I was looking for a quick mystery when I decided to pick this arc up. I definitely think I found that in this book as I read it in less than 24 hours.
You follow Camden, the mmc, and Jules, one of the fmc’s, as they’re called to Camden’s family’s estate after the passing of his uncle. Camden is the heir to the family fortune, but it comes with a history he wants nothing to do with. From the beginning you can tell each character has their own secrets. Then, we also have another pov from Ruby, whom I would say is another main character in this storyline, but only through her letters from the past (as she’s already dead).

I will say I did get tired of the constant family heritage / geneology that was mentioned in what seemed every single page. I get it. They’re a rich family that has history going way back. Let’s move on.

I guessed every single “plot twist” except for the very last one at the end of the epilogue. Overall this was an enjoyable story and I was intrigued from the very beginning. The mystery of how everyone connected is what kept me reading. I’m giving this a 3.75 or 4 star rating and would definitely still recommend it if you’re looking for a quick and easy mystery read.

Set in Ashby House, an estate in the mountains of North Carolina, a family's secrets begin to unfold and each is more intriguing than the next. Ruby McTavish was kidnapped as a child. She is now the matriarch of the McTavish family and the sole heir to the fortune and owner of Ashby House. Not to mention, she is known locally as "Lady Killmore." She is the first point of view of the story.

We meet Camden, a boy (now man) who was adopted by Ruby McTavish. He inherits the 9-figure fortune when his adopted mother dies in her sleep. He wants nothing to do with the family or with Ashby house. He has spent his adult life trying to stay as far as away from North Carolina as he can. In doing so, he met his wife, Jules, in Colorado. Until, Camden's cousin, Ben - an egotistical and pretentious bully of a cousin (think a semi-attractive Dudley Dursley) - reaches out to Camden to come back to Ashby house to sort out family problem's after a family member's passing.

That leads to the third POV, Jules. Jules grew up impoverished and sees Cam's return home as an opportunity for them to have a better life together with more means, yearning for a better life that what she previously had before meeting Cam.

Ruby's point of view is cleverly told through letters written to an unknown receipient. She tells all of her tales and even explains about how her four husbands mysteriously died under suspicious circumstances, but her family's money silenced any further investigations.

I was skeptical when I began reading this, as I have previously read 2 other books by Hawkins. I ended up enjoying this one much more than "The Villa" or "Reckless Girls." I really enjoyed the sections that were from Ruby's point of view. It kept wanting to keep reading to see all the juicy details. 4/5 stars.

Holy moly, what a book!
Southern Gothic at its finest!
I read this in one day. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
EXCELLENT BOOK! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

This book mixes together family drama, famous family members and inheritance together so well. Camden is a likeable character who has no interest in his mean family or his mom's fancy lifestyle.

If you like a good page-turning, twisty thriller, make sure this book is on your radar! Hawkins delivers a dark and sinister tale that kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat the whole way through.

The cast of unreliable characters telling the story kept me wondering and guessing what would happen next. I loved the way it was told from multiple perspectives including letters and news articles. Hawkins really nailed the pacing and has a knack for ending chapters on just the right cliff-hanger to make this book hard to put down!

This was a great read for this time of year when I just needed some brain candy and something I could fly through. Make sure to grab a copy when this one comes out next month!

I'm really not sure how to rate this one.

Would I recommend this book to thriller readers? Absolutely!
Will I always feel let down and annoyed by the ending? Absolutely!

I loved the setting (though it didn’t give me gothic vibes AT ALL, I just love that part of NC and big, old houses), the varying POVs, and the overall plot but the ending felt both predictable and convenient, and the very, very ending felt like a straight rip off of Verity (a thriller I did NOT enjoy - an unreliable narrator is pregnant and living happily ever after at the beach). But it’s hard to say much more about the end of a #thriller without giving too much away.

One goal of mine for 2024 is to lean in to #mysteries and lean out of #thrillers as I frequently feel let down by their endings, no matter how much I enjoy the beginnings.

Is it just me?? I really do think most #thrillerreaders will enjoy it and that I’m the problem, it’s me 😆

Synopsis:
When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she’s not only North Carolina’s richest woman, she’s also its most notorious. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a child and a widow four times over, Ruby ruled the tiny town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family’s estate high in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

But after her death, her adopted son, Camden, wants little to do with the house or the money—and even less to do with the surviving McTavishes. Instead, he rejects his inheritance and marries Jules, a woman just as eager to escape her own messy past.

Ten years later, his uncle’s death pulls Cam and Jules back to Ashby House. Its views are just as stunning as ever, its rooms just as elegant, but the legacy of Ruby is inescapable.

And as Ashby House tightens its grip on Jules and Camden, questions about the infamous heiress come to light. Soon, Jules and Cam realize that an inheritance can entail far more than what’s written in a will–and that the bonds of family stretch far beyond the grave.

When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she’s not only North Carolina’s richest woman, she’s also its most notorious. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a child and a widow four times over, Ruby ruled the tiny town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family’s estate high in the Blue Ridge Mountains. But in the aftermath of her death, her adopted son, Camden, wants little to do with the house or the money—and even less to do with the surviving McTavishes. Instead, he rejects his inheritance, settling into a normal life as an English teacher in Colorado and marrying Jules, a woman just as eager to escape her own messy past. Ten years later, his uncle’s death pulls Cam and Jules back into the family fold at Ashby House. Its views are just as stunning as ever, its rooms just as elegant, but the legacy of Ruby is inescapable. And as Ashby House tightens its grip on Jules and Camden, questions about the infamous heiress come to light. Was there any truth to the persistent rumors following her disappearance as a girl? What really happened to those four husbands, who all died under mysterious circumstances? And why did she adopt Cam in the first place? Soon, Jules and Cam realize that an inheritance can entail far more than what’s written in a will––and that the bonds of family stretch far beyond the grave.

I've read all of Rachel Hawkin's books and this one has been by far my favorite! I was hooked from the start! It's like the 7 Wives of Evelyn Hugo meet Knives Out. The story gets revealed like a puzzle and more and more pieces get revealed until you see the whole story. The McTavish family is truly a testament to what people with. money and power can get away with. Their thought processes are truly next-level. I enjoyed that we got the point of view of Camden, Jules, and Ruby. I thought it brought a lot of depth to the story. Also, I saw none of the twists coming which is a home run for any mystery reader!

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 1/9!

I was instantly hooked on this book. There were crazy twists within the first three chapters which I feel like doesn’t happen normally in a thriller book. You usually have to wait a bit. The Heiress is told from a few perspectives, Camden’s, Jules, Ruby and news articles. Ruby’s POV tells her story starting from the very beginning through letters that she wrote before her death in 2013, that she has written to Camden.

Ruby was my favorite character. I loved her wit and sassy personality that shown in her letters that she wrote. She was truly a fun character who kept me on my toes. I also enjoyed hearing both Jules and Campbell's characters, their vague thoughts had me trying to figure out the ending throughout the whole book. In the end, some twists I guessed and others were a refreshing shock.

The Heiress is my favorite Rachel Hawkins book yet. It was face paced and every chapter left you wanting to go on to the next one. She did such an amazing job with piecing this story together. The flashbacks through Ruby’s letters, news articles and also pieces of the present connected all of the dots. The epilogue was the perfect ending to a wild ride.

I will be posting on my blog and on my Instagram on Pub date!
4.5

Wow- this is for sure Rachel Hawkins’ best yet! It is addictive, smart, and full of twists. Told from three very different POVs: Cam (the adoptive heir of a fortune), Jules (the wife of Cam), and Ruby (the once kidnapped heiress)- The Heiress delves into the complexity of families, how money can turn a person, and just how damaging secrets can be.

This is easily a one sitting read and one that I know will be talked about greatly when it comes out in January 2024!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

This is at its heart a book about family. Cam is living his life away from his family's problems. He is married and he and his wife are living a happy life out on their own. Then an email comes in to him and it drags him back to his family home. This is the story of how he and his wife negotiate this and how they survive the problems of family.

🎧🔲 THE HEIRESS by Rachel Hawkins and read by a great cast of narrators is a fantastic #ThrillerThursday choice!

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

This is a dark suspense that had me absolutely in its grip! I have read and enjoyed all of Hawkins books, but this one may be my favorite! Having a cast narrate this multiple perspective and format story made this a fabulous audio, bringing it to life! Having the digital ARC was nice to verify those changes!

Ruby was the oldest child of a lumber magnate and when she was 3, was the victim of a kidnapping that gave her lifelong notoriety, added to by the four husbands she outlived. Camden is the boy she adopted, raised and to whom she left her fortune, much to the disdain of her sister and her sister's family. Jules is Camden's wife, excited at the prospect of inheriting the amazing Ashby House in the Blue Ridge Mountains, despite Camden's clear discomfort of this place. When Camden and Jules arrive at Ashby to figure out what to do with the house after Ruby's death, all the fine facades begin to crumble and not everyone survives this crucible.

I loved the way this story was laid out! The news articles, emails, & letters interspersed throughout Camden and Jules' perspectives allowed for the tidbits of truth to permeate the rising tension. This build-up took most of the book, but it never felt like a "slow" burn! It ended with some twists that felt a bit forecasted (not wholly guessed), but certainly didn't take away from my utter enjoyment of this darkly fun tale!

I want to thank @macmillan.audio & @stmartinspress for the @netgalley access to this twisted suspense and letting me share my thoughts! This will be a hit when it comes out on January 8th, so mark your calendars or just pre-order this one!

Rachel Hawkins is easily one of the queens of suspense and mystery in the book world. Her new book The Heiress has a slightly different feel than many other earlier books, but still definitely a great read for me. This book focuses on the wealthy McTavish family and what ensues after family matriarch Ruby McTavish dies and her son and his wife come back home to deal with the estate. But as one would expect from a Rachel Hawkins book, things are not as they seem with the McTavishes!

Thanks NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

This was my first book by Rachel Hawkins and I really enjoyed it. I love books with multiple POVs and this was done very well.

What I really liked is that I really didn’t see any of the twists in the story, so it kept me hooked because I was trying to see if I had figured out what was happening (I didn’t 🤣)

If you are looking for a thriller starring a REALLY messed-up family, I highly recommend this one!

When Ruby McTavish dies, she leaves all of her money and her estate to her adopted son, Camden. Camden does not want anything to do with Ashby House, but his wife, Jules wants it. They return to Ashby House when his uncle dies and being around the remaining “family” is no fun and reminds him why he wants nothing to do with any of them. It turns out, Camden knew some of Ruby’s secrets and he did not want them to get out. How far with the rest of the family go to find out those secrets?

From the minute I started this book, I was hooked. I love dual POV’s and how Ruby’s POV was her letters and some news articles. The McTavish family is so screwed up and I think really shows nature vs nurture when adoption comes into play. Reading about her kidnapping and then being reunited with her “family” was so intense. There were lots of twists, but with how much Jules kept wanting Ashby House, I knew she had to be somehow connect or just a gold digger. Overall, it was a great read and kept me very intrigued the whole time.

The Heiress releases on January 9th! Thanks to Rachel Hawkins , St. Martins Press and NetGalley for my advanced copy.

Yay for another winner from Rachel Hawkins! This book has it all -- family secrets, wealth, greed, and murder.

The various POVs are a fun way to structure the story. I especially enjoyed Jules' chapters as she is trying to find out more about her husband's previous life. There are also letters and newspaper articles. To be quite honest, those took me out of the story a little bit. I would have preferred to have the story told completely through the characters.

The author does a great job of carefully crafting surprises and twists. These really keep the pages turning! The McTavish family is pretty messed up, which of course makes for compelling drama.

All in all, I highly recommend this one for fans of thrillers/suspense.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary e-galley. All opinions in this review are 100% my own.

Super fast read, took me less than a day to read it. I liked how twisty the story was, I thought for sure I knew the final conclusion and then another twist happened. Definitely more of a gothic ish drama than thriller, but it holds people's attention.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review, but all opinions are my own.

I certainly enjoyed this book. It was a good story, but had a slow start. I also would not call this a thriller per se. It’s more of a family drama. It’s very much like one season of a soap opera. The last part of the book is very engaging and full of twists. I liked this book way better than The Woman Upstairs.

This book featured morally gray characters. None of the characters in this book are really likable, even the main characters. Yet, I found myself rooting for them. The book certainly had an interesting cast of characters.

Now I’m excited to read more of Rachel Hawkins’ books. I love thrillers and I think this author could be a good fit for me.

I loved this book! I also loved the previous title by Rachel Hawkins so I knew this one would not disappoint. The Heiress had so many twists and turns you couldn't even imagine. The ending was great and I highly recommend if you are looking for a page turner with a crazy ending this one is a must read!

4.5 rounded to 5.

holy bananas this book was crazy!! Think Evelyn Hugo meets The Family Game (by Catherine Steadman)!! This book has greed, mystery, old family money, murder, and sooo many secrets! I loved it!!

This book has a fun, unique layout. We get current day POV from Camden and Jules, who are married. Camden being the adopted son of Ruby McTavish, the Heiress of the Ashby house and McTavish fortune. Jules, Camdens wife and her desire to know more about her husband's previous life. I love Jule's chapters because it was like she was talking to the reader directly, explaining everything to us. In between these chapters we get Ruby's POV in the form of letters...telling the story of her life and all the mystery behind it. There are also some newspaper articles thrown in there, which was super fun.

This book was full of surprises and mystery. The McTavish family was certainly easy to hate, and Hawkins did such a great job at that...and I had a lot of fun reading and uncoiling the mystery of Ruby and her insane life.

I had the privilege of listening to the audio which was great. Cam, Jules and Ruby each had their own narrator which I loved, and they all did a great job.

This is only my second book by Rachel Hawkins, but it definitely won't be my last. She has such a good way of mixing the past with the present in the most mysterious and unique ways. Definitely recommend if you love family drama, rich family mysteries, Mutiple POVs and of course a little murder.

This maybe my favorite Rachel Hawkins book! This book kept me intrigued from the beginning. The author did a great job telling the story from 3 different people. It really kept me guessing and I couldn't quite trust any of the characters. I always felt like each one was keeping something important. There were so many twists and turns that I didn't expect. That makes a book great in my opinion, when I can't guess the outcome. I'm always disappointed when I can guess what is going to happen. This book completely surprised me. The Heiress is one of the best psychological thrillers that I've read in a long time.