Thanks to Random House UK, Rebecca Reid and NetGalley for the ARC of The Will.

When Cecily Mordaunt dies, someone in her family will inherit the whole estate. In a ritual that has been followed for years, the family must meat for one final meal together, before opening a letter that will reveal who is the lucky heir.

With each character having their own dark and sometimes sinister secrets, lies and mysterious past, who will inherit the estate and how far would they be willing to go to get it?

With a large number of characters, I really enjoyed getting to know the Mordaunt family and their backstories, which really helped raise lots of questions in my mind about who may be lying and who may be the most deserving. A domestic thriller different to my normal read but really enjoyed it.

The Will is kind of like a murder mystery without the murder. It's classed as mystery/thriller, but I'd say it was more family drama/mystery.

I actually quite enjoyed this. The writing is great. The characters are authentic and while it's a slow burn, the plot is well executed and solid. It's dramatic, intriguing, has good twists and is fairly original in terms of that what you expect isn't necessarily what you get.

I'm sure that plenty will enjoy the scandal(s) that are revealed about the complex family Mordaunt, and the fate of Roxborough Hall. I definitely did.

Overall, an enjoyable read.

Trigger warnings for incest (not deliberate) and abortion.


Star Rating: 4

CAWPILE Rating: 8/10

Characters: 8/10
Atmosphere: 8/10
Writing: 8/10
Plot: 8/10
Intrigue: 8/10
Logic: 8/10
Enjoyment: 8/10

Many thanks to the author, Random House UK, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found it hard to keep track this. Too much tooing and froing.
I was also disappointed in the ending which for me was lacking in substance and a poor way to finish

"The Will" is a captivating mystery novel that follows a family as they navigate their way through a contentious battle over the inheritance of a beautiful property.

The plot is well-paced and kept me on the edge of my seat with twists and turns.

While I found it challenging to keep track of all the main and supporting characters and their relationships, I was still drawn in by the tension and intrigue of the story.

The ending could have been a bit stronger, but overall, I found "The Will" to be a unique and enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Random House UK for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re looking for a hard hitting family drama then look no further.
This is a page turner, right from the beginning. It’s well written, it’s engrossing, plenty of unexpected twists to keep you interested and guessing.
The characters themselves are well thought out and the author has achieved a uniqueness in each and everyone of them.
When it’s all put together you have a fabulous read that will deprive you of sleep and you won’t even care.
This is a book that I will be recommending.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for my arc.

An intriguing read. I had numerous guesses as to who would be left the house. Plenty of surprises which held my interest throughout

Roxborough Hall is a stately home in in Norfolk, and when the current custodian Cecily dies the house goes through its unusual tradition. For this mansion is not automatically left to the next in line, but instead there is a special dinner for the family where each guest receives a letter telling them if the estate has been left to them or not and the reason why.

Each member of the Mordaunt family feels they deserve to inherit it from the eldest son David and his wife Bryony to younger brother Grant who always has a different girlfriend on his arm. Or perhaps this time it will skip a generation and one of the grandchildren will take the reins.

There is a long list of characters involved in this story, and initially at the start I had to really concentrate on the family linage to remember who was who, but that quickly settled down and you become very invested in the characters and their back story - my personal favourite was Willa who is trying desperately to keep her life on track despite struggling with an eating disorder.

The plot had lots of twists and turns, but the description of the house and the narrative really made me feel like I was in the room when they were all having their discussions about what was happening and who should be the next owner of the house.

This is a real page turner as you become desperate to know who was the lucky recipient.

The Will by Rebecca Reid is a tense and atmospheric family drama that’s filled to the brim with the kind of twists, turns, shocks and surprises that I love. It’s a book that draws you in from the very first page, the larger than life cast of characters keeping you entertained throughout as the story of Roxborough Hall and the Mordaunt family is brought vividly to life.

The Mordaunts are a family like no other. Gathering at their family home after the death of Cecily, the matriarch of the family, they eagerly await the arrival of letters which will reveal who is to be the next custodian of the large and centuries old Roxborough Hall. For the Mordaunts, it isn’t a case of passing the family home down from parent to child as any normal family would do, instead it is given to the family member deemed most worthy. So on the night of her funeral the family will gather for dinner and be told, in the form of a letter, who Cecily has decided to leave the house to – and why she has come to the decision that she has…

The Will is a tense and entertaining tale that reveals its secrets slowly. The family feel that the house is a burden, a millstone and a full time job. But yet they still want it, even as they tell themselves that they don’t. And some of them are willing to stop at nothing to get their hands on it. But who will get what they deserve?

Rebecca Reid‘s writing is gorgeous as she weaves a surprising and suspense filled family drama that really does keep you on your toes from beginning to end. This is the first book I’ve read by this author but it most definitely won’t be my last. The Will is the kind of book that once started you really don’t want to put down until the final page has been turned. And I loved every single word of it!

Highly recommended.

My second novel by Rebecca Reid, the story centres around the Mordaunts whose family home is Roxborough Hall - a mansion in the Norfolk countryside. In 1958 Cecily Maudant turned 21; jump forward in time to 2022 and she has died. Roxborough Hall has been left to someone. The property has an entail, a limitation on the circumstances by which a property may be passed on. In this case, the owner must pass the property to the person whom they believe will be worthy and who will ensure Roxborough Hall's survival. The decision is at the discretion of the current owner who is Cecily. Her lifelong companion, Violet, is taking care of all the arrangements. A dinner is planned and letters have been given to all invitees, so who might it be? A truly terrific family drama.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Random House UK, Transworld, Penguin via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

It’s been dubbed a mix of Knives Out meets Gossip Girl, and that’s a fair summation of this nifty little read. The Mordaunts are a different type of family. By different, we mean, filthy rich, privileged and hungry for more, basically. Until the matriarch of the family, Cecily Mordaunt, dies and her relatives ponder who will be the lucky one to inherit the family home, the imposing Roxborough Hall. Think Downton Abbey and then a wee bit. They all gather on the evening of her funeral and are informed they’ll each receive a letter revealing who the next ‘custodian’ of the Hall will be. Cue tantrums, upset, frustration, outright jealousy and long held resentments thrown about the place. For many would be willing to do whatever it took to get the Hall, for others it’d be a millstone and full-time job. But everyone wants it, there’s no doubt about that… Who will get what they truly deserve, and who will have to put up with things?

EXCERPT: Roxborough House is an enormous house. Too big, really. Every person who has lived there in the last two hundred years has claimed that they will be the last, that no one could possibly want to be saddled with this place. Fifteen bedrooms. Servants' quarters. A library, two kitchens, a small sitting room, a large sitting room, a drawing room, a dining room - the list goes on. Running Roxborough is no joke. It's a full-time job. A burden. A millstone. Inheriting it means tying one's entire life to the place.

And yet, they all want it.

ABOUT 'THE WILL': The Mordaunts aren't like most families . . .

For one, their family home is Roxborough Hall - a magnificent, centuries-old mansion in the Norfolk countryside. For another, the house isn't passed down from parent to child - but rather to the family member deemed most worthy.

Cecily Mordaunt is dead. On the evening of her funeral, her family will gather for dinner and each will be given a letter, revealing who is the next custodian of Roxborough Hall.

The house is a burden, a millstone, a full-time job . . . but they all want it. And some are willing do anything to get it.

One family. Eight letters. Who will get what they deserve?

MY THOUGHTS: I found The Will to be compelling reading. I became totally immersed in the relationships and machinations of the Mordaunt family and read this book in less than twenty four hours.

This is my first book by author Rebecca Reid, but it certainly won't be the last. Next on my to do list after writing this review is to track down copies of her other books.

There characters in this book are brilliantly depicted from the sweet and gentle Violet who, as it turns out, has hidden depths, to the overachieving Briony who envisages her husband's family home as an exclusive girl's school with herself at the helm.

The story of this family told over several timelines, non-linear, but beautifully executed. Not once did I feel confused. The timelines range from the recently deceased matriarch Cecily's childhood through to the present time encompassing her funeral and the entailment of the family homestead.

Grant is the favoured younger son, an aging playboy with a taste for much younger women. Grant's adopted son Jonty is a vet and the only family member who lives locally. David is Cecily's elder son, weighed down by his successful second wife's expectations, a desire to do right by his two daughters from his first marriage, and perplexed by a son he doesn't understand, the result of his second marriage. Willa, a lawyer who has an eating disorder her family prefers to ignore, and Lizzie, a free spirit, are David's two daughters and Cecily's adored granddaughters. Cecily's own daughter, Elspeth, has been estranged from her mother for many years. And finally there is Violet, Cecily's constant companion and friend since Cecily turned twenty-one. One of these people will inherit Roxborough Hall. But who? And why?

The narrative of this tale is full of amazing revelations - secrets, so many secrets! There are secret liaisons, relationships, desires and dreams.

I was enormously entertained throughout this fun read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#TheWill #NetGalley

I: @rebeccacnreid @randomhouseuk @transworld @penguinuk

T: @RebeccaCNReid @RandomHouseUK @Transworld @PenguinUK

#contemporaryfiction #familysaga #fivestarread #friendship #historicalfiction #mystery

THE AUTHOR: Rebecca Reid is a journalist based in London. She is a columnist for the Telegraph women’s section and for Metro. She writes regularly for Marie Claire, The Guardian, Telegraph online, the Saturday Telegraph, The Independent, Grazia, Stylist, and the iPaper, and she appears regularly on Good Morning Britain, where she argues with everyone from Piers Morgan to Jameela Jamil about gender politics, social class, and sex and relationships.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld, Penguin via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Will by Rebecca Reid for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

Firstly, thank you very much to the publishers and tour organiser for sending me a copy of this book
Overall, I really did enjoy this book and found it extremely gripping. However, at the beginning of the book, I really struggled with just how many characters there were and who each one was and what part they played. I ended up having to write down notes and as soon as I was clear with that, I really did lose myself in the book.
Roxborough Hall has been left to someone following the death of Cecily. Each person is presented with a letter explaining who has been left the house. Some are willing to do whatever it takes to get the house!
The book is a great family drama. Full of tension and suspense. The book was so true to real life that I forgot I was reading a piece of fiction at times.
I really enjoyed this novel and I am looking forward to reading more by this author

Told from several perspectives, this read journeys the dysfunctional relatives all trying to inherit Roxborough Hall. It is inherited by those deemed most deserving. Everyone wants it even though it is overloaded with problems. The book fills in some of the backstory which gives you a great insight into the colourful characters. An interesting read.

Loved this book from start to finish. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s just another one in the genre of story about a group of people with a secret that comes out in the last chapter This plot is unique and fascinating with a great mix of characters.
It’s not so much a thriller as a family mystery but so much more than that sounds. Just read it and you won’t be disappointed I’m sure.

The Will introduces the reader to the Mordaunt family and their ancestral home, Roxborough Hall, in Norfolk. Rather than passing the home to the eldest (male) heir, they have a fairer yet unnecessarily elaborate system of passing the house to the one deemed most worthy. Prior to their death, the current owner writes letters to the potential inheritors of the house detailing why they have or haven't been left the property. These letters are then distributed at a dinner on the day of the previous owner’s funeral. Why they can't just bequeath the house in their will with the rest of their possessions, I've no idea, but it does add a wonderful degree of tension as you wonder who will get it, whether it will be the one you think should get it, and what upset it will cause when the recipient is finally revealed. And it does seem like the sort of arbitrary ritual that rich families might indeed get up to.

And the Mordaunts are rich. They aren’t aristocracy but nor are they “new money”, sitting somewhere comfortably between the two. While you might think that their lives are blessed as a result, this is a family that quickly reveals itself to have secrets and problems galore, all of which are slowly and gloriously revealed to the reader as the novel progresses. There are jealousies and rivalries to unpick alongside more than a little bad feeling and resentment and I think that this is just about as dysfunctional as families can get. I’ll be honest – if this is how the other half live, I could read about them all day.

With the passing of the current owner, Cecily, the Mordaunts gather at Roxborough Hall for the funeral and entail at which the new owner will be revealed. Of course, this would be a short novel if everything went according to plan, and Reid plays with both the characters and the reader, plausibly drawing out the revelation of who the new owner of the house will be. It’s brilliantly done as the family begin to suspect each other of foul play and as some wonder how they can manipulate events and turn the situation to their own advantage. There’s a question of how far these individuals will go to get the house that they all seem to think should be theirs…

Over the course of the novel we get to know the whole family, including Cecily through characters reminiscing over their mother / grandmother as well as through flashbacks which reveal more of the family’s history, and which start to reveal the many secrets that the reader will uncover. There is quite a large cast of characters to get to grips with, although there’s little risk of confusing them – they all have their idiosyncrasies which makes it easier to remember who’s who. As I got to know them, I found myself not really liking any of them. They all seem entitled and spoiled, and while some have redeeming features, these didn’t quite balance out the negatives for me. If you need someone to root for in a novel, this may not be the one for you although it didn’t stop me from enjoying the way in which the drama unfolds.

I think that Reid has written The Will with an element of dark humour and is perhaps having a little dig at those who are “to the manor born”. At the same time, it does tackle some more serious subjects throughout its pages (which I won’t reveal here as there are some potential spoilers), and it pulls no punches in doing so. That’s not to say that it’s gratuitous in the portrayal of these matters, but nor does Reid sugar-coat them. I think that the novel also highlights the harm that people can do to those closest to them, even when they may have the best of intentions.

The Will is a fascinating family drama that reads like a thriller / whodunnit with its ups and down and gradual reveal of all the secrets, lies, and betrayals that Roxborough Hall has witnessed. I thoroughly enjoyed picking apart the secrets of this well to do but ultimately dysfunctional family, and recommend it for those that enjoy a family drama.

I started this book thinking I was going to read a classic country house mystery. I was wrong but it doesn't matter because once I started I couldn't put it down.
This is an usunusual story that gives new life to old tropes. A group of people is meeting in a country house for a funeral and learning who's going to be the heir.
Only one of them will inherit and will be chosen by the previous heir. Each of them will receive a letter explaining why they ihnerited or not.
The story is told by different POV and wel learned about their story and what made them what they are now.
A well plotted story, excellent storytelling and character development.
A page turner I loved.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Gossip Girl in the setting of Knives Out 💋🔪


Roxborough Hall has been in the Mordaunt family for generations, but no one is entirely sure when the centuries-old mansion in the Norfolk countryside was gifted to the Mordaunt family – some claim it was Henry VIII; others that it was Elizabeth I. Either way, there seems to be a strange pattern with the house, whoever inherits it seems to live a surprisingly long and fruitful life. In every generation, the owner has died peacefully in their own bed – maybe that is why, although the house is a burden, a hindrance, a full-time job – they all still want it, and some are willing to do anything to get it!

Roxborough Hall is not passed down in the usual way, from parent to child. No, it is passed down to the family member deemed most worthy, in an unusual tradition – the evening of the funeral, the family gather for dinner and each will be given a letter, explaining why they had or had not been left the house, revealing who is to be the next custodian – but this time things don’t go quite to plan…

One family, eight letters

I could not put this book down! I was pulled in right from the beginning and was engrossed right up to the last page. Although not all of the characters are likeable, all of the characters are fully formed and have so much depth. The ones you love – you really love and the ones you hate – you love to hate!! The story is told by various characters in various moments throughout history which is seamlessly done. The whole book flows nicely making it an easy read. I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and will be adding some of her other books to my TBR. The Truth Hurts and Perfect Liars look like a good starting off point.

How could anyone fall asleep so easily? Especially at a time like this? Why wasn’t she more interested in the Agatha Christie novel unfolding in front of them?

-Grant Mordaunt


My thanks to the author and Random House UK for my advance copy to review via Netgalley.

⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐

Four and a half domestic thrillers stars full of family secrets

I got The Will by Rebecca Reid from NetGalley for a fair and honest review.


The Will by Rebecca Reid tells the story of how the Mordaunt family pass on the inheritance of Roxborough Hall not to the oldest member of the family but, passes down to the one who the current owner believes who would look after it the best.


I went into the reading of The Will by Rebecca Reid with such high hopes as I have always loved novels that involve family intrigue, however with this novel I felt the premiss which gave so much hope was really let down by the execution.

For example their were a number of incidents which happened throughout the book which happened during the novel that took a number of pages in the story only to be mentioned once if they were lucky to disappear never to be mentioned again with no conclusion to them.

In addition some of the twists in the novel were so blatant as they might have been written on the front of the cover, bigger than the title.

Having said all that the novel was not a complete bust as it did have me gripped with its engaging cast of characters as individual as you would get in a novel of this type, all of them with a back story explaining what they would do with the house.

This meant when reaching the end with plot points not wrapped up or just the end being a let down really affected my feelings towards the book as a whole.

Thanks to netgalley for my copy of The Will.
This is a domestic thriller, although personally I would class it more as a domestic slight mystery as there weren't to many thrilling moments in it. Saying that I did enjoy this book and enjoyed learning about all the characters and their different secrets and thoughts about each other.

A large old mansion has been in the family for many many years. As each owner dies, they then leave a letter for each family member explaining whether they will inherit the house and why or why not. A long tradition that has been in the family forever. So when Cecily dies, all the children, grandchildren and spouses gather for the reveal.

As expected there were secrets, lies and revelations within the family as they all were keen to inherit this fortune in the building.

None of the characters were likable, but my favourite was Cecily's maid and close friend.
I didn't guess who would be left the house, and the way it was revealed / came about was better than I expected.
An enjoyable family mystery with interesting characters.

A unique and intriguing concept where at a ceremonial dinner the deceased's family are each given a letter revealing why they have or have not been chosen to inherit the family mansion. So of course there's various secrets and reasons why each might or might not be worthy of the house and a family of extremely interesting but flawed characters. The book switches POVs and timelines often, with all the characters getting equal air time and therefore my attention. However, only the eventual heir's story is ever completed, meaning the rest end up serving no real purpose. Similarly there were a few suspicious happenings that didn't really amount to anything either and so by the end I was left feeling 'is that it?'.