This was easily my favorite Rachel Hawkins book so far (and I really enjoyed all the previous ones). It was hard to put down and the story was very well written. I appreciated how the different perspectives all came together in the end but also with a few twists along the way. Highly recommend this one!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
What a wonderfully twisty ride!
This fast paced thriller keeps you guessing until the very end.
The Heiress follows the now deceased Ruby McTravish and her adoptive son and his wife, Cam and Jules.
It’s split between the POV of Jules and Cam in present day and Ruby’s POV through letters written before she died.
The different perspectives and dual timelines worked really well and I loved the suspenseful and gothic vibes through the story.
It takes place at the sprawling estate of Ashby House in North Carolina as we learn about Ruby’s life as the heiress of the estate. Ruby made headlines at only 3 years old when she went missing on a family picnic only to be brought home safe and sound a year later.
But the mystery never seemed to be solved for Ruby. We see how this has effected her and the woman she becomes and what really happened to those four dead husbands she leaves in her wake.

Loved this book as it has a convoluted storyline involving multiple family members who are all interested in perpetrating the stories they've been told--or believe--about their ancestry and their wealth. It opens when Cam and wife Jules are summoned to Cam's family home as its matriarch and heiress, Ruby has died and he has inherited the multi-million dollar house. Interspersed with the plot, are letters that Ruby had written exposing oh so many secrets about her husbands and the ways they died, as well as the in-fighting now happening as everyone is interested in her fortune. Another one that kept my head spinning as I never would have figured it out!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is about Cameron, who is the adopted son of Ruby and who inherits the infamous Ashbury House when Ruby dies. Cameron has been avoiding the house, and its occupants who are his aunt and two cousins, for years until he has to head back to resolve some matters and brings his wife Jules, but this family feud goes way deeper than any of them realize.

This was an incredibly fast paced, addictive story. I found myself with trouble being able to turn the pages quickly enough, and it was really easy to get lost in. The unreliable narrator storyline builds for some incredible tension, and left me wondering the entire story who I could trust.. if anyone at all??

While some parts were predictable, I still really enjoyed reading along as they all played out, and would recommend this one. However without giving away any spoilers.. there was a plot between Libby and Cameron that I feel like left more room for drama than the one scene we got.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed this book a lot. It’s not her typical thriller feel, but I love the family drama and the mystery. It’s a tangled web of lies and murder that is slowly unraveled as the book goes on. I won’t say that there are big surprises, but it has a creepy house and a VERY dysfunctional family which makes for a great read!

Without a doubt, this is one of the finest gothic fiction novels I have encountered this year. The way the characters evolved and the gradual revelation of their hidden motives were impeccably timed. I thoroughly appreciated how each piece of the puzzle seamlessly fell into place. The inclusion of news articles and letters created an added layer of suspense. The chapters concluded with gripping cliffhangers in a truly psychological fashion. Furthermore, the presence of red herrings and an unreliable narrator enhanced my overall enjoyment. Ultimately, this is a truly exceptional book that I cannot recommend highly enough. It deserves a full five-star rating and I will definitely be encouraging others to read it.

Rachel Hawkins' "The Heiress" is a captivating and twist-filled thriller that will keep readers guessing until the very end. Set against the backdrop of a wealthy and dysfunctional family, the story unravels with a series of shocking revelations that expose the dark secrets and hidden motivations of its characters.

Camden, the adopted son of the late heiress Ruby McTavish, is reluctantly drawn back into the lives of his estranged relatives when he inherits Ashby House, the family's grand estate. As he delves into the history of his family and the circumstances surrounding his adoption, he uncovers a web of deceit, betrayal, and long-held grudges.

Hawkins masterfully weaves together multiple timelines and perspectives, creating a seamless narrative that keeps the reader constantly engaged. The past and present collide as Camden's investigation leads him to question everything he thought he knew about his family and himself.

The characters in "The Heiress" are complex and well-developed, each with their own hidden agendas and motivations. Ruby, the enigmatic matriarch, is a particularly compelling figure, her life marked by tragedy and resilience.

The plot is expertly paced, with twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Hawkins skillfully builds suspense, gradually revealing the truth behind the family's dark secrets.

"The Heiress" is a gripping and suspenseful read that will appeal to fans of mystery, thriller, and family drama genres. Hawkins' masterful storytelling and well-crafted characters make for an unforgettable reading experience.

Highly recommended for readers seeking a thrilling and thought-provoking novel that explores the complexities of family relationships, the power of secrets, and the resilience of the human spirit.

A multi-layered, suspenseful novel with more twists and turns than I could have imagined! This tells the story of Camden McTavish, the adopted son of Ruby McTavish (who is from North Carolina and part of one of the wealthiest families in the country), and his wife Jules. Camden has been estranged from his family for more than a decade, and although he and Jules have a pleasant, simple life in Colorado, he returns home as the heir to the family fortune to assist with family matters. What follows is an action-packed, page-turning thriller, told in multiple POVs (mainly Camden, Jules, and Ruby).

This is a quick, engrossing and very enjoyable read. I have read a couple of other books by Rachel Hawkins, but this one was definitely the best.

Does killing someone mean that you’re a bad person?

At least one character in this latest novel by Rachel Hawkins must ponder this question. The McTavish family of the town of Tavistock, in the Blue Mountains of North Carolina, has plenty of many things….money, land, power, and prestige to name just a few. But they also have had tragedies and traumas, and more than a bit of jealousy, bitterness and hostility amongst the family members. Ruby McTavish (Callahan Woodward Miller) Kenmore was the head of the family until her passing, and she led a life that was equal parts Lindbergh baby and Barbara Hutton. At the age of three she wandered into the mountainous wilderness surrounding the family estate, Ashby House, while out for a picnic with her parents and her nanny Grace. As one of the wealthiest families in North Carolina, and the de facto rulers of Tavistock, the McTavishes demanded and received an all-encompassing search of the area and offered the largest reward ever known for information leading to young Ruby’s return. No sign of her was found, and most assumed that she fell victim to the dangers of the wilderness where she was last seen. The family retained a private investigator to keep looking, and a year later the miracle for which the McTavish family had prayed occurred. Ruby was found living in Alabama with the impoverished Darnell family. Mr. Darnell was an itinerant worker who had been laboring in the Tavistock area at the time of Ruby’s disappearance, and it was believed that he snatched Ruby to take the place of his daughter Dora who had died. Rumors persist, though, that the young girl brought back to Ashby House was not the missing Ruby, but rather was truly Dora Darnell. That would be enough notoriety for any person, but Ruby was destined for even more headlines and gossip. She married the wealthy tobacco heir Duke Callahan at 21, and he was shot dead on their honeymoon in Paris. Three more husbands followed, and each suffered a premature and accidental death. Childless even after four marriages, Ruby decided to adopt a young boy named Camden and raise him as her heir….much to the displeasure of the remaining “true” McTavishes, Ruby’s sister Nelle, Nelle’s son Howell, and his children Ben and LIbby. Camden grew up in unimaginable wealth, but was surrounded by a family that didn’t accept him and did their best to make him miserable. He wanted nothing more than to escape, which Ruby blocked at every turn, but when she passed away Camden left everything….Ashby House, the McTavish fortune, and the angry relations who believed the inheritance should be their’s…behind and headed out to California. While attending college and tending bar to meet expenses, he met and fell in love with Jules, a beautiful girl escaping her own troubled past life in Florida. They eventually moved to Colorado and led a fairly ordinary life, until Camden receives an email from his cousin Ben asking him to come back to North Carolina and see to the maintenance of Ashby House, as Ruby would have wanted. Camden is reluctant to go, but Jules (more than a little curious about Camden’s past, about which he has not been forthcoming) persuades him to go. Once there, Camden knows it was a big mistake to go back….Nelle, Ben and Libby still hate him, and still regard him as an undeserving interloper…but he hopes that, with the feisty Jules at his side, maybe he can get through this visit unscathed. Or can he?
The Heiress is an addictive read, told from the points of view of Camden, Jules and (through letters she left behind) Ruby herself. The more I learned about Ruby and the life she led, the more intriguing she became. Strong willed and smart, she seized control of the McTavish empire and ruled it with an iron fist. With so many questions about her (is she really Ruby? Why did she adopt Camden? Why was she so unlucky in her choices of spouse?), she really is the main character of the tale. She is not the only person who held truths close to her vest, though….Camden has kept his past life a secret from Jules, and Jules herself may have a few details hidden up her sleeve. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and couldn’t put it down. As I found with Ms Hawkins previous novel, The Villa, it became more apparent as I read deeper into the book that I could not assume that any character was exactly who they appeared to be, or could be presumed to tell the truth. Wading through the partial truths, the out-and-out lies, and the generally dark miasma that enveloped Ashby House, I took the sudden plot twists in stride and made my own guesses as to what the truth of Ruby’s life story would be, and how Camden would resolve the complications of his life. I did reasonable well in my guesses, but not until the book was almost done. Readers of Ms Hawkins previous novels, as well as fans of authors like LIsa Unger, Megan MIranda and Mary Kubica, should grab a copy of The Heiress right away. Curl up in your favorite spot, and be prepared to binge on this one! Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for allowing me access to an advanced reader’s copy of The Heiress in return for my honest review.

The Heiress follows Camden McTavish and his wife Jules as they journey back to North Carolina and Cam's family home following the death of his uncle. As a child Cam was adopted by Ruby McTavish, a very wealthy widow with no kids of her own. All four of Ruby's husbands have died in mysterious circumstances and she herself went missing as a child. After her death Cam inherited both the family estate, Ashby House, and Ruby's massive fortune. Cam distanced himself from the family and the money after Ruby's death until called back by his uncle's death. Back with his family secrets start to reveal themselves and the fight for the inheritance by Cam's cousins come to a head.

This book moved quickly and definitely kept my attention. The ending seemed a little abrupt, but it wrapped everything up and tied all the loose ends together. The Villa by Rachel Hawkins made her a favorite author of mine and this book will keep her on the list. I would recommend this book to someone looking for a twisty mystery that isn't too intense or scary.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the advanced e-copy of this book.

I enjoyed this thoroughly, though it was a little more soapy and a little less mysterious than I hoped. But I was totally there for all the drama. I was very into the gothic vibes and all the secrets and lies. Gotta love a toxic family.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance reader copy for my honest review. Who doesn't like a good family story? What about dysfunctional family story? This family story is full of secrets, murders and complicated relationships. Rachel Hawkins has a great writing style, and I couldn't put this book down. Ruby McTavish's character was developed very well, and you either like her or hate her. You would cheer for her and be disappointed with her in the next chapter. She is a rich lady who gets to do anything she wants... I mean ANYTHING. She had four husbands (impressive, right?) and one adopted child Camden. Camdem is a very likable character, and I could have read more stories about his childhood. I also wanted to know more details about his relationship with Libby. Was there more romance than one little episode? I didn't expect the twist at the end, and I loved it! Solid 3.5 stars! This was my first Rachel Hawkins's book, but I am interested to read author's previous works now.

A Family Drama Full of Secrets and Revenge

SUMMARY
Camden is the adopted son of Ruby McTavish, the wealthiest woman in North Carolina. When Ruby died, Camden did not want anything to do with her money, her family, or the family estate in the Blue Ridge mountains. He left North Carolina for good and is now an English teacher in Colorado, happily married to Jules and living a simple life.

Jules and Camden have been married for ten years, and she is intrigued by Camden's family legacy. She would love to see the McTavish mansion and convinces Camden to return to Tavistock, North Carolina. Things do not go as she expected.

Ruby McTavish had lived quite an infamous life. She was kidnapped as a child of three and found alive eight months later. She was married four times but tragically lost each of her husbands. After her last husband died, Ruby devoted her life to charitable work and adopted Camden. She died in 2013, leaving Camden everything and angering the rest of her family.

REVIEW
The Heiress is a family drama full of secrets and revenge and told from three perspectives. Camden and Jule's characters are nicely developed. But it is Ruby who steals the show. Ruby tells her story and her deep, dark secrets through letters addressed to Camden. Ruby's story is entertaining but is so far-fetched it requires the suspension of disbelief. Overall, the story is nicely-paced and interesting read.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martine Press for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


Publisher St. Martins Press
Published January 9, 2024
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Ruby McTavish Kenmore is an heiress with a very checkered past, Notoriety from a kidnapping when she was a toddler, several dead husbands and ongoing drama makes her a very rich and interesting woman. After her death her adopted son wants nothing to do with the family as he has built a life far away with his wife. He stays away from the family home for ten years, until he is drawn back in and returns home. The twists and turns in this book are fun and fast-paced. Who can he trust, what is the truth behind all those dead husbands and what really happened when Ruby was kidnapped? So much to unravel and so much fun.

The McTavish family is old money and will do anything to keep it that way. This story explores the merciless process of inheritance and wealth. Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore is possibly the most interesting character I have met all year.

I could not put this book down. It sucks you in right from the beginning and never lets go. The plot, setting and characters were all enthralling, mysterious and captivating. All the characters were cryptic and fascinating. Every character had an important part to play. Hawkins perfectly balanced the pace with the tension and reveals. This story is so twisty and delicious. Well fitting read for a cold and gloomy fall day, preferably in your very famous and loaded estate library wing. Definitely worth picking up and exploring old family secrets, some worth dying for.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful story. All opinions are my own.

(It’s possible I watched a lot of soap operas with my mom as a kid.)

If you are a person of a certain age, there’s a chance you grew up watching Dallas . . . and Dynasty . . . and Falcon Crest . . . and Knot's Landing (you get the drift). If so, this may be one to keep on your radar for release day. But PLEASE don’t let the Goodreads' tags fool you. This is not a “thriller” by any stretch of the imagination and the mysteries revealed can all be seen coming from a mile away. No, this is a nighttime soap opera from my childhood featuring a rich family and a lot of murder confessions. So tasty. Rachel Hawkins has definitely become a go-to author for me. I’ve enjoyed all of her stuff that wasn’t in the YA genre.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced e-book copy of this brilliantly written novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This novel will keep you guessing with each page with lots of plot twist ranging from kidnapping, murder, deception, family estrangement and more. Told in 3 POV in alternating chapters we learn of the sorted secrets that take place in the Ashbury House.

Ruby McTavish, heiress and wife of four husbands who all died under suspicious circumstances, is one of the POVs told in the letters she left behind. But is she a husband killer or a kidnapped child returned? Then there is Camden who was once an orphan and inherits the McTavish fortune but turns it down, cutting all contact with the family until he is forced to return. The third POV is Jules, Camden's wife who grew up in poverty.

This book has it all; murder, suspense, unexpected twist, unreliable narrator, kidnapping, deception, a creepy house and the fortune of a family full of snakes.

Having enjoyed The Wife Upstairs, Reckless Girls and The Villa, I was thrilled to see that Rachel Hawkins has a new book coming out in January 2024, titled The Heiress. The Heiress is the story of a woman named Ruby who was born into the wealthy McTavish family and raised on the familial estate in the North Carolina mountains until the age of three when she disappeared on a family picnic. The Heiress follows Ruby’s life as she is returned to her family a year after her disappearance through her four ill-fated marriages and her eventual inheritance of the McTavish estate.

In the Heiress, Hawkins, who is not surprisingly a former high school English teacher, shines as always in creating a plot that grabs the reader’s interest from the first page. Of the books that I’ve read by Hawkins, The Heiress is my favorite. I was as interested in the storyline of the missing McTavish child as I was in the four ill-fated marriages of Ruby McTavish. As a former North Carolinian, I loved spending time with Ruby in the North Carolina mountains and enjoyed the references to UNC and Raleigh. I especially enjoyed the company of Ruby McTavish, who reminded me of Great Expectations’ Miss Havisham in her strained familial relationships, questionable parenting practices, and sinister schemes. I enjoyed The Heiress and would recommend it to readers who enjoyed Dickens’ Great Expectations, Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train, Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl and Hawkins’ previous books.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance reader copy for review.

Upon Cam and Jules' arrival at Cam's childhood home Ashby House, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, secret after secret begins to unearth themselves. The book uses a mix of letters written by Ruby, news blurbs, and alternating points of view (Cam and Jules). There were so many twists and turns throughout this book —many of which I didn't see coming! For those of you who like historical/gothic thrillers, this is worth checking out. I went into reading this book somewhat blind as my primary motive for reading this was based on how much I loved Rachel Hawkins' other books such as Reckless Girls and The Villa. The Heiress did not disappoint.

This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

My favorite Rachel Hawkin's book to date! This was a fast-paced, page turner full of family drama, greed and lies!

The story is told in alternating chapters by Camden, an adopted son and unwilling heir to a family fortune who returns to his childhood home following the death of a family member, Camden's wife and Camden's deceased mother, Ruby. Ruby, is quite a character, having been kidnapped as a child and later found by her family, as well as having married and widowed four times, with each death being under suspicious circumstances. Ruby's story is told through letters that she wrote prior to her death. I really enjoyed learning about her life through these letters and Rachel Hawkins did a wonderful job of weaving the present-day life of Camden into Ruby's past.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for gifting me an advanced reader copy of this book!