The Heiress-standalone
By: Rachel Hawkins 1st time author for me
Setting: NC
Publication date : 1/9/24, read 1/3/24
Rating: 5/5 ⭐

✔️ Gothic mystery
✔️ Family drama
✔️ Adult Fiction
✔️ Wealthy
✔️ Inheritance
✔️Small town

⚠️ physical abuse, kidnapping, death of parents, alcoholism, murder

This is the story of Camden's return to his childhood home Ashby House after ten years. He's living in Colorado with his wife Jules teaching English. His cousin Benjamin emails him that Howell- his uncle and Ben's father- has died. Cam has avoided contact with his family, especially after his adoptive mother Ruby McTavish left him the family home and business profits over $100 million. When they arrive secrets and lies are revealed that could mean life or death.

The world building is awesome. Ashby House is an old gothic place with the ghosts of past indiscretions and sketchy characters. There is a scary forest Ruby got lost in as a child and dangerous cliffs. The book follows Cam and Jules in the present and Ruby in the past told by her handwritten letters before her death ten years prior. The family dynamic is interesting to say the least. It starts with lumber magnate Mason McTavish and his wife Anna-Ruby and younger sister Nelle's parents. Ruby marries 4 times and goes into detail about each of her husbands. She didn't have any biological children(that we know of), but she adopts Cam as a single mother. She and her sister Nelle are always at odds because their father doted on Ruby. Nelle marries and has a son Howell-Ben's father. Howell is an alcoholic who dies in a car accident, leaving his children Ben and Elizabeth/Libby.

The characters: Cam and Jules marriage is one of acceptance. Sure, they both have pretty shocking secrets that they do reveal to each other eventually, but it is love. Ben and Cam have been adversaries since they were children. Ben beat Cam up and left bruises on him. Libby is the youngest and dislikes Jules at their first meeting. Libby and Ben have a sorted past as well and would never be just cousins. Ruby and Cam mother/ son relationship was very twisted. Ruby didn't shower Cam with affection. With all her power and influence she tried to force Cam to take her money. She would put him in moral dilemmas to see if he was a good person worthy of her fortune. She kept him from getting jobs to support himself because he didn't want her money. Cam wanted nothing to do with the McTavish name, but Ruby got her way in the end.

My Thoughts: This was a story with suspense and mystery that read like a movie. From the family secrets, the backstabbing, and betrayal it kept me guessing. It made me question what I would do if I was in Cam's position. Getting all that money comes with so many problems, I doubt I could deal with it.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC💚! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

I really loved this book! It unfolded like more of a classic mystery, which is definitely my kind of thriller. Add in an ultra rich family fueled by money, a gorgeous estate, and lots of secrecy, and this made for quite a fun mix. The premise, reveals, and resolution all worked really well for me!

I listened via audiobook and really enjoyed the narration change, quick chapters, and cast of audiobook narrators. All were easy to listen to and definitely brought these three main characters of Ruby, Jules, and Camden to life. While, I have only previously read Hawkin’s The Wife Upstairs, which I also loved, after this one, I’m realizing that she is quickly becoming an auto-read author for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for this gifted ebook!

Rachel Hawkins did it again! This is more of a suspensful read than a mystery and definitely not a "gothic" mystery as I was lead to think. There are very few gothic elements to it (for example, there is no haunting or horror or even pervading fear). It's more of a "family members plotting against each other" kind of read, set in a mansion in North Carolina, named Ashby House. Camden, the only heir to the Tavishes family fortune, has turned his back to all of it a decade ago when he fled to California to finish college. After meeting the love of his life he has started a new, modest, life as an English school teacher in Colorado with his wife Jules but now he is summoned back by his cousin Ben to "straighten things up" once and for all. Now that Ben's father is dead Ben and his sister Libby feel they should be the legitimate heirs because they come from the Tavishes bloodline while Camden is the adopted son of their grandmother's sister, the late heiress Ruby who had married four times in her lifetime without giving birth to a heir. All her husbands died in strange and violent circumstances and there are rumors that Ruby was the cause. Ruby always had a dark aura around her because she was the victim of a kidnapping when she was only three years old. She disappeared during a picnic in the woods sourranding Ashby House but she was found safe 8 months later in Alabama, after a ex worker confessed to her kidnapping. Jules kind of convinces Camden to accept Ben's invitation so they pack their car and head to Ashby House. A lot of things happen in the week that Camden and Jules spend there (as you can imagine): long-kept secrets are revealed, somebody dies and we learn that both Camden and Jules are harboring secrets of their own. If there is something that I really appreciate in this kind of entertaining read is when you can still root for someone while hell breaks loose and Camden and Jules were two characters to root for (in particulr Jules). I also thought the pacing was very well done and while the twists and turns weren't of the mind-blowing variety there wasn't a single dull moment in the entire book and it was perfectly plotted. This to me is entertainment at its best and I can't wait for Mrs. Hawkins next work. I only give out 5 stars when a book changes me but in its own genre this is close to a 5 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced e-copy of The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins.

What it’s about:
Camden McTavish has spent the better part of his adult life trying to distance himself from his past, specifically his family. He and his wife, Jules, have a small rental home in Colorado and are perfectly happy leading a quiet life without the influence and strings attached to his adoptive family, the McTavishes of Tavistock, North Carolina. In fact, Camden has ignored any attempt the McTavishes have made to communicate with him regarding his sizeable inheritance from his deceased mother, Ruby. Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore is quite a legend in Appalachia, having been kidnapped as a small child and having buried four husbands prior to adopting Camden. Luckily, upon Ruby's death, Camden has been free of the McTavishes for almost ten years. However, when his uncle is involved in a fatal car crash, his cousin Ben emails him one last time to implore him to come "home." At Jules insistence, she and Camden head across the country to the infamous Ashby House to attempt to tie up any loose ends so Camden can be free of the McTavishes for good. Once they arrive, Camden immediately remembers the lure and the danger of the beautiful estate, which has fallen into disrepair since his mother's death. He remembers the secrets that this house hides, and as he and his wife become ensnared by its walls, Camden wonders how far-reaching the bond of family can be and if those ties can ever be broken.

What I loved:
I could not put this book down and read it in 24 hours! Hawkins kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire ride. The McTavishes are HORRIBLE people. These characters are so easy to loathe, and the mystery of how they fit together is intricate and well-developed. Camden is a truly likeable character, so it is easy to root for him in the whole mess. Ruby's past is revealed through a series of letters which make the end that much better! Hawkins has written a true thriller that will keep you up late into the night to see what is going to happen.

god i loved this book. my favorite of hawkins to date. the multiple POVs were so well done and i’m obsessed with ruby. that extra little twist at the end was everything!! highly recommend to people that love domestic dramas & rich people problems!

I was pretty bored by this from the beginning, if I'm honest. There wasn't a big twist and it wasn't very thrilling. The narrators also were not great. This author's books are very hit and miss for me and this one was on the miss side. Hope you have better luck!

The Heiress comes out next week on January 9, 2024 and you can purchase HERE.

There should be some kind of warning when your life is about to change forever.
I
don't need a siren or blood-red skies or anything, but I still think there should be just the littlest bit of ...I don't know, a frisson. A feeling under your skin and inside your bones when something fundamental shifts, when the ground underneath your feet grows suddenly unstable.

And you should definitely not be wearing a fucking bonnet when it happens.

But that's exactly what I'm wearing the September evening I come home and Camden drops the bomb that's the beginning and the ending of everything.

I have enjoyed everything I've read by Rachel Hawkins so far and this story is no exception. I stayed up late to finish it.
Ruby is a wealthy woman with a lot of intrigue around her. As a toddler she was kidnapped. She was missing for long enough that there was no hope left of finding her. Then miraculously the man who kidnapped her confesses and she is returned home.
From there she grows into a young woman and is a happy new bride on her honeymoon...except the honeymoon ends in tragedy when her groom is shot during a robbery of their Paris rental.
Ruby eventually remarried, she marries 3 more times in fact. Each husband leaving her a widow.
Now, her adoptive son, Camden and his wife Jules, are called back to the family home for a funeral. Camden ran from the house and money he inherited from Ruby..he knows the family is tainted.
Jules is harboring her own secrets. As the story unfolds Ruby's confession is revealed through letters she wrote. By the end of the week Camden and Jules' future will be completely changed.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to enjoy this e-ARC.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Great start for 2024. And perfect timing since this one’s pub date is on the 9th. This is my first book by Rachel Hawkins and now I’m eager to bump up the other one that I have on my TBR shelf (The Wife Upstairs).

This was a quick read with a slow burn. I felt like at times it was dragging a bit to get to the “good stuff” but it never lost my interest. As far as characters go, those McTavishes are really a messed up family. I didn’t really like any of them. 😂. I guess Camden was ok but there were parts in his story that kinda bugged me (but I can’t go into detail without spoilers. Let’s just say he knew more than one would assume but still chose the life that he did. So in a way he seemed just as messed up to me as the rest of the family…if you read the book, you’ll know what I’m talking about).

I think my favorite thing about this book was the way the author described the Ashby House. Her descriptions made you feel like you were right there as you were reading it.

The reason for knocking off one star was as I mentioned earlier, it was a slow burn. The letters from Ruby were a nice touch but seemed to drag at times. Overall I really did enjoy this one and I do recommend picking up a copy if you like mysteries with messed up family drama.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

To see other reviews I’ve left. Check out my Instagram and Goodreads pages:
*Instagram - bookworm_traveler808
*Goodreads - Cherihy808

A very convoluted plot that left me feeling very confused. My son’s name is Camden so I’m not sure if that’s what kept me from becoming fully immersed or if my brain just didn’t compute in general.

I guess I have a wicked sense of humor because I was thoroughly entertained by The Heiress. It was not really what I was expecting in the best kind of way. I love it when I can’t wait to get back to a book I am reading and this was one of those books.

Everything centers around Ashby House, a mansion in North Carolina, owned by a wealthy family. Ashby House is located in the small town of Tavistock, named after one of the McTavish ancestors.

Ruby has died, but she is the main character in the story. To say her life has been interesting would be an understatement. Kidnapped as a toddler, then returned home (supposedly), Ruby grows up to become a very controversial woman.

Ruby has been married four times, but never divorced. When she dies, her entire fortune is left to her adopted son. Naturally, the rest of Ruby’s family is not happy with the will. They feel that only a relation by blood should own Ashby House and the fortune that comes with it.

The book never lagged, moving at a steady pace until the ending, which caused me to wonder if Rachel Hawkins may have a sequel in mind.

This is a book that will inspire some juicy discussion for book clubs and I highly recommend it to readers who love a good family mystery.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to offer an honest review.

Would you be able to walk away from a nine-figure inheritance? Cam McTavish did ten years ago. Now, it's time to return and hash it out.
Rachel Hawkins put together a fast-paced read of the ugly motives in Ashby House. There's nothing like money and power to bring out the worst in family. But who's really family?

Thank you to NetGalley and author Rachel Hawkins for allowing me to review this work.
In her newest book Ms. Hawkins takes us into the world of the rich and famous…or should we say infamous. Tavistock North Carolina is a lumber town built by the McTavish family. On a Sunday in September, 1943 tragedy struck when three year old Ruby disappear, and then reappeared almost a year later..
Present day Golden Colorado, Cam McTavish receives an email from his cousin summoning him back to Tavistock and his family’s home Ashley House. With much trepidation Cam and his wife Jules Close up their Colorado lives and head East.
The story of Ruby and Cam is told in dual timeline. Following Ruby through her globe trotting and multiple marriages and how adopted Cam comes to Ashley House.
Woven through their stories we learn of the rest of the families jealousy and Jules’
chance appearance in Cam’s life.
Just when you think you’ve figured out how the story will go, there’s another twist. Full of danger, intrigue, and even death the reader makes their way from Ruby’s early adult life to Cam’s version of present day wondering what will happen next!

This was an easy book to read with an interesting plot but I can't say that I was thrilled with or interested in any of the characters or that I didn't see some of the twists coming. Camden, the adopted son of Ruby McTavish, a woman kidnapped as a child, after wanting nothing to do with his family or the money he inherited, is convinced by his wife and cousin, Ben, to return to the family home. It is through the point-of-view of Camden, his wife Jules, and Ruby's letters that the story progresses and we learn about this dysfunctional family. And what a family it is!

While I didn't wholeheartedly enjoy this book, I'm sure others will find it more to their liking. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

After experiencing Hawkins’s writing in The Wife Upstairs, I was very curious to try her new novel, The Heiress. As this title was labeled as a thriller, I was not sure what to expect. This genre typically either leans towards action-type mystery or more drama-leaning mystery. For those expecting more action, they may be more disappointed in this novel as it favored family drama compared to action. The narrative in this story goes through three points of view. The first is Camden (Cam), the adopted son of the richest woman in Tavistorck, North Carolina, Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore, who inherits her fortune and estate. He rejects it and moves to Colorado only to come back ten years later after receiving a call from his cousin, Ben, that his uncle has passed. Jules, Cam’s wife, provides the second point of view, while letters from Ruby provide the third.

The Ashby House provides a nice spooky place to hold all the mysteries. Camden and Jules, who met in California, move to Colorado before being pulled to the house. I do feel more could have been done with the spookiness factor, but I did enjoy the potential. Ruby’s role in the story was the most compelling to me as I enjoyed learning about the demise of her husbands and all the other secrets of her life. There is a great mystery with clues given for the different twists and turns. For me, I think a few less clues would work still as there is some predictability. It was not boring, though, and I did enjoy the reading experience. Hawkins has a nice talent for writing suspenseful thrillers where there is a little bit of tension without being too intense. Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel by Hawkins and can’t wait to read more in the future.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

While mostly set in NC there were references of the gorgeous Colorado Rockies (where I live) to the “dreaded inland empire” of Southern California (where i attended a university), that had me connecting to the story right from the start. The three perspectives were all interesting and the methodical approach to revealing the truths kept me captivated.

A solid suspense from Hawkins and multiple narrators who delivered the exact amount of tension and emotion that was needed!

Thank you St, Martins Press for the arc via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed the short and fast paced chapters. I did like reading the different views from Ruby, Camden, and Jules. Camden and Jules are married. Camden is Ruby's adopted son who inherits a large fortune after she dies. Camden and Jules return to the McTavish's mansion to assist with some repairs and the secrets begin to unfold.

Ruby is also known as "Killmore" since she was married four times and each husband died in an unexpected way. Ruby leaves behind letters that explains what truly happened with each husband. I feel this is part of what caused me to struggle to enjoy this story because it reminded me of the book "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo".

In my opinion this story is good but not Rachel Hawkins best. At times, it felt too busy with too many plot twist and secrets. I was waiting to see the connection of the missing hikers but now I am unsure why the story even speaks of the them. They are not relevant to the story line and you never find out the answer. It just feels unnecessary to include them in the book. I did enjoy Jules connection to the storyline and her role in the ending.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Heiress follows husband and wife, Cam and Jules, as they return to Cam’s childhood home in the Blue Ridge Mountains to settle the family estate. Cam wants nothing to do with the home or the money he has inherited from his adopted mother, Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore. Ruby holds much notoriety, as she survived a childhood kidnapping in the 1940’s and outlived all four of her husbands.

Told from both Cam and Jules’ perspectives, as well as letters from Ruby herself, secrets begin to come to light as the greed of Cam’s remaining family threaten their safety at Ashby House.

This is my favorite Rachel Hawkins to date! I enjoyed how parts of the story were able to be pieced together, while other unexpected twists continued to be revealed throughout the book.

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

I will update with my review once the SMP boycott is over.

In the meantime...
#SPEAKUPSMP has three demands:

Address and denounce the Islamophobia/racism from their employee.

Offer tangible steps for how they're going to mitigate the harm this employee caused.

Address how, moving forward, they will support and protect their Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab readers, influencers, and authors in addition to their BIPOC readers, influencers, and authors.

In solidarity with the SMP Boycott I will be withholding my review for this title until SMP acts on the following:

1. Address and denounce the Islamophobic and racist remarks from their employee.
2. Offer tangible steps for how they are going to mitigate the harm this employee caused.
3. Address how, moving forward, they will support and protect their Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian influencers, authors and readers, in addition to supporting their BIPOC influencers, authors, and readers.

This is not a reflection of the author personally, nor is it a call to boycott buying this particular book.

I loved this book! It’s an ominous, captivating, well thought out and executed gothic thriller with twists I didn’t see coming and pages I couldn’t turn fast enough!

The story is told through multiple POVs: Jules, Camden, and the late Ruby McTavish through a series of letters. Also sprinkled in are magazine articles and news snippets about the exorbitantly wealthy family and all the drama and murder that surrounds them - which I loved.

Ashby house gave me Sharp Objects (Gillian Flynn) and The Only One Left (Riley Sager) vibes, while Ruby herself gave me some Evelyn Hugo vibes (if she had an evil twin), with her many husbands and her lavish fancy lifestyle. Camden and Jules are likable main characters, and Hawkins keeps you guessing about who has what up their sleeve.

Short chapters, bingeworthy, kept me guessing - a perfect book to get you out of a slump! Highly recommend!

Thank you Net Galley and Rachel Hawkins for the ARC!

𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒊𝒇 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆
🏰 Southern Gothic
🔪 Domestic and Psychological thrillers
👀 Dual Timelines/Dual POV
👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 Family Drama