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.

Ruby McTavish, aka "Lady Kill-more," is North Carolina's richest--and most notorious--woman. After her death, the entire McTavish estate goes to her adopted son, Camden, who wants nothing to do with it. However, a web of secrets, influence, and lies won't let him walk away that easily…

MY REVIEW: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
👉 While I'm really good at guessing twists and endings in thrillers because I love--and read--them so much, this one is especially twisty and I had no idea where we were going (in the best way!!), so I couldn't even begin guessing 🫣
👉 I'm not a huge fan on multiple POVs, but getting some insight from the main three characters felt essential to the story AND was done well… Plus, I loved being able to hear from Ruby herself 👀
👉 IMO, a hallmark of a good thriller is how fast you can finish it, and this was a quick one ✔️✔️✔️
👉 I am officially announcing it now: I will read everything Rachel Hawkins writes!!!

Ooohhh, this book scratched the suspense itch I didn't realize I had! I really enjoyed this one for its fast paced plot, dramatic messy family issues and multiple POVs.

The audio is equally fantastic and added lots to the story with a full cast reading! Thanks to @macmillan.audio for this one!

In my opinion, this is Rachel Hawkins best book yet and should definitely be at the top of your 2024 TBR for thriller/suspense readers!

This is my favorite yet by Rachel Hawkins! The story drew me right in and I lived the different formats of different POV storytelling, letters and newspaper articles. I loved to hate the McTavish family. They were all so unlikeable. The mystery and suspense helped me to finish this in 24 hours! I’d highly recommend this awesome mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC of this book.

What a fun and twisty read! I enjoyed the writing style and the character development that had you rooting for the supposed “villain”. Would definitely recommend reading this. Once again, Rachel Hawkins does not disappoint.

"The Heiress" is classic Rachel Hawkins- complex characters, plenty of twists and turns, enough clues dropped like breadcrumbs along the way for readers/sleuths to try to figure out. A fun, light read that plants Hawkins firmly in contemporary mystery writers. Much thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read in exchange for honest opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC- it took longer to read with the hustle and bustle of the holidays but it normally would have been a quick read. Secrets, lies, murder- all stemming from a wealthy family competing for the family fortune. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives throughout the book told from Ruby, her adopted son Cameron and Cameron's wife.
I enjoyed this book.. all the drama and all!

The Heiress was impossible to put down, i thought i had it figured out but nope curve ball thrown at you. I’ve loved all of Rachel Hawkins books but this takes the cake. An heiress with secrets and her son Cam getting everything when she dies. Family drama and fighting over who gets what and maybe some a murder or two.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the advanced readers copy of this novel.

This was a thriller that I couldn't put down. Just when you think you've got it figured it out she throws another curve ball at you. A death in the family can definitely bring out the worst in others and the characters in this book were no different! So many family secrets revealed throughout the story.

I think if you liked The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins you'll like this one too!

TBR TBR TBR! You won’t regret it! This book keeps you on the edge of your seat and not wanting it to end. So many twist and turns just when you think you got it figured out. It’s a very fast pace moving book that’ just made my top 5 of the year!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced readers copy.