My thanks to St. Martin's Press, Rachel Hawkins and Netgalley for this book for review.
Every Rachael Hawkins book that comes out is my new favorite so I could not wait to start this one! Of course, it was perfection. Told from multiple points of view this twisty disfunctional family drama was hard to put down from the beginning! Great ending, fun read. Definitely would recommend this to friends!

Rachel Hawkins writes awesome stories! This one had me hooked from the beginning and I stayed up late to finish it!

Thank you for the advanced copy!

This book was almost a 5 star read! The only reason it wasn't 5 was because I guessed it. BUT that does not mean it was not a good book. I was intrigued and interested the whole time. I liked how the two story lines intertwined but made sense and you could see it all leading to the same point. I do with the epilogue had a little bit more but I guess that's what last minute cliff hangers do is not give you everything and keep you guessing!

This book was a fun and suspenseful read. The characters had quite a bit of depth to them, which gave the story some unexpected twists and turns. I enjoyed how Jules spoke to the reader at times - it gave the story a little something different.

This book kept me guessing until the bitter end. What a messed up family. I can see why Ruby’s money was left to her adopted son and even moreso, why he wanted nothing to do with them 😵‍💫

While this novel was okay, I had a hard time keeping up with what was happening. I found that I was often lost while trying to follow along. 3 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free copy of The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins in exchange for my honest and free review.

I loved the inclusion of letters throughout to help us understand the history behind this well off family. This book is full of secrets, lies, deceit, murder, and family drama, oozing off of every page.

One thing I struggled with, though, were the characters. While I was fascinated in learning the history and getting to the truth of the various mysteries, I wasn’t really a fan, so to speak, of any character. However, as always, Hawkins writes in such a compelling and easy way that that really didn’t matter and I finished listening to this book in two sittings.

While predictable at times, THE HEIRESS was still a fun, atmospheric, and quick mystery read!

The first third of this felt so slow that I almost considered giving up. But I am glad I persevered, because suddenly, a few twists revealed, it really hooked me and I sped through the last half in a day. I liked the multiple POVs and time jumps, which felt fairly smooth, even though there were quite a few of them, and added different perspectives - all unreliable - which I enjoy in thrillers. Recommended!

A little late to reviewing this book but as the old saying goes “better late than never!” I really do love Rachel Hawkin’s descriptions of people and places. While some I wasn’t 100% sure where things were going every moment of the book, I did have a sense that I could help follow along which I was appreciate in mystery thrillers. However, I felt like there were a lot of plot holes or directions in which the book could have gone that just made a lot more sense. I also felt like the ending was a little too nicely wrapped for our characters. The epilogue was a bit contrived. Not my favorite of her books but had potential.

Twisty in all the right places, gothic feeling without the anxiety of real horror. This book surprised me with how compelling the last half was. A reflection on mankind/nature versus nurture set in Downton Abbey-esque opulence.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins was a trilling story that kept me guessing until the end.

The story surrounds the late Ruby McTavish's adopted son, Camden, who was left all of Ruby's inheritance that he didn't want and his wife Jules. Cam and Jules return to Ashby house 10 years later after the death of Cam's uncle.

The story is set in the present with multiple POVs with letters from Ruby in the past. The story has a good pace and some great twists. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the e-arc of The Heiress.

Wow this book was so wild and dysfunctional, in the best way. This is the fourth book I’ve read from this author, and really cements Rachel Hawkins as an autobuy author for me. And did you know she’s also Erin sterling? I gobble those books up too. So entertaining and a quick read.

Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore led a life of privilege as The Heiress yet had quite a reputation. Every one of her husbands died a mysterious death, which led to others referring to her as Mrs. Kill-more. The jury's out on whether she caused her husbands to die or not. When she passes away herself, her adopted son Camden inherits everything including the majestic and spooky Ashby House where secrets abound. This makes the rest of the McTavish clan furious yet Camden disappears to make a new life for himself in California in Rachel Hawkins' latest novel.

When Camden returns with his wife Jules in tow years later, he dreads every second and contends with the rest of the family after he was summoned. But why was he summoned and what will his wife think when she learns of the family secrets and the legacy that he bears? He knows that he and Jules would never need to struggle again, but is it worth it? And will all the secrets that built the home and the McTavish reputation crumble them into dust?

Since I heard this was coming out, I was so excited to read this book. I love this author and her novels although I haven't read any of her young adult fare. When I finally did start reading it, I was swept up in the story. In fact, at 70 percent into the book when the stories started spilling at a feverish pace, I simply could not put the book down. It was engaging before, but I tempered my excitement because I always have a stack of books and magazines to read. The rewards were great.

The book is set up with chapters narrated by Camden, others narrated by Jules, letters from beyond the grave from Ruby, and various newspaper and magazine articles about the family, Ruby's disappearance as a child, and her husbands' demises. I thought that worked very well in that you had a wide-ranging perspective, so that you could view the story as the objective observer.

I loved all the characters, too, whether or not they were villains or champions in the story. Every character felt likeable, no matter what they did, and I had a pretty clear view of their motivations. I rooted for the main characters including Ruby. Some of what was told of Ruby and her multiple marriages gave me a feel of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, but it's very, very different. The way it was told brought that comparison to mind yet that's where the similarities end.

I felt thoroughly satisfied with all the reveals of the many secrets that pervade the book. There are plenty, some of which I figured out, some of which felt shocking and scandalous. Although it's not terribly suspenseful, you're always wondering when the shoe will drop. There is plenty of misdirection to leave you unsteady on your feet and keep you captivated until the very last page. I stayed up late to finish it and felt good about sacrificing those precious extra minutes of sleep that I missed. This book is a solid winner, and I can't wait until Hawkins' next book set to come out in January 2025.

I am a huge fan of Rachel Hawkins and was thrilled to receive an ARC of her latest release, The Heiress.
This one gripped me immediately from the opening page and never let up. The deliciously twisted and convoluted tale revolves around the extremely wealthy, dysfunctional and toxic McTavish family, who live in the tiny North Carolina town of Tavistock.
This is a riveting, well-woven story of dark family secrets, lies, scandals and betrayals.
The family’s estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ashby House, is as much a central character as is the notorious four-time widow Ruby McTavish, whose story is told through letters revealing her conniving manipulations.
It is a quick read with intriguing, well-developed characters, and a unique, suspenseful plot filled with mind-blowing twists and turns!
I recommend this well-written gothic thriller by Rachel Hawkins. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a digital ARC of The Heiress in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a little while to fully get invested in this book, but about halfway through when you start learning how many people are keeping secrets, I was much more intrigued. There were many twists and turns towards the end that I definitely wasn’t expecting, and overall, it was an enjoyable story!

Thank you to NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book sent me for a ride. Trying to figure out the deep secret and the reason for the hesitation to going back to the mansion and then his wife and how she was all intertwined in all of this. All of these characters I could not stand but also liked in their own way. It took me awhile to get to the 60% mark but once I was there I couldn’t put it down.

3.5/4⭐️s.

Quick, easy, and enjoyable read! I liked the different characters telling the story from their POV as it unfolds and the letters from Ruby were my favorite. However, I did predict what the “twist” would be.

My interest in this book ebbed and flowed. I wanted to like it WAY more than I actually did. The premise was intriguing but the overall story fell flat as I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters.

Here’s a mystery that kept me turning the pages and I loved it. There are so many layers to this book. We have Ruby’s life to contend with and her many marriages and her traumatic kidnapping as a child. We have her adopted son, Cam, who wants nothing to do with the evil rich people in his family. We have Jules, Cam’s wife, who wouldn’t mind spending some of that giant fortune that Cam has inherited. And we also have Cam’s aunt and two cousins who have always hated Cam for not being one of them.

But beyond that, there are so many twists and turns and backstabs and revelations that made this story exciting. No character in this book is who they seem and that felt really juicy, as intentions and secrets are revealed epistolary-style in letters and emails sprinkled through the book. A big theme in this story is nature vs. nurture; are you who you are from birth or do you become who you are from your environment? And is family determined by blood or bond? It was a theme that was fascinating to explore. I really recommend this story if you like rich people behaving badly, and also uncovering the deep, dark secrets of a family’s past.

I ended up listening to this one on audio. I liked it! But didn't love it. I thought it was an engaging story with a good conclusion. However, at times I thought it was a little hard to follow because there were so many different names and characters. I love this author but this just wasn't my favorite book she has written. I'm looking forward to reading more by her!