Another book I absolutely devoured! I loved this book and honestly I highly recommend going into it blind like I did (but if you need to know, then swipe for the synopsis). The characters were honestly a little wacky in the best ways and the way the narrative is told in letters about the past and dramas of the present is so well executed. I think Rachel Hawkins’s books just get better and better! I don't want to give too much away, but let me say that there were so many shocks and I stayed up way too late finishing it because the second half really picks up!

I truly could not put this down. There was something addictive and compulsive about the story that kept you coming for more. Fast paced, with a slow burn bubbling beneath the surface. Once you're able to adjust to the multiple character perspectives and conversational narrative, you'll be hooked.

Rachel Hawkins, you are back in full form with The Heiress. Initially, I was a bit skeptical of how much I would enjoy The Heiress after how messy I felt The Villa was. However, my skepticism was unwarranted. The Heiress is told in present day and through letters written by Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller. Ruby's the richest woman in North Caroline and famous for her kidnapping as a child and her trail of unsuccessfully marriages as an adult. Her adoptive son, Camden wants little to do with the family fortune. He has made a life for himself and the love of his life, Jules. However, when his uncle dies and a letter arrives requesting his presence at Ashby House, Camden feels obliged to go.

Ruby, Camden, and Jules are all fascinating characters. Although on the surface Camden and Jules seem sweet as pie, lurking beneath the surface are complex protagonists with less than pretty desires, secrets, and motivations. The alternating perspectives kept me interested throughout the novel. At times, I found myself irritated by Ruby's letters, but the narration for those letters was done so well that I preferred this one as an audiobook. It made Ruby's vivacious personality leap from my headphones and sucked me into her flair for the drama.

The book twists and turns. I may have guessed what happened, but all in all, I was satisfied when I finished this novel and curious about what historical influences may pique Hawkins' interest for her next novel!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for granting me access to this title via NetGalley! I am such a fan or Hawkins' work and I truly cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next.

This was such a twisty book! I really enjoyed this one and the only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because in the beginning I felt it was a little slow for me to get into. Once it picked it though, it was so good. I really enjoyed the letters from Ruby and all the different povs. I loved the setting in the mansion and the creepy elements. Overall I enjoyed this one and I would recommend if you enjoy thrillers.

I loved this book so much! Rachel Hawkins is the queen of twists and turns. I always try to guess the ending and I’m always wrong and that’s what I love about this author. This book is all about lies and deception. Greed over family inheritance and what some people are willing to do in order to get what they want. In this book you don’t know what’s truth until the very last page… or is that even the truth?

I have read each of Rachel Hawkin’s novels, so I jumped at the chance to get my hands on this one, and I am glad I did! This was a fun, quick read with some Southern gothic vibes and I found myself just melting into the story and escaping all the holiday chaos for a bit.

The story starts with a bit of a slow build, but once you get to the second half of the book, you’re quickly turning pages to get to the satisfying end. I enjoyed the way the novel was structured, with letters from the past revealing family secrets, and dual points of view. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot because I feel like this is better to enjoy going in blind.

Thank you to Rachel Hawkins, S t. Martin’s and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book for an honest review.

I have read a few of Rachel Hawkins books and I just can't get enough of them. I thought this was an easy read and I didn't want to stop. There is a lot of twists in this book that had you saying WHAT??!! The characters can be challenging at times but you will love Jules and Cam. I felt like the story came together at the end and I really enjoyed the ride. I would HIGHLY recommend this book!


Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC in advance for my honest opinion.

The Heiress is an interesting tale about the flamboyant life of heiress Ruby McTavish, owner of Ashby House in North Carolina. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a child and a widowed four times. When she died, she left everything to Camden, her adopted son.

Ten years after Ruby's death, Camden is contacted to return to the family home in North Carolina. Not happy about it, he and his wife Jules make the cross-country trip from Colorado. Up till now, he has not used any of his inheritance on himself. But Ashby House, where his aunt and cousins live, is in need of repair.

The story is told from Cam and Jules' points of view interspersed with letters written by Ruby. The kidnapping sets the stage for what happens for the rest of their lives. I found this story interesting but not exciting. I didn't care for the characters at all which made it hard to stay focused.

3.5 stars rounded to 3. The Heiress is a quick and easy to read thriller that is told in alternating POVs. Since I'm from NC, I really enjoyed that the majority of the story takes place in NC and enjoyed the references. The pacing of The Heiress really begins to pick up in the later half of the book and made me unable to put the book down because I had to know what was coming next. While some of the twists can be predicted, I did not see one of the twists coming because yes, there are multiple. This is a great read for someone looking for a quick thriller read that isn't very scary or heavy on gore.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy.

I liked this more than both The Villa and Reckless Girls (and certainly a lot more than The Ex Hex), but less than The Wife Upstairs. It’s a fine thriller. It’s got some intrigue, some clearly nefarious characters, many layered secrets, narrators you can’t trust, the whole shebang. I particularly liked the utilization of different forms of media (articles, letters, etc.) to add to the story and build suspense.

My main issue, however, and why I found it to be just okay, is that it read very slowly for this type of story. At no point did I get that “need to know what happens next” feeling that drives a thriller. It could partly be because I figured out the main twist 15% in and then just kept waiting for me to be proven wrong, or for another big reveal. And there wasn’t one. Every additional twist was a throwaway added to the plot because readers expect multiple now, and the one big moment that could have packed some punch happened entirely “off screen” (which is something Hawkins does that drives me crazy).

So, overall, it was just alright. Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. I’ll probably keep picking up her books, though, to keep chasing that high from The Wife Upstairs.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the ARC. The Heiress is out 1/9

Another great book by Rachel Hawkins! I loved the whole dark vibe of this book, especially the actual way of storytelling. Hidden secrets, different points of view, newspaper clippings, etc. I always enjoy a good suspenseful book that keeps me guessing, and this one did not disappoint. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this book.

The Heiress
By Rachel Hawkins

I love Rachel Hawkins and have read all of her novels. This one though, is my all time favourite!

This novel is a multiple point of view novel that follows Jules, her husband Camden, and the Heiress.
Camden is the adopted son of a notorious Heiress named Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmor, AKA Mrs. Killmore, as all four of her husbands died in mysterious ways. Camden is estranged from his family, but he supports them as he was the sole heir to his mother’s entire fortune.

This novel follows their return to Ashby house and the secrets that it holds within.

This novel to me, has everything!

- A powerful family that gets away with everything
- A kidnapping that has generational impact
- Family secrets abound!
- A slew of husbands who died mysteriously
- Cryptic letters where the recipient is unknown
- A family with complete immunity to any consequences due to wealth
- Inheritance desperation
- Twists upon twists upon twists!

I couldn’t put this one down and devoured it in a few sittings. I actually spent all of new year's day finishing this.
Just when I thought that all the secrets were revealed, they just kept hitting until the very end!

Thank you for the advanced copy. I absolutely loved it!

This was a great read- I loved it! . I always read Rachel Hawkins books and I think The Heiress is my favorite. I really enjoy books that have 2 timelines going and this book did that well. The way everything came together was really perfect. So good!!!

The Heiress was an interesting mystery with lots of turns at the end. I thought it was enjoyable but not my favorite. The story starts off kind of slow and doesn’t pick up until the second half of the book. I liked the ending and how things came together but wish the build up was more interesting.

Wow!!! I read a lot and often feel like I predict the story line early. But this one had me on my toes and page turning late into the night!!

The wealthy family drama, multi generational beliefs added to the characters and shocking revelations at the end had me questioning whether I still liked Ruby’s character.

Excellent read! Highly recommend!

it’s a miracle!!!! a rachel hawkins book I actually enjoyed!!!!

okay this gave me seven husbands of evelyn hugo if it was a murder mystery vibes ☠️ like ruby was THAT bitch and I was so here for supporting women’s rights AND wrongs!!

I’m all for a twisty turning family drama mystery - and this one had all of it combined! while this was a very character forward mystery, I didn’t mind one bit, and in fact, I quite prefer characterization when it comes to these kind of mysteries!!

the plot itself progressed at a medium pace, flipping back and forth between married couple jules and cameron in present day and letters written by ruby in the past! and while I did guess most of the twists early on, they were not obvious in the slightest and enjoyed watching them play out

similar to other family thrillers, my favorite parts were getting to the bottom of what makes the characters tick, and boy was this family unhinged at best 😳

this is definitely rachel hawkins’s best so far! I’m so happy this was a win to start off 2024!

thank you to netgalley and st martin’s press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! this one’s out next week!!!

rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: dom perignon rosé champagne (iykyk)

Wow! What a great book! I loved Camden & Jules and Ruby. I wasn’t sure whether Ruby was a villain or not but i really liked her regardless. The alternating story lines were fun and so engaging. I thought the Easter egg from The Villa was so fun. i also thought that Ben, Libby & Nell were awful and I liked how the book ended. The revelations at the end of the book for most good characters was great & some were shocking. I enjoy how this author drops clues about what is coming and just reels you in as a reader. I really wanted to know how things were going to come about.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the chance to read this book.

What a great story. It reminded me a little of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Ruby is such an interesting character. Love the mechanism of the letters to tell the backstory of the husbands. Some humor spread throughout. Quick read.

The Heiress, by Rachel Hawkins, is a family thriller set in a huge old mansion. At the center of this story is a young couple, married for ten years and very much in love. Both characters are very nuanced, with complicated backgrounds. The first third of the book establishes the characters and settings. You can't help but like the couple and be mesmerized by the old, enormous (think Downton) mansion that housed the same family for generations. Hawkins is a master at the twists and turns! Once the tension begins to build, the heat continues to the very last page. I thought this was great fun, a compelling thriller, and a wonderful read for the first days of the new year! Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read a digital ARC.

Another winner from Rachel Hawkins!

Quick, addictive read that had me doubting myself until the end. Loved all the Red vs. Green symbolism, it’s subtle at first, but it all ended up clicking.

This is like…The 7 Husbands of Evelyn Hugo + Knives Out and I could not be happier!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this fantastic novel 🔪💃🌲✉️🤔📝🔫🎨