I have been a fan of Rachel Hawkins for some time. I was so thrilled to receive this free audio ARC from Rachel Hawkins, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley. The book description was intriguing. A child, Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore, is kidnapped from a wealthy family. She is eventually found and brought back home to Ashbey House. Added to her fame is the death of her 4 husbands and being North Carolina's richest women.
She ruled the small of Tavistock until her death, or maybe even in death she was still controlling everything.

Her death brings home her adopted son, Camden, and his wife, Jules. What enfolds is the legacy if being a McTavish, who they all are, and family feuds over money, possessions, etc. I loved the narrators. I love it when they have multiple narrators it helps make the story less confusing, makes it more thrilling and intriguing. I loved that the chapters were short. I also liked how the story was carried through letters. I couldn't put it down. Definitely worth the read for fans of Rachel Hawkins, Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina, family drama, mansions, family relationships, legacies, history, and estates.

While we've found Rachel Hawkins' previous novels gripping and utterly captivating, "The Heiress" took a different turn.

Set through the lens of three different perspectives —Camden, the husband; Jules, the wife; and letters written by acclaimed Heiress Ruby — the novel hints at greatness but struggles to deliver.

The narrative lacked depth, yearning for more insights into the characters' backgrounds. It all felt very surface level. Unfortunately, none of the characters had any redeeming qualities, hindering our ability to root for any one of them. On the other hand, the flashback chapters detailing Ruby's past and her handful of husbands were the highlight of the novel. If you mixed The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo with murder, you’d get these chapters. Still, there was too many unanswered questions, and the ending fell short - failing to deliver the impactful punch we had hoped for.

That being said, there are a lot of positive reviews on Goodreads and an overall rating of 4.17 - so maybe give this a try or read one Hawkins backlist books that we enjoyed: The Wife Upstairs or Reckless Girls.

The Heiress comes out tomorrow on Jan 9th

"The Heiress" is a twisted gothic suspense novel from the “New York Times” bestselling author of "The Wife Upstairs." When infamous heiress Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she leaves her nine-figure fortune and family estate in the Blue Ridge mountains to her adopted son, Cam. But Cam wants little to do with the money or the house, so he rejects the inheritance. Instead, he settles into life as a teacher in Colorado and marries Jules. Ten years later, the death of Cam's uncle brings him back to the family home--and reminds him why he left in the first place. The more Jules learns about Cam's family, however, the more she is determined that her husband claim everything Ruby left him. As questions about the heiress come to light, secrets are revealed.

This was such a page-turner, and I could not put it down. The story is told from the dual POV of both Cam and Jules, as well as from news articles and letters from Ruby. I always enjoy this type of format so that I can get into each character's head. There were so many unexpected twists and turns, which made this a very engaging suspense novel. This was my second Rachel Hawkins novel, and I will definitely be reading more!

After reading an ARC of this book, I was able to listen to the audiobook, and WOW! This book was originally somewhere between a 4-4.5 star read, but the audiobook enhanced my reading experience and made this a 5 star read. Narrated by Dan Bittner, Eliza Foss, John Pirhalla, and Patti Murin, this full-cast narration was incredible. The narrators were all perfect for their roles, especially Eliza Foss's narration as Ruby. Because this book is told from multiple POVs and mixed media, it just feels meant to be listened to. I cannot recommend this audiobook enough!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Rachel Hawkins has done it again! I was a big fan of THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS so I was very excited to get this one early. It was soooo good! I was totally hooked from the beginning and couldn’t put it down. The characters were so delightful in their own horrible ways. I also would have run far away from the Ashby House if I was Cam! This had so many juicy parts and I would love to see it adapted into a limited series. The audiobook was expertly narrated with a cast of characters.

I loved this book. Great thriller. Not too scary. Kept me entertained the whole time. I wanted to pick it up and keep reading. Loved the audio. Great narrator

I loved this one. Definitely my favorite of her books so far. I'll be buying it and recommending to my friends

Great new read from Rachel Hawkins! Told from multiple perspectives, the reader is carried through decades of lies, murder, and secrets from the wealthy McTavish family.
Highly recommended as a book or audiobook. Great narration!

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for my honest review

I really enjoyed this one by Rachel- and will even go so far as to say it's probably one of the best from this author. I felt the pacing was quick and perfect for a thriller and kept everything moving with no stalling- which can typically push readers out of a storyline. It wasn't bogged down either by too many characters being introduced, and I liked the back and forth between present and past timelines.

The narration was great and I enjoy when books are narrated by multiple people- it really enhances the storyline to be able to hear distinctly different voices for each character.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book.

"The Heiress" by Rachel Hawkins is domestic drama and mystery with a bit of thriller. The book is written from 4 points of view: the Heiress - Ruby McTavish, Camden- Ruby's adopted son, and Jules - Camden's wife, and the public with clips from various publications. The audiobook has different narrators for each part. The book is heavy on character and has an interesting story. The setting of Ashby House, the old mansion in disrepair
in North Carolina is atmospheric, creepy, but not quite gothic. There are a lot of mysterious deaths and eventual confessions that come out. It would make an excellent movie. The question of morality and what makes someone a good or bad person is a theme of this book.

This audiobook held my attention. I recommend it to readers who enjoy domestic dramas and mysteries.

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book.

I loved this book. It went by so quick. I loved all of the twists and turns and how it kept me guessing until the end. The unreliable narrator was done very well. The McTavish family is messy, full of drama, and entertaining to read about. Watching how Camden and Jules navigate their pasts and try to plan their futures helped this story to really flow.

My introduction to Rachel Hawkins' writing was through 'The Heiress,' and it was a truly captivating read. This thrilling narrative delves into the lives of a wealthy North Carolina family, set against the backdrop of their secluded mansion in the back country. With a history rife with deceased spouses and unexpected plot twists, the story unfolds through multiple perspectives, keeping you on the edge throughout. Ruby, our primary narrator, is particularly compelling, leaving an indelible mark with her tale that lingers well beyond the book's conclusion. Grateful to NetGalley for the ARC that allowed me to experience this engaging read.

Is there any better way to start off a new reading year than with the latest book from an author you love?

My pick was THE HEIRESS by RACHEL HAWKINS and let me skip to the best part - I loved it!

I always know I’m in great hands with RACHEL HAWKINS. Hands that are often dark + diabolical + surprising + twisty. Her characters are snarky and sometimes a little evil — and always in the best ways. All of her books are pure delight and totally page turning and while I hesitate to play favorites this might be my fave of her books yet.

I’m an advocate of the-less-you-know-the-better when it comes to thrillers, but I’ll set a bit of a scene in case you need some more enticement:

Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore is not only the richest woman in North Carolina, but when she dies, she’s also its most notorious.

Ruby’s adopted son, Cam, wants little to do with the family estate, Ashby House, with his massive inheritance or with the surviving McTavishes. But after ten years away from Ashby & another death in the family, Cam reluctantly returns home, this time with his wife Jules at his side.

The legacy of Ruby is inescapable, as are the rumors that surrounded her for her entire life. And the McTavish blood heirs are still beyond bitter that Cam is the sole inheritor of the fortune they believe they are entitled to, making this one very complicated homecoming.

This book delivers on so many things that I love: We mix past & present timeline and multiple POVs. We get a reluctant return home. Some 4th wall breaking. And a mixed storytelling style of narrative + epistolary + magazine & news articles. And so much rich family behaving badly + the outsider coming in. Secrets and mysteries and seriously so much goodness packed into a tight story. I devoured it. And for the jewel on top - can we talk about this cover?

I had the great fortune of receiving both the eARC and Audiobook ARC of the THE HEIRESS so sending huge thanks to @stmartinspress & @macmillianaudio for giving me the opportunity to enjoy the book prior to its January 9th Pub Day. It’s the perfect addition to all the reading lists!

So far this is my favorite book from Rachel Hawkins.

If the Seven Husband's of Evelyn Hugo was a thriller on how each of her husband's had all died. Duel timeline with multimedia of letters and newspaper articles. An entertaining read.

At 3 years old Ruby McTavish made headlines when she went missing then again months later when she was found. The heiress to the McTavish fortune and estate then widowed 4 times over, she was no stanger to headlines and rumors.

We then follow Ruby's adopted son. Cam ten years after Ruby's death dealing with the ongoing family drama to which they suspect the correct Ruby was not returned therefore not a true McTavish. He is coxed into returing to the family estate that is in need of repairs with his wife Jules.

Through letters we get Ruby's story and more answers then questions anyone thought to ask.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an advanced audiobook for review.

"I had gotten away with murder, and I was glad for it."
This fast paced, gothic suspense thriller, is about an infamous heiress and the complicated inheritance she left behind…insert family drama here. This story is full of lies, deceit, scandals and a whole lot of dysfunctional family drama where money truly is the root of all evil.
It is written from multiple POVs and uses letters and multimedia sources which help tell the backstory and the family’s history. I thought the use of these sources was a unique approach and made the story flow smoothly and made it more interesting. It was a little confusing at first due to the story having so many layers and, because it is multigenerational, there are several characters introduced or mentioned throughout the story. But it picks up real quick once you start to figure out the family tree.
It was a very engaging read and was hard to put down, I read it in one day. It is one of those that keeps you reading to find out what in the world is going on, like driving by a bad car wreck and not being able to look away, it’s a little chaotic and leaves you with missing pieces of information and questions, hence what makes it an addictive read.
I was fortunate enough to have an epub and audio version and appreciated having both. I listened to the entire story but was thankful to have the kindle version to look back on different characters and to see and understand the different forms of media that was being used to tell the backstory.
The audiobook narrators delivered a spectacular performance from start to finish. They did a great job with pace and inflections while creating a believable narration.

Received this audiobook as an ARC. I did enjoy it and it kept me entertained. The audio was really well done with different voices for each character chapter.

Entertaining book, but nothing unique or rememberable. The audio did add an extra half star because that kept me interested. A book of awful people where I guess the slightly less awful people “won” in the end.

This book was so interesting and fun. I loved the different perspectives, the hidden surprises around every corner, from the beginning until the end. Some of the book was written in letter form, the chapters were short and engaging. I loved the way the book was written. I really enjoyed the different characters - they were dynamic and they were all hard to trust. It was dramatic and engaging from the first page - the story telling switched between the past and present and it was done seamlessly and enjoyably. I was able to predict the ending, but it did not stop me from loving this book and continuing to read. I wanted to know how it would play out in the end. I really enjoyed the ever changing dynamics of the book!

Thank you Netgalley from my advanced reader copy.

This is my fourth Rachel Hawkins' thriller and it did not disappoint! She writes such compulsively readable popcorn thrillers, perfect for getting out of a reading slump. The Heiress is a multi-perspective mystery about a wealthy, isolated North Carolina family with a complicated history. Ruby is the departed matriarch who oversaw a vast family property. Her adopted son, Cam, and his wife, Jules, return to the property ten years after her death to settle estate issues. The story focuses on Cam and Jules in the present day with letters written near the end of her life interspersed. I was so enthralled by Ruby's letters about her complicated life and many husbands. I listened to the audiobook, which was perfectly narrated by Dan Bittner, Eliza Foss, John Pirhalla, and Patti Murin. A fun, twisty thriller!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for providing this ebook and audiobook ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Great book, combination of character study with a sprinkle of twists along the way. I liked the way it was structured with multiple POV's. Each character having pieces of the puzzle. Got a bit slow in middle but then took off again. Ruby will stay with me, there was something about this survivor that was so appealing and I love a great twist/reveal

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins was my first thriller of the year and I absolutely loved every minute of it!

I read (or listened) to this one at the right time! I was looking for a quick, fun read that I would enjoy and The Heiress was everything I needed.

To say I devoured this one would be an understatement because I seriously 2.0x this baddie since I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen! (Totally normal audiobook speed…right?!?!)

Loved all the twists and turns and I didn’t even see many of them coming, but they all felt real and not overdone, so that’s a huge plus for a thriller for me.

I don’t even want to share the synopsis because there is so much going on. Just read it!

The narration cast did a fantastic job and I really enjoyed the different voices for each character. So helpful in an audiobook with multiple POVs

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my gifted audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I listened to the audiobook version of this on NetGalley, and the use of multiple narrators in the audiobook made a book that I was worried about being confusing to listen to pretty easy to follow. I got big Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes, but Ruby (this novel's matriarch) and the story overall was shallower, which made The Heiress feel underwhelming in comparison, even though the premise was clever. While I was overall engaged in and curious about the story, I found mosts of the twists to be pretty predictable. Still, I'd probably recommend this to readers who like domestic drama and are looking for something a little different than just rampant cheating. (Side note: this was my second Rachel Hawkins book and [perhaps this is intentional, but] I have yet to like a single character, let alone be able to identify with any of them.)