North Carolina's richest and most notorious woman has died. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a child, Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore ruled the small town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family's estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Known by locals as "Mrs. Kill-more" for being widowed four times, Ruby left everything to her adopted son, Camden, a school teacher in Colorado who wants nothing to do with the house, the money, or the surviving McTavishes. Camden's uncle's death pulls him and his wife, Jules, back to Ashby House despite Camden's feelings.
Back in the clutches of this money-grubbing entitled clan, Camden and Jules are surrounded by questions. Were any of the rumors about Ruby's kidnapping true? What really happened to those four husbands of hers? After all, they all died under mysterious circumstances. And why did she even adopt Camden in the first place?
It doesn't take long for the couple to realize that an inheritance involves far more than what's written in a will.
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Rachel Hawkins weaves her compelling tale from the vocal strands of matriarch Ruby McTavish, her adopted son Camden, and Camden's wife Jules. It doesn't take long after readers arrive at Ashby House to realize that they've fallen into a den of vipers... and that everyone's motives should be suspect.
The Heiress reminds me of one of my favorite mystery tropes: is this person the true heir? DNA tests have killed that favorite of mine, but it still lives on in books like Josephine Tey's Brat Farrar and to a tiny degree, here. After all, the McTavishes who've stayed at Ashby House would like nothing better than to take every penny of Camden's inheritance away from him, and they're not too picky about how they do it.
One of the highlights of the book is the letters Ruby wrote to Camden. Her words prove her to be strong, sympathetic, and devious. Those letters, combined with occasional newspaper articles, are the backbone of The Heiress, and they define a fascinating character.
To one remote, beautiful mansion, add a hornet's nest of characters, and some delicious plot twists. What do you get? A wonderful story that you can't read fast enough. After enjoying The Heiress so much, I know that I'll be reading more from Rachel Hawkins.
The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
ISBN: 9781250280039
St. Martin's Press © 2024
Hardcover, 304 pages
Thriller/Suspense, Standalone
Rating: A+
Source: Purchased from The Poisoned Pen Bookstore.
