Why Does Tobias Hawthorne Leave His Fortune To Avery?

The death that kicks off 'The Inheritance Games' is none other than Tobias Hawthorne, the eccentric billionaire who leaves his entire fortune to a complete stranger—Avery Grambs. This isn't just some random passing; it's a meticulously planned event that sets the stage for the entire mystery. Hawthorne's death is shrouded in secrecy, with his family blindsided by the will's conditions. The old man was known for his love of puzzles, and his death feels like the first piece of a giant riddle. The way he cuts out his own family to favor Avery makes you wonder what he knew or suspected about them. What's fascinating is how Hawthorne's death isn't just a plot device—it's a character in itself. The timing, the will's bizarre stipulations, and the reactions of the Hawthorne family all hint at deeper layers. The grandkids, especially Grayson and Jameson, are left reeling, each dealing with the loss in their own way. The death creates this tense atmosphere where everyone's motives are questionable, and Avery is stuck in the middle of a family feud she never asked for. Tobias Hawthorne might be gone, but his presence looms over every page, pulling strings from beyond the grave.

The Westbrook family's secret in 'The Inheritance Games' is this intricate web of hidden motives and buried truths that makes the whole story so gripping. It turns out the family fortune wasn't just accumulated through business savvy - there's a darker history involving strategic alliances, covert deals, and even some legally questionable inheritances passed down through generations. The real kicker is how the family patriarch structured his will to force heirs to solve puzzles revealing these secrets, making the inheritance a literal game of uncovering uncomfortable truths. The most shocking revelation involves how the Westbrooks maintained their wealth - they weren't above sabotaging competitors or manipulating situations to their advantage. Some documents hint at potential corporate espionage, while others suggest the family might have had ties to underground networks that helped protect their assets. What makes it fascinating is how each generation added their own layer of secrecy, creating this palimpsest of mysteries that the main character has to decode. The deeper she digs, the more she realizes the 'game' isn't just about money - it's about exposing whether the family's legacy is worth inheriting at all.

In 'The Inheritance Games', Avery's discovery of the hidden clue is one of those moments that makes you appreciate the cleverness of the puzzle design. She finds it in the most unexpected place—the family library, which is this massive, old-school room filled with rare books and secret compartments. The clue itself is hidden inside a first edition copy of 'The Westing Game', which is a nice nod to another classic mystery novel. What's brilliant about this is how the author plays with expectations. You'd think a billionaire's hidden clue would be in some high-tech vault, but no, it's tucked away in plain sight among hundreds of books. The way Avery figures it out is just as satisfying. She notices the book is slightly out of place, and when she opens it, there's a handwritten note tucked between the pages. The note leads her to a series of riddles that eventually unravel the bigger mystery. What I love about this scene is how it shows Avery's attention to detail. She doesn't just stumble upon the clue; she earns it by being observant and persistent. The library setting adds this layer of intellectual charm to the whole thing, making it feel like a treasure hunt for book lovers.

In 'The Inheritance Games', Avery's approach to the first puzzle is a brilliant display of her sharp mind and attention to detail. The puzzle revolves around a cryptic riddle left by Tobias Hawthorne, and Avery doesn't rely on brute force or guesswork. She meticulously analyzes the wording, noticing subtle clues like repeated phrases and odd capitalization. The breakthrough comes when she connects the riddle to the architecture of Hawthorne House itself. The mansion is filled with hidden passages and symbolic designs, and Avery realizes the answer lies in a specific room's layout. She follows the clues like a treasure map, using her observational skills to spot a nearly invisible pattern in the floor tiles that leads her to a hidden compartment. What makes this moment so compelling is how it showcases Avery's unique strengths. She isn't just book-smart; she thinks spatially and understands how people hide things in plain sight. The puzzle solution also hints at Tobias Hawthorne's personality—he loved games that required both intellect and intuition. Avery's success here isn't just about solving a riddle; it's her first step into a world where every detail matters, setting the tone for the deeper mysteries ahead. The way she pieces together seemingly unrelated elements—like the riddle's wording, the house's design, and even the timing of certain events—proves she's the perfect heir for Hawthorne's twisted legacy.

I've been obsessed with 'The Inheritance Games' since I first picked it up, and Grayson's dynamic with Avery is one of the most fascinating parts of the story. Grayson starts helping Avery around the middle of the first book, but it's not some sudden, dramatic shift. It's more like a slow burn where his icy exterior starts cracking. After the initial will-reading chaos, he begins subtly guiding her through the mansion's secrets, dropping hints about Tobias Hawthorne's puzzles. The real turning point comes when Avery nearly gets hurt investigating one of the riddles—that's when Grayson fully steps in, teaching her the family's twisted rules and even defending her against his brothers' schemes. Their partnership grows deeper as the mystery unfolds, with Grayson revealing layers of protective instincts beneath his aloof billionaire heir persona. The author does a brilliant job showing how his help isn't just about solving puzzles—it's about challenging Avery to think like a Hawthorne while still keeping her moral compass. What makes their alliance so compelling is how it contrasts with the other brothers' approaches. Grayson doesn't coddle Avery; he pushes her intellectually, which perfectly matches the book's theme of mental gamesmanship. By the time they're deciphering the greenhouse clues together, it's clear he's fully invested in her success, though his motives remain deliciously ambiguous until later reveals.

I remember stumbling upon 'The Inheritance Games' by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and being completely hooked. The book was published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in September 2020. It's a gripping mystery with a dash of romance, and the way the puzzles unfold kept me turning pages late into the night. The sequel, 'The Hawthorne Legacy', came out in 2021, continuing the thrilling saga. Barnes has a knack for creating intricate plots and dynamic characters, making this series a standout in the YA genre. If you love brain-teasing mysteries with rich, eccentric families at their core, this one’s a must-read.

I remember picking up 'The Inheritance Games' series because the cover looked intriguing, and I ended up binge-reading the whole thing. The author is Jennifer Lynn Barnes, who's known for her clever plots and strong female leads. Her writing style just hooks you from the first page, mixing mystery and romance in a way that feels fresh. I love how she layers puzzles into the story, making you feel like you're solving them alongside the characters. 'The Inheritance Games' is one of those books where you start reading and suddenly it's 3 AM because you can't put it down.

James Carse's 'Finite and Infinite Games' paints infinite games as those played for the sake of play, where boundaries are fluid and the goal is to perpetuate the game itself. One vivid example is culture—constantly evolving, never fixed, with participants rewriting its rules to keep it alive. Unlike finite games like chess, culture thrives on adaptation, absorbing new influences without a final winner. Another example is language. It morphs through slang, dialects, and borrowed words, resisting rigid definitions. Infinite players—speakers—extend its life by inventing expressions, making it a living, boundless game. Love, too, fits here. It isn’t about 'winning' a partner but sustaining mutual growth, where rules (commitments) shift organically. Carse’s brilliance lies in framing life’s most enduring elements as infinite games—endless, creative, and defiant of completion.