I’m still processing this book but I will say that it was entertaining for sure. Camden and his wife, Jules, lead a simple life in Colorado when he is asked to come back home to the family estate in North Carolina. I really don’t want to say anything more than that because there are secrets upon secrets upon secrets and some truly interesting twists. I don’t read very many thrillers but this was a good one. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Lots of Baby Twists!!
The way the author lets out secrets a little bit at a time was a different experience for me that I really loved! It wasn’t overwhelming at all and didn’t feel fake. This was my first book by her and I will definitely be reading more!

Thank you so much St. Martin’s Press, Rachel Hawkins, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and honestly review this book.

"The Heiress" by Rachel Hawkins is a rollercoaster of a novel you won't want to put down. When Ruby McTavish's larger-than-life legacy is introduced, you're strapped in for a ride through the labyrinthine corridors of Ashby House and the equally complex family dynamics it shelters.

Ruby epitomizes a mysterious matriarch, her life a tapestry of rumors, wealth, and unsolved mysteries. Her adopted son, Camden, serves as the perfect foil. This man has distanced himself from his enigmatic past, only to be pulled back in by the gravitational force of family and unanswered questions.

The story turns thrilling when Camden and his wife, Jules, return to Ashby House. The setting is as much a character as the people who inhabit it, with its breathtaking views and haunting atmosphere. You can almost feel the walls closing in on you as the couple delves deeper into the secrets that Ruby left behind.

What sets this book apart are the twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very last page. Hawkins throws another curveball that leaves you reeling when you think you've figured it out. The questions surrounding Ruby's past, her four late husbands, and her reasons for adopting Camden are unraveled in a satisfying and shocking way.

In "The Heiress," family ties are tested, dark secrets are unearthed, and the line between love and obsession blurs. It's a compelling read that proves an inheritance is more than just material wealth—it's a legacy that can either uplift or undo you.

This book is a must-read if you're a fan of psychological thrillers with a dash of Southern Gothic charm. Trust me, you won't see the ending coming, and you'll think about it long after turning the last page.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

This twisty thriller about a husband and wife against his (admittedly a bit crazy) family moved along quickly and I enjoyed it!

Camden and his wife Jules just travel back to the home left to him by his adoptive mother, Ruby, after a death in the family. His cousins are doing their best to get Cam to leave Ashby House to them and disappear forever. However, Jules is getting used to things at Ashby and doesn’t want to leave. It’s the two of them against the family. Details from Ruby’s life are shared in bits and pieces in the form of letters, which add to the story and mystery.

Overall, I enjoyed this thriller more than Hawkins’ other recent novels. I flew through it in less than a day and a half and I was excited to get to the end to see how both the house and the family ended up.

Although Camden’s character falls a little flat - Ruby and Jules make up for it. I loved their personalities. I loved the story-telling as well. Switching between POVs and including articles, it kept me engrossed in the story. I can’t wait for this to be released and everyone read it!

Everyone has a secret, even the seemingly innocent. But, all the lies intertwine and come together. So many lies!!

If there was ever a book I would annotate - this would be the one - just to keep all the characters and the lies straight. My ADD would have been super confused via audio, so I'd recommend the physical copy of this one.

The author sure kept my attention and I didn't want to stop reading due to all the twists that evolved which made this a quick read for me. Such an interesting plot line with a child kidnapping, family drama, so many lies and deceit - you never knew who to believe.

A very smart and addictive read. I can't wait to own the physical copy.

Rachel Hawkins has done it again! The Heiress is yet another engaging, smart mystery/thriller/drama that I just could not put down. Once I got started, I FLEW through this read and loved every minute of it.

This story follows the dual perspectives of Camden and his wife, Jules, as they return to the Ashby House, Camden's adoptive family's estate nestled away in the Carolina Blue Ridge mountains. We also get a third perspective through letters from Camden's late adoptive mother, Ruby McTavish, that act almost as flashbacks, as well as snippets of news articles that provide even more insight into Ruby's scandalous life. These elements keep the plot trucking right along, never stepping off the gas.

While I picked up on the main twist of this book pretty early on, it didn't keep me from enjoying it. The drama, the excitement, and the subsequent reveals kept me on my toes.

I think Rachel Hawkins' is becoming an auto-read author for me. I've loved her past three releases and I'm excited to see what she has coming out next!

This was like Evelyn Hugo but sinister. I actually didnt love this authors last books but this one she nailed. I think in the past shes taken famous stories and updated them but never quite sticks the landing. Here she also sort of takes cues from other books but I liked the writing and the mystery. Throw in a crazy and sadistic old lady and whammo you go yourself a hit. A page turner with sorta gone girl diary vibes. I dug it.

The Heiress is a domestic thriller that alternates between married couple Camden and Jules in the present, and a recounting of the past by Cam’s mother Ruby in the form of letters. While the letters provide context to why Cam’s family, the McTavishes, are so messed up, it tended to interrupt the flow of the story in current times. And Cam’s family is seriously messed up. So much so that he ran away from North Carolina to California to start over, which is where he meets Jules. Although the reader will quickly learn that Jules is keeping her own secrets from Cam. If you make it far enough into the book past the miserable and selfish people and the somewhat disjointed storylines, there’s a twist that’s interesting, but wasn’t mind blowing for me. This could have been more interesting but tends to lean more toward mostly nasty people getting exhausted by the people they’re related to and doing some not so nice things to show their displeasure.

Wow this book was very hard to put down. So many twists and turns I was not expecting. Great book. There was so many twists in this books I was not expecting. Excellent book it’s a must read.

After loving The Wife Upstairs, I didn’t connect as much to Reckless Girls or The Villa. I enjoyed both but I felt everyone was too suspicious to really trust.

Even though the narrators, all three of them, in The Heiress, seem a little questionable (or very, in some cases), I think they have more likable qualities, or at least more interesting ones. The story goes quick and has plenty of twists. Some easily guessed early on, some that are confusing but then quickly explained.

Enjoyable read. Will look forward to the next one.

What a page turner! I literally read this in one sitting. This novel is full of twists and turns along with dark, deep family secrets. The novel revolves around Ruth and her adopted son, Cam amid the backdrop of the drama that surrounds deep wealth and inheritance. The chapters are relatively short and fast moving gold from the revolving POV of Cam and his wife, Jules, along with Ruth’s pov being told in the form of letters. I thought I had guessed the twists, but ended up being wrong. This book had me glued to each page right until the end. Read it cover to cover in about 4 hours. Definitely recommend! Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for the ARC!

This was my second favorite book by Rachel Hawkins. I enjoyed this plot as well as the characters, and some of the twists were very unpredictable and surprising.

I really enjoyed the setting in NC. I would recommend this to others!

Thank you to netgalley for the arc. This was my favorite Rachel Hawkins book by far. It had me hooked from the very beginning. Ruby's letters were addictive and I couldn't stop reading to find out what else she had to say.

There were some mistakes and mixing up murders that were committed at the end that I hope get corrected before the final version is out.

Deception, murder, revenge….this book has it all! From one twist to the next, you’ll be hooked! Enjoyed this story right up until the end!

This is a great domestic suspense that alternated between two POVs from Camden and his wife Jules, plus letters from Ruby and newspaper articles from over the years. It had a great mix of feeling like historical fiction at times, but with plenty of mystery surrounding the infamous Ruby McTavish, her many deceased husbands, and her very rich family.

This was a quick read that kept me turning pages and wondering what would be revealed next. A crazy family tale over generations unfolds many secrets. While I figured out some things as I went along, the bigger twists were surprises. I loved the format and it was totally bingeable.

While her first couple thrillers were just okay for me, I quite enjoyed this one as well as her last, The Villa. I think her books are getting better as we go! It had great pacing, a fascinating cast of characters, and I enjoyed the setting of the Ashby House in North Carolina. If you enjoy reading about rich people behaving badly (and getting away with murder?) and complicated families, pick this one up!

This is a hit or miss author for me but this was a good novel that draws you in quickly and keeps you engaged. It had an eerie gothic quality and was overall a good read
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book

I ripped through this. I absolutely love Rachel Hawkins, so I expected to enjoy it, but my gods it really took me away. A really fun and wild story set in an eerie and sort of charming setting. The varied cast of characters was fascinating to say the least, and I just... had a lot of fun with it.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is beautifully executed and highly addictive novel! I was drawn in immediately - I couldn't read it fast enough! Rachel Hawkins created a well-structured and intricately woven plot. I really enjoyed the multiple points of views, the secrets, twists, and drama throughout the story. It is definitely a must-read!!

This is my favorite read yet of 2023 and from Rachel Hawkins!

5 stars!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Rachel Hawkins for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Rachel Hawkins continues her streak of awesome contemporary thrillers with strong female leads in The Heiress.

The Heiress is the story of Ruby McTavish...or is it? Kidnapped as a baby, Ruby was found and returned to her wealthy family, but this strange occurrence seems to only be the start of the shocking things in Ruby's life. After 4 marriages and 4 dead husbands, Ruby chose to adopt a son, a foster boy named Camden who leaves behind his inheritance and his family after Ruby's death. Ten years later, Camden and his wife, Jules, return to the family estate to discuss money and the upkeep of the house. What ensues is shock after shock as dark secrets are slowly revealed and the actions of a toxic family finally lead to their comeuppance. Told from the points of view of Camden and Jules and interspersed with letters from Ruby telling her life's story, The Heiress is a page-turner filled with spite, murder, and a careful ponderance of whether money can solve all problems or whether it's truly the root of all evil.