Ruby is what you might call a black widow - married and widowed four times she has earned some suspicious glances and unsavory nicknames. However, she's also a McTavish, of the North Carolina McTavishes, and that comes with a level of opulence that means the occasional scandal can be, well, overlooked. When you combine all this with the fact that she's also the one and only Baby Ruby, stolen from her family and rescued from a poor Alabama family nearly a year later, one might say that she has lived through enough tragedy for anyone to turn a blind eye if something tragic but questionable happens around poor Ruby anymore.

The Heiress is the story of Ruby, her adopted son Camden, the McTavish family home (Ashby House), and the level of wealth that seems to blend boredom and insanity in its family members. As Camden tries to find his place amongst the McTavish family as its heir, but not a McTavish by blood, family secrets pour from the walls of Ashby like blood from a wound. And frankly, it seems like that's how Ruby would have liked it.

Thank you to NG, Rachel Hawkins, and St. Martin's Press for access to an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having grown up in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I felt teleported into Ashby House. I was fully invested in everyone’s story & the absolute chaos that piled up with every turn of the page. The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is my new favorite book!

Rachel Hawkins once again grabs your attention from the opening pages and does not let go to the end. When his adoptive mother Ruby died ten years ago Cam McTavish left Tavistock, NC and never looked back. He had been left millions that he never touched and Ashby House that he never wanted to see again. After the death of his uncle, he is contacted by his cousin Ben, asking him to return home to settle the estate. His wife Jule is anxious to see where he grew up and convinces him to go. Everyone in the McTavish family has secrets and when Cam and Julie arrive he faces the same resentment that he endured as he grew up.

Ruby became famous for her kidnapping and eventual recovery as a child. She was later in the news for her marriage and the tragic loss of four husbands. In letters written by Ruby shortly before her death she tells her own story and explains how she received a reputation as a black widow. A shooting, an electrocution, drowning and a poisoning will keep you reading as her husbands fall one after another. As you meet the surviving McTavishes it is no wonder why Cam had to get away. Even Jule, the one person to offer him love and support, is hiding a connection to Ruby. Hawkins’ characters and pacing provide a true page turner. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for my review

The Heiress

I always enjoy Rachel Hawkins thrillers and this was no exception. This reads more like a family drama of rich people behaving badly with some murder on the side, but I could not stop reading. Lots of twists and turns and one of my favorites of hers right behind The Wife Upstairs. Loved how it all came together. I enjoyed the multi perspectives of Ruby, Camden and Jules. Definitely a fast paced read. 4.5 ⭐️

When Camden returns to Ashby House with his wife Jules he does so reluctantly-he knows what Ashby house does to people. This is where I was totally lost-I was expecting more a gothic thriller with the "house" more involved. Yes it's a beautiful mansion with a colorful history but I never got the sense of the house "twisting" it's occupants. The different storylines are confusing, I didn't understand the need to tell me there's a second act plot twist or ironic foreshadowing. I did enjoy the letters from Ruby McTavish as her past is disclosed. the book would have been better if it focused solely on this aspect of the story. It was a quick at times engaging story and I am sure others will enjoy it. It just wasn't for me. Thank you to Rachel Hawkins, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for a free copy- I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I'm sitting here thinking about how to put into a few paragraphs what I just read... It is wickedly brilliant in its complexity and I loved every moment of it.

In a world where money solves and creates all of your problems what wouldn't you do? Where would you draw the line? When do you say that's enough? Who decides whose life is more important? All of these questions are addressed and answered in this book, at least from Rubys' point of view.

If you're looking for a mystery with murderous twists that will have you looking into the eyes of every stranger you meet hoping for a spark of recognition, or if you just want a really good thriller that will leave you guessing until the last line either way this book is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a copy of this E-Book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the 2nd or 3rd book that I’ve read by Hawkins and I think this is my favorite of hers so far. The Heiress was definitely a page turner and I flew through this book pretty quickly. There are a lot of twists and turns in this one that I loved. I thought this was a well written mystery.

Ruby was an interesting character and she reminded me of Evelyn Hugo with her stories about her many husbands and all of her secrets. I liked the inclusion of Ruby’s letters between her and an unknown character (who is revealed later on). Camden and Jules were also interesting characters but Camden’s family members were horrible people.

I would recommend this book to mystery lovers. I look forward to reading more from Hawkins.

I absolutely loved this book! There were so many twists and turns I wasn't expecting, which kept me hooked the whole time. I loved that we got multiple perspectives along with multiple timelines with the letters from Ruby. This was the perfect setting, with estranged family, messy history, and lot of questions to be answered. I'm so glad it was one of the first books I picked up in 2024. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-book ARC!

After years away from his ancestral home, Camden is drawn back in to help his family back to their former glory. He doesn't really care, but his wife, Jules, thinks he needs to go back for closure. Along the way, the reader is treated to the story of Ruby, the "heiress" in question, who adopted Camden late in her life. As Camden and Jules arrive, it's clear that the rest of the family resents the fact that Camden has inherited the family fortune - and will stop at nothing to get it back.
With a million twists and turns, this book will keep you guessing until the very end.

My first 5 star read of 2024 and Another fabulous and intense psychological thriller from Rachel Hawkins! The storytelling was superb and the plot twists give you whiplash as they take you on one hell of a ride! I also loved how she threw in some little Easter eggs from within her other stories. Only a fan of her work would recognize a reference to a vintage T-shirt from Lara Larchmont’s Aestas album! Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

I was able to read through this book quite quickly!! It was captivating and really pulled me in. Every character is well developed and everything “works” and “makes sense”!!! It’s hard to say much else without giving too much away and I always think that the best part of a suspense or mystery is experiencing all the twists and turns without knowing what’s coming!!

This one was a little slower paced than I expected going in, but overall still fun nonetheless. I love me some rich people drama and this one really delivered on that front. Highly recommend for lovers of Evelyn Hugo but wanted just a little more murder, this one is for you. You're welcome.

Thank you St Martin's Press and Rachel Hawkins for my early review copy!

Ooh this is my new favorite Rachel Hawkins book! Loved the characters, the setting of Ashby House, the twists, the secrets- it all worked flawlessly. So addicting to read!

When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, her inheritance falls into the reluctant hands of her adoptive son, Cam. He wants nothing to do with the wealth and the familial entanglements that come with it. There have been plenty of rumors of Ruby's mysterious childhood and the untimely demise of her numerous husbands, which adds an intriguing layer to the narrative. Ten years later, a summons draws Cam and his wife back to Ashby House following his Uncle's passing, where Cam is reunited with his estranged family.

The story's allure lies in the secrets that shroud Ruby's past, such as why Cam wants nothing to do with the wealth and family. Hawkins weaves a web of mystery that kept me on my toes as I attempted to unravel the secrets.

While some familiar tropes appear, Hawkins injects them with a refreshing vitality, peppering the narrative with unexpected twists and turns. The anticipation builds as I grapple with the unanswered questions; the final revelation is a gratifying payoff.

Hawkings' storytelling ensures that even the keenest readers are kept guessing, and those who pay attention might piece together the puzzle before the grand reveal.

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up! Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for a DRC in exchange for my honest review 👇🏻

This was a story full of rich people problems, murder, family drama, secrets and straight up greed. I liked the way each chapter read as a confessional, and enjoyed the story telling from Ruby’s letters! It was an effective way to get her POV, though of course her story was way more interesting than Cam and Jules’s in the present.

In terms of suspense/tension, there could have been more excitement — most of the excitement came from characters revealing their own secrets to the reader, rather than being exposed by another character, or in any other character to character interaction. At the very end, a GREAT point of tension is actually snuffed out by the chapter ending (the mystery/thriller equivalent of a fade to black in romance).

Still, I enjoyed digging into it, maybe just because I love gossip and drama so much, and this book was certainly not lacking there!! Excited to pick up some more Rachel Hawkins books after this one 📚

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is a story of riches and family legacies. It's also a story of a convoluted family whose matriarch was notorious since she was three years old. She is dead, but she leaves behind secrets and answers as well in the form of letters. Who is she writing to, and is everyone as innocent as they seem to be?

This book is told in three voices. Camden's, Jules, and Ruby's in the form of letters. I loved Ruby's story told in the form of letters. Ruby is an intriguing, interesting, and very morally gray character. The story is interesting and gripping. However, the transitioning of the characters in almost every other chapter made reading a little difficult for me. Also, the other gripe I have is that I wanted to know more about the side plotlines that the author introduced once Camden is in Ashby House. The ending does, in some ways, make up for these.

Thank you St.Martin's Press, for this book.

CW: kidnapping of a child, alcohol, domestic abuse, murder, suicide, blackmail, manipulation

3.5 stars

This is my 3rd book by Rachel Hawkins. Unfortunately this my least favorite that i’ve read by her. Not saying that it’s bad, I just like the other two books I have read by her more. This book had a very interesting plot and the family dynamic was intriguing. The twists were definitely there and moved the story along, they just didn’t come as jaw dropping as I was hoping they’d be. I really enjoyed the letters throughout the story and Rachel has such a unique way of incorporating those fun elements that make you wanna see what happens next. Overall, a very fast paced and fun thriller, the wild family dynamic is like watching your favorite soap opera with a thrilling twist. Highly recommend if you’re getting into thrillers or you need a gripping fast paced read, also try her other thrillers as I’ve loved those as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of The Heiress.

Ruby McTavish was the most infamous woman in North Carolina. Kidnapped as a baby, returned and raised in an affluent family, she goes on to marry four different men and is widowed four times. After losing her fourth husband she adopts Camden and raises him as her own - possibly so that her sister and her family do not inherit anything. After Ruby's death, Camden flees to the West Coast for college and ignores his inheritance. He marries Jules and ten years after Ruby's death, they return to North Carolina after the death of his uncle. Once there his family shows Jules the true content of their character but she can't help but love the beautiful home that should be hers and Camden's.

I found this book disappointing. It was not as intriguing as it tried to be. Ruby was the most interesting character but her storyline was mostly reduces to her letters. The twists were either visible from miles away or not that twisty. It felt more like an historical fiction story than a mystery.

I don't know how Rachel Hawkins can say so much in arguably a pretty short book! I raced through this and loved it! The way she toys with the reader and ends every chapter with a bang is thoroughly enjoyable and makes her books unputdownable. I loved going back and forth between Ruby's timeline and letters and Camden and Jules. I've read a lot of mysteries and thrillers so I can kind of guess details along the way, but Rachel is someone who will always have me doubting myself or waiting for the final shoe to drop. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because it didn't elevate above the genre or move me quite in the way The Villa (which was a 5-star read for me) did. Regardless, I loved this and Rachel will always be an instant-buy author for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

This was a fun ride! I usually don’t care much for reading a book of unlikeable (sp?) but Camden and Jules were “good enough” to keep me reading. Even Ruby’s missives sprinkled in between the chapters got me to like her too. The ending’s final twist was so good! Overall very enjoyable.