Rachel Hawkins is popular in our libraries and this one brings her signature style with a new, twisty plot that will definitely catch our readers. Will definitely go over well.

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

Rachel Hawkins does it again with this twisty family drama/thriller. Camden and Jules are summoned home to unravel a family inheritance left by his mysterious mother, Ruby McTavish. Ruby has a dark past, having been widowed four times under mysterious circumstances and survived a kidnapping as a child. Everything comes to light as the past and present are given alternating chapters. Really enjoyed this one. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love Rachel Hawkin’s books and this one was no exception. It was hard to put down and really sucks you into the drama of Ashby house. So many twists towards the end to keep you guessing. I really enjoyed the three different perspectives of Ruby, Jules, and Camden. Also, the other family members of Ashby house make for good drama. The author does a great job of describing the feel of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The mystery and intrigue of Ruby’s disappearance as a child was so juicy and really was a unique twist to the book. I would definitely recommend this book if you like this author and like thrillers/mystery.

Thanks Netgalley and St.Martin’s Press for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

While I usually am not a huge fan of Rachel Hawkins books, I keep giving the new ones a try.
I am so glad I did. This was by far my favorite of hers.
The characters share their perspectives and pulls you into their world. This book is full of secrets and lies and you will love every minute of it.

Thank you netgalley for this arc. I truly enjoyed it. The only reason I knocked it down to 4 stars is because it read more like a drama instead of thriller.

There's something so appealing reading a book that uncovers family secrets; it makes us wonder what was it that causes people become so sinister.

Hawkins drew me in from the getg0 and left me wondering what twists and turns I'd be lead through as I continued reading. She has a knack for including the specific detail that helps you to really picture a character's action and personality. I loved multiple perspectives the reader was given as well as the epistolary style of this novel.

I found this to be the perfect thriller - not gruesome, overly sexual or extreme in any way.

Surprisingly, this was my first novel by Rachel Hawkins, and the premise of The Heiress was intriguing enough to me that I kept returning to unravel this dark family drama with secrets and mystery surrounding it.

The multiple perspectives told in first person moved the story along, yet it could have been better if there had been more distinction in voice/writing style between the two main protagonists-- I really wanted more from Cam and Jules while they're at Ashby House with Cam's family. Additionally, I did like the use of different formats for the reader to unravel the mystery and intrigue that was Ruby McTavish - even though Ruby had been dead before the story started, we still come to understand her motives through letters as well as additional magazine and newspaper articles.

The setting of Ashby House was very atmospheric, and The Heiress could have been elevated if the house was capitalized on more -- the house has as much personality, intrigue, and secrets as all the characters involved.

The plot also left something to be desired. Even though I haven't read any of Rachel Hawkins's other works, I've heard enough to know that she usually packs a story full of intrigue and twists. Unfortunately, for me, this just didn't match up to what I expected. It felt a bit forced and unfinished -- especially with that ending, but that may be me as a reader wanting a bigger reveal and resolution, especially in a suspense/thriller.

Overall, I enjoyed it, but this is not going to be a favorite that I'm revisiting or raving about. It's a quick, easy read - perfect for a weekend getaway or a summer break.

** 4.5 stars. Rounded up to 5 stars, because Goodreads don’t believe in fractions. **

What a surprise. Rachel Hawkins managed to charm me with "The Heiress" when I did not expected it. I liked Reckless Girls but did not love it. So, I approached "The Heiress" with a sprinkle of skepticism and a dash of hesitation, expecting a wild thriller but ending up with something entirely different.

Lo and behold, what I got was a slow-burn, jaw-dropping, rich-people-being-awful kind of suspenseful family drama. Yes, you heard me right. Very rich people, doing what they do best—being terrible human beings. But surprisingly, it worked. It really, really worked. If you are expecting a thriller, well change your expectations!
The three POVs and those short chapters, oh my ADHD loved that! Camden, Jules, and Ruby (through her cunningly crafted letters) took me on a whirlwind journey through their twisted lives. Each character had a unique voice, with their own quirks and secrets that unfolded like a tantalizing onion. "Just one more chapter," until the wee hours of the morning.

If you're in the mood for a downright scandalous tale of rich people behaving badly, "The Heiress" is the book for you. Just remember to clear your calendar because you might read the book in one sitting.
*Note: This review was written based on an advanced copy of "The Heiress" provided by the Saint Martin’s Press and Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

" A haunted house where the ghosts hadn't had the courtesy to die yet"

Ruby McTavish was kidnapped as a child and returned to her family months later. She has also been a widow four times over. When Ruby died, she passed her estate to her only son, Camden, who was adopted. Despite all the wealth, the manor, the clout that comes with living in Tavistock, Camden flees to the West Coast and lives a quiet life with his wife Jules, who he meets there.
A decade later, Camden's uncle dies and he is called back to the manor to deal with the manor. Jules, who secretly digitally followed Camden's family for years is excited, and wants Camden to reclaim everything left to him. However as more secrets keep crawling out of the woodwork, Cam and Jules will have to decide if the cost is too high.

I loved this book. It is faced paced and exciting. The book is told with multiple narrators to give perspective, interspersed with old letters of Ruby's. The heart of this book is really "what makes a family". There are so many secrets and layers to the characters that the reader is made aware of, but the characters don't know about each other that add to the tension. Hawkins did a phenomenal job here and I definitely recommend this. Though classified as a "psychological thriller" I would consider it more suspenseful fiction, meaning that those who don't generally like to be scared would still enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advance copy of this book.

"we can never discount that most dangerous of animals, our fellow man"

Rachel Hawkins does it again! She expertly captures the beauty of the Blue Ridge mountains and enthralls readers with the mystery of Cam and Jules. Will be purchasing a hard copy!

Normally I love Rachel Hawkins books but this one fell a bit flat for me. thanks netgalley & the publisher for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

This was probably my favorite of Rachel Hawkins' books thus far. There were twists I did NOT see coming and the plot was well-thought out. It's usually harder for me when the narrator's viewpoint changes from past to present and from character to character but this book flowed fairly seamlessly from chapter to chapter. I was never lost and was able to easily keep track of who was important in the story and why.

Aaaaaaah!!!!! Just finished The Heiress! Loved all the twists and turns. Although there are many surprises in store, you are not actually super surprised the way things unfold because this book is all about taking things to a new level. There are so many clues dropped like breadcrumbs, so the possibilities are endless and not implausible. It's all about family history and secrets, past and present. This was just a good, fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you NetGalley for an early copy of The Heiress in exchange for an honest review.
I would consider this more of a family drama than a thriller, which I was happy about, as that's more my style. The beginning of this story moved quite slowly, but if you can hang on, it gets more interesting. I give this 3.5 stars, rounded up.

I LOVE Rachel Hawkins books. She has created a beautiful mystery surrounding a family that have come together because a matriarch has passed away. Most importantly her adopted son who had moved across the country to get away from his family. There are so many twists and turns, red herrings galore that I ended up reading this book on one very long sitting. The things that money does to families.

Hawkins has done it again and crafted a beautiful mystery surrounding some pretty messed up people. I devoured this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

I was immediately pulled into Ruby’s rich lifestyle. She’s married the wealthiest, but did not rely on these men for their money. She is such a #girlboss! She adopts Camden when she was older and had given him a life full of luxury. Or so she thought…Sometimes what you think is the best for someone, it is not the case. Camden grows up to inherit everything, but was all his suffering worth it? The twists and turns in this book kept me wanting to know the truth!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the copy of The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins. I wasn’t sure what to expect because every Hawkins book I have read has been completely different. I was drawn in right away because I loved the writing. The characters were interesting, but not very likable or very sympathetic, so that was a little tough. The story was addictive and full of reveals and twists so if you love twists, this book is perfect for you.

I recently read The Villa by Hawkins which I really enjoyed. This novel was not quite as good. It tells the tale of a wealthy women and her family but it never really feels complete. It is told in various ways, different characters, letters, newspaper and magazine articles. It felt as though none of the characters were every really developed, just a little bit here and there. There was some tension but the pacing felt slow.

What was so bad in the McTavish Ashby house to make Camden walk away from wealth and leave a substantial inheritance basically untouched?!?!

Ruby McTavish disappeared as a young girl and was found months later but went on to lead the family and control their home and wealth. Ruby adopted Camden and many in the family are angry that he, who wasn't a McTavish by blood, inherited all the wealth and home upon her death. And, Cam was present when Ruby died, can he be held accountable?

Many years after Ruby's death, Camden gets notice that he's needed at Ashby house to assist with repairs and his wife, Jules, convinces him to return. Jules has dreams of being the new "lady" of the esteemed Ashby house but she carries secrets of her own! Does she know more about Cam's family and wealth than she has let on?

The McTavish's have always gotten what they wanted no matter the cost and Cam and Jules quickly realize that little has changed with the remaining McTavish family and their manipulative ways! Can they escape before it's too late? What secrets will be exposed in the story of The Heiress??

The Heiress is told from the point of view of Jules, Camden, and through letters from Ruby. Hawkins does a good job of quickly building a suspenseful story by giving indications toward secrets that each family member is hiding! I can't say that I was overly surprised by each reveal but it was still, overall, an interesting, engaging story. A good summer thriller!

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin's Press for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The evil Ms Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore does lives on after her, leaving it for her adopted son to sort out as much as he doesn’t want to.