Wow! If you read a lot of thrillers, you tend to see the twists coming and while they are still interesting reads, it never quite lives up to the first few you read. This one caught me completely off-guard. It’s been awhile since I’ve listened to one but this one really threw me for a loop. I had guessed the first one but the twists kept coming and had me so happy I found this book, especially since the last one by this author was not my favorite. Highly recommended for anyone who wants a book that keeps them on their toes.

This was an easy and fast read. Enjoyed the twists and turns, while at the same time not shocked by them. It wouldn't be my favorite book of hers, as I liked her previous work better.

“‘For Camden. Time Brings All Things To Pass.’ And as I drive away from the new life that I’d built for myself, heading back towards my past, I wonder if those words were supposed to be an encouragement or a warning. Or a threat.”

“You should have stayed away, Camden. I think you’ll be sorry that you didn’t.”


This is my second Rachel Hawkins book— last year I read The Villa. I think I’m going to be done with this author. Both books had 100 f-words so I’m assuming that’s the norm for her and it’s gonna be a dealbreaker for me. Not to mention I don’t really find her characters very likeable either.

Her writing has the twisty dysfunctional families vibe and there’s just not enough interesting or quality suspense/mystery to make the rest worth it.

I’m disappointed because I had this book on my list of Most Anticipated Books of this year, but so was The Villa the year before so I think I need to finally learn my lesson.


Basic Premise

The heiress is Ruby McTavish Kellmore, kidnapped for 8 months at age three but then found and grew up to inherit the family fortune instead of her sister (Nelle); receiver of the nickname Ruby Kill-more due to the deaths of her four husbands; suspected to not actually be Ruby; and dead for ten years now yet still pulling the strings with her money.

Camden is the son she adopted later in her life and the subsequent heir and current holder of the family fortune. He tried to escape that life and family but has been called back home to deal with some pressing matters.

Nelle and her descendants want the money they believe is rightfully theirs. When Cam and his wife get back to the family estate so begins a game of legal discoveries, threats, and such that leads to at least one other death.

People aren’t who they say they are and the money may destroy them all before anyone can even spend it.



The formatting of the book is a mixture of first person POV chapters of Camden and his wife, Jules, with a variety of newspaper and magazine articles, and a series of letters written at the hand of Ruby before she died telling us what really happened to all of her husbands.

I’m not always a fan of the letter trope because the writer always narrates in an unnatural manner and gives details they would never normally give. They are needed for us readers to understand more of the story, but that’s not my preferred method of obtaining information.

I liked the setting of the book— the woods of North Carolina.

And I was intrigued by the plot and the mystery of the heiress and her husbands, but I didn’t really like any of the characters. I feel neutral about Cam but that’s because he’s the ‘hero’ character who is kinda flat and uninteresting. And really the swearing kinda ruined my ability to be invested in the story. At least it had a mostly satisfying ending.


Recommendation

If you don’t care about swearing and you like soap opera-type mysteries, you may like this, but overall I feel like there are better books than this to read.

I would probably instead recommend the book The Rosewood Hunt. It’s also about a rich matriarch who basically owns a town and everyone wants a piece of the pie. The difference is that when she dies, though there are heirs, the money is missing and there is a hunt to figure out what she did with it.

It’s a YA book (though I would still say more for adult audience), but I found that book a lot more likeable than this one. It still has swearing, but probably about half of what is in The Heiress.


[Content Advisory: 94 f-words, 65 s-words; sexual references but nothing too graphic; trigger warning for (a little bit of) domestic abuse]

Rachel Hawkins' latest is a gothic thriller featuring a wealthy, influential family in a small North Carolina town.

Jules and Cam are married, living in Colorado far from Cam's past. Cam was adopted into a very wealthy family when he was young and is now the heir of the entire family estate, Ashby House, and fortune. He and Libby travel back to Ashby House where she meets his remaining estranged family and learns about his past along the way. Cam's adoptive mother, Ruby, was kidnapped when she was four years old. We learn about her story, how she was widowed four times, and how she came into so much money.

There were a few exciting twists and the story had great pacing. The letters Ruby wrote were a fun touch to learn about her past. The politics and family drama run high in Ashby House when everyone is reunited and the book wraps up with a shiny bow on top. This is my favorite Rachel Hawkins book yet!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Rachel Hawkins for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Heiress is a tense, dark, and intriguing story of family legacy, past crimes, generational wealth, and love. It pulled me in almost instantly with the dual present POVs plus the letters and news clippings from the past, and held me tight enough that I finished most of the book in a single day.

Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore is an infamous multi-time widow, with a string of dead husbands that have kept people speculating for decades. When she dies, all of her wealth - and the huge family home - pass to her adopted son, Camden, who quite frankly doesn't want any of it. He especially doesn't want the ties to his adopted aunt or cousins, all of whom resent him as an interloper. But circumstances being what they are, he and his wife Jules end up returning to the McTavish family home to sort out some estate issues - and deal with the viper-like family members who still live there.

Like I said, the tension of this book really pulled me in. The early chapters tease just enough mysteries to hook a reader, and the McTavish family are wonderfully awful, in that old-money, threatening way. For me, though, Ruby, appearing through her letters, was the star of the book. She's funny and ruthlessly truthful and her stories of her multiple husbands had a sort of cursed Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibe, if there was more murder.

The past was definitely more interesting than the present, though. Cam and Jules - and Cam's family - are all a little flat, in a way that's not noticeable when you're zooming through the book to find out what happens, but becomes a little more apparent on thinking back. It's not a major issue, and I still found the present storyline plenty engaging. But when held up against the powerhouse that is Ruby, everyone else just can't compare.

3.75/5

👑Book Review👑
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Summary:
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.

But in the aftermath of her death, her adopted son, Camden, wants little to do with the house or the money—and even less to do with the surviving McTavishes. Instead, he rejects his inheritance, settling into a normal life as an English teacher in Colorado and marrying Jules, a woman just as eager to escape her own messy past.

Ten years later, his uncle’s death pulls Cam and Jules back into the family fold at Ashby House.

And as Ashby House tightens its grip on Jules and Camden, questions about the infamous heiress come to light. Was there any truth to the persistent rumors following her disappearance as a girl? What really happened to those four husbands, who all died under mysterious circumstances? And why did she adopt Cam in the first place? Soon, Jules and Cam realize that an inheritance can entail far more than what’s written in a will––and that the bonds of family stretch far beyond the grave.
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts: thank you @macmillanusa and @netgalley for the advanced copy! I had so much fun reading this book with my real life bestie @readwithmaryy !! I’ve really enjoyed Rachel Hawkins previous books but this one might be my new favorite. It was totally unique and told in such a unique format (I’m kicking myself for not reading a print copy of this beauty). Twists and turns that even a thriller queen like me won’t see coming. I really enjoyed every minute of this book! Run don’t want to grab this and I highly recommend going into it blind!
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QOTD- how’s the weather by you ?!? We’re expecting some crazy storm by me with massive flooding and strong winds. I’m stressed about driving home from work 😂
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#theheiress #rachelhawkins #bookreview #bookrecommendation #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #bookworm #bookobsessed #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #readersofinstagram #readmorebooks #readersgonnaread

A southern gothic thriller full of wealth, greed, murder - and a family tree full of secrets!

On a clear day you can see a chimney of the famed Ashby house way up on the hill. In the fall, when the trees are bare, you can see perhaps a bit more through the bars of the iron gate at the drive. No matter the season, though, the residents of Ashby house are shrouded in mystery and scandal. This messy family drama centers around the McTavish family of the famed Ashby house. Their rich and sordid history is told from the present perspective of married thirty-somethings Camden and Jules. The past perspective is painted through newspaper clippings, magazine articles, and letters penned before her death by the infamous widow Ruby (once kidnapped and later known as "Mrs. Kill-more").

The Heiress is perfect for fans of rich people behaving badly, mixed media books, and dysfunctional families. The heiress herself, Ruby, is both horrible and fabulous in equal measure. I fell in love with her in the unhealthy way that some people fall head over heels for bad boys. These characters are scheming, thirsty for power, and clutching tightly to their secrets. Camden feels relatively normal by comparison, which may make you trust him even less! I inhaled this twisty story and the pages flew as I uncovered one secret after another.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Rachel Hawkins for this peek behind the thick brocade curtains of this ruthless family's famed mansion.

The Heiress was another great mystery by Rachel Hawkins!
It was a quick fun read that kept me turning the pages to see if I knew what I thought was going on. Spoiler- I didn’t!
I’m always entertained and enjoy reading Rachel’s books. This one will not disappoint!

BOOK REVIEW: The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
2024 Publication Date: January 9

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐

Best Domestic Thriller Books
T.I.M.E. Best Books By Genre | Best Thriller Books
T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books Of 2024

CONNECT WITH A BOOK | T.I.M.E. SIMPLE LIVING TIP
Freedom from secrets cannot be underrated... Or undervalued...

T.I.M.E. BOOK REVIEW:
An Engrossing Domestic Thrillers Novel That Does Not Disappoint...
Searching for domestic thrillers that will keep you on the edge of your seat? Look no further than The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins. As a thriller enthusiast, I was excited to get my hands on the latest Rachel Hawkins book, and it did not disappoint. From the very first page, I was hooked on the story of an heiress with a family history haunted by tragedy.

Set in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, The Heiress is a domestic thriller that spans from the 1940s to contemporary times. It tells the story of a wealthy family in the South and the secrets they keep hidden from each other and the world. The protagonist, Ruby, is a complex character with a secret past that slowly unravels throughout the book. The impeccable writing style of Rachel Hawkins makes it hard to put the book down, and you'll find yourself engulfed in the twists and turns of the characters' lives.

This book takes readers on a suspenseful ride through generations of secrets and lies... And the ride never takes the foot off the gas pedal!

Plot Points
The Heiress follows the story of Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore, (yep... you read that right!) an heiress to a family fortune and a "lovely wife with a wonderful husband" turned widow four times over. Despite her privileged upbringing and seemingly perfect life, Ruby's life has been marked by tragedy and complicated by the intricacies of what uber-rich money can do to a family as the line of inheritance cuts through family members like a sword.

Standout Features of The Heiress...
• Multiple Timelines and Perspectives
One of the things I loved most about this book is the way it weaves together multiple timelines and perspectives. The story moves seamlessly between Ruby's present-day life and the past events that lead to the current circumstances... While masterfully weaving in the timelines and perspectives of her adopted son, Cam, and his wife, Jules.

This structure not only adds to the suspense but also allows readers to understand the complex motivations and relationships between the characters without having "all the details" displayed at once like breadcrumbs.

• Remote Mountain Setting and Atmosphere
The setting of the Blue Ridge Mountains is also a standout feature of The Heiress. Hawkins does an excellent job of bringing the landscape to life, describing the lush setting in vivid detail. The sense of place is especially important in a thriller like this, where the isolation of the remote mountain estate adds to the tension and unease.

One of the most captivating things about The Heiress is also the sense of atmosphere the setting creates along with the author's descriptions of the societal events that transport the reader to the story's specific time period and location.

As a reader, you feel like you are a part of the story, and this immersive experience adds to the suspense and thrill of the book.

• Fascinating Main Characters
Another strength of The Heiress is the character development. Ruby is a fascinating protagonist, a mix of vulnerability and resilience. As the story unravels the secrets of her family's past, she also confronts her own demons and ultimately finds a sense of closure... though "closure" is a deceptive concept within this story.

Let's just say you might come away with a new perspective on what it might take to keep a perfect marriage alive! A thrilling "behind closed doors" peek of a newspaper headline that could read... "Golden Couple Love Story Goes Terribly Wrong!"...

The characters in the story are multi-dimensional and well-developed, each with their own set of motivations and secrets. The supporting cast, especially the fascinating adopted son, Cam (and Ruby's sole heir), along with his wife, Jules, are equally well-drawn and add layers of intrigue to the story.

• Suspenseful Themes Filled With Secrets
As a domestic thriller, The Heiress explores themes such as class, family dynamics, and the lengths people will go to protect their secrets and the illusions of a happy family living a perfect life... And when large amounts of money are at stake, the gloves are always off!

There are moments in The Heiress that will leave you gasping in shock and others that will tug at your heartstrings. The twists and turns of the story keep you on edge till the very end as the concept of prime suspect evades you... With an ending that is satisfying and well-crafted, it provides a thought-provoking insight into human nature and the complex relationships we form with the people we love.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is an unputdownable domestic thriller that deserves to be on every book lover's reading list. The author's writing style, the atmospheric setting, and the well-developed characters, along with the intriguing plot, make this book an absolute delight to read.

If you're looking for a thrilling read that will keep you hooked from start to finish, I recommend The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins. This highly anticipated novel has already received buzz as one of the best thriller books of the year and was named one of my T.I.M.E.'s Best Books by Genre and Most Anticipated Books of 2024.

Perfect for readers who enjoy suspense, mystery, and drama... And a must-read book for anyone looking for an escape from reality... Just what you need for either fireside or beachside reading.

With all the elements of a good domestic thriller – hiding secrets, lies, family drama, and a stunning isolated setting – it also offers so much more that will resonate with you long after you finish. Because at the heart of the story is the importance of facing the truth and the freedom that comes from letting go of the past.

Curl up with a cup of tea and prepare to be transported to the world of Ashby House – you won't regret it... And you certainly won't regret never having lived there yourself!... ✨😎✨

Pages: 304
Genre: Best Thriller Books
Sub-Genre: Best Domestic Thriller Books
Time Period: 1940 thru Contemporary
Location: North Carolina | Blue Ridge Mountains
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Movie: The Little Foxes (with Bette Davis | 1941) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A gothic suspense novel that unravels the dark secrets surrounding an infamous heiress and the complex legacy and inheritance she left behind...

Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore, known for her wealth and scandalous past, ruled the charming town of Tavistock from her family's grand estate, Ashby House, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

After her passing, her adopted son and sole heir, Camden, distanced himself from the family, the money and the estate, pursuing a quiet life as an English teacher in Colorado alongside his wife Jules, who also seeks solace from her troubled history.

However, ten years later, Cam and Jules are drawn back to Ashby House. Despite the breathtaking views and timeless elegance, the presence of Ruby still looms large, gripping them with unanswered questions.

As Jules and Cam dig deeper into Ruby's past, they realize that the inheritance extends beyond mere material possessions. Family ties stretch far beyond the grave, forcing them to confront their own demons and challenging the perceptions they once held of their twisted legacy.

BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION:
• The power of family and its impact on individuals... Throughout the book, we see how the legacy of the McTavish family affects each character in different ways. From Ruby's mysterious past to Cam's struggle with his identity as an adopted son, the complex dynamics of this family shape their actions and decisions.
• The consequences of keeping secrets... The Heiress delves into the theme of secrets and their destructive nature. Each character has something to hide, and as the story progresses, the consequences of these lies start to unravel.
• The importance of facing the truth... In this book, we see how facing the truth can bring closure and healing... or not. As Jules and Cam uncover the secrets of their past, they are forced to confront their fears and insecurities. It is only by facing these truths that they can move on from the traumas of their pasts and find peace in the present.

BOOK QUOTE:
"I know my end is coming — soon for some, I suppose, but right on time for me... " — The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

--------------------

All my book reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at thisismyeverybody.com/blog/what-book-should-i-read

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

I received The Villa as an ARC last year and did not love it so I was a little dubious with this one but HOLY this one is heads above the last one! It is twisty and turny and has some really good characters to root for. I loved the mystery in this one and was actually excited to see where it lead! Can't wait to read more of Hawkins.

Fast paced, page turner
Multiple POV
Multiple timelines
Twists and turns
And just wild characters.
Whew, what a ride!!

What a twisted story The Heiress was! It’s hard to describe this book without giving too much away but it does start and end with the story of Baby Ruby and her disappearance.

The wealthy McTavish family has many secrets hidden within the walls of Ashby House. Especially Ruby, who disappeared when she was three years old and returned many months later. She goes on to lead an extravagant life with four husbands who all die mysteriously and an adopted son who the rest of the family doesn’t trust.

What I really liked were the different POVs. We had Camden, Ruby’s adopted son, Jules, Camden’s wife, Ruby’s letters to an unknown recipient and newspaper/magazine articles all giving us glimpses in to the past and present. While I wish there was more Ruby and less Camden in this book, I liked all the twisted drama of the McTavish family.

Read if you like:
▪️Several POVs
▪️Family drama + dysfunctional families
▪️Lots of twists

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Hawkins and St Martin’s Press for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review

This was one I have been just waiting and waiting until 2024 to read and I was not disappointed. I love the way this story was told and the twists. So many good little twists sprinkled throughout that you wouldn’t expect! Totally worth the read.

I went into this book blind so I was not sure what to expect! With the title of the Heiress, I was not expecting it to start off with a missing 3 year old which then turned into a story of how said 3 year old grew up to murder 4 husbands. Needless to say, this was quite a journey! I was hooked from the beginning and loved how the story unfolded. I loved the different POVs - two in current time, alternating between Cam and his wife Jules, one with letters from Ruby in the past. I read this one fast and I also loved the other characters that make up the dysfunctional family.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy. 4.5 rounded up

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 320 / Genre: Psychological Thriller

Happy Pub Day to my my first 5-star read of the year!

Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore lived her life her way despite all the crazy events that happened in her life. The heiress to the McTavish family fortune, Ruby was kidnapped at the age of three and widowed four times over—which earned her the notorious moniker Ruby Kill-more. Her remaining family members—Aunt Nelle and cousins Ben and Libby—are aptly described as “a bag of dicks.” So, she leaves everything to her adopted son Camden, who has distanced himself from said bag of dicks and wants nothing to do with any of them including the family fortune until he’s called home and must face them all with his loving wife in tow. What follows is a twisty series of shocking events and revealed family secrets and I just loved every minute of this juicy book!

Thank you @NetGalley, @stmartinspress, and @ladyhawkins for the advanced copy of this book. I could not put it down!

I really liked this one! I thought the beginning was a little slow on the twists but it really picked up around the 40% mark and the rest was twist after twist. The pacing of the reveals was good and I liked the way the chapters alternated perspectives and it had the letter and news articles mixed it!

Another hit by Rachel Hawkins, full of twists and turns, kept me guessing and a non stop, didn't want to put down read. Quick paced and easy to read without being predictable.

Wow, such a great story! THE HEIRESS was the first novel I have read by the remarkable Rachel Hawkins and it definitely won't be the last. In this novel, Hawkins shares the story of a long-estranged family, a surprising inheritance, and the impact of a complicated and murky past foisted upon the happy couple living far from the North Carolina hills where it all began. Through the eyes of Jules and Cam, the complex events and fascinating outcomes of a single email upon their happy life in Golden, Colorado unfurl fast through emails, newspaper articles, and direct encounters with the past that will change their futures forever. For myself, the characters, the settings, the entire story were an immersive joy -- with my total fan girl adoration focused on Cam and her unique style of expressing and loving. Engrossing, wonderfully intricate, this is a book that kept me reading way past my bedtime -- and I couldn't be happier about yawns the next morning. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

I really enjoyed The Heiress. I was surprised by some of the twists that occurred. Really didn’t trust or know the motives of several characters. Really great read.

This is the fourth ARC I have by Rachel Hawkins, and I think this one is her best yet, hands down!

ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ: Ruby and Camden return to the lavish estate that Cam grew up on and inherited to settle the property, but both are still hiding secrets.

ᴍʏ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴄᴇɴᴛs: This was such an interesting domestic thriller because there were so many layers to the suspense and it wasn’t straight-forward as far as a crime having been committed.

I loved how it portrayed all of the family dynamics and the lengths to which people with too much money can go to believe they have everything they want. The story also called into question the big nature vs. nurture debate, and what makes someone a decent person.

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜɪs ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ:
💎domestic thrillers
💎family secrets
💎rich family owns small town stories