In The Villa, Emily and Chess attempt to rekindle their friendship by taking a trip to Italy together. Emily and Chess were inseparable growing up but have since grown apart. Chess is a popular self-help influencer and author and Emily is a writer of cozy mystery novels struggling with writer's block. While in Italy they stay in a villa known for brutal murders that take place in the 1970s. The narration switches between the present day and the group staying in the villa in 1974. There are many parallels as each group focuses on their creative endeavors and navigates conflict.

I liked this a lot more than Hawkins' previous books, but this one just didn't work for me. I found the ending unsatisfying and it didn't fit some of the characters. I can't say more without spoiling the book, but it was disappointing.

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Rachel Hawkins for free e-ARC in return of my honest review.

"The Villa" is a captivating and thrilling novel that takes readers on a journey through time and secrets. The story revolves around Emily and Chess, childhood friends who embark on a girls' trip to Italy to reconnect. However, their vacation takes an unexpected turn when they stay at Villa Aestas, a holiday home with a dark and mysterious past.

The author skillfully weaves together two timelines, transporting readers to the summer of 1974 when Villa Aestas was known as Villa Rosato and rented by the famous rock star, Noel Gordon. The arrival of up-and-coming musician Pierce Sheldon and his girlfriend, Mari, along with her stepsister, Lara, sets off a chain of events that leads to tragedy and the creation of iconic works by Mari and Lara.

As Emily delves into the villa's history, she becomes convinced that there is more to Pierce's murder than meets the eye. She uncovers hidden clues within the works of Mari and Lara, suggesting a sinister truth behind that fateful summer. However, as Emily gets closer to the truth, tensions arise between her and Chess, and present-day betrayals threaten to claim another victim.

The author's inspiration from Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the summer spent by Percy and Mary Shelley with Lord Byron adds a fascinating layer to the story. The Villa is not just a tale of mystery and suspense but also a homage to these historical events and figures.

The pacing of the novel is excellent, keeping readers engaged and eager to uncover the truth alongside Emily. The characters are well-developed, with complex relationships and hidden motivations that add depth to the story. The atmospheric setting of Villa Aestas adds to the sense of intrigue and danger, making it feel like a character in its own right.

Overall, "The Villa" is a gripping and atmospheric thriller that seamlessly blends past and present, secrets and betrayals. Fans of mystery and suspense will find themselves enthralled by this deadly legacy and the journey of Emily and Chess as they navigate the dark secrets of Villa Aestas.

A slow start, but give it time. Once the mystery starts to unravel, you’re in for a ride. I do prefer her romance novels over the mysteries.

Excellent book that has four woman and an Italian villa at its core. How one tragedy that happened in 1974 will influence what happens in present day. Rachel Hawkins is a master at weaving so many parts into a brilliant novel.
Thanks Netgallwy for the ARC.

Thank you SMP for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars rounded up

This started a little slow, and I wasn’t as invested a confused at first. Once I realized what was going on with the dual POVs and timelines I couldn’t put it down! It was one of those where I ended up rereading the first part to see what I had missed the first read. I think I ended up enjoying Mari’s story and timeline the best! I wish we could have gotten a chapter at the end from Lara’s pov! It ended up a little predictable, but I still overall enjoyed it.

At the beginning, I was really into this book. The present day main characters were really unlikable. I was really interested in the past tense story line, and I liked the way the two story lines connected. I just couldn't get past the toxic friendships and relationships, and the ending was too far fetched.

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
I’ll be honest this book took me a bit to get into. There is present and past stories going on simultaneously so you have to really pay attention. Present story is about Emily, an almost divorced mediocre author and her over achiever self help guru best friend, Chess. Chess invites Emily to stay the summer with her at beautiful yet morbidly famous villa in Italy. Past story is about a famous musician and four friends that stayed there too in the 70s. One of them was also murdered there. Eventually the two stories intertwine and that’s when things get really interesting. A very good read.

This story was semi-engaging and I did not figure out the final twists of the novel. I was much more invested on what was occurring with the present-day best friends than the flashbacks to Mari and crew. It took me in and out of the novel, as a result, but overall three stars. Thank you to netgalley, Rachel Hawkins, and publisher for my copy!

Rachel Hawkins is a must read/must buy author for me. I think this is one of the best she has had in the last few years. I loved the switching between the past and the present and the two different perspectives. This one kept me on my toes until the end, even when I thought I knew what might happen. A great summer thriller!

This was a fantastic slow burn suspense/thriller, up until the very end, where I felt the author fumbled the landing.

But I was enthralled in both timelines, and related to Emily in many ways that had me feeling viscerally attached to her and her tumultuous friendship with Chess.

This was a great, quick, summer read for any others looking for a great balance of suspense and mystery that will keep you turning the page until the very end.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced read copy.

I wasn't really expecting the direction this book took but I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to more by this author.

This was a great story. I loved the sort of gothic setting and the alternate timelines. The main characters were great, and I thought I knew where the story was going but I was wrong, there were plenty of twists to change and evolved the story. I could not put this one down and I have read all the author's books and I believe this is my favorite one hers yet.

This was a fantastic book, full of twists and turns in the storyline. The house and history were fascinating.

This book is loved by a lot of people but it was not loved by me... I love Rachel Hawkins as an author... But This gives off Daisy Jones and the Six vibes but the execution was just... Not great.

I have loved all of Rachel Hawkins thrillers and this one is right up there!

The setting and characters in this story sucked me in IMMEDIATELY. Sometimes multiple timelines frustrate me in thrillers because there is always one that I want to get back to, but I was very invested in both timelines in this book.

The twist and then the twist of the twist?! I gasped at the second reveal I was so not ready for that.

At first I really didn't know where this book was going to take me but wow was I surprised. Rachel does a great job of painting these characters and makes you want to know more of theirs stories and how they got to the point to where they are in their lives. I throughly enjoyed this book and would recommend this to other people

I only have great things to say about The Villa - it is such a fantastic read! I really liked the character developments of Mari and Em, but I wish I would've seen more of Lara and Chess. I think Chess was a really fascinating character, and, towards the end, I wish I would've seen more about her history with Em while she was married to Matt. The ending was so good, but I was disappointed that it ended on a final cliff hanger. Overall, it was still a fun, exciting read! I'm a huge fan of Rachel Hawkins.

Set in dual perspective and dual timeline (one in the 70’s and one present day), both surrounding their own trials and tribulations.

This is essentially a story within a story, similar character plots, but in different happenstances. We read along as the story unfurls slowly, each page giving more detail, more insight. Some storyline is predictable, but that seems intentional. Some of the storyline twists, but not in a jarring way that leaves you shocked to your core…it’s more the kind that makes you sit back and go, “who woulda thunk? That’s actually fitting and kinda brilliant”. I enjoyed it and didn’t find this slow at all.

I gave this four stars because it was decently good, but it didn’t leave me breathless. It was a journey with scenery kind of a read, one that I really enjoyed.

If you want a smooth read while highlighting the struggles of different relationships, sprinkled with intrigue, this’ll do it. It’s not what I’d call a slow burn, but it’s not a fast paced suspense novel either, it neatly lies just in between.

I read this book right after finishing season 2 of white lotus and the vibe carried on. The secret affair, the stolen ideas, and then the past story of the history of the musician at the villa. It kept me hooked even though it didnt blow me away.

The main character of this novel, Emily, the author of a cozy mystery series, is in trouble. She's been sick for months with a mysterious illness. Her husband has cheated on her, and they are in the midst of a divorce. Her best friend, Chess, a popular non-fiction self-help author, wants to help her. She suggests a summer away at a villa in Italy. Emily wants to go but becomes hesitant after learning that the villa was the scene of a murder that took place in the 1970's of a musician who stayed there with his girlfriend and some friends..Despite Emily's concerns, she takes the trip.

At the villa, Emily researches the murder. She becomes so wrapped up in it that she starts to write another book based on her findings and puts aside the cozy mystery she's late in submitting to her publisher. When Chess learns what Emily is working on, she offers to co-write the book. Emily doesn't want her to do that.

As Emily makes further discoveries into that old murder and sees similarities between her and Mari Godwin, the woman whose boyfriend was killed and who wrote a bestselling book after the murder, she believes the book Mari wrote holds a clue to what really happened that summer night at the villa.

Further revelations serve as plot twists to the novel which features flashbacks to the time of the murder. I felt the main plot of this gothic-like tale focused more on the friendship between Emily and Chess and how staying at the villa changes them. Without revealing the ending and the twists, the story kept me intrigued but seemed to lack the punch I expected. I'd still recommend it as a read for those who enjoy books that include flashbacks and eerie settings. I also found the descriptions of the authors and their writing process interesting because I write both cozy mysteries and other genres.