This is my favorite Rachel Hawkins yet! And the audiobook is 👌 It’s performed by a full cast, and is told through multiple POV including past newspaper articles and letters.

I always love a multiple POV book when it comes to mysteries. My favorite POV was Ruby MacTavish. She was such an interesting character. She also gave Evelyn Hugo vibes with her many husbands and us learning her story through stories of her life told through letters to an unnamed recipient.

The additional POVs are Ruby’s adopted son Camden and his wife Jules. Everyone had secrets and they are slowly revealed and the whole picture is brought together by the end.

I could not stop listening! I was obsessed with figuring out all the secrets!

Highly recommend checking this one out, even if you didn’t love Hawkins past books and especially if you did. I hope BOTM picks this one up in January because I will 100% be adding it to my box if they do!

Pull up a chair, because Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore is ready to spill the tea.

Told in a mixed media format featuring multiple points-of-view, letters, and snippets of newspaper articles, The Heiress introduces readers to the dysfunctional McTavish family of North Carolina, whose sprawling mansion sits high in the Appalachian Mountains. When the McTavish matriarch, Ruby, dies, she leaves her entire family fortune to her adopted son, Cam. But Cam wants nothing to do with his nine-figure inheritance -- until he and his wife, Jules, are summoned back to Ashby House a decade after Ruby's death.

The first thing you should know about The Heiress is that it isn't a thriller. Don't get me wrong, there are some great twists, but they're pretty easy to spot if you're paying attention. What The Heiress is, instead, is a juicy family drama -- a deliciously devious soap opera in book form, full of twisted secrets and lies and duplicity. Rachel Hawkins clearly knows how fun it is to read about morally gray characters doing underhanded things to each other, because that's exactly what she's blessed her readers with in her latest novel.

The Heiress hooked me immediately and didn't let go until the last page. It's expertly-plotted and offers a juicy voyeuristic glimpse into the rotten core of a wealthy family, with all its explosive secrets and toxic lies. It's unapologetically dramatic and provocative, and the characters are well-crafted and fascinating. My enjoyment of this book was only increased by the audio production, which is expertly-read by a full cast who really embraced the drama of it all.

In my experience, Rachel Hawkins' books have just gotten better and better, and I think The Heiress is her best novel yet. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the early reading opportunity.

A special 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 to @macmillanaudio & @netgalley for the ALC. 𝙻𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 has reminded me just how much I do love audiobooks! I’ve been on a audiobook binge ever since.

💭: It has been a 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚑 goal of mine to read something from author Rachel Hawkins for awhile now. It is said by some that this is her best work to date, but I won’t let that deter me from reading any of her previous works.

💭:

I can’t really say a whole lot without giving away spoilers. This book was read from multiple POVs and this was done well.

Along with the multiple POVs, secrets were revealed in letters that made this slow burn mystery one I couldn’t stop listening to. The scandal & secrets behind the letters written by Ruby McTavish were revealed throughout and showed her cunning to the very end.

❥ ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖:

- Dysfunctional family (involving a large inheritance)
- Mystery & Murder w/ Plot Twists
- Multiple POVs done well
- Morally Grey Characters

❥ 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕕:

- The gothic atmosphere of Ashby House
- The money bringing out the worst in some people - adding to the family drama! 🍿
- Plot driven but the characters were not lacking in development

3.5 stars

The Seven Wives of Evelyn Hugo, but make it more mysterious.

This was a fairly fast-paced read split across three POV. The multiple narrators of the audiobook did a great job keeping straight who was speaking and captivating their audience.

The layered fashion in which Rachel Hawkins uncovers the mysteries and twists is quite clever, as each piece of information does not quite uncover everything.

If you like mysteries, old money, untrustworthy characters, this is something you need to add to your reading list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC.

Hawkins - I am a HUGE fan!
Jules and Cam return to his childhood home and the family he walked away from. As an adopted member of the massively wealthy family, Cam started his own life.
Jules has a hidden agenda - in love with the house, the lore of the family.
And of course Ruby.
Loved the narrative! The narrator had me searching for things to do to extend my listening.

Wow, I absolutely loved this book! Just when I thought I had it all figured out the plot took several twists and turns and I was left with my jaw on the floor. I have always loved Rachel Hawkins’ writing and character development and I may have to consider The Heiress my favorite book she has written so far. The setting and the characters are intriguing and authentic. 5 stars!

This book was extremely addictive and unputdownable/ couldn`t stop listening to this audiobook. The voice actors were amazing and the voice actor for Ruby Mc Tavisish was superb! I will be highly recommending this book to anyone and everyone I meet who loves books. This storyline was fast-paced and the changing POVs helped maintain the intrigue and the voice actors helped with the pacing as well.

This story is about Ruby McTavish, a wealthy little girl who got lost in the woods near her home in North Carolina at three years old. Ruby was supposedly found eight months later in another state and returned home. Ruby writes letters before her death at an elderly age, and through these letters, we see what transpired during her years growing up and her four marriages. These were my favourite parts of the book.

Ruby adopted a son named Camden, who she set up to inherit all of the McTavish fortune. Camden wants nothing to do with the family money and he has stayed away from his cold and unkind family members for years. However, he gets notified by his cousin that he should come to Ashby House after the passing of his uncle, and Camden’s wife Jules thinks it would be a great idea to visit. — from the POV of Camdon and Jules we learn about the family members who are still alive and their blood thurst for the family fortune.


Gripping, intriguing and highly addictive — you will need to know what happens next in this family drama — and learn the life backstory of Ruby who inherited a family fortune —
and learn their family secrets.

Many thanks to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for this ARC, This is my honest review.

Excellent for a book club! This immensely engaging mystery book by Rachel Hawkins delves into subjects like nature vs nurture, what makes a person family, the effects of immense wealth and the effects of desiring wealth.
This books opens with the story of a child’s disappearance on the grounds of her prominent family’s estate. The child, Ruby, is found. Yet, some doubt (and even insist!) that this is not the child that went missing, but another child. This past (and the doubts) shape Ruby and her relationships with her family in profound ways.
The story is told primarily by Ruby, her son, and her daughter-in-law. All three of them have secrets from each other and other members of the family. It was fascinating to see which secrets would be revealed and which would stay hidden.
The audio book uses four different narrators and they all do a fabulous job.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

I loved this suspenseful novel of family secrets and drama. It reminded me of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but with a southern gothic twist! The narrators did a great job with the audio version, and added an extra layer of complexity to the characters. Excellent!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

⟡The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins⟡
★★★★★ 5/5 stars!
Pub Date: Jan 9, 2024

Ending out 2023 with a 5★ read is all I could’ve hoped for! The book exceeded all my expectations & jumped up to one of my favorite books of the year.

⟡ synopsis
When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she's not only North Carolina's richest woman, she's also its most notorious. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a toddler & a widow 4 times over. In the aftermath of her death, her estate (along with a 9-figure fortune & complicated legacy) will pass to her adopted son, Camden.
10 years later, Camden is a McTavish in name only, but another McTavish family death brings him & his new wife back to the family estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ashby House, the secrets there won’t stay buried.

⟡ my thoughts
This one read like a southern gothic thriller version of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo & I ate 👏🏼 it👏🏼up👏🏼 This is absolutely one I’ll be getting a copy of for my trophy self.

I loved how the narrators broke the fourth wall, speaking directly to the reader. It felt like sitting with a friend while they spill the juicy family drama.

The multiple POVs, plus letters & news articles scattered throughout the book made for such a compelling read. This web of generational secrets was so fun to try to untangle.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of both the ebook & audiobook, so I got to enjoy the full immersive reading experience which I highly recommend trying. The full cast of narrators added so much depth to the story.

⟡ Read this if you like :
Evelyn Hugo but make it a thriller
dysfunctional family drama
morally grey characters
secluded mountain setting
nature vs nurture
Letters and news clippings
Neatly wrapped up endings

You definitely need to add The Heiress to your 2024 TBR. Thank you to Rachel Hawkins, Netgalley, St. Martins Press, & Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read & listen to this ARC!

This is my favourite Rachel Hawkins books so far. In this one the spooky vibes come more from dark characters than the environment, although there is also an old mansion named Ashby House high in the Blue Ridge Mountains involved. There were several places in the story where I thought I knew what was going on but... I most certainly did not! I loved the ending and all the twists and turns along the way, there were so many it was almost difficult to keep track.

The Heiress is Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore, four times a widow, who dies as North Carolina’s richest woman. Her adopted son Camden shows little interest in his inheritance but returns to the tiny town of Tavistock with his wife Jules after his uncle dies 10 years later to decide what to do with Ashby House.

The audiobook format was unique and amazing: it alternated between letters, news articles and present day first person point of view, all told by a full cast with Dan Bittner, Eliza Foss, John Pirhall and Patti Murin. I hope all of them and Rachel Hawkins will continue to tell me spooky stories for years to come!

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
Narrators: Dan Bittner, Eliza Foss, John Pirhalla, Patti Murin
Rating: 4.5 stars
Pub date: 1/9

Perfect for fans of The Only One Left, this book had me hooked from start to finish and has quickly become my favorite of Hawkins to date.
The book starts with the death of North Carolina's wealthiest and most notorious woman, Ruby McTavish. Her adopted son, Camden, resisted the lure of the family’s estate, opting for a normal life far away. But when he inherits the fortune and the McTavish legacy, duty and curiosity have him and his wife, Jules, returning to face the life he’s been hiding from.

This was so good! It’s fast-paced, and I found myself eagerly flipping the pages to unravel the secrets of Ruby's past. This family is ruthless, and the multi-POV helped to explain the dysfunctional McTavish dynamic.
I loved the use of letters and articles throughout the story to give us glimpses into Ruby’s life. The exploration of family bonds and the dark secrets lurking within Ashby House made for a compelling and thought-provoking read.

Full of suspense, family drama, and a touch of romance, Hawkins skillfully crafted a narrative that kept me guessing until the very end. I listened to this on audio, and the narrators did a fantastic job feeding into the tension and bringing all the characters to life.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy and Macmillan Audio for my complimentary ALC. You can pick this one up on 1/9.

I DNF'd The Wife Upstairs, so I wasn't sure what to expect with The Heiress. Wow, what a set of twists and turns! I loved that there were no truly good nor bad characters in the novel and everyone had secrets that drove them to do things--some of those things being unspeakable. While some of the twists were somewhat expected, there were a good number that I didn't see coming and made me lean in more to find out what was going to happen next.

WOW! Finally. FINALLY a family drama that gets 5 stars! This was a blast to read/listen too. The format made the plot even more enthralling. The letters and the news articles along with the dual POVs was the perfect set up to tell the story of the McTavish family. Secrets, murder, lies and betrayal flooded the pages and I was hooked. I went back and forth between eBook & audio. The audio was delivered perfectly with a full cast. I could not stop thinking of Ruby reminding me of Evelyn Hugo....except with murder. Strong FMC and MMC. Family members you love to hate and so many twists I was simply bamboozled. This was a great thriller to end the year with.

This is definitely Hawkins best book yet! I found it fascinating to wait and see how everything ultimately played out. The audio was fabulous with a full cast and really contributed well to my overall enjoyment!

This is my favorite yet by Rachel Hawkins! The story drew me right in and I lived the different formats of different POV storytelling, letters and newspaper articles. I loved to hate the McTavish family. They were all so unlikeable. The mystery and suspense helped me to finish this in 24 hours! I’d highly recommend this awesome mystery.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ALC of this book.

Ruby McTavish has lived a life of luxury but also a life filled with scandal and pain. She was kidnapped and returned as a child. Later her life she became notorious for the mysterious deaths of her four husbands. When Ruby passes away she leaves her estate to her adopted son, Camden. Desperate to escape his adopted family and their drama, Camden heads west and settles into a normal life. He now resides in Colorado, married to Jules who is also trying to avoid her own disastrous past. Jules and Camden are drawn back to North Carolina and the family he has been so desperate to avoid.

I really enjoyed this book! The characters are all interesting and flawed to certain degrees. There are so many twists and turns in this story. I loved the multiple POVs and time periods. I highly recommend the audio version of this book. The narrators did an incredible job.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

TBR TBR TBR! You won’t regret it! This book keeps you on the edge of your seat and not wanting it to end. So many twist and turns just when you think you got it figured out. It’s a very fast pace moving book that’ just made my top 5 of the year!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced audiobook.

I loved The Heiress. Rachel Hawkins writes smart, complex stories filled with unique characters. The Heiress is unputdownable. The plot unfolds in a way that takes you back and forward in a clear and clever manner. You come to realize that the actions of the past are very much affecting the outcomes of the present. The setting is vivid and brings the story to life.

The multi cast narration was entertaining and well delivered.

The Heiress


While mostly set in NC there were references of the gorgeous Colorado Rockies (where I live) to the “dreaded inland empire” of Southern California (where i attended a university), that had me connecting to the story right from the start. The three perspectives were all interesting and the methodical approach to revealing the truths kept me captivated.

A solid suspense from Hawkins and multiple narrators who delivered the exact amount of tension and emotion that was needed!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the alc via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.