This was a super quick read and I liked it. It was fast paced with multiple POV and kept me intrigued. I read it in one day, I couldn’t put it down. The twists and turns, while some predictable, others I didn’t see coming. I definitely enjoyed this one.

“On Sunday September 12, an afternoon constitutional in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina took a tragic turn when the three year old daughter of Mr. Mason MacTavish of Tavistock, North Carolina seemingly vanished into thin air.” Here are reasons to read the thriller book:

A Missing Child - This book is a little hard to explain without giving away, so let me start by saying it opens up with a missing child, Ruby who is found again after 8 months
Prodigal Son - In the present, her adopted son Camden returns to his childhood home to take care of his extended family’s bills after a few deaths
So Many Secrets- as we read, we follow secrets throughout the life of Ruby through letters, and also what is happening from Camden and his wife, Jules’ point of view
Even More secrets - And these secrets include pretty much the crux of who Camden, Jules, and Ruby are as people.

And yeah that’s basically what I can say about the plot. The flow was quite quick because there was just a lot to reveal even in the last chapter. I don’t think it was extremely shocking or thrilling, but instead a compelling mystery. The twists are not delayed, and are nicely sprinkled throughout the book. Go into it for the mystery and it is really one of the best things about this book.

The Heiress is a cozy mystery novel that follows the married main characters, Camden and Jules, as they get called back to Cam’s childhood home after the death of his mother Ruby. Ruby was not only Cam’s mother, but the heir to a family fortune, and all remaining family members are scheming for a piece.

This “who done it” never truly lets you know all its secrets until the very end! I felt like I was reading a rendition of the Clue game! With that much money on the line, who keeps family first over fame? The NC Appalachian setting kept the allure of a closed off house setting away from the rest of civilization… if someone happened to die, who would know? Each character has something to hide. 🫣

Wow! The Heiress is my favorite Rachel Hawkins yet! I get excited for her releases every year because each book is full of so many surprises.

Ruby McTavish is widowed many times over and after her death, Ruby’s adopted son Cam and his wife Jules, are summoned to the Ashby house to claim his inheritance.

The Heiress is told with letters from Ruby woven through to help Cam learn about his mother’s past. There are so many twists and turns throughout the multiple story lines. The Heiress is hard to put down.

With every Rachel Hawkins book, I feel it’s best to go in blind and enjoy the ride! If you enjoyed the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and murder, be sure to pick up The Heiress in January 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Heiress
By: Rachel Hawkins

I was completely invested in this novel. The characters are well-developed, fun and twisted. They each have their own personalities and reasons for wanting Ashby House along with the money that goes along with it.

Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies and leaves all the money to her son. You can see by her long name she has married multiple times. There are several family members living on the estate, but not her son Cam. When Cam gets the call that he needs to come back to the estate to help, he temporarily leaves his teach job with his wife Jules.

When I say everyone is hiding things, that is only the beginning. Cam and Ruby along with Jules have a complicated past. Ruby adopted Cam as she never had biological children and wanted to pass down the fortune. One of the more complicated story backgrounds is that Ruby was stolen outside the estate as a child and returned within the year under unusual circumstances.

Hawkins has been a auto-buy for me since The Wife Upstairs.

What a ride! I absolutely devoured this book. The dual POV and slow reveal of Ruby’s history was done so well. I did call some of the plot twists, but then some came out of nowhere! Overall, a very enjoyable read.

I really enjoyed this story. It was a really fast paced book with a complicated family, wirh many secrets, in the midst. There is a kidnapping, an adoption, a death, (actually more than one, and some may have been
murder). Then you have a will and a family at odds with one another. The ending is wonderful. This book will keep --You the Reader- On your toes to the very end. Enjoy! I did. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. I give it a 4 out of 5.

This was such a page turner! I loved Jules, Ruby, Cam all in different ways. I loved that there was a little spice to Cam and Jules’ relationship. I did not see the twist coming and appreciated it was an over complicated or far fetched story. Would recommend to a friend.

This one started off strong, I was very curious to find out about the estranged relationship between the MC and his family. However, I found it to become to repetitive after the 50% mark and didn’t really see it going anywhere. I will say that the twist was a good one and I didn’t see it coming. Overall, it was okay

This book was so so so good!!! I finished it in one sitting! It gave off big “Last Great American Dynasty” by Taylor Swift vibes and I am so here for it! It was twisty and turns and took place in present and past and was so good!

With a name like, Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore, you just know this lady has some skeletons in her closet. And lucky for me they are all begging to escape. These skeletons don't just fall from the closet, though, they've come marching out banging drums and blowing horns. 🥁🎺

And I was all in. 😍

Pop that popcorn, sip that drink, and let the various troubles of the wealthy elite sweep you away.

Unlikeable characters ✔
Gossip and lies galore ✔
Secrets ✔
Past and Present timeline ✔
Twists and turns ✔
Page-turnability ✔
Murder ✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔

I really enjoyed this book for exactly what it was, a soap opera in book form. A book that was easy to get into and that didn't require very much brain power on my end which I appreciate during the holiday hoopla heading into Christmas. If you are already a fan of this author or you like a good domestic drama about a seriously dysfunctional family then this one is worth picking up. Fun stuff! 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my complimentary copy.

3/5 stars. It was enjoyable, and I liked the writing. I didn't love the dual POV, and the writing in first person. It was a big predictable, and not very interesting to me. But a good story.

I really enjoyed reading about Ruby and her life story. I found it very interesting how she was married four times and each of her husband died. Unlucky or did Ruby have something to do with it??

The present day story of Ruby's adoptive son, Camden, and his wife Jules, wasn't as interesting to me. The McTavish family is unlikeable to say the least. I did however love the twist ending and didn't see it coming.

Thank you to Netgallery and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love Rachel Hawkins books and this is another one that was fantastic. I liked the different viewpoints and also the letters that are written. I didn't know who I liked or who to trust as I read. I liked Ruby McTavish and her letters, but she promised not to lie, but I didn't know if I was getting the whole story with her parts. Camden, the adopted son, hasn't wanted anything to do with his family for years, but now is back at his huge childhood home, but I wondered if he was telling us everything and Jules, the wife of Camden. She also made me wonder. I don't want to give anything else away except once I started reading I couldn't stop!
Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the early digital copy of this book!

I really enjoyed Hawkins' latest gothic novel and all the twists and turns that surprise even the most seasoned mystery enthusiasts. Overall, a solid read.

Edge of your seat suspense! This book was brilliant.

Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore has many secrets. She was kidnapped as a small child and found eight months later, all four of her husbands died, she was wealthy and the heir to the McTavish fortune and Ashby house. When Ruby died, her adopted son, Camden inherited and walk away from the family. Camden returns with his wife Jules when his uncle dies and the secrets of this family begin to be uncovered.

The story is told from the perspectives of Camden and Jules. We also learned about Ruby’s life through letters she has written and these reveal the secrets she has been keeping. The twists and turns in this book were phenomenal. I was drawn into the story trying to figure out how Camden, Jules and Ruby’s secrets were intertwined.

This is a great thriller. I would recommend this book and put it on your TBR. The book will be published January 9, 2024 so preorder it today

Thank you @netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author, Rachel Hawkins for the e-ARC.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC!

This was an addictive, page turner of a thriller that I could not get enough of! There were so many twists and turns from beginning to end, I loved the different POVs, it added so much to the story, especially Ruby's. Hearing her story was my favourite part.

This book is definitely going in the favourites pile!

4.5/5 ⭐️ rounded up

This story is about Ruby McTavish, a wealthy little girl who was lost in the woods near her home in North Carolina at only three years old. Ruby was found eight months later in another state and returned home. As Ruby grows up in her mansion known as the Ashby House, she often feels that some things about her aren’t quite right. Ashby House created a creepy atmosphere that really set the mood. If those walls could speak, they would have a story to tell and in a way they do. Expect rumors, whispers, secrets/scheming and a truly twisted house of unexpected happenings! I enjoyed this authors first book The Wife Upstairs! #netgalley #theheiress

Rachel Hawkins writes such interesting, twisty suspense books. This one did not disappoint. This isn't new and groundbreaking, but if you love this type of book, definitely pick it up. It is a quick and fun read.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy for review.

In my honest opinion, I was extremely let down by this book. It had hardly anything thrilling about it, very slow, and overall not what I am used to by Hawkins.