* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

I’m sitting here trying to put together my thoughts about this book, and honestly I don’t have many. I was pretty unimpressed. I didn’t care for any of the characters, I wasn’t surprised by any of the plot twists, and I was left feeling unsatisfied when the book ended. Understanding who’s who of the family members also took a little while because it seemed a bit unclear.

I prefer and would recommend other thrillers and authors over this one. I feel the author writes better romance than thrillers. This is probably my last favorite book of hers so far.

Oh my goodness! This book is a brilliantly smart and extremely addictive read that you won't be able to put down. With unexpected twists and heart-throbbing pacing, it draws you into a captivating mystery set within the claustrophobic Ashby House. The secrets hidden behind its closed doors, along with its notorious and heartless inhabitants, add to the intrigue. And let's not forget Ruby McTavish, also known as "Lady Kill-more," whose unreliable, sarcastic, and intimidating personality seals the deal.
Expect the unexpected as you dive into this gripping read. It will keep you on your toes, and you'll find yourself wanting to devour it in one sitting, even if it means staying up all night.

A mysterious and wealthy family feuds over wealth and secrets in this book. Nothing is really new or surprising but it is a perfectly adequate thriller for a rainy afternoon. Jules manipulates her husband Cam into returning to his toxic family to claim the inheritance left by his adopted mother, in an isolated mansion in the mountains.

This book was fine. I found it an easy read, but it just wasn't compelling whatsoever. There was no urgency and I just felt like it was a low energy thriller, if that makes any sense. I also didn't feel attached to any of the characters and felt their personalities could've been more developed.

I don't read many thrillers and I enjoyed this one. I wanted to expand my genres and this was a great way to do that. I love to read characters based in North Carolina. The book was a good pace and I really got into the story.

I really love Rachel Hawkins' books. The twists and turns throughout the book kept me on my toes. I loved that it was dual POV with Camden and Jules and then letters written by Ruby for another perspective. I can't wait to read her next book now that she's an auto buy author.

This is the first rachel hawkins novel I’ve read, and im now a fan. this story was full of surprises and twists. Told from the view of Cam and his wife Jules and Ruby, who passed away years before, the story weaves a great mystery of who they all really are under the surface and the secrets they kept. It’s a suspense novel, and it definitely fits the genre. Family secrets and the pressure from the family definitely make this book as good as it is. im going to have to get my hands on more of these books if they are all like this.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

This was the best twisty story I've read in a while, and my favorite from Hawkins yet! SO many domestic secrets surrounding the legacy of a family, and I never really know but had so many ideas of what COULD happen. Loved it! 5 stars!

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is an interesting thriller that features family drama, gothic mansions, and multiple points of view. I’m a big fan of all of those things, so I devoured this story in just a couple of days.

It’s a little confusing at first because the story is told in multiple points of view.

First, there’s Ruby. She passed away recently and has left her home and all of her fortune to her adopted son Cam. This makes him prey to the rest of her money hungry family, who all want a piece of the family fortune.

Cam is a school teacher in Colorado who isn’t exactly thrilled to have to go home to sort through this mess. But with his wife Jules by his side, he’s convinced that he’ll be able to get in, do what he needs to do, and get out. Sounds simple, right?

But Jules has secrets of her own. And as she gets a glimpse into what Cam’s life could have been, she realizes that a life with money might be what she’s wanted all along. As the truth comes out about the McTavish clan, she finds herself having to deal with way more than she bargained for.

I will say that while I really enjoyed the idea of this book, I didn’t exactly love the execution. A lot of authors fall into the trap of writing in multiple points of view. This can sometimes be a good thing, because it helps to create a well rounded story.

However, it also limits the amount of intel you get. A book can only be so long and when the narration is shared between so many people, you just get a basic look at what’s going on. And that’s disappointing when you have such a complicated and meaty story.

I felt like Ruby chapters were long and drawn out. Every couple of chapters she shares stories from her life that led her to the life she eventually had. And while they are interesting, they were drawn out. I wish the author had just gotten to the point. Because there is a LOT to unpack with the living members of the family.

But with that being said, overall I found it to be a fun thriller. Part of the reason why I loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo so much is because I love a woman with a complicated past, and Ruby McTavish certainly fit the bill.

If you’re looking for a serious thriller novel, this might not be the book for you. But if you’ve enjoyed Rachel Hawkins other books and want to curl up with a family mystery, definitely check this one out.

Thank you to Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!

✨Book Review✨
The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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This feels like quite the accomplishment because it is the first adult full length non-graphic novel that I have ever read in one day! That being said, that is definitely not the best way for me to read. I retain so little and it makes my brain feel like mush. lol.
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This book was a decent family drama based thriller. It wasn't super suspenseful, but I did like how the story unfolded. There were a few nice surprises but nothing gasp worthy. I would definitely recommend if you like a mysterious book filled with family dynamics. Would not recommend if you're looking for a super suspenseful page-turner. I listened to the audio and liked that there were different voices, but didn't love the voice actors.

This is a well written book with a lot of twists. I am thankful for the chance to have read this. Will recommend to others with a similar interest.

Loved this one! This is my first book by this author. This was more mystery than thriller. Not super fast paced but it kept my attention. A solid 4 star read!

Ruby McTavish is a very rich woman from North Carolina. She's lived an interesting life... childhood kidnapping... widowed four times over... Never having children of her own, Ruby adopts little Cam and when she dies, he's her heir. When she dies, Cam leaves to start a new life leaving his inheritance behind. Now, ten years later, his uncle has passed and his extended "family" has requested him to come back to Ashby House. Cam doesn't want to go, but his wife, Jules, convinces him that they should... Once at Ashby House, Cam is quickly and almost instantly reminded why he left... but now he must confront some deep, dark family secrets and Jules will learn a thing or two about his past as well.

This was actually a pretty good thriller. I felt like the ending was a little easy to guess. I liked the multiple POV and thought that was done really well. I really enjoyed the parts that were from Ruby's perspective. She was quite entertaining. This is probably my favorite title I've read by Rachel Hawkins. Would recommend if you enjoy domestic thrillers.

TW: Death/murder; domestic abuse/physical abuse; kidnapping/missing child; mentions of suicide.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Rachel Hawkins for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love Rachel! You absolutely can not go wrong with any of her books! She’s an amazing writer and her books are always different.

This was a pretty fast paced thriller and was similar in that sense to the author's other novels. However, unlike her other books, this one was a bit disappointing because I wasn't actually surprised by any of the "twists." I enjoyed the "rich people" aspect because they really are doing the most. I did not care for the characters and the book kind of read like a YA book to me.

From the very beginning excerpt from "Without a Trace" by Bill Naracott I was hooked. “It would probably shock the average American to learn just how little we know about those who go missing in the wilder part of this great nation of ours.”

Rachel Hawkins is an "auto-buy" author for me, but this may be my favorite of her titles. I loved the multiple POVs and overall pacing of the novel. She excels at flowing the story across multiple timelines, dropping clues and twists as the plot develops. In particular, I enjoyed her use of multi-media elements, such as Ruby's letters, newspaper articles and emails. There are multiple mysteries at play, all intricately woven to build on one another.

The family was perfectly dysfunctional, and the characters were complex and unlikable in all the right ways that only enhanced the mystery and drama. I would liken Ruby McTavish's character to a darker version of Taylor Jenkins Reid's Evelyn Hugo from The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. The imagery was spot on and I could easily envision the setting of Ashby House. Ashby House felt very gothic, making The Heiress an ideal autumn or winter read in my opinion.

I found this to be quite an enjoyable read. I have not read anything else from this author, but I will definitely keep my eye on her future books. It was well written, with lots of wonderful surprises to keep the reader engaged and turning the next page. There were some parts that were a bit "Schmaltzy" if you know what I mean, and one just has to roll their eyes. Overall it was an enjoyable read and I do recommend it.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. Review previously withheld as part of the St. Martin’s Press reviewer boycott.

The Rachel Hawkins thrillers I’ve liked have all had a commonality in being inspired by a story I’m familiar with, and putting a cool twist on it, and The Heiress is no different. Pulling inspiration from the Bobby Dunbar and Walter Collins/Wineville Chicken Coop Murders cases, the latter of which was a true-crime rabbit hole for me thanks to the Angelina Jolie film. I loved the mystery surrounding the titular heiress, Ruby, who also gave me slight Evelyn Hugo vibes in the way she conveyed the secrets of her sometimes scandalous and often tragic life in a journal. While it’s pretty obvious from the premise she isn’t who she claims she is publicly, the exact circumstances are still murky, and I enjoyed unraveling it all.

Cam and Jules are both interesting POV characters to follow in the present. Cam is Ruby’s adopted son, and I was intrigued by him and what made him initially give up his claim to the McTavish fortune, only to have it thrust on him again. Growing up with Ruby wasn’t always the best, given the demons she lived with and the means she used to try to cope, eventually pushing him away.

Jules was a bit of a wildcard for me, because she and Cam seemed to have a great relationship, although I didn’t know what to expect. But there are some revelations about her own connection to Ruby, although she wasn’t previously aware of it, and how Ruby somewhat played a role, at least passively, in conspiring to bring the two together.

Between all the family drama and the engrossing atmosphere of Ashby Hall to the suspenseful twists and turns, I was engrossed the whole time, constantly flipping pages.

I enjoyed this book a lot, and I would recommend it to readers who enjoy Gothic thriller/suspense books.

I am honestly a little in awe. I knew it would have a crazy twist, but holy cow. Love can't solve everything but it can pull or push you.

Camden is rich because of his adoptive mother, but her family is absolutely vile. He escaped from this mansion called Ashby House but the remaining family still lives there, when Cam yields to go back he is forced to face his past.

Jules is from poor roots. She has never know a life of opulence. She met Cam and they married, she knew his family had money but he didn't want it. She is in awe when she accompanies Cam back to the mansion. But will it be the biggest mistake they ever made?

I really enjoy books by this author and this novel was no different. An enjoyable read that I would recommend,.