“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.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this from NetGalley.
Told in dual timelines, one that takes place in 1974 and tells the story of 5 artists (musicians and writers) who rent an Italian villa for the summer, only to end with murder. The second timeline is present day with best friends Emily and Chess are both writers who rent this same villa to and get some inspiration.

I really enjoyed this one! It wasn’t as fast paced as I usually like for thrillers but this was more on the suspenseful historical fiction side, so I was glad to read a bit slower paced story. However I’m a bit iffy about the ending, maybe the twist is actually not a twist but really is a twist idea isn’t my thing ? But overall enjoyed this one ! Great east read and I loved the touch of “behind the scenes” of writing a novel aspect we got from the main character.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ARC of The Villa! This book has been my radar since announced and is set to be one of the best hits of 2023.

This story follows two story lines from different time periods that unfold simultaneously for the reader in a beautiful villa in Italy. There are two perspectives: Mary, a young aspiring author and her group of musicians and artists on a summer trip to the villa in the 1970s, and childhood best friends, now authors, Chess and Emily. Chess and Emily take a girl's trip to the villa and tensions build between them as they unravel that story of the famous murder that took place in the 70s.

I adored this book. First, it is a book about books, so as a bibliophile I loved reading from an author's perspective. I love reading about the thought process that goes into writing both books and songs. This was a truly fascinating and unique style of book that I devoured in two days. It was like Daisy Jones and Verity had a beautiful baby in Italy. I highly recommend this book to top your 2023 TBR!

Young love, sisters, betrayal, best friends, and stories told that aren’t 100% true. That’s what I loved most about this book. It all happened in an Italian villa, a murder that is, but there’s many secrets that are never told. The book bounces back and forth between timeframes of two different stories but there’s a common occurrence at this villa. If you’re like me and love a good book that is hard to put down I highly suggest reading this!

A digital ARC of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. The opinions are my own and freely given.

This book is told in two timelines - 1974 & present day. There is a smattering of song lyrics, podcast transcripts and newspaper articles throughout, that help to tell the story.

1974 -
Mari Godwick
Lara Larchmont
Pierce Sheldon
Noel Gordon
Jonnie Dorchester

Present Day -
Chess Chandler
Emily McCrae

Childhood best friends Chess and Emily travel to Italy to stay at a villa for 6 weeks. Chess is a self-help guru and Emily is a cozy mystery writer. They both go there to write their next books and reconnect with each other. Throughout their stay, Emily becomes obsessed with learning about Mari, reading Mari's best-selling book and finding out what she can about the murder. She then decides to write a book about these people from 1974, the murder and about her own life.

Mari, Lara and Pierce travel to the same villa in 1974 to meet with Noel Gordon who is a world-famous rock and roll artist. Mari to write a book and Pierce and Noel to write songs. Noel's friend Johnnie is there. This part of the story leads up the murder that took place.

Overall, I like this book ok. I found it a little hard to follow when the revelation of how the murder took place comes about. I wasn't sure that I trusted Chess throughout the whole book. She also makes a revelation to Emily. Emily doesn't feel 100% invested in their friendship and I can see how Emily wants to distance herself from Chess but finds it hard to do since they have been friends for so many years.

My review is live on the following sites:
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2040431649
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4816418167
https://www.instagram.com/kuhlreads/
https://www.librarything.com/topic/338257#n7993685
https://app.thestorygraph.com/user_reviews/kuhlreads


Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Rachel Hawkins.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC and audiobook.


Description from NetGalley:
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 a notorious rock star, Noel Gordon. In an attempt to reignite his creative spark, Noel invites up-and-coming musician, Pierce Sheldon to join him, as well as Pierce’s girlfriend, Mari, and her stepsister, Lara. But he also 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 complicated history, she begins to think there might be more to the story of that fateful summer in 1974. That perhaps Pierce’s murder wasn’t just a tale of sex, drugs, and rock & roll gone wrong, but that something more sinister might have occurred––and that there might be clues hidden in the now-iconic works that Mari and Lara left behind.

Yet the closer that Emily gets to the truth, the more tension she feels developing between her and Chess. As secrets from the past come to light, equally dangerous betrayals from the present also emerge––and it begins to look like the villa will claim another victim before the summer ends.

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.

I have read Reckless Girls by the same author, and I think I like this author. Reckless Girls was a 4 star for me and so is this latest book. We have a dual timeline going with both lines not being as strong on their own. I did enjoy how the two lines intermingled. I also fell for a few of the twists and reveals. Overall, it’s a very strong thriller.

Overall: 4/5

Rachel Hawkins is becoming one of my favorite authors. My first book I read of hers was The Wife Upstairs which I listened to through my Libby app and then I picked Reckless Girls as one of my Book of the Month choices for last year. Her stories just keep popping up to me and I keep enjoying them, so I couldn't wait to get started on The Villa.

This is a hard book to review without spoiling so I'm going to just share some miscellaneous thoughts. It's a fun story that is told through two points of view. Our first character is Mari. It's the Summer of 1973 and she's come to stay at Villa Rosado with her partner, her stepsister, and two friends. The house is full of tension because it seems like barely any of the characters like each other. As we learn more about Mari and her group we learn two things:

1. Some of the members of the group are going to use their time responsibly, to work on their art, music, and writing.
2. Not everyone is going to survive the Summer.

Fun, huh? And in present day we are introduced to Emily and Chess, two best friends who are staying at the very same villa in Orvieto. They know about the horrendous events that went down at the villa but they don't think much about it. They have their own concerns to worry about. Both of them are writers and they each have a book on deadline.

I loved all the drama and mystery in this story. Because it's told through two different perspectives, the real horror of the villa unravels little by little. As a reader, I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. There were certain parts that just didn't strike me as realistic at all, but the characters were so interesting and their actions at times were definitely not what I expected. I'm really loving the way Rachel Hawkins writes mysteries and I was definitely expecting a twist after what happened in Reckless Girls, and The Villa did not disappoint.

On goodreads, this is how they recommend the book:

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.

Pretty spooky, huh? I highly recommend this book if you like mysteries. Rachel puts a lot of care into creating interesting characters (I just LOVED that Emily was a cozy mystery author) and creatiing interesting settings (So much talk of wine and cheese is good for my soul, tbh).

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for an eArc in exchange for my honest thoughts.

xo Marian

This review will be posted on www.mariankrick.com on January 3, 2023.

This book is more of a slow burn than a page turner. The book follows two timelines, that of Mari in the 1970’s and modern-day Emily. I’m not usually a fan of duo timelines, but it worked rather well in The Villa. Each narrative was easy to distinguish.
My biggest problem with the book was the ending. I do love a good twist, but I don’t like being misinformed. I felt a little cheated over the last, few pages.
All in all, I did enjoy this unusual story.
Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audio of this story in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book by this author that I have read. While not overly impressed by the story and it was just an okay story it was an easy one to listen to and read in a day.
This story follows two timelines one in present day and one in set in the 70s. Both timelines follow women who are being manipulated by men and other people in their lives. The story contained so much gaslighting and the main characters were so weak I was eye rolling for most of the story. The plot was definitely predictable and I guessed the twist/ending about 30% in.
However, I did find how the two stories intertwined to be entertaining. Overall I think I would recommend this story if you are looking for an easy book to read.

I devoured this book. I read it in one day. I have read other books by Rachel Hawkins so I knew this would be good. However, I was not prepared. This book is like Daisy Jones and the Six meets The Girl on the Train. The story follows a writer who is invited to an Italian villa with her long time best friend, another author but one who is significantly more successful than she. The story then switches between a murder that occurred at the villa when a group of young artists and musicians stayed there, and present day. The story was so engaging, well-written, and quick paced that I could not stop myself and stayed up WAY too late reading this in order to finish it even faster. I would recommend this book if you need something that will take your mind off things, or just to escape to a beautiful Italian villa and someone else's drama and intrigue for a while.

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of The Villa in exchange for an honest review.

Emily and Chess have been best friends forever but lately they have grown apart as their lives and careers have diverged. Chess is a wildly successful and famous self-help author while Emily is recovering from a recent crippling illness, is broke, getting divorced and behind on delivering her new cozy murder mystery novel to her publisher. When Chess invites Emily to join her in Italy for the summer where she is working on her new book, Emily cant resist. The Villa is spectacular but the biggest draw back is that it was the scene of a grisly celebrity murder in the 1970s and Emily becomes fascinated with the story. She begins to dig into the history and try to piece together what really happened as she unravels clues written by one of the survivors.

Rachel Hawkins returns with a new slow-burn mystery. It is told from the perspective of the two main characters; Emily set today and Mari from 1974. I really loved the setting for the novel and the idea that two stories can intertwine through a house. I think I enjoyed the story of Mari and her friend group more than the toxic relationship between Emily and Chess. The ending of the current storyline was forced and a bit over the top. I have enjoyed Hawkins previous work and look forward for more to come.

A slow moving story where not much happens until the end but then the ending didn't really work for me. I wanted more from the characters, more from the setting and more from the ending. I know that lots of readers have really enjoyed this one so it seems to work better for others, just ok for me.

THE VILLA had not only an intriguing dual timeline, but multiple points of view, which made the past and present weave together in a captivating way. In 1974, Mari, her boyfriend and stepsister go to stay in an Italian villa with a famous rock star and his friend/drug dealer (IYKYK, I guess this is still unclear at the end). They are all young and trying to pursue their creative passions. When one of them is murdered, their notoriety peaks and the villa becomes infamous. In the present day timeline, Emily is working through a tough time in her life, and when her childhood best friend, Chess, suggests staying at this villa in an attempt to regroup, she agrees. Their stay reveals a lot of secrets, some maybe not what you think.
I really enjoyed the setting of this book and the contrast of beauty - ugly (or maybe dark). The parallels between the characters of the past and present was interesting, and I was invested in finding out how everything would come together. As the story progressed, I had some theories about how this was going to play out, but there were still some twists I didn't expect.
Thank you St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.