The story unfolds across 1930s Paris, 1990s Cambridge, and present-day Dubai, centering on a lost surrealist painting and the mysterious death of its artist, Juliette Willoughby. I love how the timelines interweave to slowly reveal secrets.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper for the ARC!

Dark, glamorous, and thoroughly addictive. The dual timelines unraveled secrets at just the right pace, keeping me on edge. A few plot points stretched believability, but the emotional tension held. A satisfying gothic mystery for fans of moody, character-driven thrillers.

Netgalley ARC

What happened to Juliette Willoughby? Why didn't any of her art survive? When two college students unearth a photo of one of her lost works, it leads them down an unexpected path.

This is one of those books that kind of got in its own way. I really enjoyed learning about what happened to Juliette, but we got so little of her story. Too much time was spent on the notably less interesting college romance and drama, despite it not being all that integral to the story. There were the beginnings of some dark academia vibes here, too, but they also got overshadowed by the unnecessary romance. I think this would have been a four-star book for me if the focus had been more on Juliette. The mystery kept me reading even if the twists were all fairly predictable.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

If you love dual timeline novels, The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby is one to read. The entire story had me from the first page and I couldn't put it down. The story follows runaway heiress artist Juliette Willoughby who tragically passes away in a fire along with her only prominent work in 1938 and then 50 years later, two art history students who discover that the fire may not have been on accident. The book moves at an incredibly fast paced, and while it's historical fiction, it reads more like a thriller.

Great book - definitely one I'll be recommending.
Thank you Harper and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A mystery around a famous artist - Juliette Willoughby. None of her art remains, not even photos. Two college students are investigating it when they stumble on a possible clue to the mystery - a box with proof of the painting and more!

I really liked the mystery around Juliette Willoughby. I loved hearing the descriptions of her art and the beginning of her life and all the twists. I also found the two students and their POV interesting. i found the romance storyline a bit distracting and wished that we'd gotten even more of Juliette's story and less of the back and forth romance. I loved the twists, even if a few were easy to predict. The mystery really held my attention and it was entertaining. I liked it!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I really enjoyed this one. There were lots of twists and turns throughout. I enjoyed the interaction between the main characters. I also liked learning about Juliette through her journal.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

This was a fun book told in multiple viewpoints and during multiple decades. We get the viewpoints of the titular character during 1938, told through a diary found by a student working on her dissertation at Cambridge in 1988, and the resolution of these ties in the current time period. There are so many different stories and characters that tie together in interesting ways but the author manages to keep them all in order and makes each string distinctive and intriguing, if a little far-fetched (that doesn't detract from the story for me). I really enjoyed this book.

I adore Ellery Lloyd, and how they tell a story. They bring both perspectives to the table and only walk away after they have developed the hell out of any possible twists.
The way the timeline was used was clever and I enjoyed the build up. I guessed who was guilty reasonably early on, but that didn't keep me from enjoying the build-up and crash to the end.

I have many thoughts on this book. First, I didn't think that the book was going to go in the direction that it did. I guessed that Juliette was still alive but then I realized, well based on time periods that wouldn't even make sense. Second, Athena and Freddie being the culprits?? I don't know how much I really liked that after sitting on it for a couple days. Lastly, this was sooooo much slower than it should've been. It was a pretty well written book, I just don't know if I am shocked by the ending or if it was lacking.

Anything by Ellery Lloyd is a must-read for me, and this one continues the trend. Have used this book to introduce others to their work.

Wow! I'm delayed in reading this -- it pubbed last June! I got an ARC and didn't end up reading it early but I grabbed the audio and LOVED THIS BOOK. (better late than never, right?)

Would recommend if you love:
-GREAT twists (but not thriller-y or scary)
-Multi-timeline
-Multi-POV
-Well-developed characters

This book is SO TWISTY but not in a thriller or scary way. My jaw dropped at that one about 73% in. Had to sit with that a moment! The characterization was wonderful, and each character adds something to the storyline either in the present timeline or the past. The story is told in alternating POV of Caroline and Patrick (plus Juliette) and multi-timeline as well which is my favorite. There's a bit of mixed media with Juliette's journal entries. All of these factors made this a compelling story that was SO BINGEABLE.

Overall, I loved this and could not read it fast enough. It was one of those "wish I could read this again for the first time" stories...even though I rushed through it this one should be SAVORED!!! SO GOOD!

THE FINAL ACT OF JULIETTE WILLOUGH is an exceptional art thriller that effortlessly weaves together the mystery surrounding a Surrealist masterpiece and the body count piling up around it. This duo, Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos, captivates us as we slide down the rabbit hole of Juliette Willoughby’s life and all those touched by this artist both past and present.

I am not lying when I say this book was one of my favorites for the year. The way the authors move back and forth between characters and time could be overwhelming or take away from the mystery. However, they nailed it. Each perspective and story being told propelled the narrative forward at a perfect pace. In addition, there are carefully placed breadcrumbs and secrets revealed adding to the building of tension until the reader gets to the brilliantly crafted ending.

THE FINAL ACT OF JULIETTE WILLOUGH is a must-read. The art history, the wonderfully conceived characters, and the murders surrounding this painting came together to give us a clever, layered, and addictive thriller. It was so good!

4.5⭐️
This was a very clever and exciting novel. Told through multiple timelines and perspectives, this story tells a tale rich in art and intrigue. There's murder, questionable art, Egyptian lore, a secret society, and truth to uncover - all centering around the Willoughby name and, of course, artist Juliette. Her legacy and mysterious life were captivating, and reading this made me feel like I was on an adventure to uncover the real truth with each narrator and in each timeline. I absolutely thought I had it figured out on more than one occasion - and while a few of my hunches were right-ish, I never did have it all puzzled out.

This book felt like being thrust in the middle of a dire art deal where everything is at stake and no one is to be trusted. Very much giving art heist movie x family secrets determined to stay buried vibes. A great read!

📖 Book Review 📖

📱🎧 "The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby" by Ellery Lloyd

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
published June 11, 2024

I struggled to get invested in this book. Juliette Willoughby left quite a mark on her family that haunted generations for years. She was never the same, dealing with mental illness and the loss of her sister. The mark she left on the art world was more mysterious when her prized masterpiece “Self Portrait As Sphinx” burned in a Paris studio fire in 1938 taking the heiress’s life as well. Now 50 years later, two art history students from Cambridge found an old, forgotten diary of the deceased heiress, which could disrupt the “perfect” Willoughbys well-kept secrets. Told in multiple timelines is the captivating story of a young woman artist fighting to survive and leave her mark on the world.

#somanybooks #readsomemore #audiobooks #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #readersofinstagram #readmorebooks #booklover #bookishlove #readersgonnaread #bookishaf

The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby was a cute read it follows a couple times lines to tell the story of renound painter Juliette Willoughby and her life. I liked the little twists and turns in this mystery. I do feel like there was alot of fluff we didn't need or use that made the story a little complicated. It did finally come together at the end but I feel like it took longer than it should have. I also didn't understand why the truth didn't come out when Juliette died. It made no sense the way the author played it out.

Thank you netgalley for a ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby is a captivating mystery that spans three timelines: 1938 Paris, 1991 Cambridge, and present-day Dubai. With its intriguing plot and rich themes about art and legacy, this book is a must-read for anyone who loves historical fiction and/or a good mystery with a twist!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me!

An interesting thriller set in the world of art history with an ending I didn't see coming. It felt very different from this author duo's previous work, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I liked Juliette's POV the best. Not sure how it ties into The Club, though.

I previously read The Club, which was also written by husband and wife writing duo, Ellery Lloyd, but didn't love it. But once again, I was sucked in by a stunning cover and an intriguing description. Sadly, this was another book that just wasn't for me.

This novel is told in 3 timelines, which I found confusing and ultimately hard to follow. This book got great reviews, and I can understand why. It really is beautifully written. Maybe if I was more of an art enthusiast, I would have gotten more into this one, but I felt a bit bored and had trouble understanding what was going on with the shifting timelines.

If you are an art lover and enjoy historical fiction, this might be the read for you. For me, I think I've determined that maybe Ellery Lloyd just isn't my jam.

Rating: 2.5 / 5

A female painter dies in a house fire in the 1930s after painting her masterpiece. In the 1990s two college students think they have found her painting but someone has been trying to keep it hidden. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️