FAMILY IS COMPLICATED. Dang. Family is also incredibly messed up and that is the best way to sum up "The Heiress"

And since it isn't my family, I am here for it.

Told through three different voices (including letters), we meet the McTavish family and Ruby McTavish, the wealthy heiress who at age 3 had gone missing in the woods yet returned a year later. The woman who had four dead husbands to her name. The woman whose family HATED her (like legit). The woman who adopted a son, Camden, who desired nothing more than to be as far away from Ashby House and the McTavish name as he could be.

Meanwhile Cam and Jules have found their way back to Ashby House. All of the fortune has been left to Cam. Which makes everyone upset. Except Jules. She wants Cam to have his due....and there is so much more to the story.

I despised Hawkin's previous offering, The Villa. But this one, I would read again. Mostly because I loved the utter drama and the twists. The lies truly went deep [spoiler} Ruby had really died and Dora Darnell had been sold by her parents to become Ruby. "Ruby" had killed all four of her husbands for one reason or another. She found out the truth about herself being Dora. "Ruby" wanted to set things right so she connected with the family. Her real family. And her great niece, her real grand niece, turned out to be Jules. That is just the tip of the iceberg folks. (hide spoiler)]

For fans of suspense and layers of family drama, I utterly recommend this book. A thank you to Netgalley for an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this mystery! I love anything that takes place in an old, historic mansion, so the setting immediately drew me in (although I would have loved more details or atmosphere in that regard). But the mystery was great and all of the familial connections and complexities kept me guessing and turning pages. It was really well-crafted and the Ruby character was very entertaining - she really added a lot to the book. I’ll definitely be recommending this one!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC for my honest review!

Everyone is morally gray at best in this suspenseful book, which is JAM PACKED with twists and turns. The story is constantly peeling back layers to each person’s stories and kept me on my toes. It’s over the top and a bit unbelievable, but it kept me hooked until the end. Folks who binged the show “You” and Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo will especially like this read.

I absolutely loved reading this! I immediately was hooked with the characters living in Colorado which is where I live! I loved the different POVS and the incorporation of letters! I absolutely did not guess the outcome. One of my favorite reads from this author yet!!

Another good book from Hawthorne!

This one was definitely better than her last but IMO she still struggles to start a book off strong. The first 30% crept by, I thought about making it a DNF several times. Finally, the plot started to pick up once Cam & Jules stepped foot into the Ashby House.

The plot revolves around Cam & Jules going back to the house and family Cam grew up with. He left Ashby House a long time ago for good reasons but Jules has convinced him to go back. Can must face his family’s history of lies and deceit.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. Jules was an interesting narrator although there were several. The book is told in dual timelines - the current time and the past through Ruby’s letters. I will still be picking up Hawthorne’s newest releases but they seem to always be a 3 star for me!

A thriller about a wealthy, morally deprived heiress and their family will never not hit the mark for me.

Atmospheric with well done changing POV’s, I absolutely ripped through The Heiress. Rachel Hawkins give me moooooore!!

Such a good book with twists you don’t see coming. The characters all well written for their parts. Definitely a good story about what people will do for money.

Anything by Rachel Hawkins I’m sure to love as I have loved every book she has written so far. The story was well paced and the fact that the two timelines flowed very well together to tell the story made it even that much better many times it can’t be pulled or and makes the story confusing but this time it worked out well.. and the twist at the end:. Like say what if it isn’t fate or Devine intervention I don’t know what is .

Hawkins did an unbelievable job with this book. I’ve never really read a book like it. I loved the mix perspectives between Jules and Cam, as well as the letters from Ruby. I had chills for the entire last 70 pages. There is a lot of question about what is morally good and bad, and what makes someone good or bad. The characters are lovable but you still get to question their actions. I absolutely adored the ending. While some twists were predictable, they were a bit of a concealer for the real twists. Would recommend this book to anyone.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a digital ARC of this book!

A beautiful old mansion in the North Carolina mountains and a family full of murder and secrets makes The Heiress an interesting read.

I think i expected this to be a little more of a thriller than it was. While there were some definite twists and turns and a few fun reveals, i wound up feeling like this story was more about family drama.

The story is told from the perspectives of main characters Camden and Jules, with Ruby adding hers in through a series of letters.

Camden is the heir to Ashby house, left to him by his adopted mother Ruby. He wants nothing to do with it and stays away until he is called home after the death of his uncle. As soon as he and his wife Jules arrive at Ashby house its clear they are not wanted by the rest of the McTavish family.

This was kind of a slow-burn of a story for probably the first 3/4 of the book. I kept waiting for more to happen with Camden and Jules, and honestly just skipped ahead to the more interesting parts of Ruby's story. The last 1/4 of the book finally does pick up the pace and throws out some interesting twists; some I saw coming and others I did not.
But overall I felt the story lacked something.

Still, a quick and entertaining enough read that I could see many enjoying.

This is probably my least favorite read by this author. I still enjoyed this one; just not as much as her others.

A couple (Camden and Jules) goes back to a mansion in North Carolina where Camden was raised. Camden is set to inherit this mansion and lots of money. But while there, he has to confront many demons from his past and from his family. Jules is by his side the whole time but she is ultimately not who she says she is. How will this all turn out?

I thought there was a lot going on with this one. There were too many POVs and backstories to that really didn’t work for me. I thought the whole story could have been condensed. While I wanted to see how this all turned out; there just wasn’t a wow factor for me. Still a quick and decent read

Well, this was an enjoyable mystery/thriller. This tells the story of Ruby McTavish, her family, and her adopted son, Camden. Camden moved out around the time of his adopted mother's death ten years ago; however, at the request of his estranged cousin has returned to the infamous Ashby House. Secrets abound in this house, and those secrets may not stay hidden for long...

I honestly enjoyed this one. I love a good multiple narrators/unreliable narrator story, and this book definitely fits the bill. Jules, Camden, and even Ruby all have a chance to speak in this book and what you find out about each character may surprise you. Or not surprise you, depending on how genre savvy you are. Regardless, I enjoyed reading how each twist and turn and plot point would resolve itself and was pleasantly surprised (and even enjoyed) the ending to this Hawkins book. If you're a fan, definitely pick this up when it publishes in January of 2024!

What a great book! I have enjoyed all of this author’s books and The Heiress was no exception. It had plenty of suspense and mystery that I couldn’t put it down. Thanks Netgalley for this arc.

This is an interesting read for the most part, although there is an over-abundance of deceit in this book. It may as well be its own character. A young couple living in Colorado travel back east to the husband's childhood estate after the death of his uncle. There, we discover that the husband, who is the sole heir to the estate, is really not wanted by his relatives, even though he was summoned by them. From that point, everything unravels and the story becomes a bit far-fetched.

I'm sorry to say that there is not one likeable or sympathetic character in this book. That fact, for me, makes the twists, turns and reveals rather anticlimactic. Who are these people? Not anyone I can relate to or would want to. The ending, although contains some surprises, wraps up a little too neatly for my taste.

Three stars for keeping me reading to see what happens. The author has quite an imagination, I'll say that.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the complimentary e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars.

I have read and enjoyed all of Rachel Hawkins’ books, but this one is my favorite yet. I tore through it in one day – fully engaged the entire time. I thought I knew what was coming, but the twist was a shock that completely threw me for a loop in the very best way.

Very entertaining and much different from this author’s previous books. I highly recommend this one. Don’t miss it.

My thanks to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.

3.5 stars ⭐️. I thought this was an entertaining read and loved the setting so much! It had a few too many plot twists for my preference, but, still enjoyable. I could not like a single character, even when all was said and done.

I have read some other books by Rachel Hawkins and enjoyed them more. She is an author I will continue to add to my TBR. Just too many greedy people in this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy to read for review. I recommend this to readers who like creepy settings, reading of the will kind of plots, big houses in the woods, everybody hates everybody and is trying to do everyone else in plots. Everyone is lying and is an unreliable narrator. Enjoy!
10 likes

"The Heiress" by Rachel Hawkins is a captivating read that expertly weaves together past and present, keeping readers hooked with its twists and turns. The writing is skillfully executed, allowing the story to unfold with surprises that maintain the element of suspense. The seamless transition between timelines adds depth to the narrative, while the book's ability to keep readers engaged and anticipatory showcases its captivating nature. If you're seeking a novel that combines intricate storytelling with an enthralling plot, "The Heiress" certainly delivers.

Thank you Negalley for an ARC of this book!

WOW! I am a big fan of these type of books and have really enjoyed all of Rachel Hawkin's previous books I have read, so I went in with high hopes and it did not disappoint. This one may be my new favorite of hers. The story is told from 3 different narrators; Camden, his wife Jules, and letters written by Ruby, Camden's adopted mother. This can sometimes be confusing in books, but the way Rachel Hawkins has written them they flow very nicely and connect well with little confusion. I found myself finishing a chapter and need to read the following right away to get answers! This book sucked me in from the beginning and kept me hooked throughout. I cannot wait for this to be published for everyone to get to experience reading this book!

This was a very interesting story that had a lot of interesting twists that kept you guessing as to where the story would go. For me, this started as a really slow burn and then the last quarter of the book picked up a lot and was hard to put down.
It reminded me a bit of Evelyn Hugo but with a darker edge and more of a mystery vibe. While it may not be a full-blown thriller, it is mystery that's worth diving into.

Wow, I was so impressed with this one! It was fun, suspenseful, and mysterious. I enjoyed the fun twist near the end. The main characters are developed and interesting. Pace was swift enough for me not to lose interest, as it's not action packed. Overall very fun read.