Intriguing from the start, the book captures your attention with the mysterious life of Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore. The unexpected twist adds depth to the narrative. I enjoyed the exploration of family dynamics/drama and the legacy that transcends generations. The characters' journey kept me hooked, and the unraveling secrets made for a compelling read.

I also want to note that I adored these narrators.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for this ARC.

"A haunted house where the ghosts hadn’t had the courtesy to die yet."

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins was an absolutely dazzling Southern Gothic tale! It had great prose, an exciting pace, and characters that were witty and mysterious. There was no filler. Every part felt important. The book just flew right by!

Camden and Jules are 10 years married- happily, but somewhat unfilled. This is surprising because Camden doesn't have to struggle to make ends meet. He's a McTavish, which is basically a royal family in the Southern US.

Camden always knew he'd have to go home eventually. His adoptive mom passed years ago and the family mansion is in disrepair, and since he is the rightful owner, he needs to go get it sorted and Jules wants to see the place anyway.

Jules is trying to act natural but she's ecstatic to be going to this amazing pile of bricks. It's rightfully theirs after all, and she can imagine herself as the lady of this manor. If only she could rid it of pests he calls his extended family. They've always resented him for not being blood so you can imagine how they feel about him having power over the family home.

Along the way we meet the relatives but we also hear from Ruby, the late matriarch and Cam's adoptive mother in letters. She's finally decided to lay it all bare and none of them will be the same after this visit.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read, listen, and review! The narration was fantastic.

Rounding up from a 3.5! Not really a thriller like I expected but a fast paced, wild family drama full of secrets and characters you can’t help but root for a little bit. This is our book club pick for January and I can’t wait to discuss with the others. I would say I probably would have preferred it off audio because of all the characters and timelines / letters.

Ms. Hawkins - did not disappoint. Definitely not what I was expecting and suspense built quickly. Also has me guessing the whole time who was connected to who.

This twisty thriller was about Camden, a man who was adopted by a very rich woman who left him a large home and lots of money, and his wife Jules. They live in Golden, CO but travel back to NC to take care of some family business. His great-aunt and cousins live there and resent him for being the sole heir to the family fortune. He wants nothing to do with any of it. Soon, we realize that all the. players have motivations that may not be what we initially see. Another excellent page-turner by Rachel Hawkins!

I am becoming a Rachel Hawkins fan! While this is only the second book of hers that I've read (the first one: The Villa), I'm ready to check out her backlog.

Hawkins' books are full of interesting characters with plenty of secrets and dark, shadowy houses, also full of secrets.

This is a unique story, starting with the childhood kidnapping of one of our main characters. But that is not the only tragedy which befalls Ruby. Ruby has been widowed, four times. Her story unravels through a series of letters, which she has sent her adoptive son. We meet this character as he and his wife travel to the shadowy home estate, Ashby House. Camden has secrets as well. But, so does his wife, Jules.

The alternating viewpoints help mold a cleverly written story that will keep you guessing. Even if you figure out one part, don't worry - a thread will still unravel somewhere new.

I listened to the audio version of The Heiress and really enjoyed each one of the narrators. They each embodied their respective parts, which really enhanced the listening experience. Each time I paused the book, I looked forward to the next chance to jump back into the story.

My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC of The Heiress, in exchange for my honest review.

I have read all of Rachel Hawkins' books at this point, and while they are all good, The Heiress: A Novel is by far the best. This book takes you on a wild and interesting ride. We initially follow one of the characters, Cam, and his wife Jules, as he returns home after a long absence to deal with his inheritance and his family. The story is told from the alternating viewpoints of at least three characters, revealing the secrets of a complex family.

As the story unfolds and progresses, each unexpected revelation left me in absolute shock and awe. I constantly found myself in a state of uncertainty, thinking that I had finally unravelled the story's secrets, only to be pleasantly surprised that I was completely mistaken. Every subsequent revelation brought an even greater sense of disbelief, causing my jaw to drop in sheer astonishment and amazement.

Although the story starts with Cam, it is not solely about him. The true main character is Ruby, Cam's deceased adoptive mother. Her story, character, and life are incredibly fascinating. We not only get glimpses of how others perceived her, but we also hear her story through her own words in the form of letters. Ruby is the character who connects everyone and everything in this story, tying everything together tightly.

Rachel Hawkins has crafted The Heiress: A Novel with great care, making it impossible to put down. I want to express my gratitude to St. Martin's Press, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with advanced review copies of both the digital and audiobook versions. The book is amazing in any format, but if you truly want to be blown away, I highly recommend picking up the audiobook for its outstanding performance and production.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ALC.

I’m choosing not to rate on GR, due to the fact that I DNFd it. The book started out strong, I enjoyed the multiple POV but Rubys letters got a little dull and long winded. I kept zoning out during her POV. I didn’t make it to any of the twists so I don’t know if the story would have picked up at that point but I didn’t have any interest in continuing based off what I have read so far.

The Heiress is another of Hawkins’ mystery thriller accomplishments. Following a reluctant heir and his relationship to his family and the trouble of the estate, along with the tales of the famed Ruby McTavish and her escapades and trail of dead husbands over the years, this story takes you on a rollercoaster of history.
I quite enjoyed every narrative voice of this novel, and thought the added letters detailing the past were a nice touch. I was never shocked by a twist, as it seemed logical to me, but enjoyed the book nonetheless.
Not a book I will think of often but will have fond memories of when I do.
3.5 stars

It's safe to say this will be a top read of 2024 for me! This book was FLIPPING FANTASTIC! Literal jaw dropping moments, stellar writing, an exceptional plot, and such fun and nasty characters that I absolutely loved to hate. This book truly had it all!

I listened to this novel on audio and it was exceptional. There were multiple narrators in the novel and the audio did a great job using several people to keep them separate. I loved the different uses of media - letters, newspaper clippings, and multiple narrators on top of all that. Sometimes this can feel like too much, but wow, it worked perfectly for The Heiress. The story unfolded in such a fun and unique way and I was completely enthralled.

Hawkins slammed us with not one, not two, but MANY surprises - most of which weren't anywhere near my radar! As a thriller lover, it's easy to read the same plot lines, twists, and hooks over and over again. Hawkins made sure she shattered those well-loved tropes and brought us something fresh and utterly fantastic.

Ruby is one of my favorite characters from a novel in a long time. She will absolutely stick with me. Her ruthlessness, cunning wit, and her entire backstory was just perfection.

I can't say I've ever read a book like this and weeks later, it's still sticking with me. It's one I'll be recommending over and over!

Thank you to MacMillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the copy. Get this book NOW!!!

Though this is not a sequel in any way to The Villa, it was reading that book which made me so incredibly eager to pick up another work by Rachel Hawkins.

Within the pages of The Heiress, the reader is presented with multiple people and perspectives, though intriguing, did get a bit confusing at times. However, the story was riveting from start to finish. From the disappearance and reappearance of a young child, murder, mystery, marriages, and so much more. The web of intrigue Ms. Hawkins weaves, keeps the reader on the edge of their seat and looking forward to the next revealed piece of information.

The McTavish family is rich and always gets their way. Ruby, the oldest daughter, is The Heiress and throughout these pages, we are presented letters to an anonymous recipient about all the tragedies and mysteries surrounding her life. Camden is Ruby’s only child. Though he is adopted, he is Ruby’s sole heir to the McTavish fortune, which he doesn’t want.

After Camden’s uncle passes away, he and his wife, Jules, are drawn out to the McTavish estate to settle some family drama and back into complicated questions about what really happened.

THE HEIRESS - RACHEL HAWKINS

4⭐

PLOT
Ruby Mctavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore a victim of famous kidnapping as a child, widow 4 times and richest woman in North Carolina with an envious house Ashby House.
After her death leaves everything to her adoptive son Camden but he doesn't want to do anything with it or her money.
10yrs later Camden and his wife Jules are forced to visit Ashby House and Ruby's past slowly unfolds truth about her kidnapping, reasons behind death of her husband and even Camdens adoption!

MY THOUGHTS -
This is a fast paced addictive family drama full of secrets. The alternate POV and timeline made it even more engrossing.
I loved how Ruby told her story via letters and slowly the suspense unfolds.
Perfect Suspense mystery to begin 2024!

The full cast audiobook narration was fantastic! ! Highly recommend the audio for this one.
Thank you Netgalley and publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this story told from different points of views of the characters. The story was filled with twist and turns up to the end. I found the narration by the various people brought life to each character. Money and dominance is at the core of the story.

Thank you #NetGalley, #MacmillanAudio, #RachelHawkins, #DanBittner, #ElizaFoss, #JohnPirhalla, #PattiMurin and #TheHeiress for the opportunity to listen to the book for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC.

This book is amazing! I liked the different perspectives of Camden, Jules, and Ruby as the author navigates you through the various secrets and twists.

Camden is Ruby’s adopted son and has been estranged from his family for 10 years. He lives with his wife Jules in Colorado, far away from Ashby house in North Carolina. Until, his cousin Ben sends an email that forces Camden to return back home to sort out affairs.

Jules has her own dark secrets. Why did she choose Camden and what is her motive to bring him back to Ashby house?

The details behind Ruby’s kidnapping, marital struggles, and identifying herself were written beautifully as it took us from her childhood all the way to her death while putting the characters’ involvement into perspective and tying the whole book together.

I enjoyed going through Ruby’s letters and all of the suspense she held in writing. This was a mysterious story that kept me wanting more. I didn’t expect the twists which made it all the more captivating! Money, power, family, and revenge; nothing is as it seems.

I really enjoyed this book! I did see some twists coming, but there were other twists I didn't see and I loved all the reveals throughout the book. It gave me a lot of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier vibes. The audio narration was fantastic and I enjoyed all the POVs.

3.5 ⭐️’s
The Heiress is filled with some nasty characters all vying for the family fortune. When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she’s North Carolina’s richest woman. Being kidnapped as a child as well as burying four husbands, she’s also quite notorious. Ashby house is the family estate nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains in the small town of Tavistock. A town ruled by the McTavish family. Upon her death everything was willed to her adopted son, Cam. A son who wants nothing to do with the McTavish family and couldn’t wait to leave. It’s been ten years since Ruby’s death when Cam is summoned back to the estate. A place he never wants to see again, but his wife, Jules, has other plans. As family secrets come to life, Cam and Jules soon realize that an inheritance, no matter how large, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and that some family bonds are quite difficult to break. This was a duel read listen and while some of the voices I enjoyed, Ruby’s took a bit to get used to, but fit her quite perfectly! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC and ALC of this book.

Rachael Hawkins has been very hit or miss with me, I seem to love or dislike her books. For the first time, I have found one to be just okay. I did enjoy the way that it as told, the bits of information parceled out through the different POVs and the letters that were written. Following the timeline was easy, and the characters were all just okay. I didn't find myself really hating or loving anyone. The plot itself was predictable, but that did not take away from the entertainment of it. I do think that the audiobook itself was very well narrated and it was a full cast which I loved. Also a very quick listen. I can't say I loved it, but I know people that would and I thought it was a decently fun read!

The only thing greater than the McTavish families wealth and influence is their greed, vindictiveness, and life altering secrets. This story is told from multiple POVs which really keeps the story flowing well. I listened t o the audible version which has multiple narrators. This detail was a huge plus! The narrator of the character of Ruby McTavish was exceptional and her southern accent really made the character come to life. We continue to find out secrets about this family until the very last page. The only reason I gave it 4 starts instead of 5 is because I actually wanted a little more drama from Ben, Lydia, and Nell. I just know these characters would love to tell us why they are better than everyone. Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for letting me preview the book. It was truly an enjoyable experience you do not want to miss!

The Heiress

Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release: January 9, 2024

My rating: 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review. It starts as a medium burn, but builds as it goes, so keep reading.

Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore, kidnapped as a child and heiress of a McTavish fortune from her new parents, along with that of her four husbands, adopts an orphan to leave the family fortune to. However, her adopted son wants nothing to do with any of it. There are many layers and a twisted end to this well-written, engaging, scandalous thriller with dysfunctional families.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is about a wealthy family where everyone has been cut off save for Camden, who was adopted. Camden wants nothing to do with his adoptive family, but his wife convinces him to go home. Upon their arrival, chaos ensues and secrets come out. The Heriess excelled more as a drama than a mystery. The twists were predictable, but the book shined with its characters, which reminded me of Knives Out.