What a great book to kick off 2024! I’ve read everything from Ms. Hawkins, and this one is definitely my favorite so far.

The Heiress is fast paced, character driven with multiple POVs, and all set in a mansion in the Blue Ridge mountains with perhaps the most toxic family imaginable living inside its walls.

Rachel Hawkins has now become an auto-buy author for me. So much fun, I finished this in one sitting.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for an advanced digital copy.

Cam and Jules are a young couple who are just getting by. But Cam has a secret—he is the heir to a grand house and vast fortune back in North Carolina. Unfortunately his family hates him. He and Jules go back home in hope of clearing up the family business. There are lots of mysteries and twists in the plot. Also a lot of the characters are not who the seem to be. This was a very quick, enjoyable read.

The heiress is probably Rachel Hawkins best since her debut. At the center of the story is the Ashby House and the complicated and twisted legacy of the mistress of the house, Ruby Mctavish. Ruby was kidnapped as a baby and was miraculously found and reconciled with her family unharmed and became the most famous in their North Carolina town afterwards. When Ruby dies, her only son Cam returns to Ashby House with his fiancé Jules to battle his family for his legacy and the estate. What transpires from there are twisted family secrets Ruby reveals through a serious of posthumous letters, revealing her past and the past of the house haunted by its many secrets. Told through multiple points of view, jumps between past and present and various newspaper articles, readers will find themselves enthralled in this page turning Southern Gothic thriller about heritage and legacy. I loved the southern gothic setting and thought Hawkins did a particularly good job at invoking those elements of the genre into this thriller. Recommended for all fans of twisted thrillers.

Thanks to the publisher for providing the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Hawkins, and St. Martin's Press for an e-arc of The Heiress!

3.5 out of 5 stars.

I feel like I can always count on Rachel Hawkins for a quick thriller to refresh my reading palette between books in a series or to get me out of a reading funk. The Heiress was no different! This was a fast moving novel that had action from the get go.

Things I loved:

The letters: since Ruby had passed away by the time this book is set, it was nice to get her POV. I also found the fact that the letters were focused on her husbands and their deaths amusing. The deaths of the husbands didn’t seem to have a lot to do with why Camden was at the house, but it was interesting to see none-the-less.

The Twists: I felt like the twists kept coming throughout the book and especially at the end. Just when I thought we had everything tied up, another twist would come to throw me for a loop. It was almost too much, but I felt like it all worked well with the plot.

The house: I love a book where the house becomes a character. While I would have liked to see more descriptions of why the house was so creepy, this particular element of a book always ropes me in.

Things I didn’t love:

The relationship among the McTavishes: I know there was a lot of animosity because Camden was adopted and inherited the house and a lot of money, but we didn’t see a lot of behind the scenes action to let us visualize the true hatred there. WHY did Camden not want anything to do with his relatives? Could they really all not stand each other? They seemed to get a long just fine while he was at the house fixing things. And if he truly wanted nothing to do with the house, he could have just signed over the deed upon his inheritance. That part didn’t make a ton of sense to me.

The pacing: There was A LOT happening in this book. So much so that it seemed like there wasn’t enough time spent explaining certain plot points. They were simply stated and the reader had to accept it and move on with little to no elaboration. I felt like certain elements were unnecessary to moving the plot forward and could have been left out of the book, which would have created opportunities to elaborate further on the elements that DID move the plot forward. Everyone loves a good side story, but when there are too many, it can take away from the plot and I feel like that happened here.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of “The Heiress” by Rachel Hawkins. “The Heiress” is the first novel I've read by Ms. Hawkins, and I must admit that I was thoroughly impressed. The novel has three main characters: Ruby McTavish Callahan, Woodward Miller Kenmore, a wealthy woman who had a mysterious and colorful past; her adopted son, Camden, an English teacher who is reluctant to return home; and his wife, Jules. The story is told in the alternating voices of these three (3) characters. Ruby's chapters were in epistolatory form. What happened to Ruby's four husbands? Why did she adopt Camden?

“The Heiress,” a suspenseful saga, tells the story of Camden's return to the Ashby House after the death of his adopted mother, Ruby. Camden left North Carolina 10 years ago but returned to handle Ruby's affairs. My favorite character, Ruby, was kidnapped during her childhood but eventually returned to the family. Was the returned child the authentic Ruby or a changeling? Did Ruby's mother, father, and sister, Nelle, believe the returned child was the authentic Ruby or an imposter? The McTavishes are wealthy, have secrets galore, and love one thing: money. All of the characters in “The Heiress” are unforgettable. Ms. Hawkins does an excellent job of fleshing out characters and gradually providing background information on each. You will find yourself thinking about several of the characters after you've read the story. The novel is atmospheric, and I felt like a detective trying to piece together the clues in this engaging mystery. Are Ruby, Camden, and Jules innocent, manipulative, or evil? Is blood thicker than water? Why would Nelle and her adult grandchildren not leave Ashby House? Is returning for an inheritance worth it? The Heiress has a publication date of January 9, 2024, and I recommend you add this book to your reading list for 2024.

This was so good and so dark! Adopted son Camden of North Carolina heiress Ruby McTavish (who has a the nickname Mrs. kill-more after all 4 of her husbands die suspiciously) heads to Western North Carolina with his wife Jules to deal with her estate. Camden and Jules have to also interact with Ruby’s entitled and terrible family members. Will Cam and Jules take over their historic home or will they uncover so much that it breaks them?

I really enjoyed this. It alternates between Cam, Jules and letters written by Ruby. Ruby’s accounts reminded me of (a very dark and twisted) Evelyn Hugo.

It was a bit slow at times in present day of Jules and Camden’s trek to NC, Ruby’s chapters were all very enthralling. At 60% in, I couldn’t put it down. Up until then, it was more of a slow burn.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This may be my favorite Rachel Hawkins. What a way to combine atmospheric tension, wild characters (a few of them were so intense they bordered on caricatures), and important flashbacks to the 40s through the 80s through different mediums like letters and newspapers.

Camden and Jules are married, and when Camden is finally called back to his ancestral home where his inheritance sits, the secrets of the past absolutely explode in a mess of truths and lies. The more Jules uncovers, the more she realizes how dysfunctional this family is. And even though Cam has known the dysfunction, he doesn't even know the entire truth of it. I devoured this one!

4.5 stars. Rich people having all their secrets exposed. Say no more.
This book follows a couple, Cam and Jules. Cam is the adopted son of a famous heiress, Ruby. When ruby was a child she was kidnapped then later returned to the family. When Ruby dies she leaves the family fortune to Cam, leaving her sister and her child/grandchildren very upset. However Cam decides to move and not touch the money. In present day Cam is forced to return home where all the families secrets are exposed.
This is definitely my favorite book by Rachel. I loved how the story had several layers. Including 2 POVs, newspaper articles and letters. And how they all fit so well together. It was fast paced and exciting. My only complaint is I hate when characters break the fourth wall and talk directly to the reader.

My favorite Rachel Hawkins book to date (I’ve read Reckless Girls and The Villa). I really enjoyed the audiobook of the Heiress - narrations were fantastic! The Heiress will be released 1/9/24!

The story begins in North Carolina with Camden, a boy who was adopted by Ruby McTavish, a wealthy woman 4 times a widow. Camden’s childhood was difficult because Ruby’s other family fear that Cam would take away from their inheritance. Eventually Cam flees from North Carolina and the Ashby house all the way to California. Even after Ruby dies and he inherits her entire fortune and estate, he stays away for many years. He eventually marries Jules 10 years after Ruby dies he finally returns to Ashby House to settle things once and for all but the secrets start to come out…..

It’s full of mystery and secrets, this book will keep you wanting more and more. I love the way it was written with stories and letters, past/present povs. Her best writing yet!

This was a wild ride! I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and loved the twisty ending. If you are a sucker for unlikable characters and/or you've enjoyed other books by Rachel Hawkins, this will be another good one to add to your list!

My first read of 2024 was such a good way to start the year!

The first half of this book had me absolutely hooked! It’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo but with more thriller components, and it was giving 4+ star vibes from the start.

Set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, the setting provided the perfect backdrop to Ashby House. It was gothic and atmospheric from the second our characters pulled up to the wrought iron gates, and you just knew there had to be secrets abound hiding behind those stone walls.

I loved how the author uncovered those secrets spanning multiple generations through different points of view. And the format choices to include magazine articles and especially letters worked really well for me! Ruby is a piece of work, and I was eating up all her salacious confessions in her letters. I read this on my Kindle, but I personally think the formatting would be way better in a physical copy for this book!

Despite such an intriguing and compelling lead-up, the last half of the book fizzled out for me. The twists were a little too predictable once I finished, but it was still really good! I’d absolutely recommend picking it up, especially if you like reading about rich people behaving poorly, notoriously infamous old ladies with plenty of secrets to go around and lots of scheming going on behind the scenes.

This was my first from Rachel Hawkins and it certainly won’t be my last! Although, I did read The Ex Hex by her other pen name, Erin Sterling, which I loved!

3.5 Stars (rounded up here!) Will be sharing the review above on pub day!

I think I would’ve liked this book a whole lot better if every single character wasn’t awful. I understand that’s kinda the point, but I couldn’t care less what happened to any of them. What I would’ve been more interested in, is more about Ruby and her life/marriages. Almost like an Evenly Hugo type thing.

Camden McTavish is called by his estranged family back to the infamous Ashby House after a recent death in the family. As they gather, tensions rise and secrets are revealed.

Any time I dive into a new Rachel Hawkins book, I’m always surprised - no two of her books are the same - and THE HEIRESS was no different!

This book alternated POVs between Camden and his wife Jules (and we also got some mysterious letters from the heiress herself, Ruby McTavish), which made for a quick read.

The mystery and setting (a gothic mansion!!) were intriguing and the book was really fun overall.

Definitely a hit when it comes to Hawkins’ work!

Huge thanks to St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Publication Date: January 9

Wow, what a story, what a family.

Drama, secrets, lies, and so much tragedy. This was an interesting story, told from multiple points of view, that kept me turning pages well past bedtime. The characters are well developed, although many are not all that likable. The plot moved along nicely and there were plenty of twists and turns.

Another great Rachel Hawkins read.

Thanks Netgalley, Rachel Hawkins and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read in exchange for honest opinion.

The Heiress might be my favorite (so far!) of Rachael Hawkins novels! You can always count on a good mystery and some chilling twists and turns, but Rachael really crafted a masterpiece with this one.

The basic preface of the Heiress tells the story of Ruby McTavish a now elderly woman who is heiress to the great McTavish fortune and Estate — Ashby House. Here’s the thing: Is she really Ruby McTavish? From here, there is 3 narratives moving forward. Camden - Ruby’s adopted son,
Jules, Camden’s wife and Rubie’s; in the form of letters. I absolutely loved the multiple POVs and trying to piece things together from each character. While there was a main, driving plot to the storyline, there were several sub plots that I found really enjoyable, too.

Definitely pick this one up if you love a twisty thrillers and mysteries!

***Trigger warning: domestic abuse***

The Heiress follows Ruby who is North Carolina’s richest woman. She was also a victim of a childhood kidnapping. She was also a widow four times. She adopts Cam. When she does her house and money go to Cam but he wants nothing to do with it. But now ten years later he has to go back to the house because of his uncles passing. Cam doesn’t want to go but his wife Jules convinces him. Soon both Cam and Jules learn secrets behind Cam‘s family and realize they might be better off not knowing.

I am a huge fan of Rachel Hawkins. I have rated all her books five stars. But this one just felt so flat and did not seem like it was written by the same person. This book didn’t have much of a thriller vibe to me. It seemed like more of a book to do with family drama. I truly found myself not really caring about what happened in this book. But I am happy that I have loved all of Rachel Hawkins other books. I do not suggest this one but her others I do.

Rachel Hawkins has done it yet again. I love everything she writes. I devoured this book. I’m looking forward to what she has in store for us next.

And Rachel Hawkins does it again! This one hooked me early on and was a real page turner. A fabulous character study. Lots of moving parts to this story and they were carefully woven and executed.
Thank you NetGalley and Rachel Hawkins for the opportunity to read and review this book.

As with every Rachel Hawkins book, I absolutely loved this story. My favorite thing is her jumps between present time, past letters, interviews & articles. It makes for such an intriguing plot and makes it almost impossible to put down.

Oh Wow another book that leaves you guessing until the end. A very wealthy family with so many secrets and back stories that it can become hard to keep them straight. Camden is called home to take care of the estate that his family lives in but that he owns. He lives a quiet life with his wife in Colorado They both travel home to see what needs to be done and the story within the story about Camden’s mother and her background. Griping tale with twists and turns that will give you whiplash. Thank you MacMillan audio and #NetGalley for my ARC.