Creepy, ominous, fast-paced are three words I would use to describe this novel. There were so many little mysteries revealed at a perfect pace. I couldn’t stop reading! The twists and turns were many but not outrageous… especially considering the cast of characters. I didn’t really feel like I had to suspend disbelief and that was refreshing to me. Loved it!

Rachel Hawkins does it again. I really liked this book. Every time I thought I had it figured out, something would happen making me guess all over again. Definitely give this book a read!

The Heiress was such a fast paced, twisty thriller and I absolutely loved it! I could not put this book down! It was told from alternating POV with newspaper articles and letters weaved in and this made the book go super fast.

I felt like I truly got in the head of each character. I loved that this was a thriller with actual character development and I was super engaged the entire time- I read it in a little over a day.

Sometimes in thrillers when they have twist after twist I get a little annoyed so I loved that this one just had a few sprinkled in and I didn’t guess them ahead of time.

Definitely recommend this book and am excited to read a few of her older ones now too!

Thank you netaglley for the arc.

Ruby McTavish's life is an extravagant and news worthy one. Missing for months as a child, then found. Married four times, each time ending as a widow. Strained relationships with her sister and her family. Finally adopting a son to call her heir. When she dies, her son Camden inherits it all and then leaves, not wanting anything to do with it. Now, ten years later, he is called back, but his time he is not alone. His wife Jules comes with him.

Wow. Rachel Hawkins is such an amazing thriller writer. She builds so many twists and turns into a uniquely drawn out story that you get sucked into every bit of it. Here's what I loved:

The twists-yes, plural. This book has so many moving parts that it's not surprising how twisty it gets at times. You really have a hard time trusting anyone.

The structure- The story is told by both Jules and Camden as well as news articles and interviews through the years. Oh, and you also get Ruby's story straight from the woman herself in some confession letters. Again, this was so well drawn out.

The setting- at the very beginning, Hawkins tells you how it's incredibly easy to go missing in the Appalachian mountains, the main setting of the book. That though alone gives the book an eerie quality that lasts the entire time.

All in all, this was an amazing thriller that will keep you guessing with some amazing characters.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted copy. My reviews are always honest.

The Heiress (ARC)
Rachel Hawkins
4.25⭐️

Pub Date: 1/9/2024

This book was immediately catchy. There were so much secrets and lies from everyone. It seems like they all have hidden agendas. Reading this made me extremely anxious. I was engrossed by the how's and why's. How Cam was just afraid of going back to his family home, and how different it's made him. Why the family is hostile towards him. The writing style is so good that it kept the suspense and intrigue in high gear the whole time. The twists, turns and gradual revelations were all so uniquely and meticulously done. I particularly like that there were letters from Ruby herself to Cam slowly explaining what truly happened. The slow revelations were strategically done and it didn't feel like it was dragged out. I do think that this is more of a family/domestic drama rather than a true thriller. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this one very much.

Thank you @netgalley @stmartinspress for a gifted e-copy of this book.

3.5 stars/5
When you open one of Ms Hawkins novels, you may not know what it’s about, but you usually can bet that she can capture your interest and have your undivided attention until you have to put it down. This started out as a slow burn for me, I didn’t feel compelled to get back to it. It was not what I was expecting as a thriller. In my humble opinion it read more like a dysfunctional family drama.

It’s told from various points of view, a format I happen to like. It’s about rich people, about greedy people, and those that share lives with each other but do not necessarily like, much less love each other. Actually, I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likable, but it did evoke a curiosity in me that kept me turning the pages.

The main character Ruby was kidnapped as a child and is a widow four times over, a colorful life she has lived, to put it mildly. Much of this novel goes into her back story, which includes her death, and her legacy, and takes the reader on to those that will inherit from her and why.

It isn’t my favorite of Ms Hawkins novels, but when it wrapped up I was left satisfied that this unusual novel will make its mark with those of her dedicated followers when it's released on 1/9/24. My thanks to a favorite publisher, St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the review copy.

I looooved this book! Rachel Hawkins delivers yet again. I couldn't put it down and loved every chapter. Kept me guessing until the very end.

I love books that keep me guessing or throw me for a loop and this one fit perfectly! It kept hinting that something was going to be happening but it wasn't too predictable and the twists kept me guessing. I loved the character development, too. This was a good read!

A wealthy family. A missing toddler, lost in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. A string of dead husbands. An adopted son left to inherit a gothic manor and a massive fortune. Manipulative family members and a slew of secrets and lies.
This book has it all.

This is the 3rd book by this author (all unrelated stand alones) and by far her.

I could not have loved this book more. Every chapter was intriguing and suspenseful, and made me want to read more. I like how it was dabbled with a bit of epistolary format and then how it went back-and-forth between the two main characters point of views. Every time you thought you knew what was coming up something else would just hit you in the face and leave you gobsmacked. This was an absolute brilliant work of mystery and Gothic thriller all in one. I just think this is a phenomenal piece of work, and the author has really done herself..
The Heiress ~ Rachel Hawkins
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5 Rounding up!
Wow! I couldn't put this one down. Very bingeable with ominous vibes and lots of family drama. (and of course murder!)
Ruby McTavish (aka Lady Kill-more) has had plenty of husbands all who left her widowed time and time again. She has died and left her estate to her adopted son, Cam. He wants no part of the estate or money, but his wife, Jules convinces him to travel back home to work things out with the rest of the family. We get 3 POVs: Ruby, Cam, and Jules. They all have secrets that will unfold at the infamous Ashby Estate!
Ruby's POV was my favorite as she writes in letter form about her past. Be ready for twists galore!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for an ARC of The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins! I have read all of her books, and I am consistently amazed at her ability to seamlessly weave in twists and turns into something thrilling and cohesive. The Heiress is no exception.

Part of why I enjoyed this book so much is the setting. One of my big true crime interests is the Murdaugh murders which took place in the Carolinas. America got a close look at rich families in the south. It was a pleasure to read a fictional story about suspense, money, and botched family relationships in The Heiress, and personally, I was amazed at how Rachel Hawkins nailed the settings and character development. These characters had the same southern charm and perfected manipulation tactics that I’d expect being from that area.

As usual, the writing style was suspenseful and artistic.

4/5 stars only because I found myself having to re-read a couple of chapters to keep the story straight.

The Heiress, by Rachel Hawkins, is a complex, twisty thriller with many surprises and layers. It’s a family drama at it’s core with lies, secrets and stories slowly unfolding.

The McTavish family has a sordid history and they are admittedly not the most likable people. The story centers around the infamous Ruby McTavish, who is legendarily known as baby Ruby, the three year old who was kidnapped and then later returned to her family. She’s also notorious for the death of all four of her husbands. When she passes away and leaves everything in her enormous estate to her adopted son, Cam, instead of her deplorable cousins who feel they have a right to everything, Cam is resistant to stake his claim. He has horrible memories for his time at Ashby House in North Carolina and wants nothing to do with the inheritance…but his new wife does.

This story really begins once the couple returns to Ashby to settle the legal affairs. The story offers a dual point of view showcasing the modern timeframe from Cam and his wife, Jule’s perspective, and Ruby’s past history through letters. The Heiress is intriguing, dark, shocking and compulsive. If you enjoy thrillers, this well-written, and cleverly plotted novel is one you won’t want to miss!

So, I’ve been a huge @ladyhawkins fan since starting the Hex Hall series in 2010 and I’ve never met a book of hers I didn’t absolutely LOVE!!!

This book is (no surprise here) PERFECT! Dare I say, my all time favorite one of her last 4 newest releases! The vibe is the thriller version of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo told through the letters of a deceased Heiress with a sordid past including, but not limited to, being abducted as a young child!

5.0⭐️

⭐️THIS BOOK HITS SHELVES JANUARY 9TH⭐️

Special thanks to @stmartinspress for the review copy!

#theheiress #rachelhawkins #stmartinspress

When Ruby McTavish dies, she leaves her fortune and her ancestral home to her son Camden. But of course, there are other family members who aren't happy about that. Namely Ruby's sister and her family. As Cam and his wife Jules arrive at Ashby House, the other family members are determined to prove that Cam has no claim to the house.

This one kept me turning pages. Short chapters and an engaging story. The "twist" isnt' hard to see coming really, but there are a lot of side stories that keep it fun and interesting.

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

Available January 9, 2024.

Thank you Net Galley for letting me read an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! This was such a good book! I loved how every aspect of the story was intertwined with one another. I think I'm used to seeing characters as strictly good or bad, but this book had a some gray characters in the middle which I found very interesting. I really liked the premise of the heiress and the big fancy family house. I would recommend this one!

I have enjoyed all Rachel Hawkins books, and this one was no exception. Cam is the adopted son of a notorious black widow heiress. She leaves all her estate to Camden upon her death, setting him at odds with the rest of her family. Cam doesn't want anything to do with the family or the inheritance, but when his uncle dies in an accident, he and his wife gets sucked back in to the family drama, and through twists and turns we learn much more about all the characters.
One thing that I love about Rachel Hawkins books are that even though they are always full of secrets and revelations, her characters are always at the forefront of the story, and their development are what drives the story ahead.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this excellent ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. The different points of views held my interest and I always appreciate a storyline about a rich and dysfunctional family! Highly recommend!

Smart and engrossing; Rachel Hawkins does it again! Told through three points of view- Ruby’s letters, Camden’s and Jules’- the reader slowly learns about Ruby’s life and her four husbands and how Camden and Jules’ lives and lies weave together with Ruby’s. Family dysfunction, a fancy estate, great pacing and twists make this a quick, easy read. Releases January 9th. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital arc of this book.

Pull up a chair, because Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore is ready to spill the tea.

Told in a mixed media format featuring multiple points-of-view, letters, and snippets of newspaper articles, The Heiress introduces readers to the dysfunctional McTavish family of North Carolina, whose sprawling mansion sits high in the Appalachian Mountains. When the McTavish matriarch, Ruby, dies, she leaves her entire family fortune to her adopted son, Cam. But Cam wants nothing to do with his nine-figure inheritance -- until he and his wife, Jules, are summoned back to Ashby House a decade after Ruby's death.

The first thing you should know about The Heiress is that it isn't a thriller. Don't get me wrong, there are some great twists, but they're pretty easy to spot if you're paying attention. What The Heiress is, instead, is a juicy family drama -- a deliciously devious soap opera in book form, full of twisted secrets and lies and duplicity. Rachel Hawkins clearly knows how fun it is to read about morally gray characters doing underhanded things to each other, because that's exactly what she's blessed her readers with in her latest novel.

The Heiress hooked me immediately and didn't let go until the last page. It's expertly-plotted and offers a juicy voyeuristic glimpse into the rotten core of a wealthy family, with all its explosive secrets and toxic lies. It's unapologetically dramatic and provocative, and the characters are well-crafted and fascinating.

In my experience, Rachel Hawkins' books have just gotten better and better, and I think The Heiress is her best novel yet. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the early reading opportunity.

I have read and enjoyed Rachel Hawkins' other 3 books and loved all of them. Not a huge fan of this one.

It's told from 3 different POV'S. There's Camden, who is the adopted son of Ruby; Camden's wife, Jules; and letters written from Ruby. Ruby has always been known as Baby Ruby. She went missing when she was 3 and found a couple months later. She's also known around town as Ruby Kill-more, due to the fact she has had the misfortune of being married 4 times and outliving all her husbands. Camden is called back to NC. Jules is excited. But, secrets will finally come out.

The Heiress didn't really keep my interest. There seemed to be a few plot holes. It was a mixture of different books I have read in the past. Seems like maybe Hawkins read the same books I did, then took a little bit of the ideas from the books and threw it together. I know that may seem harsh. I am disappointed with this book. I guess her books have always captivated me, that I just assumed this one would too. Of course, I am not a writer, just a reader that loves a good book. Will I read her again? Of course! This one just didn't do it for me. 2.5⭐ rounded up to 3⭐

Tentative Publishcation Date: January 9, 2024

Thanks to Netgalley, and St. Martin's Press for the E-ARC. All thoughts and opinions my own.

🙂 Happy Reading 🙂

#netgalley
#stmartinspress
#theheiress
#rachelhawkins