The Inventor's Fortune Review & *Giveaway*

The inventor's Fortune by Suzanne Beyer & John Pfarr

About The Book:

What's this lawyer thinking? Why would an established attorney, who already had a flourishing law practice, even consider taking on a group of strangers who had found his name on the Internet and had no means of paying him? And why would he even bother with a case he initially felt he had not a snowball's chance in hell of winning? Who will end up with Art Hadley's fortune? In 1913, Art Hadley invented the expansion bracelet, now a worldwide standard for jewelry and wristwatches, and amassed considerable wealth. He passed it on to his children, but when they died, Art's fortune was up for grabs. Told from two perspectives - that of the attorney, who negotiated a $1.8 million settlement, and one of the heirs he represented - this true story tells how a group of cousins, some of whom had never met, could unite and journey on a six-year odyssey of setbacks, divisive stubbornness and stunning victories.

My Thoughts:

This is an amazing story. If I did not know it was a true story, this could easily pass as a great legal drama! But the fact is, this is a true story, and the reader gets an inside seat on the action. We learn about the legal stuff from the lawyer, and the personal stuff from one of the claimants. I was entirely hooked on this book. Seriously, I was reading it while stirring dinner at the stove! I had never heard of this law case and I wanted to know how it ended. This is an amazing story, and I can not wait to see the episode of this case on The Will on the Investigation Discovery Channel this Fall!

About The Author:

I always said, "I'll never write a book." This sounded like a monstrous task and so far removed from my typical 500-word magazine articles. However, in 2003, the story of my lifetime began...a story that could not be told in just 500 words! This involved potentially receiving an inheritance from my Great Uncle Art Hadley, the inventor of the expansion bracelet - the forerunner to today's expansion watchband. My nine cousins, brother and I received this bit of great news from a Rhode Island attorney; however, it followed with a "sorry, you're not inheriting" type of wording. We searched the internet for a trust and estate lawyer to give us a second opinion as to if we could inherit some of our great uncle's millions, and found a genius of an attorney - John S. Pfarr. During a 6-year long case, Attorney Pfarr took us on an odyssey through the court system, through scuttled settlements, mediation, to the Rhode Island Supreme Court and beyond. During that time, our family roller coaster included joys, sadness, unity, and even betrayal. Hence...a book was born! "The Inventor's Fortune Up for Grabs" co-written by Suzanne G. Beyer and John S. Pfarr is written from two perspectives. Each chapter contains John's portion of what was going on behind-the-legal-scenes, and my part showing the reader the family celebrations along with the many dilemmas. I continue to write short articles for my local newspaper, The Bothell Reporter, where I contribute the monthly "Around Town" column. I also serve as Associate Editor and writer for Seattle's Northwest Prime Time magazine and have published many articles in national magazines from health concerns to sports. A native Staten Islander, I graduated from the University of Vermont with a German major and French minor. Swim exercise classes, daily walks, sharing life with husband, Don Beyer, make for a fulfilled, most satisfying life.

Please visit the website for more information - The Inventor's Fortune.

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Giveaway ends October 20th. Good luck!

I recieved a complimentary review copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.