the estate was settled. Keeping the Cottage and Auld Hoose functioning somewhat normally, however, was a different matter than a factory of three dozen employees with families to feed.

This news from Murdoc was a serious blow. Obviously the drying up of funds to meet the payroll must be due to some delay in resolving his uncle's estate. Like the rest of the island, the Mill property was owned by the laird. But why income from sale of the Mill's woolen products had stopped flowing was of serious concern.

He had always assumed that the regular monthly stipend he received had been provided for him in his parents' wills. However, his stipend had ceased in August too, exactly as Murdoc said was the case with deposits to the Mill's account. He had been so busy he had put off investigating it. For the immediate present he had had enough income from other sources for the matter not to have been pressing.

It now looked like he should have been more proactive about finding out what was going on. Especially if the two situations were related. A disruption in both his and the Mill's bank accounts at exactly the same time could hardly be a coincidence....

About this edition

• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0764217488
• ISBN 13: 9780764217487
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 430