This tense mystery definitely has those creepy atmospheric vibes and carries the reader along as you try to solve what happened back in 1974.

Listened to a finished audio copy from the library.

This was one of those books where, after I finished it, I sat there for a minute thinking, Wow that was a lot.

The Villa is told in dual/pov's POVs, with Emily being in the present day who is are main character, and Mari from 1974 who is the other pov. The book is focused on Villa Aestas and what happened there in the 70s and how it kind of connects to the present day story.

Emily is vacationing at the Villa with her longtime friend Chess. With Emily recovering from a nasty divorce and having been sick for over a year this is exactly what she needs. With both Emily and Chess being writers a summer long getaway is just what they need, they explore the area and write. Along the way though Emily becomes obsessed with the murder that happened at the Villa in 1974 and what really happened and what caused it.
This is when the second pov comes into play, as we learn what really happened from different people's point's of view and Emily tries to piece it all together.
Along the way, Emily makes discoveries of her own in her personal life, ones that will be heartbreaking and shatter what she thought she knew about those she was close to.

Overall, I loved this story. The secrets, mysteries, and betrayals that happened were WOW. I don't want to go too much into it and spoil anything, but just know that lives were changed and hearts were broken in both timelines for different reasons. Emily's timeline was interesting, and I cannot believe what her best friend did to her, and the other betrayals that happened, just heartbreaking. The timeline from the 1970s was interesting, but one that we do see a lot, so while it was still good, it was not anything new. I liked both, but I did enjoy Emily's timeline more.

An exciting thriller from the author of The Wife Upstairs! Moments of suspense interwoven with stunning prose. Highly recommend.

This book is by an author that I have enjoyed reading from the first book I picked up. I enjoy her writing style that made the story realistic and hard to put down. I enjoyed this author's attention to details that made the twist and turns edge sitting. I also enjoyed this author's ability to pull me into the character's world from the start. I enjoyed Emily and Chess and what they added to the story. They are strong characters that are relatable which made the story easy and entertaining to read. I enjoyed watching their growth throughout. Their story is one of what happens when the past comes to light and betrayals. Will another murder happen before they figure it out? I really enjoyed reading this book. I highly recommend this book.

1974 - Five people, two, no, three are musicians, one or two are writers, and the last is a resentful fifth wheel. All spending time at Villa Rosato in Orvieto. Too much drink, drugs, and doing it with anyone makes for a bad mix. It might be good for the creativity of a few but it's bad for the health of others. If only a different choice, here or there, had been made, everyone might have been able to go home.

It was a mixed bag for me. I was tired of the alternating POVs and timelines. That's not really Rachel Hawkins fault. Enjoyable tho. I also enjoyed her pervious books.

I feel like the Italian thriller has been a bit overdone, but was still pleasantly surprised with how fun this book was! There was a lot going on with multiple storylines, but I liked the addition of the 1970’s rock and roll. A little predictable at times, but still had a twist or two!

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: Initially, it felt a bit surface-level for most characters, with Emily showing more depth. However, by the end, you learn so much more. 8/10
𝗔𝘁𝗺𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲/𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: The setting is beautiful, picturesque, and mysterious. 6/10
𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲: There are a few shocking, gasp-worthy moments, and the writing is very well done. 10/10
𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁: There are plenty of twists and turns! The narrative is crafted so well that you constantly wonder where it will lead, and everything is revealed at just the right time. 10/10
𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲: The story gradually drew me in, and then I was hooked; I couldn't stop reading! 10/10
𝗟𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰/𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀: The elements are woven together very effectively. The relationship between Chess and Emily is relatable enough to understand the nuances. 8/10
𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: As soon as I reached around the 35% mark, I truly began to enjoy this book. I'm glad I stuck with it and didn't give up. 7/10
𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲: 59/7 = 8.42, making this a 4/5. This might have been my first book by Rachel Hawkins, but it certainly won't be my last!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! Dark, moody, spooky, and full of twists, art, and messy lives. You always know to expect a twist with Rachel Hawkins, but can never know what to expect with them!

A great book with lots of twists and kept you hooked throughout reading. I was eager to keep picking it back up

I loved this book! I knew to expect surprises from Rachel, because I've read some of her previous books, but she still managed to surprise me! The Villa explores complicated relationships, art, and their intertwinement.

Dark, atmospheric, and layered with secrets—this one had serious moody vacation-gone-wrong vibes. I loved the dual timelines and the slow unraveling of both past and present mysteries, even if it took a while to really get going. Some twists felt a bit predictable, but the writing and setting kept me invested.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 3.5 stars for this stylish, twisty tale of friendship, betrayal, and buried truths. R rating for language and mature themes.

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins is twisty, moody, and full of drama. Think murder, messy friendships, and a spooky old house in Italy. It’s got dual timelines and slow-burn tension that keeps you hooked. Kinda dark, kinda fun.

this was a story of lives moving each into their own destiny that are eventually woven into whole cloth through deception and death. Told in two timelines, each story has it's own history with no connection to the other story. Confused yet? Don't be.
In 1974, the era of drugs, sex and rock and roll would bring a group of talented people together in a villa in Italy. Their story explodes when death steps into their midst and leaves the players divided by their own actions and consequences, but the headlines were never clear on what happened to bring them all to that point.
Now.....two friends who were besties but have drifted as adults will come together for a reunion and a chance to reset their futures. Both writers, the influence of the villa's history will cause expanding ripples that neither could predict.....or could they?
I've read Rachel Hawkins books before and have loved each. Her stories weave what seem to be unrelated events into a whole that always leaves readers wondering how they got here but so gald they did. The buildup to the core story gives clues and small bits of info that leave us to believe we know what's going to happen but nope.....Read her books, you can thank me later.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

The story alternates between dual timelines: 1974 and present day. Really enjoyed this haunted house type thriller!

🏡 In the present, Emily and Chess—lifelong best friends turned distant frenemies—escape to a stunning Italian villa with a dark history. As Emily digs into the villa’s infamous 1970s murder, secrets from both past and present begin to unravel.

🎸 In 1974, the villa was home to sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll… until a summer of artistic passion ended in bloodshed. Inspired by real-life events (hello, Manson murders and Mary Shelley vibes!), this storyline was my favorite—dark, atmospheric, and tragic in all the right ways.

💀 With shifting alliances, hidden betrayals, and an eerie, almost haunted feel, The Villa explores the blurred lines between creativity and destruction, friendship and rivalry, love and obsession.

✨ Verdict: Twisty, unsettling, and unputdownable! If you love books about dark female friendships, gothic mansions, and unraveling mysteries, this one’s for you!

Two best friends (both successful authors) decide to spend their summer at an Italian villa to work on their writing. A murder occurred at the villa decades ago, which then becomes the inspiration for a new book which they both end up fighting over.

This book was fine. I liked it better than the author's previous The Wife Upstairs, but did find the twist at the end to be a blink and you'll miss it.

In 1974, a group of five people—musicians, writers, and one resentful outsider—gather at Villa Rosato in Orvieto. The atmosphere is charged with excess: drinking, drugs, and reckless relationships. While some find creative inspiration in the chaos, it takes a toll on others. One different choice, one shift in events, and perhaps everyone could have made it out unscathed.

Fast forward to the present day, where best friends Emily and Chess arrive at the now-renamed Villa Aestas for a six-week retreat. Decades earlier, a musician was murdered at the villa, adding an eerie weight to its history. Emily, struggling with a mysterious illness and a draining divorce, has lost her creative spark. As the author of a popular cozy mystery series, she’s unable to write while her ex-husband fights for a share of her earnings. Meanwhile, Chess, a wealthy and renowned self-help author, hopes the getaway will help Emily get back on track. However, Chess’s odd behavior raises questions. The villa’s dark past unexpectedly reignites Emily’s passion for writing—not for her existing series, but for something new, something inspired by the villa itself, and aided by echoes of the past.

The novel alternates between two timelines: Mari’s experiences in 1974 and Emily’s in the present. Initially, the 1974 storyline felt unappealing due to its wild rock-and-roll excess, but its restrained portrayal of that era’s recklessness was appreciated. The only reason it remained engaging was Emily’s interest in it. On the other hand, the present-day timeline proved more compelling, especially with Chess’s strange behavior and Emily’s ruthless soon-to-be ex-husband, whose legal maneuvering made him easy to despise.

Writing is central to the novel—whether in the form of books, songs, secrets, or revelations. While the individual elements of the story weren’t all captivating on their own, they came together in a way that made the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Great setting, epic thriller, love this author’s work! It was binge worthy and I could not read fast enough to find out what would happen next! Also loved the dual POV!

This book ticked all the boxes for me: well-developed characters, interesting setting (who doesn't love a book set in Italy AND in the 70s), the writing was good, and overall it was a well thought out book. One aspect of the reveal of the mystery was slightly disappointing, but overall I found the resolution satisfying.

The story follows two sets of characters in two different time periods both staying at the same villa.. Two friends (Emily and Chess) going on a girls trip to rekindle their friendship in the present, and a group of friends who experienced great tragedy in the past, leading to murder, success, and fame. But everything is not as it original seemed to be and as Emily becomes more and more intrigued by the history of the villa she finds out more and more about what may have actually happened and also uncovers some secrets about her friendship with Chess.

Intrigue, betrayal, and taking advantage of another person's tragedy are all underlying themes in this book and the author wove them all together perfectly. For me, this book really brings to mind relaxing on a pool lounger with a big hat, a tall glass of spiked lemonade, actually being in an Italian villa with that kind of almost sepia-filter on everything, and that impending doom feeling in the background added in.

Thank-you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my advanced reader copy.

Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mystery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Vacations gone wrong with a hint of gothic suspense? SIGN ME UP!

The Villa is actually 2 stories for the price of one, and I loved all of them. When self-help influencer Chess (Jess) asks her childhood friend Emily to tag along for a 6 week vacation in Umbria, Emily jumps at the chance. Currently drowning in the drama of her divorce, writer's block and the slow failure of her 9th cozy mystery book, Emily feels that she is at wits end. Chess seems to also have some issues that she is dealing with, but Emily hardly notices as she learns more about the mysteries behind their home for the Summer.

In 1974, we learn, there was a murder that entangled several famous rock stars and authors. Emily begins to write again as she learns about the story. As she gets closer to determining what happened that fateful night, she learns more about her friend then maybe she wanted to know.

The Villa is inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and Percy and Mary Shelley! The gothic vibes will haunt you just as the sunny days warm you. If you love a mystery within a mystery, vacationing with gothic vibes or are just ready for the fiction novel of 2023, The Villa is for you! #TheVilla #RachelHawkins #StMartinsPress