An overly complicated story that is hard to get into. It picked up about 60-70% in but even then it was a slow build. I loved “The Wife Upstairs” so I was excited to try another book by Ruth Hawkins but this one just didn’t land as well for me.

A crazy summer at an Italian villa full of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll leads to a murder. Years later, two friends/writers stay at the same villa. The story jumps between the original story, articles and books about it, excerpts from the book by the author of that group, stories about the writers visiting later, and excerpts from one of their books, which is about the first group. It’s a lot to try to keep straight.

To add to the confusion, characters would often ask a question, then the story would go off on a tangent that ended up having nothing to do with the question, and then finally someone would answer. At least three times, a response would come and I’d have to go back 2-3 pages because I couldn’t remember what prompted it.

The overall story is good but I wouldn’t classify it as suspense since it didn’t have the build up and charged emotions you expect from a suspense novel. If you like tangled webs and don’t mind a slow build, you may like this book.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley in return for my honest review.

I was such a fan of The Wife Upstairs and this did not disappoint! I loved the slow burn of this mystery/thriller and the beautiful and creepy setting in Italy! I was hooked with the dual storyline of both the mystery of the house as well as the relationship between the former best friends. Highly recommend for those who love a slower paced mystery.

I loved the idea of a murder house and the secrets coming to light. It started out strong and instantly hooked me in. I enjoyed how it went back and forth from past to present day. The ending was strange but still so enjoyable to me!

Overall, I found this book to be rather mediocre. The book is split into two story lines. One is from the perspective of Emily and her friend, who are taking a vacation to a Villa. The other perspective is from the people involved in murder that happened at the Villa in the 1970s.

While I do think that some people are going to really love this book, it just wasn’t for me. I found the second timeline to be rather boring. There were too many characters to follow and I didn’t feel like many of them had much depth. Because of that, I wasn’t really interested in what happened to them.

With that being said, I did enjoy Emily and Chess’ relationship. They seemed like polar opposites, but somehow were best of friends.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed the twists and turns brought on by the story. I wasn’t expecting them. Enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

Oh my goodness! I requested this book because the cover to me is absolutely beautiful and I will probably buy the hard copy because of that reason but this story is absolutely amazing!


Emily, fresh from a divorce and also an author is suffering from a writer’s slump after being sick for so long. Her best friend (or lack there of) asks her to spend the summer in Italy with her, she’s also an author and wants them to spend the summer writing. Emily uncovers the story of the Villa they are staying at and the adventure we are taken on is absolutely breath taking. The ending had me picking my jaw up off the floor.

What an ending! I liked how smoothly it transitioned from different medias, time periods, and the ever-present spookiness. Well done, Rachel. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, I totally didn’t. Definitely scratched the itch I had to solve a mystery.

Thanks, of course, to St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. (less)

Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've been a Rachel Hawkins fan since reading 'Reckless Girls' earlier this year and 'The Villa' did not disappoint. I love the format of setting up 2 stories that you're reading at the same time but happened at different times and by the end you have to put together how they tie together and I LOVED the extra twist tossed in at the end of this one. 9 out of 10 times I see the twist coming but this one came out of nowhere but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The first 10% takes the longest because after that you can't stop reading. I would be reading the 1970's setting and it would switch to modern day and I would be sad to leave the older story but then when it was time to switch back I didn't want to leave the modern day story! I'm not sure that there is a huge morality story that this book sets out to teach you but the modern friendship is going to feel a little TOO real to anyone who has had a best friend/frienemy at any point in their life. I don't know that the ending was exactly what I was hoping for (well ok I know it's not what I was hoping for) but I'm also not like wildly sad about it. It stayed on theme for the book even if it was something that I wanted to be slightly different.


If you want a thriller that is very hard to put down but also has really strong 'good for her' vibes- look no further!

I loved this twisty, atmospheric, page-turner of a thriller! The dual storylines were so perfect--played off of each other and kept the tension high and the pace up. The contrast of the 70's artsy vibe and the pressure modern writers face was pitch perfect and made me think. I enjoyed every minute and was sad when it was over! If you like thrillers with a dark side and a little heft, I recommend this one!

I really enjoyed this book it was super fun and a super fast read I would definitely recommend to others and purchase a copy as well

Rachel Hawkins has done it again! Yet another book that captured my attention and took me for a ride. This tale gives so much to its readers: love, friendship, music, suspense, MURDER- all set in picturesque Italy. 10/10 recommend!

I love Rachel Hawkins so was thrilled to get an ARC of "The Villa!" Thank you to NetGalley, and the author, for the chance to read it in exchange for an honest review.

I rarely love books that are told in two different time periods, but this book was the exception. "The Villa' in present day is about frenemies, Chess and Emily. Both are authors. Emily writes fiction books, and Chess writes self-help books. When Emily's marriage falls apart, Chess invites her to come live in a villa she rented in Italy for the summer. Is Chess being a good friend, or does she have other motives?

The other storyline in the book takes place in the 1970's and centers around Mari, a talented writer in her own right. Mari, her stepsister, Lara, and boyfriend Pierce, are invited to go live in notorious rock star, Noel's, villa in Italy. (Yes, the same exact Villa.) Sadly, the summer vacation they all hoped for turns out deadly when Pierce is murdered. What happens? Well, you need to read to find out!

This book almost had me in a trance as I read it. I felt like I had escaped to Italy and was truly living through the characters. My favorite part of the story was the meaning behind it. To me, this books message is it is never too late to rewrite your own story, and you can achieve anything you want on your own. Don't let others hold you back! I won't give anything away, but I will be thinking about this story for a long time. It was beautiful, with many layers, and I highly recommend it.

I’ve read two of her previous books and enjoyed them, but the dual storylines in this one have made it my favorite. Both take place in an Italian villa, one in 1972 where a horrific murder took place and the other in the present day when two friends, both writers, rent the Villa for the summer in order to work on their respective books. When one of the women begins to research the events in 1972, parallels begin revealing themselves that speak to female friendships and betrayal and lead to a twist I didn’t see coming.

Recommended.

I've been thinking about what I wanted to say for a few days. I was headed for giving it 4 stars until the end. The sudden change in one of the characters was so extreme it was hard to believe. I also thought the Villa itself was going to be giving sinister, Gothic vibes that affected the story, but it did not.
Still a Rachel Hawkins fab. And the cover is gorgeous!
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Houses remember.

A page-turning, slow-burning story within a story. Emily and Chess, once inseparable as school girls, have grown apart in their adult lives. Emily has had a rough few years. A divorce, a mystery illness, writer's block. Things however seem effortless for Chess. She lives an instragrammable existence as a wildy successful self-help author.

When Chess suggests the two spend the summer in a stately Italian villa, Emily couldn't be more excited. Lazy afternoons by the pool, sipping crisp Tuscan wines, reconnecting . What could be better?

But the villa has a dark and deeply troubled past. In 1974, it was rented as a high-end holiday home by similar creatives, including three musicians and a budding horror writer. Not everyone survived.

A gothic ghost story about friendships, fame, jealousy and ultimate betrayals.

This is another winner by Hawkins! In 2023, Emily and Chess have become distant, not the wonderful friends they had years ago. Emily is now a cozy mystery writer and Chess a famous influencer (whom Emily is always comparing herself to in a negative manner). So, when Emily is invited by Chess to a famous villa in Umbria she rented for six weeks, she jumps at the chance with the hope that this will revive her writer's block. The notorious history of the villa dates to the seventies with all the references to the time added to make it a fascinating read! Two of the women involved in the troubles ended up being famous for one of the best horror novels ever written, and the other for a platinum album. (Shades of Stevie Nicks!) Secrets, twists, and dangerous encounters kept me turning the pages and not wanting it to end! Excellent storytelling - thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of The Villa.

Book Review 📚

⭐⭐⭐⭐

First I'm sending Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC of The Villa by Rachel Hawkins ♡

**I really, really liked this. I love a book that gives me all the feels of a different time, a history. **

This book was inspired by the infamous summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at the Geneva Castle (Frankensteins Birthplace, Fleetwood Mac and The Manson Murders. (Absolutely met its mark, I felt all the vibes)

Emily and Chess Vacation in the Villa Aestas for the Summer. Both Writers/childhood besties looking to reconnect, relax and write. Em finds original papers from Mari the author of The book Lilith Rising, a novel written in the Villa while a murder happened in the 70s.

What an incredible story. I really liked how the characters from the different time settings really resembled each other. Both being sisters/friends, the competition between them, and jealously. The back and forth between present and past was executed perfectly and very easy to follow.
I loved watching Emily unfold this story from history, it was so exciting and engaging for me. Some things were pretty predictable 🤷‍♀️ especially with Em and Chess' relationship, but I had to know how the story unfolded!! Followed by a nice twist in the story this was a great read! Highly Recommend!

Publication January 3rd, 2023 ♡♡

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This book sits in both the thriller and drama category! It was a slow burn with longer chapters, but I honestly didn’t mind. I found myself preferring the modern day character storylines at the beginning, but got hooked on Mari & Lara’s stories about halfway through.

You can definitely see the inspiration from Fleetwood Mac and the Manson Family murders. It felt glamorous and spooky all at once.

Pub date: January 3, 2023

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review :)

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/89927720-gemma-darr

Ooohhhh The Villa was STELLAR! I couldn’t believe I was approved to read it so I gobbled it up fast so they couldn’t take it back before I finished😂🤣

I loved this thriller, you get 2 stories in one book and WOW. I love all her previous titles but I think this is my new favorite.

The Villa kept me on my toes the entire time and I got seriously attached to the characters. I loved the extra twist at the end but I was not ready to say goodbye to this story!

Absolutely excellent thriller and a major thank you to @netgalley & @stmartinspress for my arc!

The Villa intertwines a present day friendship with a summer spent in the same home many years prior that involved a murder. The two stories intertwine with the writing of two novels, most importantly the one from the earlier group with the premise, houses remember.

There were times throughout the novel that I loved it and other times that I was confused. Overall I was extremely dissatisfied with the ending of the Em and Chess part of the story. Overall it read as very “dumb women” rather than the macabre and eerie fate I think the author was trying to portray. I just wanted something more at the end. The book feels unsettled in a way that is too cookie cutter.

The writing was good and the book was enjoyable. It was a quick read that kept me engaged but I hate when in the end I’m just disappointed. The creativity of the premise and style throughout The Villa far exceeded the ending, sadly leaving me just “meh” about the book.