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Inheritance
Paul Henninger is a rookie cop on San Antonio's troubled East Side, where every night is a war against the gangs and the drug dealers. But Paul has a dark past, and a dark inheritance.
The ghost of Martin Henninger has returned to make sure his son, Paul, delivers on his apocalyptic charge, the result of Martin's black magic, and he’s killing everyone in his path.
With his two worlds colliding, and the body count stacking up, Paul soon finds himself the lead suspect in a series of grisly cult-style killings, and in an emotional standoff between duty, the truth, his wife, and his dead family.
Meanwhile, Keith Anderson, San Antonio's best homicide detective, is hot on Paul's heels. His investigation takes him deep into the secrets of Paul's family. But what he finds there just might kill them both.
“When I started reading Inheritance, my first reaction was one word—WOW! I kept reading, and I was blown away. Police procedural? Yeah. Horror novel? That, too. But most importantly—one helluva novel. Joe tells a roaring good tale, and when you finish it, you’ll have a lot to say, but WOW will be the first word out of your mouth.”
—Rick Hautala, author of Glimpses and Indian Summer
“An artful haunting with the gloomy quality of a Terrance Malick crime drama”
—Weston Ochse, author of SEAL Team 666
“With Inheritance, Joe McKinney delivers a first-rate supernatural thriller with edge-of-your-seat suspense, a high-octane plot, and pitch-black horror. Add to this mix strong characterization and an insider’s knowledge of law enforcement, and you have one of the best novels I’ve read in ages. I loved it!”
—Tim Waggoner, author of The Harmony Society and Like Death
“Joe McKinney has proven, yet again, that he is a true literary genius. Inheritance is a breath-taking thrill ride masterfully crafted to grip the reader, pulling them deep into the nightmares of its characters with a level of suspense that steals the breath from your lungs. Brilliant!”
— Gabrielle Faust, author of Revenge and Eternal Vigilance
“Joe McKinney delivers. Inheritance is a brisk, wry and deliriously creepy tale of family secrets and black magic that is guaranteed to get your goat!”
—Harry Shannon, author of Dead and Gone and The Hungry
The ghost of Martin Henninger has returned to make sure his son, Paul, delivers on his apocalyptic charge, the result of Martin's black magic, and he’s killing everyone in his path.
With his two worlds colliding, and the body count stacking up, Paul soon finds himself the lead suspect in a series of grisly cult-style killings, and in an emotional standoff between duty, the truth, his wife, and his dead family.
Meanwhile, Keith Anderson, San Antonio's best homicide detective, is hot on Paul's heels. His investigation takes him deep into the secrets of Paul's family. But what he finds there just might kill them both.
“When I started reading Inheritance, my first reaction was one word—WOW! I kept reading, and I was blown away. Police procedural? Yeah. Horror novel? That, too. But most importantly—one helluva novel. Joe tells a roaring good tale, and when you finish it, you’ll have a lot to say, but WOW will be the first word out of your mouth.”
—Rick Hautala, author of Glimpses and Indian Summer
“An artful haunting with the gloomy quality of a Terrance Malick crime drama”
—Weston Ochse, author of SEAL Team 666
“With Inheritance, Joe McKinney delivers a first-rate supernatural thriller with edge-of-your-seat suspense, a high-octane plot, and pitch-black horror. Add to this mix strong characterization and an insider’s knowledge of law enforcement, and you have one of the best novels I’ve read in ages. I loved it!”
—Tim Waggoner, author of The Harmony Society and Like Death
“Joe McKinney has proven, yet again, that he is a true literary genius. Inheritance is a breath-taking thrill ride masterfully crafted to grip the reader, pulling them deep into the nightmares of its characters with a level of suspense that steals the breath from your lungs. Brilliant!”
— Gabrielle Faust, author of Revenge and Eternal Vigilance
“Joe McKinney delivers. Inheritance is a brisk, wry and deliriously creepy tale of family secrets and black magic that is guaranteed to get your goat!”
—Harry Shannon, author of Dead and Gone and The Hungry
354 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2012
21 people are currently reading
920 people want to read
About the author
Joe McKinney
116 books666 followersJoe McKinney has been a patrol officer for the San Antonio Police Department, a homicide detective, a disaster mitigation specialist, a patrol commander, and a successful novelist. His books include the four part Dead World series, Quarantined and Dodging Bullets. His short fiction has been collected in The Red Empire and Other Stories and Dating in Dead World and Other Stories. For more information go to http://joemckinney.wordpress.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
March 18, 2013
I've been wanting to read something written by Joe McKinney for a while now. I'm so glad I finally did!
This novel was extremely well written, so much so that it was very easy to picture all the characters and things going on. Mr. McKinney has a way with words-he paints detailed pictures with only a few of them.
It was a unique story, featuring a lot of police procedural stuff as well as some crazy goings on. I don't want to say much more than that, for fear of ruining someone's read. Suffice it to say that I loved it!
Highly Recommended!
This novel was extremely well written, so much so that it was very easy to picture all the characters and things going on. Mr. McKinney has a way with words-he paints detailed pictures with only a few of them.
It was a unique story, featuring a lot of police procedural stuff as well as some crazy goings on. I don't want to say much more than that, for fear of ruining someone's read. Suffice it to say that I loved it!
Highly Recommended!
March 16, 2013
A fantastic modern ghost story so dark, it is literally black. Gritty, gory fun.
March 11, 2013
An original, well executed horror premise loosely torn from the pages of Leviticus and parts of the Apocrypha. Highly recommended.
March 28, 2018
Author Joe McKinney draws on his experiences as a San Antonio police officer and his instincts as one of today’s premier horror authors to spin a tale of familial strife and inner turmoil in this novel that features some strong horror elements. Paul Henninger is a rookie cop, who led a rough childhood where his sickly mother died early and he was raised by a demented father, who he killed at a young age, except that Paul doesn’t know the half of what really happened when he was young. It all comes back to haunt Paul just as he is starting off his career as a cop when police are murdered and dead junkies begin to rise. Paul has to learn about his past and face the destiny that his father laid out for him as well as the tremendous power that lies within him in trying to avoid an apocalypse.
What I felt as I was reading this novel was a real feel of authenticity whenever there were police elements in the story, which was frequent. I don’t get this in many other novels that involve police officers. Clearly, Joe McKinney knows his stuff. He also does two other things very well—build tension in this novel and create a growing sense of dread. He hooked me in as a reader very early on, although I did experience bits of frustration for parts of the novel, when I didn’t feel as if I really knew what was going on. The other trouble spots I found was in Paul’s character, which was generally well done, but he experienced some abrupt shifts in attitude in behavior which I found problematic. For the most part, McKinney pressed the right buttons and put together a horror novel that I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of the genre.
Carl Alves - author of Battle of the Soul
What I felt as I was reading this novel was a real feel of authenticity whenever there were police elements in the story, which was frequent. I don’t get this in many other novels that involve police officers. Clearly, Joe McKinney knows his stuff. He also does two other things very well—build tension in this novel and create a growing sense of dread. He hooked me in as a reader very early on, although I did experience bits of frustration for parts of the novel, when I didn’t feel as if I really knew what was going on. The other trouble spots I found was in Paul’s character, which was generally well done, but he experienced some abrupt shifts in attitude in behavior which I found problematic. For the most part, McKinney pressed the right buttons and put together a horror novel that I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of the genre.
Carl Alves - author of Battle of the Soul
April 16, 2013
McKinney has crafted an excellent supernatural thriller that builds and builds and builds some more until it seems near impossible the main characters will be able to resolve their dilemmas by the conclusion. The relationships are very real and not surprisingly, with Mr.McKinney's background, the police work and practice is extremely authentic and enlightening. I will say that one character seemed more important than s/he ultimately was and vanished from the story's most vital showdown. I wouldn't have cared much except this was my favorite character in the novel. Here's to hoping this character shows up as a main character in other books. The theme of the novel, in this reviewer's opinion, also appeared to change tracks at the end. Perhaps I'd been wrong the whole time? Or maybe I'm reading to much into the denouement? Either way, that's beside the point. Bottom line: INHERITANCE is a well written, super-exciting thriller that should not be missed from one of the best horror writers working right now.
May 12, 2013
What a great read that cuts across the crime and horror genres but leans more towards horror as we race towards an exciting conclusion! We live the cop life with Paul Henninger a rookie learning what it takes to live on the streets of San Antonia. Paul has had a trouble childhood and has been greatly influenced by his evil and cruel stepfather who not only is the cause of the suicide of Paul's mum but also sees Paul as a natural successor to the evil power and black magic that he hopes to pass to him...the charge.."You'll be able to see into men's souls. You will know their fears and desires like they were written on their face. No one will ever be able to hide the truth from you. Men will be drawn to you like a lodestar. I spent my life trying to see what lies beyond the doors to perception. But I was never meant to see that country. It was meant for you" "My inheritance" Paul said, his voice barely a whisper. "And your charge. You'll make a kindgon of this world"...... Oh and did I forget to mention that Martin Henninger is dead! killed by his own son and determined to return from the dead with his "charge" accompanied by some putrid and evil smelling bodies...zombies...we love em :) "Paul I am very scared. Your father possesses great power. Power far beyond my own. Even from the grave he is powerful. But your father is a dark man, Paul. A bad man. I think he has corrupted the power that he inherited from my Abuela, the power he intends to pass on to you. He is using what he knows to do horrible things" As we race towards a thrilling conclusion Paul begins to..."He was only now realizing that the vision his father had in mind was nothing short of an apocalypse, an end to this world and the birth of a new one populated by the risen dead. Power, true power, he saw now, had to be a logical necessity absolute, or it was not power at all. It was not enough to teach a man what to believe, or tell him what he should hear and say and do. It was not enough to punish him for doing or even thinking wrongly. It was not even enough to reprogram him from the inside out when the threat of application of force failed to compel total submission"......Will Paul defeat this evil? will Paul destroy the zombies? will Paul return to the lovely Rachel and have a good life?...read this Bram Stoker 2013 nominated book and find out...Joe McKinney has created for the reader a winning combination of good against evil that stays in the mind a long time after the final page.....
January 31, 2013
A cult, goats, zombies, wife beatings, and an apocalyptic future all in one book, I was not ready for this one. I really loved the cover of this book and the synopsis pulled me in and once I started reading I could not quit. Paul’s life was not an easy one growing up but now that he was passed that stage in life he thought he could move on but somehow his past was haunting him. He had a gorgeous wife and a great job on the police force and he thought he was headed in the right path but somehow he felt a pull in another direction. Hello Daddy! I believe this link to his father and the creepiness of that link is what kept me reading this book as I wanted to know how it would all go down in the end. I also enjoyed the author’s writing style and their way with words is excellent, to say the least. There was almost an element of precision, distinctness and mystery in their style which didn’t give the whole story away but led you on a chase. The chase to figure it out before the author wrote it out for you. I did think there were times I thought I was bored as I thought the speed of the events in the book was lacking and I thought “come on do something!”
May 21, 2013
After finishing this I have to ask myself the question: So this is the same Joe McKinney who wrote the "Dead World" series? The same guy who authored "Quarantined" and a good number of short stories?
"Inheritance" is so far removed from McKinney's other work and so overly bland that it's a wonder I got through this book or even read it as fast as I did. Then again, I probably sped through this novel just so I could wash my hands of it and move on to something else.
I don't get the 4 and 5 star reviews that many people have given this novel. Ok, so the cop story itself wasn't bad and McKinney, being a former police officer himself, wrote a pretty good section there, complete with the action, dialogue, and procedurals that any cop would go through on a daily basis. He even did a pretty decent job in describing the stress and pressures being an officer puts on the family and a person in general.
Had McKinney ended there, this could have been a relatively enjoyable book. I may have even rated it upwards of 4 stars. However, McKinney's horror story, which I guess is really the entire story, ruins everything "Inheritance" had going for it.
McKinney should stick to zombie and zombies only, because his "Ghost" and afterlife kinda of mash up just didn't work. It seemed weak and unimportant and even worse, lacked any semblance of fright or descriptions. "Inheritance" wasn't scary nor was it even remotely close to being a true "horror" novel. Paul, the main character, was uninspiring and unbelievable and his father was just as bad. His cops seemed far too cookie cutter and had very little originality. What little action there was in this book was well written, but far far too short, replaced with lengthy flashbacks and dialoge that just didn't work.
And there is the final spot that mares this novel: dialogue and lack of editing. McKinney's never been a super good dialogue writer. I complained about this in almost all of his books, but was able to overlook it because I was more focused on the action and violence of zombies. I couldn't skip past it this time. Way too many times McKinney's characters repeat themselves with phrases like "What is it?" and "Oh God" and super annoying repeating of names like "Paul, do you hear me, Paul? Yes, Paul. He was a good man, Paul". When the characters speak to each other, it's contrived and just doesn't seem real. Then the editing is horrendous. Either McKinney thinks his readers are stupid and forgetful, or he himself is and likes to repeat description after description after description (Dean Koontz anyone?). I didn't exactly count how many times we were forced to read the details of Paul's father, but honestly, how many times do we have to be told about his black stetson hat and his starched white shirt? Did we not get the point the first time that Paul's mother was sick and looked like a crack whore?
The last full length novel of McKinney's I read was "Mutated" which was a huge disappointment. I remember wondering if that was just a minor trip in McKinney's otherwise splendid catalogue of stories. Well, I must wonder now if the first 3 zombie novels were flukes and it's now that we are seeing McKinney's real style. I think I will give the guy one more shot (his next book somes out in September and it's zombies again), but I'm not expecting a whole heck of a lot.
"Inheritance" is so far removed from McKinney's other work and so overly bland that it's a wonder I got through this book or even read it as fast as I did. Then again, I probably sped through this novel just so I could wash my hands of it and move on to something else.
I don't get the 4 and 5 star reviews that many people have given this novel. Ok, so the cop story itself wasn't bad and McKinney, being a former police officer himself, wrote a pretty good section there, complete with the action, dialogue, and procedurals that any cop would go through on a daily basis. He even did a pretty decent job in describing the stress and pressures being an officer puts on the family and a person in general.
Had McKinney ended there, this could have been a relatively enjoyable book. I may have even rated it upwards of 4 stars. However, McKinney's horror story, which I guess is really the entire story, ruins everything "Inheritance" had going for it.
McKinney should stick to zombie and zombies only, because his "Ghost" and afterlife kinda of mash up just didn't work. It seemed weak and unimportant and even worse, lacked any semblance of fright or descriptions. "Inheritance" wasn't scary nor was it even remotely close to being a true "horror" novel. Paul, the main character, was uninspiring and unbelievable and his father was just as bad. His cops seemed far too cookie cutter and had very little originality. What little action there was in this book was well written, but far far too short, replaced with lengthy flashbacks and dialoge that just didn't work.
And there is the final spot that mares this novel: dialogue and lack of editing. McKinney's never been a super good dialogue writer. I complained about this in almost all of his books, but was able to overlook it because I was more focused on the action and violence of zombies. I couldn't skip past it this time. Way too many times McKinney's characters repeat themselves with phrases like "What is it?" and "Oh God" and super annoying repeating of names like "Paul, do you hear me, Paul? Yes, Paul. He was a good man, Paul". When the characters speak to each other, it's contrived and just doesn't seem real. Then the editing is horrendous. Either McKinney thinks his readers are stupid and forgetful, or he himself is and likes to repeat description after description after description (Dean Koontz anyone?). I didn't exactly count how many times we were forced to read the details of Paul's father, but honestly, how many times do we have to be told about his black stetson hat and his starched white shirt? Did we not get the point the first time that Paul's mother was sick and looked like a crack whore?
The last full length novel of McKinney's I read was "Mutated" which was a huge disappointment. I remember wondering if that was just a minor trip in McKinney's otherwise splendid catalogue of stories. Well, I must wonder now if the first 3 zombie novels were flukes and it's now that we are seeing McKinney's real style. I think I will give the guy one more shot (his next book somes out in September and it's zombies again), but I'm not expecting a whole heck of a lot.
December 21, 2012
Review of Inheritance by Joe McKinney
This is such an incredible book. A blurb quoting Rick Hautala, himself a famed horror author, states that his initial response was simply “Wow!” If that indicates speechlessness in a state of awe, I’m there also. Multilayered, complex, issue-coping, deeply, deeply characterized-and with horror and plotting and gore and graphic incidents; sex, romance, magickal power; there is so much to delve into in this special novel. It is my first introduction to Mr. McKinney, but I was fortunate enough to acquire 3 more books of his from the Library earlier this week, so I guess I’ll be having a Joe McKinney weekend-what glorious fun!
Simply put: Paul Henninger grew up dirt-poor, grindingly dirt-poor, on a goat farm in South Texas, son of a mother he remembers only as deeply depressed, and a father whose rages were matched only by his ceremonial magickal rituals. Mother dies when Paul is twelve, an apparent suicide; father dies when Paul is eighteen, by his hand in self-defense against learning the rituals. Paul goes to University on a football scholarship, marries, joins the Police Academy-and becomes a San Antonio patrolman. But the evil that lived in Martin Henninger isn’t finished with young Paul—who is in a sense a “child of prophecy”-and neither is Martin finished, for he returns from beyond to wreak his evil intent.
This is such an incredible book. A blurb quoting Rick Hautala, himself a famed horror author, states that his initial response was simply “Wow!” If that indicates speechlessness in a state of awe, I’m there also. Multilayered, complex, issue-coping, deeply, deeply characterized-and with horror and plotting and gore and graphic incidents; sex, romance, magickal power; there is so much to delve into in this special novel. It is my first introduction to Mr. McKinney, but I was fortunate enough to acquire 3 more books of his from the Library earlier this week, so I guess I’ll be having a Joe McKinney weekend-what glorious fun!
Simply put: Paul Henninger grew up dirt-poor, grindingly dirt-poor, on a goat farm in South Texas, son of a mother he remembers only as deeply depressed, and a father whose rages were matched only by his ceremonial magickal rituals. Mother dies when Paul is twelve, an apparent suicide; father dies when Paul is eighteen, by his hand in self-defense against learning the rituals. Paul goes to University on a football scholarship, marries, joins the Police Academy-and becomes a San Antonio patrolman. But the evil that lived in Martin Henninger isn’t finished with young Paul—who is in a sense a “child of prophecy”-and neither is Martin finished, for he returns from beyond to wreak his evil intent.
April 8, 2013
'Inheritance' is a book that's at its best in the first half. The story of Paul Henninger is one that fuses elements of domestic drama, police procedural and the occult with terrifically exciting results.
Given author Joe McKinney's experience as a police officer, it's no surprise that the procedural stuff works so well. What's really impressive is that he presents a vision of witchcraft/the occult/whatever that feels daringly new and free from all the old cliches. Most importantly, it feels frighteningly real.
However, while the character of Martin Henninger makes for a fascinating antagonist, Paul is frustratingly passive for a hero. Despite all the strange things that keep happening to him, he doesn't really do much.
This issue is exacerbated in a third act delivered mostly in flashbacks, robbing the story of its momentum. Unfortunately, the book never quite recovers, and the ending doesn't have quite the impact it should.
That said, when I say the first half is good, I mean it's REALLY REALLY GOOD.
'Inheritance' is the first book I've read of this year's Bram Stoker Award-nominated novels. I think the bar's been set pretty high here and I'm looking forward to reading the rest.
Given author Joe McKinney's experience as a police officer, it's no surprise that the procedural stuff works so well. What's really impressive is that he presents a vision of witchcraft/the occult/whatever that feels daringly new and free from all the old cliches. Most importantly, it feels frighteningly real.
However, while the character of Martin Henninger makes for a fascinating antagonist, Paul is frustratingly passive for a hero. Despite all the strange things that keep happening to him, he doesn't really do much.
This issue is exacerbated in a third act delivered mostly in flashbacks, robbing the story of its momentum. Unfortunately, the book never quite recovers, and the ending doesn't have quite the impact it should.
That said, when I say the first half is good, I mean it's REALLY REALLY GOOD.
'Inheritance' is the first book I've read of this year's Bram Stoker Award-nominated novels. I think the bar's been set pretty high here and I'm looking forward to reading the rest.
November 17, 2012
Inheritance by Joe McKinney is a horrifying tale of the worst kind of family legacy. Martin Henninger spent his life pursuing power through black magic and he has become an evil force to be reckoned with -- even after his death. His son, rookie San Antonio police officer Paul, is charged with carrying on his father's work.
Joe McKinney spins a horrifying tale and Inheritance is relentless. Much of the tension comes from the ability of the characters to enter to ghostly world of the past. This phantom world contrasted with the realistic and well-drawn horrors Paul sees on the job ratchet up the scares. Fans of horror shouldn't miss this one.
Joe McKinney spins a horrifying tale and Inheritance is relentless. Much of the tension comes from the ability of the characters to enter to ghostly world of the past. This phantom world contrasted with the realistic and well-drawn horrors Paul sees on the job ratchet up the scares. Fans of horror shouldn't miss this one.
June 25, 2013
Excellent book. I really enjoyed that time was taken to explore more or the every day on the beat cop scenes that were only partially related to the main plot. After a really gut wrenching couple of weeks for all of the characters, I also appreciated that
February 14, 2013
Joe McKinney's novel, Inheritance is a terrifying ride through the darker side of police work, the unrelenting pain of broken families, and, ultimately, the power of forgiveness and love. His use of imagery is gripping, and his characters are vividly human, which means flawed yet determined. If you like supernatural stories of good vs evil, then I would highly recommend this novel.
August 9, 2016
Very strong novel but with a bit of a rushed final confrontation I found unclear. Mix of procedural with horror and paranormal mystery. Recommended.
August 15, 2019
I've said it before and I'll say it again: no one mixes police procedural and horror quite like Joe McKinney. He's been doing it for a while, but with Inheritance he has set a new standard for anyone attempting to mix those two genres. The novel contains enough darkness, blood, and things from beyond the grave to work as a horror story and packs enough guns, drugs, flashing lights, and violence to satisfy fans of gritty thrillers.
You can read Gabino's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Gabino's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
Want to read
May 26, 2024I am sorry to leave a comment here under reviews for a book that I have not read yet but I wanted to assign a date for this book and the date set functionality of the website currently seems to be broken. If they get this working I will use this and delete this review.
07-02-2014
07-02-2014
April 13, 2025
4.5 stars. I love a good supernatural police procedural and this hit the spot. Some elements that felt pretty unique to what I’ve read before and some nice creepy scenes.
January 17, 2013
I have touted INHERITANCE via social media since before it was released. Joe McKinney is a fantastic writer and a Texas icon. Stephen King once wrote “a good book is not about its destination but more about the journey.” Joe takes you on a journey about the trials and tribulations of Paul Henninger, a rookie police officer who has a strained past and has tried so hard to overcome the horrors of his childhood. He has a new job, a supportive and beautiful wife and a partner who walks the line between duty and insubordination. One could say he has everything ahead of him but as we all know in the world of horror that just means he makes a bigger target. The story concludes with a huge confrontation between Paul and his father that has to be read to be experienced and experiencing it is definitely what any reader of these genres will want to do. Joe has stated that he feels that this is his best work and as a huge fan of Joe’s work, I am inclined to believe his point of view. But as a fan, I also know what a great story-teller Joe McKinney is and I know that his past works have also been astonishing.
Paul grew up with a demented father with a big secret and a frightening power and a mother that loved him but was defenseless against the constant assaults by her husband. After losing both of his parents, one to a gruesome suicide and one by impalement, Paul has been haunted by visions. When his father returns and starts appearing to Paul and discussing his INHERITANCE Paul finds his life starting to fall apart. What makes this tale so interesting is the police background that Joe McKinney brings to the book. Mark Twain is attributed to having said “write what you know” and Joe definitely takes that adage to task. Joe McKinney is a San Antonio Texas police Sergeant and before that a homicide detective. As I read this book, I realized I was reading about Joe’s experience in the Department which brought realism to this tale of terror. In addition, Joe has written a number of tales about zombies that are quite incredible and which he sprinkles liberally through this book. He documents the slow erosion of a man’s soul as his antagonist faces the horrors of the supernatural as well as his day to day routines like job and marriage.
Joe’s writing brings back the essence of Joseph Wambaugh because of the police procedural element he brings to this book. One can only imagine the zombies Joe has seen walking in San Antonio’s East Side as residents stumble about jacked up on illicit drugs and struggling to survive in the milieu in which they reside. His story also allows you to see things as a police officer such as the challenges and tasks he must have experienced during his stint. The loss of a fellow officer has to be the hardest thing a police officer ever faces and Joe deals with this topic with genuine empathy.
Evil Jester Press is the publisher of this book and they did a wonderful job with the presentation of this book. Of course, one would not expect any less from a publishing house that deals almost exclusively with horror authors. They were quite lucky to grab INHERITANCE because this is a page turner that pulls the reader in and keep him or her there until the thrilling conclusion. After reading this book, I guarantee you will be a Joe McKinney fan and will want to live awhile in Joe’s worlds.
Paul grew up with a demented father with a big secret and a frightening power and a mother that loved him but was defenseless against the constant assaults by her husband. After losing both of his parents, one to a gruesome suicide and one by impalement, Paul has been haunted by visions. When his father returns and starts appearing to Paul and discussing his INHERITANCE Paul finds his life starting to fall apart. What makes this tale so interesting is the police background that Joe McKinney brings to the book. Mark Twain is attributed to having said “write what you know” and Joe definitely takes that adage to task. Joe McKinney is a San Antonio Texas police Sergeant and before that a homicide detective. As I read this book, I realized I was reading about Joe’s experience in the Department which brought realism to this tale of terror. In addition, Joe has written a number of tales about zombies that are quite incredible and which he sprinkles liberally through this book. He documents the slow erosion of a man’s soul as his antagonist faces the horrors of the supernatural as well as his day to day routines like job and marriage.
Joe’s writing brings back the essence of Joseph Wambaugh because of the police procedural element he brings to this book. One can only imagine the zombies Joe has seen walking in San Antonio’s East Side as residents stumble about jacked up on illicit drugs and struggling to survive in the milieu in which they reside. His story also allows you to see things as a police officer such as the challenges and tasks he must have experienced during his stint. The loss of a fellow officer has to be the hardest thing a police officer ever faces and Joe deals with this topic with genuine empathy.
Evil Jester Press is the publisher of this book and they did a wonderful job with the presentation of this book. Of course, one would not expect any less from a publishing house that deals almost exclusively with horror authors. They were quite lucky to grab INHERITANCE because this is a page turner that pulls the reader in and keep him or her there until the thrilling conclusion. After reading this book, I guarantee you will be a Joe McKinney fan and will want to live awhile in Joe’s worlds.
February 17, 2013
When I first saw the cover for Inheritance, coupled with the title, I thought that I was in for some kind of haunted house story. I guess in a way, I was right; but this is far from being a creaky-door, moaning-ghost cliché-fest. Far from it. Inheritance comes from multi award-winning author and sergeant with the San Antonio Police Department Joe McKinney and he has created a tale of the supernatural that is far from ordinary...
My fears were suitably allayed after reading the synopsis and McKinney wastes no time in starting to tell his story here, with ritual sacrifice, evil and death present instantly; and never departing from proceedings thereafter.
Without question, Paul Henninger is the focus of Inheritance and is a well-developed character; believable as the loving husband and young cop learning the ropes while trying to keep his past secret from those around him, despite him becoming the main suspect in a number of gruesome murders. That is not to say that this is a one-man show as the major dramatis personae here are all equally believable and assist greatly in keeping the reader interested.
The narrative switches from character to character, allowing the reader further insight into the main players and what they think of each other. At around the halfway point, I was left with no clue as to how proceedings would conclude, which to my mind is very much testament to the author's ability as a storyteller.
Without the supernatural element, Inheritance could easily be a superb serial killer/ crime thriller in its own right. However, the additional horror component allows McKinney to do truly dark and terrible things within his work here. Speaking of his work, the author's day job clearly has a large influence on what goes on in this novel; the daily work of a San Antonio police officer, their relationships with each other, their loved ones and how they all cope in the face of tragedy, adversity and a truly malevolent presence, all feature heavily here. Subsequently, McKinney, undoubtedly drawing on his own experiences, has created an incredibly real world in which to play out his extremely dark tale.
Those familiar with my reviews will know that I don't like to give much away about a book's plot. However, I appreciate that the gorehounds will be looking for what's in store for them... Inheritance is filled with murder, violence, autopsies, dismemberment and the resurrected dead!
On a critical note, some of the police dialogue and terminology may be confusing to those not familiar with it but such language definitely gives an air of authenticity to proceedings that's missing from many works of fiction concerned with officers of the law.
This book couples crime thriller with truly dark and disturbing horror; and with the inclusion of the author's own experiences, he has created a remarkably unique and memorable tale in Inheritance.
My fears were suitably allayed after reading the synopsis and McKinney wastes no time in starting to tell his story here, with ritual sacrifice, evil and death present instantly; and never departing from proceedings thereafter.
Without question, Paul Henninger is the focus of Inheritance and is a well-developed character; believable as the loving husband and young cop learning the ropes while trying to keep his past secret from those around him, despite him becoming the main suspect in a number of gruesome murders. That is not to say that this is a one-man show as the major dramatis personae here are all equally believable and assist greatly in keeping the reader interested.
The narrative switches from character to character, allowing the reader further insight into the main players and what they think of each other. At around the halfway point, I was left with no clue as to how proceedings would conclude, which to my mind is very much testament to the author's ability as a storyteller.
Without the supernatural element, Inheritance could easily be a superb serial killer/ crime thriller in its own right. However, the additional horror component allows McKinney to do truly dark and terrible things within his work here. Speaking of his work, the author's day job clearly has a large influence on what goes on in this novel; the daily work of a San Antonio police officer, their relationships with each other, their loved ones and how they all cope in the face of tragedy, adversity and a truly malevolent presence, all feature heavily here. Subsequently, McKinney, undoubtedly drawing on his own experiences, has created an incredibly real world in which to play out his extremely dark tale.
Those familiar with my reviews will know that I don't like to give much away about a book's plot. However, I appreciate that the gorehounds will be looking for what's in store for them... Inheritance is filled with murder, violence, autopsies, dismemberment and the resurrected dead!
On a critical note, some of the police dialogue and terminology may be confusing to those not familiar with it but such language definitely gives an air of authenticity to proceedings that's missing from many works of fiction concerned with officers of the law.
This book couples crime thriller with truly dark and disturbing horror; and with the inclusion of the author's own experiences, he has created a remarkably unique and memorable tale in Inheritance.
May 19, 2013
This novel has been well-received by a lot of readers. It's a 2012 Stoker nominee in the Novel category. Unfortunately, I didn't share in the seemingly consensus opinion. This novel just didn't do much for me.
One problem is also the best feature of the story. Mike, protagonist's Paul partner in the police force, is a great character, the best of the novel. He steals every scene he's in. Trouble is, he's not the protagonist.
There is also a persistent and annoying quirk in the writing style, something that I've just recently discovered in my own work. The word "but" is used way too often, either at the beginning of sentences or in the middle of them. Re-phrasing most of those sentences would have eliminated this overused device and strengthened the writing.
Better editing would also have served the novel in another area. The book is overly long, with too many flashbacks (some even repeat, in a Lost-style mechanic from a different character's POV) and even a few needless scenes that drag on forever. The autopsy is a good example of that. That scene involved characters that didn't appear again and the information discovered could have been communicated via a report or a quick visit from the non-repeated character.
Additionally, the nature or source of this power that Paul and his father share is unexplained and murky, and leaves unanswered questions. Also, Paul commits an act of murder and that issue is left hanging, with it not even being mentioned in the overly long and dragged out ending.
Better editing, tighter writing, and resolving some loose ends would have made for a much better novel.
One problem is also the best feature of the story. Mike, protagonist's Paul partner in the police force, is a great character, the best of the novel. He steals every scene he's in. Trouble is, he's not the protagonist.
There is also a persistent and annoying quirk in the writing style, something that I've just recently discovered in my own work. The word "but" is used way too often, either at the beginning of sentences or in the middle of them. Re-phrasing most of those sentences would have eliminated this overused device and strengthened the writing.
Better editing would also have served the novel in another area. The book is overly long, with too many flashbacks (some even repeat, in a Lost-style mechanic from a different character's POV) and even a few needless scenes that drag on forever. The autopsy is a good example of that. That scene involved characters that didn't appear again and the information discovered could have been communicated via a report or a quick visit from the non-repeated character.
Additionally, the nature or source of this power that Paul and his father share is unexplained and murky, and leaves unanswered questions. Also, Paul commits an act of murder and that issue is left hanging, with it not even being mentioned in the overly long and dragged out ending.
Better editing, tighter writing, and resolving some loose ends would have made for a much better novel.
October 1, 2013
This book is a bit of a departure from previous Joe McKinney novels I've read. Instead of zombies, you have magic and the occult.
At the heart of the story is the relationship between between Paul, his father Martin and his mother who committed suicide when he was 12 years old. Martin is a dark magician and wants Paul to continue in his footsteps, but Paul, a rookie with the San Antonio police department, has divorced himself from his old life when he lived on the farm with his family. He tries hard to ignore all the strange happenings in his life and concentrate solely on his new career and his wife. Martin is not going to allow that however and finds a way even after death to try to force Paul into following the plan he (Martin) has mapped out for him.
Joe Mckinney's previous experience in law enforcement lends verisimilitude to his descriptions of police life and the interactions between Paul and his fellow officers. This realism grounded the novel in a way that made the occult phenomena more real to me. Otherwise, the plot occasionally showed signs of floating off into a phantasmagorical reality I couldn't grasp.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I never understood Martin or why he was the way he was or why he wanted the world to be destroyed. To me, this remains a weak point in the novel although if you suppose an Iago-like malice to be an essential part of his character, that may not matter to other readers. Anyway, definitely worth a read and an interesting departure for fans of his previous works.
At the heart of the story is the relationship between between Paul, his father Martin and his mother who committed suicide when he was 12 years old. Martin is a dark magician and wants Paul to continue in his footsteps, but Paul, a rookie with the San Antonio police department, has divorced himself from his old life when he lived on the farm with his family. He tries hard to ignore all the strange happenings in his life and concentrate solely on his new career and his wife. Martin is not going to allow that however and finds a way even after death to try to force Paul into following the plan he (Martin) has mapped out for him.
Joe Mckinney's previous experience in law enforcement lends verisimilitude to his descriptions of police life and the interactions between Paul and his fellow officers. This realism grounded the novel in a way that made the occult phenomena more real to me. Otherwise, the plot occasionally showed signs of floating off into a phantasmagorical reality I couldn't grasp.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I never understood Martin or why he was the way he was or why he wanted the world to be destroyed. To me, this remains a weak point in the novel although if you suppose an Iago-like malice to be an essential part of his character, that may not matter to other readers. Anyway, definitely worth a read and an interesting departure for fans of his previous works.
April 29, 2014
Paul Henninger is a rookie cop on San Antonio's troubled East Side, where every night is a war against the gangs and the drug dealers. But Paul has a dark past, and a dark inheritance.
The ghost of Martin Henninger has returned to make sure his son, Paul, delivers on his apocalyptic charge, the result of Martin's black magic, and he’s killing everyone in his path.
With his two worlds colliding, and the body count stacking up, Paul soon finds himself the lead suspect in a series of grisly cult-style killings, and in an emotional standoff between duty, the truth, his wife, and his dead family.
Meanwhile, Keith Anderson, San Antonio's best homicide detective, is hot on Paul's heels. His investigation takes him deep into the secrets of Paul's family. But what he finds there just might kill them both.
As a homicide detective for the San Antonio Police Dept. you expect Mr. McKinney to get the police procedures spot on and he does, what you don't expect is the depth of his characters or the amount of realism he gives their problems. Inheritance was a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. So now you may wonder why only 4 stars,,, The book was printed in the smallest letters possible. Not so great for your reading pleasure. So while I would whole heartedly recommend this book I would also caution you to be prepared for some eyestrain. If it were not for the size of the type I would have went with a 4.5 stars, but unfortunately because of it I can only give it 4 stars.
The ghost of Martin Henninger has returned to make sure his son, Paul, delivers on his apocalyptic charge, the result of Martin's black magic, and he’s killing everyone in his path.
With his two worlds colliding, and the body count stacking up, Paul soon finds himself the lead suspect in a series of grisly cult-style killings, and in an emotional standoff between duty, the truth, his wife, and his dead family.
Meanwhile, Keith Anderson, San Antonio's best homicide detective, is hot on Paul's heels. His investigation takes him deep into the secrets of Paul's family. But what he finds there just might kill them both.
As a homicide detective for the San Antonio Police Dept. you expect Mr. McKinney to get the police procedures spot on and he does, what you don't expect is the depth of his characters or the amount of realism he gives their problems. Inheritance was a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. So now you may wonder why only 4 stars,,, The book was printed in the smallest letters possible. Not so great for your reading pleasure. So while I would whole heartedly recommend this book I would also caution you to be prepared for some eyestrain. If it were not for the size of the type I would have went with a 4.5 stars, but unfortunately because of it I can only give it 4 stars.
March 30, 2013
3 AND 1/2 STARS
Author Joe McKinney takes a break from zombies, this time, delving into a mix of witchcraft and police procedurals. I wasn't sure where this story was going, which hooked me along for much of the way. However, once the story began to form, I felt a lot of the material was too familiar and could have used a more stringent editor. This book could have used a 50 to 75 page trim, which would have sped up the pace and increased the momentum in building tension. The copy editor also missed about a dozen typos, which is always annoying to see from a professional publisher.
Although Paul and Anderson and the supporting players had solid character development, the villain, Martin, was difficult to understand. His motivation for his actions was confusing and just seemed to be evil for the purpose of being evil. The climax was also a bit of a letdown, happening too quickly at a predictable location, with a conclusion that felt too convenient. However, many of the big action scenes were nicely crafted, with much of the danger unsettling and gripping. McKinney's dialogue rings true and even his character's non-verbal communication allows you to understand exactly what they are going through. There is a lot to like about this book, but, in my opinion, this was not McKinney's best.
Author Joe McKinney takes a break from zombies, this time, delving into a mix of witchcraft and police procedurals. I wasn't sure where this story was going, which hooked me along for much of the way. However, once the story began to form, I felt a lot of the material was too familiar and could have used a more stringent editor. This book could have used a 50 to 75 page trim, which would have sped up the pace and increased the momentum in building tension. The copy editor also missed about a dozen typos, which is always annoying to see from a professional publisher.
Although Paul and Anderson and the supporting players had solid character development, the villain, Martin, was difficult to understand. His motivation for his actions was confusing and just seemed to be evil for the purpose of being evil. The climax was also a bit of a letdown, happening too quickly at a predictable location, with a conclusion that felt too convenient. However, many of the big action scenes were nicely crafted, with much of the danger unsettling and gripping. McKinney's dialogue rings true and even his character's non-verbal communication allows you to understand exactly what they are going through. There is a lot to like about this book, but, in my opinion, this was not McKinney's best.
December 27, 2014
I found this book to be surprisingly good, definitely exceeded my expectations & held my interest throughout. The way the author showed actual past happenings vs how they had been perceived was really well done, in my opinion, & was one of my favorite things about the book. I was glad the author didn't ruin it with one of those "oh, no, there may still be trouble, dun dun DUNNNN" endings, which surely must have been tempting!
I found the relationships between the different characters to be believable (although I found Paul's characterization to be a bit sparse; considering his history & physical size, I figured his complexities would be more evident through his words & actions than they were, for me), & of course I like that the story was set in a place I've visited (San Antonio), so I understood certain regional references, yet was pleasantly surprised to see that the author didn't default to The Riverwalk as a reference point (which also must have been tempting).
All in all, a well-written, creepy story that refreshingly shies away from the usual predictable plotlines of books that touch on the supernatural, etc. (I was VERY relieved to discover, after I was already invested in the story, that no, it *didn't* turn into a Zombie Story, They Will Eat You, Yawn. Whew!) I'd definitely read more works by this author.
I found the relationships between the different characters to be believable (although I found Paul's characterization to be a bit sparse; considering his history & physical size, I figured his complexities would be more evident through his words & actions than they were, for me), & of course I like that the story was set in a place I've visited (San Antonio), so I understood certain regional references, yet was pleasantly surprised to see that the author didn't default to The Riverwalk as a reference point (which also must have been tempting).
All in all, a well-written, creepy story that refreshingly shies away from the usual predictable plotlines of books that touch on the supernatural, etc. (I was VERY relieved to discover, after I was already invested in the story, that no, it *didn't* turn into a Zombie Story, They Will Eat You, Yawn. Whew!) I'd definitely read more works by this author.
July 17, 2015
Having heard good things about Mr. McKinney’s work from friends, I decided to check out Inheritance. Though the beginning of the book seemed to build up slowly, by chapter 7 I was staying up late to read more (which is not something I typically do often anymore). I enjoyed how well the characters were developed and how through his writing the reader could almost see the story as though in a movie. The story is interesting and keeps you wanting to read more because you’re not sure what is going to happen next and how the different characters will interact (and how they will fare in a suspense/zombie/supernatural story). I will say I felt the ending was…difficult. I expected something different and almost felt cheated in the last 25 pages because the whole thing seemed to wrap up so neatly. It made me wonder if the author wanted to make it longer but realized it was already well over 300 pages and decided to cut it down by quickly summarizing what could have been important points to the story. Aside from that, I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to reading more from the author.
September 12, 2013
I did not find the characters engaging. I've heard of the formula that says action should be followed by a lull followed by more action, and I would have liked McKinney exercising that strategy a little more. As is, the story feels jerky, artificial, and a little bland. The crazy thing is that despite the two disappointments I've now experienced with McKinney, I am probably going to give him a third shot. I think this guy has huge potential for my own particular reading taste. I only wish he would feel more comfortable with simple plot lines. Doing so would make him more potent. My favorite aspect of this book was the depiction of the police department. He used to be a police officer, and these scenes felt very natural for him, by far the best aspect of the book.
July 25, 2013
Really good read, though I much prefer McKinney's zombie books...but what can I say, I think zombies are the coolest of the monsters anyway! Inheritance is great for both police procedure and horror/thriller. Has a few stomach-turning moments (especially if you're an animal lover and don't like seeing goats sacrificed - big *erk* factor for me)with an engrossing story. This isn't a book you can read in one day, it's so involved. BTW - for anyone who doesn't know, the author is a detective in real life so he knows his police procedures, which gives this such a good touch of reality.
February 23, 2013
Really good ghost story. The plot keeps you turning the pages and you want to see how it ends. Its a bit predictable, but still a darn good ghost story. The characters have real depth, which more than makes up for any plot shortfalls (of which there are only a few). I would have liked them expand on the end a bit though and the end battle could have been a bit longer. However, this is one highly enjoyable read.
February 13, 2013
One of the things I liked best about this is book is it didn't go as I expected to. In this case that was good. I expected a bad ending for Paul, Rachel and humanity but I ended up with a happy ending and that's a good thing.
As a Texan I enjoyed the setting in Texas. It's fun to actually see those places in your mind or to think, hey I've been there.
There was so much going on the in book but woven together in a way that you had the information you needed but not overwhelmed.
As a Texan I enjoyed the setting in Texas. It's fun to actually see those places in your mind or to think, hey I've been there.
There was so much going on the in book but woven together in a way that you had the information you needed but not overwhelmed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2012
A rookie San Antonio police officer with a twisted family history is transported back thru his life to find out it has all been a lie and there is a terrible evil that lurks just beneath the surface…and it’s starting to rise - It wants to claim him and it will destroy anything in its path to give him his rightful Inheritance.
A fantastically Dark and atmospheric horror/thriller. Highly Recommended. Solid 4.5 Stars
A fantastically Dark and atmospheric horror/thriller. Highly Recommended. Solid 4.5 Stars
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