The Heirs out now from Feiwel & Friends; 336 pages
Content Warning: Blood, foul language, heavy alcohol usage, murder, violence
About the Author: “Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is the instant New York Times, International bestselling, & Award-winning author of ACE OF SPADES, WHERE SLEEPING GIRLS LIE and FOUR EIDS AND A FUNERAL. She has also written stories for Marvel’s Spider-Verse and BBC’s Doctor Who. In 2026 she was selected for the prestigious Forbes 30 under 30 list. In 2024 she was a world book day author with her title THE DOOMSDAY DATE. Faridah is a Morris Award 2022 Finalist, the winner of the Books Are My Bag 2021 Reader’s Award for Young Adult Fiction, and the winner of the 53rd NAACP Image Awards in the Outstanding Literary Work for Youth/Teens. She has also written for The New York Times, NME, The Bookseller, Readers Digest and gal-dem” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé on the following platforms:
The Button siblings (Fola, Octavius, Bilal, Perdita, and Romeo) grew up under the strict control of their adoptive scientist father, Leontes Button, who spent their entire childhood shaping them into prodigies to support his belief that talent is something people are born with. Years later, they reunite at the Button family mansion for the 10th annual Button Prodigy Ball, though the gathering is far from welcome for most of them. The celebration is held aboard Leontes Button’s yacht, the Titania, where old tensions and resentment among the siblings begin to resurface. But the following morning, Leontes is found murdered. As the truth begins to emerge and tensions rise, it becomes clear that Leontes left behind more than just a spotless reputation.
One thing Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé always does well is write diverse characters, and that definitely stood out here. Since all of the Button siblings were adopted from various countries around the world, the book explored different cultural perspectives, including queer representation. Even though they grew up together, they all had unique experiences, which made the family dynamics feel real. This book was also such a great mystery because the side characters weren’t just “side characters.” Anwar, Evie, and Thorin were all connected to the siblings in different ways, so by Act 3 of the book I was convinced everyone was guilty. I kept wondering who could have secretly resented Leontes enough to murder him. I also liked how every sibling had a title attached to them, such as: “The Brain,” “The Maestro,” “The Olympian,” “The Artist,” and “The Failure.” It added another layer to their family dynamic and how they viewed themselves. I especially liked how Romeo was labeled “The Failure” and there were definitely moments where he felt like the outsider of the family. However, by the end of the book, it was clear that his family always had his back, which made the label feel less defining than it first appeared. The plot twists were probably my favorite part. Writing from multiple perspectives can sometimes feel messy or hard to follow, but that was not the case here at all. Each Button sibling’s perspective flowed naturally with the story. A lot of mystery books also rush their reveals, but Àbíké-Íyímídé took the time to fully explain each twist, which made the ending feel really satisfying. The Heirs definitely reminded me why I’m always excited to read a Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé novel.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Keonte Emerson, Pine Reads Review Co-Assistant Director, Lead Writer, and Social Media Manager