Meet the characters from The Inheritance Games series

There are SO many reasons why the Inheritance Games series has become an international sensation. And alongside the endless twists, fun puzzles and a brilliant premise, it’s the characters that keep readers coming back for more.

Though many of the characters are related, the beauty lies in the total uniqueness of each. The four brothers are so well written that they practically jump off the page, making readers feel like they know each Hawthorne personally.

Whether you’re drawn more to Xander’s quirky antics, Nash’s cowboy hats, Jameson’s thrill-seeking or Grayson’s bulletproof self-assurance, it’s not hard to love each of them for their strengths – and sometimes weaknesses.

In a follow-up to the trilogy, The Brothers Hawthorne returns to the world of the Inheritance Games, focussing on Grayson and Jameson as they are drawn again into twisted games. This time, the brothers will be flung to opposite sides of the globe to figure out what they’d sacrifice to win.

Characters from the Inheritance Games

Avery Grambs

While the books might be about the Hawthorne brothers, they all revolve around Avery.

After billionaire Tobias Hawthorne passes away, he overlooks his grandsons (the brothers), leaving his entire fortune to a seemingly random teenage girl instead.

But for Tobias, everything was a game. Knowing his penchant for riddles, his grandsons believe he chose Avery for a reason. But why did Tobias choose her to look after his empire upon his demise? Who is she? And how did he find her?

As the series progresses, Avery’s role in the family’s past (and future) become increasingly clear. But the path to clarity is not straightforward. Avery must work with the brothers to try and solve the mystery and – hopefully – not die in the process.

Grayson Hawthorne

The first Hawthorne brother that Avery meets is Grayson Hawthorne, heir apparent to Tobias’ empire. The second-oldest brother, Grayson, is everything you’d imagine a future billionaire to be: intelligent, suave, and utterly unflappable. But there’s one thing that tears Grayson apart; a past love whose memory tortures him endlessly. Despite his cold exterior, Grayson has deep feelings – he’s just learned to hide them. He doesn’t immediately warm to Avery and the situation of his grandfather’s will but soon realises that they'll need to work together to solve the old man's puzzle.

Jameson Hawthorne

The second-youngest Hawthorne brother is Jameson who is, in short, a thrill-seeker. Always searching for his next thrill, Jameson tends towards self-destruction when in pursuit of an answer. Once he starts a puzzle, he can’t stop. And while he's a bit obsessive, Avery needs someone with Jameson's attention to detail to help her discover why Tobias chose her.

Like his brothers, Jameson is extraordinarily bright and excels in most areas of life. However, unlike Grayson, he is volatile in his emotions, which sometimes makes him a liability.

Alexander (Xander) Hawthorne

Xander, the youngest Hawthorne brother, is a big fan of robots and an even bigger fan of explosions. Often in his secret lab, Xander spends countless hours tinkering and toying with contraptions of different types. He has a particular fascination with Rube Goldberg machines, the complicated chain-reaction mechanisms that perform simple tasks.

When Avery first inherited the fortune, Xander was far kinder to her than his brothers. His friendliness made him one of Avery’s first friends in Hawthorne House, a friendship that remains strong throughout the series.

 Nash Hawthorne

Nash Hawthorne is the eldest brother and the one who appears the least throughout the series. At an early age, Nash decided he wanted nothing to do with his family’s money and thus doesn’t care much about the old man’s puzzle.

Early on, Nash warns Avery that his grandfather probably didn’t bequeath his fortune to her for any special reason. Instead, he suggests that Avery is merely a tool and warns her that things might get dangerous if she’s not careful. Despite his initial indifference, Nash eventually warms up to Avery and her sister Libby. Nevertheless, he continues to resent his grandfather and prefers to avoid Tobias’ riddles when he can.

Libby Grambs

Libby is Avery’s older half-sister, though they might as well be 100% blood relatives. Since their mum passed away two years ago, Libby has had custody of Avery and would sacrifice anything to give her a decent life. Before the inheritance, Libby’s boyfriend, Drake, continuously draws a wedge between the sisters due to how poorly he treats her.

Avery thinks Libby is too kind sometimes, which is backed up by the fact that she repeatedly falls victim to Drake’s manipulations. As the series progresses, however, Libby gains new independence and the clarity to see what (and who) is good for her.

Want more? Start reading The Brothers Hawthorne, here.