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ieemee's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book was so much more intense that I thought.
More True Crime than Agatha Christie Mystery. While the family is wealthy it doesn’t give you the same feeling / expose of privileged children in Pineapple street etc. Story is told from the perspective of the adopted son, who is an outsider to this privilege. Story is also much more psychotic than I thought it was gonna be.The matriarch is far more toxic than expected. The fact that she hires the MC’s wife to be his love interest. But then they both fall in love with each other during the time spent pretending. The dark undertone runs deep in other ways like that the child retrieved from the woods might not be the actual Ruby. Strong looks at the dark element of manipulation in such a wealthy family.
More True Crime than Agatha Christie Mystery. While the family is wealthy it doesn’t give you the same feeling / expose of privileged children in Pineapple street etc. Story is told from the perspective of the adopted son, who is an outsider to this privilege. Story is also much more psychotic than I thought it was gonna be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Violence, Murder, and Toxic relationship
aileron's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, and Suicide
Moderate: Blood, Incest, Violence, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Car accident and Addiction
emma_sky's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Blood
Minor: Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Bullying, and Gaslighting
amanda_reads89's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Classism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Death
Minor: Kidnapping
jannettlk's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Child abuse
katgoetzzz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Heiress was not my jam. I read it as part of a book club. The story was told from multiple perspectives across time, making it intriguing and inviting you as the reader to solve the mystery. However, the characters were not likeable, some forced into settings out of their control. While I would not have chosen to read this book on my own, it is, overall, a well written story that gave enough of a conclusion to wrap up the story while still leaving a few unsolved mysteries.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
debhawkins's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I’m a big fan of Rachel Hawkins but this book fell flat for me. I found it predictable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, and Death
Moderate: Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Minor: Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Drug use
chanlo1994's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I enjoyed the twists and turns presented by the characters. they each had their own secrets, which were revealed when the time was right and never seemed out of place
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Blood, Drug abuse, Car accident, Death, Suicide, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Child death and Animal death
kelly_e's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Title: The Heiress
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: January 9, 2024
I received a complimentary ALC from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Ominous • Entertaining • Predictable
📖 S Y N O P S I S
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 child and a widow four times over, Ruby ruled the tiny town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family's estate high in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
But in the aftermath of her death, her adopted son, Camden, wants little to do with the house or the money—and even less to do with the surviving McTavishes. Instead, he rejects his inheritance, settling into a normal life as an English teacher in Colorado and marrying Jules, a woman just as eager to escape her own messy past.
Ten years later, his uncle's death pulls Cam and Jules back into the family fold at Ashby House. Its views are just as stunning as ever, its rooms just as elegant, but the legacy of Ruby is inescapable.
Soon, Jules and Cam realize that an inheritance can entail far more than what's written in a will––and that the bonds of family stretch far beyond the grave.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I have certainly seen all of the hype and love for Rachel Hawkins, yet I had never been inclined to pick one up for myself, until now. Why now? There was an intense discussion about her books at one of my in-person book club meetings that piqued my curiosity. Not really knowing where to start I decided to go with her most recent The Heiress.
Told in multiple POVs, this novel read like it was trying to be The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo's (a book I loved) suspenseful cousin. Because of this fact nothing felt original and it was easy to predict the twists and turns. The characters were all kind of icky and engaged in questionable behaviour.
My favourite aspect of the book were the letter from Ruby. This element allowed me to get a glimpse into Ruby's mind, despite her being dead. Additionally, the audiobook narrated by a full cast of Dan Bittner, Eliza Fossn John Pirhallan and Patti Murin, added so much personality to the characters. The standout in the narration was Ruby's voice. I will say the pacing of the narration is very slow and one that will likely need to be sped up.
In my opinion, The Heiress was yet another run-of-the-mill domestic suspense that was entertaining while reading, yet nothing really shocking happens and it's not something I will remember a week or two from now. I would definitely give this author another chance and can understand why there is so much love for her books.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• isolated settings
• gothic elements
• inheritance plot lines
⚠️ CW: kidnapping, toxic relationship, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, alcohol, death, death of parent, violence, gun violence, murder, fire/fire injury, adoption, cursing, suicide, classism, mental illness, alcoholism, drug abuse, injury/injury detail, pregnancy
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"There should be some kind of warning when your life is about to change forever."
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: January 9, 2024
I received a complimentary ALC from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Ominous • Entertaining • Predictable
📖 S Y N O P S I S
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 child and a widow four times over, Ruby ruled the tiny town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family's estate high in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
But in the aftermath of her death, her adopted son, Camden, wants little to do with the house or the money—and even less to do with the surviving McTavishes. Instead, he rejects his inheritance, settling into a normal life as an English teacher in Colorado and marrying Jules, a woman just as eager to escape her own messy past.
Ten years later, his uncle's death pulls Cam and Jules back into the family fold at Ashby House. Its views are just as stunning as ever, its rooms just as elegant, but the legacy of Ruby is inescapable.
Soon, Jules and Cam realize that an inheritance can entail far more than what's written in a will––and that the bonds of family stretch far beyond the grave.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I have certainly seen all of the hype and love for Rachel Hawkins, yet I had never been inclined to pick one up for myself, until now. Why now? There was an intense discussion about her books at one of my in-person book club meetings that piqued my curiosity. Not really knowing where to start I decided to go with her most recent The Heiress.
Told in multiple POVs, this novel read like it was trying to be The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo's (a book I loved) suspenseful cousin. Because of this fact nothing felt original and it was easy to predict the twists and turns. The characters were all kind of icky and engaged in questionable behaviour.
My favourite aspect of the book were the letter from Ruby. This element allowed me to get a glimpse into Ruby's mind, despite her being dead. Additionally, the audiobook narrated by a full cast of Dan Bittner, Eliza Fossn John Pirhallan and Patti Murin, added so much personality to the characters. The standout in the narration was Ruby's voice. I will say the pacing of the narration is very slow and one that will likely need to be sped up.
In my opinion, The Heiress was yet another run-of-the-mill domestic suspense that was entertaining while reading, yet nothing really shocking happens and it's not something I will remember a week or two from now. I would definitely give this author another chance and can understand why there is so much love for her books.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• isolated settings
• gothic elements
• inheritance plot lines
⚠️ CW: kidnapping, toxic relationship, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, alcohol, death, death of parent, violence, gun violence, murder, fire/fire injury, adoption, cursing, suicide, classism, mental illness, alcoholism, drug abuse, injury/injury detail, pregnancy
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"There should be some kind of warning when your life is about to change forever."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Death of parent, Death, and Cursing
Minor: Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Suicide, Classism, Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
adoptionsoliveri718's review
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder