4.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this story and was hooked pretty early on. I found it intriguing that it’s named The Heiress, but we mostly read the perspectives of the heiress’s son and daughter-in-law, with news clippings and letters mixed in. (Going into why that title was chosen could lead to spoiler territory.)

Even from the first half of the book, I still would not have accurately predicted where the reading journey would go.

There was a reference to The Villa that was fun to come across, and I found myself wondering if these same woods are in another Rachel Hawkins book (or will be).

Many thanks to the author, St. Martin’s, and NetGalley for the eARC of this novel.

CW: domestic violence, kidnapping

“The Heiress” by Rachel Hawkins is her newest thriller novel set to be published on January 2024. “The Heiress” is a gothic mystery filled with murder, tense family relationships, and a sprawling estate called “Ashby House”. This novel will leave you wondering whether Ruby McTavish really is who she claims to be, whether she is really a black widow-style murder, and why she adopted her son Camden. This will be explored through three alternating points of view that give the reader delicious tidbits a little at a time. I kept finding myself needing one more chapter and ended up reading late into the night. I have greatly enjoyed Hawkins’ writing and found myself placing “The Heiress” as her best novel yet.
A special thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press, and Rachel Hawkins for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book had a really promising blurb AND first chapter about people going missing in national parks and I was hooked immediately. Unfortunately, about 50% through the book I realized it wasn't going anywhere for me. It felt like a story I have read before, in addition to being predictable. I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing style, which felt different from Hawkins other adult thriller novels. Finally, I felt like there were way too many plot twists in this book and it felt excessive and unnecessary. Overall, it fell flat for me but I'm always excited to read a Rachel Hawkins novel and will continue to!

I loved this book. Rachel Hawkins is a master and she has done it again! Each character was unlikeable in their own way and the twists were perfect. This story was told in a unique way and was woven together masterfully. Highly recommend!

Rachel Hawkins seems to draw plot inspiration from famous works for all her novels, with this one (in my opinion) being a thriller / mystery version of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I cannot lie, I wish we had more of Ruby’s life highlighted rather than Cam’s or (especially) Jules’. I strongly disliked Jules’ portions and didn’t understand her motivation for her actions even though they were explained? Fun read, but did not measure up to my expectations after reading The Villa. With that being said, this is still a solid three out of five stars.

Does money buy happiness? This book is the perfect example that it doesn’t!

We are introduced to the story of Ruby McTavish, a little baby lost who became a headline when she was reunited with her family. Through letters from Ruby, you learn the history of what happened to Ruby and how she was affected going forward through life and relationships.

We also are introduced to Ruby’s adopted son Camden. I loved him. From his memories we learn that he was treated poorly by the family for not being a real McTavish, yet Ruby’s estate was bequeathed to him.

We also are introduced to Camden’s wife Jules, who to me seemed suspicious from the get! When Cam did not want to return to Ashby House, Jules insisted. Why? That comes out!

The remaining McTavish’s want the wealth and power. Does Cam give it to them?

As they return, we are given glimpses into the past through Ruby’s letters. Ruby is rumored to have killed her husbands, or be a bad luck charm. What really happened is revealed along the way!

This was a quick read-the chapters were short and the letters intermingled really helped to speed things along.

I prefer books with dual or multiple perspectives, so this was a plus for me.

The ending stole the show for me. At times I thought it was a tad predictable- but when we got to the final chapters I couldn’t put it down! That was not the ending I was expecting!

Your questions will be answered and you will have an entertaining read. It’s a win!

Pub date: Jan 2024
St. Martin’s Press

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

I loved Hawkins change in narrator, snippets of articles and resources giving you a glimpse of the distant past and especially the inclusion of Ruby's words herself.
The Heiress was a page turner in numerous ways. (1) Is there more to Ruby's disappearance as a child? (2) I wanted to know more about Ruby. Had she killed all her husband's? Aside from Arthur who seemed to be her true love.
(3) What is Jules hiding? Is she connected to this family aside from marrying Cam? Is her fairy tale love story with Cam a shame? I
Did she seek him out for who he no longer wants to be? (4) Is Cam somehow a blood relative? The comparison of Libby and Cams smirk as well as mention of the smirk in Duke. (5) Why does Cam hate Ashby house? Why doesn't he want to be "home"? (6) What is with Ben and Libby?
Every chapter ended with more questions that kept you going hoping to find out the truth of this family mystery.
The mystery was alive in so many ways as I read through the past and the present of the McTavish family.
So many secrets needing answers and the mystery kept you going back for more.

The Heiress was a page turner with lots of twists and turns! I had a hard time putting it down. Family secrets and mystery abounds. The story moves fast, and the characters are mostly looking out for themselves. The story is told by various characters in the novel over different periods of time. I recommend this latest read by Rachel Hawkins! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

This book was incredibly twisted and had many twists and turns along the way. Tons of secrets unfold in it and a lot of unreliability to know who truly to believe. It was a good read and I loved hearing the stories from many sides.

Loved this book! It reminded me so much of why I picked up and read THE WIFE UPSTAIRS. I haven't been impressed with the two other books that followed, but this one feels like the first book. Her style still borders toward Daphne du Laurier and Charlotte Bronte, but that's never a bad thing! There are some plot holes that I won't go into here (in case the book is still in the process of revision), but I breezed through this. Definitely a four-star read!

Hawkins does it again. I really enjoy her story telling. Quick paced and fun reads. Thank you for letting me read this ARC! Love this pretty cover!

First thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to have an early read of The Heiress in return for my honest review. I loved this book. I gave 5 stars because to me it was everything I looked for in an enjoyable read, but I did bounce between 4.5 and 5. I have read other reviews that it was a slow burn or took time to get going, but I don’t know that I agree, I felt like I was anticipating and hooked with more and more questions and loops and turns and it just made me want to keep reading! I also didn’t go into this book like I do any other with high expectations of what it SHOULD be, and I allow the book to just be what it is. I loved the characters and it was interesting to have different point of views and reading the letters from Ruby to get to hear from her perspective was a great way to get her story told. For me this was a great thriller with plenty or anticipation and twists.

I loved the different points of view presented to tell this story in all its complexity. I loved that you couldn't always tell if the narrator was reliable, and their personalities were portrayed well throughout their parts. I will start by saying I feel like I am hard to impress when it comes to books, so don't let my 3-star rating deter you. I went into this book expecting it to be a thriller and was let down a bit as it ended up being more of a twisty mystery. Still good, and still an entertaining read, but I wouldn't necessarily classify it as a thriller. In my mind a thriller gets your heart pounding and you can't stop turning the pages until you know what happens- this one didn't do that for me. The story itself unfolds rather well and the ending is certainly satisfying. I did guess one of the characters' backstories pretty early on, which also led to me not rating it higher- I like to be surprised when it comes to thrillers/mysteries. Overall, the book is entertaining and I would recommend it as a good read. I would not, however, recommend if a thriller is what you are looking for.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for an advanced reader's copy of this book.

I loved this book. I have a few Rachel Hawkins books and this is my favorite. Ruby is a rich heiress and goes missing when she’s 4. She’s found 8 months later and the rest of her life is in tabloids. She has 4 husbands and each mysteriously pass away. Now that she’s died, her fortune goes to her adopted son. But the rest of the family is out to get it. She wrote some letter before she died that hold all the family secrets.

The secrets just kept coming and I loved it. I liked it was written from a few different point of views. Their rich family is super messed up and that was entertaining. I really like how things you forgot happened throughout the book tied together in the end. I was sad when the book finished cuz I wanted the story of these characters to keep going.

Rachel Hawkins has given us another superbly suspenseful read! At one point I actually felt my jaw drop! There is nothing like money to cause greed and jealousy and bring out the worst in a family. And the famous McTavishes are not immune. Told through multiple POVs and seamlessly moving between past and present, the story of Ruby and Cameron unfolds one layer at a time as secrets are revealed. Despite the quick page turning pace, the characters are well developed and you will feel immersed in the Ashby house.
I highly recommend this scandalous novel with its twisted and wickedness. If The Heiress is any indication, 2024 is going to be a great year of books!

After the initial pages, I found myself not connecting with the story or characters, so I decided to pass on this book. Did not finish

Ooh, a dark novel about a wealthy family and their wicked ways? Sign me up, please!

I have enjoyed Rachel Hawkins' past books; this one fits perfectly into the family! I loved discovering the quick callback to her earlier novel, The Villa, in this one.

The different points of view help you understand each of the character's perspectives and gain more insight into the overall shitshow that is the McTavish family and all their drama.

I especially enjoyed Ruby's long-standing reputation as a husband killer and finding out the truth about how each of those relationships really ended.

A very twisty read, it'll have you guessing until the very end! I loved it!

Many thanks to #netgalley for this ARC of #theheiress

I’ll admit, I haven’t loved the previous titles from this author but something about her keeps me coming back and I’m thrilled to say I loved The Heiress! Romance, marriage, murder, a big old legacy mansion called Ashby House, a giant inheritance, and a childhood kidnapping all in one book! Sounds chaotic but it worked. We are told the story of Ruby McTavish through letters written by The Heiress herself, news articles from the time she was kidnapped as a child, and present scenes with her adopted son Camden and his wife Jules. Camden inherited all of Ruby’s billions when she died but won’t touch any of it. Jules of course wants to see if they can somehow make the fairytale dream a reality so when Camden’s cousin calls and asks him to come visit and repair parts of Ashby House, she convinces him to go back to where he grew up, to where he said he’d never go again. From there we are about to find out why Camden has stayed away all these years.

I think What worked for me with this novel is it’s more of a sinister family drama than a thriller. It’s not fast paced but held my attention thoroughly. Some of the twists were fairly predictable but that didn’t ruin the story for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

**Thank you NetGalley for this Advanced Reader’s Copy ebook!**

Let me start by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this novel in multiple ways. I loved the format of letter writing interspersed with the leading character’s own points of view; it kept the pace going and personally provided me with an enjoyable experience.

I found myself flying through this book, only stopping for the inconveniences that life brings (work, food, people). There are twists, turns, and enough mystery and intrigue to keep one engrossed. I definitely recommend The Heiress for a quick enthralling read!

FINALLY!! I’ve been a fan of Rachel Hawkins from the minute I picked up #TheWifeUpstairs. However, for me her next two books #RecklessGirls and #TheVilla fell flat. But #TheHeiress…Oh. My. Gosh. Mystery, anticipation, twisty twists, and evil family members, I DEVOURED this book. I absolutely cannot wait for the audio version to be released because I want to hear the characters voices as they unravel this story. A great read and one that will keep #RachelHawkins at the top of my automatic pre-order list. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins press for this Advanced Review Copy. I loved every page!