“I know that now. I thought that love would be enough to chase out the darkness, and in her own twisted way, I think Ruby thought that, too. I think she believed she loved Cam, but I don’t know if she really knew how to love anyone, no matter what she said.”
The Heiress, Rachel Hawkins
I think Rachel Hawkins has mastered the uneasy. Things always turn weird quickly, but her main characters are always ready to plunge ahead with an ambitious (but wary) attitude. The Heiress is no different. The main characters are the recently deceased Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore (4 husbands), her adopted son Camden, and his wife Jules. Ruby’s inclusion in this story is mostly through the letters she’s written that are shared throughout the book. She explains her life and her wishes for Camden’s life. However, Cam is insistent that he wants nothing to do with her nine-figure fortune or the multi-generational mansion she’s left to him. Conversely, Jules is ready to accept the lavish gift and enjoy every minute of it. After successfully convincing Cam to return home and iron out the details with his extended McTavish family, the couple packs up their car and heads to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
As with most extended families, there’s tension from the beginning. Ruby’s sister was completely ignored in the will, along with her son and grandchildren, and she’s ready to fight for what she wants. Cam is immediately forced into the middle, trying to balance the pleas coming from all sides. As the story progresses, everyone starts getting a little more on edge, a little more indignant, a little more … desperate.
Hawkins expertly showed each character’s frustrations and wants. As I read, I could feel the tensions rising and rising as I got closer to the conclusion. Everything was perfectly primed for the twisted ending, and I gasped at every reveal. After finishing the book, I literally had to sit for a moment and collect myself, which is all I want out of a mystery! Add in the creepy mansion in the mountains, a confusing family tree, and an old-fashioned kidnapping, and it’s got everything you need for a fun (if slightly insane) book.
Ready for my full review (with spoilers)? Continue reading here!
This book was a rollercoaster that only went up, and the downward spiral was me after I finished it. It’s the kind of mystery where everything that happens seems fine and logistically possible purely because the characters are all terrible people. And honestly, they deserve everything they get.
If you’re looking for a reality-based story, too bad. If you’re looking for a reality-TV story, you’ve found it!
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