Driven by obsession, violence and revenge, Rachel Hawkins has delivered a cast of characters that are dark, twisted and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Ruby McTavish is one of the wealthiest women in North Carolina and the matriarch of Ashby House, a magnificent estate passed down through the generations of her family. The victim of a kidnapping when she was a toddler, Ruby grew up the apple of her father’s eye and much to the dismay of her older sister she became the heir to the family fortune when their father died. Though married four times, Ruby never had children until she adopted Camden as a young boy and who only wanted to cut ties with the family as soon as he was of age. But when Camden and his wife finds themselves back at Ashby House many years later, unresolved family issues prevail and mysteries surrounding the family surface. Rachel Hawkins is a masterful storyteller of psychological thrillers and I can’t imagine living with a mind that continuously conjures up characters and plot lines that are twisted and creepy!

Thank you Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press and Ms Hawkins for giving me the great opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

Expected publication January 9, 2024

Thank you netgalley, author and publisher for an advanced copy in an exchange for an honest review.



"In the enchanting world of 'The Heiress' by Rachel Hawkins, secrets and drama swirl around Ashby House like a tantalizing mystery waiting to be solved.

Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore, a name dripping with wealth and intrigue, leaves behind a legacy that's as mysterious as it is opulent. Camden, her adopted son who once walked away from her fortune, is suddenly thrust back into the heart of family secrets.



This book is a rollercoaster of family drama, suspense, and a dash of gothic allure that grabs you right from page one. The story is a puzzle with alternating perspectives, newspaper clippings, old letters, and emails that keep you guessing.

As the layers of the past are peeled back, you'll uncover the truth behind Ruby's adoption of Camden and the puzzling deaths of her four husbands. The characters are brilliantly written, and their journeys and transformations are nothing short of mesmerizing. You'll empathize with their pasts, shaped by childhood scars and life-altering choices.

Even when they act a bit selfish and self-serving, it only makes them feel more relatable and real. And the enchanting Ashby House, with its breathtaking views and elegant rooms, adds the perfect touch to a story that's about more than just an inheritance.

'The Heiress' is a literary gem that combines family dynamics with an unrelenting quest for the truth. It's a tale of inheritance that goes beyond money, delving into the
enduring ties of family that go beyond the grave.

Rachel Hawkins weaves a spellbinding story that will keep you hooked from start to finish. If you're up for a read that mixes history, suspense, and the timeless allure of family secrets, 'The Heiress' is a must-read that'll leave you eagerly anticipating more from this talented author."

Thank you so much to Rachel Hawkins, Macmillan Publishing, and NetGalley for this ARC of The Heiress. After reading and loving The Villa, I knew I had to give this book a try. I loved the dual POVs that you get from husband and wife Camden and Jules as well as the letters that Ruby has written about her life. The beginning of this book was a bit of a slow burn but once I got halfway through I was so invested. The chapters were short and easy to digest, the plot was crazy yet discernible, and overall it was a great read. 4/5 stars! I cannot wait to read what Hawkins writes next.

This is my favorite by Rachel Hawkins so far! It was fast paced and I did not see the twists coming! I can’t wait to recommend this one!

Hawkins creates such a believable village, just outside of Asheville, NC, that I had to Google to see if it was real. The family has a hold on the town, living just out of bounds of the regular people in a mansion that reminds one of the Biltmore Estate. However, secrets and mysteries abound in this family where no body is exactly who you think they are. Hawkins executes a series of twist and turns they makes the reader change their minds about characters over and over again. The diary entries of Ruby McTavish (or is she?) are written with precisely the language I would expect of an extravagant old gal who was married numerous times and lost her husbands in ghastly manners. This was an exciting read, but a cozy one as well. I will definitely be back for more from Ms. Hawkins.

Rachel Hawkins definitely nailed this one! I love a thriller where family history unravels and the truth comes out! This one was full of family drama, letters from the past, legacies, and manipulation. Some parts were a little slow for me but the letters from Ruby every few chapters always brought me back

The Heiress is proof that one can’t become a billionaire without being an unethical sociopath. This has to be my favorite book of Rachel Hawkins’ because it was downright diabolical. I hated everyone. And I loved that I hated everyone. Eat the rich, amiright? The Heiress is proof that Hawkins’ storytelling and writing get better and better with each book, I truly could not - and did not want - to put this book down.

Dysfunctional family, secrets, a murder, dual POV's, and quite a page-turner! The Heiress grabbed me right from the start. Jules, Camden, and Ruby alternate their stories, and oh what a story it is! This was quite the drama-filled read and unexpectedly enjoyable! People get funny with money, and do they ever in this one!

This is the first book from this author I have read and I was not extremely impressed. The book goes back and forth between characters and Ruby tells her story from beyond the grave, but it is unknown who the letters are for until the end. It was really hard to root for anyone in this book because I really did not care for any of them. This book just ended up being ok for me. I struggled with the confusing plotline and the way the twists kind of lost me. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley,

Thank you to Rachel Hawkins, St Martins Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Heiress. Rachel Hawkins is a go to author for me and I have never been disappointed. Actually, I think this may be my favorite so far. This novel is full of murder, mystery, secrets lies and money. The chapters alternate between letters from Ruby McTavish (add all of her married names here... you will understand when you read it) to newspaper articles detailing the life of the McTavish family over the years, to chapters that are told by Camden (Cam) McTavish and Jules his wife directly to you, the reader. The backstabbings is relentless because what won't a rich person do to get a bigger piece of the money pie... in The Heiress... they will stop at nothing. The twists and turns will have you turning pages as fast as possible and enjoying each word!!

This was so good! I love a twisty, multi narrative novel! Deception and greed but also love are the main tenets of the story, with great, if not,morally grey characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Really enjoyed this one. It was my first book by Rachel Hawkins and I was very pleased! I was able to get through this one pretty quick!

Rachel Hawkins’ best work yet! This is a story heavy in family drama and deception. It sucked me in around 25% and I couldn’t put it down after that! The main characters (Cam, Jules, and Ruby) were untrustworthy and at times unlikeable, yet I found myself rooting for them nonetheless. I highly recommend this read to anyone who enjoys a little suspense and a lot of family dysfunction!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press (via NetGalley) for the ARC of this fantastic read!

This kept me entertained, but in the end it was pretty forgettable. I will say, I didn't see all the twists and turns that this book took, so it certainly kept me turning the pages, but a year from now I probably won't even remember having read it.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Heiress. I have loved the majority of Rachel Hawkins’ books and I thought this one was better than The Villa. It took my a while to get invested in the book but there were so many twists and turns, and I honestly did not see the end coming, so that is a win in my eyes.

A thrilling, page turner that I could not put down. I am a huge fan of Rachel Hawkins and this book only proved that even more.

Would definitely recommend.

Heiress did the long-game reveal better than most thrillers that include it. I was never bored or just reading ahead to see what the twist would be. I wish Jules was a little more flushed out initially, but obivously at the end the reasoning for that was revealed. A good comp here would be The Plot, similar vibes of the twist including someone faking their identity.

📚The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Cam and Jules have been happily married for ten years living a very modest life in California. After the death of his uncle Cam is called home to his family’s estate in North Carolina. He is the sole heir to the McTavish fortune, only his family is full of awful people and he wants nothing to do with them or the money. But Jules does. This book has more insane twists and turns than a daytime soap opera. Most of it was pretty hard to believe, but it was still a fun read on vacation. If you liked Hawkins’ other books, like Restless Girls and The Villa, you’ll like this one too. A great vacation read for sure. Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy. It comes out in January!

The protagonist, Jules, is the singularly most repellent character I’ve read in I don’t even know how long. The outrageous sense of entitlement, the complete disregard for her husband’s clear childhood family trauma, and the most boring, trite display of two-dimensional “if I have MONEY everything will be perfect” made for a more-than-tedious story, and about halfway through I just couldn’t take it anymore.

It’s a shame, because the other plot line—the letters the late Ruby McTavish wrote to her adopted son, and Julia’s husband, Cam—were quite compelling. But so much of the story was told from Jules’ POV that it just ruined everything else.

The writing is fine, although I did find it to be somewhat formulaic and, at least from the Jules arc, definitely pedestrian.

The inheritance of Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmoore, famous kidnapping victim and infamous four-time widow, is the center of this southern gothic thriller. Vying for claim to her estate are her adopted son Camden (and his wife Jules), her sister Nelle, nephew Ben and niece Libby. Told from three perspectives, Camden’s, Jules’, and correspondence written by Ruby herself, the story combines familial drama and small town politics while revealing the truth behind every salacious rumor ever spread about Mrs. Ruby Kill-moore during her life and after. At times catty, petty and cunning the actions of Hawkins’ characters are always entertaining.