What a page turner - even though this wasn’t necessarily a thriller, but more about family drama. I don’t want to give away the plot, but this one had me on the edge of my seat, wanting to read “just one more chapter…” filled with twists, mysteries, and family secrets that make you want to keep on reading. I wish this had been more of a thriller, also could’ve done without the swearing, but overall I enjoyed it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this book. This is my favorite book out of Rachel Hawkins books. The plot and twists in this book were really good.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this boom.

my first netgalley review!! i really enjoyed this book. ruby reminded me of a murderous evelyn hugo when it came to her husbands. usually, you expect a thriller to have one major twist. hawkins brilliantly incorporated several. there was the perfect amount of humor and romance as well! my only (very small) critique is i had a hard time picturing jules for a large portion of the story until she was described as having blonde hair, big eyes, etc. in the middle of the book. other than that the imagery, especially with nature and the grandness of the house, was outstanding. the cover is absolutely gorgeous as well. overall i’m giving it a 4/5. this is the first rachel hawkins book i’ve read, and i am ready to dive into more! thank you to st. martin’s press for giving me a chance to review this!

This book, what can I say? I devoured this book in two sittings. It had me wanting more each chapter I read. This story is filled with deception, secrets, greed, and murder. Everything you could want from a psychological thriller. Every single character has something to hide. When Jules and Camden return to the Ashby house in North Carolina, secrets began to unravel, and I felt like I couldn’t trust any of the characters. The twists were unexpected and the lies intertwined. The ending had me a little confused but overall a great book. Highly recommend.

Rachel Hawkins is a new author for me. I love her writing style. Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this novel. I was not disappointed.

Wow! This was good! I‘ve been in a bit of a reading slump and this one did the trick! It reminded me a little bit of „The 7 husbands of Evelyn Hugo“ mixed with the house of „The Inheritance Games“ and the secrets of a solid mystery novel. I loved the characters, so likable, yet deeply flawed.

Ruby McTavish is this rich, notorious and might have killed all 4 of her husbands. Once she dies, she leaves it all behind to her adopted son Cam, who does not want the money or contact to the remainder of the family. 10 years later after the death of his uncle, Cam and his wife Jules make their way back home. The story follows Cam and Jules, but letters of Ruby sharing her side of the story are included and make this story more compelling and juicy. Secrets of the now and then are revealed and of course, nobody is as innocent as they seem. I loved the characters, so likable, yet deeply flawed. Ruby was such an interesting character. The intrigue of being the heiress with the back drop of Ashby house was just *chefs kiss*. Highly recommend!

Big thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin‘s press for the advanced readers copy!

I have read all Of Rachel Hawkins previous books and have enjoyed it. I really wanted to love this one but it was a little bit confusing to me and I felt no connection to the characters.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

Pub day: January 9, 2024

This is my 3rd book of Rachel Hawkins. I read Reckless girls and The villa. I enjoyed both books. They were in Epic setting. But I felt both books needed stronger ending. This book was different from previous two books I read.

I loved different POVs and reading about Ruby’s love story. It gave me a vibe of seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo little bit. But with suspense and little twist at the end!!!

Thank you netgalley and St. Martin’s press for the ARC. If you like historic fiction and suspense, I highly recommend this book.

3.5 rounded up. This book took me a little while to get into, but once I did, it was a fast and fun read. Let's get something straight - every character is hiding secrets and every character is kind of terrible. BUT, if you love rich people behaving badly sub-genre, then you'll love this book from Rachel Hawkins. It is like if Rebecca by Daphne DuMarnier and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo had a baby in the twenty-first century.

Things I liked: The family ancestral home - Ashby House - in rural North Carolina was itself a character. Some of the descriptions were a bit heavy-handed, but the house definitely came alive and played an important part.
Like I said - everyone has secrets (or thinks they have secrets) and it takes a while for these to be revealed. But the multiple POVs (more on that in a minute) helped to keep the story moving. Ruby's POVs were my favorite.
I sort of guessed the ending - at least part of it. But not all of it, which usually doesn't happen in a thriller (for me).

Things to Consider: There are MANY POVs. Most of which are in first person - Jules, Camden, Ruby. On top of that there are also emails in first person and newspaper/blog articles - some of which are in first person. I got used to the format (it sort of follows a pattern), but on an ereader it was a little hard to decipher at first. I'm curious to see what the physical copy looks like. Camden and especially Jules break the fourth wall and talk directly to the reader, again channeling the gothic vibes of yore. I didn't love this, but it was consistent and worked pretty well.
The climax was basically told in flashback during the epilogue which took me out of the scene a little bit (although I understand she wanted to keep it another mystery for longer). The last two lines were a bit unnecessary and pedantic in my opinion, but others might like them. They do bring up some good ethical questions.

Overall I really like this book!

I guess I'm in residence on Outliers' Island. Let me lean in here.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is built with all the bells and whistles. We have mysterious characters with questionable backgrounds and secrets locked away in musty old trunks. We receive the loose wires of shock every now and then to float this storyline. But, dear readers, is it enough?

We find ourselves in Tavistock, North Carolina nestled within the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's 1943 and a three year old girl is missing at the site of a family picnic. Ruby McTavish was last seen by her nanny sitting on the picnic blanket as the nanny was loading the car. Ruby McTavish vanished into thin air.

Now Ruby's daddy wasn't just anybody's daddy. Mason McTavish was a highly successful lumber baron. He hired the finest of private detectives and three years later Ruby was found living with a family not far away. She was kidnapped and that daddy went to jail until he tried to escape......

Ruby went on to become a society darling and wed 4 times. Each husband had an untimely death. Ruby never put away her widow wardrobe.. But she eventually adopted a young boy to fill her emptiness. This is where we meet Camden.

Camden and his wife, Jules, live in Golden, Colorado. Camden never fully told Jules of his early beginnings......until now. Cam walked away from a 9 figure fortune as the sole heir of Ruby's treasure. But now Cam is forced back to Ashby House and its miles of acreage after ten years in order to settle the unsettled. He dreads walking back into this hell hole once again.

And here's where we shake out the dust bunnies from under the beds of the manor. Hawkins has created the most despicable creatures on two legs disguised as humans. Yes, this is the McTavish Clan. And they reside within the walls of Ashby House demanding their fair share. Cam, why oh why, would you want to crawl back into this snakepit?

The setup is told in revolving chapters by Cam, Jules, and Ruby so we get different perspectives. Ruby tells her side through lengthy letters to Cam before her death. Ruby aims to be shocking and she is. But we're floating in this thick soup of people who are only self-serving and hate-filled. That becomes bothersome after a time.

I usually rate a book after the dust settles from the last page. What was I left with? Quite a bit of indifference. I honestly wasn't cheering for anybody in this band of McTavish inmates. Rachel Hawkins can write. It could have been a solid 4 Stars, but the McTavish crew needed an extra rinse cycle. It's still a good read at 3 Stars. I recommend you walk through the halls of Ashby House and flip on the lights.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to
Rachel Hawkins for the opportunity.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an arc!

The Heiress is the story of The McTavishes, specifically Camden & Ruby McTavish. Ruby is the McTavish matriarch who is known in the area for having been kidnapped as a child and miraculously returning back home. That wasn't all though as all of her husbands passed away to various accidents and incidents. Camden has not been back to the estate in 10 years - and is called to come home. Camden has to unravel his own history with Ashby House as well as the motivations of her relatives who so desperately want every penny of of the McTavish estate.

We are able to learn about Ruby through letters and learn about Camden and Jules through their point of views. Hawkins did an excellent job of writing a book I didn't want to put down. It was such a good time trying to figure out what would happen next.

Camden was adopted as a young boy by an extremely wealthy lady named Ruby McTavish. Ruby has quite the history that included being kidnapped from her families woods at just three years old plus four marriages….and four dead husbands. Camden is the heir to everything and after ten years of being estranged from family him & his wife Jules return to Ashby house to settle the estates…..and LOTS of drama ensues. Full of twists and turns until the end! Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I loved the dual timelines of this book and the perspective of multiple characters. Definitely my favorite Rachel Hawkins book..............................................................................................................................................................................

What a great thriller! Family drama, secrets, and lies. Love the multiple POVs, past and present timelines. Just when you think you have it all figured out, wrong! Surprises around every corner! Definitely another hit for Rachel Hawkins!!

Ruby McTarvish is one of North Carolina's most notorious women. She was abducted and returned as a toddler, an heiress to a multi-million dollar estate, and a widow four times over. Upon her death, her family is shocked and angered to learn she's left everything to her adult adopted son Camden who wants absolutely nothing to do with the money or the infamous estate, Ashby House, where the McTarvish family had resided for 300 years. Camden's new wife Jules convinces him to go back to Ashby House to tie up some loose ends and instead find all the past dark secrets get unraveled.

So far I've yet to read a Rachel Hawkins book that I didn't LOVE. This story was so multi-dimensional and multi-layered but very well crafted. She seamlessly connected multiple events and viewpoints through use of emails, letters, newspaper articles in addition to current day storytelling. I never felt confused like I often can when there's this much disjoint to the plot as the book progressed. Although I never found any of the characters particularly likeable, I also didn't dislike them either. Overall the book and it's characters were soun out in such a way that the reader can't help but be both intrigued and curious. I was hooked from page 1! Rachel Hawkins continues to deliver unique and well crafted thrillers!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest review. It's a gem!

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is a quick and addictive read! There are so many twists, turns, and secrets that it was hard to put down. I absolutely had to know what happened. The story goes back and forth between Ruby’s letters, which detail her past, and the present with her adopted son, Camden and his wife Jules as they return to his childhood home.

I do love Rachel Hawkins novels, but this one wasn’t my favorite. At times, Ruby’s letters and the newspaper clippings felt repetitive, and I did figure out the ending before I got to it. But, that being said, it’s still a great read and a solid 4 stars from me!

The Heiress ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A mysterious, gothic, southern family drama.

Ohhh this one was good! I might be a little biased because it was set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC but this story line was so interesting. It was fast paced and with short chapters. Told in the point of view of Jules and Camden, with letters left by Ruby, also magazine and new articles. Easy to read but keeps your mind wanting to piece information together to see if you can figure it out by the end.

It all started when Ruby went missing, at 3 yr olds, in her backyard of the Blue Ridge Mountains in 1943. The little girl of the famous McTavish’s lost. Thankfully, she is found months later, in a different state, but is safe. Brought back home to where she grows up in the Ashby House learning her roll as a McTavish. Becoming the richest woman in North Carolina and a widow four times over, when she passes, she leaves her inheritance to her adopted son, Camden.

Ten years later, Camden and his wife, Jules, return back to the Ashby House to deal with some family issues after his Uncle’s death. This is when all the secrets that money is so good at hiding comes to light. Is Ruby who she thought she was? Is Camden? What about his wife, Jules? Only time will tell what all unfolds under the roof of the Ashby House.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced readers copy. I enjoy this book and this is my voluntary, honest opinion.

Will be working on a more refined review to post on social medial - but overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to a friend!

I love how Hawkins can make creepy houses come to life. She did it in The Villa as well Even though not the primary focus here, the house really set the scene with its portraits and lavish mansion feel.. I didn’t except many of the twists and was interested to continue to read Ruby’s letters to hear about her rather interesting past and her truth.


Recommend to those who enjoy:
- Unreliable narrators
- Secrets
- Multiple POV
- Short Chapters

This story was absolutely brilliant. Rachel Hawkins has created such an incredible story that weaves secrets and twists and heart pounding moments. It will have you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what is going on!!
Ruby McTavish aka “Lady Kill-more makes the whole story, she is successful, unstable, and you know she has authority. She has wielded such a powerful reputation that everyone does exactly what she wants. And believe me she knows EXACTLY what she wants.
The story covers Ruby, Camden (Ruby’s adopted son) and Jules (Camden’s unpredictable wife) as you plummet into Ashby house and encounter all its inhabitants you will have so many WTF moments that will leave you reeling.
This was a truly unpredictable story that I couldn’t read fast enough. Expect to find yourself staying up all night turning pages as quickly as you can.

Read an eArc courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher
My rating: 5/5 Stars
Pub Date: 19 January 2024

5 stars! Such a fun time! I loved reading it and devoured it in a day!

What happens when you throw character types that could have been taken from a Samantha Downing novel into a Kate Morton-esque story? This book! Subtle dark humour, in a slow and calm story all about dramatic family secrets and the good - or maybe bad - they leave in their wake!

This book is told through the two main POVs of Jules and Cam, in the present day. But the reader also gets to experience the events of the past through letters, with some emails and newspaper articles also sprinkled in.

I adored the writing style in all the different parts, but it stood out especially in the letters written by the book’s titular heiress. Ruby McTavish might not be a “good” person, but she’s an amazing and most definitely memorable character! I also immediately fell in love with Jules and Cam's relationship and was so intrigued (and worried!) to find out what secrets they might be keeping from each other. Shipping couples in thrillers is exhausting!

Overall, I had the absolute best time with this and was completely invested in the story from the first chapter! But, if you need your thrillers to be fast, full of action, with plenty of twists and turns throughout all of it and featuring protagonists that are actively searching for the truth, then this might not be the book for you! There are plenty of reveals, but this is a slower book, which is at times comparable to the type of dual timeline narrative often found in Historical Fiction.

I am absolutely elated that I was given the opportunity to read The Heiress because I adore Rachel Hawkin’s writing. I was expecting twists throughout but I still did not see any of these coming and was left with my jaw on the floor several times. When I first started reading this book I was a little confused because the timelines are different and not only are there multiple POV’s, there are also letters from Ruby, as well as newspaper articles. Although it took me some time to find my bearings, so to speak, it came together beautifully in the end and worked so well. I loved the character development and thought it was done so well, especially Ruby. I loved the plot twists surrounding Ruby as well as Jules. I could not get enough of Jules and her theory in the end about Ruby and the kidnapping. This may be one of the very rare books that I will re-read.