Books Like The Inheritance Games: 10 Thrilling Reads with Puzzles, Secrets, and Family Intrigue
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes has captivated readers with its blend of mystery, family drama, and a high-stakes competition. The story centers on Avery Grambs, a teenager who unexpectedly inherits a vast fortune from a deceased billionaire, along with the challenge of solving a series of riddles and puzzles to claim her inheritance. Fans of this book often find themselves drawn to similar stories filled with cryptic clues, mysterious family legacies, and dangerous games. In this post, we’ll explore 10 books that offer similar themes, combining suspense, intellectual challenges, and gripping plots that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
1. One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus (400-500 words)
Why It’s Similar: Like The Inheritance Games, One of Us Is Lying involves a group of characters caught in a high-stakes situation, where secrets and lies are slowly revealed. Both books also feature a mysterious death that drives the plot forward.
Plot Overview: Five high school students walk into detention, but only four walk out alive. The novel centers on the investigation into the death of Simon, a student who was planning to expose the secrets of his classmates. Each of the remaining students is a suspect, and the book unravels the mystery through their different perspectives.
Why Fans of The Inheritance Games Will Love It: Fans of Avery’s journey in The Inheritance Games will enjoy the tension and suspense in One of Us Is Lying. The mystery, hidden secrets, and evolving characters who each have something to hide will resonate with readers who enjoy puzzles and twisted family dramas.
2. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (400-500 words)
Why It’s Similar: This classic novel has much in common with The Inheritance Games, especially its intricate puzzle-solving plot. Both books center around an inheritance contest that requires characters to solve riddles and uncover clues.
Plot Overview: Sixteen heirs are invited to the reading of Samuel W. Westing’s will, only to find that the eccentric billionaire has left them a series of clues to solve. The prize? His entire fortune. As the characters try to decipher the clues, they must navigate tricky alliances, hidden motives, and a growing sense of rivalry.
Why Fans of The Inheritance Games Will Love It: The Westing Game is filled with twists, turns, and complex puzzles that will engage readers who enjoyed the intellectual challenge of The Inheritance Games. Both books emphasize strategic thinking and problem-solving while providing a rich cast of characters and unpredictable outcomes.
3. Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson (400-500 words)
Why It’s Similar: Both Truly Devious and The Inheritance Games feature a central mystery tied to a wealthy family and a set of puzzling clues. The protagonist in both books finds themselves navigating dangerous and complicated situations while trying to solve the puzzle.
Plot Overview: Stevie Bell, an aspiring detective, enrolls in Ellingham Academy, a private school for the gifted. The school’s founder, Albert Ellingham, was the victim of an unsolved murder, along with his wife and daughter. Stevie is determined to solve this cold case, but her investigation into the past uncovers a web of deceit and danger.
Why Fans of The Inheritance Games Will Love It: Like The Inheritance Games, Truly Devious is full of intricate mysteries, rich character development, and dangerous stakes. Readers will be drawn to Stevie’s determination to solve the crime while navigating a complex environment filled with secrets and intrigue.
4. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh (400-500 words)
Why It’s Similar: The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea shares a similar balance of mystery and adventure, with a protagonist who is thrust into a high-stakes situation involving secrets and a puzzle to solve.
Plot Overview: When her brother’s beloved girlfriend is chosen as the sacrifice to appease the Sea God, Mina plunges into the sea in her place, hoping to save her brother’s love. But once she’s beneath the waves, she discovers that the Sea God’s curse has bound the fate of the world to her actions. With a web of magic, betrayal, and dark forces around her, Mina must unravel secrets to prevent a catastrophe.
Why Fans of The Inheritance Games Will Love It: This novel’s mix of family dynamics, hidden secrets, and the quest to solve a larger mystery will appeal to readers who enjoyed The Inheritance Games. Both books feature strong-willed protagonists who uncover layers of deception and intrigue while facing life-or-death stakes.
5. The Secret History by Donna Tartt (400-500 words)
Why It’s Similar: The Secret History combines intellectual challenges, dark secrets, and psychological intrigue, similar to The Inheritance Games. Both books explore the hidden lives of the wealthy and powerful, and the consequences of uncovering their secrets.
Plot Overview: A group of talented students at an elite college becomes entangled in a murder that changes their lives forever. Richard Papen, the protagonist, is drawn into a group of eccentric students studying ancient Greek, but their seemingly idyllic world slowly unravels into a sinister conspiracy.
Why Fans of The Inheritance Games Will Love It: While darker and more adult in tone, The Secret History has similar elements of high society secrets, intellectual puzzles, and the unraveling of a deadly mystery. Fans of Avery’s journey will appreciate the twisted relationships and psychological complexity in this book.
6. The Maze Runner by James Dashner (400-500 words)
Why It’s Similar: Though The Maze Runner leans more into dystopian adventure, it shares The Inheritance Games’ themes of survival, competition, and solving a life-or-death puzzle. Both books also feature characters who must decipher cryptic clues to find answers.
Plot Overview: Thomas wakes up in a mysterious maze with no memory of how he arrived. Along with a group of other teens, he must navigate the maze and uncover the secrets behind their confinement. As they uncover more about the maze, they realize they’re part of a larger experiment.
Why Fans of The Inheritance Games Will Love It: Like Avery, Thomas and his friends must solve cryptic puzzles to understand their circumstances. Both books involve high-stakes challenges, intense friendships, and the drive to solve an overarching mystery.
7. The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Córdova (400-500 words)
Why It’s Similar: This book shares themes of family secrets, inheritance, and hidden legacies, much like The Inheritance Games. It mixes mystery with family drama, exploring the impact of an enigmatic inheritance on those left behind.
Plot Overview: Orquidea Divina, a powerful matriarch, calls her family together before her death and gives them an inheritance with a mysterious, magical twist. Her family members must unravel the mysteries of their legacy and the secrets of Orquidea’s past to claim their birthright and break a family curse.
Why Fans of The Inheritance Games Will Love It: Both books focus on a complex family dynamic, where the inheritance is a key element, and the protagonist is thrown into a web of family secrets and challenges. The blend of magic, mystery, and family intrigue will keep fans hooked.
8. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (400-500 words)
Why It’s Similar: We Were Liars deals with family secrets, a mysterious death, and a high-society backdrop, making it a perfect read for fans of The Inheritance Games. Both books offer suspenseful, plot-twisting narratives that lead to shocking revelations.
Plot Overview: Cadence, a young woman, recalls her summer spent with her wealthy family on a private island, where a tragic event occurred. As she pieces together the past, she uncovers shocking truths about her family and her own role in the tragedy.
Why Fans of The Inheritance Games Will Love It: Like The Inheritance Games, We Were Liars has a fast-paced, suspenseful plot with unexpected twists. Both novels involve unraveling family secrets and navigating a dangerous, high-stakes environment.
9. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (400-500 words)
Why It’s Similar: While more lighthearted, The Unhoneymooners shares themes of unexpected inheritance, rivalry, and the complex relationships between characters—echoing the tension found in The Inheritance Games.
Plot Overview: Olive and Ethan, sworn enemies, end up on a honeymoon trip together after the sudden illness of the newlywed couple. As they navigate their awkward relationship, they uncover secrets about their families and their connection to the wedding they never expected to be part of.
Why Fans of The Inheritance Games Will Love It: Both books feature unexpected inheritances, complicated family dynamics, and the tension that arises when characters are forced to solve their problems together. Though lighter, The Unhoneymooners has the same sense of competition and unexpected alliances.
10. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell (400-500 words)
Why It’s Similar: The Family Upstairs features a dark family mystery, much like The Inheritance Games. Both books unravel a series of family secrets that have far-reaching consequences.
Plot Overview: Libby Jones inherits a grand house in London after the death of her parents, only to discover a web of hidden secrets surrounding her family’s past. As she digs deeper into the mystery of her inheritance, she uncovers disturbing truths about her family’s history and the tragic events that led to her inheritance.
Why Fans of The Inheritance Games Will Love It: Both books involve a mysterious inheritance and hidden family secrets, with the protagonist unraveling clues to piece together a dark, shocking family history.
Conclusion (200-300 words)
If you loved The Inheritance Games, these 10 books will keep you captivated with their puzzles, secrets, and family intrigue. Whether you’re diving into high-stakes competitions, unraveling dark mysteries, or solving complex riddles, these novels will provide you with the same gripping suspense and intellectual thrill that made The Inheritance Games a fan favorite. Grab one of these books and prepare for a ride filled with twists, turns, and secrets that will leave you guessing until the very end.
