Em and Chess are best friends. Chess is a best-selling self-help writer. Em writes cozy mysteries. Em has had an unknown chronic illness and is now getting a divorce because her husband has been cheating. Chess invites Em to Italy to write at a villa where a murder occurred in the 1970's.

Mary & Laura are sisters who've been invited to stay at an Italian villa with some rock stars. This part of the story my brain would zone out during the audio book and I would have to remind my ears to listen.

This mystery/thriller was good. I kind of guessed a lot of it. The writing kept me engaged in parts. The narration was good especially the Julia Whelan parts. Overall, a good listen to a good thriller.

initial thoughts: really enjoyed this one! liked the multiple timelines, and the podcast/newspaper/magazine articles that tell different parts of the story from different POVs and the setting.

I have lots of unanswered questions about Chess, but maybe that’s part of the point of the second timeline.

quick read, short chapters.

I thought this was fine, but I was ultimately underwhelmed by it. I just didn’t really care about the relationship between Emily and Chess, and I expected more out of the past-tense story line. I would like to read more of this author’s thrillers to see what I think, but this one didn’t land for me.

I believe this is my third Hawkins book, and I’ve come to the conclusion that she is not for me. The mystery/thriller aspect of this book and lacking, and therefore I think the marketing went wrong. Wasn’t a fan of any of the characters in either timeline.

A tremendously enjoyable read in a beautiful setting. I loved the twists this book took and how the reader could question the deeply flawed characters throughout. 3.5 stars.

I love all things Rachel Hawkins, so I knew this would be a winner for me, and I was right! I read this book without stopping over two days, with no regrets! This time around we have two stories in one, that twist and turn and intertwine together, with (in my opinion) an amazing ending. You will NOT be disappointed, this book was amazing!

I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I wish I could have gotten through this book because I have always enjoyed Rachel Hawkins books, but this just was not for me.

This book took me a while to get into. I started and stopped it several times before just pushing through and finishing. It had a very slow start. It didn’t even pick up until over halfway through. There was so much going on in both time frames that it sometimes got confusing.

This was just an okay read for me. I have enjoyed another of Rachel Hawkins book more than this one so I did have a little bit of high hopes. Little bit of a letdown.

The multiple timelines really did it for me in this one. For a slow burn, i quickly became invested in both sets of characters and couldn't wait to see how the story would unfold. Absolutely bingeable.

This story follows two, now adults, who have been close since childhood. Emily and Chess's relationship now is strained for reasons that are made both aware early one and some which are revealed throughout the story. While they stay in an Italian Villa with a complicated and dark past, Emily begins to connect to the villa in more ways than one.

The story is interwoven between the past and the present, creating connections between characters across the span of time. I found the past story to be the more interesting portion of the book, Emily's character really drives the plot forward with her exploration into these past stories and looking at the dark underbelly of this villa. In the end, I was a little bored at points but the slight horror elements did keep me interested.

The Villa started out slow and picked up around 40%. It was a slow-burner, for sure. I didn’t love the characters and the friendship dynamic between Chess and Emily. The ending between them felt too unrealistic. I did love the Italian villa vibes and the older storyline of Mari woven in was enjoyable! I love Rachel Hawkins books so while I found this one only mediocre, I can’t wait to read her next one!!

Thank you St Martins Press, and NetGalley, for a copy in return for my honest review.

I enjoy Rachel Hawkins’ books and her style of writing but I have to admit that this was not my favorite of her books. I found it hard to like the primary characters but that is just me. Overall an interesting read and plot.

I enjoyed The Wife Upstairs and was so looking forward to this book by Rachel Hawkins. I liked it but I didn’t love it as much as The Wife Upstairs. The ending felt rushed and messy. I enjoyed the twists and psychological turns but overall, not my favorite by her.

I liked the premise, the setting, and the dual timeline of the novel. It was a compelling and atmospheric read that kept me guessing.

I think everyone should give this book a chance.

This was a fast-paced read that I devoured in one sitting! Overall, I liked it, but I didn’t love it. the major conflict with the bestie seemed a little overdone and I felt that the resolution was a bit out of left field. a few details left me confused, but the book is a perfect beach read!

Hawkins is a local author, so I've read most of her work. This novel is an interesting one because of the dual timelines and the 70 vibes of the story that inspired two iconic works of art--a blockbuster horror novel, a best-selling album, oh and one murder! As Emily jaunts off to a once in a lifetime trip to an Italian villa, with a old and dear friend with a weirdly competitive streak, she realizes there is more to the story of what happened at the Villa both then and now. Loosely based on a collection of historic events including the Shelleys' stay with Lord Byron, when Frankenstein is thought to have been conceived, the Manson Murders that shocked the nation with their brutality and occult ties and the hit music of Fleetwood Mac. It definitely reminded me a little bit of Daisy Jones and the Six. Thanks to netgalley for the read!

Best friends Emily and Chess, bother writers, decide to spend the summer at a gorgeous Italian villa to get their creative juices flowing. In the 1970s, a murder happened at this villa, involving a famous musician. While working on their books, Emily and Chess learn some disturbing facts about the past.

The book alternates between the 1970s timeline, told through Mari, and the present, told through Emily. I did not really care for either of these characters, especially Mari.

This is definitely a slow burn. I honestly found it somewhat boring at times. There is also a story within a story, which I usually do not like, and I especially disliked in this novel. I did not care about this other story and it was boring. I found myself skimming these parts. The Villa picks up somewhat towards the end, which is why I gave this 3 stars instead of 2 stars.

Overall, I wouldn't really classify this one as a thriller. More of a drama or women's historical fiction, perhaps. Rachel Hawkins follow-up novel, the Heiress, is infinitely better. I would not waste your time with this one. But definitely give the Heiress a read!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this slow burn mystery, thriller. It was super easy to read in one sitting. I enjoyed the two contrasting timelines of the past and present, her pros is what I probably enjoyed the most, her use of language had me captivated.

November 6, 2023
Suspense and mystery meets Italy?! Count me in! I really loved the fact that you get two stories in one novel with dual narators. First, there's a modern-day timeline told by Emily—whose estranged childhood best friend, Chess, invites her to an Italian villa. She thinks it could be just what they need to reconnect and rekindle their bond.

Then, there's Mari—who published a bestselling feminist horror novel while staying at the Villa back in 1974. In her company was her step sister Lara, a famous rock star Noel Gorden, and Pierce Sheldon. Pierce was murdered that summer, and there are a lot of unanswered questions surrounding his death.

Emily digs in to the history of the villa, and begins to find some clues in relation to Pierce's murder. The more she discovers, the more her and Chess's relationship unravels. It was an interesting frenemy dynamic that I think many of us with childhood friends can relate to, as much as it's sad to admit. I couldn't have picked a better setting for this story, and I loved the rock-and-roll vibes and the Fleetwood Mac influences. I just think there were parts of the plot itself that were a little slow and drawn out for my liking.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.