Inheritance, Obedience, and the Stories We’re Afraid to Tell
Unsolicited Press is pleased to announce the publication of Cleah’s Bequest, a sharp, darkly funny novel by Mari Matthias that explores family obligation, inheritance, and the quiet violence of expectation.
When three estranged siblings gather for the reading of their mother’s will, they anticipate complications, but not a legally binding list of demands. Holiday gatherings must be attended. Menus must be approved. Outfits must be worn. Games must be played. Even their mother’s urn must rotate between households. Thanks to an ironclad trust, compliance is the only way to inherit. Refusal means forfeiting everything.
As the siblings attempt to honor Cleah Lucky’s increasingly absurd instructions, resentment builds, alliances shift, and their patience—and sanity—frays. Cleah’s Bequest is a laugh-out-loud family drama that steadily reveals deeper questions about love, control, and what we owe the people who raised us.
With wit, compassion, and razor-sharp insight, Matthias examines how obligation can masquerade as care, and how freedom often comes at a price few are prepared to pay.
Cleah’s Bequest will also serve as the May 2026 selection for the Small Press Big Mouth Book Club, where it is expected to spark lively debate and discussion.
Mari Matthias is the author of The Runestone’s Promise (Unsolicited Press, 2022). Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, she lives in southern Washington near the Columbia and White Salmon rivers. Her work is known for its emotional acuity, humor, and unflinching attention to human relationships.
For review copies, interviews, or event inquiries, please contact Unsolicited Press.
Contact:
Unsolicited Press
Portland, OR
www.unsolicitedpress.com
DETAILS
Publication Date: April 21, 2026
Paperback | $24.95 | 364 pages
ISBN: 978-1-963115-87-1
