I absolutely loved this one. It is my favorite so far by this author. She kept the twists coming. It kept me guessing.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book for my honest opinion

Rachel Hawkins knows what her readers want...great big Gothic houses dripping with mystery, and she delivers that once again in "The Heiress." In fact, the North Carolina mansion where this story takes place is filled with so much cozy, spooky charm that Ashby House itself may as well be one of the main characters. Speaking of main characters, I loved trying to tease out their motivations and unraveling their histories, and I felt like every time I thought I figured out what was going on, the rug was pulled out from under me again -- all the way up until the very end. I liked hearing the story told from so many different viewpoints and timelines, with newspaper clippings and letters thrown in to spice things up, and yet I was never confused about the who was telling the story or what year it was in each chapter.

If I could, I would have given this book 4.5 stars. The only thing keeping it back from being 5 stars was that it felt too short, and the story progressed too quickly. I would have liked to see it fleshed out just a bit more so I could savor this setting, these characters and that grand old house just a little longer.

4.5 rounded up

Multigenerational mayhem! Everyone in the McTavish family is out for themselves, except one. Camden, the heir to the estate. I unravelled this multilayered thriller quickly. Loved it. I may still think The Villa is my fave, but this has to be second. Very twisty, which is what I love to read in a good thriller. Everyone in this book has secrets and I loved every one of them. That ending! WOWZA!

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martins Press, and the author for this arc copy in exchange for my review.

The Heiress is a very enjoyable thriller about family secrets that are capable of great destruction.

Lately, many of the thrillers I've read have been formulaic and predictable, but not this one. I did easily guess one of the twists, but the story kept me intrigued throughout and interested until the very end. It's possible that the author plans a sequel because the ending was left a little bit open.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a good mystery/thriller that is layered and builds on suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book!
I've read other books by Rachel Hawkins so I was very excited to have the opportunity to read this ARC.

If you like some MESSY rich family drama, then this is the book for you! This story is told in multiple perspectives as it flips back and forth between a married couple, Cam and Jules, Cam's very wealthy adoptive mother has passed away and left Cam her whole estate. The story follows Cam and Jules as they return to Cam's childhood mansion and deal with the messy family he left behind.

I loved the way the book was written in excerpts of letters, articles, emails, etc. Rachel Hawkins is a phenomenal writer and she keeps you hooked by hinting that there are secrets just around the corner if you'll just keep reading.

It started off kind of slow and there were lots of character introductions. The storyline fell a little flat for me in the end, but it was an easy read and I don't regret my time with it.

I enjoyed The Villa, and am so happy I was able to get a NetGalley ARC copy of Rachel Hawkin’s new book!

From the publisher: When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she’s not only North Carolina’s richest woman, she’s also its most notorious. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a child and a widow four times over, Ruby ruled the tiny town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family’s estate high in the Blue Ridge mountains. In the aftermath of her death, that estate—along with a nine-figure fortune and the complicated legacy of being a McTavish—pass to her adopted son, Camden.

Cam doesn’t want anything to do with his family, so bringing his wife, Jules, to the family estate to sort out the aftermath of the death is truly the last thing he wants to do. However, it seems no distance will keep the family secrets safe forever and the other family members who want to get at the inheritance are not going to stay quiet either.

This book was quick as I couldn’t put it down. The multiple perspectives gave you just a little hint for each of the characters secrets and learning about what they all went through was a true page turner. If you like lots of family drama and dark secrets, this will be right up your alley!

Great author! I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing is concise. There were no needless sections that dragged on. I liked the twists, and I actually didn’t see the main one heading my way. I have read several books by Rachel Hawkins, and she will continue to be another must read selection whenever a new book comes out.

The story follows a family of generational wealth, and the trappings that come with it. It takes place in the family estate, following the return of the "prodigal son" Cam and his wife, Jules. As Cam returns to the family home to settle his mother's affairs and deal with the house falling apart, we slowly unearth secrets that have been held there for generations. We watch as the illness of the house infects all who reside there, including Jules.

The book starts off slow, with lots of character introductions. We see the story unfold from Jules and Cam's point of view, as well as an archive of letters and news clippings. It is certainly a unique way to tell the story and gives us multiple perspectives. The plot does not pick up until 2/3 of the way through, and some revelations seem predictable. The character development left much to be desired as you don't feel too invested in any one person. You are told rather than shown each character's personalities. The ending should have been shocking, but felt too rushed considering all the lead up.

Overall, an entertaining if shallow read.

The twists and turns in “The Heiress” are fabulous! This is an interesting multi-generational family saga chock full of drama. The heiress of the title is Ruby McTavish, a woman infamous for a few reasons: the fact that she went missing as a toddler and then was found, that she married 4 times and all of her husbands died, and that she inherited a fortune—and a magnificent mansion in the North Carolina mountains—from her father. The book is set up in chapters alternating between the voices of her adopted son (and heir) and his wife, and letters Ruby wrote outlining her life. Thus, the reader learns, bit by bit, about Ruby and what transpired after her death, that is, the conflict between her sister’s family and her son. The characters are intriguing, although not especially likable, and the multiple twists near the end are amazing. I loved how all of this played out and I highly recommend this book! Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review “The Heiress.”

Wowie. This was some messy family drama. And since it wasn't mine, I was all here for it.
First, I have to admit I considered giving up this read because I was a bit confused those first chapters. But I persevered and I'm so glad I did, because of course, OF COURSE, it's all going to unravel as each piece of the puzzle is gifted to us as the chapters progress.

If you have read a Rachel Hawkins book before, you'll know we are usually gifted a few plot twists. This one? I feel like it was the Christmas morning of plot twists. I rather enjoyed not knowing what was going to be opened up to us next. Just when you thought it was all figured here came another. And the little tid bit at the end? On the one had it's nice it was left open to assume. On the other? That was all I wanted to know about each turn of the page!

A great book that I'm sure I'll be left thinking about for a bit, even as I start another. It's definitely left a mark on me.

The Heiress was my first Rachel Hawkins book and sent me quickly adding her others to my collection. It was fast-paced, and although none of the twists were all that shocking, it kept me interested the whole way through. I didn’t love any of the characters, but that may have been the point. I am ready for more by this author!

The Heiress is told in the present by Cam and Jules( married)and in the past by Cam’s mother,Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore(all of Ruby’s husbands will play a role in her story).
Ruby’s death brings Cam home to Ashby House. A place he inherited(along with a whole lot of cash) and somewhere he swore he would never return to. But as he explains to Jules, there are issues(and by issues I mean family) that must be dealt with, so they pack up the car and head to North Carolina
Every one of them has secrets, and through this journey, all of them are revealed. This is the first book I’ve read this year that even though the story was wrapped up quite nicely, I couldn’t believe how fast I reached the end and honestly I wanted more. This family makes mine, look not quite as bad, and that is saying a lot. If you asked me before I read The Heiress, what my favorite book is by this author, I would’ve said,The Wife Upstairs. However, this book just took the number one position. Such a twisty tale and one I basically read in one sitting.

Someone else described this as a "family drama" and I think that's more fitting than what I was expecting. I liked the story overall and that not everyone is what you expect. This was a decent read overall (much better than The Villa).

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Was so excited to see this as a Read Now! Immediately dove in. Devoured in a day and it was amazingness as expected!

When Jules’s husband, Camden, relays the news that his adoptive mother passed away and they need to sort out her affairs, Jules jumps at the chance of learning more about his past. But soon after heading out to the North Carolina estate, Jules notes the growing discomfort manifesting in Camden and starts second-guessing their decision. But with the Appalachian mountains in sight, Jules knows it’s too late to do anything but forge ahead.

Besides, it’s not just Camden’s decision to go to Ashby House—it’s Jules’s, too. And having been denied the life Camden so easily got handed to him, Jules isn’t about to let an opportunity like this to finally get it go to waste. No matter what happens or what secrets spill out of the McTavish family, Jules is getting what she’s owed. And Camden will just have to understand she really does know best after all.
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Rachel Hawkins has done it again for me! I might be biased because I love everything I’ve read of hers so far, but this was another fantastically twisted tale brought to life by her. A twisted rich family full of jealousy, secrets, and scapegoat black sheep that in the end show us what wolves they really are. This was very in the vein of a “VC Andrew gothic family drama” for me and I mean that in the best way because VC is the QUEEN of that genre, and this shiny gem Hawkins has carved out deserves to be ranked high up in VC’s category. I HIGHLY encourage you all to get this on Netgalley while you still can!

Rebecca meets the The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo!

Four times a widow, famously kidnapped as a child, insanely wealthy, and the de factor ruler of her small town, Ruby has left an intense legacy for her adopted son, Camden. However, he wants nothing to do with this legacy- not even the money or the family's estate. When his uncle dies ten years after the death of his mother, Camden returns to his family's estate with Jules, his wife. While Jules falls more in love with the estate, Camden still wants nothing to do with it, the money, or his family- a family who never accepted him and are still furious that an 'outsider' has all of the control.

A completely addictive and clever book- I read it in one sitting! I was quickly drawn into this mystery revolving around one influential and wealthy family in their family estate, Ashby House. While it's set in modern times, it reminded me of Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca (very high compliment from me!) with the sprawling grounds, secrets hidden behind each door, and the notoriety & cruelty of the family, Like in Rebecca, all of these elements added to the intrigue.

Told from the altering points of view between Camden, Jules, and Ruby, nothing is what it seems and the twists keep coming until the very last page!

Another twisty thriller from Rachel Hawkins! I LOVED The Wife Upstairs and was so thrilled to have the opportunity to read her latest book. This is a page-turner you won’t want to put down. Camden lives a comfortable life with his wife, Jules in Golden, CO. He is called back to his home in North Carolina and we learn that he is the sole heir to a vast fortune, left to him by his grandmother who adopted him. She is a notorious woman whose husbands (all four of them) each died under suspicious circumstances. We quickly understand that Camden wants nothing to do with his inheritance and that there must be bad blood between the remaining family. Camden and Jules travel to Ashby House and while Camden is going reluctantly, Jules is secretly excited and hoping that Camden will change his mind about inhabiting the house and claiming his inheritance. Through a series of letters from Camden’s grandmother, Ruby, we learn her story and the twists and turns of her life and Camden’s. Slowly, Jules’ motivation and history also are revealed. The story is about the extremes that women will go to to assert themselves and fight back. It is a fun, engaging story and Ruby is a fascinating character.

The Heiress was a good twist on a frequently-written story. The book starts out with Cam and his wife Jules living in Golden, Colorado when he receives information that finally forces him back to North Carolina, where he grew up and escaped from so many years ago. Cam isn't just Jules's husband and teacher at a local private school--he's also the sole heir to North Carolina's wealthiest (and most notorious) women.

Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore was Cam's adopted mother, and her family never considered Cam one of their own. With mysteries surrounding Ruby, her childhood disappearance, and the deaths of her husbands, the McTavish family continue to raise questions and are finding out that the answers aren't really what they wanted. Cam is reminded of why he left North Carolina but Jules has a different agenda. And as they weave through Ruby's history through letters and secrets uncovered, the truth finally comes to light.

This was a great story--it kept me turning the pages wondering what was going to be in Ruby's next letter, what were Cam's cousins going to do next, and what was Jules's real agenda? The characters were interesting and well-fleshed out, with motivations clearly stating why characters did what they did and why. Ashby House, the home that the McTavishes lived in for generations is such a strong presence in the book, and it's understanding why everyone wants it.

My only complaint was about the end of the book, when two characters don't come entirely clean with each other, though they both know that the other is hiding something. It's an interesting way to end the book, but it doesn't ruin it.

I highly recommend this book, and thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.25 ⭐️

“New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins delivers a twisted new gothic suspense about an infamous heiress and the complicated inheritance she left behind”

This book follows Cam and his partner Jules as they set to return to Ashby House, where Cams remaining family resides, to sort out the money/estate after his adopted mothers death, Ruby McTavish. Cam doesn’t want anything to do with the inheritance or his cold family but Jules wants to go to the house so they do. We get to see the dysfunction of the family and how determined the others are to not let Cam receive the money and gain control over Ashby House.

This domestic thriller kept me intrigued the entire time and being in Ashby House has a really ominous atmosphere. The book is told from both Jules and Cam’s POVs, as well as from Rubys in the form of letters she wrote before her death. The reader gets to see that truth that the characters are hiding from one another and as the story unravels and secrets become exposed, we see that things aren’t as clear as they may seem…

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martins Press and Rachel Hawkins for allowing me to read an e-arc I’d this book!

My first read by the well loved Rachel Hawkins. Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are totally my own!

The first half of the story is good. I will admit I was somewhat confused for a while, I think her writing style is a bit different than what I am used to. I've read books with multiple POV but this felt more jarring at times. (maybe too many perspectives or the style-not sure)
Once I got the hang of who was who I became very engaged in the storyline and found it hard to put down.
I am interested in trying another book by this author so I consider that a win.
If you like rich people drama with some intrigue and secrets, pick this one up.
Also the COVER is GORGEOUS too!!
Thanks
V