Houses Remember.. Immediately had me curious. For me this was a slow burn but it didn’t necessary feel like a thriller more of a mystery maybe. I liked that It has the pov from past and now. Mari, her sister, and musicians in the 70’s and then Emmy and Chess now.. I found I was more invested in the story from the past and who was the murderer. I really enjoyed the true crime aspect of the story. I liked the way that Emmy was so interested in the what happened at The Villa and her need to write its story. That is the part that had me interested the things she discovers and how she writes it.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for my review copy.

I always love a great gothic suspense novel and what could be better than one set in an Italian villa?

Emily’s husband filed for divorce and she cannot seem to get her life and career back on track so when her childhood best friend and hugely successful writer, Chess. suggests they spend a summer together in an Italian villa where they can write and reconnect what could go wrong?

Oh, did I mention the mansion has a history that includes murder? This is one of the new book releases from January that I read and loved.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martins Press, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by Rachel Hawkins, wonderfully narrated by Julia Whelan; Kimberly M. Wetherell; Shiromi Arserio - 4 stars!

Emily and Chess were best friends when they were young but that friendship fell apart. Now in their 30s, Chess proposes a trip to Italy and Emily is anxious to reconnect and possibly break her writer's block. The villa is now an exclusive rental home but in the 1970s it was rented for the summer by a notorious rock star, Noel Gordon. Noel invites an upcoming musician, Pierce, his girlfriend, Mari, and her stepsister, Lara, to join him. It was a notorious time - Mari writes a famous horror novel, Lara composes a platinum album, and Pierce is murdered. Emily is enthralled with the house's history - because houses remember - but her investigations bring up more trouble.

This was an intriguing story, told in dual timelines by various narrators, and was kind of a story in a story book. The villa added to the atmospheric tension, and was inspired by many real life groups and murders. There is a lot going on here but the multiple narrators really helped me keep track of people and timelines. Another good suspense thriller by Rachel Hawkins!

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins follows two timelines: in the present day we are introduced to Emily a cozy mystery writer who has writers block finishing her 9th novel in her series while dealing with her ex who wants to steal all her earnings. Her best friend from childhood, who is a famous self help author, Chess randomly asks her to join her at Villa Aestas to get Emily out of her funk with beautiful scenery.

Emily writers block stops once she discovers the history of the villa and the murder that took place there in the 1970s. As Emily learns more about the people who lived in the house Chess becomes distant and competitive.

The second timeline as you might have guessed it takes place in the 1970s when the murder occurred. Mari and Lara are stepsisters following Mari's musical boyfriend Pierce as guests at the famous musician Noel's rented villa.

I found myself enjoying the present day storyline more than Mari's perspective but I loved The Villa just as much as Rachel Hawkins' other books and would recommend! Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy

I've read a couple other books of Hawkins (Reckless Girls and The Wife Upstairs), and I think this one might be my favourite. I was hooked from the beginning and became invested in the storyline.

Chess and Emily have been best friends since childhood. As they entered their adult years, busy schedules and work demands started to distance them. Chess plans a girls trip to Italy so the girls can reconnect. They vacation at Villa Aestas, which has a disturbing and complicated history. During their time on this vacation, the girls are determined to uncover truths about the Villa. But what they find within the walls, and what was left behind, is more than they bargained for. They also begin to reconnect and share secrets they've kept from one another over their adult years. Will the girls figure out what happened at the Villa during that fateful summer of 1974? Will they reconnect and return home closer than ever?

This novel is full of thrill and suspense. It's not as dark as I'd thought it be, but I almost liked it that way. It still kept me on the edge of my seat without the gory details found in other suspense books. Rachel does a great job moving between the past (1974) and present (the girls' vacation), and intertwining the times while telling the story of Mari in 1974, and Chess and Emily in today's world. If you're a fan of Hawkins' other books, you'll enjoy this one.

This one was just okay for me! With two storylines, I enjoyed one over another and then the end kind of unravelled.

This book sadly disappointed me. I have read and enjoyed books by Rachel Hawkins in the past and I was just expecting more than what this book gave me.

Firstly, this book was written with two timelines and right from the very beginning I was only interested in the one in the current time. The part of the book that involved the past and what had happened in this house before, didn't intrigue me.

While I did enjoy the part of the book in the present I was hoping for more tense moments and stress. I sadly didn't get any of that and didn't feel much as I read the story, which meant that I wasn't racing towards the end to find out what had happened.

The Villa follows two timelines (present and the 1970s) at a Villa in Italy. Emma, newly separated, in a writing slump, slowly healing from a mysterious illness, joins her life-long friend Chess for a summer at a villa in Italy. The villa is famous for being the home of a murder in the mid 1970s. Instead of writing their cozy mystery and self-help books, Emma and Chess each take on the 1970s murder writing their first true crime story. Emma finds letters penned by Mark, a survivor of the 1970s murder and learns the truth about the crime. She also learns that Chess had an affair with her abusive husband. Interwoven in this tale of two friends redefining their relationship is the story of the 1970s murder and snippets of the book Lilith Rising. Another murder in the house occurs and only the house will remember after all of the players are long gone. The characters and scenery draw the reader in’

The Villa is easily Hawkins best thriller! Two best friend and authors, , chess and Emily, take a retreat to a secluded villa in Italy to overcome writers block and for emily to put some distance between her soon to be ex-husband and herself. Upon arrival, they learn of an incident that occurred at the Villa between a group of writers and musicians, one of whom (Mari) will go on to become a famous horror author. The deeper Emily probes into the incident at the Villa in the 70s and find more and more pieces of information left behind in Mari’a famous novel., the more she realizes that she and chess are also caught in a parallel situation in present-day.

The pros-

Pacing-the novel is expertly paced and details are revealed just enough to keep the reader turning the pages.
Atmosphere- This may be the biggest win here as Hawkins evokes an atmosphere that is foreboding, gothic, and claustrophobic.
Characters- Emily, the protagonist, is sympathetic and likeable. Hawkins last novel, reckless girls, didn’t have many likeable characters so this having someone to root for in this one was a bonus.
Themes- Hawkins has a habit of using her craft to probe themes that at time that go deeper than the usual psychological/domestic suspense. This one covers the nature of art/creation, the line between truth/reality, and finding empowerment in being the driver of your own “story.”
Structure- There is a level of unreliable narration which adds another interesting element to the novel, one not found as commonly anymore in fiction. The plot moves and jumps like a Russian doll, opening up to contain another layer inside. There are also pieces of media randomly included (podcasts, interviews, experts of the functional novels included, etc) which enhances the realistic aspect of the past timeline and the impact it has on the Villa in the present.

Con-

My only con to it that kept it from being a 5-star read was most of the “twists” are predictable. I will admit the final one was good, but the other reveals throughout the book are expected. It also took a bit to orient to the book, but that early sense of disorientation may have been crucial to the tone invoked. Hardly a “con”, but just a general musing.

Overall, recommended for anyone looking to try Hawkins for the first time!

Arc provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rachel Hawkins has presented readers with the best suspense/thriller of the year with her new book The Villa. And, the cover of the book only illustrates the tale inside. When a trip to a beautiful villa in Italy, including a luxurious estate and amenities only the wealthy enjoy, turns deadly, decades later, two writers, in trying to discover the truth of what happened, only find that they share more with those who committed a monstrous act.

The book switches between two stories that revolve around the villa, one from the seventies in which two young women, Mari Godwick and her sister Lara, spend a summer there with her boyfriend Pierce. Rockstar Noel Gordon invites the group, bringing along John Dorchester, better known as "Johnnie", who stands alone from the talented group, his only claim to them, his ability to find drugs anywhere. In the future, success will come for the girls but, after their time together, one of the men will be dead, another in jail for the rest of his life and the other, forever changed. While what happened there that summer becomes known worldwide, the true story of what happened on that trip, has never been known.

Almost fifty years later, two female writers, Chess and Emily, decide to take a vacation to the same villa to escape, hoping to devote some time to their careers, which are beginning to waver. Both are tired of writing the same material they have turned out their entire careers, Chess, the popular, "seemingly perfect", self help guru and Emily, with nine books in her cozy mystery series. Emily's life has been far from the "coziness" she desired and Chess believes her friend to always have had, having been very ill for some time, further disappointing her husband with her unwillingness to have children, divorce proceedings have commenced.

When the women arrive at the villa, their surroundings begin to inspire curiousity as to what occured there in the summer of 1972. All that remains of the women who were there is the work they left as artists, Mara with the book she wrote while at the villa, and Lara, a folksy Fleetwood Mac type, with her popular album Aestas, songs inspired and written during that trip, too. However, with the truth still to be found Emily believes there are some clues there, at the villa. And, she is right, what she finds, amazing!

When Chess suggests the women write a book about what happened in 1972 together, having seen Emily has started on something great, things unfold between the women much like the betrayal of what happened all those years there before. And, while it might be the villa that implores it's residents to lash out in revenge, subconsciously had the women known more than they thought about one another, how they impact each other's lives and gone there to let all that unfolds give them a reason to place blame for their own actions there anywhere other than at their own feet? As that never becomes known the reader must make that judgment call themself, when they finish the book.

Having never read Hawkins in the past I was excited to win the book in a giveaway, not knowing what to expect. The minute I opened this book I was hooked and couldn't set it down. There were times I had to take a break, set the book down and walk away even when I wanted to read, the storyline (both) so intense, I had to put distance between myself and it, while my feelings settled! Very few books do this to me, the ones that do, are the authors I never forget and continue to read for the rest of my life. Definitely a must read for all and a book all readers this year can't miss!

Happy Reading
and
Thank you for the Giveaway win!

(3.75 stars) I started and finished The Villa, the newest from Rachel Hawkins, in one night. Told in a split timeline (1974 and present) and set in a picturesque Italian villa, the mystery grabbed my attention right away and held it to the very end. And I was convinced that this would end up one of highly rated reads…but then the potential for a strong finish just sort of unraveled by the final chapters. Sigh.

Back in 1974, a high-profile murder took place at this villa while a group of musicians and writers were staying there. An infamous album and a classic horror novel were created during that time. And now in the present, two “besties” arrive for the summer. One (Chess, a name that makes me cringe) is a picture-perfect famous self-help guru, and other (Emily) is a writer of serial mysteries who’s been battling writer’s block and health problems and going through a nasty divorce. The women are apparently best friends but have this tension between them - jealousy, mistrust to boot - that hints at a complicated history.

As Emily digs deeper into what happened in the “murder house” in 1974, she awakens her dormant creativity and starts writing.

Meanwhile, we learn about the 1974 occupants of the Villa - a rock and roll icon and a group of creative minds - through the eyes of 19-year-old Mari, who eventually pens the horror novel. Whew!

Hawkins’s writing is solid and approachable, but there are a few plot holes that bothered me (will not spoil), and again, the ending - especially for Emily and Chess - just felt rushed, forced, and more than a bit implausible. I wish we got more of the actual
villa, too - it’s pure background and could’ve played a more pivotal role.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes, definitely; I couldn’t put it down and stayed up late to finish. There were Daisy Jones-type vibes that I liked, and I liked the way Hawkins wrote the banter between Emily and Chess. But was I disappointed in the messy ending? Ohhhh God, yes.

Thanks to #netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook/Women's fiction/Mystery: This book is very much a "Verity-ish" book, which is a good thing. There was a lot of guessing on how it was going to end. You have to guess who's lying up to the very end. Without giving out any spoilers, I will say that I enjoyed the book so much that when I got to work, a big reveal was just about to happen and I knew I had to get out of my car. I enjoyed this book a lot more than Hawkings last thriller.
Two disclaimers: I got this book from Netgalley in lieu of an honest review. Also, I have met the author at a local book signing.
As an audiobook, the narrators did a great job. As a writers, the author did a suburb job getting the setting. Part of the book is back in the 70s. However, there wasn't enough smoking, legal or illegal. Every teen wanted to smoke back then. . The other is current day with modern technology and podcasts.
I definitely recommend this book.

“Houses remember.”

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.

As kids, Emily and Chess were inseparable. But by their 30s, their bond has been strained by the demands of their adult lives. So when Chess suggests a girls trip to Italy, Emily jumps at the chance to reconnect with her best friend.

Villa Aestas in Orvieto is a high-end holiday home now, but in 1974, it was known as Villa Rosato, and rented for the summer by rock star Noel Gordon. Attempting to reignite his creative spark, Noel invites fellow musician Pierce Sheldon to join him, as well as Pierce’s girlfriend, Mari, and her stepsister, Lara. This sets in motion a chain of events that leads to Mari writing one of the greatest horror novels of all time, Lara composing a platinum album––and ends in Pierce’s brutal murder.

As Emily digs into the villa’s history, she begins to think there might be more to the story. That perhaps Pierce’s murder was more sinister than anyone thought originally, and that there might be clues that Mari and Lara left behind.
As secrets from the past come to light, it begins to look like the villa will claim another victim before the summer ends.

You know a twist is mind blowing when you first 😳 then 😱 and then you proceed to reread (or rewind, as it were) the end of the chapter.

The Villa, told in dual timelines, really focuses on the Italian villa as the main character of the story. I love when buildings or locations have what seems like a life of their own. It adds so much dimension to a story for me. They hold secrets and reveal them in the most unique of ways.

I really didn’t read much of this at all because I enjoyed the audio, read by three narrators, so much. Julia Whelan is one of them and she has quickly become one of my favorites! I could listen to her read me a phone book 😂. She really adds something special to her narration with a lot of heart and always the perfect emotion for the characters. She uses distinct cadences and tones to differentiate and I will listen to any book she narrates!

Thank you SO much to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and the author for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a digital advance copy of The Villa by Rachel Hawkins via NetGalley. The Villa is scheduled for release on January 3, 2023.

The Villa follows present day Emily. She is a writer struggling to get her story to unfold, recently separated from her cheating husband, and suffering from a mysterious illness. Her long time friend (and self-help author) Chess invites her to escape to Italy on a girls only stay at Villa Aestas. Villa Aestas is the site of a summer visit where a musician was murdered, a horror novel was written, and an album composed. While in the Villa, Emily uncovers secrets of the past events, as well as secrets within her own relationships.

The heart of the two stories that unfold here is relationships, primarily toxic ones laced with manipulation. There is also a lot of focus on facades, with every character (including Emily) presenting both the world and close friends with what they want them to see, rather than their true selves. As a reader, I found myself working to sort out the image of the characters from their reality. In the end, we realize Emily has failed to find the facades in some of her discoveries over the summer, which leaves us wondering if we have actually missed some as well.

Both the past and present stories have an embedded mystery. In the past, the mystery is who killed the musician. In the present, the mysteries include Emily’s illness as well as what exactly her husband is up to. For me, the mystery from the past worked much better. There were some elements of Emily’s mysteries that fell a bit flat for me, seeming almost too convenient or underwhelming as a reveal.

Overall, The Villa is a story that pulls together some seemingly mismatched historical inspirations (Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and Mary Shelley) in a satisfactory and deadly way.

This is a story that was hard to put down! The friendship between Emily and Chess is not a very conventional friendship. Their story involved betrayal, deception, and coverup. The twist at the end was unexpected. Loved it all!

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up !

Before starting this book, I did not realize that this was inspired by Fleetwood Mac amongst other things. The narrative of a 70s rock n roll band and their musicians relationship dynamics just does not appeal to me. It’s one of the main reasons why TJR’s Daisy Jones & The Six mostly fell flat for me. I could’ve found out about this by reading the synopsis, but opted to go in blind, so I’ll try to remain as objective as possible.

Emily & Chess’s friendship was so… strange. I have an odd fascination with dysfunctional relationships like that. To me, it was so obvious that Chess was an entirely problematic and toxic person, yet I also could understand Emily’s decisions and the affection she felt for her friend.

This book plays out in a dual timeline, and I don’t have much to say about the chapters from 1974. The angsty musician plot just didn’t do it for me (see above), but I did see striking similarities between Emily & Chess’s and Mari & Lara’s relationships. There’s probably some type of conclusion to be drawn here that likely just went over my head 🙈

The ending was fine, but entirely predictable, while also leaving some questions unanswered. I found myself feeling the same thing about Hawkins’ Reckless Girls from early 2022 and wonder if maybe her writing just isn’t my style ?

Anyways, if you’re into books inspired by 70s rock n roll bands and liked Daisy Jones & The Six, and liked Rachel Hawkins prior work, you’ll likely enjoy this mystery !

WOW! LOVED IT!! I could not put this one down. I actually finished it in one day. I really enjoyed the mixed media narrative and alternating timelines. I highly recommend this one!

Oh my Goodness. This book will keep you on your toes begging for more! We follow Emily a fuzzy mystery writer and her bff Chess a self help guru as they rekindle their friendship on a summer vacation in a villa in Italy. However this Villa has a past and it calls to Emily, she becomes obsessed with it and when chess finds out it she wants to help Emily and partner with her to create beauty out of tragedy. Will this partner ship be taking to far? Only the house will tell.

Fun, twisty read. I enjoyed the setting and dual storyline. I think this would make a really cool movie.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Jan. 3, 2023
Childhood friends Emily and Chess plan an impromptu trip to Orveito, Italy, to reconnect after years apart. Villa Aestas is the beautiful estate that awaits them, and with its sprawling grounds and quaint accommodations, the women know that they will be inspired- Emily, to write the newest novel in her romance series and Chess, to decide where to take her self-help empire next. But Emily is quickly enthralled by the decades-old murder that happened at Aestas, the tragic death of a young musician, killed by an apparent rival and soon, her idea of an idyllic vacation takes a grisly turn. The more Emily investigates the murder, the more she begins to recognize the tension developing between her and Chess, and before either of them know it, it’s too late to turn back.
Rachel Hawkins is no stranger to suspenseful fiction. Her previous novels, including “The Wife Upstairs” and “Reckless Girls” have been some of my favourites by the author, so of course I was excited to get the chance to read “The Villa”.
Emily narrates the modern day version of the story, where the friendship between her and Chess is explored, but during Emily’s investigation into the murders, she discovers a novel, notes and journal entries from Mari, who was residing in the house in 1974, and Mari tells us her version of events as well through these methods. The two time frames are easily marked and identifiable, making the flow easy to follow, but the characters are very similar, and if you aren’t paying close attention, you can get lost in the shuffle. Emily and Chess are both young women and writers, escaping to Aestas for rest, relaxation, bonding and a chance to hopefully do some creating. In 1974, Pierce, Noel, Lara and Mari also retreat to Aestas (although it isn’t called that then), for the same reasons (Pierce, Noel and Lara for musical inspiration). The only differences is that in 1974, sex, drugs and rock and roll are at the forefront, which leads to a grisly murder. In present day, a friendship struggling to stay afloat in a hectic world defines the plot. Authors, musicians or performers all, they seek out solace and receive something very different in return.
I loved the descriptive settings of both the villa and its surrounding city. Hawkins brings Orveito, Italy to life and I was quickly immersed in the sunny deliciousness of Villa Aestas. The women’s relationship is fraught with complications, but it is relatable and honest. Although this novel has twists and turns, I was able to deduce each one, which always steals a little bit from my enjoyment of the plot.
Hawkins’ creativity and style runs wild through the pages of “The Villa”, and fans of the author will definitely enjoy her new immersive and exotic murder mystery.