I'm sitting here thinking about how to put into a few paragraphs what I just read... It is wickedly brilliant in its complexity and I loved every moment of it.

In a world where money solves and creates all of your problems what wouldn't you do? Where would you draw the line? When do you say that's enough? Who decides whose life is more important? All of these questions are addressed and answered in this book, at least from Rubys' point of view.

If you're looking for a mystery with murderous twists that will have you looking into the eyes of every stranger you meet hoping for a spark of recognition, or if you just want a really good thriller that will leave you guessing until the last line either way this book is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a copy of this E-Book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the 2nd or 3rd book that I’ve read by Hawkins and I think this is my favorite of hers so far. The Heiress was definitely a page turner and I flew through this book pretty quickly. There are a lot of twists and turns in this one that I loved. I thought this was a well written mystery.

Ruby was an interesting character and she reminded me of Evelyn Hugo with her stories about her many husbands and all of her secrets. I liked the inclusion of Ruby’s letters between her and an unknown character (who is revealed later on). Camden and Jules were also interesting characters but Camden’s family members were horrible people.

I would recommend this book to mystery lovers. I look forward to reading more from Hawkins.

I absolutely loved this book! There were so many twists and turns I wasn't expecting, which kept me hooked the whole time. I loved that we got multiple perspectives along with multiple timelines with the letters from Ruby. This was the perfect setting, with estranged family, messy history, and lot of questions to be answered. I'm so glad it was one of the first books I picked up in 2024. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-book ARC!

After years away from his ancestral home, Camden is drawn back in to help his family back to their former glory. He doesn't really care, but his wife, Jules, thinks he needs to go back for closure. Along the way, the reader is treated to the story of Ruby, the "heiress" in question, who adopted Camden late in her life. As Camden and Jules arrive, it's clear that the rest of the family resents the fact that Camden has inherited the family fortune - and will stop at nothing to get it back.
With a million twists and turns, this book will keep you guessing until the very end.

My first 5 star read of 2024 and Another fabulous and intense psychological thriller from Rachel Hawkins! The storytelling was superb and the plot twists give you whiplash as they take you on one hell of a ride! I also loved how she threw in some little Easter eggs from within her other stories. Only a fan of her work would recognize a reference to a vintage T-shirt from Lara Larchmont’s Aestas album! Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

I was able to read through this book quite quickly!! It was captivating and really pulled me in. Every character is well developed and everything “works” and “makes sense”!!! It’s hard to say much else without giving too much away and I always think that the best part of a suspense or mystery is experiencing all the twists and turns without knowing what’s coming!!

This one was a little slower paced than I expected going in, but overall still fun nonetheless. I love me some rich people drama and this one really delivered on that front. Highly recommend for lovers of Evelyn Hugo but wanted just a little more murder, this one is for you. You're welcome.

Thank you St Martin's Press and Rachel Hawkins for my early review copy!

Ooh this is my new favorite Rachel Hawkins book! Loved the characters, the setting of Ashby House, the twists, the secrets- it all worked flawlessly. So addicting to read!

When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, her inheritance falls into the reluctant hands of her adoptive son, Cam. He wants nothing to do with the wealth and the familial entanglements that come with it. There have been plenty of rumors of Ruby's mysterious childhood and the untimely demise of her numerous husbands, which adds an intriguing layer to the narrative. Ten years later, a summons draws Cam and his wife back to Ashby House following his Uncle's passing, where Cam is reunited with his estranged family.

The story's allure lies in the secrets that shroud Ruby's past, such as why Cam wants nothing to do with the wealth and family. Hawkins weaves a web of mystery that kept me on my toes as I attempted to unravel the secrets.

While some familiar tropes appear, Hawkins injects them with a refreshing vitality, peppering the narrative with unexpected twists and turns. The anticipation builds as I grapple with the unanswered questions; the final revelation is a gratifying payoff.

Hawkings' storytelling ensures that even the keenest readers are kept guessing, and those who pay attention might piece together the puzzle before the grand reveal.

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up! Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for a DRC in exchange for my honest review 👇🏻

This was a story full of rich people problems, murder, family drama, secrets and straight up greed. I liked the way each chapter read as a confessional, and enjoyed the story telling from Ruby’s letters! It was an effective way to get her POV, though of course her story was way more interesting than Cam and Jules’s in the present.

In terms of suspense/tension, there could have been more excitement — most of the excitement came from characters revealing their own secrets to the reader, rather than being exposed by another character, or in any other character to character interaction. At the very end, a GREAT point of tension is actually snuffed out by the chapter ending (the mystery/thriller equivalent of a fade to black in romance).

Still, I enjoyed digging into it, maybe just because I love gossip and drama so much, and this book was certainly not lacking there!! Excited to pick up some more Rachel Hawkins books after this one 📚

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is a story of riches and family legacies. It's also a story of a convoluted family whose matriarch was notorious since she was three years old. She is dead, but she leaves behind secrets and answers as well in the form of letters. Who is she writing to, and is everyone as innocent as they seem to be?

This book is told in three voices. Camden's, Jules, and Ruby's in the form of letters. I loved Ruby's story told in the form of letters. Ruby is an intriguing, interesting, and very morally gray character. The story is interesting and gripping. However, the transitioning of the characters in almost every other chapter made reading a little difficult for me. Also, the other gripe I have is that I wanted to know more about the side plotlines that the author introduced once Camden is in Ashby House. The ending does, in some ways, make up for these.

Thank you St.Martin's Press, for this book.

CW: kidnapping of a child, alcohol, domestic abuse, murder, suicide, blackmail, manipulation

3.5 stars

This is my 3rd book by Rachel Hawkins. Unfortunately this my least favorite that i’ve read by her. Not saying that it’s bad, I just like the other two books I have read by her more. This book had a very interesting plot and the family dynamic was intriguing. The twists were definitely there and moved the story along, they just didn’t come as jaw dropping as I was hoping they’d be. I really enjoyed the letters throughout the story and Rachel has such a unique way of incorporating those fun elements that make you wanna see what happens next. Overall, a very fast paced and fun thriller, the wild family dynamic is like watching your favorite soap opera with a thrilling twist. Highly recommend if you’re getting into thrillers or you need a gripping fast paced read, also try her other thrillers as I’ve loved those as well!

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

Ruby McTavish was the most infamous woman in North Carolina. Kidnapped as a baby, returned and raised in an affluent family, she goes on to marry four different men and is widowed four times. After losing her fourth husband she adopts Camden and raises him as her own - possibly so that her sister and her family do not inherit anything. After Ruby's death, Camden flees to the West Coast for college and ignores his inheritance. He marries Jules and ten years after Ruby's death, they return to North Carolina after the death of his uncle. Once there his family shows Jules the true content of their character but she can't help but love the beautiful home that should be hers and Camden's.

I found this book disappointing. It was not as intriguing as it tried to be. Ruby was the most interesting character but her storyline was mostly reduces to her letters. The twists were either visible from miles away or not that twisty. It felt more like an historical fiction story than a mystery.

I don't know how Rachel Hawkins can say so much in arguably a pretty short book! I raced through this and loved it! The way she toys with the reader and ends every chapter with a bang is thoroughly enjoyable and makes her books unputdownable. I loved going back and forth between Ruby's timeline and letters and Camden and Jules. I've read a lot of mysteries and thrillers so I can kind of guess details along the way, but Rachel is someone who will always have me doubting myself or waiting for the final shoe to drop. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because it didn't elevate above the genre or move me quite in the way The Villa (which was a 5-star read for me) did. Regardless, I loved this and Rachel will always be an instant-buy author for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

This was a fun ride! I usually don’t care much for reading a book of unlikeable (sp?) but Camden and Jules were “good enough” to keep me reading. Even Ruby’s missives sprinkled in between the chapters got me to like her too. The ending’s final twist was so good! Overall very enjoyable.

This was a really interesting family drama. I found all of the connections really clever, will not be terribly obvious. It was also interesting to hear from so many different perspectives, but in a very easy to manage way.

I was excited to jump back into another Hawkins book! I did enjoy The Wife Upstairs. I buddy read this with Leah and made it much more exciting!

One of the things that I love about Hawkin’s writing style is that you fly through her books. It’s fast paced and intriguing that you can’t help but want to keep going. It was definitely the case with this one. It was such an easy read, but it was nice to buddy read and take our time with it. I did figure out a couple things early but still found many shocking twists! It didn’t take away from the story because I was on the edge of my seat the last bit. I didn’t know what was going to happen!

Jules and Cam were such easy characters to root for. I felt for Cam. He’s was the lucky kid, who was saved by Ruby. He was given anything and all but it never comes without a price. As the story unfolds you learn just how this might not have been a dream come true for Cam. There’s something about Ashby House and how it affects those who live in it. Regardless, I do think that Jules and Cam’s character development was very well written!

Overall, this was a great read! It’s so hard to review thrillers without giving anything away. The best I can say is that it was addictive and I enjoyed the ride. If you enjoy morally gray characters, then you will enjoy that aspect. The ending was really good and my favorite Hawkins book so far. I can’t wait to read when she comes out with next!

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley, as well as the publisher, for the e-arc.

I found this to be very mid. It felt like it wanted to be something spicy and extraordinary, but I think the lack of depth between our two main characters (Jules and Camden) is what made every twist, every reveal to be disappointing. We spent a lot of time with Ruby, and she was well fleshed out and interesting. If Jules and Camden would've gotten the same treatment, I think it would've made for a better story.

Rachel Hawkins always writes the most twisty psychological thrillers. Sometimes there are a bit too many twists for my liking and it doesn’t really work for me and this was the case with The Heiress. I definitely did not hate it but overall I just felt MEH about it. Ruby’s story is nothing short of insane and hearing about her backstory added a great dimension to the book. I wasn’t sure what to make of Camden or Jules but it did come together nicely. Overall, I DNF’d The Villa and loved The Wife Upstairs so this one was right in the middle. I definitely could see how people would love it though!

Title: The Heiress
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars

The Heiress is a captivating mystery suspense thriller filled with family drama, murder, an heiress & a child abduction. Ruby McTavish has experienced it all & as her journey unfolds through different perspectives… it offers a thrilling mix of past and present.

I appreciated the diverse points of view from Ruby, Camden, & Jules. The letters from Ruby served as a seamless transition between the past and present, adding depth to the narrative & my favorite part of the novel!

For fellow mystery thriller enthusiasts, I highly recommend "The Heiress." It promises an enthralling experience that won't disappoint.

I found myself engrossed from the start. Rachel Hawkins' writing style & the escalating storyline made it nearly impossible to put down. After this, she has secured a spot as a must-read author for me. I am excitedly anticipating her next novel.

Thank you to #NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, & Rachel Hawkins for this ARC. All opinions shared are strictly my own.