By The Book

Have you ever read a book that is just a pure delight? I just finished The Hunted Heir, a legal drama/suspense with romantic elements by Jayna Breigh. It was wonderful! Read all about it below.

After a tragic loss, private investigator Nona Taylor swore off romantic entanglements and distanced herself from the world. Once a year, on New Year’s Eve, she attends church to beg God for forgiveness, haunted by the guilt of driving her twin sister to her death.

Attorney DeMarcus Johnson is determined to climb the ladder to partnership by winning high-profile cases at his Los Angeles law firm, harnessing his ADHD hyperfocus to excel. He’s everything Nona knows to steer clear of–an overconfident ex-jock willing to do anything for success.

Their worlds collide when Nona’s pastor receives a mysterious letter claiming he’s the sole heir to a substantial estate. Desperate for answers, Nona infiltrates a lavish charity ball, only to be found out by a suspicious stranger–so she latches onto DeMarcus and concocts a fib about being his fiancée.

Now bound by a false engagement, the pair reluctantly join forces to discover the truth about the inheritance. But when an unseen enemy strikes, they realize the stakes are higher than they thought. Can Nona and DeMarcus overcome their differences to keep the pastor safe, secure DeMarcus’s partnership, and preserve a future for themselves?

Jayna Breigh is an award-winning writer of Romantic Legal Dramas – Suspenseful, Twist-Filled Mystery/Thrillers with Romance. She practiced “Big City Law” in Los Angeles for over a decade. Jayna loves funny, inspirational and painfully cute social media. The only real life drama allowed—British period pieces and games of Wordfeud.

My Impressions:

The Hunted Heir is Jayna Breigh‘s debut novel. This attorney turned author wins with this delightful, suspense-filled mystery. There is so much to love about this book — charming characters, a twisting mystery, and a faith-filled message. I immediately fell in love with main character Nona, a private investigator who has struggled for a decade with guilt and shame. Walled off to avoid relationships, she meets her match in the disarming DeMarcus, a Princeton alum attorney working his way to make a mark on the legal world. They are divinely thrown together, and their hilarious fake engagement takes off. These two characters are a hoot, and I hope they have more books ahead of them. The story revolves around a land deal, crooked politicians, and a laughing heir — someone who inherits from an unknown distant relative. You know, laughing all the way to the bank. But there is nothing funny about the way the bad guys try to thwart the rightful heir from collecting. Readers are given knowledge that Nona and DeMarcus do not possess, and it’s fun to see how they uncover all the clues. There is also a secondary plot that highlights Nona and DeMarcus’s skills as well. Fun, fun reading! Breigh also includes a very realistic faith thread that I never found preachy. It is profound and filled with thought-provoking moments.

The Hunted Heir is a complete read — enjoyable characters, a fun plot, and deep spiritual truths. I very highly recommend it. It will be going on my best of the best list for 2025.

Very Highly Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(Thanks to the publisher for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Tags: Jayna Breigh, legal drama, mystery fiction