This was a great, slow-build mystery. I enjoyed the morally gray characters and how almost no one was as they seemed. Another great story by Rachel Hawkins.

Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. Rachel Hawkins never disappoints.. the scene was said, and the prodigal son had to return back to his mothers estate to settle the past. Just when you think you knew what was happening in this book, another twist would occur and you had to reconsider what you thought was happening and who the villain was.. Ruby McTavish was a woman with many lives. Pay close attention, or you might get wrapped up in one of them..

Loved The Heiress. Kept me intrigued, a little confused and hooked.
I enjoyed the way the book alternated between a letter by Ruby being written/read and the current events.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this one!

This was such a page-turner for me! I could not put it down. Every twist and turn, big or small, was a delight. The characters are so well- drawn, I felt like I knew them (not that I would want to know most of them IRL). I loved every revelation. This is the perfect book to curl up with for an afternoon or two.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book.

4.5/5 Rachel Hawkins has done it again with a truly remarkable story. The twists and turns kept me reading and the final twist made me actually gasp out loud.

When North Carolinian heiress, Ruby McTavish, dies, she leaves her entire wealth to her adoptive son, Camden (who wants nothing to do with it). Before her death, Ruby wrote a series of letters explaining her childhood (famous Baby Ruby who was kidnapped at 3 years old) and continues to describe her marriages (and mysterious deaths) to her 4 husbands. These letters are entwined with povs from Camden and his wife, Jules. Camden and Jules are ‘summoned’ back to North Carolina to the house where he grew up. The toxic family environment quickly makes it very clear why Camden left in the first place.

Hawkins has a way of creating a slow burn while keeping the reader so engaged where putting the book down impossible. This along with the short chapters made this book a very quick read!

A huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. Hawkins has quickly become one of my favorite authors.

Whew, I just finished this thriller, and I have to admit that I’m sad it’s over! This book sucked me in, and I couldn’t put it down. I finished it in two days which is rare for me with two little ones at home.

The author did a great job of keeping the story moving but also letting you get to know the characters pretty well. I frequently find an author either tells a riveting story or has great character development, but rarely has both (especially in a book under 500 pages.) This made for a gripping and satisfying story that I truly loved! I felt the story was well done in the way it was written from a couple POVs as well as letters/articles which gave the reader a very well-rounded story. Often books written this way can become confusing and convoluted, but Hawkins kept things very clean and easy to follow.

This is my first book by Hawkins, but I will definitely be checking out her other work based on this book. And a huge thank you to NetGalley and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to recommending this book to friends when it is published and available to purchase! Great job!

I enjoyed this book, the multiple timelines tied in seamlessly. I would say that this is more of a mystery book, took its time but the build up was great. Highly recommend

Another fun, twisty read from Rachel Hawkins. The story was definitely entertaining and kept me wanting to find out what was going to happen. I read a lot of thrillers, so I DID see the twist coming. Definitely did not make it any less enjoyable. Definitely recommend picking up when it publishes next January!

Thanks you NetGalley and St Martin’s press for the ARC of this book.

My favorite of this author’s work by far! I couldn’t put it down and read it cover to cover in one afternoon. Highly recommend.

This was a MASTERPIECE: I was completely invested and drawn in by the main characters in this most excellent novel.

RUBY, RUBY, RUBY! What a crackpot! I won't say too much because you truly have to go into this one blind, but she is unrepentantly focused on getting exactly what she wants out of life - and KEEPING IT!
Utterly ruthless - but charming with it.

CAMDEN, Ruby's adopted son, turned his back on all that Ruby could give him. He wanted to be that impossible thing in this materialistic world: a good, decent man. All that money and power had made selfish, abusive monsters of the remaining McTavish family - each of them working to undermine and cut each other out in the race to the honeypot that was the McTavish family inheritance.

JULES, Camden's zany, irrepressible wife was the real treasure in this story. I laughed so many times at her witty retorts to the McTavish family's sly barbs: I was rooting for her, even if you did suspect that she wasn't at all what she seemed to be...... that she, too, had SECRETS!

Well, in the end, didn't they all?

So many secrets! So many ruthless decisions and unforgivable betrayals down the years that have made Jules and Camden the people they are today. Was it Nature or Nurture? Hmmm...

As I made my way through this highly entertaining thriller, all kinds of possible scenarios teased the edge of my brain. The story is told from several points of view - which was so skillfully done that I began to look forward to the switch-overs: it was like watching a ping pong match! Just when you thought the game was over, another character stepped in with a shocking twist and lobbed the ball back into play!

Highly recommended: I was truly entertained and I miss Camden and Jules so much! I hope that the audiobook comes out soon so that I can revisit this crazy couple!

Five out of 5 glowing stars for this great read: my appreciative thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel (due out in January of 2024) in exchange for an honest review.
Well done!!!

My first of many books by Rachel Hawkins. I can’t wait to read her others!
So many twists and turns in this book. Some you picked up on right away and others you didn’t see coming!
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book for my honest review.

dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5 stars

A few weeks ago I was at a writing retreat at a gorgeous estate in the mountains. I commented near the end of the week that I could understand how someone could forget that there are people struggling in the world if they experienced this kind of environment most of their life.

As I sat and devoured this newest novel by Rachel Hawkins (the first I’ve read by her), that is exactly what the McTavish family lives out at Ashby House, “A haunted house where the ghosts hadn’t had the courtesy to die yet.”

What a self centered, pathological, vicious family! And I could not stop turning page after page to untangle the lies and deceit (some I figured out sooner than others). This is a crazy family drama told from different perspectives including newspapers & tabloids, confessional letters from the now deceased family matriarch, and Jules and Cam who are determining their future with the house they have inherited in spite of other family members who seem like they will stop at nothing to claim this ancestral home. It’s hard to go into any detail without spoiling the ride, but if you’re looking for a good vacation read, I suggest picking up The Heiress. I read most if in a day at the beach.

While not the kind of book I usually care for, I loved the writing style so much and Hawkins can spin quite a tale. I could definitely see this made into a limited tv series.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

Cam and his wife Jules are returning to his childhood home after the passing of his adoptive mother, Ruby. Cam’s memories of Ashby House are anything but pleasant, and he has worked hard to separate himself from the family and the estate that he grew up in. He has to return to the house and is confronted with the truth of who Ruby was and what she did. Not only was she kidnapped as a child and returned a year later, but she herself is suspected of wrongdoing. Mysteries and accusations surround Ruby after the deaths of her four husbands, and no one at Ashby House can be trusted.

I have read and enjoyed all of Rachel Hawkins’s books, but this one is by far my favorite! I loved the epistolary style of this book, and how the reader learns the truth about Ruby from Ruby herself. There are so many interwoven mysteries within a single family and no character can be trusted. This is a fast paced, twisty ride that will leave you breathless until the final pages. This book gives Murdaugh family vibes with the money and power and ability to get away with murder. I loved how the book was filled with shades of gray in terms of what defines right and wrong. The final chapters are full of twists and revelations that made my jaw drop. This was a refreshingly unique thriller, not a plot that I feel like I’ve read before. I’d highly recommend to any thriller reader- I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

Thank you to Rachel Hawkins and St. Martin’s Press for sending me an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

4.5⭐️

Ruby McTavish’s life was rife with intrigue and scandal. She went missing for several months as a three-year-old only to be found and returned to her wealthy parents unharmed. She grew up and married four times only to be widowed four times. Was she unlucky or was there something more sinister going on? After the loss of her last husband she decided not to marry again but adopts a little boy named Cam who, much to chagrin and indignation of her sister, nephew, and great-niece and great nephew, she decides to name as her sole heir. After her death, much to everyone’s surprise, Cam leaves the ancestral home and the money and strikes out on his own, cutting himself off from the fortune and his family. When his cousin reaches out to try to mend fences more than a decade later, Cam and his wife Jules head across the country to the McTavish estate, Ashby House. There, secrets are revealed and deceptions are brought to light.

I loved the multiple viewpoint storytelling in this book. I like how everyone thought they were so clever for unveiling each others’ secrets that they couldn’t possibly think anyone would discover their own.

Rachel Hawkins leads you through her story at her own pace and leaves enough breadcrumbs for her twists and turns to make sense without making them glaringly obvious.

Even though I didn’t actually like any of the characters, I couldn’t help but be impressed by their cunning.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair review. This review will appear on goodreads and opinions expressed are my own.
I have read four (or is it five?) Rachel Hawkins books now. I’ll be honest, I refer to them as beginner thrillers, because I am usually handing them to patrons who are looking for a thriller/mystery that isn’t gory or full of gratuitous language or triggers. That doesn’t mean they are less-than, but it’s a good way to describe the style of writing.
These books are page turners with twists and turns that keep the readers interested -with a propelling story that provides another bread crumb in the woods…making you go further.
These are my speed for sure. This is another quick read that you can figure out a tiny bit of what the ending might reveal but the fun is seeing how it all unfolds.I can’t really explain without giving spoilers, but I’ll say I read this in just a couple sittings as I always do with Hawkins, and will surely hand this one over to my patrons looking for this genre. They make great summer reads in my opinion.
4*

I love Rachel Hawkins’ books - this was a great read and kept me interested throughout - plenty of dark and twisty twists and turns; many of which I didn’t see coming which I always appreciate! Also was a quick read for me - something I constantly wanted to pick up and continue reading.

The Heiress has a bunch of twists that I didn’t see coming! What would you do if you were from a wealthy family that has all kinds of secrets? Walk away and not use any of the money? Or use it and not care where the money came from? I really enjoyed watching the whole story unfold!

I've only read one other book by this author, which I really liked. This book was ill defined. It began with a gothic vibe and gradually fell into a dysfunctional family drama.

There were times when I couldn't keel track of some of the female characters.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the chance to read this ARC. This is my honest review.

First off, how dare you write such a juicy mystery/thriller? How dare you? I started this book on the 4th of July, late at night when I realized I would not get any sleep from all the fireworks going off. I finished it yesterday, which is fast for me.
I loved the family drama and the setting of North Carolina mountains. I thought the comparisons to the Biltmore and that family were sensible. I loved how you would give reminders of the time period by linking Ruby to the president and other notable figures without it feeling like you were hand-holding the readers.
One gripe I have is that I did get confused at times when it came to the female characters, especially when the Darnell family was introduced. There were a lot of female names and people mentioned. The details about the setting and time period are superb.
Camden's reveal was hinted at early on so I was not all that surprised by the ending. Jules reveal was a little more shocking. However, Ben mentioned to Jules something about her doing what she was supposed to do, that I think never got answered. I thought there was a connection between those two (maybe I missed it) but it seemed like it never was followed up on.
I like the structure of the chapters. I can't believe I never asked myself who was reading the letters but I assumed they were there for the reader, who knew. The points of view are great. I was always looking forward to getting back to Ruby's letters.
Right when I was starting to ask why would Camden kill Ruby if she was so loving to him, you answered that question. So, the killing makes sense. I also knew something was up, early on when he would refer to her as Ruby and he alluded to there being foul play with her death.
I liked the ending but I can see some readers feeling like there were too many reveals and too many twists. It kind of felt like you were trying too hard--just a little.

Some edits/typos I noticed
p. 57 3rd paragraph should be, "Duke's voice was as low as mine now,"
the word "balm" was used numerous times (in my opinion because it sounds odd to me--in this context).
p. 190 towards the bottom of page, should say, "when I realized Jules is tugging at me, her feet planted."
p. 200 midway through the page, should say, "I didn't know what to say to that."
p. 218 1st paragraph should say, "Money, which you say you don't care about, but also freedom."
p. 219 towards the middle of page, this is a confusing sentence: "I don't even think, I don't let himself think."
p. 223 The word "Timbuktu" was used multiple times. I don't think this reference matches this group of people: White, educated, cultured, aristocrats. Of course that is my opinion though.

Great writing
p. 53 3rd paragraph really sets the tone and remind the reader the kind of woman Ruby is

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and if you have any extra copies lying around, please please think of me.

Here is my confession…

Rachel Hawkins is usually a hit or miss with me. I thought “Reckless Girls” was an excellent thriller. It lived up to its narrative. “The Villa” was less than entertaining, and the “Wife Upstairs,” albeit a solid story, one could see the twists coming from a mile away, or I could, but keep in mind , Thrillers, are my genre and I read an average of 4 a week.

So, I was excited to be offered an opportunity to read “The Heiress.” Truthfully, I’m not sure where this falls. It’s a gothic thriller, maybe. I’m not sure I’d describe it as a thriller? Personal opinion. It’s more or less about family drama and their secrets, and how all of those secrets come to the forefront. I just didn’t feel any thriller aspect. Then again, the twists were obvious, for me, and the ending, sadly, way too abrupt.

On a positive note, Ruby, is an incredible character; A strong, independent and somewhat devious individual. Camden, actually, a really nice guy and his wife Jules. Now Jules, she’s got secrets and she is no wallflower and her dialogue had me laughing out loud in spots.

There is no suspense really, but a whole Pandora’s box of secrets. The story is told through letters from the past, and Cam and Jules POV. In this case multiple POV’s keep the story moving and the reader is engaged.

In my opinion, the story could have been told just from Ruby’s POV as she was a strong and pretty cool character. Rachel Hawkins, is a really good writer, her books are fun, sometimes edgy, sometimes really predictable but overall an author who holds my attention, and I will continue to seek her novels out.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.