Julia was adopted, her mother died while they were baking, her father died while she was in college, and her husband was murdered as they were walking home from dinner one night.

Julia always followed her horoscope, and she felt something bad was going to happen the night her husband was murdered and it did.

Julia checked her horoscope every day. This specific day her horoscope tells her it is going to be her lucky day.

Julia waits to see what happens and she receives a letter that she has inherited a large sum of money and a villa in Tuscany from a woman she does not know.

Can this really be true? Yes, it is true, and Julia heads to Italy to see the villa that is in shambles and has frescos of the woman who owned the villa - Signora Emilia Rossi.

Bizarre things happen in the house, signs of someone that had been in the villa's tunnel are found, and someone seems to be following Julia.

THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA has a marvelous setting, but it got a bit too paranormal for me, but not enough to make me stop reading.

I wanted to find out why Julia was left this inheritance, why she was being followed and harassed, and if she would find her birth mother since her DNA said she was Italian.

A satisfying ending to another great Lisa Scottoline read. 4/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Julia is grieving her husband’s traumatic death when she learns she inherited a large sum of money and estate in Italy. Interested in possibly learning more about her biological family, she travels to Italy to piece everything together.

This book is includes international travel, adoption, grief, astrology, paranormal activity, and mystery.

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date Jul 15 2025

Lisa Scottoline digs into her Italian heritage, historic writing chops, and great mystery storytelling to conjure up a complex and thrilling gothic story set in Tuscany. Julia Pritzer has been devastated by a mugging that left her young husband stabbed to death, and the killer at large. Both of her adoptive parents died prior to this, and Julia has barely emerged from a lethargic depression – her only lifeline her worried best friend Courtney.

Out of the blue, a respectable Italian lawyers contacts Courtney to tell her she’s inherited both a villa, vineyard, and a small fortune from a woman named Emilia Rossi. Julia has never heard of Emelia but wonders if there’s some biological family connection. Julia heads to Tuscany to figure this out.

Astrology plays heavily in the events that start to spiral, with Julia a deep believer, along with Julia’s discovering budding abilities to commune with the dead. Whether you buy into astrology determining fate, or spirits guiding the living, the thrilling plot wraps you up into cascading violent events.

There are people following Julia, cops not doing their jobs, a secret well, a hidden room, a potential newfound love interest, and murder afoot as Courtney arrives to lend support and together with Julie works to figure out what’s going on. A whirlwind of a novel, and especially geared for those who like dark thrillers.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

3 ⭐️
Expected publication date - July 15, 2025

WHAT I LOVED - The Italian setting.

WHAT I LIKED - The mystery surrounding Emilia Rossi.

WHAT I DISLIKED - The paranormal element.

Thank you, NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this eARC for review. All opinions are my own.

Like all Lisa Scottoline books this is primarily about family. There was plenty of mystery and thriller action but in the end it still came down to family relationships. The vividly drawn characters and the unusual twists kept me reading late into the night. The build up was somewhat slow but once I hit the halfway point the pages almost turned themselves. Strongly recommended as are all Lisa Scottoline books.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced reader copy.

Having read Lisa Scottoline before, I was intrigued to see her take on something new, and the Tuscan setting made this feel especially timely after my own recent trip! While the premise had promise, I found the rapid pacing and ultra-short chapters made it hard to connect with the story. From page one, you're dropped right into the action, and I struggled to find my footing.

I turned to the audiobook, and Maria Marquis was a real standout. This was my first time hearing her, and she nailed the Italian accents, differentiated characters with ease, and even handled the male voices convincingly. Her narration added warmth and depth.

That said, I still found it tough to fully engage, largely due to Julia’s deep reliance on astrology, something that didn’t quite resonate with me personally. Still, the story has interesting elements, and longtime Scottoline fans may appreciate seeing her experiment with a new tone and direction.

Thank you to Lisa Scottoline, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for sending me the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for sending me an Advance Digital Copy of The Unraveling of Julia to read and review. I am a Scottoline fan from the very beginning. This story was mysterious from the get go. Julia has experienced a tragedy and is having a hard time moving on when she gets word that she has inherited a large amount of money and a villa in Tuscany. This opens her back up to a world of living. When Julia goes to Italy, she has a very real sense that there are factors out there trying to keep her from this inheritance. I thoroughly enjoyed this story!

This was an interesting story that will keep you wondering if Julia is losing her mind. I am not sure how I feel about the paranormal parts of the hook, but I did enjoy the overall story. The plot moved along nicely and the characters were interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

An intriguing mystery that hovers around the supernatural, set primarily in the beautiful countryside of Tuscany. Julia, the main character has had quite a series of unfortunate events. So when she receives a message that she has inherited a villa in Tuscany, she does not believe it, but it is true. Once she arrives there, she is horrified to learn of the history behind the villa, but intrigued by the unknown that shrouds the villa and her own family history. Strange things start to happen, and she cannot explain some of them, so she starts to wonder if she is supernaturally gifted. Julia is determined to figure out more about her family, and others are determined to keep her away from this area.

Overall, this book was a bit unique. I wasn't totally confident of the genre, as it seems to flip around a bit. A few of the plot lines seemed a bit far fetched and unrealistic, but then other aspects were very believable and interesting to read. I did enjoy finishing the book and sticking around for the ending, but felt it was a bit long overall.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own

I enjoyed this novel despite the fact that paranormal is not usually my favorite genre. The Tuscan setting is dreamy and there are many twists and turns to keep you guessing.

Julia’s husband dies in her arms after being stabbed on the street by an unknown assailant. Afterwards she withdraws and avoids the outdoors and people in general. Soon after she is notified she has inherited a Tuscan villa and a substantial amount of money from an unknown woman. She heads to Italy to learn more about her mysterious benefactor.

It’s a fun, quick summer read.

Normally I love Lisa Scottoline books but this one didn’t hit the mark for me. Maybe because I was on vacation but it just seemed to take forever to complete the book. The storyline was good and mysterious.

I really enjoyed this book. It had a lot of suspense to it. I have read many books by Lisa Scottoline, They never have a dull moment in them . The ending was really good. I'm glad that Julia got the answers she needed. I'm grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

Just like the Ferraris and racetracks mentioned in this book , this a fast paced story you won't be able to put down. Julia's husband is murdered and then she inherits a villa in Italy. from a stranger. Who murdered her husband? Who left her the villa? What happens next will keep you on the edge of your seat. How do these two events tie together? Read on and you will find out.

Thanks to NetGalley for the loan of the book. This book will keep you guessing until the end. It begins with Julia and hubby walking home and being attacked by a hooded man with the husband being killed. While Julia is in mourning over the loss of her husband she receives notification from an unknown Italian woman that she has inherited a fortune and a villa. Being adopted and having searched unsuccessfully for her birth mother she hopes this might be an opportunity to discover her heritage. So she’s off to Italy where the caretakers of her crumbling villa are able to share their knowledge of her generous unknown benefactor. Her search begins with the help of a researcher and her friend. We discover if she’s really psychic, why she’s being followed, does she succeed in finding her mother, was she the one that was supposed to be killed not her husband? Everything is tied up nicely in the end but it was a slight let down for me but was still a great read.

I have read several of Lisa Scottoline’s books and have liked them very much, especially “Loyalty” and “The Truth About the Devlins.” She writes interesting characters in compelling situations, often in beautifully-described settings. Her latest, “The Unraveling of Julia,” features a grieving young widow who becomes entrapped in a mind-bending conspiracy that reaches from the U.S to Italy.
I was back and forth on the newest book, however, and came to the conclusion that it just wasn’t for me. Too many supernatural occurrences and too many storylines that just didn’t work for me. I did, however, like Julia and most of the other characters who came into her life. There is even a sweet old dog who plays an important part in the story.
There were just too many supernatural coincidences for me to fully enjoy the story. I will, however, continue to watch for Scottoline’s books.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy for review.

I've never read a Lisa Scottoline book before but I love haunted, old houses and the mysteries that surround them. The paranormal aspect was very interesting and I liked how we unraveled the family history from a closed adoption.

Lisa Scottoline is one of my go to authors. I enjoy her work and this novel is no exception. It does take a while for the story to get pieced together, but once it does, it is really good. I felt compassion for Julia, and all she endured over the course of the story line. This novel is full of intrigue and suspense and is a good addition to Ms. Scottoline's body of work. A special thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

I generally enjoy Lisa Scottoline's books. I could not get into this one due to the multiple horoscope predictions guiding the protagonist's life. Thanks to the publisher for the preview edition. 1 star rating.

I must admit - a huge Scottoline fan here - so I admit bias!

The book started off a little on the strange side - then got plain cra-cra! But what a ride! How she packs so much into a book has always amazed me and this one is no different!!! So many ups and downs and plot twists!

Another great one from one of the greatest!

This book is a little different from Ms Scottoline's usual books. I must admit it took me a little to get into this book but when I did I couldn't put it down. Julia has had a rough life. She was adopted by a wonderful mother and a dad that really didn't care for her. Her mother died and she was basically ignored by her dad. She goes to college and meets and marries the love of her life. Then one night something terrible happens and she can't move on with her life. One day she receives a letter that sets about changing her life. She has inherited a villa in Tuscany. She travels to Italy to take care of the estate and find out more. Then her world is really turned upside down. She is beginning to think that someone is trying to make her go crazy. You must read more to see how her life changes yet again.