Well that was delicious. Definitely my favorite of Rachel Hawkins thus far. The characters were perfectly flawed without absolutely despising them. And that can be difficult to do. Dare I say, it had low key Verity vibes. Nothing near as wild or crazy, and it wasn’t a “romance” at all—if you can call Verity that. But as far as the plot and the book of Mari’s and Emily reading it. And the TWIST at the end. I could have done without the Mari/Pierce/Noel part (if you know, you know). But I thought the Emily and Chess relationship was so relatable to long term friendship dynamics so often turning sour (minus the huge fame). All in all, fantastic read. (Language warning)

In The Villa, childhood best friends—now adults—Emily and Chess head off to Italy to spend the summer together, enjoying the Italian countryside and writing their respective books. Over the years, they have drifted apart, but Emily, currently in the midst of some upheaval in her life, believes that maybe this trip will bring them closer together.

As it turns out, though, the villa where they are staying is the site of a famous murder from the 1970s, and as Emily finds herself more and more engrossed in unraveling what happened back then, her relationship with Chess becomes more and more strained.

Told in dual timelines from dual points-of-view—Emily in the present and Mari in the past, song lyrics, horror novel excerpts, biography passages, podcasts, emails, and texts, The Villa will suck you into the stories of these two women, the parallels between the two and their circumstances, and the undeniable pull to discover what happened then and what is happening now. And the tension and suspense and weaving / unweaving of the tales will make you wonder, “Will the villa claim another victim before the book’s end?”

As in her other suspense novels, here again Rachel Hawkins populates her book with not entirely altruistic characters. They are morally grey, with a mix of motivations. We see the rock-and-roll excess of the 1970s and the GOOP-guru aesthetic of today, but beneath the fame and the glamour, people are far from perfect, and we see who they truly are—or at least who the narrators’ want us to believe them to be—played across the page.

Hawkins is quite adept at planting those seeds of distrust, mistrust, and misgivings and those strings that tempt you to tug just a bit to see if a character’s story or what they are projecting will unravel. I’m mixing metaphors here, but suffice it to say, that hours after finishing this book, I am still thinking about it and stewing about it and I don’t foresee that stewing ending anytime in the near future.

Her writing style here is highly consumable and I read this one in less than a day. I was easily able to keep track of Mari’s voice versus Emily’s and which decade we were currently experiencing through the eyes of the narrator.

The Villa was so very well done, but please be aware that—remember that it did make me stew—some of the characters left a bitter taste in my mouth. And I was left with the feeling at the end like the hairs at the back of my neck were left standing. Hawkins seems to revel in leaving you feeling that maybe—just maybe, well, quite possibly—things are not entirely resolved.

I received an advance copy of the book from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

I am kinda over the moon for Rachel Hawkins' thrillers. There is something charmingly atmospheric about them. Add in the dark history of the location on this one and it was a recipe for success.

From the author of THE WIFE UPSTAIRS comes the Villa.

Emily and Chess are two best friends who are on two very different paths, but still keeping their friendship alive. Chess is a life coach / influencer who is spending the summer at a Villa in Italy. Emily is newly divorced trying to finish her next novel, when Chess invites her along as an opportunity for them to reconnect.

We being to hop back and forth in time, from current day, to the 1970's when a rockstar and his friends stayed in the Villa. As Emily starts into the history of the Villa, tension begins to rise in their friendship. Can Emily actually trust Chess? Who do you know who your true friends are?


Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rachel Hawkins is a master of character. I saw this in Reckless Girls, but it seems even more pronounced here. Emily is like us: Grounded. Ordinary. Normal. It is easy to relate to her, and we can understand and condone even her darkest thoughts, given everything she's been through. Chess, on the other hand, is a bright star that always seems just out of reach. There are two versions of her—the self-help guru who speaks in affirmations and the woman who’s bored and tired and looking for her next great adventure. Just like Emily, we hate her in one breath and envy her in the next. And sometimes we even sympathize with her, too. There was never a moment where I wrote off Chess completely, and that is the mark of an incredible author.

The book flips between Emily’s point of view and Mari’s, who is witness to a murder that takes place in the same Italian villa back in the 1970s. We know, from the beginning, that someone in Mari’s party will be murdered. It doesn’t take long to find out who, and therefore, the book begs the question--why? It is interesting to see the events of 1974 influencing a character in the present day, and to watch as the puzzle pieces fall into place. Details mentioned in throwaway lines return with a vengeance. Suddenly what happened in the past feels as though it’s looming right over our shoulders, all-too present and consuming.

I’m still in awe of Hawkins’ ability to layer these two stories together. It’s not just that they take place in the same house, but that the themes of both stories mirror each other in some ways and diverge in others. It is a complicated web of love, loss, murder, and revenge. There are truly inspired moments of passion that turn to bitter betrayal in the blink of an eye, only to be brought back into the light with a single act of understanding and empathy.

Not only is the story itself tightly crafted, it is a perfect chronicle of the highs and lows of what it means to be a writer. We witness Mari, Emily, and even Chess struggling to get their ideas down on paper. But we also watch them become enthralled with a story, simply devoured by their desire to expel their thoughts and craft a work of art. And then we get to see the impact of their legacy. This added a new dimension to the book for me, and one which felt infused with Rachel Hawkins’ spirit.

This novel took hold of me from the opening page and still hasn’t let go, even days after finishing it. But even so, I am patiently waiting to see how deeply Rachel Hawkins’ next Gothic horror will dig its claws into me.

Here's the thing, Rachel is a great writer. But I hated this book. It's very well written, but I found the storyline boring and this book simply didn't hold my attention, frankly if it weren't for feeling like I had to review it I probably would have dnf'd it.

Really enjoyed this one! Very engaging and fun to read! This book isn’t my favorite Rachel Hawkins book but it is probably second best. Couldn’t put it down.

My favorite Rachel Hawkins so far. I was immediately drawn in - a gothic Italian Villa + a murder + sex, drugs, and rock and roll + uncovering the truth - what’s not to like!

A slower paced thriller, which I don’t usually turn to, but with this plot and the writing, I was enjoying every turn of the page. It’s a dual timeline that follows two sets of women and both stories were equally intriguing and had me invested. It has some good twists but the ending was where it really hit. Much recommended!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my complimentary copy.

2.5⭐️

While the premise of this story had the makings of a great read, for me it just fell flat. I had a difficult time getting interested in the storylines and really just didn't care for the characters in either of the timelines. Moreover, the current day timeline with Emily and Chess seemed to have some holes in the story for me, especially when it came to Emily's estranged husband Matt and Emily's illness. I felt that Chess' motives were questionable the whole time she and Emily were at the Villa and that really was never uncovered and the end of the story felt rushed to just end the book.

I've read and enjoyed other works by Rachel Hawkins and know that I'll pick up whatever she writes next.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins press for the ARC.

The Villa, by Rachel Hawkins, is a well-written mystery that will draw you in and keep you reading into the night. The dual timeline connects the history of the home to the current situation and the detailed description of the home pulls the reader into the story making them feel like they are actually part of it. I am a fan of novels written by Rachel Hawkins and this one did not disappoint. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for an ARC ebook version in exchange for my honest review. I used both the ebook text and the audio version of this book. I really enjoyed the narrator on this one!

Rating: 2.5
"Inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the infamous summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at a Lake Geneva castle––the birthplace of Frankenstein––The Villa welcomes you into its deadly legacy."
This alone got me to read this book but sadly this was another disappointing read for me. I really don't want to spend time writing negative reviews for books anymore so I will keep this short.

Things I Liked:
I liked the 1970s timeline and the following Mari and Lara and their crazy messed up lives.
I liked the overall concept of these women, who were victimized and held back by the men in their lives, rising above it all and becoming successful in their own right.
I liked the Italian setting even though I wish there was more scenic moments.
In the modern timeline, I like Mari's POV (or at least I did at the beginning)

Things I very much disliked:
I HATE when female friendships--especially when they are conveyed as toxic-- are used as a plot devices. I mean come on can I get a healthy female friendship!?! Chess as a character was the worst and don't get me wrong I also hated Mari's character by the end. They kind of deserved each other. I think it could have been done a certain way and would have been more intriguing to read about but the fact that they stuck by each other all these years is laughable.

Also I think the synopsis was a bit misleading because in no way was this a gothic story. I get the nods to Frankenstein but they really do nothing with this. I was expecting a plot similar to the writing of Simone St James which I would say has the gothic writing down but was sadly disappointed. I honestly was hoping the house was haunted and they were into some satanic crap and sacrificed Pierce to get their successful crafts...but no just plain old drugs and jealously and men were the culprits. Plus that "twist" at the end was just confusing and unnecessary. I would have actually enjoyed it more if the ending was open ending and left up to the reader to interpret. Overall, this was not for me.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins is a woman's literature with a mystery to it. It is being marketed as a mystery for which it is a slow burn with the reveals coming at 60%. But the story is filled with generations of women living through men who try to control them. The novel is a story within a journal about a writer who writes a story that is a sequel to a story her mother wrote. At first this novel is very confusing but makes sense quickly as it introduces it's characters. The story is told in present day, and through a journal in the 1970's and through a story that is from the journal writer in the 1970's. I had a hard time connecting to the characters in this story because they keep making such stupid decisions for such smart characters. I found myself doing the horror thing where instead of me yelling don't go in there to the character, I'm yelling don't fall in love with him. The pace on this novel as slow as the first 60% is all set up with very few reveals that are all small. I considered not finishing put powered through to a decent ending. I really liked the final reveal, but it broke the rules of not coming from the journal of the character but of the characters actions on the day. This novels does have one great opening line with "Houses remember". I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin Press for giving me a free copy to review. The Villa is published on January 3 2023.

Plot Summary: Emily is a soon to be divorced struggling writer of cozy mysteries, who is childhood best friends with Chess a best selling self help guru. Chess invites Emily to an Italian villa for rest relaxation and writing. Emily finds out the villa is named after a famous song that was written at the villa and a famous novel was written there but also a famous murder. Emily soon becomes obsessed with the murder, the song, and the book all written here in the 1970's. She finds the author's journal and it starts revealing hidden truths of events leading up to the murder the group consisting of a rock star drug dealer, girlfriend of murder victim, and the girlfriend's step sister has never talked about. The situations in the past and present start mirroring themselves it the villa or something else.

What I Liked: The history surrounding the Villa was interesting. I liked the Emily and Chess scenes the best. I liked the final reveal and what it means for the past and the present. I loved that first line, "Houses remember" so much. I liked the song lyrics from the songs and what they mean to the story. I liked the well scene.

What I Disliked: The horrible choices from smart women, I wanted more reason behind their choices. I thought the part where emily listens to the podcast was lazy writing and did not need that much of the segment. Pacing was bad should have had a big reveal a lot sooner than 60% of the book. something major happens and we the audience didn't see how it happened. The story within the story did not seem all that interesting, to become a best seller.

Recommendation: This book was hard to review there's some parts I like and some I disliked. I think the author has talent in their descriptions but wanted a better story and a way better mystery. The end reveal was the best part but it could not save the story. I can not recommend this book. I rated The Villa by Rachel Hawkins 3 out of 5 stars.

This book is not what I expected. It had gothic horror themes elements because she’s staying in the villa where a murder was committed. But she’s also dealing with grief over martial issues and her friend takes her to Italy to get it off her mind. Little does she know, her friend is keeping something from her. Will another murder happen at the villa?

I LOVED this book! Rachel Hawkins is such an auto-buy author for me now, and this is probably my new favorite of hers. It was so immersive and kept me on the edge of my seat. Perfectly written.

Beautiful and interesting setting, with duel timelines and a nice twist. It took me a while to get into it and I wasn’t fully satisfied with the conclusion, but it was enjoyable. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

This was my second novel by Rachel Hawkins. I loved Reckless Girls and knew that I needed to read this! I love Rachel’s ability to highlight the complexities of female relationships. Many times while reading The Villa I could picture some of my own complicated relationships with friends over the years and could feel my own memories come flooding back.

While this book did keep me engaged I found it to be a little slower than I would have liked for a psychological thriller. The past and the present were so similar but yet so different and at times I went back and forth on which story I enjoyed more. I would recommend this book to those that like a mystery that isn’t too intense.

There’s something to be said about the binge-able quality of Rachel Hawkin’s books and how once you pick them up, you better have some time on your hands because you won’t be putting them down. Same was absolutely true with The Villa.

This book follows two different timelines set between two different groups of people in the same Italian Villa. One group of free spirited musicians and writers from the 70s and then two best friends who are writers in the present day.

When Chess invites her old friend Emily to Italy with her, Emily begins to research the infamous Villa they’ll be residing in and along with it, the gruesome murder that took place there in 1974. The deeper Emily digs though, the more secrets she reveals not just about the prior occupants, but about her relationship with her best friend as well.

I stayed up until 2am reading this which is a sign of how much I enjoyed it. I loved the nostalgic feel and the vibes this book gave me while devouring it. Although, I did sometimes find it difficult to follow and a lot of information, articles and conversations were all thrown together, but it might have just been the way the ARC was laid out. I’m truly looking forward to recommending this book to friends and am excited to continue reading Rachel’s book. Thank you so much for the ARC of this book and allowing me to read it. It was a pleasure.

This story was so amazing! It was a perfect cozy read to start January month by. Especially appreciated the dual story timeline and the suspense build up. The similarities that you see between Chess and Lara and Emily and Marie was uncanny and I loved it! Overall, Rachel Hawkins did it again! I love her cozy mysteries.

I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest review. Thanks Net Galley!

This story follows two time lines one in current day following Emily and her best friend Chess and one in the 1970s following Mari, Lara, Pierce, Noel and Johnnie while staying at a villa in Italy. We follow Emily and Chess as they vacation for the summer in Italy in a Villa where a murder occurred in the 1970s (the same villa where Mari and friends stayed). Emily eventually becomes very interested in the murder and we learn more about it as the story progresses while also learning more about Emily and Chess’ friendship.

This was an easy read. It kept me turning the pages and intrigued enough to carry on. I saw what was going to happen from extremely early on but that didn’t detract from my interest in the story. I enjoyed Mari and Lara’s relationship and story line and found myself eager to get back to their perspectives. Unfortunately there were a few times when I became confused while reading, with random newspaper articles/ magazine articles or excerpts or poems thrown in throughout the story, but I think that is just a me issue. Overall I did enjoy the book and would recommend. I will be picking up more books by this author!

When best friends, Emily and Chess, decide to reconnect and have a little writer's retreat in Italy, they soon come to find that their relationship may not have been built on solid ground. As the spend the summer in an Italian villa each working on their respective novels, secrets from their past and the past of the house, begin to creep into their lives. The villa they are staying in is actually known for a murder involving Rock & Roll's notorious superstar, Noel Gordon. And as Emily digs more into the past of this murder and the past of her friend, she starts to feel like this villa may claim another victim.

I was a big fan of Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins and was very excited for this gothic-suspense centered around friendship, an Italian villa, and murder. But, I will say, this one fell a little short for me; this is mainly because I did not have much of an interest in the second storyline which was focused on the past murder. I normally am a big fan of dual POVs, but in this case, I personally did not have much of an interest in that storyline despite it being important to the overall plot of the book. I also felt like it jumped around very sporadically which also threw me off.

I did enjoy the main storyline focused on the illusive friendship between Emily and Chess and the Italian-villa setting really redeemed it all for me.

Overall, this was enjoyable read and a suspenseful story, but not my favorite of Hawkins. I still will eagerly be awaiting her next read!