Alternating between 1974 and present-day, The Villa by Rachel Hawkins explores the toxic relationships, betrayals, and secrets that reside within the walls of the popular vacation home Villa Aestas in Orvieto, Italy.

Life-long friends Emily and Chess decide to spend the summer in a beautiful villa in Orvieto to reconnect. As the weeks pass, they realize there is a dark side to their relationship. Emily, who is trying to complete her novel while going through a terrible divorce, becomes intrigued by the history of the villa where they’re staying which just so happens to be where musician Pierce Sheldon was brutally murdered back in 1974. As she digs into the events of that fateful summer, Emily discovers there is much more to the story. As Emily uncovers the truth, she also deals with brewing jealousy and betrayal as Chess decides she isn’t going to let Emily get all the credit for solving the mystery surrounding Pierce Sheldon’s death. As Emily and Chess’ relationship starts to fail, we learn it’s not only the villa that holds secrets.

As the novel jumps back in time to 1974, we are introduced to famous rock star Noel Gordon and all the people he has invited to the Villa for a summer of musical creativity. Pierce Sheldon, Johnnie the dealer, Mari Godwick, and her stepsister Lara tag along as they hope to gain some glory by spending time with Noel but what they end up getting isn’t anything they could have prepared themselves for. The turmoil they endure throughout the summer results in Mari’s best-selling novel, Lara’s award-winning album, Pierce’s tragic death, and many hidden secrets.

The novel starts strong with an excerpt from Lilith Rising, the novel Mari Godwick wrote the summer she stayed at the villa in 1974. The line “houses hold onto the bad with the good just as people do” personifies the villa giving it the ability to feel and keep secrets just as humans do while at the same time foreshadowing ominous events to come. This intro sparked my interest but unfortunately, as I got into chapter one and met Emily and Chess, my interest in the story began to wane.

For a while, I enjoyed the 1974 storyline but as Emily began to piece things together, I started gaining more interest in the present-day plot. Unfortunately, I did not care for any of the characters. I found them all quite annoying and overly dramatic which made it hard to get through the book at times. The big secret between Emily and Chess was very predictable so I wasn’t at all surprised when it all came to light later on in the story. Honestly, there wasn’t much of a twist at all anywhere in the story when what I was truly hoping for was that “a-ha” moment.

I did like that the dual timelines did not always alternate chapter for chapter; the 1974 timeline was mainly presented throughout the story as more of a flashback as Emily read through Mari Godwick’s novel and diary which gave the story a nice natural flow. It was also interesting that both timelines were parallels to each other with the villa at the heart of it; even though many years had passed, history at the villa was doomed to repeat itself. Also, Julia Whelan’s narration is always a joy to listen to and the other narrators in the novel also performed well.

Overall, this novel, while somewhat enjoyable, did not hook me and did not spark any emotion in me. However, I did find the ending quite interesting which will allow for a sequel if the author chooses. I would be interested to see in which direction the author would take it.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC to read and review.

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 can't decide who I hate more Chess or the Husband. I enjoyed the dual timeline and getting to know Emily and her own self discovery. I loved the descriptions of this beautiful Villa by Mari, she makes me want to rent a house in the countryside. If you like a good mystery, check out The Villa.

3.5 - I enjoyed this thriller. It didn’t really thrill me tho, but I loved the 1970s part of meri and the villa in the 70s if I could of had a book of just that I would loved it, the chess and Emily part I was honestly just wishing it to be over so I could get back to Meris part or if it told me more about meri part. I thought the writing wasn’t bad, but I really think what lost me was Emily’s part. I would still recommend this to people who enjoy thrillers and i would still read what Rachel writes next!

This was a middle-of-the-road read for me! I enjoyed the story but it felt similar to many other books that have been published in the last few years. I'll still recommend it to patrons who enjoy this genre though!

Rachel Hawkins has done it again for me. She’s blown me out of the water. I started with her Jane Eyre retelling The Wife Upstairs and I thought I knew where her novelist arc was going to go next. I was wrong.

The Villa is a story within a story within a story. One narrative exists in the past and the other in the present with them both at the same setting. There are a number of instances where these narratives could have blended together and become indistinguishable but that never happened. Rachel Hawkins created two distinctly different literary voices that I think I could have separated without any identifying factors. It was that good.

I think The Villa is showing that Rachel Hawkins has found her distinct voice. I was a huge fan of The Wife Upstairs because I love retellings and I think she was able to tailor it to create a new reading experience. This one used explicit literary references to create an entirely new world all her own. When I picked up on references to Mary Shelley and that fateful trip that birthed Frankenstein, it felt like I was part of an inside joke. It felt like Mary Shelley was there showing us what happened next. It was an incredibly cool experience that is unlike anything else I’ve read.

And the narrators. They were incredible. Julia Whelan, Kimberly M. Wetherell, and Shiromi Arserio were a great team.

I’m so excited to see what Rachel Hawkins is going to write next.

**Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Like Rachel Hawkins, "Reckless Girls", this book just didn't really do it for me. It was entertaining enough, but also very predictable to me (this may just be a "me" problem, as I read a lot of crime fiction). The characters felt a little too cliched for my liking and I was a disappointed that the setting, a villa in Italy, never really came to life. All in all, not a bad book by any means, but one that I suspect will not linger very long in my memory either.

I found the book to be a little slow. I enjoyed the dual timeline but didn't think the random addition of the podcast was needed. I did have a little trouble keeping the characters and their relationships straight. I also thought that the book took too many plot twists from other popular books. Overall I enjoyed it but wasn't blown away.

#NetGalley ARC
This one sucked me in and I didn’t want to stop reading. This is not usually my preferred style, but I really liked it!

A story that flashes between the 1970s and present day, The Villa delves into the dark events that occurred in an Italian villa in both time periods. Hawkins explores the depths and limits of friendship that are challenged by love, greed, and power. A multicast narration served this novel well, with different narrators for the past and present, and also for the "informational" bits that helped to tie the story together. The plot moved along well, but I was a little underwhelmed by the ending. If you enjoy this genre, its worth the read/listen. Overall rating is 3.5 stars/5. Thank you @netgalley and @macmillianaudio for an audio galley of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Villa is a fun, easy, compelling romp that will keep you entertained and then surprise you with startling twists. If you're looking for an enjoyable thriller that celebrates the importance of female friendships despite jealousy and competition, this one's for you.

The plot of the novel is a delightfully complicated envelope in an envelope, with the modern-day characters-- bff writer friends staying in an Italian villa for a summer -- looking back on stepsisters, a writer and songwriter, who stayed in the villa in the 1970s -- one of whom is writing a novel of her own about yet another character staying in that same villa. The best part is that this sounds confusing but is actually easy to follow because Rachel Hawkins knows how to juggle.

The narration of the audiobook is a whole production with three actors reading the different parts. (Perhaps this helped with keeping the different stories easily separated.) I am grateful to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advance copy of the audiobook and to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of the ebook. (I preferred the audiobook for this one.) Enjoy!

This book was a very good book. I love the cast of characters in the way the story line kept me engaged from the beginning till the very end. I love the audio and cannot wait till I actually buy a physical copy of this book to add to my collection. Highly recommend this author cannot wait to read more of her books in the future.

2.5 stars

The Villa is a perfect example of why dual timelines are incredibly difficult to include successfully. The past timeline was far more interesting than the modern timeline. I wish the book has leaned into the themes of passion, love, and betrayal rather than focusing on the villa. It felt like the shared setting of the villa was only included to fit a publishing trend. There were very, very few instances where the setting was significant and any connections between the two timelines were flimsy and boring. As both timelines received equal attention in the book, neither had enough substance to make the story interesting.

I raised my rating by half a star for the twist at the very end. I think as a concept the twist was incredibly clever, however, it did not belong in this book. It didn't feel like it was woven into the story and instead cheapened the events that happened in the past timeline.

While normally Rachel Hawkins is a sure winner for me, this one was a 3\5. The villa setting lacked the creepiness factor I was hoping with a book that is promoted as gothic. I also struggled to relate to or find the characters very likeable. However, the narrator was excellent and the book finished stronger than it started. I would read a book by this author again, since I've enjoyed her past works, I am considering this one a fluke.

THE VILLA [Thank you @macmillanaudio for my copy!]: Believe the hype, this is my favorite Rachel Hawkins book yet. Set in both the 70’s and modern time at an Italian villa, I thought this was expertly plotted with interesting characters and a storyline that was mysterious but never felt like a true mystery or thriller (in a good way). I wished I’d had a physical copy so I could’ve gone back to some of the songs and book passages that were interspersed, but Julia Whelan does the audio so no regrets on listening to this one instead of reading.

I loved the dual timelines, the similarities between the two, and especially loved the female characters in the ‘70s timeline. I wasn’t as enamored by the modern-day women, but you can’t always love every character right?

The ‘70s characters include Mari, Lara, Pierce, Noel, and Johnny. Mari is a writer, and the others are musicians, spending the summer in an Italian villa together. One of them is murdered, and being relatively famous, it’s big news. The villa starts to be called the murder house after that, and some people in the nearby village believe it’s cursed.

In the current-day timeline we have Chess and Em. They have been best friends for most of their lives, and Em is in a very difficult place at the moment so agrees to go with Chess to spend the summer in Italy. Em is a murder mystery writer, but she’s way behind deadline. Plus, her husband cheated on her and then left her while she was going through a health crisis. To top it off, he’s trying to sue her for royalties on her past and future books. A reset sounds like just what she needs.

Chess is a self-help influencer, who rubs elbows with the likes of Oprah, and Em isn’t really sure she knows or trusts her bestie anymore. Does she really believe the BS she’s hocking at unsuspecting women?

Em starts to obsess over what happened at the house in the ‘70s and tries to learn more. Is it as straightforward as reported, or is there more to the story?

The audiobook was really good too, being narrated by Julia Whelan, Kimberley M. Wetherell and Shiromi Arserio. The audio comes in at 7 hours and 57 minutes.

I was so excited to read this as it’s one of my most anticipated thrillers coming out in 2023. Thanks you so much @macmillan for sending an early copy.

The blurb at the back of the book is what really had me intrigued:

“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.”

What I will say is that the story felt very chaotic to me. There were dual timelines but I felt like I was never fully invested in either of them. I would have preferred only one of the time lines and then snippets in the past or present.

While I didn’t love this one, don’t let it stop you from picking this up, especially since it comes out today! I loved her previous book Reckless Girls, while a few of my friends really didn’t like it.

Dear The Villa,
You were such a fun ride. I was in the mood for a good thriller, without much horror and a few twists and turns and you gave me that! There were some unpredictable twists for sure, and I totally thought you were going to go one direction (hint, Ches is not as evil as I thought!) but you switched gears on me to surprise me in a new way. I loved the 1970's storyline tying into the current timeline, and I was a bit disappointed at your ending. I REALLY wasn't expecting that twist and it let me down just a little bit. All of that being said, I did binge-listen to you in a single day, so you certainly kept my interest!

Overall, I enjoyed The Villa. I found the past story of Villa Aestas more compelling than Emily and Chess's present-day story. Neither Emily nor Chess are very likable characters, and their toxic relationship is disturbing. Both storylines had great endings.

Present day, Emily is a mystery writer who is spending the summer at Villa Aestas in Orvieto, Italy with her best friend Chess, a successful self-help novelist. The Villa though has a dark history; in the 1970s, it was rented by Mari, her rockstar boyfriend and his friends only for their trip to end in the rockstar’s brutal murder. Forty years later Emily begins looking into the villa’s history only to uncover some shocking secrets.

Less thriller and more suspenseful mystery with a gothic twist, the story is told from multiple POV's, both current and in the 1970s, we learn about the villa and the atmospheric details of the home make it a character of its own.

I enjoyed both timelines but in present day, the relationship between Emily and Chess was more toxic than not and as we neared the end, I was frustrated and just wanted to shake some sense into Emily! Just like Reckless Girls, I felt like the ending put a damper a story I was enjoying.

I listened to this one on audio, while reading along with the book, and the audio was great! Both Julia Whelan and Kimberly M. Wetherell were excellent.