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 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.
And as Ashby House tightens its grip on Jules and Camden, questions about the infamous heiress come to light. Was there any truth to the persistent rumors following her disappearance as a girl? What really happened to those four husbands, who all died under mysterious circumstances? And why did she adopt Cam in the first place? 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.
SHORT AND SWEET REVIEW…
I have only read one other Rachel Hawkins book – The Wife Upstairs. First, she is a Southerner (from Alabama) so I will always support her and read her books (unless she totally goes off the deep end with some weird, crazy stuff). Second, she has a gothic flare to the two books I have read of hers, with this one especially. Third, there is a little bit of a gothic classic feel in her books – Rebecca, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre…
Now…this book…I liked it but it was weirdly written. If you do not like reading books that flip back and forth through different styles, you may not like this book. After reading the entire book, the style worked. However, it was a little confusing at first. For example, you have present day being told back and forth through two characters, parts told through old newspaper articles, and parts told through letters. Now, at first, I was thinking the letters could have been omitted; however, towards the end, it comes together and you realize how the letters add to the mystery being told.
If you are ok with novels going back and forth with writing styles, you will like this book. If you do not, then this book will drive you crazy so don’t bother. Also, if you hate reading books where people see no remorse in wrongs committed, don’t read this book. Not sure if any character is likable by the end of the novel. LOL.
Oh…nearly forgot…this book has way too many F-words in it. I mean, seriously, can a story not be told without the use of the F-word?
Happy Reading!
