What a twisty read! This book bounces between the present summer and the summer of 1974, between two best friends and a group of a musicians. At first glance their stories are completely different, or are they? It took me a little while to get into the flow of the book as there are several characters between the two timelines, throw in book topics written by Emily and Chess, the characters and story line in Mari's book, lyrics from Lara's album, plus a sprinkling of articles and podcast transcripts, and it is a lot to keep straight. And I loved it! The further into the book I got the faster I read. I couldn't ever decide if I liked Chess or the twists surrounding her. She felt too good to be true. I definitely liked Mari and the twists she brings to the story line. How very clever! I thought for sure I knew where the book ending was headed but nope, I was surprised how it all played out. Rachel Hawkins knows how to write a binge-worthy tale that sucks me in and keeps me glued to the page. Now I want someone to record Lara's album so I can hear the music for real!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Hawkins is a master at suspense in this page turner!

She flips between two timelines. One in 1974 where a group of artists and musicians stay in a villa in Italy. A mystery starts to unfold of the events of that summer and how one of their own ended up dead.
The second timeline is in the present with two best friends in the same villa. Emily gets immersed in the events that happened so long ago and solving the mystery. All is well until it's not....are they really best friends, is her mind playing with her?
I read this book in one day. I could not put it down. Every page I wanted more information. A couple things were predictable or so I thought but with a big spin!

*Thank you netgalley for an ARC of this book in return for my honest review*

Rachel Hawkins is an auto buy for me but this was not my favorite of hers.
This book fell totally flat for me. The story of friends, lovers, writers and musicians, betrayal, murder and vacations at a beautiful Italian Villa seemed intriguing but the organization is all over the place. It's set up with regular chapters interspersed with back and forth, past and present changing timelines, excerpts of song lyrics, news, book and magazine articles and podcast excerpts. Nothing about the story was super suspenseful. It was dull. I’ll continue to buy Rachel’s books this just wasn’t a favorite of mine.

Very fun thriller. The flashbacks were well balanced with the current timeline which I definitely appreciated. Loved the reflections of the past in the present.

The Villa isn’t author Rachel Hawkins’s first fiercely feminist thriller—her The Wife Upstairs puts a modern-day spin on Jane Eyre and last year’s Reckless Girls is the first book I recommend to anyone who tells me that they’re going through Yellowjackets withdrawal while we wait for the show’s second season. But she’s bested them both with her latest novel, The Villa, a Gothic thriller that is somehow both everything you think it will be—and absolutely nothing you expect.

A wildly creative story that combines a 1970s rock and roll reimagining of the famous summer at Villa Dodati in 1814 that gave birth to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, a competitive modern-day summer writing retreat rife with professional jealousies, and a deft exploration of the uncomfortable truths about the way our society views female artists of all stripes, The Villa is a rare thriller with something substantial to say—about the complexity of female friendships, how our society consumes true crime stories, and more. The sort of book that’s easy to sit down with and suddenly find yourself finishing within a single sitting, Hawkins’ tale is propulsively paced and incredibly addictive. As it deftly shifts between timelines, The Villa tells a story of history repeating itself, of women struggling to be heard as partners and artists, and the toll that the act of creating art can take on those who are making it.

I loved Rachel Hawkins' book The Wife Upstairs, so went into The Villa with high hopes. I wasn't disappointed. This was a fascinating book with dual timelines, both set in an Italian villa being rented for extended stays - one in the 70s, the other current day.
In the 70s, it's rented by a fading rock star who's trying to recover his creative mojo. An aspiring songwriter and his girlfriend end up staying there along with the girlfriend's stepsister (who's a bit of a singer/songwriter herself). It's the 70s and there is, of course, a good bit of sex & drugs & rock & roll happening - and ultimately, a notorious murder.
Current day, the house has been rented by a successful self-help author and blogger, Chess, who invites her childhood friend to come with her for a vacation. That friend, Emma, is a writer as well, but her forte is writing cozy mysteries. She's gone through a nasty divorce, and they go hoping to revive their fading friendship, adult life having played havoc with their ability to spend time together. While they're there, Emma becomes fascinated with the history of the villa, particularly with that murder in the 70s. At the same time she discovers things about her own life and marriage that make her question everything she thought she knew.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Emily & Chess have been best friends since childhood. When Chess suggests that Emily accompany her on a summer long vacation to Italy, it seems like the perfect time for Emily to reboot her writing career and get some distance and perspective from her contentious divorce proceedings.

Staying at Villa Aestas in Orvieto, Italy, Emily is quickly pulled into the story of the villa’s inhabitants in the summer of 1974 - where a group of beatnik musicians and writers stay ended in a brutal murder just down the hall from her bedroom.

Told between 1974 and present day, Rachel Hawkins delivers a twisting tale of danger and self discovery for both her characters stuck in the past and those living in the future.

I enjoyed this one - but I don’t really feel like it was a thriller as some of Hawkin’s other books are marketed. While this was definitely suspenseful and a page turner - there isn’t really any big “secret reveal” or gotcha moment - but rather a slow burn of self-discovery and how far people will go to find peace for themselves.

Thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press, and Rachel Hawkins for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Read if you like:

+ Malibu Rising & Evelyn Hugo
+ Toxic Friendship Trope
+ Parallel Story Lines

Such a fantastic and complex thriller that kept me turning the pages! I am such a huge fan of Rachel Hawkins, and am happy to report that after her second novel left me underwhelmed, this one was an absolute delight. The writing is very atmospheric, and I loved the different feels of current day vs. the scenes from the 1970s. Highly recommended. Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was so entertaining!
We have two alternate timelines taking place at the same villa;
a present day one: two best friends (a lifestyle influencer and an author) trying to find inspiration for their careers
a past one: a group of 5 artists (musicians and writers) trying to get away for a summer and enhance their creativity with lots of drugs, sex and alcohol
There is murder, secrets, love triangles, a book within a book, feminists themes, just so many fun aspects. This book had me hooked until the end! I had the best time reading this!

This was too much of a slowborn for me - I wanted more Italian villa setting, but overall I just felt like not much happened and this was not a "thriller".

I enjoyed this two stories in one book. Emily and Chess in today's timeline and Mari in 1974 (actually reminded me a little of Diasy Jones). I've read all of Rachel's books and always look forward to the next one.

I really enjoyed this tale within a tale by Rachel Hawkins. I admit to a bit of burnout on the nested story/flashback format that has been in wider use in modern fiction, BUT this is an excellent use of the same. The parallels are compelling and additive to the plot. This is my favorite book so far by the author.
I received a free copy to review from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion of the book.

I liked it but definitely didn’t love it. Honestly I think I’ll forget it tomorrow. I loved loved loved the wife upstairs so I was really looking forward to this one but I just didn’t hit for me.
There definitely were some great parts where I was sucked into the book, but a lot of it I was zoning out and wasn’t all that interested. I kept waiting for something bigger to happen.

Hawkins does it again! Different for her, this book does revolve around a murder mystery. It also explores difficult relationships and the importance of art and creation as a method of autonomy, especially in women. I will be honest here and say that the relationship between Emily and Chess reminded me so much of an unhealthy relationship I had in my own life until I was in my mid-twenties - it was almost disconcerting. The frenemy dynamic is one that we all relate to (I think) but is rarely communicated about well. This book examined the love/hate relationship that often (but not always) accompanies our oldest friendships. I really enjoyed the author’s acknowledgements in which she promises that none of her real friends were the inspiration for Chess!

Emily and Chess were best friends who have lost touch and haven't spent much time together lately.
Chess gets the idea to have a girls getaway at a Villa in Italy.
While digging into the Villa's history, Emily has uncovered a murder, while doing so, something is happening with Chess and her friendship.
Betrayals galore!!!


I just reviewed The Villa by Rachel Hawkins. #NetGalley

Thank you to St. Martins Press, Netgalley, and Rachel Hawkins for an advance copy of The Villa in exchange for an honest review. This was an interesting and atmospheric story told in dual timelines with both timelines focusing on A Villa in Italy. I felt like this was a very character driven story with a very slow burn. It was interesting to me to see the dynamics in Chess and Emilys friendship but it also was just so toxic to me, which turned me off from wanting to get to know the characters more. I didnt see the twist coming which is always a readers dream and I was happy with the ending. I think Im chasing the readers high I felt when reading this Authors first novel so this one just fell a little flat for me. This one is available now! 3.5 stars!

I went into this book blind and I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that it involved authors.
Two long time best friends go to a Villa to get away from life’s stressors and spend the time writing together as they did during school.
Told from two POVs and different times, this was a great read.

I enjoyed this as a good beachside thriller to read on my vacay. Was it literary genius. No. Was it entertaining.. yes. I liked the dual timeline story with Em and Chess escaping to Italy as Em goes through a divorce and they both have writing deadlines to meet. I enjoyed the sort of book within a book and the parallels drawn from the old and new story.

I’ll read a Hawkins thriller any day. Pick this up for an easy thrill.

Fairly predictable. The Villa has two contrasting timelines: a present-day timeline with Jessica “Chess” and Emily “Em” and a 1970’s timeline with rockstars, Pierce and Noel who bring along stepsisters Mari and Lara. Even though there are few characters, the different timelines made it kind of difficult to remember who was connected to who. A few plot holes, and too much unnecessary info dumping also made this a mediocre read for me.

Predictable, full of plot holes, I expected a better storyline with....more. It felt like a giant info dump that I didn't care about.