The Villa is without a doubt my favorite Rachel Hawkins thriller to-date, which is saying a lot, because she was already one of my must-buy and must-binge authors! The sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll culture of the 1970s is the perfect contrast to the present-day girls' holiday vibe of Emily and Chess. There's normally one period I like better than the other in dual timelines, but this one is perfect. They're both addictive and engaging, and they tie together perfectly! Thanks so much for the chance to read early!!

I can say with all honesty that The Villa was an atmospheric journey from start to finish. A journey to the Italian countryside in a gorgeous Villa should have brought a sense of peace and relaxation to our main characters. Instead, it brought forward secret desires and dread. On one hand, we have our characters of the past, an experienced rocker, an aspiring rockstar, the pushed aside friend, and two sisters, all of whom are hoping to find the answer to what comes next in their life. In the present, we have two old friends who are trying to navigate the changes within their own lives. It was fascinating to watch as the past and the present intertwined with and inside the Villa and postulate where the suspense would end up.

The buildup of suspense and tension was steady throughout the entire book. While it was wonderful to see and feel the atmosphere build, it was relatively slower moving for the plot on a whole. This sluggishness of the plot allowed for there to be a stronger focus on pieces of the puzzle and other clues that would be connected eventually. It was slow enough for the plot to breathe, but not so slow that I lost interest. In fact, my interest was not pushed forward by the actual plot but rather by my intense need to figure out the mystery, which definitely says something about the intrigue of this novel. I managed to ignore most other responsibilities in the name of being wrapped up in a story.

This was definitely not the most thrilling of thrillers. While it was interesting, there was never a moment that made my heart stop. I appreciated the twists and the slow burn of the mystery, but there was never a peak of tension for me where I was stressed about what was coming next.

This book is great for anyone who is looking for an easy read thriller. Make sure to check for trigger warnings as well, there are some intense subjects involved in the storyline. ⅘ stars

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this book for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this!! I don't usually read a ton of thrillers but I have read Rachel Hawkins before and knew this would be good. I was not disappointed. It's set in a dual timeline and dual characters so that could get a little confusing and I would have to pay attention but otherwise it was a great mystery/thriller.

he Villa by Rachel Hawkins

Nothing like starting the year off in a gothic murder villa. I loved that it has all the elements of a gothic novel but is set in such a beautiful place and that the two people who just came along for the fun where the people who actually created something while there.

I really enjoyed the dual POV as well as the fictional excerpts at the end of each chapter.

Thanks @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this advanced reader!!

#BookReview #Bookstagram #RachelHawkins #TheVilla #StMartinsPress #BookishLife #Reading #Bibliophile #BookPhotography #BookRecommendations #Instabooks #BookNerd #ThrillerBooks #Fiction

The Villa was my first Rachel Hawkins book and I really enjoyed it. She does such a great job creating an atmosphere and characters that really make the story come alive. This story has two timelines that coil around each other with the storyline in the past having a direct influence over what’s happening in the present day. I found that I didn’t prefer one storyline over another because each was exciting and interesting in its own way. In present day two best friends are staying at the villa in the hopes to get their creative juices flowing so they can finish writing the books they are working on. There is a sense of competition between them that creates some tension in what should be a peaceful vacation. In the past two step sisters are also struggling to find independence and their creative voices as they stay at the villa with their musician boyfriends. While the villa seems to become the muse for each set of women it also has a sinister past that will directly influence its future. I thought the pacing for this novel was great, the intersecting storylines worked so well together, and I would recommend it to anyone that loves a haunted house gothic vibe.

I couldn't decide which timeline I liked more! I was dying to know what was next in the present-day setting and if Emily could power through her new book (and wondering just what Chess was up too...) but I was also gripped by the past. I needed to know about the inner workings of the friend group that occupied the house, their interesting dynamics, and the truth of the murder. This really had me guessing until the end and I did NOT see that resolution coming at all. The characters and setting were so much fun. This will be a perfect read to have you dreaming of upcoming beach vacations.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4/5.

I will say this was an absolutely engrossing read, one that I didn't want to put down. But was it exactly what I was expecting... pretty much yes. I love hearing what Rachel Hawkins has drawn inspiration from and then seeing that influence in her novels.

I did like this more than The Wife Upstairs and I loved the dual times/music influences.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is out now so go grab your copy today!

An offer from her friend, Chess, to spend the summer at a villa in Italy is a chance for Emily to reconnect with her former best friend and also to recover from the mysterious aliment that's been plaguing her as well as from the subsequent split with her husband. The Villa Aestas, however, which was formerly the Villa Rosato, was the site of a notorious murder in the 1970s. Emily quickly finds herself immersed in uncovering the secret of what really happened then while at the same time trying to uncover what secrets Chess may be hiding now before another tragedy occurs.

This is a steaming cauldron of a novel about friendship and betrayal. It is wildly unpredictable and just when you think you know what is going to happen, it swerves in another direction. The ending is completely surprising.

3.5 Stars

Dual timeline … current…Former besties, Emily and Chess, meet for an overdue lunch. Emily, successful author of cozy mysteries, is having a writers block due to health issues and divorce. Chess, a successful self-health author, is. On her way to a Villa in Italy for the summer to start her next book and invites Emily to join her.

Past…Lara, Mari, Noel and Pierce, part of the sex, drugs and rock and roll group of the 70s music scene, escape to a Villa in Italy (get the connection) to write music. What transpires is not very shocking on the forefront, underneath maybe somewhat.

A third, smaller story line is introduced, towards the end but is hinted at. It all comes together in the end. Characters are not very likable and at times I really wanted to smack Emily to wake her up. Fairly predictable.

Thanks to Ms. Hawkins, St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

The Villa
by Rachel Hawkins
3 stars

A beautiful house in Italy
Two old friends.
One book idea.

I loved the setting for this book summer in Italy, two girls getting together and enjoying summer while trying to write. I couldn't stand Chess she just got under my skin and drove me crazy. Emily, I didn't fully like her either, but she seemed more relatable. The present part of the book kept my attention the most, the past with Mari lost me, I understand why it was connected but I just wasn't a fan. By far the middle was the main part I enjoyed.
The ending was way too rushed for me and just reminded me of reckless girls.

Thank you, Net Galley and St Martin's Press for the eARC for an honest review

Some great parts, some disappointing parts. Overall, not as good as I had hoped. This was my first by this author.

Unputdownable! Rachel Hawkins does it YET AGAIN. The atmosphere building in her writing is truly unmatched. Loved. Loved. ABSOLUTELY LOVED. Must read!

I binged this book and loved it! I was hooked quickly and literally listened to it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. The story is compulsive and really sinks its teeth into you and doesn't left you go until the end. Highly recommend the audiobook for this one too. There is a cast of narrators, Julia Whelan, Kimberly M. Wetherell;, and Shiromi Arserio, which added to the tension and various media within the story. All of the narrators were terrific and I have listened to several Julia Whelan narrations and she never disappoints.
One of the prominent features of this story is the stories within the story, including a podcast that one of the characters listens to while staying in the villa for the summer. The villa is a location where a group of rock musicians from years before were staying and a murder takes place. The story begins when two writer friends decide to stay there for the summer and one of them goes down the historical rabbit hole trying to learn more about the events of the past. As current events start to mimic some of the historical events, things go from good to great.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and recommend it to thriller lovers and highly recommend the audiobook version. I was able to read along with the audiobook and this is a winner either way!
#TheVilla #NetGalley #StMartinsPress #MacMillanAudio

Delighted to include this title in the January edition of Novel Encounters, my regular column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction, for the Books section of Zoomer magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

Excellent mystery especially if you are a fan of or have interest in IFleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the infamous summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at a Lake Geneva castle. This book includes them all

It's an exciting storyline at times. Jess is an annoying character. The flashback at a time can be confusing. I had to push myself to finish the book. However, the ending makes up for the storyline's slow pace. There's not too much I can say without giving away the story.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for letting me read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Coming off an unexplainable illness, Emily still has her next book deadline looming and her cheating almost ex to deal with. When her childhood best friend Chess, who is famous in her own right as a living-your-best-life guru, offers Emily a chance to spend the summer at a gorgeous villa in Italy, she can’t resist. Once there, she gets caught up in a murder that happened almost 50 years earlier and the novel that was written during that time. Unfortunately, long-brewing jealousies and insecurities are exposed and Emily no longer knows who she can trust even as she’s finally feeling good and the best book idea she’s ever had is giving her hope.

This book was so fun! I needed a good thriller and, no joke, my heart was pounding during the last few chapters. The fact that Emily was coming off of her illness just added to the suspense and the not quite solid ground feeling of the whole thing. I felt badly for Emily but I never thought she was pathetic, just dealt an extremely bad hand. The alternating storylines between present day and the 1970s, plus song lyrics, and podcast transcripts worked so well together. It was all very creepy. Yes, I still really want to go to Italy and stay in a villa, but maybe I’ll leave the research on its history alone. Because, after all, “houses remember.”

I've been following Rachel Hawkins for years - from her YA work to today's adult mystery/suspense fiction - and she remains a lowkey favorite of mine. This book sealed the deal for me and she is still cemented as an auto-buy author. 

Some early reviews are a bit mixed but I actually liked both timelines: one takes place in the 70s during the original murder and the other is present day with two best friends staying at the villa. The book was very tense throughout, where you know something bad is going to happen in at least one timeline but probably both. I really loved the ending: it totally surprised me. It's not really a true mystery or thriller but more of a suspense novel, which is definitely still a fun ride. I couldn’t put it down and was always so curious to see what would happen next.

The mashup of comps at the bottom of the synopsis ("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") all feel accurate based on m limited knowledge of those three. I would say my own personal comparison is like a much darker version of Daisy Jones and the Six haha.

I will start off by saying I am not the biggest fan of thriller/suspense/mystery. I decided to give this one a try since the cover absolutely caught my eye! I kept waiting for more suspense. I enjoyed Mari's story as well as Emily's. Both were interesting and I enjoyed the dual time lines. I did not feel like there was any shock factor here. I was a little disappointed in the lack of story line.

When I read the synopsis for The Villa I was immediately intrigued. I really enjoyed the twist and turns of The Wife Upstairs, but Reckless Girls fell short for me, so I wasn't sure where Rachel Hawkins newest book would fall for me; I am happy to report it was great and I enjoyed it as much as I did The Wife Upstairs. It does get off to a slower start, setting the backstory of Mari and Emily as told from their own points of view and bouncing between past and present. This back and forth in narrators and time created a slow build for me, where you knew something was happening but couldn't quite piece it all together. Once the plot started picking up speed, I had a hard time putting the book down. Fans of Hawkins shouldn't wait to pick this up when it comes out on January 3, 2023!
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Instagram review post was published on December 27, 2022 - https://www.instagram.com/p/CmrAu9vrpJ_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link