This book was so dark and twisty — some twists you see coming, and others build throughout.

I usually struggle to enjoy books without a character to root for— I won’t get into why that wasn’t this book, for spoiler related reasons. Everyone had a slightly villainous bent, but where that usually puts me off, I found I really wanted to know how the story would unfold, so found myself reading it whenever I could.

I’ve spent a lot of time in the mountains of NC and the author gets the the feel and the mannerisms completely right in my mind. If she hadn’t specified, I probably still would have linked it to that area in my mind.

I loved that she punctuated first person narrated chapters with letters, newspaper clippings, magazine interviews.

While I can’t say the characters felt particularly fleshed out, more like caricatures of grasping, dilettante relatives, that didn’t feel like the point. It felt more like the generational wealth of Ashby House itself was a character, corrupting everyone who touched it, in their own ways. The main driver of the plot is the way each of the characters is plotting against and for others; and watching that maneuvering play out was the major payoff.

I’d recommend this to people who like books that include correspondence, unreliable narrators, gothic horror, a whodunit vibe, and who don’t mind casual mariticide (none of the descriptions are particularly gruesome for what that’s worth). I would not recommend this to people looking for lovable or charmingly flawed characters — that’s just not this book. But gosh I sure couldn’t put it down!

Gothic Mystery in Modern Day. The story is told from three perspectives: Ruby McTavish, the ruling matriarch, until her death story through news clippings and letters that she is writing to someone, but as the reader, we don’t know who. Ruby has lived many lives and many husbands. Second is her adopted son, Camden. He is called back to his inheritance and to deal with his past, along with his Wife, Jules, who is the third perspective. All three have generational secrets, and once everyone is back at the house, letters and secrets are revealed, and decisions are made.

I found it a fast read, but nothing surprising jumped out. Well written.

Ebook/Mystery: I want to thank Netgalley for a copy of the book. It doesn't come out for a few more weeks, so no spoilers, just how I felt.
Rachel Hawkins plots and writing is flourishing with every book. I loved this book. It was a fun thrill ride from the beginning. The ending part of the novel was too much plot and could be more simple with motive just being naked greed.
I definitely recommend it.

I went into the book ready for a fast-paced thriller with an atmospheric setting. I got an atmospheric setting with a slow burn family drama. There were moments it was hard to track who was who and who was related. I wanted more thrill from this book. All the twist seemed to come in the last quarter of the book. The pacing was too slow for an advertised mystery thriller.

Pros of the book: atmospheric, southern family drama with a dash of death.

Anything by Rachel Hawkins is a must-read for me. The Heiress is a good 4 star read with several good twists. About halfway in, it seemed like a 3 star read because not much happened but it definitely got better. Rich family living in a huge home story. It gave The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes with one of the main characters having 4 husbands and telling the stories about each of them.

Every Rachel Hawkins book is better than the last and The Heiress is her best yet! The book follows Camden and Jules as they return to Camden’s childhood estate after the death of his uncle. While Camden and Jules tell their story in alternating povs, We hear from the infamous Ruby McTavish through letters. She is the heir to Ashby House and the McTavish fortune, infamous for having four dead husbands, and Camden’s adoptive mother. Ruby is already dead when the story starts but I found myself loving her voice the most and wishing she were part of the present day story. The Heiress has all the Hallmarks of a classic gothic novel, an old manor house as a character, sinister family members, and everyone is keeping a secret. The Heiress was a fast paced gothic mystery with so many twists and turns that fans of Hawkins previous work should not miss!

I literally couldn’t put this book down from the moment I picked it up. A victim of a kidnapping at a young age - her ability to survive and try to pass along the money of the family to someone who wants nothing to do with her. Why? What is stopping them from wanting the riches? And what other secrets is the family hiding? This book has so many twists and turns it left my head spinning and holding my breath to find out what happened! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

There are quite a few characters to keep track of in this book. All have secrets. I very much liked the way Ms. Hawkins used Ruby's letters to an unknown recipient. (You may think you know who she is writing to, but you'd be wrong. I was.) There are so many reveals in this book it's almost unbelievable. Ms. Hawkins writing skill is what makes all these revelations compelling. Overall, this was quite a story and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a touch of mystery mixed with Southern Gothic.
Thank you to #RachelHawkins#St.Martin'sPress#NetGalley for an ARC of the Heiress.

Genre: Psychological Thriller/Gothic/Family Drama
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub. Date: Jan. 23, 2024

I can’t help but wonder why I find devilishly twisted gothic stories so much fun to read when gothic literature tends to emphasize ominous settings, melodrama, omens, the weird, sometimes the paranormal, and always someone in crisis. Hmm, what does that say about this reader and reviewer? If you enjoyed the original novel and movie “Dracula,” you will get what I mean. Another great example of a classic gothic novel is the 1938 novel, "Rebecca," later made into a film. Didn’t we all love to hate Mrs. Danvers? The book’s protagonist Ruby McTavish of the “Asbury House” estate, has the same manipulating skills.

In “The Heiress,” you will meet a very wealthy and highly warped family. The heiress is Ruby. She has been a widow four times. All of her husbands have had mysterious deaths. People in town call her "Mrs. Killmore." Ruby gets a kick out of her nickname, which says much about the character’s personality. When she dies, her adopted son Cam inherits all of her estate. Cam’s loving wife, Jules, has a few secrets of her own. Some of them, when revealed in the end, are entirely depraved.

Rachel Hawkins captures the essence of bullying with Cam’s cousins and their mother, his aunt, who encourages their abusive behaviors toward her nephew. As an adult, Cam remembers the purple bruises his cousin Ben, two years older than Cam, gave him when they were boys. Ben, with his brightest smile and hardest eyes, would say that it was all in fun, just guy stuff, leaving Ben to feel like a fool if he complained, but even if he did, no adult in that house would have protected him. No wonder Cam never returned when he left home to attend college. He had no contact with his family members again until Ben calls him back to prepare Ruby’s funeral arrangements—or so he says.

If you enjoy the gothic genre, you will love this one. But, if you are not a fan, the soap opera-like plot might drive you crazy. I can buy into these over-the-top tales because gothic literature taps into genuine human fears and anxieties. Many of us can have a fear of reckoning, even if our sins are minor ones. Here, Hawkins gives us letters from beyond the grave, backstabbing, kidnapping, and dead husbands, all written with mystery, suspense, and darkness. In other words, a fun gothic read that I recommend.

Absolutely mesmerizing! The fusion of past and present narratives, interspersed with newspaper clippings, letters, and multiple points of view, created a captivating tapestry of storytelling. This book ensnared my attention from the outset and never once relinquished its hold. The level of suspense and mystery was truly exceptional, and the revelations in the concluding chapters took me by delightful surprise. With a blend of family drama, royal intrigue, and thrilling mystery, this book stands out as a literary masterpiece.

I did enjoy this book, but not as much as Rachel Hawkin’s previous stories. It almost felt like she dropped more hints in this one so I knew what to expect. With that being said, she’s still such a fun storyteller and I wanted to see how the story played out!

I was a late arrival to reading books by Rachel Hawkins, when, having just finished The Villa, I was offered the chance to read an advance copy of The Heiress. To say I jumped at it is an understatement, and this book definitely doesn’t disappoint. Told by Ruby, Camden and Jules, as well as newspaper stories, the multiple narratives weave an ever more dark and twisted story. I particularly loved Ruby’s stories, speaking to us through letters she wrote before her death. With the control of hundreds of millions of dollars, and the family mansion perched high in the North Carolina mountains at stake, everyone has secrets, and the way they slowly emerge kept me from wanting to put this book down for even a minute, until I reached the ending that I thought was perfect.
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and especially the author for such a well plotted book with characters who I won’t soon forget. I’ll be eagerly watching for future books from Ms. Hawkins.

Southern Gothic vibes with a mystery, inheritance, kidnapping, and family ties from the grave. I’m not sure what more could have been packed into this book, but it was quite the ride with rich descriptions, great characters, and a decent pace.

When this releases, thriller fans can curl up with the newest Rachel Hawkins release and forget about the cold, but not the chills.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

Everyone is hiding something in the McTavish family, but the depths of their secrets may shock you. 🤫

I’m slightly bamboozled by this one, as I was expecting a mystery/thriller and it was more family drama/rich people behaving badly. I’d recommend going in with those expectations so as not to be disappointed. For me, I liked it and it kept my interest, but I wasn’t blown away. I kept thinking it felt like a sinister The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. 😂 The author did a great job of creating a few likable characters and peeling back their layers slowly over the course of the book. Lots of twists and turns, some you see coming and some you don’t. It’s difficult to say much more without giving the plot away, so I’ll leave it here. Also, as someone living in North Carolina and building a house at the very top of a mountain within the Blue Ridge Mountains, I was delighted with some of the parallels and it definitely added to my overall enjoyment. This author can really set a scene, and North Carolina was definitely its own character!

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary advance copy of this eBook, out 1/9/2024.

Told from dual perspectives (Ruby in letter form) Jules and Camden in present day, The Heiress is a story of the “ luckiest boy in North Carolina” going home to his castle of a home after receiving an email from his cousin. His wife Jules is ecstatic and hopes to claim the castle as their home. Camden? He already can’t wait to leave. Why does Jules want to stay there so badly? Why does Camden want to get out so swiftly?

The Heiress was incredibly well written! I will say some of the “plot twists” aren’t really plot twists at all which almost had me like UGHHHH *insert eye roll* but Rachel Hawkins had some tricks up her sleeve and still left me shocked with surprise plot twists. I think the Ruby letters were my favorite chapters to read and throwing in random news articles also gave an interesting take on the life of Ruby. I wish Jules had a little bit more depth throughout the book and some of the predictable parts is what knocked off a star for me. Overall, I would definitely recommend checking this out!

I had the pleasure of reading this remarkable book. The author's writing style is a work of art, and her ability to generate unique and compelling ideas is truly admirable. Each book I have read by her has completely intoxicated me from start to finish. This novel delves into the darker aspects of life, exploring themes of family, adoption, wealth, morals, betrayal, and love. The way the author skillfully intertwines these themes creates a story that is both emotionally charged and intellectually stimulating. It's a must-read for anyone who enjoys thought-provoking literature that challenges the mind and touches the heart.

I enjoyed this book. I was a bit worried because her last two books were a big miss for me after loving “The Wife Upstairs.” It did take me a bit of time to get into the book, but once I did, I enjoyed it. Pub date : 1/09/24!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press arc in exchange for an honest review. There’s a lot of mystery surrounding Ruby McTavish, as a toddler she was lost in the woods that surround her very rich family’s mansion in North Carolina and then miraculously found months later. Is it really Ruby? No matter, she inherits everything much to her younger sister’s dismay (and seething anger). There has never been love between the sisters especially since there’s doubt about Ruby’s true identity and when so much money is involved.
To add some more drama, Ruby has had multiple husbands and they’ve all had untimely deaths. Sad coincidences or something more sinister?
Despite the scandal, Ruby is able to go on with her life and she even adopts a son, Camden. And you guessed it, the rest of the family doesn’t have warm feelings for him either. Especially because he inherits all her money including the mansion. Camden wants nothing to do with that family, the mansion, or the money but he’s lured back under the premise that things need fixing there.
Cam doesn’t want to go back but his wife, Jules sure does. They live a modest life back home in Colorado and Jules imagines herself Queen of that castle. They have a lovely marriage but with a mansion like that, Jules envisions more for them.
You can imagine, that the trip back “home” doesn’t go so well. Lots of high stakes drama.
This book was more of a family drama with a splash of suspense to me. I was invested in it. A lot of unlikable characters but the story unravels in an intriguing way. It wasn’t the most fantastic read ever for me but it was a pretty solid, enjoyable read.

Rachel Hawkins delivers another brilliant book. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the two points of view between husband and wife and the matriarch through her letters. I love when I can get something out of a book like seeing how two people can view having money. Some think it’s the answer to all problems and don’t get when people complain about it. But having money can come with its own set of expectations and issues as we see here. You’re left feeling something for the couple and I was rooting for them through the story.

What a fun read! None of the characters are entirely sympathetic but I still got wrapped up in their secrets and lies.

Camden, the adopted son of a wealthy four-times over widow, returns home to the estate he inherited, after a lengthy absence, to settle things once and for all with his aunt and cousins. The story alternates between his perspective, that if his wife, and intriguing letters written by his adopted mother, Ruby, in which she comes clean about her four husbands.

The story delves back and forth into the past, exploring the life of Ruby, marked by a kidnapping in childhood and the early deaths of her four husbands, and the present-day of Camden and his wife, Jules, who, once back at Blue Ridge mountains, uncover the family secrets and face the jealousy and wicked games that Camden had left behind, in order to live a quiet life.

A perfect summertime reading!