The Billionaire's Curse by Richard Newsome

Thirteen-year-old Gerald Archer is surprised to find he has inherited billions of dollars from a great-aunt he has never met. Gerald quickly finds that many things are amiss. His great-aunt may have been murdered. A diamond is missing. He is being hunted by a thin man. His plight is ignored by the police. 

I found the plot promising, but ultimately the story fell flat. I didn't find the main characters engaging - although I tried especially hard to find redeeming qualities in Gerald and his friends. I expected strong character development, particularly with Gerald who I hoped would grow into being a positive role model for the reader. But, that didn't happen. The ending is surprisingly violent given the tone of the rest of the book. Archer Legacy, book 1. I don't plan to read the remaining titles in the series. 384 pages.