First, thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital ARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.

Synopsis in my own words: Jules married Camden a decade ago and they live happily together in Colorado until one day Camden’s past comes back to shake their lives up. He was adopted by millionaire Ruby McTavish, a notorious heiress to one of the largest fortunes in North Carolina. Camden is named as Ruby’s heir and now that she’s gone, the money and estate has to go somewhere. However, the money comes with a lot of strings so even though it’s life-changing, it might not be exactly worth it. Jules and Camden decide to give his Knives Out-like family another chance and head to North Carolina to see what kind of mess Ruby has left behind for them to clean up.

That’s all I want to say without revealing more. This was a very solid addition to Rachel Hawkins’ annual slow burn mystery/thriller collection. It’s told in a few POVs and fits right in with her previous work, so if you like The Wife Upstairs, The Villa, and Reckless Girls, then I’m pretty confident you’ll enjoy this one too. However, it does follow the lines of the slow burn category, emphasis on the slow. I had a few theories pop up while reading this and most of them came to fruition, so I wouldn’t necessarily say this was twisty or shocking. That added to the “slow” part of my analysis just because if you followed along with context clues and foreshadowing, then you could predict what was going to happen and you just have to chug along with the text for it to be revealed that you’re correct.

I did thoroughly enjoy Ruby’s POV which was told in letters, revealing the truths of her scandalous life. Seeing how she was dead the entire book, she was a great character. Her revelations and explanations were compelling and kept me turning the pages.

I’ll always give props to Rachel Hawkins’ writing style. Despite some of her thrillers not being my all-time fave (Reckless Girls wasn’t the biggest hit for me), I enjoy the depth she gives to each character and the way she comes full circle. Her endings, while sometimes ambiguous and vague, don’t leave me feeling cheated. Even though there’s closure, there’s always something to think about as you close the book, which I appreciate. If I were to rank these style books, I would say: 1. The Wife Upstairs 2. The Villa 3. The Heiress 4. Reckless Girls

Read this if you like:
-Knives Out
-Haunted Mansion lore
-southern wealth drama
I put this at a 3.5/5 stars for keeping me invested and wanting to know the ending but also predicting a lot of the “big twists.”

**spoiler starts here
I truly thought this book was building up to Jules killing Camden. She was power-hungry while Cam wanted to throw away their fortune. From the very beginning it was clear she had a plan just from her narration style of speaking directly to the audience, the sympathetic pleas of “you have to see why I did what I did.” I almost think it would’ve been more interesting for the POVs to switch between Cam and Ruby’s letters and then have a long Jules chapter at the end like “you didn’t really think that was the whole story, did you?” and then explain her actions the whole way as opposed to it being very visible from the start. However, like I said earlier, I love an ambiguous conclusion and it truly feels like killing Cam is still an option if he gets in her way of the life she wants.

I enjoyed that Ruby wasn’t actually writing to Cam. That was a surprise I didn’t see coming. I knew Jules was someone more than who she appeared to be and had a feeling she was a Darnell descendant that felt robbed, but I loved that she and Ruby were the ones that connected as opposed to Cam.

I think I've realized that anything Rachel Hawkins writes, I'm going to really enjoy. She has a way of writing thrillers that are just so easy to binge read and get completely lost in, and The Heiress was no different! I loved this story and ended up devouring it in like 24 hours because I couldn't put it down. It's dramatic and fun and kept me entertained the entire time.

The Heiress was an interesting and captivating read for people who love a good mystery. Set in North Carolina, the story follows Jules as she accompanies her husband, Cam, back to his childhood home which he inherited after the death of his adoptive mother, notorious heiress Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore. Told through both Cam and Jules in the present day, as well as through flashbacks from Ruby in the form of letters, the reading experience is built throughout the story to bring you to a conclusion you don’t see coming.

I really enjoyed this read! While not necessarily a groundbreaking story, it was something that captured and held my attention the duration of the story. I found myself going between liking Ruby, Jules, and Cam, to disliking them, to liking them again. Additionally, I was super invested in figuring out where the story was going to go.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love the mountains, and I found the small town of Tavistock and Ashby house enthralling locations for the story, and was definitely part of the appeal for me. For anyone who loves a good gothic mystery with suspense, murder, and a little bit of wtf is going on, set in the mountains, I think this is an excellent read and definitely worth picking up!

I've said it once and I'll say it again: I love a family drama. Especially ones that come with family fortunes. This particular one also poses a question of ethics: if you knew your spouse was entitled to a huge family fortune, but wanted nothing to do with it, what would you do? Would you accept it, or would you try to change their mind?

I really don't know what I would do. Money solves a lot of problems, don't get me wrong, but is it worth your integrity?

I was hooked on this book from the first chapter. We get two POVs, plus a series of letters, and they take you on a journey of twists and turns the entire time. I was shocked at some of them, and nodding my head along with others, which IMO makes for a great read. I like figuring things out on my own because it shows I'm completely invested, but I also love those jaw-dropping chapters, and this one certainly had a couple of those!

This is a fast-paced thriller with lots of shady characters, and will make you stop and think to yourself, "What would I do in this situation?" Thank you St. Martin's Press for gifting me this ARC of THE HEIRESS! I loved it.

Though this is not a sequel in any way to The Villa, it was reading that book which made me so incredibly eager to pick up another work by Rachel Hawkins.

Within the pages of The Heiress, the reader is presented with multiple people and perspectives, though intriguing, did get a bit confusing at times. However, the story was riveting from start to finish. From the disappearance and reappearance of a young child, murder, mystery, marriages, and so much more. The web of intrigue Ms. Hawkins weaves, keeps the reader on the edge of their seat and looking forward to the next revealed piece of information.

The McTavish family is rich and always gets their way. Ruby, the oldest daughter, is The Heiress and throughout these pages, we are presented letters to an anonymous recipient about all the tragedies and mysteries surrounding her life. Camden is Ruby’s only child. Though he is adopted, he is Ruby’s sole heir to the McTavish fortune, which he doesn’t want.

After Camden’s uncle passes away, he and his wife, Jules, are drawn out to the McTavish estate to settle some family drama and back into complicated questions about what really happened.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy to review. This is likely my favorite Rachel Hawkins yet. While the twists were not as surprising or unpredictable as I prefer in thrillers I read, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride this book took me on. The whole story you never know who to believe, but most of the characters weren’t completely unlikeable. I appreciated that the chapters alternated between Jules and Camden’s present day perspectives as well as letters from Ruby. I liked how the ending played out and wrapped things together. 4.5 stars

I stumbled upon Rachel Hawkins a few years ago when I was reviewing Goodreads Choice Award winners, and I read several of her novels so I could be ready for her 2024 release, The Heiress. Set in two time periods, we learn what happened to a family where murder played centerstage nearly 60 years ago. As we come to understand who really died, who really felt the need to kill, and where some of the lucky survivors settled, it was a twisty little puzzle. Enjoyed the characters a lot, tho I did wonder if much of it was all dazzle left to keep us confused and not so much questioning a few gaps or holes. I usually suspend some level of disbelief but this has me hanging upside down! Worth the read, and I'll definitely grab the next one when it releases.

This book seemed so ordinary until it wasn’t. Once the secrets begin spilling out, you realize how convoluted the storyline is. Ruby is twisted and rotten to her core. This was a fast-paced and easy read, exploring the depths of what people with money can get away with. An enjoyable read.

Rachel Hawkins is an auto-read for me, so I was very excited when I got the chance to read the new twisty gothic thriller she’d been teasing for months.

This book involves Jules and Camden, a married couple (each harboring their own secrets) returning to Camden’s ancestral home to deal with the estate in the aftermath of his mother’s death. Camden’s other relatives are scheming to steal the mansion from him by uncovering secrets about the family lineage, while letters from Ruby (his mother) serve to let us know what really happened in the past. After lots of twists and turns, we find out the truth in the end.

I absolutely loved this book. I am a sucker for a good gothic tale, and Ashby House definitely delivered. Jules and Camden were not deeply drawn characters, but more character development wasn’t really necessary to advance the story. I guessed one of the twists early on, but the end did leave me surprised, quite a feat with a thriller. I adored the rural mountain North Carolina setting. As someone who lived in a small town near Asheville for years, the setting was realistic. The pace was compelling and kept the action moving. All in all, a very fun read.

What a fun ride! This is hands down my new favourite Rachel Hawkins. There are so many parts of this domestic thriller that are juicy and unexpected, and it kept me fully engaged abs entertained. Who doesn't love a story about powerful families, ancestral homes, questionable bloodlines and unexplained deaths?

Who says you can't go home again? While the plot isn't novel- rich boy running away from his family and has to return to face a death of a loved one and his inheritance- Hawkins makes it fresh with complex and compelling characters. Chapters intertwined with past diary entries/letters were especially fun. And the twist halfway through the book was excellently played!

Dead matriarch Ruby's letters were a deviant delight and I would read a whole book on this unpredictable black widow. There are layers of Gothic style too which makes it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 read for me.

Great twists that I did not predict. If you loved The Villa you will love this! Really quick, engaging read. Good way to kick off reading for 2024!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

One of the many things I enjoy about a Rachel Hawkins book is her ability to jump back and forth between characters so seamlessly and The Heiress is no exception. From meeting Jules and Camden, a happily married young couple, you're immediately drawn to their simple yet normal life. Until you find out Camden's adopted mother Ruby has passed and left him a substantial inheritance. Being forced to go back home and deal with is family who is not very pleased to be dealing him, you learn Camden has some secrets he'd like to stay locked away. Once he's back home we learn more about Ruby and her own secrets she's willing to share, just not with whom you may expect.

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one from Rachel!

I love Rachel Hawkins! This is my third by her and they do not disappoint. This one was a little harder for me to get into, but once it got rolling, it was hard to put down.

THE HEIRESS - RACHEL HAWKINS

4⭐

PLOT
Ruby Mctavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore a victim of famous kidnapping as a child, widow 4 times and richest woman in North Carolina with an envious house Ashby House.
After her death leaves everything to her adoptive son Camden but he doesn't want to do anything with it or her money.
10yrs later Camden and his wife Jules are forced to visit Ashby House and Ruby's past slowly unfolds truth about her kidnapping, reasons behind death of her husband and even Camdens adoption!

MY THOUGHTS -
This is a fast paced addictive family drama full of secrets. The alternate POV and timeline made it even more engrossing.
I loved how Ruby told her story via letters and slowly the suspense unfolds.
Perfect Suspense mystery to begin 2024!
Thank you Netgalley and publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I was consumed from the beginning. Just the right amount of tension and mystery causes you to turn each page eagerly awaiting what happens next. POV’s added to the excitement. Great job on Hawkins' part. Exceeded my expectations.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for my copy of The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins. I’m a huge fan of the author’s books and The Heiress is now my favorite. It’s an engrossing gothic page-turner with twists. You’ll love it.

This is a thriller about the wealthiest woman in North Carolina, her heir, and the cutthroat battle for her estate. This book, with its twists and turns, is an addictive read. The story is full of sub-mysteries that fit together like pieces in a puzzle. It is told through each of the main characters, Camden (the adopted son), Jules (his wife), and Ruby (the heiress). Expect the unexpected in this murder mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an engrossing and entertaining book.

This book was so good! There’s just something about a book with rich mysterious women that scratches an itch for me. I loved Ruby and her unapologetic behavior. She was honestly the only character in the entire book that I actually trusted. All of the other characters were extremely unreliable and not super likable, really. My least favorite part of the book was my lack of connection to the other characters. I didn’t care for Camden or Jules and I didn’t feel super invested in their story. I found myself reading just to discover more about Ruby.

Thank you for NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital ARC in exchange for my review.

I really enjoyed this book! I did see some twists coming, but there were other twists I didn't see and I loved all the reveals throughout the book. It gave me a lot of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier vibes. I loved the three POVs. I split the book half reading half listening and really enjoyed both formats. This was my second Rachel Hawkins book and it won't be my last!

3.5 ⭐️’s
The Heiress is filled with some nasty characters all vying for the family fortune. When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she’s North Carolina’s richest woman. Being kidnapped as a child as well as burying four husbands, she’s also quite notorious. Ashby house is the family estate nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains in the small town of Tavistock. A town ruled by the McTavish family. Upon her death everything was willed to her adopted son, Cam. A son who wants nothing to do with the McTavish family and couldn’t wait to leave. It’s been ten years since Ruby’s death when Cam is summoned back to the estate. A place he never wants to see again, but his wife, Jules, has other plans. As family secrets come to life, Cam and Jules soon realize that an inheritance, no matter how large, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and that some family bonds are quite difficult to break. This was a duel read listen and while some of the voices I enjoyed, Ruby’s took a bit to get used to, but fit her quite perfectly! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC and ALC of this book.