It turned out that this book was not a good fit for me - but that's on me. I have difficulty keeping a story straight when there are multiple points of view. Add to that the fact that the Villa, scene of a past murder from the 1970's, didn't have the focus I think would have made it better (again, that's my take on it). The pace was a little slow until about the halfway point and then it picked up. As for the main characters of Mari and Emily (the two points of view) they weren't women I wanted to hang out with as they are not all that likable. Overall I'm glad I stuck with it. This is only the second book I have read by Rachel Hawkins and I will be inclined to pick up the next book.
My thanks to the publisher St. Martin's and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to @netgalley for the advanced reader copy of The Villa. I loved The Wife Upstairs and enjoyed Reckless Girls so I was very excited to be able to read and review this one!

I’ve seen mixed reviews but I am here for Hawkins’ ability to twist a mystery. The whole story inside of a story and dual timelines was a fun way to discovery the mystery. It was an east read and a great book to read while traveling. If you’re looking for a fun popcorn thriller, pick this one up!

Emily and Chess have been friends for years. Both are authors but Emily is dry in her writing. Chess invites her to stay in this beautiful villa.
This is a story inside a story inside a story. I loved this book. It was intriquing and I could not put it down.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and to St. Martin"s Press.

I really enjoyed this from beginning to end. It felt like a creepy mix of Daisy Jones, Verity, and the Manson murders. I like the dynamic of Em and Chess’ friendship and never being able to quite tell if they were friends or enemies. It kept me guessing and honestly I’m still not really sure. I didn’t find any of the characters to be very likable, but I don’t mind that in a thriller. They all seemed a little twisted and slightly unhinged and I loved it. My heart was definitely racing toward the end and I couldn’t wait to find out how it would all unfold. I did love the ending but my only critique is that it felt a little rushed.

This is told in dual timelines and also some other “articles” mixed in, which at first I wasn’t sure I would like or I thought would be confusing. But by the end of the first chapter I was completely hooked and flying through the pages. Also the chapters are pretty long which I normally loathe but these read so fast!

What was this book? I’m a huge fan of Rachel Hawkins previous books, as well as her Erin Sterling books, but this one felt more like a comedy than a thriller. Every twist was wildly and blatantly obvious right from the beginning. The characters were quite insufferable. The two POV and timelines were a little bit confusing and hard to follow, adding in the reading of the novel as well, it just felt super jumbled and couldn’t really keep track of everything.

The overall ending was confusing and left too many loose ends, but at the same time really underwhelming. This was really easy to binge, maybe that’s why I was so confused at times.. but I don’t think so. The audio I will say was great because of Julia Whelan and her accents, which did make it better and probably why I’m giving this 2 stars. Hopefully the next one will be a hit like the rest of Hawkin’s work. Can’t win them all!

I think it is safe to say, I have enjoyed each Rachel Hawkins book more than the one before. The Villa is my favorite for sure.

The Villa follows two timelines... First, Mari in 1974 staying at the Villa Rosato with her partner, musician Pierce, famous rockstar, Noel, her stepsister, Lara and Johnnie, Noel's friend/dealer. The villa becomes known as the murder house after someone dies there during that fateful summer trip. But from the villa comes forth two popular works of art, including Mari's novel, Lilith Rising, written during her trip that summer.

The second timeline follows Em and her friend Chess, during their summer trip to the villa, now known as Villa Aestas. Em is a writer of cozy mysteries, and is in a rut writing the next one, partially because she is divorcing her husband and he think he deserves half of her profits since he was in her life the entire time she was writing. Chess has branded herself as a self-help guru and the two decide to spend their summer writing in Italy. Em is fascinated by the story of that summer of 1974 and reads a copy of Lilith Rising during her time there. She starts writing a new book, one inspired by Mari, Lilith Rising and the house.

The story also injects with pieces of newspaper articles, lyrics of songs, excerpts from Lilith Rising and other books on the summer of 1974.

The story was completely unexpected. I wasn't sure who I liked, who I didn't, who I trusted and who was lying. It wasn't super dark and twisty, but still kept me on the edge of my seat.

This book reads like Taylor Jenkins Read and Lucy Foley had a baby. Not as good as either of their individual stories but an interesting and compelling mash up. Fans of the author's previous works will definitely find it hard to put down!

Thank you, NetGalley and the Publisher for the eARC! I enjoyed reading The Villa- anything by Rachel Hawkins goes on my to read list!
Be sure to pay attention to the dual timelines as both timelines come together. The dual timelines worked in the Villa and complimented each other. There is one part that made me re-read, a little confused about why it was brought up in the part of the book but it didnt take away from the story. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading thrillers/mysteries

Huge thanks to NetGalley and st martins press for an advance copy of the book.
I love a good thriller with dual timelines. I especially love one that has an epic house as its center. The way Rachel Hawkins weaves them together for a great story demonstrates why she’s an auto buy author for me.
1974- a group of musicians and an author spend a summer in a villa working on their craft. Sisters Mari and Lara compete against each other for attention and recognition with disastrous consequences.
Present day- friends Emily and Chess spend a summer in the same villa to reconnect and recharge their creative batteries. Both writers, they’re interested in the history of the infamous villa. What each one doesn’t know is the plans the other has for the house and their careers.
Secrets and betrayals keep this thriller moving along to a satisfying ending.

I truly think this book will appeal to a wide range of people. Like stories of 70s rock excess? Check. Like realistic female friendships? Check. Like page-turning thrillers? Check check check.

As a lifelong Mary Shelley stan I absolutely loved this unique take on 'The Year Without A Summer' and the infamous events in Geneva. If you are familiar with her life and/or the life of her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft there are so many fun easter eggs to look out for.

Everything from the timeline shifts, the snippets from biographies, Lilith Rising, and the song lyrics are all excellent and help create a rich, layered setting. I flew through this book and still didn't want it to end.

3.5 ⭐️
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Villa by Rachel Hawkins.

Read The Villa if you want a slow, psychological mystery/thriller, and you like all the messy relationships: family, friends, marriage.

I struggle with my rating because I did like the overall book; however, at times, there were a few quick, jarring timeline and storyline jumps, that made it hard to follow.

For the better part of book, I was more invested in the summer of 1974 storyline, because the dynamics between Mari, Lara, Noel, Pierce and Johnnie at Villa Aestas/Rosato were so murky; I do wish that who died hadn’t been revealed quite so early though.

Although their storyline was captivating, it seems to me as if Chess and Emily were almost there as a way to facilitate the 1974 story. They had always had an uneasy and unequal relationship and that was fully on display during their vacation.

Ultimately, I certainly didn’t see the twists coming in either timeline; although I wish that the present one had gone in a different direction/further.

Hawkins' writing style is fun and light, and the Italian setting is beautifully described. The characters are likable and well-developed, but I found the plot to be somewhat predictable and not as engaging as I had hoped. While the mystery aspect of the story was interesting, it didn't quite hold my attention as much as I would have liked.

Despite these issues, I still found "The Villa" to be a pleasant and entertaining read. The romance between the main characters was sweet and the friendships were well-written. Overall, I would give the book a 3.5 out of 5 stars. If you're in the mood for a light, summery read with a touch of mystery and romance, this book might be a good fit for you.

Thank you for the advanced copy! I read some mixed reviews on this book so I was a little hesitant when I started reading but I could not put the book down. I loved the dual story/time lines and very quickly became obsessed with what happened and the ending blew me away.

Before starting, I heard this book described as Verity meets Daisy Jones. I was intrigued. I knew I had to read it.

With this comparison I was hoping it would knock my socks off. It didn’t. BUT it was a page turner that I couldn’t put down and now I can’t stop thinking about it. So maybe it did what it was supposed to do?

If you enjoy books about books and writing this is for you. This was easily my favorite part of the read.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is out NOW!

While I have seen many differing reviews on this one, I truly enjoyed it.

The audiobook is narrated in part by Julia Whelan, Kimberly Wetherell and Shiromi Arserio this version truly brings the story to life. When childhood friends Chess and Emily decide to re-kindle a troubled friendship by spending a summer at a Villa in Italy, Emily becomes intrigued by a murder taken place there in the 1970's. An author herself, Emily finds herself drawn in to the life of sex, drugs and rock-n-roll, that the 70's were known for and the death of Pierce Sheldon.

My suggestion is that you go in blind for this one. There is so much going on with a lot of characters. The plot bounces between present day Emily and Chess and 1974 when the death takes place. I also read part of the physical book while listening to the audio and the audio steals the show.

A cleverly written murder mystery with lies, deceit, murder all wrapped up nicely in what feels like a scavenger hunt for our MC Emily. I loved Reckless Girls by Hawking, which also seemed to be a story you either loved or hated. So far, I am a Hawkins fan.

This book would be for anyone who enjoys:
*Dual POV's
*Books about books
*Thriller suspense
*Twisty endings

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Villa is my third book that I have read by Rachel Hawkins and is by far my favorite! It is full of twists & turns and when you think you have things figured out, there is another twist! I absolutely LOVED this book!!!

This book is told from dual POV’s and alternates between timelines...Mari in 1974 and Emily is present day.

Mari starts the story off - she is an aspiring writer who is in love with a free loving musician, Pierce. When Mari’s step sister, Lara, invites them to go to Italy and spend the summer at Villa Rosato in Orvieto so that Pierce can work with the famous rocker, Noel Gordon, they jump at the opportunity in hopes that it can launch Pierce’s career Lots of drama happens that ends with a murder! After returning from that summer, Mari writes an award winning book called ‘Lilith Rising’ which loosely tells the story of what happened at the villa.

Emily is an author struggling to get her next book out while dealing with a divorce. Her childhood best friend, Chess, tempts her with a summer in beautiful Italy! Once Emily finds out that they will be staying in the murder house, she becomes obsessed with the murder. She reads ‘Lilith Rising’ multiple times and thinks there is more to the story that needs to be told. Instead of continuing her cozy mystery series she decides to go a different direction!

This book kept me on the edge of my seat! I think the characters are very well written and the story is very captivating…I finished this book in a day! I absolutely love how both timelines blend together to tell this story!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press and Rachel Hawkins for the Advanced Readers copy of this book for my honest review!

The Villa a wonderfully twisty mystery about female friendship and the creation of art, and my favourite Rachel Hawkins novel so far.  

Curl up with some wine and a Carole King album, you’ll be reading this in one sitting.

The Villa is a mystery in two time periods. Present-day childhood friends Chess and Emily are staying at an Italian villa, each working on their own writing (Emily writes cozy mysteries, and Chess is a self-help guru). In the 1970s, Mari and Lara are stepsisters staying at the same villa with their rock star sort-of boyfriends, discovering their own art (Mari is a horror writer, and Lara a songwriter). 

The mysteries intertwine, of course.  

I was immediately drawn to Emily’s voice and her love-hate relationship with Chess.  I expected this one to be a typical woman vs. woman thriller but it wound up being so much more complex and thoughtful than that.  

Hawkins had a lot to say about how female artists are dismissed and pitted against each other.  At the same time, The Villa is also a quick, breezy read that took me zero effort to glide through.  Loved it.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for my review copy of this novel.

This intriguing reinterpretation of the Italian stay that birthed Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein does some truly audacious things with storytelling, as it transports that famed historical episode of 1816 to the 1970s, and further brackets it within the pages of a modern-day domestic thriller.

Here in the 21st century, Emily Sheridan is reeling from the seeming collapse of, well:

QUOTE
<i>Everything.</i>

It’s the only word that can sum up what a complete and utter shit show this past year has been for me, but it still comes nowhere close to touching it.

Career stalling out? Check.

Health suddenly terrible for no reason that any doctor can figure out? Check.

Husband deciding to leave after seven years of seemingly happy marriage?

Fucking <i>check</i>.

It’s been over six months since Matt left, and I keep waiting for all of it to hurt less, for it to be less messy, less… I don’t know. Clichéd. Humiliating.
END QUOTE

Now in her thirties, she’s single, childless and in the middle of an increasingly expensive divorce. She’s also stalled on writing the tenth installment of the cozy mystery series that made her name. The main problem is that the bulk of the series was written based on the good times of her relationship with her soon-to-be-ex-husband. Attempting to continue it in a manner that will satisfy both her agent and her fans, even while her personal life is in ruins, is an excruciating chore.

So when Chess Chandler, her childhood best friend turned bestselling self-help guru and influencer, invites her for an Italian writing retreat for two, Emily knows that she should be leaping at the chance. Sure it would put a slight strain on her budget, but the change of scene would be refreshing, if not outright inspiring. The real problem is that Emily isn’t really sure how to deal with Chess’ continuing success, even as her own star seems to be on the wane. But when she discovers that Chess has rented the Italian villa where noted horror author Mari Godwick wrote her groundbreaking novel Lilith Rising, she’s intrigued enough to finally say yes.

Back in the 1970s, Mari had traveled to the Villa Rosato with her boyfriend Pierce Sheldon and her stepsister Lara Larchmont, at the invitation of rock royalty and actual member of the English aristocracy Noel Gordon. They were all members of a bohemian set with ambitions of making their mark on history with their art. Mari, a prolific writer in the childhood she’s just barely left behind, has only recently found out that adulthood, alas, affords her less time and opportunity to write than she desires, especially after setting up house with Pierce:

QUOTE
She’d thought the words would always be that easy, that free.

That’s what life with Pierce was supposed to be about, after all. Both of them pursuing their art: Pierce through his music, Mari through her writing.

A lovely idea. An idyllic one.

The only issue was that it didn’t bloody work.

It was hard for two people to be artists when the rugs needed hoovering, and food needed to be purchased, dishes washed. And somehow, those things kept falling to her.
END QUOTE

A summer’s stay in Italy sounds like just the thing to both refresh her and help repair the growing cracks in her relationship with free-loving Pierce. But even as she uncovers a rich new seam of creativity, the people around her begin to fall apart, resulting in a gruesome murder that will change her life forever.

Almost five decades later, Emily will arrive at the villa, looking for her own chance to recharge and forget the cares of the everyday world. But what she uncovers during her stay could change not only the accepted biography of Mari Godwick, but also Emily’s own relationship with Chess, who’s practically a sister to her. What lengths will Emily go to in pursuit of the truth, no matter how uncomfortable or even downright dangerous?

This examination of the impact of fiction on the real world is twisting and surprisingly deep. I really loved how Rachel Hawkins transposed the origins of Frankenstein to a more recent fictional, if no less salacious, milieu. While we’ll never really know Mary Shelley’s most private musings on the relationships that simmered during her famed stay at Lake Geneva, Mari’s thoughts are both believable and highly relatable stand-ins, even if the outcome of her fictional stay differs significantly from its historical model’s.

Emily’s thoughts are no less well-detailed, as she faces the collapse of her marriage and her own complicated relationship with Chess. Watching as she gathers her confidence once more, as her life intertwines with Mari’s, makes for a thrilling, compelling read.

The Villa was such an enjoyable read! It flipped from current times to past times….. where this Italian Villa is the center of love, murder, and suspense! All I wanted to do was read and discover more about these characters! Part of me felt like it gave off Daisy Jones and the Six vibes….. 70s rock stars and all the drama they seemed to attract! Then we flip to current times where two writer friends go and stay at the same villa, and end up researching the history deeper to write a book….. they discover secrets and the mystery of what may have really went on at the Villa in 1974! It’s intriguing….. I love the characters Hawkins writes in her novels and her story lines are always 👌🏼!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Trade for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“The Villa” is the first modern gothic that I enjoyed reading. Author Rachel Hawkins understand it’s the atmosphere is what creates a good gothic thriller. The backstory of the previous events at The Villa smoothly blends into the contemporary story which creates a chilling double decker plot.

Take a trip “The Villa” to warm up on a cold winter’s day..