The author says herself in the afterword that the second book is harder than the first, and I felt that struggle. I inhaled My Lovely Wife, and while this isn't a bad book, I didn't feel that same urgency to come back to it.

This is essentially the story of a really messed up group of siblings forced by their grandfather's will to recreate a road trip they took with him in their youth. If they reach the end and have followed his rules, they'll have $8 million to split. We stay mostly in the present, but occasionally the main character gives us tidbits from the childhood trip, revealing more and more each time about her very strange family, leading up to an even stranger ending.

My biggest issue with this book is the complete lack of reasoning for why any of the characters do what they do. Their behavior is never explained, and they aren't well developed enough as characters for us to infer that for ourselves. Downing's stories are over the top, for sure, and that's okay. But it worked in My Lovely Wife because the characters were complex enough for us to buy the story. Lots of odd things happen that just sort of, well, happen, and that's it. Nothing in the plot ever loops back around to make those events important. Seems like the push to get a second book out may have been a little too fast. This one has potential, but ultimately fell short for me.

You never know where the plot is going next so you want keep reading Character development is outstanding. Each one has some redeeming value that is often surprising.

I have to mention that I am proud to be a Clemson Tiger Alumni so I got a kick out of seeing the reference in the story. It was a surprise! 😂 Anyway, I loved the author’s first novel, “My Lovely Wife,” as I enjoy that how she writes about these people that seem so “normal” to the outside world but deep down are the craziest! The first chunk of this book alludes to this past event but you are not sure what it is...then layers of what happened are revealed...then the end hits! 😳 You are gonna fly through this one. If you are looking for a thriller/suspense book, definitely preorder “He Started It” and read “My Lovely Wife” too if you have not already! Posted on Instagram @carolinehoppereads and Goodreads.

I loved this book. From the very beginning, I was immediately hooked. Stayed up all night to finish it and am glad I did!

I’m really conflicted here. 98% of this novel was really interesting, fun and exciting. That last 2% falls at the very end of the book and that is disappointing. I don’t really want to say much else about it. Read this book if you’re interested in it- it is very good. But that ending though...

Without a doubt, Samantha Downing is becoming one of my favorites to read and recommend! This book did not disappoint in any way, and I have already started telling my coworkers how amazing it is.

Grandpa has passed away and he left a will. There are stipulations though...and the biggest one is that Beth, Portia and Eddie all have to go on the road trip that they took with their grandpa in their youth.


I LOVE some road trips...and this part of the story was my favorite. You have the family taking a long trip and the good and the bad comes out. Like how the food starts to stink right along with your family. Good stuff right there.

Then there is this family. Talk about some major dysfunction. There are so many secrets that when I started the book I was eating it up. Then the twists kept coming.
And coming...
And coming...


By the twisting turny end of this book I had turned off of it.

And that makes me sad. It is a good book! I hate that one of my pet peeves is when there is just TOO many twists and I lose interest.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

Thank you Berkley for providing me with a copy of He Started It. My first 5 star read of 2020! This book is crazy, friends!

As kids, Eddie, Beth, and Portia took a road trip with their grandfather. But this was not your typical family vaycay. It was full of secrets, drama, and maybe even a little crime.

Fast forward to present day. Their grandfather has died and left a sizable inheritance for the siblings. The only catch is they have to recreate the family road trip. Events took place on that road trip that they would rather not relive- but hey, you can endure a few days if it means inheriting millions, right?

I loved the plot of this book. I was so into it. I felt like I was another one of the siblings along for the ride. The road trip theme made this book so fun- it gave this sort of retro, throw back vibe to the book.

It has been a long time since I've had that feeling of, "I need to know what happens next!" while reading, but this book made me feel that way. It was an addictive, stay up all night kind of book and I loved every minute of it!

You may remember Samantha Downing as the author of the completely alarming yet un-put-downable <i>My Lovely Wife</i>.

She's back at it again with <i>He Started It </i>, and by it I mean some dark-a**, unreliable narrator, off-the-rails road-trip, bananas plot, business. I. Love. It. Give me more.

It has the feeling of a locked-room mystery at times, but Downing is a master of pacing, keeping you guessing at every turn!

I would recommend this book to anyone who was a fan of her first book (obvs), and to those who like their thrillers dark (like real real dark). Avoid this book if you can't handle unlikable narrators or people being terrible to each other.

Three siblings recreate the road trip they took with their grandfather after his death. The novelty wears off quickly, and none of them is telling the others the unvarnished truth, but they have to finish the trip to get their inheritance.

My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

After finishing this book I am a bit glad I’m an only child. These siblings were all scary crazy! Still, they, and their story, were completely riveting. It was a struggle to put the book down. From the first paragraph, I was hooked. The pace never let up. The characters were wonderfully written and the reader becomes part of this crazy family, like it or not.

I was especially impressed by how well the author described the two trips:- the time spent in the vehicles, the places they stopped to eat and sleep, and the attractions they visited. But, best of all, were the twists and turns this story took. We also went down some dark rabbit holes in this book and it was great. If you liked Ms Downing’s first book, My Lovely Wife, you’ll enjoy this one.

All I can say after finishing this book is...wow.
I did really enjoy it and did not want to put it down. The characters were a bit unlikable, but in a way that had you kind of cheering for them and waiting to see what unsavory thing they would do or say next. It was a road trip that I would hate to be on, and yet one that I did not want to end. It was engrossing and mesmerizing to watch all the secrets and lies unfold.
I am still processing the ending of the book...it was not what I was expecting and so I will hold off on elaborating more on my review until I’ve decided what I think about the last couple of sentences... If anyone out there has any theories or ideas I’d love to hear them!

***Update: I am STILL processing the ending a week later. I did enjoy the little crumbs the author dropped along the way that I didn't really pick up on until I re-read the book. I am not sure if I liked the ending or not. I know some reviewers have theories about what exactly happened, but I don't have any (I wish I did!!). That being said, any book that has you up late mulling over the ending, re-reading, and still thinking about it a week later, has to be a well-written, engrossing, great book!!

I enjoyed this book so much I read it in one day. The reference to Jeff Skilling and Andy Fastow were very intriguing to me. Not many people are familiar with these individuals so I was curious to keep reading to see if the names came up again. They however did not but a reference to off-shore accounts did. This is the first book I have read by Samantha Downing but will grab her others and take a chance they will keep me reading as well. Thank you NetGalley for an opportunity to read this book in advance before being published.

This is a rather difficult book to review. I actually didn't like it all that much as I was reading it. The characters were unlikeable and their petty bickering annoying--the reader definitely suffers through the family road trip as much as the family members--but I have to say the ending made it totally worth the read. There are not too many books that get better as they go on, but I have to say this is one of those rare books.

Hanging for a crazy ride! The twists and turns of this road trip where at times page turning and others page skipping. I guess the author achieved her goal with nit having any reliable characters. Every character could be the one sabotaging the road trip.

This book was received as an ARC from Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

From the cover and description I knew I was in for a real ride of a lifetime and I do like a family drama every now and then. Beth, Portia, and Eddie Morgan have not been together for years but when they all heard that they are heirs to a lot of money from their dead grandfather. The only thing, he leaves a cryptic message in his wake that only the Morgan siblings can solve. When they are all on their journey of course chaos breaks loose and a simple treasure hunt turns into a life or death heist. With each and every sibling carrying a burden of a dark secret that all can get carrying away what could reunite their family and focus on what is important with nothing but family drama. I had to see what each sibling's secret was and how they affected their path to fortune and if and only if they ever encrypted the message and found what was theirs once and for all.

We will consider adding this title to our Mystery collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I was really excited to read this as I loved My Lovely Wife by Downing, but this story about a highly dysfunctional family motivated by greed was just okay for me. I found it a quick read and loved the twists and turns the story took, but did not like the ending at all.

Who doesn't love reading about dysfunctional families?! Downing's new thriller focuses on siblings Beth, Portia, and Eddie who are reliving their childhood road trip to fulfill their grandfather's wishes... but what are their ulterior motives? That's what makes it interesting. Who is following them? And why? These questions and more make this a fast read with unbelievable twists! Highly recommend!

Let me start by saying I dislike the cover as well as the title of the book. However, I LOVED Samantha Downings previous book and could not wait to read it. I loved 98% of the book. The storytelling is great and there were so many twists and turns with the siblings. Like some of the other reviews, I was hoping for an amazing ending but there was not one. I disliked how it ended so for that I will only give 4 stars instead of 5. Thanks for the advanced copy.

I’m very torn about this book. I kept waiting for a huge “a-ha!” moment. One kind of happened at the end, but the ending....what the heck? The writing was really good, but I’m not happy with the ending at all