A twisty thriller. It was a little disjointed and a little unbelievable at times. I really did like the ending... revenge is best served HOT!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this advance copy of The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins!
This book has my favorite type of character-a rich and fabulous female killer. This was 7 Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets Fall of the House of Usher meets Saltburn in the south. I always enjoy a wealthy family behaving badly. The story kept me gripped until the twisty end. Rachel Hawkins created a great dark world in which I would love to live. I can see this book translating to screen perfectly. It was a bit of a slow start, but about halfway through I was hooked. I will be recommending this book to friends who love thrillers and family dramas.

The premise of this book had me hooked but unfortunately it did not deliver. The twists were simplistic and the bad writing, or rather, the narration of the 3 POVs took me out of the story quite often. It felt like I was watching a badly produced TV show and I never found myself caring for any of the main characters. Ultimately,, the mysteries were not as compelling as they were made out to be.

The plot of "The Heiress" expertly unravels a web of mystery and suspense, centering on the enigmatic Ashby House and the dark legacy left by Ruby McTavish. Jules and Camden's return to this haunted estate brings to light long-buried truths about Ruby’s infamous life and the sinister events that surrounded her. I enjoyed the steady buildup of tension and the gradual unveiling of secrets, which kept the narrative engaging. However, some twists were somewhat predictable, and I wished for a more nuanced resolution to the mysteries.

The atmosphere of Ashby House was compelling, adding an eerie, suspenseful tone to the novel. Jules emerges as a complex and often unlikable character, whose motivations and actions can be difficult to sympathize with. Her eagerness to escape her past and fit into the affluent world of Ashby House reveals a selfish streak that contrasts sharply with her husband Camden’s reluctance. While her determination adds tension to the story, her manipulative tendencies and willingness to dig into the dark secrets of the McTavish family make her morally ambiguous. I found Jules intriguing but often frustrating, as her actions sometimes seemed driven more by personal gain than genuine concern. Camden's desire to distance himself from his inheritance and lead a normal life is juxtaposed with Jules’s determination to uncover the truth, no matter the cost.

Overall, "The Heiress" blends family drama with haunting mystery, creating a gripping read that would benefit from deeper character exploration and less predictable plot twists.

The rich behaving badly sums this one up. I like the setup for this one. Ruby has passed away and her story is told through letters and newspaper articles, while the present is told through multiple POVs.

There is definitely disfunction in the family as they try and keep up with the work needed on the family estate. It seems as they all are together under one roof, everyone has their own secrets and lies. It is twisty, soapy and a little campy. Exactly what I've come to expect from the authors.

I always love listening to the author's books and I love they choose to have a full cast for this one since there are so many characters. Dan Bittner, Eliza Foss, John Pirhalla, and Patti Murin expertly bring all the family drama of this one to life. I never wanted to stop listening.

I’m ***I received an ARC from Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for my honest review.***

Hawkins never ceases to amaze me with her twisted plotlines! Camden was adopted at a young age by an heiress who sets him up for both success, in money, and failure, in family - but in the end he might have been more her son than either of them had ever hoped. And she might not have been exactly who he thought she was…

What I loved about this book:
💛 Revenge at it’s finest, 100x over
💛 Grappling with right and wrong
💛 the news articles Ruby saved
💛 the 🤯 ending!

What I could have gone without:
🖤 Jules - although she was Camden’s support system, she was very up and down making it hard to tell who’s side she’s on
🖤 the “too close for comfort” family ties/ marriage between Cam and Jules
🖤 the reveal at the end of the story doesn’t reveal all making it both a great ending and one that leaves you hanging

Overall this is a great, quick read! 4.5 stars rounded UP!

Rachel Hawkins is such a fantastic thriller writer. I mean this in the best way - these are my favorite books for the beach or the airplane where I want something fast and compelling. The Heiress has many of my favorite things - complex family dynamics, gothic under and overtones, inherited wealth, and houses that are more than just a place. definitely recommend for anyone in need of a suspenseful read!

***Thank you NetGalley for an Arc of this book

***THERE'S NOTHING AS GOOD AS THE RICH GONE BAD.

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.***

The book is multiply points of view going back in time Via letters from Ruby where she talks about her past and her husbands. we also see Camden who is Ruby's son and his wife jules points of view as well.
At first i was a little lost as to where this book was heading about a 1/3 of the way through i had a good idea what the main twist was, there was a few little extra ones in there as well
i've enjoyed most of rachel's thriller books some more than others this one falls around the middle for me. A quick and and easy read.

I’ve tried a few times to get into this, as the author is one of my favorite thriller writers. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me.

I still look forward to the authors next novel and hope this finds the right readers!

I love Rahcel Hawkins and this novel was brilliant! Multiple POVs kept me engaged throughout the story. It's a quick read, since it's so captivating and finished it in 1.5 days! This story is about aa wealthy child, Ruby McTavish, who disappeared in the woods near her NC home at 3 years old. She was found less than a year later and returned home to Ashby House. However, she has this niggling feeling that something is off. When older, Ruby writes letters prior to her death about her years growing up and how she adopted a son named Camden who later inherits all of the family fortune. Camden has kept his distance from the family and only returns upon Ruby's death to collect his inheritance. It's then the story starts to unwind and readers learn more about the family secrets and drama/twists that unfold.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Rachel Hawkins or for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

No.......just no. This book was so boring yet also so predictable that it was almost a DNF for me. The characters were all a snooze fest and the story line has been done to death. This was just not a win for me.

I thought this was really poorly written. The thriller seemed over the top and everything just seemed slightly too exaggerated.

If you love a story about a rich, dysfunctional family then this is the book for you. This book gives me the same ~vibe~ as the show The Fall of the House of Usher, just without a paranormal aspect. Which might be a poor comparison but my brain has decided to associate those.

Overall I enjoyed this book, the main plot was interesting enough and it felt like a quick, easy read. I think some of the twists were too foreshadowed, but that might just be personal taste. I enjoyed the different characters and wished we could have gotten more of them interacting, as it felt like half of the book was told from Ruby's letters.

There were some plotlines that felt rushed, and some that felt unnecessary, but overall the book kept me entertained enough to want to know how it ended. I would recommend this book to someone that is interested in a good mystery filled with annoying rich people, which is some people's jam!


***SPOILERS***
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My random thoughts the plot:

What was up with the plotline of Libby trying to get with Camden?

You're telling me I'm suppose to think Ruby's dad knew she was not Ruby and killed multiple people but still left all of the estate to her?

I have watched enough catfish episodes to know if Jules was lying about things in her past/current life, Camden would have moved on.

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***END OF SPOILERS***



I want to thank St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is a captivating blend of mystery, drama, and gothic fiction. The story follows Ruby McTavish, a wealthy heiress surrounded by secrets and intrigue. Told from multiple perspectives, the narrative skillfully pieces together Ruby's enigmatic life and her family's dark history.

Ruby's transformation from a sheltered heiress to a truth-seeker is compelling. The supporting characters are well-developed, each adding to the mystery. Hawkins' atmospheric writing and vivid descriptions immerse readers in the eerie world of the McTavish estate.

The plot is well-paced with enough twists to keep readers engaged, leading to a satisfying conclusion. The Heiress is a gripping novel that fans of gothic fiction and suspense will thoroughly enjoy.

The Heiress is quite a twisty book full of surprises and bombshells! No one is who they pretend to be. It was a quick read and perfect summer reading! Thank you.

Absolutely amazing book that I’ve read twice now. I appreciate the layers of deception present in this book. The back story for the characters was so interesting. Would highly recommend

Thank you to Rachel Hawkins, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an ebook copy of The Heiress for me to read and review. This was a complicated, twisty, but enthralling story. Hawkins does an excellent job of describing the characters in such a way to make readers really feel connected to their personalities and their experiences. There were so many facets to the story that I truly wasn't expecting the ending!

Sounded like a book I would like and I wasn't wrong but the twists and turns just didn't work all that well for me. I found myself zoning in and out from time to time while reading this one.
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! I'm always on the lookout for a good inheritance story, and this one definitely delivered.

The mixed-in journal entries, newspaper articles, etc added so much depth to the story, really enhancing the story. It reminded me of "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo," but if that book was much darker.

When I finished this book, I wasn't ready for it to be over but also greatly appreciated that this book was the length it was. It kept it right to the story without any fluff.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this one!

Such a unique and interesting story that had me questioning the motives of each and every person involved and not believing anyone. After Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore, the richest heiress in North Carolina, dies it creates a series of questions of relationships, truth, and justice that is twisted and confusing. I enjoyed this book a lot as I never knew exactly who to trust, or even like, and will absolutely recommend it to others who enjoy a good suspense.