After the death of his infamous adopted mother, Camden became estranged from his family for 10 years, ignoring the enormous fortune she left behind for him in her will and living the simple life with his wife, Jules. When another family member dies unexpectedly, he’s called home by the remaining family to care for the house and estate that he grew up on.

Sometimes you just gotta love when an author gets straight to the point… 300 pages of concise, suspenseful entertainment right here. It’s 2am again and maybe I just have to admit that I have a sleep issue and it isn’t just the bingeability of these books, but this was another virtually single sitting read for me.

Though not the most jaw dropping mystery, I really enjoyed the characters and there were lines in the writing that I thought were quite clever as well. The different perspectives were executed well and the use of the letters and media snippets added to the story.

I thought I had things figured out but then one of the last mini reveals did catch me off guard. I was pleasantly surprised by it… I love morally gray characters and this just added a little extra sprinkle of gray to someone.

Favorite Hawkins to date

Read this book in 2 days. It was an absolute page-turner, I could not put it down.

i think this is Rachel Hawkins's best book yet. A perfect amount of twists and turns till the very end. I loved that it went from three POV and the occasional media insert, as it really rounded the book out for me!

This is a fun domestic drama about a man who stands to inherit an impressive estate, his late adoptive mother, and his siblings, who hate him. I wouldn't consider this a thriller, as it isn't really creepy or suspenseful. But there is certainly mystery, twists, and murder.

The story is told from multiple viewpoints. The most interesting is probably Ruby McTavish's, whose confessional letters we get to read. We also get perspectives from the beneficiary of the estate and his wife Jules, who knows more about his odd family than she let on.

Jules's sense of humor was helpful - I don't like when books like these, that are inherently silly, take themselves too seriously.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rachel Hawkins did not disappoint, yet again! This was such a good and fast paced thriller! The plot twists kept coming out of no where and I could not keep up! It was so good!

I received this ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. Thank you for allowing me to review this book before publication.

This book was quite the page-turner; I could not put it down. The story follows Jules and Cam as they return to Cam's familial home after the death of their estranged Uncle. Cam is the adopted son of the notorious Ruby McTavish; she left everything to him after her death. We are told in dual narrations from both Cam and Jules that after his mother's death, he left home and did not care about the inheritance,

We also start to learn more about his mother, Ruby. She was kidnapped at four years old and reunited about a year later. We get a glimpse inside Ruby's mind through a series of letters. In her letters, she reminisces on her four marriages. This portion made me think of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

There were plenty of twists and turns in this book that I did not see coming. This was an extremely well-written book by Ms. Hawkins. The characters were well-written and multidimensional, and it made you care about them.

This would be fabulous as an audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins. In exchange, I'm providing a free and fair review.

This book is more of a mystery than a thriller, but it was a good read trying to figure what's going on. It kept my attention to the very end, and I still was surprised by some of the revelations. A great mystery to read if you love a good family drama!.

THE HEIRESS by @ladyhawkins is my favorite of her books thus far. Camden McTavish and his wife, Jules, are going back to his inherited estate…an estate that Camden wants nothing to do with. Camden’s adoptive mother, Ruby, held secrets her entire life and as more and more are uncovered, Cam wants nothing more than to leave the Ashby house, family, and his inheritance behind. Jules was hopeful he will claim what’s his but even she starts to have her doubts. There are plenty of twists in this one and the pacing is great. I also loved Ruby’s letters woven throughout the story. I really enjoyed the spice and sass that Jules brought to the family.

I listened to this on audio mostly but also had a digital galley to read before bed —and it went fast. I was eager to get back to it— the cast of characters were perfectly casted for the different POVs. Thanks @macmillan.audio for this ALC and to @stmartinspress for the invitation to this galley! The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins will be available 1.9.24 so add it now!
4.5 stars!

Rachel Hawkins has done it again! This thriller unfolded with expertly paced plot twists and satisfying reveals. Everytime I thought I knew what was going to happen, Hawkins pulled the rug out from under me. I’ll be recommending this book to everyone I see!

I really liked this book. I could not wait to find out all the secrets. I could not wait till I finished.

As an audiobook, I loved the ensemble cast! Each of the voice actors was a perfect representation of the three different points of view. This book, in my opinion, was impossible to put down and completely engrossing for about 3/4 of it, and then the last 1/4 or so got a little outlandish, and I found that even the marginally likable characters became unlikable, which was a bummer. Still, worth a read!

A twisty, layered domestic drama full of family secrets, murder and revenge told from multiple POVs and dual timelines. This was great on audio and definitely one of my new favs from Rachel Hawkins, Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review! Recommended for fans of stories about rich people behaving badly and complicated inheritance stories.

Wow! I really got sucked into this one HARD! The story was absolutely addictive with so much drama, twists and turns - you won't know what hit you! I loved the feel of this with it tragic family story but it wasn't just that - it was so much more! An absolutely fantastic thriller sure to leave you on the edge of your seat the entire time.

WOW! Absolutely phenomenal! Rachel Hawkins is a must read suspense and mystery author! And this one should not be missed!

Ruby McTavish was kidnapped as a baby and returned shortly after. In her adult years, she was plagued with four husbands that passed away and family turmoil that followed her. Because Ruby was given the family fortune and the other siblings and grandchildren were left out.

Now, Ruby has passed and Cam has always avoided the responsibility of the house and family drama. However, the family says the house needs repairs and Cam holds the purse strings but the repairs can't wait.

I love that this is told from both Cam and Jules POV. It gives an outside view of the family, from Jules, but also a look into the brutal backstabbing maneuvering from Cam's POV. There are also letters from Ruby, so we get to know her through her own words. We also see newspaper articles giving us a peek from the outside world into this family. It was such fun twist to read all the salacious details and it definitely enhanced the story.

And what a story! The style keeps you guessing and it keeps the tension tight. I kept making assumptions and leaps, each chapter leaving me changing my mind and leaping to another idea. It's so well paced, and Ruby is perfect parts funny witty and cunning. This was such a deliciously dark read. I loved it!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Everyone needs to move this book to the top of their TBR list! I can’t believe I waited so long to actually dive into it. I couldn’t put it down! In my opinion, this is Rachel Hawkins best work. I loved the Wife Upstairs, but the rest of her books after that were not as enjoyable or interesting.

The Heiress is a fast paced gripping novel about the McTavish family and the secrets they hide behind closed doors of the Ashby house, a 15 bedroom mansion in North Carolina. The book is broken down into three different points of views. These points of views are of Camden: the adopted son of Ruby Mctavish, Jules: the wife of Camden, and letters from the voice of Ruby Mctavish, the former head of Ashby house.

Ruby Mctavish passes away and leaves Ashby house to Camden even though he is not a true McTavish and wants nothing to do with the family or fortune. He went through great lengths to stay away from that place so why does Ruby give it to him? This stirs up a lot of drama and emotions in Ashby house since the other living McTavish relatives still reside in the mansion. Camden reluctantly goes back to Ashby house with his wife to settle things but gets trapped in all of the family’s secrets and lies. Boy was it a wild ride!

Ruby by far was my favorite character. She lived such an interesting life and was such a crazy B. She reminded me a lot of Evelyn Hugo, the character created by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this ARC. It was a great book!

✨ARC Review✨

The Heiress
Rachel Hawkins
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release Date: January 9, 2024

I’ve been hearing how amazing this book was all over my feed lately. So of course this had to be my next read, AND It did not disappoint!

I couldn’t put this one down. If you’ve been putting it off here is your sign to go pick it up. It reminded me of Taylor Jenkins Reids books so if you’re a fan of her I’d recommend this book to you!
_________________________________________________
This was easily a 5 star read for me if you couldn’t tell. I loved that it kept me guessing, I loved the family drama, I loved the mystery and I loved Cam & Jules.

Camden is an heir to a fortune he doesn’t want because of all the drama that is attached to it. His mother who passed away 10 years prior was the infamous Ruby McTavish. Who was kidnapped when she was 3 and found almost a year later living with her kidnappers family. I love the way Ruby’s story unfolds alongside Cam & Jules throughout the book. The dual timeline was a perfect way to keep the reader coming back for more.

While I thought I had a few things figured out in this book there were other twists and turns waiting for me. I really enjoyed this and will be going back to check out her other books.

I’m genuinely sad it’s over and wish it was longer.

Read if you like:
💚Twists and turns
✨Family Drama
💚Billionaire mystery
✨Dual Timelines
💚Multiple POVs

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC: A very "readable" twisty mystery where no one is quite who they seem. A couple return to the man's ancestral home--an extremely large house in the mountains of North Carolina. There are many separate plot lines involving several generations and an abducted child, a widow with four dead husbands and a palatial estate in North Carolina and the issue of the rightful heirs. I found this an engaging mystery and an enjoyable read. Characters were well drawn and complex.

Is evil a product of nature or nurture?

It only took 20 pages for me to know that this soon-to-be released novel has all the characteristics of a great mystery/thriller. Family secrets, money, greed, lies, murder, jealousy…

Camden and Jules are in their late 20s and have been married for nearly a decade. They are deeply in love, and have been living a simple life out west. Until they receive notice that Camden’s uncle has passed away, and his family needs him to come home to tend to the family’s estate in North Carolina. Camden wants nothing to do with Ashby House or the millions of dollars he inherited from his mother 10 years prior, but a sense of obligation pushes him to go. Jules on the other hand would love nothing more than to take over what is rightfully Camden’s. But everyone has ulterior motives and everyone has secrets, even Jules.

The truth behind the secrets and myths of the dysfunctional McTavish family is revealed through three POV – Camden, Jules, and his late mother through letters she wrote just before she passed. The story is fast-paced, suspenseful, twisted, shocking, and engrossing. I read this in a matter of a few days and stayed up late to finish it because I just had to know the ending.

This novel will be released January 9, 2024. If you love mystery/suspense novels about dysfunctional families and murder, then I highly recommend it!

4.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Another hit book by Rachel Hawkins! Kept me interested from the get go!

Adopted son, Cam, rejects his inheritance after his mother passes away in exchange for a quiet life with his wife in Colorado. When an uncle passes away, Cam and his wife return to his hometown and he is reminded why he left and wanted nothing to do with it or the money. His wife has other ideas.

3.75 - The Heiress is about Ruby McTavish, the richest woman in North Carolina who died ten years ago, leaving her estate to her adopted son, Cam. He fled across the country when she died, wanting nothing to do with the Ashby house and family fortune— and is forced to return along with his wife, Jules— to confront dark family secrets after Cam’s uncle passes.

I loved how the timeline moves between past and present; Ruby’s past is shared through letters to an unknown author. I loved hearing about Ruby’s tumultuous childhood, and her four marriages. You also get Cam and Jules POV’s, which were hard to distinguish between, and that was a miss for me. I think Jules POV should have been cut. The characters are dysfunctional and messy in the best way.

I felt like the majority of this book was family drama, and 25% mystery. The ending has a twist but I don’t think it was that strong. I think those that prefer super gripping, twisty and chaotic thrillers, all the way through, won’t love this one as much. But still an enjoyable read for me!

Thanks to Netgalley + St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

4⭐
Genre ~ mystery
Setting ~ Colorado, North Carolina
Publication date ~ January 9, 2024
Est page Count ~ 281 (p+ 17 chapters + letters +e)
Audio length ~ 8 hours 20 minutes
Narrators ~ Dan Bittner, Eliza Foss, John Pirhalla, Patti Murin
POV ~ multiple 1st
Featuring ~ family drama, greed, domestic abuse, secrets, revenge, slow burn

Cam wants nothing to do with his inheritance or the infamous Ashby House. His wife, Jules, convinces him to visit the estate after another death in the family 10 years later.
Ruby tells us her life story ~ the good, the bad and the ugly ~ through letters. These were my favorite parts of the book.

A juicy plot where secrets are plenty and family drama is high. It was a bit of a slow burn, but it kept me engaged and entertained and had a few nice zingers.

Side note ~ I don't know if I noticed this more because I listened to it with my daughter, but holy moly there is an abundance of swearing. F bombing to the max.

I was fortunate enough to have both a kindle and an audio copy, both were equally enjoyable.

Narration notes:
Yay for 4! They all did a lovely job. I don't have any complaints.