Every Rachel Hawkins book is better than the last and The Heiress is her best yet! The book follows Camden and Jules as they return to Camden’s childhood estate after the death of his uncle. While Camden and Jules tell their story in alternating povs, We hear from the infamous Ruby McTavish through letters. She is the heir to Ashby House and the McTavish fortune, infamous for having four dead husbands, and Camden’s adoptive mother. Ruby is already dead when the story starts but I found myself loving her voice the most and wishing she were part of the present day story. The Heiress has all the Hallmarks of a classic gothic novel, an old manor house as a character, sinister family members, and everyone is keeping a secret. The Heiress was a fast paced gothic mystery with so many twists and turns that fans of Hawkins previous work should not miss!

I literally couldn’t put this book down from the moment I picked it up. A victim of a kidnapping at a young age - her ability to survive and try to pass along the money of the family to someone who wants nothing to do with her. Why? What is stopping them from wanting the riches? And what other secrets is the family hiding? This book has so many twists and turns it left my head spinning and holding my breath to find out what happened! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

There are quite a few characters to keep track of in this book. All have secrets. I very much liked the way Ms. Hawkins used Ruby's letters to an unknown recipient. (You may think you know who she is writing to, but you'd be wrong. I was.) There are so many reveals in this book it's almost unbelievable. Ms. Hawkins writing skill is what makes all these revelations compelling. Overall, this was quite a story and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a touch of mystery mixed with Southern Gothic.
Thank you to #RachelHawkins#St.Martin'sPress#NetGalley for an ARC of the Heiress.

Genre: Psychological Thriller/Gothic/Family Drama
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub. Date: Jan. 23, 2024

I can’t help but wonder why I find devilishly twisted gothic stories so much fun to read when gothic literature tends to emphasize ominous settings, melodrama, omens, the weird, sometimes the paranormal, and always someone in crisis. Hmm, what does that say about this reader and reviewer? If you enjoyed the original novel and movie “Dracula,” you will get what I mean. Another great example of a classic gothic novel is the 1938 novel, "Rebecca," later made into a film. Didn’t we all love to hate Mrs. Danvers? The book’s protagonist Ruby McTavish of the “Asbury House” estate, has the same manipulating skills.

In “The Heiress,” you will meet a very wealthy and highly warped family. The heiress is Ruby. She has been a widow four times. All of her husbands have had mysterious deaths. People in town call her "Mrs. Killmore." Ruby gets a kick out of her nickname, which says much about the character’s personality. When she dies, her adopted son Cam inherits all of her estate. Cam’s loving wife, Jules, has a few secrets of her own. Some of them, when revealed in the end, are entirely depraved.

Rachel Hawkins captures the essence of bullying with Cam’s cousins and their mother, his aunt, who encourages their abusive behaviors toward her nephew. As an adult, Cam remembers the purple bruises his cousin Ben, two years older than Cam, gave him when they were boys. Ben, with his brightest smile and hardest eyes, would say that it was all in fun, just guy stuff, leaving Ben to feel like a fool if he complained, but even if he did, no adult in that house would have protected him. No wonder Cam never returned when he left home to attend college. He had no contact with his family members again until Ben calls him back to prepare Ruby’s funeral arrangements—or so he says.

If you enjoy the gothic genre, you will love this one. But, if you are not a fan, the soap opera-like plot might drive you crazy. I can buy into these over-the-top tales because gothic literature taps into genuine human fears and anxieties. Many of us can have a fear of reckoning, even if our sins are minor ones. Here, Hawkins gives us letters from beyond the grave, backstabbing, kidnapping, and dead husbands, all written with mystery, suspense, and darkness. In other words, a fun gothic read that I recommend.

Absolutely mesmerizing! The fusion of past and present narratives, interspersed with newspaper clippings, letters, and multiple points of view, created a captivating tapestry of storytelling. This book ensnared my attention from the outset and never once relinquished its hold. The level of suspense and mystery was truly exceptional, and the revelations in the concluding chapters took me by delightful surprise. With a blend of family drama, royal intrigue, and thrilling mystery, this book stands out as a literary masterpiece.

I did enjoy this book, but not as much as Rachel Hawkin’s previous stories. It almost felt like she dropped more hints in this one so I knew what to expect. With that being said, she’s still such a fun storyteller and I wanted to see how the story played out!

I was a late arrival to reading books by Rachel Hawkins, when, having just finished The Villa, I was offered the chance to read an advance copy of The Heiress. To say I jumped at it is an understatement, and this book definitely doesn’t disappoint. Told by Ruby, Camden and Jules, as well as newspaper stories, the multiple narratives weave an ever more dark and twisted story. I particularly loved Ruby’s stories, speaking to us through letters she wrote before her death. With the control of hundreds of millions of dollars, and the family mansion perched high in the North Carolina mountains at stake, everyone has secrets, and the way they slowly emerge kept me from wanting to put this book down for even a minute, until I reached the ending that I thought was perfect.
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and especially the author for such a well plotted book with characters who I won’t soon forget. I’ll be eagerly watching for future books from Ms. Hawkins.

Southern Gothic vibes with a mystery, inheritance, kidnapping, and family ties from the grave. I’m not sure what more could have been packed into this book, but it was quite the ride with rich descriptions, great characters, and a decent pace.

When this releases, thriller fans can curl up with the newest Rachel Hawkins release and forget about the cold, but not the chills.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

Everyone is hiding something in the McTavish family, but the depths of their secrets may shock you. 🤫

I’m slightly bamboozled by this one, as I was expecting a mystery/thriller and it was more family drama/rich people behaving badly. I’d recommend going in with those expectations so as not to be disappointed. For me, I liked it and it kept my interest, but I wasn’t blown away. I kept thinking it felt like a sinister The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. 😂 The author did a great job of creating a few likable characters and peeling back their layers slowly over the course of the book. Lots of twists and turns, some you see coming and some you don’t. It’s difficult to say much more without giving the plot away, so I’ll leave it here. Also, as someone living in North Carolina and building a house at the very top of a mountain within the Blue Ridge Mountains, I was delighted with some of the parallels and it definitely added to my overall enjoyment. This author can really set a scene, and North Carolina was definitely its own character!

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary advance copy of this eBook, out 1/9/2024.

Told from dual perspectives (Ruby in letter form) Jules and Camden in present day, The Heiress is a story of the “ luckiest boy in North Carolina” going home to his castle of a home after receiving an email from his cousin. His wife Jules is ecstatic and hopes to claim the castle as their home. Camden? He already can’t wait to leave. Why does Jules want to stay there so badly? Why does Camden want to get out so swiftly?

The Heiress was incredibly well written! I will say some of the “plot twists” aren’t really plot twists at all which almost had me like UGHHHH *insert eye roll* but Rachel Hawkins had some tricks up her sleeve and still left me shocked with surprise plot twists. I think the Ruby letters were my favorite chapters to read and throwing in random news articles also gave an interesting take on the life of Ruby. I wish Jules had a little bit more depth throughout the book and some of the predictable parts is what knocked off a star for me. Overall, I would definitely recommend checking this out!

I had the pleasure of reading this remarkable book. The author's writing style is a work of art, and her ability to generate unique and compelling ideas is truly admirable. Each book I have read by her has completely intoxicated me from start to finish. This novel delves into the darker aspects of life, exploring themes of family, adoption, wealth, morals, betrayal, and love. The way the author skillfully intertwines these themes creates a story that is both emotionally charged and intellectually stimulating. It's a must-read for anyone who enjoys thought-provoking literature that challenges the mind and touches the heart.

I enjoyed this book. I was a bit worried because her last two books were a big miss for me after loving “The Wife Upstairs.” It did take me a bit of time to get into the book, but once I did, I enjoyed it. Pub date : 1/09/24!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press arc in exchange for an honest review. There’s a lot of mystery surrounding Ruby McTavish, as a toddler she was lost in the woods that surround her very rich family’s mansion in North Carolina and then miraculously found months later. Is it really Ruby? No matter, she inherits everything much to her younger sister’s dismay (and seething anger). There has never been love between the sisters especially since there’s doubt about Ruby’s true identity and when so much money is involved.
To add some more drama, Ruby has had multiple husbands and they’ve all had untimely deaths. Sad coincidences or something more sinister?
Despite the scandal, Ruby is able to go on with her life and she even adopts a son, Camden. And you guessed it, the rest of the family doesn’t have warm feelings for him either. Especially because he inherits all her money including the mansion. Camden wants nothing to do with that family, the mansion, or the money but he’s lured back under the premise that things need fixing there.
Cam doesn’t want to go back but his wife, Jules sure does. They live a modest life back home in Colorado and Jules imagines herself Queen of that castle. They have a lovely marriage but with a mansion like that, Jules envisions more for them.
You can imagine, that the trip back “home” doesn’t go so well. Lots of high stakes drama.
This book was more of a family drama with a splash of suspense to me. I was invested in it. A lot of unlikable characters but the story unravels in an intriguing way. It wasn’t the most fantastic read ever for me but it was a pretty solid, enjoyable read.

Rachel Hawkins delivers another brilliant book. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the two points of view between husband and wife and the matriarch through her letters. I love when I can get something out of a book like seeing how two people can view having money. Some think it’s the answer to all problems and don’t get when people complain about it. But having money can come with its own set of expectations and issues as we see here. You’re left feeling something for the couple and I was rooting for them through the story.

What a fun read! None of the characters are entirely sympathetic but I still got wrapped up in their secrets and lies.

Camden, the adopted son of a wealthy four-times over widow, returns home to the estate he inherited, after a lengthy absence, to settle things once and for all with his aunt and cousins. The story alternates between his perspective, that if his wife, and intriguing letters written by his adopted mother, Ruby, in which she comes clean about her four husbands.

The story delves back and forth into the past, exploring the life of Ruby, marked by a kidnapping in childhood and the early deaths of her four husbands, and the present-day of Camden and his wife, Jules, who, once back at Blue Ridge mountains, uncover the family secrets and face the jealousy and wicked games that Camden had left behind, in order to live a quiet life.

A perfect summertime reading!

great book wow. recommend having nothing else to do but read for a day or 2. the character development was great as as well as the plot.

I want to preface this by saying I really like Rachel Hawkins books and may be biased but this was another great ready by her!

Family drama, secrets and betrayal abound in this thriller set in a creepy mansion. Cam left his lavish life behind to start a new life in California. He marries Jules and he thinks he's left it all behind, but then a death in the family pulls him right back into what he left behind. Jules and Cam head back to his family home to find that not much has changed with the dysfunctional people that inhabit the home. The walls of the mansion hold so much and family secrets are slowly revealed in a series of letters that Cam's mother wrote a decade before her passing. Jules also falls in love with the mansion and wants to stay but knows she can't remain with the other family member still living there and she knows she'll have to figure that out so she can become the lady of the house.

The book is told from multiple points of view (which I love) including letters from a character who's already passed away when the book starts. I loved the different perspectives that each character gave from their view and the secrets from the past revealed in the letters. There were several plots twists that I didn't see coming and felt myself wanting to keep reading so I could see what would happen next. Some twists were more obvious than others but most completely shocked me and I didn't see them coming. The ending was just perfect and I'd highly recommend this book!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I LOVED The Heiress! Ruby McTavish has left quite a legacy and a trail of unhappy family members after her death. 10 years after her passing, her prodigal son and his wife have returned to deal with the estate and his greedy, vindictive family. I loved the three points of view—Ruby, Jules and Cam. This family can only be described as TOXIC! The extended family, Ben, Libby and Nana Nelle were a trip and I give credit to Cam for even staying one night in that house with them around.
I loved how the story unfolded and how each character gave us a piece of the puzzle until we learned the whole truth or rather truths because there’s multiple secrets here. Ruby had tragedy follow her from three years old, yet when a pattern develops, it’s only natural to wonder if that may have been a bit self-inflicted. Cam, unwillingly, became a pawn when he was adopted into this dysfunction and then made the sole heir of Ruby’s home and fortune.You know the old saying—sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me, well that is the opposite in this book! Words do hurt and man you are going to pay the price for them at one point or another! I found the pace quick and I was highly addicted. Who wouldn’t want to stay in the gorgeous Ashby house located in the beautiful North Carolina mountains? Cam couldn’t run away fast enough from the memories it held and Jules was determined to plant her feet firmly in the soil and stake her claim. It all comes down to how much one is willing to deal with or deal out for a life of luxury. Secret secrets are no fun, secret secrets hurt someone—they absolutely do!
Highly recommend!!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

No, "The Heiress" is not a retelling of the 1947 play or the 1949 film adaptation.

"The Heiress" by Rachel Hawkins is a gripping mystery set in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina. Camden and his wife Jules return to Tavistock to settle affairs at Ashby House, where Camden is the sole heir. Jules is enchanted by the mansion and dreams of living there, but secrets and jealousy threaten to turn their dreams into nightmares. The story is told from different perspectives, with Jules directly speaking to the reader. The novel explores the question of whether anyone is truly good or bad. Overall, "The Heiress" is a suspenseful read that will leave readers pondering long after finishing it.

Rachel has done it AGAIN! But I’m not surprised- the last 2 books I’ve read plus this are gold stars. Like thrillers? Want something different? Pick this one up!

Thank you NetGalley for an arc in exchange of an honest review!