A slow burn twisted tale centered around an inheritance. Jules and Cam return to Ashby house a giant mansion in the mountains to figure it all out. There are many twists and turns and it is hard to trust any of the characters. I really liked how the book was set up with duel POV’s from Jules and Cam but supplemented with letters from the past written by Cams mother Ruby. It also included headlines and news articles from the past. All of these combined allow you to gain more information as you read.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Publication date: January 9,
2024

The Heiress is a mystery/suspense story brilliantly written! I’ve read a few Rachel Hawkins books before and enjoyed them but this one is my favourite so far.

The book is written in a sort of past/present style. The story itself takes place in the present but there are news articles and letters from one of the main characters after death that really set up the present storyline.

Ruby McTavish is one of the richest women in North Carolina but she comes with a history. As a young child she was kidnapped and then returned to her family almost a year later. As an adult, she was heiress to one of the largest fortunes in history but that’s not exactly what made her so famous.

Ruby had 4 husbands and each of them died while in her presence yet she was never charged with murder. Ruby also never had children so she adopted a son to leave her fortune to which didn’t sit well with her sister and her family.

When Ruby died, her son Camden received everything, including the famous Ashby House where McTavish’s have lived for hundreds of years. He leaves it all behind to start a new life in California, hiring a lawyer to manage and maintain the fortune, the home and the remaining family.

Cam is called home after his uncle passes away and he reluctantly brings his wife Jules to the place he thought he would never return.

As we read Ruby’s letters details each of her husband’s deaths, we’re also caught up in the present turmoil of Cam’s battle with the the rest of the McTavish family who believe he’s not the rightful heir.

This book was really well done! An excellent mix of historical mystery that set the story for the present day. This is a solid 4 star read for me!

#NetGalley #rachelhawkins #theheiress

4.0 ⭐️

This the fourth book I’ve read by Hawkins and I would say it might be my favorite of hers to date! The Heiress is a slow burn, but will have you flipping through the pages of this dysfunctional family. I loved the characters in this one, even though I was questioning the honesty of each and every one of them.

This book follows three characters: Camden McTavish, his wife Jules and his deceased mother Ruby.

Ruby was a mega rich socialite who is just plain unlucky when it comes to marriage…she was widowed four times after all. Upon her death, her entire fortune was bestowed upon her adoptive son, Camden. After growing up in the Ashby House, he truly wanted nothing to do with the house or the money, but the house called him home.

Upon arriving to the house, Jules instantly falls in love with it and has decided she will do whatever it takes to ensure the house and the fortune is theirs.

This was extremely entertaining and I loved the flashbacks that were told via letters. Overall, a great read and highly recommend!

I'm a big fan of Rachel Hawkin's books, and The Heiress was another win. I love how her books always take place in a single place, whether it's a home, an island, a villa or in this case, a sprawling estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Heiress has all of the elements I love in a thriller - it's binge-able; it will keep you guessing; it's dramatic.

The book follows Jules and Cam and Cam's return to his family's estate which he has inherited. After his mother's passing many years prior, he left and never returned choosing to live a quiet life instead of touching the money he inherited. After his uncle passes away, he is summoned back to deal with the repairs and ongoing issues at Ashby House.

The book is filled with lots of twists that are fun and will keep you guessing into the end. I also felt like I was transported to this giant mansion in the mountains, and loved the atmospheric vibe of the book.

I don't want to say too much because it could spoil the story, but it's a good one to check out.

Thank you, St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the gifted eARC!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an advanced readers copy of this book! I really enjoyed The Heiress, and think this is my favorite book by Rachel Hawkins! I read this so fast, I just wanted to know all the family secrets and what happened to everyone! Karma got around to Cam’s family, and I was really happy with how it ended for him and Jules.

“Family is a complicated word – more complicated for me than a lot of people…I’ve spent so much of my life trying to figure out what that word even means to me,”

3.75 ⭐️ rounded up

Synopsis: Ruby McTavish is kidnapped as a child and found with a family in AL. She becomes widowed four times over and adopts a son who becomes the sole heir when she dies. Cam marries Jules and does not want anything to do with the fortune, but ten years later, cam is summoned back after his uncle passes. Everyone has secrets.

What I liked
-Multiple POV's
-Multiple timelines
-Short read
-This book kept me entertained the entire time.
-Multple twists and turns

What I struggled with:
-This novel was missing a punch with the ending
- There were some things brought up in the novel, like the hikers and gate, and just abandoned.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for an ARC of this copy, which I had the pleasure of reading. Publication date: January 9, 2024.

The format of this book is unique. It is set in the present, but also follows a timeline from the pasr. There are dual POV's from Jules and Camden, a married couple that is returning to Cam's family estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. There is also a POV told through letters from Cam's mother, Ruby, and these letters are supplemented with headlines and news articles that add details to Ruby's letters.
The setting was almost a character itself, a huge sprawling estate nestled in a remote mountain location holding family secrets passed down through the generations.
The characters are fascinating and well written. It's a mystery how Hawkins was able to make some of these characters likable even when they are not trustworthy. When I wasn't reading, I was thinking about these characters, wondering where the story would take them next and what shocking revelation would be uncovered next. A well crafted tale!

I loved this book! Several big plot twists throughout; some more easily anticipated than others. I loved the ending and Cam in general.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Publication Date- 1/6/24

I really enjoyed how each perspective intertwined smoothly while complimenting the overall story. The author had you guessing what curve ball was going to be thrown next and which character already saw it coming. The web of lies and scandals were perfectly woven without becoming lost or confused.

I really enjoyed this, and think it’s Rachel Hawkins best book! I definitely didn’t anticipate the twist. There were a lot of characters, most unlikeable, but it worked for this book. I really liked the ending- it felt like a nod to Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

this one’s for all the family drama lovers!! Rachel Hawkins is back with a slow burn, family drama style mystery! it has a sprinkle or two of suspense at times, but it’s not a twisty, edge-of-your-seat thriller like THE WIFE UPSTAIRS or RECKLESS GIRLS — both of which i prefer over this one. the last few chapters definitely picked up, but even with the twists at the end, it still fell flat for me. all in all not my fav from this author, but still worth the read as it stays true to Hawkins bingeable writing style — quick chapters, touches of humor, and surprises that continue all the way through the epilogue.

here’s how i’d rank the books i’ve read from Hawkins:
1. THE WIFE UPSTAIRS
2. RECKLESS GIRLS
3. THE HEIRESS
4. THE VILLA

thank you St Martins Press & NetGalley for the ARC <3

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
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️