I've really enjoyed Rachel's other books (especially Reckless Girls), but this was such a SLOOOOOOOOOW burn. Almost too slow. There were many times I wanted to DNF, but I trudged through. Maybe the audiobook would've been a better fit for me. I did enjoy Ruby's letters and getting her POV on her marriages. I wasn't surprised by the "twists", but I still liked the last 20% of the book!

Loved this one!!

I thought the way this story was told - from Cam’s POV, Jules’s POV, and letters from Ruby - really added layers and depth to the plot that a single POV wouldn’t have been able to offer

Everyone, and I mean everyone, has their own motives and secrets in this book!

The twists weren’t over the top shocking, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this easy read.

I really enjoyed this slow burning thriller, especially the letters from Ruby. Learning her story and about her four husbands kept me hooked!

This was my first time reading anything by Rachel Hawkins, and before I even made it halfway through, I went on Libby & requested more of her books.

Thank you @stmartinspress for sending me a @Netgalley widget in exchange for my honest review that I am shamefully just now posting.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins was a speedy read with a boring plot. Nothing really happened. EVER. The highlights of the book were the creepy mansion where everything took place and the multiple genres (letters, newspapers, flashbacks). Otherwise, I didn’t really care for the characters and the ending was lackluster.

Twists and lies and creepy goings on - - this book has it all. It started slow for me but steadily picked up speed until it was practically flying to the end, distributing new clues right and left, each one more disturbing than the last until the final page - - that leaves the reader with yet more questions.

The characters are realistic, the setting stunning, and the story oh-so-compelling. Rachel Hawkins has become one of my 'must read' authors.

Thank you so much NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-copy to read in exchange for an honest review!

This was my first Rachel Hawkins book but it certainly won't be my last!

Through a combination of interesting formats (personal letters, newspaper articles, alternating POVs and timelines) THE HEIRESS manages to create a chilling Gothic vibe within a contemporary thriller that feels like a classic (picture a Daphne du Maurier or Agatha Christie novel), Full of unreliable narrators (my fave!), secrets, lies, greed and a long line of dysfunctional family dynamics, this book was a real page turner. I was wholly invested in Ruby's story, from her childhood kidnapping to the scandals and deaths of each of her four husbands. I could not put it down!

I highly recommend this clever and twisty murder mystery! It will keep you guessing the whole way through.

My favorite Rachel Hawkins to date! At first it was a little difficult to follow the format, but once I figured out how it was written, I was HOOKED. I always love a story of deep family secrets and this one delivered.

The beginning was slow. I had to try a few times to get into it past the first chapter. However, Once I was invested, this was a quick read and I finished it within 2 days.

Adored the setting as I am from North Carolina and at first legit thought that this was a book about Biltmore.

By the end of the book, I didn't really like ANY of the characters but boy, was there twists and turns galore that had me reeling by the end and going back through the plot piecing things together that I'd missed.

Maybe a 2.5 stars?

Flat out honesty here? This book was immensely boring. The characters were flat and overused archetypes and the plot was incredibly obvious which isn’t what I want out of a mystery/thriller. The writing itself was fine and the letters and articles mixed throughout were clever, but I saw the ending to this book coming a mile away. Maybe if you were new to the genre this book would have been more entertaining or shocking, but for me I had to drag my feet through it. I do not recommend for the avid mystery/thriller fan.

I had received this book through NetGalley, so thank you to them and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read this early (even if I ended up not reading it early 😅).

I had a lot of fun with this book but just wished some of the plot points had been cleared up at the end. I was left with some questions at the end. The book was thrilling with good pacing and interesting characters.

The Heiress follows a fabulously dysfunctional wealthy family and gradually unravels the deep secrets of the primary heiress and her four deceased past husbands. I had a lot of fun with this book but just wished there was a bit more development, I was left with many questions I was hoping for closure on. The book was fast-paced and I flew through it, which I do love in a thriller! Can't wait to see what else Rachel Hawkins writes!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

Thank you netgalley for a copy of the heiress and here’s my honest review HOLY SHIT 4.5 stars
this book has everything drama letter dual povs deaths that are ominous!!! cam and jules my GOD how did that happen. ruby’s letters were the most interesting part tbf. MUST READ

Most of Hawkins' books have been total wins for me and I am not complaining! I've seen a lot of them (especially lately) be kind of hit or miss for people. Her latest, THE HEIRESS was a very quick read... both due to the plot and short length! It follows Camden and his wife Jules as they head back to his family's estate years after his mother died and left it all to him. His cousin calls him back and he finally obliges. Jules is super curious to see why her husband left town and never returned, but she has secrets of her own.

This reads like a general domestic thriller with gothic vibes for the majority of the book. Not a complaint, but I think I was expecting something...spookier? I really liked the direction the story went and the overall format though. It alternated between Camden and Jules POVs while also mixing in articles and letters that provided his deceased mother's perspective. There was kind of a lot going on but it really worked!

I saw someone compare it to THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO, which I can kind of see. Camden's mom had four husbands and they all died under mysterious circumstances. 


There were a ton of reveals in the final chapters and I really didn't predict any of it... and basically all of the characters were keeping secrets from each other. I don't know the last time I read a book with this many twists and reveals, all the way through the end... especially after a slow start. It didn't take me long to read - it wasn't slow in that way. It was more like a suspenseful buildup, wondering what is going to happen and when.

I think readers who haven't loved some of of Hawkins' other books may like this one. It pulls on some of the same gothic vibes but is a new story for sure.

I have heard this book described as Evelyn Hugo but darker and that is bang on! I really enjoyed the way this is written. It’s almost as if the reader is a character that everyone is telling their story to, trying to explain themselves and their motives.

There are letters from Ruby and articles about the family mixed throughout the chapters which are told from Cam and Jules perspectives. The mystery of who Ruby really was begins to take shape as the book progresses.

The Heiress sucked me in immediately and I was completely glued to its pages until the end. The characters are complex and dynamic and the story is full of mystery and secrets. I found it really entertaining, I was never bored and the bits of humour balanced the darker images well.

Gothic, gritty, and un-putdownable...this one sucked me in from the get go. I love that Rachel Hawkins novels are so varied- yet they all hold me absolutely captive.

Reading this was reminiscent of playing a game of clue, who had motive, who had opportunity? Just when you think you know, you realize this isn’t your everyday whodunnit. Ruth Ware skillfully unfolds layers as she weaves this clever tale.

I loved the characters, I loved the drama, and I loved the intrigue that was Ruby’s life. This is a decadent account of a famous/infamous woman’s life that will leave you wanting more.

I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I went in thinking it would be a typical (albeit enjoyable) mainstream thriller that I may or may not remember a couple of weeks later. Not so. This book had depth and heart and an addictive and interesting plot. With toxic family dynamics, a family dynasty shrouded in scandal and a very sweet love story all tied-up in a house, this one isn't short on drama. I enjoyed the characters and was especially fond of Jules and Ruby. This is definitely a thriller, but there is an air of mystery as the plot unfolds as well. Hawkins also throws in enough twists and curveballs to keep you guessing and second-guessing your assumptions. Enjoyed this one a lot.

I requested this novel so long ago and am embarrassed to admit that I let it sit on my shelf. If you were to look up the definition of a fast paced, roller coaster of emotion, kind of thriller with a little romance, this book would be the poster child. I loved how it was reminiscent of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but make it murder-y. This was the perfect rainy weekend read and I'm so thankful I had the chance to dive into it!

1 star.. DNF
I was not able to finish this one due to lack of interest. I found myself bored while also being confused. I love Rachel Hawkins, but this one was not for me....

A very bingeable popcorn 'thriller' (more family drama)! This is a perfect book to pull you out of a slump. I enjoyed Rachel Hawkins' newest book! I have read all of her thrillers since The Wife Upstairs, and I'm happy to report that I think each book gets better and better! All of them, The Heiress included, are some of my most recommended for all types of readers. They are easy to binge and digest with just the right amount of suspense and spook.

I enjoy Rachel Hawkins' mysteries, but had a bit of trouble getting into this one as much as her past books. It was interesting the way bits of information were revealed about the characters in alternating chapters/years, but I struggled a bit with not really liking or connecting with the characters involved. I did not figure out the twists heiress Ruby had up her sleeve, but I was still entertained trying to!