“You can put miles and mountains between you and home, but eventually home will call you back.”

What a great read!

I was nervous after not enjoying The Villa as much as I’d have liked but this compelling gothic tale with great characters held my attention and kept my fingers feverishly turning pages…well into the night.

It has been said that life is about making an impact, not making an income. You’ll have to read about one family who attempted both and succeeded … well, a negative impact, but along the way, proved that money doesn’t always make one wealthier, either.

In short: an infamous heiress leaves a large and complicated inheritance to a reluctant recipient

Ruby McTavish is a great character. Most of what we learn about her is through letters. I don’t normally like this format, but Hawkins was able to keep my interest. Ruby’s not only a master manipulator, but she’s also an heiress to the McTavish fortune. Ruby has been widowed four times; each of her husbands has died a mysterious death, earning her the nickname ‘Mrs. Killmore’. Her son, Camden, reluctantly inherits the Ashby House estate but wants little to do with the family who beg him to return for the funeral. Cam knows that money is a poor replacement for time spent and certainly doesn’t solve all problems. As is always the case when we’re confronted with the past, Cam has to face some demons he would rather keep buried. Returning with his wife, Jules, unleashes secrets … for many.

The gothic family drama with a side order of ‘rich people behaving badly’ will have you rolling your eyes and emitting evil cackles and gasps!

This will appeal to a wide range of genre lovers, has fantastic tension, great twists, and is shared through three different POVs.

I was gifted this copy by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is yet another fantastic thriller by one of my favorite authors. I loved getting to know Cameron, the adopted son of (the titular heiress) Ruby, and his wife Jules- who have returned to Ashby House to claim their inheritance (very reluctantly on Cameron's part and not at all reluctantly on Jules' part). There are letters from Ruby and several other family members rounding out the interesting cast. I'm hoping the audiobook will show up on Netgalley because I would LUV to hear these characters too!! Highly recommend!!

This is, by far, Hawkins’ best work to date. The story has you in its grips almost immediately and you simply must know how things play out, what truths are revealed, and how this story will end.

As an adoptive son (and now heir) of an extremely wealthy family, Camden McTavish wants nothing to do with the estate, money, or remaining family members back home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. He’s built a new life on the other side of the country but is eventually called home to handle money matters. This time will be different, however, because he’s bringing his feisty and no-nonsense wife, Jules. As secrets come to light, the family’s destiny seems to be headed towards eminent self-destruction. Who will make it out alive, unscathed, and with their reputation still intact?

The best part about this book was the series of letters penned from Ruby McTavish right before her death. The letters are sprinkled in throughout the book and they are truly a delight to read and keep you intrigued and glued to your seat. The short chapters in different perspectives keep the storyline progressing quickly and make it easily digestible. There is a nice balance of likeable characters as well as horrible ones.

I started this book and immediately couldn’t put it down. I dreamt about the plot twists and the ending because my mind was so engrossed in the story. I had a “book hangover” following the conclusion of this book and wasn’t ready to start another book right away, as I was still reeling from the conclusion. I would recommend this book to all Rachel Hawkins fans, fans of thrillers/mysteries, and readers who enjoy multiple POV chapters throughout books.

I flew through this book in one day - when I wasn’t reading it, I was still thinking about it. This may be my favorite of Rachel Hawkins’s books. I loved the gothic feel and the two stories in one, though I did prefer the narrative of Ruby’s letters - more a reflection of my preferences than anything else. The characters were all unlikeable and untrustworthy but I was still invested in their stories. Even twists I anticipated were executed in ways that kept me surprised. The ending felt a bit rushed but overall I still greatly enjoyed it and the ambiguity.

This book has lots of twists and turns! It seemed odd that the author included the definition of a ‘changeling,’ though, seeing as how there didn’t end up being any folklore/supernatural elements to the story.

One topic the author really wanted us to be left with is a strong dislike of having an obscene amount of money. I already dislike the idea, but I do even more so now.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

This was an amazing book I really enjoyed the twists and turns - did not end up where is thought it would!!

Cam inherited a whole lot when his mom died, including the Ashby house where his aunt and her family live. Cam wants nothing to do with the house, so he moved to Colorado to get away, and send money for upkeep.

Ten years later, Cam is summoned home in the wake of his uncles death. His wife falls in love with the house, but Cam doesn’t see the appeal. When his wife learns that all of this is Cams, she tries to convince him to stay. But the family has other plans. Nothing is as it seems as Ashby house.

Two authors I love wrote new books recently. I have really enjoyed their previous works and consider them auto buy authors. But oh boy, their new books! They are top shelf! They are the best work yest from these authors, and one of them is The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins.

This book drew you in, had you thinking things were one way and then here’s a twist. It was beautiful. And it didn’t just happen once in the book, it was a few times. Just when you think you are starting to figure it out, oh boy, here comes a twist. And the ending on this one. Amazing. Just such a nice way to write an ambiguous ending. I usually preferred a nice clean ending with a boy on top, but this one just worked every which way for me. The writing was superb and top notch. I couldn’t put this one down.

I cannot wait for you to get your hands on this book. It is so good. Pre-Order, order, get it and devour it. You won’t’ be disappointed.

Highly recommend. This book was exactly what I look for in a thriller.

Thank you to the publisher St Martin’s Press, @stmartinspress, and Netgalley @netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 rounded to 5

additional links will be added once posted.

What a crazy ride!! Non stop twist and turns! And the plot thickens with each chapter! I could not put this down!! What a great story!!! So many plot twists!! I am loving Rachel Hawkins more and more with each book I read!

I wasn't 100% sure how to feel going into this one after the Villa because that one fell a bit flat for me. However, I was pretty blown away by this one! Definitely a great comeback for my girl Rachel Hawkins. I loved the "wealthy" aspect to this one. Overall a great read and I highly recommend!

Engaging and twisty, most of the plot is original and just creepy enough. Unfortunately, I did find the ending a bit cliche but enjoyed this read nonetheless.

This was my first book by Rachel Hawkins and I was not disappointed! She's been on my radar but I've been dubious as she seems to churn them out quickly and I have a tendency of equating numbers high in quantity to low quality and I know Hawkins released another book shortly before this one. (or else time just goes by much faster than I realize which is very possible.)

This was part thriller, and part family Saga. This story revolves around a very wealthy family and it's matriarch and all the secrets and shady happenings that have been taking place within this family for generations. It was twisty and scandalous and an absolute page turner. I read through this in two sittings and stayed up late to read this which is always a good sign! I don't always love domestic thrillers but this one was one of the good ones.

This was in 4 star territory from start to finish and I will definitely be checking out Hawkin's backlog.

A huge thank you to #NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book. This was my first Rachel Hawkins (author who wrote The Villa) and I was really impressed with the character development, the clarity of background she gave, and the stylistic choices in the format of the book. The book goes back and forth between different characters, namely, Ruby, Camden, and Jules. The twists in it are shocking and I did not see them coming at all. It is a good "murder in the backyard" kind of a read and it was well done!

Camden McTavish is heading back home with his wife. Jules is so excited to see the beautiful McTavish Asbuy House where her husband grew up. Camden was adopted as a child into the richest family in North Carolina. His mom, Ruby, was famous in the eyes of every North Carolina resident. As a toddler, she had been kidnapped. After being found and returned to her fmaily, Ruby went on to be married four times. Ruby was surrounded by sadness. Every husband died more tragically than the last. Now after Ruby's death, Camden must come back home and deal with Asbuy House and Ruby's estate. Jules is more than happy to help her husband deal with what is left of Ruby's estate but little does she know what is waiting for them as they return back home.
Rachel Hawkins delivers another great story, filled with mystery and suspense with The Heiress. Told from Camden's point of view and Ruby's letters written before her death, the story keeps you guessing and turning the pages long into the night. I loved Hawkins storytelling! This was the book I needed! I have been in a reading rut and I thoroughly loved this book! I will definitely be recommending The Heiress to others and will always be on the lookout for other works by Rachel Hawkins. Special thanks to NetGalley, Rachel Hawkins, and St. Martin's Press for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. #NetGalley

Camden McTavish, accompanied by his wife Jules, decides to return to his family's lavish estate, Ashby House, at the desperate plea of his cousin in the wake of his uncle's death. Camden is the sole heir to the family fortunes which were built largely by his now deceased adoptive mother and famed black widow, the cunning & stunning Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore. However, not all is as it seems.

First person narrations by Camden & Jules are alternated with brash tell all letters written by Ruby. There are secrets upon secrets, mistaken identities, mysterious deaths & disappearances, and power struggles over wealth. As the tension builds, it's uncertain who will make it out of this trip alive.

There is a lot of familiar ground covered in The Heiress, yet it still feels fresh and interesting. It's a fun read and I loved the setting of the Blue Ridge mountains. The subject of old southern money and affairs doesn't feel like it has been explored nearly enough.

This book started out a little slow for me but once it got going, I was hooked. I love books where I can’t guess what is going to happen and this was one of those books. I enjoyed the surprise twists and how nicely it all wrapped up in the end.

I couldn’t put this story down and stayed up late to read the last 25%. The story weaves several different points of view as well as letters from Ruby to an unknown person sharing the details of her four marriages and her husbands deaths. I love how Hawkins slowly unravels the story leaving hints and clues along the way that wrap you into the tale and soon you don’t know who to trust, what is the truth and who should “win”. After some shocking revelations there is a clear winner of the fortune and Ashby house but you wonder if they deserve it.

This was one twisty story. A family of wealth living in their mansion in the mountains. Fighting over inheritance and secrets. The setting for Ashby House was great. The house itself felt like a character in the story. A twisted, menacing, and controlling character. The mountains were beautiful and terrifying, which worked well with the house. I wanted to see it, but I also didn't.

Camden and Jules were a great pair. Each hiding something, and you still root for them. Ruby was very interesting. You loved and hated her at the same time. The story is told through Camden and Jules' perceptives as well as letters from Ruby and newspaper clippings. I thought this worked well for the story. We were able to hear about Ruby's life from Ruby herself even though she was dead at this point of the story. Bed, Libbey, and Nelle were a little flat for me. They all seemed like the stereotypical entitled, rude, rich people. I wanted something more from them to make them a little human. There were moments I thought this might happen, but then they weren't explored.

This is a twisty story, but some of the twists I did figure out. Some of the bigger revelations I had already figured as possibilities, so I wasn't shocked when they happened. I wasn't quite sure how the story was going to end, though, and I liked the ending. It wrapped up the story well and wrapped up some other small parts as well. Overall, it was a fun read, and if you want a quick twisty story, grab this one.

Kidnapping, murder, money, and power. What more can a reader want? This was the first book that I've read from Rachel Hawkins, and it won't be my last. This story kept me interested with the characters in the present such as Camden, Ruby's adopted son and his wife Jules. The story also has flashbacks with letters that Ruby has written, which I feel really improved the story. These chapters made me feel connected with a character that has already been dead for ten years before the current day events are happening. I was really impressed with how much I enjoyed this book, and how quickly I read it. It was so difficult to put down.

This book was a mixture of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Rebecca, and I strongly recommend it to others as well.

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC for an honest review.

A highly enjoyable gothic style thriller/mystery!! I would greatly recommend this to book clubs and adults looking for something to keep them hooked. I will be ordering it for the library.

Thanks for the ARC - this book was excellent! I’ve enjoyed all of Rachel Hawkins’ previous novels and it’s rare for me to find a novel with twists I can’t predict and yet, this one got me! The characters are gray and likable yet leave you conflicted. The narration style from three POV is wonderful and added to the excitement of the story. I read this so fast. Love it!