Well that was fun! A thriller set in a mansion in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. A dysfunctional family full of secrets fighting over a toxic inheritance by the recently deceased matriarch. The story shifts POV and time jumps between a kidnapping on the property in the early 1900s to the battle over her inheritance in the current day.

This drew me in more than Hawkin’s book The Villa. I wasn’t able to put it down towards the end and the short chapters helped! This was an entertaining, quick read for me and I would recommend it if that is what you are looking for.

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

What a fun, twisty thriller! Every year I'm excited for the new Rachel Hawkins novel, and this one didn't disappoint. While it wasn't quite as much of a page turner for me as some of her previous novels, I enjoyed every revealing page. Knowing how her books go, I knew there would be some twists coming, and there certainly were... Not a likeable person in the bunch (well, I liked the guy who owned the hardware store :) ), but I couldn't put it down. I can't wait for the next one! Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance digital copy.

What a brilliantly drafted story full of turns, twists, mystery, and drama.

One of North Carolina's most famous and richest women, Ruby McTavish, has died, leaving an inheritance to her adopted son. At the age of three, she was kidnapped at a family picnic, and nine months later she was found safe. However, the mystery of her disappearance remained unsolved. In her final letters to Camden, she revealed some of the secrets of her life, including her disappearance and death of her four husbands.

Camden (Cam) was Ruby's adopted son and sole heir to the McTavish estate. He didn't want money or anything to do with the McTavish family. Ten years ago, he made the decision to leave Ashby House and never return. The death of his adoptive mother changed his mind and he had to come back to sort out legal issues, which ultimately meant dealing with an angry family. But this time he wasn't alone. His wife Jules accompanied him, excited to see the mansion she knew from the Internet. Camden never talked about his life. He had secrets, just like Jules did

There were many suspicious stories behind the walls of this mansion, and there were many secrets and tragedies surrounding the McTavish family.

What I liked about this book:
🔹short chapters told from three points of view
🔹exciting storyline
🔹secrets hidden by all three narratives
🔹turns and twists
🔹page turning

What a great book with gothic suspense and thrills that will grab your attention from the very beginning. I would recommend this book to anyone. 💚

Ruby was North Carolinas richest woman but she was also the most notorious women after the kidnapping when she was a baby and the death of her four husbands. Ruby was the first born and when her father died he left it all to her and her family was so complicated that she left the families fortune to her adopted son Cam. Cam was always different from the rest of the McTavish and they never failed to cast him as an outsider and remind him that he’s not one of them. He has this entire estate and doesn’t want anything to do with it and he doesn’t even touch the money. After his uncles death he returns to North Carolina with his wife’s Jules. While there the family secrets are starting to be discovered and told. Cam has always been loyal to Ruby and will continue to hold secrets for her.
I am a huge fan of Rachel Hawkins and every book is different from the last and so entertaining. I love that the book has Ruby explaining everything that happened in her life and all of the secrets while the story unfolds through the viewpoints of Cam and Jules. This was such a fast read for me because I was so hooked!!

This thrilling novel begins with a slow burn but soon the propulsive plot and unexpected twists make it impossible to put down. The surprises kept coming and the plot driven story was excellent.

Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies North Carolina’s richest woman and most notorious. She survived a kidnapping and is four times a widow. When she died, everything was left to her adopted son Camden, but he doesn’t want anything to do with it. After rejecting his inheritance, he settles into a normal life, marrying Jules, who also wants to escape her past. Ten years later, his uncle passes and he is summoned back to the place he couldn’t wait to escape, the Ashby House, and questions about the infamous heiress come to light.

The Heiress had its grip on me as soon as I started listening to it! Completely engrossed in this story, it was ridiculously addictive for me. It’s a story about a dysfunctional family with a ton of secrets. This drama filled story is worth all the stars! I can’t tell you enough how much I enjoyed this book. I was fortunate enough to receive The Heiress as an ARC and ALC, and hybrid read/listened to the book (my favorite way to read) and I can tell you that I enjoyed them both equally and both experiences were exceptional. I absolutely love Rachel Hawkins’ writing style and the multiple narrators did a phenomenal job bringing this story to life! The Heiress is out 1/9/24 and it’s one you’ll definitely want to read. I know I will be getting myself a physical copy to keep in my personal library!

Thank you so much NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copies and the chance to read/listen and review it honestly.

Happy reading!

Camden McTavish returns to his home, Ashby House, with his wife, Jules, to sort out his inheritance. Camden’s adoptive mother, Ruby, is infamous for her kidnapping story when she was younger and the wake of rumors following her around in the years after. Cam long ago left behind his inheritance and wants nothing to do with Ashby House, but when he finds himself back after all these years, he’s forced to come face to face with his mother’s past.

The Heiress is full of twists and turns that kept surprising me with every turn. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, I was surprised by the next twist. I really loved the main characters of Camden and Jules and after hearing her whole story I really liked Ruby too. I am a fan of Rachel Hawkins’ work in general by and I wasn’t surprised that I loved this book, but this one still surprised me. At the beginning, I did find the story a little slow and felt like I didn’t connect with it, but the more I read the more I got pulled in and loved the way everything played out. I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves twists, turns and mystery!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

I have always been a Rachel Hawkins fan and will continue to be after reading The Heiress. I love a multiple POV book and really enjoyed how the story unfolded with all of the characters. It reminded me of a "Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" with a thriller/mystery element. 4/5 stars! I can't wait for Hawkins' next one!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press & NetGalley for the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The heiress by Rachel Hawkins

Brilliantly smart writing!! I did not want this gothic type thriller to end but at the same time could not put this down!!! True markings of a great novel right there!!

I had the kindle version but think this would be great in audio! Told from alternating pov of Camden, heir to Ruby McTavish and his wife Jules, with some thrown in letters from Ruby. Extremely easy to follow. Ashby sounds absolutely chilling and beautiful at the same time. Such excellent writing with numerous reveals/secrets woven throughout!! Really wish the story would continue with a second book!


Honestly can’t recommend this one enough!!! Read it!!! Will be at the top of my best of 2023 reads!!!

Huge Thank you to Netgalley, the author and St Martins press for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #TheHeiress #RachelHawkins

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is the story of a family. The McTavish family has great wealth, but many issues with regard to money, relationships, deaths, family rivalries and a kidnapping. Once the matriarch of the family dies and leaves all the family money to her adopted son, the intrigue starts. A good novel with lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed this novel.

I liked this book! I think it was perfectly paced, and appropriately twisty. I really liked how none of the characters are perfectly innocent; they all have secrets we learn along the way. In particular, I liked how Jules’s chapters are set up like she is speaking to the reader. It matches the same feeling as the letters we see in the novel. I didn’t want to put this book down, so it was a quick read, and I was entertained the whole way through.

I really enjoy the irreverent, sassy tone of Rachel Hawkins's adult fiction. The Heiress is filled with the quirks and bad behavior of the the insanely rich, and I always enjoy these stories. The behavior in this one is very, very bad, and it also adds in an aging, rambling old house, which hits even more points for me. This is an entertaining, speedy read with some interesting twists.

What a fun, quick ride this was! This was my first Hawkins book and I'm so glad it was. I really enjoyed the multiple POV - especially from Cam. It's so rare we get male POV in thrillers written by women. I also enjoyed the breaking of the third wall by Jules. The story sucked me in right away. The writing was witty and engaging, giving just enough so that you wanted more and more but not too much to where you felt like you already knew what was going to happen.

This is a family thriller, themes of rich/poor, privileged and not and of course secrets secrets secrets! I had a hunch about a few things, but there were for sure a few twists that I did not see coming!

Absolutely enjoyed my time with this one and will be picking up more by Hawkins!

I found this book very readable and overall interesting. I was continuously intrigued and had to keep reading in order to find out what happened. I didn't feel particularly tied to any of the main characters but overall enjoyed this. I would recommend if you're in the mood for something chill but still a little dark.

Ten years after his adoptive mother, Ruby McTavish, dies, Cam returns to the palatial estate where he grew up. In so doing, he also returns to a town which reveres his family, but to an aunt and two cousins, still living on the Estate, who revile him. Despite having been left the family fortune, Cam rejected his family and lives humbly with his wife, Julie, off his income as a teacher on the other side of the country. And so the games begin, with Cam's family constantly trying to undermine him, and Cam regretting his decision to return.

"The Heiress," by Rachel Hawkins is a fabulous novel, with engaging characters, competing agendas, and the right number of plot twist, which makes putting the book down, near impossible. A highly recommended read.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

4.5 stars! Pretty sure Rachel Hawkins gets better with every single book. The Heiress was fascinating and you'll kind of love to hate Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore, or should we say "Kill-More?"
When Ruby dies she leaves everything to her adopted son, Camden, who wants nothing to do with Ruby or the rest of McTavish clan. But 10 years after her death, Cam can no longer ignore his familial responsibilities and must return to Ashby House, set in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains. He does so reluctantly but at the urging of his wife, Jules, who has her own motives for visiting Ashby House.
The twists and turns just keep coming in this one and you'll be surprised until the very last page.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-arc.*

Gothic mystery with a fair share of plot twists.

Things that worked for me: the novel is presented in multiple POVs including news and letters.
My favorite chapters is Ruby.
She speaks a lot about seizing our moment and day and I love her voice. Her letters and confessions make us keep going. Her character is delightful honest and fun.

My second favorite thing is the focus on the characters and plot. A large amazing palatial house and have the survivors figure out who gets what. There are murders to reveal, and truths to uncover. It is entertaining and this is my first time in contact with the author's work. I like the writing style. Reads considerably fast. I finished it in two mornings.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this e-ARC.

If "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" was a thriller, it would be this book. While the book had some slow areas, my favorite parts were the stories about Ruby's husbands.

Where there's money, there's drama, and this book definitely delivered on that. It makes you think about how money doesn't equate to happiness. This whole family is very shady.

Loved all the twists in this book. Loved how Ruby wrote letters explaining things from the past. This was my favorite Rachel Hawkins book so far!

Buckle up, buttercups, because The Heiress is going to take you on a wild ride as readers learn about the glamorous life of Ruby McTavish, her deceased husbands (count em, 4), meet her son Camden, and learn why he has rejected his inheritance and family for all these years. I loved the use of letters and multiple viewpoints to learn the dark secrets of the McTavish’s past, and the way that Hawkins wrapped everything together was fantastic. The twists and turns of this story kept me engaged, entertained, and enthused.