This book was alright - I liked the allusions to the Vanderbilts and other American dynastic families, but I felt the plot took far too long to get going. It was not engaging and there were hardly any breadcrumbs to create tension. I didn't care for the characters and there was no actual propulsion driving the plot forward. Nothing was explained until far too late. I wouldn't say I liked Ruth's flashbacks all that much even though she was by far the best character and the best voice - it was far too obvious that she had killed her husbands from the second it was announced she had four exes.

Jules married Camden 10 years ago, and when he is summoned back to his home town in North Carolina, both spouses’ secrets threaten to unravel them.

This is my new favorite book by this author! It was twisty and psychologically thrilling. I loved the multiple POV between Jules, Camden, and Camdens deceased mother, Ruby. The letters were an excellent way to bring Ruby to life, and I couldn’t wait to read her chapters to learn more about her secrets. I also enjoyed not knowing who to “root” for, and I constantly felt myself shifting who I thought was the “bad guy”. Overall, I loved it!

4.5 stars

A family with generations of wealth and generations of secrets… when heir of the McTavish fortune, Camden and his wife Jules return to the family mansion after years of radio silence, family drama and rivalries flare. The Heiress is deliciously devious and full of twists you won’t be able to predict.

This book is amazing. Firstly, I'll start with the Ruby, a very flawed character, whom holds no punches or qualms about being a terrible person,but a character I loved. This story also follows Cam and Jules a married couple who are quite flawed themselves and go back to the home of Cam after a death in the family to deal with his inheritance. This story has mystery, murder, grit, lies, and sarcasm and it kept me engaged the whole time. I loved the mixed media elements of old letters and newspaper writings to keep the story more intriguing. I was highly surprised by this book and would recommend it to those who enjoy family drama, secrets, suspense, and murder. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book, as I loved it. 5 ⭐ from me!

This book is by a much loved author. I was really looking forward to reading her latest novel but I found this one not really holding my interest. There is just too much going on. It begins with a strong story line with a kidnapping and I was eager to see where the story was going. But all the difficult family dynamics were just too much for me. When the richest woman in North Carolina dies Ruby’s adoptive son has to come home with his wife to settle family matters and then the deep family bickering comes into play. Lots of family stuff going on and it just did not hold my interest. I am sure others will love it and that it will do well. It just did not do it for me. Wealth and resulting family squabbles are not something I enjoy.

I wish to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was addictive! A real page turner that I could not put down. The secrets just kept coming! I couldn't wait to unravel the mystery.

The many POV kind of threw me off a little, but overall I enjoyed the read.

There are secrets and there are the Mc Tavish secrets!!! As I unearthed one secret after another, I had goosebumps and I simply couldn’t put down the book! Rachel Hawkins has done it again and rocked another mystery, suspenseful novel. After ‘The Villa’ and ‘The Heiress’, she is definitely on my auto-buy list.
Hawkins narrates evocatively in dual timelines starting off with a missing child in the 40’s. As Ruby McTavish, the former missing child, allegedly found and returned to her family, dies as the richest woman in North Carolina and leaves her house and asserts to Camden, her adopted son. However, he refuses to accept the will at first. Later, he decides to return to his childhood house with his wife Jules. What a web we will weave my friends! Unbelievable with twists abs turn leading to an unexpected ending!
Happy reading 🫶

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARV in exchange for my honest feedback.

I loved The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins so I was very excited to read something else by her. I didn’t look at any reviews prior to reading so I didn’t know what to expect. However, the one expectation I did have was for this to be a thriller. Once I read a bit, I realized it wasn’t. It’s more of family drama. It’s a slow burn and didn’t really hold my interest until the end. I really liked the big twist. I loved that the setting was my home state and the mention of familiar cities. I also liked how the story was told from dual POVs, news articles and letters. This one wasn’t really for me but I do think it’s worth reading as others seem to love it.

I have a hard rule that never fails :: I always give a “new-to-me author” 4 books to really show me who they are as a writer . @ladyhawkins you’ve passed my 4 book rule and you’ve made it into my list of “must-read authors” !!!
I really enjoyed The Heiress - it kept me fully engaged with LOTS of questions at the end (I’ve been rethinking a few of the family dynamics that were woven into this story) . If you’re looking for a family that’s more messed up than yours , look no further ! & pick this one up when it’s available in January 2024 . Solid 4⭐️ .
Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the ability to enjoy this one .
Also , if you haven’t read her other books - check out The Wife Upstairs , The Villa , and Reckless Girls (they were all very good)
#rachelhawkins #theheiress #stmartinspress #netgalley #arc #goodreads #bookbinge #booktok #bookstagram #tbr #tbrpile #tbrlist

The library will purchase this. But only one copy. It was not her best work. Rachel Hawkins seems to be a hit and a miss in our area

What a wild ride! I just really enjoy Rachel Hawkins writing and the stories she tell. This one was no exception. I thought it was a story unlike any I have read and I liked the twists and turns it took! I loved the multiple timeline and povs and how everything came together!

This is my 3rd book by Rachel Hawkins, and it fell somewhere in the middle for me. Reckless Girls was a 4⭐ read for me, while The Villa was a 3⭐.

I like a good family drama, but the first half of this book was so slow. Shady family members, unreliable narrators, hidden secrets, all of the things that you would expect to find in a family drama were all present in the latest by Hawkins. But, this book lacked excitement!! I want a book that I'm desperate to pick up and this was not it. There were several plot twists and I thought the ending was fine, but it was all forgettable.

Everyone seems to like The Wife Upstairs, but I think I'm going to hold off on reading that one for a bit.

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

I would like to thank Net Galley and St Martin Press for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC.I have read other books by Rachel Hawkins before and was excited to read this one. It did not disappoint. It is a twisty, fun , thriller. I was not sure who was the "good guy " to root for through out the book- it was that twisty.It kept me guessing up until the end.I do not want to give away any spoilers, but the plot is simple( to start). Ruby McTavish was the daughter of a wealthy North Carolina family. She went missing in the 40's and was found in a home in Alabama about a year later. It was believed she had been kidnapped and then returned home. Ruby was married 4 times- with each husband dying early in the marriage. Ruby had a sister who married and had a child. Ruby adopted a child who left the family home , and although the beneficiary of the family fortune, fled to California, and wanted to have nothing to do with the family or the money. We meet the adopted son and his wife in present day when they have been called home tosort our the family house/finances after the death of Ruby's sister's son. Camden doen not want anything to do with the family, but his wife, Jules, convinces him to make the trip. The book proceeds to unravel a family history that would make the most convoluted of soap operas pale in comparison. There are lies upon lies, and nobody can be trusted.It is twisty, and sad, and terrible and fascinating all at once. I could not put it down!

Thank Netgalley , Rachel Hawkins and St. Martin press for giving me the opportunity to read The Heiress.

Unfortunately this wasn't my favorite thriller from this amazing author. This book took me a while to accomplish, had alot of character build up but hard to connect to so many unlikable personalities. I did enjoy that that chapter where slit into the husband and wife point of view which give different approaches to the truth. Also Ruth's letters were something I kept inticipating throught out the book. Though there were muplitle twist; I felt like they were all squeezed into the end. It would have been nice to have those twisted moments integrate a little sooner or at least spread out.
This book just reminded me of spoiled family fighting over what each of them felt like they deserved. If looking for a drama with some murder components this book is for you and available in store on January 9, 2024. I do always appreciate the ability to read advance copies and are very thankful once again for this opportunity.

I absolutely could not put this book down! There were so many twists and turns and Ruby McTavish clearly stays in control of her and her family’s destiny behind the grave. I want to be able to experience again for the first time…did not see the ending coming. Blood is definitely thicker than water and for Cam and Julie, the ultimate test of trust will make or break them.

The writing was impeccable and all the characters had their own voice, Rachel Hawkins is a queen! Cannot wait to read her other works.

Thank you NetGalley, Rachel Hawkins and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

When Ruby dies, she leaves everything she owns to Cam. Sure, there were some mysterious deaths of her four husbands, but she was the famous Ruby, kidnapped as a child and found. Cam however, wants nothing to do with the house or anything in it, until he receives an email from the family. Now he and his wife Jules are headed to see how they can rehab the house and put it behind Cam once and for all. Maybe?

This book pulled me in o page one and didn’t let go until the final page turned. I was fascinated by what actually happened to all of Ruby’s husbands! I also needed to know what happened that had mad Cam want nothing to do with the gorgeous house and massive funds left to him by Ruby. There were a few things I guessed while reading, but it certainly had some twists I did not see coming! If you enjoy Rachel Hawkins, you will enjoy this one just as much as her past books!

A really great read that keeps you guessing to the very end. I also really appreciated the different points of view through letters and newspaper articles.

Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ARC. The Heiress was a fun read that was hard to put down. It was filled with Rachael Hawkins typical style, pulling you in and keeping you wanting to find out what happens next. The story is told from multiple points of view, which I always enjoy! The story follows Camden and Jules, who return to Cam’s family home, owned by his late mother Ruby McTavish. The story has so many twists and turns and revelations throughout that it’s hard for us divulge much more without giving away plot points. For anyone who has enjoys Rachel Hawkins’ work, I highly recommend!

This is a family drama, mystery-thriller all rolled into one and I really enjoyed it while reading. The most interesting parts to me were the historical letters written by "the heiress" who could also be called "the widower" about how she came to marry each of her many husbands, and then followed by what happened in each of their deaths. These tales, interlaced with her present day offspring, plus the mystery of how she was kidnapped as a child, mixed with her abismal, wealthy family, who would do anything for money, made for what I felt was a pretty unique storyline. Unfortunately, it is a bit forgettable, because as soon as I put this book down, I somewhat forgot about it. However, I do think this would make for a great poolside read, as it was fast and entertaining. I'll absolutely be reading more by Hawkins in the future!

Rachel Hawkins has crafted a thriller which is told in dual POV present tense and letters from the past. This is a edge of your seat page turner where the reader keeps trying to put all the clues together to figure out who's motives are genuine and who is playing for the inheritance. The setting of Ashby House and it's secluded wooded property is gothic, mysterious, and haunting.