4/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. Not my favorite Rachel Hawkins book, but still worth the read. I would say this is a slow burn read. Ruby passes away and leaves her estate to her son, who is quickly reminded why he moved away. I would say the first half was slow, and then halfway through is when it picked up.

Another home run from the divine Rachel Hawkins. She’s created the perfect villain we love with Ruby McTavish, the wealthy heiress who mysteriously lost four husbands before adopting a son and leaving her entire fortune to him. Wow, this story has it all: suspense, murder, backstabbing and blackmail, and every other thrilling trope that will have you unable to put it down. I loved the twists and turns, the writing style with various POVs, and the characters.

It’s safe to say that if Rachel writes it, I’m going to read it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I'm torn on this one. On one hand I flew through it and couldn't put it down. On the other hand, I feel like not a lot happened. The letters written by the deceased head of the family felt a lot like Evelyn Hugo to me, which distracted me from the story. It wasn't really a mystery or suspense novel, but there's a heavy tone full of family drama, in a Gothic mansion setting.

If you enjoy complicated family dramas, unlikeable characters, and an atmospheric setting involving an old mansion, then you will love Rachel Hawkins new novel, the Heiress. The story centers around the death of the matriarch, Ruby McTavish, and the scandals that ensue in regards to her inheritance. There are alternating points of view, including Ruby’s backstory told through a series of letters she has left behind. This book gave me some similar vibes to Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, so if you enjoyed that, you might like this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rachel Hawkins has done it again. I devoured this book in one day – literally couldn’t put it down. The Heiress delivers a crazy cast of characters – none of them who they seem, a creepy old mansion with a past and truckloads of old money at stake. What’s not to love?

Much like her previous novel, “The Villa”, this story is told by two different narrators in addition to news articles, interviews, and letters. Once again, Hawkins weaves all of these elements together seamlessly in a way that makes it so much more interesting than just one POV.

I loved that as soon as I thought I knew where things were headed, they veered in a totally different direction toward an ending that didn't tie things up with a bow. A+!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Such a different story than what I was expecting! With Rachel Hawkins I was expecting much more of a thriller than this family drama, but it was a really interesting read. It is a slow burn, but even with that I read the whole thing in a day. Frankly, the entire family is unlikeable, but you do build up some respect and awe for Ruby as things are revealed. The last 25% really turned the whole story around, many twists and reveals as you near conclusion. You can never go wrong with Rachel Hawkins, always a good time and a good read!

Thanks so much to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the early release to read, I'm a little sad I'll have to wait awhile for another book as this one doesn't come out until next year!

Rachel Hawkins always writes amazing books, and this was one of them! I was captivated from the beginning and devoured it in one sitting.

This book was mysterious at first. I was taken back at the characters and the plot line Wondering how it would all shake out and what could possibly be the drive for this book but It was curious how the web of chaos all fit together. It was a book that needed to be followed closely to mark what would happen next and even then I would have never guessed the ending. Thinking the culprit was in the bag I was pleasantly surprised and shocked all together! What a great read! I enjoyed this immensely!

I cannot thank @netgalley enough for the advanced copy of Rachel Hawkins’ (@ladyhawkins) The Heiress, which comes out in January 2024. I devoured this book in a single day; the twists kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t put it down. You know how they say money can’t buy happiness? The Heiress shows first hand the complications limitless wealth bring to families. Five star read, especially if you enjoy severely complicated families with questionable morals.

Not quite a thriller. More like a mysterious family drama with some dubious characters and many, many secrets. Unexpected Evelyn Hugo vibes as the deceased matriarch of the story, Ruby, reveals the secrets of her many marriages (through a series of letters). I read this quickly and definitely felt invested in the story. Some of the twists were predictable, but others surprised me. A solid read.

Read it if you like dark secrets, creepy old mansions, unreliable narrators, and lots of twists.

Very grateful to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

My advice on this book is keep pushing through. It felt a little slow at times but the end definitely picked up and had me sucked in. I love Rachel Hawkins writing and will read anything she writes!

THE HEIRESS is Rachel Hawkins' best yet. While it is a bit more character driven than her other novels with lots of inner thoughts, there's a healthy amount of secrets that lie in wait to reveal themselves in perfect timing. The setting was so much fun and from page one you will already start guessing who is hiding what.

My favorite part was the letters from Ruby scattered throughout the story. Confessions, raw truth, and something not quite right about who they are for. Hawkins leaves you with one big question by the end: Does the truth need to be said if you already know it?

Nearly every character is deliciously greedy and clever, and when you put them all under one roof...It's only a matter of time before everything comes crashing down.

***Full Review at tayarunsandreads.com

I think this was one of my favorites that Hawkins has written! There was enough suspense, but nothing that was too dark that had me too creeped out to go to bed at night. I would categorize this as a family drama.

I had to slow down on the ending to make sure I was truly grasping how it all tied together. I also appreciated that it didn't end with everything tied up perfectly. I would recommend this as a read!

Trigger warnings: missing toddler (I am VERY sensitive to this topic and was able to get through this if that helps with how triggering it is), death of spouse

With your heart in your throat, this is a story that kept on giving, right to the end. There are mysteries, and yes, they unfold, and most you won't see coming!
Talk about double lives, and getting away with murder, and you won't want to be in the same house with most of these characters! Being born with the silver spoon, or adopted into it, and then the rest of the family!
A missing child, a found child, but the right one? A new marriage, a dead husband, then a new marriage, an angry sister, and her family, but does money buy happiness? Didn't seem to me that it did, but you will have to judge for yourself. Warning this is a page turner, and it will keep you up late, you will be looking for answers!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher St. Martin's Press, and was not required to give a positive review.

The Heiress is an enthralling and highly captivating mystery thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats towards the end. The novel intertwines psychological intrigue, dark family secrets, and an unexpected twists that will leave readers astonished. The author's writing style is compelling and intimate, allowing readers to feel immersed in the dark and eerie atmosphere surrounding the family estate. I loved how it switched from different points of view and the written letters. I literally couldn’t put it down until I finished!
I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this brilliant read in exchange for my honest review.

Ahhh this book was so ADDICTING! Seriously, I read it in less than a day (and it was workday!). We get the best family drama, an amazing mansion in the woods backdrop, and dual POV with letters from the past - one of my favorite tropes in a thriller. I can't wait for this book to come out and hear everyones thoughts!

(Will not be reviewing publicly)
Cam as a character was interesting to follow as his intentions and morality were never quite clear. His true relationship with Ruby is what kept me engaged with the book. I predicted the Jules' twisted motivations fairly early, and her being a plant by Ruby. Her being a Darnell was an extra twist I didn't expect.

The theme I imagine this book is trying to explore is the definition of family and family obligation. You can feel that turmoil in Ruby's letters and the reveal of the recipient being an actual family member was interesting. I'm afraid by hiding Ben and Libby's points of view and/ or depriving them of direct character exploration, they are painted as one-sided baddies. I almost feel like one of them could be cut and there would be no consequence. Libby's sole purpose is that she might have hooked up with Cam in a fuzzy consent kind of way? And that Cam is kinda okay with hooking up with people he's kinda related to, including Jules? Unnecessary. The foreshadowing of the boutique article could be accomplished with a human interest story on Ben. And that could show another side of Ben that is either public perception or a softer side.

I was super excited to read The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins as I have really enjoyed her other books. This one takes place in one of my favorite places, the mountains of North Caroline. A story of how money can rip a family apart , it was a gripping tale of love, greed, and family secrets. While I thought the beginning was a bit slow, it picked up with some great surprises at the end

Obsessed wow! My favorite of Hawkins! The two narrators were perfect first person accounts, and I love show it sounded like they were their inner monologues. There were so many twists and several I didn’t see coming. Really enjoyed the Evelyn Hugo vibes with the wealthy women spilling her confessions. Silly recommend to everyone!

Rich in-laws, a gorgeous estate and a mysterious woman with a deadly past. This story is told from multiple perspectives, one of which is in the form of letters. Dark, twisty and a total page turner — I didn’t want to put this one down until I had all the answers.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review!