Every single book that Rachel Hawkins is a must read for me! This one was no different. her stories are immediately compelling and entertaining.

The Heiress
Rachel Hawkins
4⭐️

When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she’s not only North Carolina’s richest woman, she’s also its most notorious. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a child and a widow four times over, Ruby ruled the tiny town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family’s estate high in the Blue Ridge mountains. In the aftermath of her death, that estate—along with a nine-figure fortune and the complicated legacy of being a McTavish—pass to her adopted son, Camden.

But to everyone’s surprise, Cam wants little to do with the house or the money—and even less to do with the surviving McTavishes.

My Thoughts:

The Heiress was a slowww-burn, twisty tale. Filled to the brim with secrets and family drama. Hawkins definitely has a craft of weaving one heck of a suspenseful and gothic tale. The mystery behind the estate and the secrets hidden behind its closed doors had me turning the pages to find out how everything unraveled.

What I enjoyed:
✨ Creepy/Gothic Setting
✨ Family Drama
✨ Quick Read
✨ Alternating POV

Pub Date 1/23/24. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

4.5 stars, rounded up because of how well it all comes together.

It's hard to imagine all the lies these people told themselves and others!
The story of Cam and Jules drawn back to North Carolina to the family home after Cam's uncle's death started as a young couple dealing with family but ended up so much more! Told in three voices: Cam, Jules and in letters written by Cam's mother Ruby, we learn about Cam's adoption, Ruby's 4 husbands, and eventually Jules history.

To say there are a lot of twists would be an understatement and Hawkins does a magnificent job bringing all the history together and explaining the reasons why these people make the decisions they make.

You can read synopsis of the book, I won't go into all that, suffice to say it is quite a ride and one I recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Heiress is one of those books that give you just enough information throughout while you’re reading to keep you interested but you’re also feeling pretty neutral. I was anticipating giving 3 stars. Then! The ending made this a solid 4.5 stars making the slower buildup totally worth it! Such a great story that had me flying through at the end. I loved the way this was written through some old letters and discovering bits and pieces about each character and having it all tie up into a pretty yet mysterious bow at the end. Loved it!

Nothing is what is seems in the quest for the McTavish fortune. Succession meets murder mystery in this story of greed, privilege and control in a small North Carolina town. Set at the epic Ashby House, the atmosphere draws you in. Unravel the family history in this twisty thriller that leaves you wondering what the hell is going on. This could be Hawkins best book yet!

I think this is my favorite Rachel Hawkins book so far. I loved everything about the story and her writing, as always, is amazing. Full of family drama and so so many secrets. The twists kept coming right up until the end. Told through the perspective of Camden and Jules, as well as several letters written by Ruby, we learn their inner thoughts.

Camden and wife Jules have returned to Ashby house, Camden's family estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains, to oversee repairs that need to be completed. As the adoptive child of Ruby, the other remaining family take every opportunity to let Camden know that he should not have inherited her vast family estate. As the story progresses, we learn about Ruby's storied life and the secrets that she too held close. She is a fascinating character and I looked forward to getting her story as each letter was revealed.
I was also impressed with Cam's wife Jules. While we learn early on that she too has a secret, we also see that she really loves Cam. I like that this is never called into question. She can stand up for herself and is an impressive character in the story all on her own.

I can't recommend this one enough if you enjoy family drama. It kept we hooked up until the last page.

Camden McTavish and his wife Jules are living a simple life until Cam gets an email from his cousin saying he needs to come back home. Cam's adoptive mother, Ruby, was North Carolina’s richest woman and left it all to her adoptive son. Not only was Ruby incredibly wealthy but she was notoriously famous; when she was 3 years old she was kidnapped yet reunited with her family almost a year later; as she grew up she followed her father's footsteps and became a very wealthy, successful business women and also a widow 4 times.

Things start to go bad at the estate that was left to Cam where his Aunt and cousins still live but is going back the best option? Does he want to get his wife involved in everything he has tried to leave behind the 10 years that he has been gone? Jules insists they go but things start to go array when they get there and buried secrets and truths come out; including some that Jules is holding on to.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and author for my ARC!

Rachel Hawkins's latest thriller does not disappoint and is her best offering to date.
Ruby McTavish is North Carolina's richest and most infamous woman. Ruby was kidnapped as a toddler and then grew up to become a widow four times over. When she passes away, she leaves her vast fortune to her adopted son Camden.
But Camden wants nothing to do with the money or with the remaining McTavishes, and has been living quietly and within his own means with his wife, Jules.
Camden is summoned to the McTavish residence ten years after Ruby's death and is forced to deal with his family and past.

Rachel Hawkins consistently delivers amazing "popcorn" thrillers and this is my favorite of hers so far. The Heiress is told in alternating viewpoints in present day (Camden and Jules) and details from the past are revealed through Ruby's letters. There are tons of twists and turns, family secrets, and surprises with fast pacing. There are themes of toxic wealth, and found family vs.the one you are born into. I loved this book and it is easily one of my favorites of the year.

Such a fun and page turner read! I definitely enjoyed this book more than The Villa, which was still pretty fun. Rachel Hawkins knows how to write an addicting thriller that you cannot put down. I really liked the multiple POVs and how the story flowed. I know I’m always going to be entertained with a Rachel Hawkins book. Thank you NetGalley, Rachel Hawkins and St. Martin’s Press for this digital arc.

This book was SO good, I could not put it down... just like all Rachel Hawkins books that I have read, but this was by far my favorite! I loved all the different character developments, the switching of perspectives with each chapter, especially with Ruby's letters from the past.. it was a page turner and such a great read. The theme of money with generational wealth was so intriguing, I loved the examples of things that have happened in the past that were solved with the families money and that was the only thing I wish there was more of. With her detailing all of her ex husbands deaths, it was very Glass Onion, meets Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets The Murdoch family! I loved every page and can't wait for more Rachel Hawkins books = will be recommending to all my friends!

Going into books blind is the only way I read apparently, and I’m always so glad that I do. I enjoyed this thriller, as it’s fast paced, short chapters for the most part, dual timeline, and keeps you on your toes. Lots of secrets going on here, and each character unfolds more as you read. I really liked the “letter” aspect. Overall, would recommend and am looking forward to reading more from Hawkins as this was a first for me!
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press!

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

Publication: January 9, 2024

Rating: 2.5 stars

Hawkins books have been a wild care author for me. I loved Reckless Girls but didn't care for The Villa. Unfortunately, this book fell into the camp of "didn't care for". This book ended up confusing me with all the mixed media and dual POVs. There was also such a slow burn that ultimately left me bored. I'm not sure what to classify this book: thriller? Mystery? Family drama?

Perfect for fans:
- Slow burn plot line
- Mixed media (letters, emails, etc)
- Multiple POVs
- Hawkin's previous books
- Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes
- Daisy Darker family vibes

This was Hawkins best work yet. In vein of Riley sager with dual timelines I couldn’t stop reading this. Propulsive book.

Rating: 4.0

I found this story on Net Galley and was so excited to find the newest Rachel Hawkins book on the "Read Now" section. I always find that Hawkins has a way to pull me into her stories and they are always a good thill-ish read and this new story was another example of this.

When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore died, she left everything to her adopted son, Camden. But even as the sole heir to not only her fortune but also the Ashby House / Este, Camden wants nothing to do with the money or the crazy family that comes with it all. Instead, he homesteads in Colorado with his wife Jules and loves his life away from the dysfunction and chaos. But a recent death in the family changes all that and with some encouragement from Jules, Cam finds himself back in the family drama and all that comes with the Ashby House and "Ms. Killmore's" legacy.

Told through the perspective of Jules, Cam and Ms. Ruby's letters we get to experience the hunting vibes of the Ashby House (spooky and gothic), learn about Ruby's history / secrets / husbands (She does have 5 last names after all), and better understand what it is about his past that made Camden never want to come back home and part with millions. Wealthy families always have drama and the McTavish family certainly has their own.

I love the way that Hawkins pulls together all of her stories by leading you one way and then...surprise! While I wouldn't call this book a thriller per say, this story definitely had it's own unique twists. I also enjoyed the various ways of how the story was told - historical letters, newspaper articles etc. It really varied up the story for me and allowed me to step into the vibes that the Ashby house, massive inheritances, family tension and Ms. Ruby truly embodied. This was a quick read and I just wanted to know what happened next (or what happened in the past - Ms. Ruby had quiet the story!)

Thanks to NetGalley and Rachel Hawkins who, in collaboration with St. Martin's Press, provided me a copy so that I could provide an honest review prior to publish date!

Okayyyyy!! I loved this. I find Hawkins books (this is my second, I also received The Villa as an ARC) are thriller light— I don’t love thrillers because I often find them too dark and too unbelievable but these are the perfect amount of unhinged. I was genuinely surprised by most of the twists and I loved the format of dual POVs mixed in with letters and news articles. I feel like I can’t say much more without spoiling but definitely add this one to your list! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for the ARC!

Oh, my goodness, what a great read! This book kept me hooked from the first page; I just couldn’t put it down.
The book is told in three different perspectives, Heiress Ruby McTavish, Cameron - Ruby’s adopted son and Jules - Cameron’s wife. Each has a secret. Who will uncover those secrets and what will the consequences be? This is a must read if you like a good psychological thriller.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC.

“Rebecca” meets “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” in this captivating, clever gothic tale about dark family secrets spanning generations. It will have you flipping pages, walking the rooms of Ashby House, opening the doors that are better off staying closed forever. This book will not only entertain you, but also make you think about the shadows that generational wealth casts on people, ponder about nature VS nurture, and whether love is capable of healing a broken person or maybe the rotten apple will always ruin everything that touches it.

If you are a lover of gothic mysteries, family secrets, old houses with the character and rich people dramas, do yourself a favour and get this book as soon as it is released. It is one of the best thrillers I’ve read this year and I am sure you will not regret reading it!

𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬.

This was a fun mystery to read, I would not categorize it as a thriller or suspense. I figured out the ending at about 50% in the book so it was a bit of a drag to finish. I do enjoy this author and will give her next book a try. What I loved most about the story was the description of the house.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is a mystery/thriller that follows married couple Camden and Jules as they return to Camden’s childhood home after the death of his uncle. When they arrive, family drama both past and present begins to unfurl and not everyone is so innocent.

Rachel Hawkins is one of those authors where I can read her books and just kind of turn my brain off for a bit and just enjoy the ride. Even though I don’t always love the book, I can usually enjoy the experience. This book was not the case. The first half was very boring. I felt like almost nothing was happening. The last quarter was extremely convoluted and rushed. The pacing was just not great.

The letters from Ruby were probably the most interesting part. They almost reminded me of Evelyn Hugo in the way her character was written. But I found Camden to be like a wet blanket and Jules became increasingly more aggravating as the story progressed. Add that to Camden’s already pretty unlikeable family and you just don’t end up having the best times. Between Camden’s chapters, Jules’ chapters, Ruby’s letters, and the random media clippings, the story telling just felt strange and unnatural.

The writing style itself is easy to read and the book isn’t very long so I was able to read it pretty quickly but I think I could have put this down at any point and never thought about it again.

Cam McTavish has spent 10 years living as far away from North Carolina as he could get. He and his wife Jules, the beauty he met in a Caifornia bar, moved to Colorado to begin their new lives. They live in a small rental house, drive an old car, and are very happy...but Jules has found an email from one of Cam's cousins trying to get Cam back to the Ashby House, the place from which he had escaped. All that Jules wanted was to see where he grew up, and where he renounced a considerable fortune.
We find out that Cam was the adopted son of Ruby, the first-born and four times married heiress to the vast McTavish fortune. Even though she has passed, she tells her truthful tale in letters, kept in her desk drawer. The remaining residents of Ashby House all had a grudge against her which is passed on to Cam, who may or may not be the rightful heir. Everyone in the novel is hiding something and some of the the players are not as clever as they think they are-sort of an All in the Family with a huge fortune on the line and no guarantees of a winner. What could possibly go wrong?
This book really kept me guessing-when I finally figured something out, I would turn the page and find out that I fell hard for the red herring. Hawkins took me on a great ride!