Rachel Hawkins doesn't miss. The twists, the turns. Rich family behaving badly. You'll think you have it figured it out, but you'll be wrong. Really great mystery/thriller!

This is a book that I was lukewarm on as I read but I couldn't stop reading.

The first half of the book was slow, very loose pieces of a rope, and the second half picked up and the pieces really came together. In that sense the pacing felt off to me but I think that's just Hawkins' style.

I adored the chapters with Ruby's writing! Hawkins did an incredible job writing a totally different voice and getting Ruby's personality, upbringing, era, etc. through.

There's nothing as good as the rich gone bad.
Okay Rachel Hawkins!! I was nervous about reading this as an ARC after not loving her last two thrillers but I am so glad that I did!!
The Heiress follows the McTavish family over a span of years through newspaper clippings, letters written from the heiress Ruby herself, and through the POV of her adopted son Camden and his wife Jules. 
After Ruby dies and leaves everything to her adopted son Camden instead of splitting between her remaining family, Camden leaves North Carolina and vows not to touch the money - knowing what strings are obviously attached. Then ten years later, he and his wife end up going home to Ashby House after the death of his uncle to try and help take care of the falling estate.
After a bit of a slow start, I really could not put this book down. I had to know what secrets were being kept from our three MCs and they did not disappoint! The plot was carefully constructed and the twists were just surprising enough to remind me that I didn't have it all figured out!! 
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Well okay! This was another great read by the amazing Rachel Hawkins! This is a twisted thriller that really draws you in and makes you think. It was full of suspense, drama, mystery, secrets & lies, a dysfunctional family, and more. If you are interested in completely original books involving some kidnapping, murder, and an absolutely shocking ending, make sure you add this to your TBR!

To add, my son's name is Camdyn, which is a name (alternate spelling) of one of the characters, so I was definitely interested in the story based on that fact alone. It isn't one you see every day.

Thank you #Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for my honest review. I apologize that it comes a little late!

Wow! This was my second book by Rachel Hawkins and it was even better than the last!

First of all, I loved the way this book was written. We have 3 POVs, some epistolary sections, and a few timelines, all done seamlessly well. This way of storytelling was really engaging, and kept me wanting more.

The mystery plot was great too. There were a few different mysteries to figure out, and I was never quite sure who/what to trust in all of the situations. Just when I thought I’d figured it out, something would throw me off. I don’t want to say too much for spoilers’ sake, but the slow build in suspense had me uneasy, and super nervous by the end. I felt like there were a good amount of twists- some I saw coming, and then others had me completely shocked.

Definitely pick this one up if you’re in the mood for a fast-paced, suspenseful mystery!

Wow! I don’t know if I’ve ever read a more dysfunctional family and I loved every second of it! I enjoyed that the story is told in many different formats, dual POVs, articles, and letters; especially the letters!

I really enjoyed Jules character, even though while reading I got the vibe that she wasn’t entirely trustworthy. Also, I really enjoyed the ending with the extra little secret. My fav Rachel Hawkins I’ve read so far! **4.5 stars**

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advance copy. Publication date: Jan 9, 2024

Camden McTavish is called home to deal with his family's ancestral home, as his adoptive mother left everything to him when she died 10 years ago. Accompanied by his wife Jules, he reluctantly returns to Tavistock, NC, and the estate and relatives he fled to California to avoid.

This book was wild. Every POV has at least one secret they're hiding, and Ruby's confessions in the letters found in her desk are shocking. She's been known as Mrs. Kill-more ever since her 4th husband died under mysterious circumstances, just like the 3 husbands before him. Cam has his reasons for leaving, and they're darker than they appear on the surface, Jules is hiding something. Cam's cousins are hiding even more, and his great aunt might be the only person that is as she seems, an unhappy woman deeply bitter about the hand life dealt her, despite that hand being pretty stacked from the start.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this book, and honestly you can see most of them coming. But I didn't even care about that, because I love Hawkins' writing style. She jerks you into the book from the first sentence, and you don't want to set the book down until you've read the last page.

This story had so many unlikable and layered characters and wonderful twists and turns of just how terrible they each are. I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I ended up listening to the audiobook and the narrator was fantastic. I was quickly sucked into the story and caught up in the drama of Ashby House. My only qualm with the book was it wasn’t much of a thriller. There was suspense, but not so much that I was on edge while reading it. Not a bad thing, but definitely felt different from her other thrillers.

I love the two perspectives of Jules and Camden, the letters from Ruby, and the different newspaper articles. The twists never stopped coming. I didn’t want to put it down!!!!

I just finished this book and I loved it! I enjoy stories about families generally and this one had that but it also had secrets, murder, inheritances and twists upon twists which made it engaging all the way through.

It was very well written, multiple POV which I tend to like. I highly recommend if you like thrillers.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for gifting me a copy of this read for an honest review.

What a ride. I felt drawn to this story to figure out what was happening. I enjoyed the realism they gave the Ashby house and how it made the house come alive. It took some time to set the scene before the story fell into place and questions one had were answered. You were left hanging until the very end.

Overall I enjoyed the book and rate this book a 3.75/5

I really enjoyed this book! This book had several deep family secrets that get revealed as the book goes on and some of them were certainy explosive. I enjoyed the storyline with Ruby and learning about the untimely demises of all of her husbands (of which there were plenty). I did also enjoy reading from the other characters points of view but I felt some of the twists and drama were a little forced. It was definitely perfect if you like dysfunctional family dramas and lots of secrets exposed. I enjoyed the multiple POV and dual timeline aspects as well. I would recommend this book to other people however it didn't seem like a true thriller, it was more a family drama/suspense novel.

The beginning of this novel hits you bam, bam, bam. First the quote from a magazine, then the missing persons report by Associated Press 1943, then the changeling definitions with links from 2023 - all before throwing you head first into Jules the narrator in first person, telling us she has a shock while wearing her work uniform of a pioneer woman. That’s four varied styles and punching information in a row. Without giving anything away, I can say that the author’s delivery is fantastic.

Hawkins keeps up this stylistically integrated format, juxtaposing the two major narrators, Jules and Cam, in first person POV, with letters from Ruby, emails from relatives and articles from newspapers furthering the plot. This all works smoothly and gives a more complex view of events which Hawkins ekes out to the reader.

Jules is a great character, direct and quick, but with hidden dimensions not immediately discernible to the reader. Cam likewise is an affable character, and we become invested in wishing them happiness in the face of adversity. Hawkins hints at hidden or doubled meanings throughout, which works well to keep up the tension.

Finally, one must never forget the title, and who this novel is really about. It works, and I was entertained.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“’Family’ is a complicated word.”

WOW! The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins was definitely not what I was expecting, but I sure read it faster than any other book in a long time! Twists, turns, mystery, and underlying control guide this novel on a path of ultimate havoc. The McTavish name means something in North Carolina, and Ruby McTavish is clearly in charge. Writing from the grave – she still has her hands on the mansion Ashby House, her family, and people who she was scheming with from before her death. Her adopted son, Camden, ten years later with his wife, Jules, finally returns to Ashby House to sort out unsettled affairs – and realize that rumors may be true, and that this family may be their worst enemy.

Is anything ever as it seems? In real life? In Novels? I don’t think we really know people behind their closed doors – and this book validates that point. And, obviously, having a lot of money doesn’t seem to help anyone in these types of situations (greedy for more – anyone?).

I did get some Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes from this novel – which isn’t a bad thing, but the back-and-forth timelines, and the older, richer matriarch drive the storyline with shocking connections throughout. As a side note – I loved that Hawkins tied in the Lara Lachmont’s Aestas album playing in a scene (from her novel, The Villa)!

I was captivated from the start; I had some plot lines figured out early and some not until the end – but this is a great escape read about motives and family drama that will keep you turning the page. While I think there was too much drama, and maybe some characters (like Libby) had no need to be included, I was addicted to the story and would definitely recommend Hawkins to others. A solid 4 stars.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC! All opinions are my own and honest – and I suggest you add this to your TBR pile for January 2024!

“The truth isn’t some finite thing, it’s what we all choose to believe.”

This was my first book by Rachel Hawkins and it certainly won’t be my last!

I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the infamous Ruby McTavish and all of the family drama that came with it. The characters are flawed, even the narrators, but you still can’t help but root for them. This one felt more family drama than thriller, so I think that’s important to know going in, especially based on reviews I’ve seen of Hawkins’ other books.

Ruby has an Evelyn Hugo feel to her. Not in the Hollywood sense, but she was well-known and mysterious and had lots of husbands, so she gave me that vibe. I was hooked and always looking forward to picking this up!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read this early!

Thoughts

Hawkins never lets me down. This was a page-turner. An evil rich family out here doing all kind of evil stuff, it was entertaining. But also a little realistic in parts. I don't remember the peoples name or the documentary but there is this super rich family here in the United States that has been surrounded by death but always get away with it.

It was hard to put down because you really want to keep reading those letters! Like give me the tea!! I think this may be Hawkins' best book to date.

It was entertaining and intriguing. I would recommend this one if you like books with terrible people that keep you turning pages with their foolishness.

Thanks to Netgalley for this eARC.

Thank you for the ARC! I loved this book, it might be my favorite of Rachel Hawkins thriller books. I was pulled in immediately from the beginning of the story and enjoyed the format of letters from Ruby McTavish mixed with multiple points of views from the other characters. I found it fast-paced and kept me intrigued as I progressed through the book. There is a fun twist towards the end of the book. One of my favorite parts of the story was the descriptions of the town and house as I felt that it really painted a picture that added to the plot.

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for offering the ARC of this great book.

I’ve read several books by Rachel Hawkins previously and have enjoyed them all to varying degrees. The Heiress has got to be the best so far. The many unexpected reveals are throughout the book and kept me reading all day until I finally finished the book. I love a book that surprises me with its twists. This was just such a book, but Ms. Hawkins wasn’t satisfied with just one, or even a couple. She was skillfully diverting us right up until the very last few pages.

Written with insertions of letters and newspaper accounts this book told the story of a wealthy, beyond our imagining, family and the many struggles for that money once the matriarch of the family dies. However, the question of her relation hangs over the story throughout as she was a kidnapping victim when just three years old. What she and other family members won’t do for an inheritance is threaded through the entire book.

Completely enthralling! Ms. Hawkins has hit a bullseye with this book. You must give it a chance and then go back for her other books.

This was a seriously bingeable read! I flew through this one in just 2 days, and kept wanting more and more and more.

So many twisty story lines between the characters and it was a mystery with them all. I had a hard time following the timelines at points with Ruby’s stories, but what 👏🏼a 👏🏼ride 👏🏼

If you’re looking for a page turner, this is it!

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. This book comes out January 9th and if you love a good mystery read, you’ll definitely want to add it to your TBR.