The Inheritance Games

A Texas philanthropist, who dies after a brief illness at 78 with an estate valued at an estimated $46.2 billion. He leaves the bulk of his estate to Avery, a girl he’s met once when she was six years old—but whom he has been tracking ever since, especially when it comes to her relationship with Toby/Harry. Tobias is painted as a manipulative man, and his grandsons see the mystery of his will as his final puzzle and manipulation. Xander tells Avery, “Even if you’d thought you’d manipulated our grandfather into this, I’d guarantee that he’d be the one manipulating you” (70).

Toby Hawthorne II is Tobias Hawthorne’s son (and Skye’s and Zara’s brother). He disappeared in a fire 20 years prior to Tobias’s death. The family presumed him dead, though his remains were never found. In fact, he’s alive and well—Avery knows him as the homeless man she used to play chess with, “Harry.” Harry only appears in the first chapter, where he plays chess with Avery. His character initially seems to be just a device to show Avery’s empathy and intelligence: She beats him at chess, buys him meals, and, when she gets the inheritance, wants to arrange a place for him to live. Once the Harry/Toby surprise is revealed, the opening scene with Harry gains greater significance. The fact that one of the book’s richest characters and one of the book’s poorest characters are the same person speaks to the arbitrary and manmade nature of class distinctions, a common theme in the book. His journey from riches to rags mirrors and reverses that of Avery’s rags to riches story.

Avery’s half-sister. Libby is seven years older than Avery and works as an orderly at an assisted living facility in New Castle before moving into Hawthorne House. Libby is one of Avery’s two pillars of support (Max is the other): “She was the kind of eternal optimist who believed a hundred-dollar-tip was always just around the corner at a hole-in-the-wall diner where most entrees cost $6.99” (5). Although a secondary character, Libby has her own storyline. Libby’s relationship with Drake adds action and tension, as Drake tries to kill Avery twice. Libby’s character also raises the difficult topic of domestic violence after Drake hits her. Finally, Libby has her own hint of a romantic narrative due to the interest Nash takes in her. Libby’s romantic entanglements also reflect a reversal of fortune that ironically still exhibits the same kinds of complications in that these men are only attracted to her circumstances, not to who she really is. Drake’s interest intensifies after Libby moves up the social and financial ladder, and his attempt on Avery’s life clearly indicates that his interest is now only in getting a piece of the fortune through Libby’s potential inheritance. On the other side, Nash’s affections seem to stem from Libby’s position as a downtrodden damsel in distress. Not only is Libby still poor (she may live there with Avery, but she has no claim to any of the money beyond being Avery’s heir should something happen to her, which, given that Libby is the older sister, statistics are not leaning in her favor once the threat of Drake is removed), but she is also heartbroken and just as out of sorts in Nash’s world at Avery is.

The oldest of Tobias Hawthorne’s four grandsons. In his mid-20s, Nash is a slow-talking, stereotypical cowboy with a Texas drawl, long hair, and cowboy boots. He was previously engaged to Alisa, Avery’s lawyer. Nash seems immune to the competitive natures of the younger Hawthornes and doesn’t care about the inheritance: “I don’t want the money. Never have. Far as I’m concerned, this is the universe having a bit of fun with folks who probably deserve it” (44). Nash’s character plants one of the biggest seeds of doubt in Avery’s mind regarding her personal agency in the inheritance game, when he tells her (repeatedly): “You’re not a player. You’re the glass ballerina—or the knife” (154, 359). He also appears to have a hero complex since he seems to enjoy “rescuing” those he feels are in need, such as in the case of Mellie and Libby.

The second oldest of Tobias Hawthorne’s four grandsons. Nineteen years old, Grayson is the “heir apparent” of the Hawthorne fortune. He’s well-dressed and impeccably groomed, wearing Armani suits and with “features sharp enough to cut rocks” (11). Grayson is initially positioned as an antagonist opposite Avery. Labeling her “an interloper of dubious intentions” (131), he suspects that she schemed her way into Tobias’s fortune and suggests she’s a gold digger. Grayson’s character frequently represents and speaks to the class difference between the Hawthornes and Avery. For instance, he tells her: “You want the money. How could you not, growing up the way you did?” (116). Grayson later realizes that Avery is not a gold digger and develops an attraction to her, laying the groundwork for a love triangle (Jameson-Grayson-Avery). However, his decision near the end of the book to tell Avery that they cannot be together because he sees how Jameson looks at her is indicative of his growth and maturity in comparison to the beginning of the story. Grayson, at least in this first installation of the story, has learned his lesson from Emily’s tragedy.

The second youngest of Tobias Hawthorne’s four grandsons. Jameson seems set on a path for self-destruction after his grandfather’s death. When Avery first meets him, he’s drunk, shirtless, and balancing on a balcony railing. According to Skye, Jameson’s a thrill seeker; “Jameson Winchester Hawthorne is hungry. He’s looking for something. He’s been looking for it since the day he was born” (161). Jameson’s relationship with Avery is flirtatious from the start and he coins multiple nicknames for her, including “Mystery Girl” and “Heiress.” His character serves as her primary partner in her efforts to unravel Tobias’s final mystery. Jameson also serves as a love interest for Avery. He seems to be attracted to Avery, although she doesn’t initially trust his motivations. After the shock of the shooting, Avery initiates a kiss. Avery’s simultaneous attraction to Jameson and his brother Grayson is a testament to the Hawthorne boy’s magnetism and a central subplot. It also illustrates the underlying competitive nature of the relationships between the boys that is pervasive throughout the family. While games are encouraged, Emily and her tragic end draws a line that clearly tells all the boys that love is not a game, and Tobias has gone through a lot of trouble to make sure his boys remember that lesson.

The youngest of Tobias Hawthorne’s four grandsons. Xander is laid-back, full of jokes, self-confident, and fast-talking. When he first meets Avery and Libby, he describes himself as having “the body of a multiracial James Dean” (25). He later tells Avery that if he were white, people wouldn’t see him as “half a Hawthorne” (143). This puts Avery’s feelings of otherness, of feeling like she doesn’t belong, into a new light. Xander often serves as Avery’s guide to the Hawthorne world, for example giving her the first tour of the mansion and showing her around school. Although Xander seems relaxed on the surface, there are hints to a greater complexity in his character, like when he tells Avery, “I am a human Rube Goldberg machine. I do simple things in complicated ways” (309). Ultimately, Xander is the bridge between Avery’s world and the world of the Hawthorns since he straddles the two worlds himself yet finds little conflict in his position since his own secret fortune give him the kind of freedom that the other grandsons do not have.

One of Tobias Hawthorne’s two daughters. Skye is the mother of all four Hawthorne boys. On the surface, she is free spirited and breezy. She tells Avery she ended up with four sons thanks to “wonderful, intimate conversations with four fascinating men” (29). She is characterized as unserious and an uninvolved mother. Speaking on his mother’s contribution to his upbringing, Xander tells Avery, “She taught me how to read tarot and moisturize my cuticles” (169). Skye’s easy-breezy presentation to the world proves to be a foil, a guise, when it turns out that she is the one who enlisted Drake’s help in trying to kill Avery.

One of Tobias Hawthorne’s two daughters. Zara is Skye Hawthorne’s sister and the aunt of the four Hawthorne boys. She is the opposite of Skye: “If Skye was flowy fabric and oversharing, this woman was pencil-skirts and pearls” (28). Strait-laced and bitter, Zara leads the initial efforts to discredit Avery and have the will voided, alongside her husband Constantine Calligaris and Skye. Ultimately, however, Skye proves to be the more dangerous of the two sisters.

Thea tries to befriend Avery on her first day at Country Heights Day School. Thea’s uncle is Mr. Calligaris, Zara’s husband. Thea is cunning and untrustworthy, initially concealing her identity from Avery. Avery compares her to a siren: “Her voice was perfectly pleasant—borderline musical, like a siren who knew with the least bit of effort she could sing sailors into the sea” (93). Thea is another red herring in the mystery of who is coming after Avery. Her secret relationship with Rebecca is one of the plot twists in the book. Thea also serves as an instigator in unveiling the Emily mystery, as she is the one who tells Avery about the girl’s death and, later, tricks Avery into adopting Emily’s hairstyle for the gala ball.

Libby’s abusive ex-boyfriend. Drake is cast as the villain when he gives Libby a black eye. He also leaks the news about Avery’s inheritance to the press. His villain status is solidified when it’s revealed that he’s the person trying to kill Avery. Despite his character’s unsympathetic nature, Avery recognizes the fact that Drake has been used by Skye in this instance: “They let a felon do the dirty work—and take the fall” (296). While Drake will go to jail, Skye goes free, reiterating the dangers of class-based society, where money and connections can get you off the hook for things like conspiracy to commit murder.

The Laughlins’s dead granddaughter. Emily was in a love triangle with Jameson and Grayson. She had a heart condition and died after going cliff-jumping with Grayson. She is described as wild and adventurous by those that knew her, the opposite of her sister: “Rebecca was always the shy one. The responsible one. The one their parents expected to make good decisions[…] Emily just wanted to have fun” (192). Emily’s character drives the actions of other characters that are still living. For example, Rebecca doesn’t tell anyone she saw Skye with a gun because “Emily wouldn’t have wanted me to” (343). Thea maliciously tricks Avery into wearing Emily’s braids at the gala ball: “It’s what Emily would have wanted” (300). Emily’s character also parallels Avery’s, who almost ends up in a love triangle with Jameson and Grayson, just like Emily.

The Laughlins’s other granddaughter. Rebecca is shy and quiet, the calm counterpoint to the vivacious Emily. Rebecca is still grieving her sister’s death and feels partially responsible. The discovery of Rebecca’s secret relationship with Thea angered Emily. As a penance, Thea agreed to cover for Emily when she went cliff-diving with Grayson. Rebecca’s character serves as another red herring, as Avery at one point suspects her of being behind the shooting. However, Rebecca ultimately reveals the true perpetrator—Skye.

Avery’s mother died when Avery was 15. A single mom, she raised Avery in poverty. She seems to have been a caring mom, inventing games to hide the fact that they were poor. Avery’s mother represents the dangers of secrets: “Our longest-lasting game was called I Have A Secret […] We played every week, right up until I was fifteen and one of her secrets landed her in the hospital” (1). Additionally, Avery alludes to a secret of her mother’s but never reveals what it is: “I have a secret… about the day you were born” (275). This secret remains unresolved at the book’s ending, suggesting it will be addressed in the book’s sequel and adding yet another cliffhanger to the narrative’s conclusion. The name of Avery’s mother is never revealed, making her character a mysterious ghost.

A lawyer of the Dallas, Texas, law firm McNamara, Ortega, and Jones. She serves as Avery’s personal counsel and helps her navigate her newfound riches. Alisa fills in some informational gaps regarding the Hawthorne family’s history. For instance, she tells Avery about Toby’s death/disappearance and reveals that Tobias changed his will after the Toby incident. Alisa’s character also serves as a warning of the dangers of getting involved with a Hawthorne boy; she was engaged to Nash and the engagement ended poorly.

Tobias’s former security detail. He becomes Avery’s security guard after she inherits the estate. In his role as protector, he reminds the reader of the danger Avery faces. Oren’s character also functions like a sort of Greek Chorus at times, providing commentary or explanation on the action for the reader’s benefit. For example, when Avery is shot at, she is too shocked to reliably relay what’s happened—which is problematic, as she’s the narrator. Oren fills in the gaps: “Someone saw the two of you out here, decided you were easy targets, and pulled their trigger” (216).

Avery’s best friend. She moved away the summer after eighth grade, and the two girls communicate only via text and phone. Max has strict parents, so instead of writing curse words, she uses codes like “mother-faxer” (9) and “Holy ship” (18). Max’s character serves as an external sounding board, her conversations with Avery filling in narrative gaps. Max often displays a similar “Greek Chorus” function, like Oren’s, such as when she tells Avery: “You need to get out of Murderland. Like, now” (241).

The elderly couple that manages Hawthorne House. Emily and Rebecca are their granddaughters. They continue to oversee the estate when Avery moves in. Avery also suspects the Laughlins of trying to hurt her, likewise making them a red herring.

One of Nash’s “projects,” Mellie works at Hawthorne House. Avery notices that Mellie seems to be attracted to Nash and upset by his interest in Libby. Avery thus suspects Mellie of being involved in the shooting. However, this theory proves incorrect. Mellie is another red herring, a false clue.

Tobias Hawthorne’s mother-in-law. Although she lives in Hawthorne House, she barely appears in the story. Her character has one key function: Nan is the person who shows Avery a photo of Toby in the book’s last chapter. She also introduces a dark element of abuse into the family when she tells Avery about her husband breaking her fingers and then dying tragically shortly after.