This book is not being released until January 2024 and I will be telling everyone Who will listen to me to put this one on their radar. Rachel Hawkins is a little hit and miss for me. I actually DNF'd Reckless Girls after I really liked The wife upstairs. I devoured the Villa in less than 12 hours and I was delighted to find one of the characters from that get a cute little wink in this book.

Sooo. This. Book. I loved it. Every little bit of it. The writing style is perfection. It pulls you in and does not let go until you're done. Ruby McTavish is a straight up unlikable character that I adored. Actually, the entire family is a very wealthy dumpster fire. But they are just plain fun. Nobody is exactly what they seem in this one. The setting is perfect southern gothic. The mysteries are stacked on top of each other and while I actually guessed one of the final reveals I had such a good time reading I'm only taking off half a star . Rounding up. to 4.5. If you like atmospheric mysteries with over the top characters you won't soon forget put this at the top of TBR!!

The North Carolina McTavis Clan are rich as sin, and sins and secrets are something that for generations they have hidden and glossed over with rumors of scandal until grand matriarch, Ruby’s, final wishes after a decade must ultimately be fulfilled in Rachel Hawkins’ latest suspense mystery, “The Heiress.” This is an absolutely fascinating page-turner that will keep readers enthralled from it’s beginning to the very last scrumptious word.

TheBookMaven graciously thanks NetGalley, Author Rachel Hawkins, and Publisher St. Martin’s Press for this Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC).

I was very optimistic when I began this book following I haven’t read but a couple of Rachel’s works. Considering I read this within two hours says a-lot. From my point of view, this was a face paced and inducing read. I did feel the need or the drive for something more. Something more vigorous. I felt that mid way through the book, it fell short of some of Ruby’s narrative where I would be very confused. I felt the ending and the plot twist had me quite confused but intrigued. But I will defiantly be picking up some more of her work and look forward to the release of this face paced thriller.

I think a quiet life in Colorado would have been so much better than dealing with all the drama and infighting that awaited Cam and Jules as they made the long drive to the Ashby House mansion in North Carolina. Just looking at the house made me shiver and Cam’s relatives were every bit as scary as the house. They all had a reason to despise Cam and they did everything in their power to make him feel unwelcome.

“The Heiress” is an interesting title because at first I was certain who it was alluding to but I was sadly mistaken. It didn’t take me long, though, to realize that another character was scheming to have it all. The story of Cam’s mother, Ruby, was rich with gossip including some mysterious letters sent to an unknown recipient. As time on this earth was slipping by for Ruby she decided to come clean about her many dirty deeds which made this correspondence scandalous and priceless. These letters play an important part in the book because once all the secrets were revealed, we had a clearer picture as to why Cam and Jules were really there. Everyone in “The Heiress” was related in some way but one character's connection to the past took me completely by surprise. The twists and turns had me guessing until I read the shocking ending, which I found to be diabolical and disturbing. Ms. Hawkins’ storyline was intriguing as well as frightening, and I am so glad I didn’t finish reading her book in the dark of night.

You expect a twist, or two even, when you read Rachel Hawkins! In The Heiress she does not disappoint.

The story features a very well known deadly widow who dies leaving her extreme wealth to an adopted son, including a massive mansion in the mountains of North Carolina. The will angers the immediate family but Camden, the adopted son is unmoved and stays away from the estate, beginning a life across the country. However, when another death occurs, Cam is forced to return with his wife. What they face is years and years of secrets and death as well as a very angry Aunt and cousins.

A great entry of gothic southern family thrillers - The Heiress will keep you reading and guessing til the very end. If you like thrillers, back stabbing family member or are just in the mood for a twisty gothic story, The Heiress is for you!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an advances copy #TheHeiressnovel #RachelHawkins #StMartinsPress #NetGalley #Ladyhawkins

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Rachel Hawkins for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! I’ve read three of her books before and enjoyed them all, but this one was even better. It reminded me a lot of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, especially with Ruby, the main character, and her history. The format is unique and made it read very quickly. I also really enjoyed the mystery and trying to figure out what was going on! Overall, this is a really strong book that readers of multiple genres will enjoy. I highly recommend checking it out!

I devoured this book in one setting! The twists and turns I was not prepared for at all. I enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see what this author comes out with next!

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

"The Heiress" is a twisted gothic suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of "The Wife Upstairs." This was my first Rachel Hawkins thriller, and I will definitely be reading more!

When infamous heiress Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she leaves her nine-figure fortune and family estate in the Blue Ridge mountains to her adopted son, Cam. But Cam wants little to do with the money or the house, so he rejects the inheritance. Instead, he settles into life as a teacher in Colorado and marries Jules. Ten years later, the death of Cam's uncle brings him back to the family home—and reminds him why he left in the first place. The more Jules learns about Cam's family, however, the more she is determined that her husband claim everything Ruby left him. As questions about the heiress come to light, secrets are revealed.

This was such a page-turner, and I could not put it down. The story is told from the dual POV of both Cam and Jules, news articles, and letters from Ruby. I always enjoy this type of format so that I can get into each character's head. There were so many unexpected twists and turns, which made this a very engaging thriller. I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review will be posted to Goodreads, Storygraph, and Instagram closer to the publication date.

Well written and engaging thriller . Cam returns home and confronts his past. We slowly learn about what had driven away and a whole lot of family secrets are revealed

I absolutely devoured this book!
Camden travels back to his hometown, with his wife Jules, in order to settle his adopted mothers will. When they arrive Jules realizes how twisted the family living in the Ashby home are as lies start unraveling.
This story is told from multiple POV, Camden, Jules, and Ruby through letter she wrote before her death. In each POV we learn secrets and see how it impacts others. I love Rachel Hawkins writing in this way.
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Publishing for an eARC of this book.

“𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛.“

Okay friends, this book consumed me. I have loved each and every one of the other books I’ve read written by Rachel Hawkins but I absolutely devoured this one in just short of 24 hours! A modern, twisty, Southern Gothic featuring fiercely strong females and a house full of secrets? Say less.

“𝙰 𝚑𝚊𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚗‘𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚒𝚎 𝚢𝚎𝚝.“

This epistolary novel is quick, clever, and keeps you guessing until the very end. Full of lies and brimming with truth, this story is one that will have you thinking about it long after you’ve finished. Ruby, Cam, Jules, & the the rest of the McTavish family all have a part to play and they play it so well!

“𝙸‘𝚖 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚒𝚗 𝙰𝚜𝚑𝚋𝚢 𝙷𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚎, 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎, 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚢 𝚠𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚢 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛‘𝚜 𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜.“

Thanks so much to the team at St. Martin’s Press for the eGalley! This fantastic read is available January 9th. Grab it when you can!

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins won't be published until January of 2024 but if you enjoy family thrillers with a Gothic twist, I suggest preordering or putting it on your TBR. Camden is the adopted son of Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore, the notorious black widow of Ashby House. He inherited her entire estate but wanted none of it. The family was evil in his mind, and he wanted nothing to do with them. After the death of his uncle, he is summoned back to the house and brings his wife Jules with him. Secrets are exposed and some unexpected twists lead to the stunning conclusion. This was very well plotted, and the setting was perfect. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me an early read in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a huge fan of Rachel Hawkins' books — and was so excited to get an advanced copy of The Heiress — which makes this review very hard to write. I've always found her books to be fast-paced, original and full of twists. The Heiress missed the mark almost across the board.

The plot moves incredibly slow and nothing really happens. Everything centers around Cam returning to his childhood home, but he doesn't even arrive until about 30% of the way through the story. And it's not until the 70% mark that things really pick up. Most of the action is contained in old letters, which kind of hand the readers the entire story, rather than making them earn it. It's a shame because the structure of the book is so great — there's so much that could have been done with it to make it it suspenseful and surprising.

This is my third book I have read by the author and probably my favorite. This one was full of layers, suspense, and I couldn’t put it down. I am so happy to be able to have read it early.

Cam and Jules live an ordinary, and happy life on Colorado. They have been together for a decade after meeting at a college bar. But Cam is the sole heir to an old family fortune in the Appalachian mountains in North Carolina. He turned his back on the fortune and his family after the death of his adopted mother Ruby. He wanted nothing to do with his cruel, and money hungry family. But after the death of his uncle and pleading of his family, he returns to his childhood home. What secrets lie with in the walls? What is his family’s true intentions?

What I enjoyed:
- the pacing! I couldn’t put this one down and finished it in less than 24 hours. This was a real page turner. I wanted to know the truth of everything.
- We get dual POVs from Cam and Jules. As well as flashbacks by Ruby in the form of letters. This kept me interested in going to continue to find out everything
- There were so many layers, and mysteries to unravel.
- I figured out one twist but did not expect the final one!

As always I am a big fan of this authors books. I love their writing style, and the final twists. This book did not disappoint and I can’t wait to preorder it. I will forever read future work by this author! 4 stars out of 5. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!