This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it! I love astrology and feel like she did a good amount of research to get that part of the story right. I liked how the book flowed between things that happened in the past and things that were happening in the present. It had a very creepy vibe and I usually don't enjoy that, but in this case, it was very fitting. I definitely held my breath and looked over my shoulder throughout the book. The MFC was not my favorite character. She was extremely neurotic, even before the events of the book, and that did irk me, personally. I feel like she was probably a weak person, so unraveling her didn't take too much effort.
Overall this was a good book and I will definitely add Lisa Scottoline to my list of preferred authors.

Title: The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 Stars)

Review:
Lisa Scottoline takes readers on a haunting journey through grief, identity, and the secrets of the past in The Unraveling of Julia. When Julia inherits a mysterious villa and vineyard in Tuscany from a woman she’s never met, her life begins to spiral into questions of fate, family, and even sanity.

The novel shines brightest in its lush setting and gothic atmosphere—the crumbling villa, the Tuscan hills, and the whispers of history create a backdrop that feels both enchanting and unsettling. Julia’s grief and search for belonging ground the story emotionally, making her a relatable and compelling protagonist.

The plot weaves together mystery, suspense, romance, and hints of the supernatural, with historical elements adding extra depth. At times, the story juggles a few too many threads, and some twists felt a bit predictable, but the emotional core and immersive setting more than make up for it.

Overall, The Unraveling of Julia is a beautifully atmospheric read for fans of gothic thrillers with a touch of the uncanny. It’s a story about grief, identity, and the secrets that shape us—perfect for readers who love suspense with heart and history.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an absolute page turner! From the first page I was transported right into the story.

There were several aspects of the story that I really enjoyed. Obviously the mystery of the book is one of them. I was fully invested in finding out what was happening with Julia and who her family really was. It kept me on the edge of my seat.

I also really liked the paranormal aspects. I think this helped add to the ambiance of the setting and the story. It definitely made me feel like I was in a dark and gothic setting.

I will read anything that Lisa Scottoline writes because her books have yet to disappoint me.

There are several different mysteries taking place in this book. As usually with all Lisa Scottoline novels I loved it.
Julia has inherited an estate but is she really the heir? What are the true details of her husbands death? And are these dreams she is having or premonitions ?

The writing is once again excellent and so descriptive one the reader can visualize Tuscany Italy with all the sites and smells. i enjoyed this one from start to finish. The characters were well developed and interesting and the plot kept me intrigued and full of questions.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A mystery/suspense thriller with supernatural overtones. Julia Pritzker is struggling with grief after her husband's murder and can barely leave her home. She receives a letter from an Italian lawyer letting her know she has inherited the estate of a woman named Emilia Rossi, which includes a villa in Tuscany. Julia was adopted as an infant and wonders if this may be a link to her bio family. Her best friend, Courtney Horan, manages to shove her out the door and she arrives in Corce, Italy, to find a real mess.

Who wouldn't want to spend time in Tuscany, even if it's just through the pages of a thrilling mystery? This is atmospheric gothic mystery that is also part love story. Very enjoyable even if you are a sceptic like me who doesn't believe in astrology, ghosts and all that--though my sign does happen to be Cancer the Crab like Julia. 😁

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

The main character was a standout: flawed, complex, and completely believable. I loved being inside their head as the stakes got higher and the danger more real. The atmosphere added to the sense of unease that never let up.

Julia has lost her adoptive parents and now she has witnessed her husband murdered after an attempted robbery. Julia is alone and lost in her grief when she is notified that she has inherited a large sum of money and a villa in Italy from an unknown woman. Julia feels that this woman could be the missing link to her past She travels to Italy to seek the truth but finds herself in a new nightmare. Danger seems to be at every turn leaving her to question her decision and her sanity.
I like Lisa Scottoline but this novel was not the thriller I had hoped for. It just felt like there was too much going on with hallucinations, murder, romance and the list goes on. It felt off and I just didn't enjoy it. No suspense, no tension, just a mediocre predictable ending.

Taking a deep dive into astrology, The Unraveling of Julia had a completely different feel from Scottoline’s last novel, What Happened to the Bennetts, which I absolutely loved. A quick, easy read packed full of supernatural elements and generational trauma, I easily connected with the protagonist even if I found some of the topics just a bit too out there and “woo woo” for my personal taste. That being said, the solid pacing, evocative descriptions, emotional depth, and compelling characters had me immersed in the pages from beginning to end. A deftly blended combo of mystery/thriller and women’s fiction with a side helping of the paranormal, it was a page-turner for sure.

All said and done, while it definitely wasn’t my favorite by Scottoline, I still had a blast racing through the pages. With dual mysteries, a sweet romance, and an unreliable narrator central to it all, Julia’s profound journey to discover herself delivered some well-executed twists, even if they were rather predictable at times. But the strong characterizations and vividly drawn setting were what drew me in and kept me hooked until the end. After all, I felt I was right there in Italy alongside of Julia. So despite the fact that the premise was a bit over-the-top, I still found that I couldn’t put it down thanks to its original plot and gothic atmosphere. Ultimately, I suggest giving it a try. I’m definitely glad that I did in the end. Rating of 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Lisa Scottoline, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for my complimentary digital and physical copies. All opinions are my own.

A fantastic thrill writer, Scottoline weaves in paranormal into this novel and it was not for me. The mystery and setting in Tuscany were good but the over emphasis on astrology turned me away. Appreciate Scottoline taking a risk.

Julia Pritzker thinks her horoscope is predicting what’s happening to her and her loved ones; she’s lost both her adoptive parents and her husband. Then, an unexpected inheritance in Tuscany drops out of nowhere. She has no idea who bequeathed the property to her, but she intends to find out. Once there, she’s stunned by the things in the house, and by the woman who had owned it. Then strange things begin to happen.

I always enjoy Lisa Scottoline’s books. They’re always entertaining, and this one is no different. What is different is that this book has a strong paranormal/occult bent. Julia finds herself having hallucinations and discovering secrets. She reaches out to a psychic medium, has visions, deals with bad cops, and conspiracies pop up out of nowhere. Julia thinks she might be losing her mind. She believes she’s being followed by some unknown person. Still, she keeps digging until she discovers more than she’d ever imagined. She also finds romance along the way.

This book was enjoyable and captivating. I recommend it.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank all involved for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

Unfortunately, I have to DNF this book. It just is not holding my interest like I hoped it would. I am not sure if its just me, but the story just seemed "wordy" if you will. I can see it may have potential, but just could not get into it at this time.

📖 Book Review 📖

📱🎧”The Unraveling of Julia" by Lisa Scottoline

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
JULY Books
published July 8, 2025

Another winner from auto- buy author Lisa Scottoline. This one is set in Tuscany, with a contemporary fiction/paranormal/thriller vibe. Julia Pritzker is now alone, after her husband is murdered in a random mugging. When a letter arrives telling Julia she has inherited a Tuscan vineyard from a Emilia Rossi, she goes digging for answers. Since being adopted Julia wonders if Rossi is a blood relative. After arriving at the decaying estate, Julia realizes rather quickly that Rossi was a paranoid recluse who believed she was a descendant of Duchess Caterina Sforza. While trying to learn about Emilia the townspeople are rude, almost secretive, insisting Emilia never had children, Julia is being pressured by a pushy realtor. A messy mystery with some romance mixed up in the beautiful Tuscany seashore.




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Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book. The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline was a mysterious story with gripping characters and a twisted plot! Great read for someone who enjoys the dark side of someone's own mind, how their world can turn against them, and who loves unreliable narrators and doesn't know who to trust until the very end!

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline opens with a gripping hook—a murder and an unexpected inheritance from a complete stranger. For Julia, still grieving her husband's unsolved murder, the inheritance provides a welcome distraction. The story then shifts to Tuscany, where Scottoline’s vivid descriptions truly shine—I could easily picture the stunning landscapes and settings. However, the plot takes an unusual turn with some unexpected supernatural elements that feel somewhat out of place. While the story wraps up in a neat, Hallmark-style ending, I was left with more questions than answers and struggled to follow some of the leaps the plot made. The characters remained flat and underdeveloped, which made it hard to care about them or feel invested in their journey.

Thank you to NetGalley & Grand Central Publishing for letting me read this ARC.

Julia's husband dies in a violent attack and she feels like it was fate, diving more into astrology amidst her grief. Then one day Julia receives a letter from Italy telling her she has inherited a house and vineyard in Italy. Only she has no idea who owned the house, but hopes that maybe it was a relative she's never known. Julia travels to Tuscany to explore her inheritance, only to discover the prior owner was a recluse who was losing her mind. As Julia digs deeper into the estate's past and her own history, she discovers strange, unexplainable events and a conspiracy that might put her in danger.

Lisa Scottoline has written a fun thriller that works as a good tour of Tuscany. The estate scenes have some fun elements of supernatural, gothic horror that separate this from typical psychological thrillers. I found the book fun and satisfying, even if I had to push myself at times to finish it. The plot keeps adding layers to the central mysteries of Julia's past and issues with the villa, but I did not enjoy it as much as Scottoline's other books. But for a thriller with a vibrant setting and some spooky elements it did the job.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of The Unraveling of Julia in exchange for an honest review.

A Tuscan inheritance, astrological angst, and a crumbling villa should’ve made for gothic gold—but instead, it’s a melodramatic maze of horoscope-fueled hallucinations. Set against the dreamy backdrop of Tuscany, Julia’s journey through grief and self-discovery has moments of intrigue, but the emotional unraveling feels more scattered than profound.

I am an avid Lisa Scottoline fan but had trouble getting into this one. I am not a paranormal fan but something about this book kept me reading. I think it is her beautiful writing style. I can’t give her a bad review when I’m just not a fan of this type of book. She is such a great writer that I will always read her next one.

Unfortunately I was gifted this to read the day before it was published so I was unable to get to it until now.

I enjoyed this author's previous work (the one I read) and while it wasn't a 5 star I did enjoy the story, enjoy the ride, and the writing overall is some of my favourite. The characters feel richly fleshed out, overall well developed with unique motivations and personalities, and the story reads really easy which is great because it felt like I watched the movie instead of read the words. When I read that this was about someone finding their identity potentially in Italy, in a villa in the Tuscan countryside and there was a large astrology component I knew I had to request it.

However, the familial line and it's constant repetition has gotten old by 47%. Further, the MC is supposed to be largely reserved and uncomfortable but runs into a man on a motorcycle and has now allowed him to take her hundreds of miles away? NO. Further, while I see that she's trying to find her identity and thus has to pursue every avenue this is not consistent with the character we've established. Sometimes she's a badass and sometimes she's a recluse and that's fine - people are multidimensional but this is literally both ends of the spectrum in a scenario that is downright scary. Which brings me to the "ghosts" or whatever that is. Maybe it's me and I am not open-minded enough, and I hoped to make it to the end to figure out whether the MC has gone insane or whether the house is haunted but I can't keep going. This one has to be a DNF. It just isn't making me happy to read and feels like a slog to the end.

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline revolves around a young widow named Julia Pritzker. After her husband is tragically murdered, she is left grieving and feeling that her life is spiraling out of control. Her life takes a sudden and unexpected turn when she receives a letter informing her that she has inherited a Tuscan villa and vineyard from a total stranger, a mysterious woman named Emilia Rossi. Julia, who was adopted and has no knowledge of her biological family, travels to Italy to uncover the truth about her benefactor. Upon arrival, she discovers that her mysterious benefactor was a paranoid recluse who believed she was a descendent of a powerful Renaissance ruler. As Julia explores the villa and uncovers eerie parallels between herself and the deceased woman, she finds herself drawn into a dangerous conspiracy that forces her to question her sanity, identity, and very survival Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

An amazing psychological thriller! The main character, Julia, is grieving the murder of her husband. She is certain her horoscope foretold this tragedy. She then inherits a Tuscan Villa from an unknown, to her, benefactor. Julia travels to Italy to learn who this person is and how/why are they connected. There begins the many strange occurrences, threats and confusion about her legacy.