[4.25/5] I'm a sucker for a road trip novel, so I was thrilled to get my hands on a copy of He Started It by Samantha Downing. And the promise of dark family secrets was the cherry on top!

A quick synopsis: Siblings Beth, Portia, and Eddie Morgan have been estranged for years. But the death of their grandfather brings them back together: in his will, he added a requirement that they re-live a road trip they took with him when they were kids, or they won't get their (substantial) inheritance.

So they set off, spouses in tow, for a cross-country drive. But there's something off about the trip, and buried secrets won't stay hidden forever.

This was an entertaining thriller, filled with deliciously unlikeable characters, cheap motels, and strange roadside attractions. The twists were abundant (and I did not see most of them coming)!

I loved how different each of the siblings were, and the family dynamic between them versus the drama they had with each others' spouses. Between that, numerous secrets coming to light, and the mysterious truck that was following them, there was never a dull moment.

You might have to suspend your disbelief a bit with this one, but it's worth it.

One thing I didn't love as much: at times, it was a little hard to keep track of where they were with the timelines switching between past and present. But after a bit, it became easier to follow and I was so along for the ride!

Overall, He Started It is a twisty thriller centered around family ties, secrets, and regret, with a backdrop of some of America's strangest roadside attractions. Highly recommended!

**Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley for the digital ARC.

This book was so disappointing. I loved Downing’s debut novel, My Lovely Wife, which is why I was so sad when this one didn’t compare. Beth is on a road trip with her siblings and husband after her grandfather’s death. It is an exact replica of the road trip they took as children with their grandfather, which ended badly for all. But they must finish it in order to get their inheritance. The book was fast-paced and easy to finish, but the twists fell flat and the majority of the plot either made no sense or was unexplained.

I was super excited to read this as I’ve heard incredible things about The Lovely Wife! Ultimately, I think this book had a ton of potential but truly just fell flat to me. There were parts throughout that really intrigued me to keep reading but it was incredibly slow most of the time and nothing exciting happened in my opinion until the last 30 pages or so. Thank you to Berkeley Publishing Group for the early copy in exchange for an honest review!

Three estranged siblings come together after the death of their grandfather and recreate a quirky and mysterious cross country road trip at his wish to claim their inheritance. Filled with snarky banter, family secrets, and tons of anticipation of which sibling is going to crack under the constant tension makes this a story that is easy to get lost in.

I was very compelled by the writing style in this one! The back and forth of the siblings was a lot of fun to read in every situation. I also really loved the sense of mystery that I, as a reader, felt about the destination of the road trip when the characters knew where they were going when. Since they had been on this road trip before, they knew which stops were coming and its almost like I was along for the ride as a reader.

Downing kept tensions high, as what I believe to be true even on a happy go lucky road trip, so add in a "race" for a large sum of money, questionable motives, weird actions of strangers on the highway, tag along spouses that don't understand the family dynamic, and you have the perfect scene for some prime family drama.

However, just like a road trip that is just too long, about 3/4 in I felt like the story line started to drag a little bit and started to just kind of wonder, "are we there yet?" or "are we even going anywhere?".

Well.. the answer to that is yes. We definitely went somewhere. There were some developments that I did not see coming, that were extremely surprising and did not feel like a twist that was added to just confuse or increase the "shock value" of the story. They actually added a lot of depth to all of the characters and their motivations... But the ending I'm still not sure. It let me with my mouth open and looking for more pages of the book that weren't there. I'll just have to let you interpret that as you wish.

Why would their grandfather require his grandchildren to re-live a trip they took with him when they were young in order to inherit his fortune?

They were doing it by the book because the attorney was adamant that it was the only way he would release the money.

The trip was not fun, but they did remember some of the places they went.

It was ok for the first day, but then everyone was getting on each other’s nerves, someone crashed into them and seemed to be following them, they had to stay in cheap motels, and had a flat tire.

There is also a diary one of the children shares with us that reveals secrets that everyone doesn’t know about.

The book had chapters that left you hanging, but I was getting tired of this trip too.

HE STARTED IT dragged on and on with flashbacks of the original trip and the current trip.

I kept reading because I wanted to know where this was going.

This was not a favorite book nor one that I couldn’t wait to get back to.

The ending was nothing outstanding, but since the story flowed, my rating is 3/5.

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dsyfunctionals siblings embark on a repeat of a childhood road trip from hell in order to inherit their grandfather's estate. Buckle in for the numerous twists and turns! Thanks to NetGalley for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

Exciting & leaves you guessing right up until the end! Makes me want to hop into the car & visit some of these bizarre spots across the nation....hopefully without the same ending.

Talk about a dysfunctional family. And I thought mine was a little wild. Beth was a great character to follow. Snarky with a big dash of crazy. Exactly who I enjoy riding along with. This was a clever little story and I enjoyed picking up all the clues.

My emotions are mixed on this book. Some aspects I liked very much; others not so much. My rating, then, is something of a compromise - but I hasten to add that above all, it's a clever and well-written plot that made me wish I had a mind half as creative as this author.

The thing is, not a single character here is remotely likable or honest, nor do any of them like or trust each other. But on the plus side for those of us on this side of the pages, finding out how and why all that came about makes for interesting reading that leads to a bang-up ending I didn't see coming - one that left me feeling a bit like I'd been sideswiped by an errant tumbleweed (not an uncommon sight in a desert, which is where the adventure comes to an abrupt halt).

Grandpa, you see, is dead and cremated but not mourned. As the sole survivors (well, except for two others who are pretty much out of the running), brothers and sisters Beth, Portia and Eddie Morgan stand to inherit a bundle. But as in life, with Grandpa there's always a catch. This time around, he's put strings on the deal; according to his iron-clad will, the "kids" must complete a cross-country road trip exactly as they did when he took them on an adventure when they were kids. That trip holds many memories for the siblings - most of them quite unpleasant - but if they want to get rich, they have no choice but to follow his instructions which, not insignificantly, include taking his cremains along for the ride. Two of the kiddies - Beth and Eddie - are married, and they've dragged their spouses along for better or worse (based on what I've written so far, I'll let you guess which description is more accurate).

As the chapters unfold, readers learn what happened on that earlier trip as well as secrets known only to the occupants of the car (and perhaps a couple of other nefarious characters who pop in and out of the travelogue). It all makes for great intrigue, although I have to admit that somewhere around the time they'd completed three-quarters of their trip, they were growing weary of the journey and I began to wish they'd just get it over with, already. But just a few pages later, the action caught fire and reignited my attention from there to the last page.

My own conclusion? Well worth reading. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-publication copy.

This one had me guessing right up until the end! It’s a family road trip and no one wants to be there. Slowly as the time passes we learn that this trip has been taken before, and it wasn’t a good experience. Strange Things begin to happen but they keep going. I can honestly say that I did not expect this ending! Thank you to Netgalley for the e ARC!

What a wild ride! "He Started It" is full of twists, turns, and truly terrible people. This book definitely kept me reading right up to the end. I don't want to spoil it, but I am still wavering if the ending was great or just "meh."

I was really looking forward to reading this one after loving My Lovely Wife last year. Unfortunately this one didn't work for me. It was highly unbelievable and extremely scattered. It felt like the author was trying to do too much and it showed.

This one completely missed the mark for me. I can appreciate a good slow burn if it’s done well and for me this one just wasn’t. I felt it was all over the place with the storylines and subplots. I also felt the last 20% of the book was thrown together. I can see where some may have liked the way the book ended but for me I just didn’t enjoy it. I will say though this one definitely kept me reading because I just couldn’t figure out where it was going. This one gets 2.5 stars from me.

Three siblings are tasked with following the same road trip they took years ago with their grandfather in order to “win” the inheritance he has left behind - totaling millions... however, the first road trip wasn’t ideal and neither is the current!
With twist after shocking twist, the author tells the stories from both trips through the eyes of middle-child Beth. Needless to say, this is one screwed up family.
I found it far-fetched and unbelievable at times, amazed at how manipulative and conniving these siblings truly are. There was a point halfway in I wanted to stop, but kept going until the end. It wasn’t my favorite book, but it wasn’t something I disliked.
If you’re someone who loves the shock factor and constant twists, a splash of thriller, then this one is for you!!
Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for allowing me to read this and give my honest opinion.

For the most part, I enjoyed this story. The dynamics of a road trip worked well. I thought the pacing was good, and there was a nice balance and action / dialog. I loved the characters' internal dialog. However, I didn't love the characters - sadly. I don't mind unlikeable characters, but a story needs to have at least one character that I can root for. I just didn't care about any of them by the end.

My initial thought about this novel: what the heck did I just read?

But I thought this in a good way.

Samantha Downing, the author of My Lovely Wife, delivers another thriller that is just as enthralling and entertaining as her powerhouse debut.

Thank you Berkeley Publishing for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

He Started It follows three siblings on a long road trip that their grandfather set up for them to complete before earning a massive inheritance. All of them have their secrets, of course, and the first time they took this "famed" road trip, it ended in shock. Why is their grandfather making them repeat this trip? What lies before them at the end?

Wow. Downing is a talented author. There is no doubt about it. Her writing voice is crystal clear and original. Her characters are the perfect blend of mysterious and recognizable. None of them are likable, yet have qualities that make you admire their struggles and sins. This novel brought out a dynamic road trip crew: the narrator, Beth, her siblings, Eddie and Portia as well as her husband and Eddie's wife. I do not want to share much about their personalities because the characters are the driving force as to why you would continue on with this story. There were a few subplots that all garnered a "WTF" from me, but that is what I love most about this genre. The ending had me breathless until the last page then I gave out an audible, "WTF" again. Well-done!

This novel earns a solid 4.5 stars.

Downing is easily my favorite thriller author and definite auto-buy writer as well.

Wow. For a book with such unlikable characters, I was surprised I enjoyed this as much as I did. The familial twists and secrets will draw you in. Very interesting book.

WOW! Talk about a book that will keep you guessing. This one was fantastic. The characters were all pretty awful and you slowly start seeing their flaws throughout the story. I loved the duel timeline with the road trips and how they unfolded. The ending of this book was top notch. Loved it!

I just had the ‘pleasure’ of reading this highly unsettling psychological thriller by Samantha Downing and I’m still trying to shrug off the unease even after hours if reading it!

‘He Started It‘ is about three siblings who take a road trip across the country to trace the previous trip they’d went with their grandfather when they were kids. Why such a long road trip? Why not take the flight, you might ask. Well, that grandpa if theirs has written a treacherous Will that leaves #8 F**King million dollars to inherit among the siblings if and when the complete the trip. Money changes everything doesn’t it?

Told from the PoV of the middle sibling Beth Morgan, we get to know more about the Morgan family, the siblings, and their parents. And the evil grandpa!! Along with chunks from the previous road trip they took as a bunch of devil children. And what went bad with it (well, almost every f**king thing!). It’s a slow burn, you’ll have to wait for it it heat up but the author makes sure the pages turn themselves with her brilliantly-themed writing.

There are SO MANY things that I want to discuss about the book, like why did the author choose to show us Beth’s perspective in particular? Why not any other sibling? And why such a dramatic ending? Guess, I’ll pray for a chance to really ask the author all these questions and leave you guys to have fun with the book for now.

HE STARTED IT is a dark and creepy psychological thriller which delivers what it promises – a disturbing sibling rivalry and a disastrous road trip across the country. The chapters are short even though the book is descriptive and there is no way you can skim the paragraphs. That is Samantha Downing’s writing for you, my friends. When I read Beth’s words in my head, it did sound like I’m the insane one. When actually, that’s exactly how the author wanted Beth to look like. None of the characters are likable. But then that’s how it goes in thrillers like these. Samantha has become my new favorite, especially with her sarcasm filled plotting and bold and brutal character development.

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing for my advanced digital copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Okay then, didn’t see this coming at all. Almost stopped reading in the beginning, but kept at it. Was that a good thing, smart, stupid, head shaking thing to do? What an ending, could it have ended any other way? Don’t know, but it will give me something to think upon.
Thank you edelweiss/netgalley.