Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC of The Heiress! All opinions in this review are my own.

The Heiress is full of secrets both past and present. I like how Ruby's letters are interspersed with the present day action because you are able to get the full story without an info dump or two timelines. There were so many twists and turns that just when you start to think you know everything about the characters, one of them reveals another secret!

I love how the settings of Hawkins's thrillers always factor in as a character as well. The sinisterness of Ashby House (along with the portrait of Ruby) create this atmospheric backdrop for the darkness that is revealed throughout the book. Hawkins's ability to create such vibrant settings are part of what make her thrillers so good!

Loved all the twists! The alternating POVs worked really well and had two clear & distinct voices. Great pace…I read it in a day because I could not put it down!

Another winner from Rachel Hawkins! It took me two days, yup, two days to finish this book. The mark of a great thriller to me is how fast I devour it and I could not put this book down.

With its multiple POVs, I was sucked into the story. I loved the letters from Ruby. It added to the mystery of the Ashby House and all of its secrets.

Did I guess the twist? Well, kind of. It was definitely one of my guesses but there was so much going on in story that my mind kept formulating all these ideas.

Overall, I thought this was a great thriller that kept me engaged and on my toes.

4.25/5 stars

This book was a wild ride. With gothic elements centered around an ancestral mansion (Ashby House) set deep in the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains, it focuses on the McTavish family...and these folks put the dysfunction in dysfunctional.

Ruby, the matriarch, was kidnapped as a small child, recovered and as the oldest child, inherited a nine-figure fortune. She is four times widowed and a force to be reckoned with. At her death, she leaves the house and money to her adopted son Camden, who fled the control and manipulation inherent in the family at the young age of 20. Ten years later he is asked to return to help restore the mansion to its former glory by his cousins Ben and Libby and his aunt Nelle who are still in residence. Will he be pulled back into the legacy of Ashby House, or can he and his wife Jules forge a new beginning?

This story is told in alternating voices (Ruby, Cam, Jules) and in quite a few timelines. The timelines became a bit confusing at times with all the switching back and forth and involving some new characters here and there. But the greed, jealousy, hatred, deceit and power mongering made it well worth a little whiplash on the timelines. These are deeply flawed individuals, and they keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what they have planned around the next corner. None are above reproach, but are they redeemable?

Entertaining and with a bit of a wondering ending, it's definitely a whirlwind of surprises.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing the free early arc of The Heiress for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

I've read every one of Rachel Hawkins' thrillers, and they've all been satisfying and twisty takes on the theme of rich people behaving badly. This one is definitely my favorite.

In the fifties, toddler Ruby McTavish disappeared from her parents' North Carolina mansion, leaving them distraught until an Alabama man confessed to having kidnapped her to replace the daughter that he and his wife had lost. This is only the beginning of Ruby's infamous reputation. Four husbands, all dead. A family who seems to hate her. And all her riches bequeathed to the son she adopted later in life.

Ruby certainly had her secrets.

Now in his thirties, her adopted son Camden is summoned back to deal with the estate he inherited and wants nothing to do with. His surviving family, still living in the McTavish mansion, despise him, and the feeling is mutual.

His wife, Jules is determined to convince him to reclaim what is his.

The story unfolds from both Camden and Jules' perspectives, interspersed with news clippings and excerpts from letters Ruby wrote toward the end of her life. It seems that Ruby wasn't the only McTavish with dark secrets, because both Camden and Jules have their fair share.

Ruby's story is one of privilege, luxury, betrayal, violence, and spite, and everyone else is left to deal with the money and secrets left in her wake.

I really enjoyed the tone of this novel compared to Hawkins' other books. The first-person narrative, particularly in Jules' sections was assertive and conversational, shattering the fourth wall and treating the reader as a confidante. Jules was entertainingly unlikeable, while I found Camden to be relatable, if flawed. And Ruby was deliciously wicked while still feeling like someone you'd probably like to party with. The perfect unrepentant villainess.

If you're a fan of Hawkins' other works, keep an eye out for some little easter eggs, since the books share a world.

If you like dark family secrets, vicious rich villains, and lush throwbacks to the 60s, 70s, and 80s, this book will check all your boxes. I thought it was a hell of a lot of fun.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is a twisty, suspenseful, gothic thriller about a wealthy, morally bankrupt family from North Carolina. The plot features a deceased heiress, Ruby McTavish, and her family that will do anything for her fortune. Murder, blackmail, and family secrets, all set at the beautiful but creepy family estate, Ashby House. Alternating timelines and points of view (from Ruby, through a series of letters, her adopted son, Cam, and Cam’s wife, Jules) kept me highly entertained. All of the main and ancillary characters have something to hide, and their secrets are slowly, cleverly revealed. Ms Hawkins may well be my queen of gothic novels. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Pub date: 1/9/2024

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

I have to be honest, this took me a while to get into but I kept pushing along because normally Rachel Hawkins’ books get me every time! And it did take a second but it finally got twisty and I was hooked! It was definitely more her gothic thriller side like The Villa was, but still a decent dysfunctional family story. I definitely didn’t see the connections coming and all the murders from the family, but definitely make it a good story! I will continue to read more from Rachel!

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The Heiress was my first book by Rachel Hawkins and I really enjoyed it. I saw it getting a lot of praise on Bookstagram and of course I got FOMO, so I grabbed in on Read Now on NetGalley.
I couldn’t put this book down and I really enjoyed it. I love books about family secrets, especially when they take place in massive old estates, like Ashby House. I also was so intrigued when I saw comparisons to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – The Heiress is kind of like that book in that Ruby McTavish was wealthy and had several husbands. I understand the idea that it had the same kind of vibes, but I think the direct comparisons mostly end there.
There were a few twists along the way and while I didn’t figure any of them out, I felt like maybe the ending wasn’t quite shocking enough. Maybe it just to be explored a bit more. But also, is it just me or did anyone else not understand what the last line meant? Someone please explain! DM me!
Anyway, I really liked the letter format, which is how we mostly learn about Ruby so we are getting it from her in the first person, and the news articles that gave us more information about Ruby’s life. I also liked that there were several points of view with Camden and Jules both narrating the story.
Ultimately, If you want an engaging thriller that’s also a family drama, I would recommend The Heiress.

The Heiress is a fun, multi-POV story about the remaining family of Ruby McTavish, a wealthy heir in North Carolina who mysteriously disappeared for months when she was a child. A widow four times over, Ruby adopted her son Camden, and his arrival to the family was not received well. Camden has spent the last decade since her death distancing himself from the home he inherited, not touching the money he inherited either. But when another family death pulls him back home to North Carolina, the secrets of the McTavish family collide and lead to a surprising conclusion.

I enjoyed this story and the way it was told
Through multiple perspectives as well as through letters from the late Ruby. While some of it was predictable, the McTavishes world felt very vibrant and real.

I've thoroughly enjoyed the last two Rachel Hawkins titles that I've been invited to review and The Heiress was no exception. I wasn't sure how I felt about having a lot of this narrative read through Ruby's letters-- much "telling" and all that--but it worked for me. I thought she was the most compelling character and I wasn't expecting the twist when it came to her recipient.

This is the type of book that you're thinking you'll like from the premise; it turns into a "what did I get myself into" type of read, but it ultimately turns into something that you just can't put down. I'd recommend it, especially if you like this author's work. I didn't like The Wife Upstairs, but after a solid string after that, I'm really thinking I need to revisit it.

The only thing that sort of detracted from this reading was Jules's POV--she had a sense of entitlement that was off-putting, and her voice was a little grating at times--I promise the publishing world that we don't mind if female characters don't sound like frat boys because feminist equality or...something...

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a review through NetGalley.

⟡The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins⟡
★★★★★ 5/5 stars!
Pub Date: Jan 9, 2024

Ending out 2023 with a 5★ read is all I could’ve hoped for! The book exceeded all my expectations & jumped up to one of my favorite books of the year.

⟡ synopsis
When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she's not only North Carolina's richest woman, she's also its most notorious. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a toddler & a widow 4 times over. In the aftermath of her death, her estate (along with a 9-figure fortune & complicated legacy) will pass to her adopted son, Camden.
10 years later, Camden is a McTavish in name only, but another McTavish family death brings him & his new wife back to the family estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ashby House, the secrets there won’t stay buried.

⟡ my thoughts
This one read like a southern gothic thriller version of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo & I ate 👏🏼 it👏🏼up👏🏼 This is absolutely one I’ll be getting a copy of for my trophy self.

I loved how the narrators broke the fourth wall, speaking directly to the reader. It felt like sitting with a friend while they spill the juicy family drama.

The multiple POVs, plus letters & news articles scattered throughout the book made for such a compelling read. This web of generational secrets was so fun to try to untangle.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of both the ebook & audiobook, so I got to enjoy the full immersive reading experience which I highly recommend trying. The full cast of narrators added so much depth to the story.

⟡ Read this if you like:
- Evelyn Hugo but make it a thriller
- dysfunctional family drama
- morally grey characters
- secluded mountain setting
- nature vs nurture
- Letters and news clippings
- Neatly wrapped up endings

You definitely need to add The Heiress to your 2024 TBR. Thank you to Rachel Hawkins, Netgalley, St. Martins press & Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read & listen to this ARC!

I thought this book had an interesting premise, but the execution was a little dry. This has become an issue with a lot of marketed thrillers lately, where there is less suspense and more mysterious background plot. The story here revolves around a lot of people not being who they appear or claim to be and how it affects an inheritance. Hawkins books rarely wow me but they are readable and I usually hang on til the end to find out what has been going on. I'd like more twisty plot and chilling atmosphere but this was still a solid three stars and would recommend to those who enjoy similar authors and I will probably read her next book. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This story is amazing!!!!!!!! I devoured this book page by page!!!!!!! It has everything a novel needs to be entertaining ~ family, wealth, deceit, greed, and secrets. This is book that will hold your attention and keep you reading until the last page

Well wow! I'm not sure what I was expecting when I started this book, but it wasn't that I'd be blown away. That was especially true at the beginning, when I learned that chapters shift all over the place - from time frames to characters to scenarios - which usually annoys the heck out of me. But for whatever reason - I'll chalk it up to the author's adept writing - it's the perfect format for telling this story.

It begins with Camden McTavish and his wife of 10 years, Jules, both of whom come from less-than-ideal backgrounds and no longer claim families to go home to. Camden's, though, left a bit more when he left North Carolina: his adopted mother, Ruby, left her mind-blowing fortune, including the mansion in which she and assorted other family members lived, to him and him alone. But largely because of the way she and the others treated "outsider" Camden, he couldn't wait to get away - leaving that fortune behind.

But then, an uncle dies; and against his better judgment, Camden agrees to a plea to return home - which he expects is just a ploy to get him to divvy up the family fortune. His plan? Go, play nice (or not) and get himself and Jules back to their life in Colorado, where he teaches English. Jules has a different goal; she's hoping to convince him to at least take the money before he runs. But after she sees the mansion, she wants him to take the money and stay.

They both learn early on, however, that some things never change; Cam's family is even more disgusting than Jules thought and Cam remembered. Ruby herself had a rather colorful background, starting with her kidnapping at the tender age of three. Her grown-up life fell under suspicion as well; married four times to husbands who died under somewhat suspicious circumstances, she lived her life amid people (both townspeople and relatives) who were sure she had a hand in their demises. Even Cam, who enjoyed Ruby's protection from the rest of the family, isn't convinced of her innocence.

Even with all that, the plot gets thicker the longer Cam and Jules stay in the mansion. And those aforementioned shifting chapters shed even more light - especially the series of letters from Ruby - on what happened and what may happen next, all laced with surprises right up to the bitter[sweet] end that I almost didn't want to happen because I wasn't ready to put down the book. But put it down I must, and now I'll have to be content to thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. The word I started with says it all: Wow!

I liked this book more than The Villa but it ranks about the same for me as The Wife Upstairs and Reckless Girls. It had an engaging storyline and I enjoyed reading Ruby's letters. From the beginning, I didn’t like or relate to the wife. I didn't like that she did not understand Camden's reason for not wanting to go back or be involved with his extended adopted family. Of course, I didn't care for the extended family either. As the book progressed, after about halfway, I was hooked and wanted to know what would happen. I didn't want to put the book down. I thought it had a good ending and overall I enjoyed the story and the twist.

Thank you netgalley for the chance to read this book and give my honest review.

Rachel Hawkins is definitely a author I follow. The key points to grabbing my attention are don't start the book slow and take off from the beginning. Rachel Hawkins always does just that and this novel is no exception. All my favorite things are in this book dark, twisted, family dysfunction, romance, secrets, lies, kidnapping, suspense, and a creepy house. I mean with all that how could one not like this book.

When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodard Miller Kenmore dies, her adopted son, Camden inherits her family mansion and fortune. Camden denies this life and fortune and goes to have his own family in Colorado. Whe. His uncle dies he receives an email from his cousin to come to the Ashby house. Thanks to his wife she says they should go for a visit. And from there this story takes off and buckle up for the ride cause it's a wild one. Clear your schedule and grab a comfy seat and blanket cause you ate going to be there till the end.

I loved thos book and will still have Rachel Hawkins are one of my favorite authors. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Hawkins and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an ARC for "The Heiress". This is my unpaid and honest review of the book.
This book had me ignoring my chores and wanting to stay up late just so I could find out what was going to happen next. The storyline and the way it set up the scene, the characters, the past and the conflict reminded me of Kate Morton's Homecoming. I love books that build the tension to a point and has your mind swirling with possibilities of how it's all going to end. I loved that the ancestral home is called Ashby House, as Ashby is my maiden name. However, in the context of this story I can't say I'd actually want to be in line to inherit this legacy. Seems that it's not the happiest place to want to be. 😂

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for an eARC of this book! I thought this was a fun and engaging thriller and it felt like a really quick read. I enjoyed the multiple forms of media (letters, news articles, multiple POVs) that were included in the book and thought it made the story even more intriguing. I also liked how the characters weren’t wholly good or wholly bad, and the book explored that middle ground between “good” and “bad”. The rich people drama is often entertaining for me and that was the case here! Sometimes I found Jules and Cam’s narrative voices to be a bit similar but overall it didn’t hinder my ability to enjoy of the story. Can’t wait for this to come out and for more from Hawkins!

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
Narrators: Dan Bittner, Eliza Foss, John Pirhalla, Patti Murin
Rating: 4.5 stars
Pub date: 1/9

Perfect for fans of The Only One Left, this book had me hooked from start to finish and has quickly become my favorite of Hawkins to date.

The book starts with the death of North Carolina's wealthiest and most notorious woman, Ruby McTavish. Her adopted son, Camden, resisted the lure of the family’s estate, opting for a normal life far away. But when he inherits the fortune and the McTavish legacy, duty and curiosity have him and his wife, Jules, returning to face the life he’s been hiding from.

This was so good! It’s fast-paced, and I found myself eagerly flipping the pages to unravel the secrets of Ruby's past. This family is ruthless, and the multi-POV helped to explain the dysfunctional McTavish dynamic.
I loved the use of letters and articles throughout the story to give us glimpses into Ruby’s life. The exploration of family bonds and the dark secrets lurking within Ashby House made for a compelling and thought-provoking read.

Full of suspense, family drama, and a touch of romance, Hawkins skillfully crafted a narrative that kept me guessing until the very end. I listened to this on audio, and the narrators did a fantastic job feeding into the tension and bringing all the characters to life.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy and Macmillan Audio for my complimentary ALC. You can pick this one up on 1/9.

WOW! Finally. FINALLY a family drama that gets 5 stars! This was a blast to read/listen too. The format made the plot even more enthralling. The letters and the news articles along with the dual POVs was the perfect set up to tell the story of the McTavish family. Secrets, murder, lies and betrayal flooded the pages and I was hooked. I went back and forth between eBook & audio. The audio was delivered perfectly with a full cast. I could not stop thinking of Ruby reminding me of Evelyn Hugo....except with murder. Strong FMC and MMC. Family members you love to hate and so many twists I was simply bamboozled. This was a great thriller to end the year with.