📚: The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins (@ladyhawkins)
⭐️: 5/5

Ruby, a North Carolina heiress, kidnapped at age 3 (yes, terrifying to read as a toddler parent). After a 10 month search, she's found living with another family and is returned home. Fast forward decades later, and upon her death, her adopted son is estranged, her sister is the meanest old woman ever, and her niece & nephew only see green - in both envy and money.

Oh, and did I mention she was four times married -- and all of those husbands died under highly mysterious circumstances? Hmm.

With a captivating dual timeline, a brilliant use of various fictional media, and twists that left me frantically page turning and gasping at the end, The Heiress is, by far, Rachel Hawkins's strongest effort yet. An ideal read for those that enjoy a Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibe with a (much) darker undertone. Watch for a bit of slow pacing at the start to set the story, which builds brilliantly.

A huge thanks to @stmartinspress for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Heiress is out next week on 1/9!

The Heiress starts out slow, but don’t let that stop you. Keep reading to find out who the Heiress is and why. Is possession 9/10 of the law? I enjoyed the way this book was written with various people and old letters talking to us, the readers. I don’t feel like I got to know the two main characters very well. I saw them emerge somewhat as the story goes on. I speed read through the ending of the book, with all of the twists and turns.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martins Press for allowing me to read this book. This review is freely and honestly given.

I've read all of Hawkins' previous thrillers and they haven't really wowed me. The Heiress really changed my mind. I really loved the back and forth of the letters by Ruby and present day. The twist was pretty great too in the end, even if I figured it out.

I binged this in two days and I think everyone who liked her previous novels will really enjoy this one! Her best book yet.

What a fun, quick read. I had no expectations and I'm glad I didn't because I just fell into the story.

Quick Synopsis: Camden's mother has passed away and he inevitably is pulled back to his hometown, with his new wife Jules, to deal with family/estate matters. Nothing worse right? Especially if its the McTavish family!

I loved how this was written, letters from the past, family secrets, and tons of drama (did i say tons, imagine way more than that). Trifecta of just a perfect read. The best way to read this is blind and just enjoy the journey of the crazy train.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

This one was interesting. It wasn’t super fast-paced, but I liked the intermixing of Ruby’s letters, short excerpts from published material, and the dual perspectives of Jules and Camden - just when I thought I was going to be disappointed by the ending, it surprised me a little bit!

I can see certain groups of high school students being really into this!

First, I would like to thank St.Martin’s Press via Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for the copies in exchange of an honest review.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins have the right amount of thrill and suspense. Funny how its common to hear rich people making a fool of themselves for a slice of the pie of inheritance. And because of greed they get more creative, clever and the most evil. This three part POV story between Jules, Camden and the famous and rich Ruby is fast paced, packed with secrets, betrayal, dead bodies and lies!

It’s a hood read and entertaining in general!

I would Give this book a solid 4.5 stars, and what a way to start out the New year! First off, I’m a huge Rachel Hawkins fan, My favorite book being ‘The Wife Upstairs’, a truly wild and fun retelling of the classic ‘Jane Eyre’. Going into this book I really didn’t know what to expect and I am so happy I didn’t look too far into it, because it was a RIDE.

When one of our leading characters, Cam, gets a call from a family members stating that is mother passed away and he has inherited everything, he has no choice to return home to settle up. Along on this journey is his wife Jules, who couldn’t be more excited to finally come into some money, and live in the iconic Ashby House. We are told the story by those two, but also, past letters from the Late Ruby McTavish. Ruby, our matriarch, having gained fame from previously being kidnapped as a kid, and a famous widow four times over, we watch as money and privilege shape this family and the lengths they will go to keep their power.

This story had so many twists and turns and really kept you on your feet. I would recommend this if you are looking for a fun ride and wonderful writing. My only downside was that I did guess a few of twists, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying, but made it more fun that I was right!

I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC for an honest review ( my first one!)

I started off switching between ebook and audio, but the audio was just so well done, I stuck with it for most of the book. It was almost like watching a movie with my ears!

The McTavish family is one interesting bunch! Ruby went missing as a toddler, supposedly kidnapped and returned later to her family.

We get three points of view - Ruby (told through correspondence), Camden (Ruby's adopted son), and Jules (Camden's wife). I felt this format was fantastic in slowly peeling back the layers and letting us in on the whole story. It was complicated and amazing and I was so drawn in.

This story is chocked full of greed, murder, jealously, lies and family drama. And I loved every minute of it.

A case of unlikeable characters made for a wild and twisty ride. And that ending!!

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for both an ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.

The Wife Upstairs was my favorite by this author until I read this book. This is hands down her best yet. It has a lot going on. A lot of mystery, edge of your seat thrills, intrigue, murder, abuse. It has it all...

Ruby McTavish, born June 1, 1940, is fighter. She always has been and seems always will be. She went missing when she was just a little girl of three. Found months later in another state. Seems she is destine for heartache though. Ruby is smart. She knows how to make money. How to get what she wants. She meets and marries Duke Callahan at the young age of twenty. Things didn't end to well for him. He was shot on their honeymoon in Paris by an intruder. Duke was the first of four husbands who meet untimely demise while married to Ruby. The one that she truly loved with all her heart was Andrew Miller. He was her third husband and the longest marriage. She was married to Hugh Woodward who was her father's accountant for a couple of years before his demise. And her last husband, Roddy Kenmore, who was like twenty-five years her junior. He fell of a yacht and drowned. He couldn't swim.

I did not like her first husband. He was a bit mean. Her second was too clingy and way older than her. The third I loved. The last one was a child hooked on drugs it seems. Ruby and Andrew had a true love. One that would strong for them both. He was an artist who painted her portrait.

After losing her last husband Ruby adopted a child. A boy named Camden. I really like him and his wife Jules. Camden didn't want the house or the money after Ruby died. She had left everything to him. He went away and had no intention of returning. Fate brings him along with his wife to Tavistock. Jules meets Cam's family and finds out why he left. Why he just could not stay with these people one more minute.

Everyone in this story has secrets. From Ruby to Jules. You will learn exactly what happened to each of Ruby's husbands. What happened in her life. The things she went through. You get to know Cam very well and his wife. You hear in chapters/letters written by Ruby what her life was like living in Tavistock with her sister and dad. And her mother. How everything plays out. Even what may have happened to her when she went missing all those years ago.

I enjoyed this book so much. It had me guessing at a lot and yes I did figure out a few things. I just can't say what or I'll give away some big secrets. I will say that I hope Cam and Jules have a long and healthy life...

Thank you #NetGalley, #RachelHawkins, #StMartinsPress for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five huge stars and a very high recommendation.

I enjoyed this read! It was fast paced, easy to read and used different kinds of media
It gave vibes mirroring Seven Husband of Evelyn Hugo, The Only One Left & Verity.

I gave this 4 stars because I wanted to dive deeper into the side characters, Cams cousins. We learn a lot about Ruby, but I felt that we needed to learn more about the others. I would have loved a prequel!!

At some points in the story, for me it lulled a bit. Especially during the letter reading from Ruby.

The writing was magnetic. It drew me in and I was eager to meet all of the characters. The twist at the end had my mind blown. I want to go back and reread it again sometime just to make sure I didn’t miss anything. It was a twisty domestic thriller and I was here for it!

Told from the points of view of married couple, Camden and Jules, as well as letters written by Ruby, Cam’s mother, The Heiress is a fast paced family drama full of secrets and lies. It was also a portrait of how money corrupts and how the need to be rich leads to greed and selfishness.

While a couple of the twists were pretty obvious, there were still some surprises, especially when it came to the deaths of Ruby’s four husbands. The last twist was also one I did not expect, but it made perfect sense when it came to the plot.

Rachel Hawkins’s newest thriller takes you to a grand estate in North Carolina where we meet the McTavish Family. Can and his wife, Jules, return to his family’s home to try to settle his family drama once and for all…but like all good family drama, secrets are bound to come out.

This story was ok—it was an easy enough read. I will say that a couple of times throughout the book, I thought about just giving up because I really didn’t like any of the characters and honestly didn’t care what happened to them. But the book had an interesting format and I did keep going. It was entertaining overall, although I don’t know if I’ll be that keen on picking up Hawkins’s next book.

4 stars

Rachel Hawkins has once again delivered a novel that kept me guessing. You will not be disappointed by the ending!

Synopsis: Camden is the adopted son of Ruby McTavish, the richest and most notorious person in their NC town for being kidnapped as a child and being a widow four times over. When Ruby dies, everything is left to Camden and he wants nothing to do with the money or his family. He leaves his life behind. Years later, he and his wife Jules are forced to go back to Ashby House when his uncle dies. While there, they must confront the dark secrets the family holds.

This was such a fun read!! There are 3 POVs in this story-Camden, Jules, and Ruby. I loved Ruby’s the most, as her POV was completely through letters she wrote while nearing her death. The letters revealed so much about the past and helped give the story clarity. All 3 characters have their secrets that are slowly revealed throughout the novel. This was a fast paced thriller that keeps you guessing at every turn. I found the ending to be almost completely unexpected and loved every second of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC.

This was another twisty story from Hawkins with mostly awful characters. I think it was pretty typical of Hawkins's work. She uses a lot of foreshadowing where a character will drop a hint at something they did that will surprise you and it keeps you interested to find out the details later.

In this particular story, a lot of the past is told through letters written by the deceased woman. I found this to be a very interesting storyline. Since she is writing the letters to someone, it feels like she is speaking directly to you. There are two narrators of the more current timeline, Jules and Camden, and they will also speak directly to you, so you feel like you are in the story.

There are newspaper clippings dotted throughout the story filling in gaps and creating more questions. I felt this was done well and I enjoyed this addition to the story.

Overall, I found this to be an engaging, quick read. I think this will be popular with anyone that enjoys mysteries with a bunch of smaller twists along the way. As long as you don't have to love your characters, I would recommend this one.

I received an audio copy of this book in addition to the ebook. The audio was narrated by Dan Bittner, Eliza Foss, John Pirhalla, and Patti Murin. I thought they all did a wonderful job and that their voices suited the characters well. I appreciated the variety of narrators to fit the characters.

4+ stars

This book was a delightful surprise! While not my typical genre, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Rachel Hawkins was a new author for me, and after this, I'm eager to explore more of her works. The narrative reminded me of the atmosphere in "Saltburn," which I absolutely loved.

The story revolves around the fascinating Ruby McTavish, a wealthy woman who, as a child, went missing in the woods, only to be found eight months later in a different state and returned to her opulent home, Ashby House. Life moves forward.

In the present, Ruby has passed away. Before her death, she left behind letters detailing her life journey, including her four marriages and the deaths of her husbands. The tale unfolds through these letters, as well as from the perspectives of Camden, her adopted son, and Jules, Camden's wife. Camden, having distanced himself from the dysfunctional family, receives a letter from his cousin, prompting him and Jules to return to his childhood home and unearth the secrets of Ruby and Ashby House.

This family's dysfunction and unlikable traits reflect that money can't buy class.

It was a fantastic, swift read, and most of the twists took me by surprise! I'm definitely eager to dive into more of Rachel's work.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and the author for an ARC. All thoughts are my own.

The Heiress is a gothic domestic thriller that will keep you engrossed in the family saga as new secrets and lies are revealed. Rachel Hawkins does a superb job creating the isolated, creepy Ashby mansion setting as well as the rich character development This was an entertaining slow burn that told the tale of Ruby McTavish ,a wealthy North Carolina heiress from old money who has a tragic and complicated past. I loved the multiple POVs of Ruby (through her letters), Camden, her adopted son, and his wife Jules who helped unfold the various mysterious deaths of Ruby’s four husbands as well as her kidnapping as a toddler. I particularly liked Ruby’s letters and the learning about various decades she lived and experienced. There was plenty of sketchy characters, fighting over money, betrayals, toxic family dynamics and twists and turns, that culminated in a satisfying ending.

I give this thriller a 4 1/2 out of 5.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC that will be released January 9 2024.

I typically find Rachel Hawkins's books consistently entertaining and enjoyable, this book was no different.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of the Ashby House, it was like it's own character, and really helped get me into the world the author created. I enjoyed the mystery even if it wasn't groundbreaking. While I think this book falls short of exceptional, I think you can't go wrong with picking it up. It would be great to read on a plane, or the beach, or really anywhere for a quick bit of entertainment.

This was my first Rachel Hawkins read (even though I own a couple of her others and haven't gotten to them yet), and I think it was a good intro to her work. While it didn't entirely blow me away, it kept me intrigued enough to finish the book and then go and add all of her backlist to my tbr.

What I loved: The buildup was great. An atmospheric, secluded mansion setting is always my favorite. I enjoyed the chapters featuring the letters from Ruby and found them very interesting. While I don't think the twist involving her disappearance as a child was anything groundbreaking, I definitely did not see it coming. I always love twists that I don't see coming! I felt that the ending was wrapped up nicely though a little open-ended. I would have wanted to know for sure what happened with the nanny.

What I didn't love: The story felt very familiar and had vibes that reminded me a lot of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Darker, and The Resting Place. As such, it was easy to piece together Jules' secret. It's hard for me to stay invested in a mystery once I've figured it out and that kind of took away from the story here.

Overall, this was a solid, middle of the road read and I'd rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars (rounded up to 4 stars on here). I'm eager to check out more of Rachel's work!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rachel Hawkins has taken us for a wild ride once again. Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore, the heiress of the McTavish fortune in a small North Carolina town. This story is just as complicated and long as her name. Told through letters written by the heiress and in the POV of her adopted son, Camden and his wife, Jules. Lots of money and lots of betrayal. If you enjoy gothic slow burn mysteries with a lot of disturbing family drama then this one is for you.

Thanks, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the Digital Review Copy. Pub Date: 9 Jan 24

This was my first novel from the very popular Hawkins, and I understand her appeal. THE HEIRESS was a twisty family drama with plenty of backstories, lies, betrayals, and backstabbing. I was engaged in the story and empathized with Ruby, Camden, and Jules, having received much more character development than I expected in 281 pages. It kept me turning the pages late into the night.

I wasn’t a big fan of the “the story’s over, now let me tell you some secrets you didn’t know” part, but it was efficient and enlightening. Maybe that’s how Hawkins gets so much story into so few pages.

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.”