I started reading The Heiress during my travels last Saturday, flying from Boston to Savannah, then driving to South Carolina where my parents live. I love when authors hide “easter eggs” from previous books, and I smiled while reading when I found a mention from The Villa, the author’s latest release (and I was proud of myself for remembering details about the character in a book I read 250+ books ago!).
This book was slower for me to get into, which could have been because I was starting it at the airport and reading it on the flight, but I think it’s a good mystery that unravels as you proceed. I hate giving too much away when I recommend a mystery, so I’ll say you should go into this one without knowing much about it - and know you’re along for a good ride, even if it takes a little while to get invested. I did see the ending coming, but I was not disappointed by predicting it!
Thanks to St Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I am glad this book is getting a lot of positive press - I could not put it down for the last 25%, and I hope you’ll check it out soon, too! This is also the first book I’ve finished that publishes in 2024! I've read GREAT things about the audiobook, with a cast of narrators for the multiple POV, which sounds like it may be a better method to enjoy this one. Let me know if you do that!

An engaging and distinctive narrative! Ruby's story captivated me; it could easily stand alone as a book. While I anticipated some developments early on, the execution pleasantly surprised me. Brace yourself for well-crafted, unlikeable characters, as nearly everyone in the book harbors a dark side.

A novel about an Heiress, her son, and their family's estate, told through multiple points of view. I personally enjoy books with muli-POVs, because I feel they move the story along.

The story is told through Ruby's confession letters, her son Cam, and his wife Jules. There are also "excerpts" from magazines and books about the characters, but honestly I skipped over those because I found them boring and didn't think they contributed enough importance to the story.

Through the three main POV's, several mysteries and secrets about the family and their estate are revealed. I enjoyed Ruby's secrets the most, but honestly all of the characters are messed up in their own ways, and their dysfunctional relationships and general distaste towards each other are what kept the story interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

4.5 Stars. I listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Dan Bitner, Eliza Foss, John Pirhalla and Patti Murin, mixed in with reading the ebook . The narration was very good.

This was a very good mystery based around the life of a woman who had been "taken" when she was a three year old. She was found and returned to her very wealthy family. Some of the story involves letters that she wrote that are found by her family after her death. She had left all her fortune to her adopted son. There's lots of family drama and tons of twists and turns. Things were never what they seemed and there was surprise after surprise! I really enjoyed the book.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the complimentary copies. All thoughts are my own.

I swear, Rachel Hawkins never misses. I love when she mixes an atmospheric spooky story with a distinctly Southern lens. Her latest, The Heiress, weaves a convoluted story of a twisted old money family in the foothills of the Blue Ridge in Western North Carolina, akin to the Biltmore Vanderbilts. This story reminds me of a blend of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and We Have Always Lived in the Castle, plus a folkloric twist on the Lindbergh baby kidnapping.

The titular heiress, Ruby McTavish, died nearly a decade before the events of the primary narrative, but her ghostly presence looms large over her descendants, heir, and estate. She was a subject of rumors for much of her infamous life, first when she disappeared in the woods for nearly a year as a baby, only to be recovered from a working-class Alabama family; then for each of her four husbands dying under mysterious circumstances. Her adopted son and sole heir, Camden, and his wife, Jules, get roped into the family's tangled web of scheming, status, and resentments, while visiting the Ashby House to handle some estate matters. Slowly, all of the characters reveal their myriad secrets.

I wouldn't say the book was particularly suspenseful, as I suspected many of the revelations, but the eerie revelations were a really spooky treat. The endless layer of twists is so satisfying.

I am so glad I decided to pull this book next from my TBR pile! Wow! This might be my favorite Rachel Hawkins book to date!

I love how she has written Ruby, a strong woman determined to make sure that her legacy is left in the right hands. And so, enter Camden, her adopted son (describing a picture he was forced to pose for, "I looked like a f***ing ventriloquist's dummy who'd come to life in an assisted living facility"). This is really the story of three people, Ruby, Camden, and his wife Jules.

"We're so close now, and soon, everything I've done will be worth it. And I will tell him. All of it, the whole story, no lies between us, just like it's always been."

Jules is the catalyst for reuniting Camden with his estranged family. She believes that once he's away from their tiny rented apartment in Colorado and back in the huge house on the estate he's heir to in North Carolina, he'll see how good life could be for them. Of course that's not the case. His cousins Ben and Libby, and Nana Nelle, are firmly entrenched in the house, a condition of Ruby's will. And they spare no love for Camden, although Ben is intrigued by Jules' witty repartee.

And of course there are Ruby's secrets. All those dead husbands. That time she disappeared in the mountains. And finally, the way she died. The perfect combination for a suspense-filled novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance reader's copy.

Ruby McTavish is extremely wealthy and very notorious--famous both for being kidnapped as a child and returned home safely after 8 months and for being married (and semi-mysteriously widowed) four times throughout her life. Her adopted son Camden inherited the vast family fortune and rural estate after she died 10 years ago, but wanted nothing to do with the money or his remaining greedy and spiteful family members. However, when his uncle's sudden death starts to stir up questions about his mother's past, he returns home to North Carolina with his wife Jules to deal with his family and fortune once and for all.

This story is told from different perspectives--we switch between Jules, Camden, and a series of "tell all" letters from Ruby herself, which reminded me very much of the dramatic deathbed confession style of "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo." There are also newspaper articles, blog posts, etc. between chapters as well. The focus was definitely more on the plot, and the characters and their motivations felt a bit flat to me. The story took a while to unfold and the book felt more "family drama" than "thriller/suspense," but it was still a decent read, with twists coming up until the end. Ruby's letters were by far the most interesting parts and I wish the book would have focused more on her and a bit less on the present-day storyline.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After his mother dies, Cam must return to Ashby House, his wealthy family's estate. His cousins are none too welcoming to Cam or his wife Jules. Even though Cam was adopted, his mother Ruby was the primary heir, and therefore he is now the primary. But Ruby and all of his family have secrets that Cam had escaped from and now finds himself back part of. But who can Cam really trust?

This is a "wealthy family behaving badly" book with the tone of a mystery noir. I really enjoyed this faster paced mystery that's not really a mystery. I have liked what I've read of Hawkins before, but this book reminded me how her writing style is so accessible and enjoyable. I am adding her backlist titles to my list and will definitely read her in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

Through writings and memories, the story of Ruby Ashby unfolds. This is not a book for someone looking for action and adventure. This is a story for those who enjoy the manipulation of the minds and emotions of those around them by a master. Rachel Hawkins has been thrilling us with mysterious happenings for years. Now, she shows that she is a contender in writing a novel about people who have past and their far reaching mind games longer after they are gone. Exquisite! I read this book in one day. It was that fascinating.


I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. This in no way affects my rating or opinion of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

I loved this book! It was my third book by this author and definitely my favorite! I feel like she is getting better with every book. I enjoyed the different perspectives, the letters telling Ruby's side of events, and that the reader never quite knows who to believe. I loved the gothic feel with the estate and the history behind it. Overall, I thought it was well-written and a page-turner. I kept reading because I wanted to find out what was going on.

A fun and twisty read. I enjoyed The Villa, but this was even better. The twists made more sense but were still surprising, and the characters were likable despite their actions. It wrapped up a bit quickly, but an enjoyable and fast read.

What a page-turner! Very engrossing and hard to put down. Lots of twists, some I saw coming and some I didn't. I think Rachel Hawkins just gets better and better with each new book. This one had a dark, family drama, gothic feel and I just couldn't read it fast enough!

This might be my favorite Rachel Hawkins book yet! The same twisty turny people and situations but somehow they all hit perfectly! I love how each character was developed as if they were their own individual plots. You'd think you knew them then something would happen to change that opinion. And even the ones you knew were awful people seemed at points to be redeemable. Trickle it all down through generations of a wealthy family and you have the perfect set up for gripping story! At points you think you have all the tangled webs untangled, but you don't! This is what kept me up reading!

Thank you, NetGalley, for an Advanced Reader Copy of The Heiress in exchange for my honest review.

Rachel Hawkins' book is due for release on January 9, 2024, and was a very reasonable 291-pages (Kindle) long. This author had a huge hit with her last novel, The Wife Upstairs, which shares many themes of the upcoming The Heiress: rich family, foster parents/adoption, deceptive marriages, dislikeable characters. Looks like the author is running with a successful concept.

This novel centers on a rich and powerful family that lost on a hike, and then found, a 3-year old child many years ago. Separately, there is a couple called back to that family's estate. There is a legacy of tremendous wealth at stake. Sadly, nearly all the characters are liars and terrible people, not likable at all. I didn't care about any of them. This is a book where all the characters have secret back stories that they only allude to, leaving the reader knowing something is coming, but having to bide their time, page after page, waiting for the reveal(s). There are plot holes I could list in the review, but I'll leave it to future readers to find them (hint: lost hikers, chef, nanny).

In the end, even unlikable characters and a not-engaging plot can work (just look at the many reviews!), as long as the story has a great ending. Again, sadly, this one didn't. Clever yes, and if you like books written entirely to arrive at a semi-complicated reveal that most readers will semi-predict (in concept, if not the details), then this is your book. If you're looking for a book where those predictable reveals are simply red herrings and there is a real surprise, don't bother with this one. Disappointing. 2-stars.

When Ruby McTavish was 4 years old, she was kidnapped in the woods near her family estate, the Ashby House. Being the daughter of one of the richest families in North Carolina, this became a huge story. Nearly a year later, she is returned home to her family and goes on to become a 4-time widow, rumored husband killer, and the heir to the entire McTavish fortune. Somewhere in the mix she adopts a son, Cam, much to her sister's dismay. Cam is not well-received by his Aunt Nelle, or her husband and childen, especially when Ruby dies and leaves Cam everything, Years later, when Cam is beckoned back to Ashby to take care of the house, things become to unfold why he really left and what secrets he, and everyone around him, is keeping.

This story was a whirlwind. The perspectives alternated between old letters from Ruby, current day Cam, and current day Jules, Cam's wife. Everyone has a wild secret (or two...or three...) and it was fun seeing them get revealed. However I hate when author's constantly allude to big reveals with "but he doesn't know what I have done!" type lines over and over. Some of the plot points got a little productive and far-fetched, but I still could not put the book down.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"Time Brings All Things to Pass'- is this a term of encouragement or warning as Cam goes back to his family home that is full of ghosts who are still alive?

Cam was adopted by the reclusive heiress with a string of dead husbands in her past:
"Duke killed in a robbery.
Hugh, electrocuted in the barn.
Andrew, sick with some mystery ailment.
Roddy, partying too hard and going over the side of a boat'.

The story is told from the point of view of Cam- the prodigal son come home to set things right, Jules Cam's wife harboring a secret from Cam, and Ruby's journals from the past disclosing her secrets she worked so hard to hold on to. Each point of view is engaging, with the personality of each character slowly unfolding to reveal more facets of their personality- each equally entertaining as a narrator- even if they aren't equally reliable.

I noticed that green was color that played a role throughout- marking the color of parts of the plot- and whether this was done intentionally or not I can't tell. Green is the color of greed and money, each being a main motivator for characters, so perhaps the 'green' itself was a character in the background.

Rachel Hawkins delivers again, and I found myself unable to put this one down. A slow burn of a plot in the present day, while the past itself is a wildfire- and Ruby's ghost is very much alive even in the present.

By far my favorite Rachel Hawkins book to-date, I loved the setting, twists and turns and pacing of this novel. As a reader you get the sense that every character is keeping secrets from you early on, even as you read from their perspectives. I also loved the interstitial multi-media format with not only letters from Ruby, but also articles and blogs that gave the reader of a sense of how the McTavishes were perceived by the outside world. I would recommend to a lover of Gothic settings, twisty mysteries and unreliable narrators.

Wow! This is such a fun and fast paced thriller. I loved getting the different POV from Camden, Jules and Ruby's letters. Ruby's letters were my favorite part of the book! I loved getting the knowledge about her life and what she was doing leading up to her death. I personally did not see the twists coming at the end, even though there were plenty of hints leading up to it. This was the second book that I have read by this author, and I can't wait to read more by her!
Thank you Netgalley and St.Martin's Press for the ARC!

Honestly this was convoluted and boring after a while. Interesting story about a woman who goes missing when she’s three, but everything after was a hodge podge. I think the book showing us Ruby, Camden, and Jules’s point of views just killed the flow of the book.

"The Heiress" follows Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore as she pens a letter to someone telling them all about her younger life and how she came to meet the many men she marries. In between that the book provides us points of views from her adopted son, Camden, and his wife Jules. Camden is now a very wealthy man who is reluctant to return to his hometown and to a house he was treated as an outside. Jules though thinks this is what they need to do. The book provides us with many twists and turns and we realize that things are not as they seem.

Ruby was not interesting. I don't know if it was just the letter aspect of things or what, but I found myself growing bored with her. Camden was more interesting to me, but I think having us follow him and Jules was not a good idea. There were so many reveals throughout the book I just stopped counting after 5. And the other characters were so lacking that I just didn't even care about the outcome.

The flow was terrible and I blame that on the three points of view we get throughout the book. I got tired of going back and forth between all of them. And since I saw the twists/reveals coming it just made for a boring read.

The ending was a meh moment. Something tossed at readers and of course no real explanation follows.

What would you do to amass immeasurable wealth? And how far are you willing to go to keep that wealth?
Lie?
Kidnap?
Murder?
As the title suggests, this story centers on a heiress, Ruby Anne McTavish, who has recently passed. With that death, some old secrets come to light - some confessions through a series of letters from Ruby, others come about when truths are finally shared by the remaining family members. Let's just say, there is a lot of family drama.

I liked how this story unraveled, alternating from Ruby's letters and her past marriages, and the return of her son, Camden, to her home to sort out things following her death. Most of the present part of the story is told by Camden's wife, Jules, and it is clear she has her own secrets. Do they tie to Ruby and if so how? This is a twist I never saw coming, even though the buildup is there.

This story was a bit darker and more devious than I expected, which is a good thing. If you are looking for a thriller with plenty of twists, look no further.