This one was unputdownable. Julia feels cursed after her husband's murder and then she learns she has inherited a Tuscan villa and vineyard and she heads to Italy in search of answers, as she is also adopted, so this could be related to her birth mother. There ends up being a lot of mayhem, both paranormal and criminal, and I loved the unraveling of not just Julia, but all of it. Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for a an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book a bit repetitive and cheesy. This is my second Lisa Scottoline books, and I loved the first book I read (After Anna), but this one just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I likely would not recommend this to a friend.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this early.

Unfortunately this one didn’t work for me. The premise of the story sounded good and chapter 1 hooked me only to be dragged out in the end. It was hard to read with the writing style which was repetitive and sounded some what elementary. The astrology beliefs and elements where over used in my opinion and Julia just was not likeable as a character. It was hard for me to stay engaged with this one and it fell flat for me in the end.

Scottoline tends to be hit or miss for me. This one I found to be mediocre. It starts off strong with a surprise inheritance worth millions to a random woman, Julia. We follow Julia to the beautiful Tuscan countryside of Italy as she works out the background behind the mansion and inheritance that she has been given.

It was okay, it seemed to take some elements for another popular books (spoiler if shared) regarding the home, and overall it didn't keep me connected to the story.

One thing I do love about Scottoline is her love for Italy and taking us there to enjoy the culture and land.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the gifted e-arc.

"The Unraveling of Julia” by Lisa Scottoline is a thrilling 4-star read! Julia Pritzker has all but stopped living her life after witnessing the murder of her husband. She finally decides to leave her home after receiving surprising news from Italy, she has inherited a Tuscan villa and vineyard. But the inheritance comes with a catch: Julia has no idea why Emilia Rossi, a woman she’s never met, would leave her such a gift. Determined to find answers, she books a flight to Italy and soon finds herself facing one obstacle after another in her quest to uncover the truth.

I was completely hooked after Chapter 1! The pacing is a roller coaster, intense action followed by lulls where not much seems to happen, then right back into the suspense. The book includes a supernatural element and several mentions of astrology, which I found fascinating. It even inspired me to check my horoscope while reading! Some things initially seemed a bit far-fetched, but they were explained in later chapters, which I appreciated. Julia’s character evolves throughout the story as she learns who she truly is and what she’s capable of.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who likes a thriller with a touch of the supernatural!

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, Lisa Scottoline, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

2.5 bumped to 3

Spoilers ahead. Proceed at your own risk!

I was particularly intrigued by the premise of "The Unraveling of Julia," having previously read one of Lisa Scottoline's other works and thoroughly enjoying it. I entered this novel with high hopes, anticipating a captivating tale. However, I felt more like I was reading a debut novel rather than a work from a seasoned writer. The narrative seemed disjointed and choppy, making it difficult to get fully immersed in the story.

One of my major points of confusion was the book's genre. Was it a thriller? A Gothic supernatural horror? A romance? It often felt like it was trying to juggle too many genres at once, which unfortunately diluted the story's impact. The characters did not feel fully developed, and Julia, the main character, was particularly unlikable, which made it hard to empathize with her journey.

The numerous subplots left me lost, and I found myself questioning the relevance of some—what happened to Poppy, the investigator?! This thread seemed to fizzle without any real resolution. By the time I reached the end, the resolution felt abrupt and oddly cheesy, lacking the depth that the tone of the story had suggested throughout.

That said, I would like to highlight one aspect of the book that truly stood out: the Tuscan setting. Scottoline's meticulous research shines through in her vivid descriptions of the region, the food, and the historical places. This was, without a doubt, the best part of the book, providing a beautiful backdrop for the story.

While I had high hopes for "The Unraveling of Julia," the execution ultimately fell short, leaving me yearning for a more cohesive and engaging narrative.

Lisa Scottoline continues to take readers on a thrill ride that leaves readers gasping and begging for more. Especially in The Unraveling of Julia. Take your time reading this one if you can lots of twists and turns but worth it in the end!

This book is not for me. I could not relate to Julia. In mourning for her husband and rarely leaving home, she wins a villa and an inheritance from someone in Tuscany. Julia doesn't know how she is related to her and reluctantly travels to Italy to learn more. What she finds is not what she expected. She embraces superstitions and woo-woo beliefs. I received a copy of this ebook from the publisher. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. I found this story slow moving and I was bored. I stuck with it for a while but eventually skimmed to the end.

You had me at 'This thriller is set in sun-drenched Tuscany', as I always dream of escapism. This new thriller from Lisa Scottoline centers on Julia Pritzker, a young widow shattered by trauma: first the death of her adoptive parents, then the brutal murder of her husband during what seemed like a routine mugging. Struggling with grief, guilt, and a newfound obsession with astrology (her horoscope predicted her husband’s fate), Julia’s life spirals further when she unexpectedly inherits a sprawling Tuscan villa and vineyard from a mysterious stranger.

Needing to take her mind off things, she travels to Italy to meet Emilia, and is at first surprised that they do look a bit alike. Her adoptive parents never mentioned Italian relatives, but could they really be related? The longer she stays, the more strange things become with her paranoia, visions, and nightmares, all which keeps you guessing whether her fears are real or imagined.

Loved the atmospheric Setting with all its Gothic Vibes-vineyards, crumbling architecture, and winding country roads all imbued with ominous beauty. The creepy villa becomes a character itself, amplifying the tension as Julia’s investigation takes her deeper into a dark family legacy. There's even a chance of an Italian romance if she can get her head out of the past.

The pacing is slow at time, especially in the middle as many things are not as they seem. But I was still interested enough to keep reading to find out what will happen to her.

Another spectacular mystery by the fabulous Lisa Scottoline, this mystery is masterfully written and will keep you intrigued until the last page.

I have enjoyed other books by this author, so I was excited to give this one a try. It started strong, with the murder of the main character Julia’s husband and then a surprise inheritance of an Italian villa. Then things went a little sideways for me. I don’t mind when there is some magic in a book, but the hallucination scenes were hard to read. I mostly skimmed them as it was just too implausible. There was also a bit of a romance, which was fine, but then it just kind of rushed to an ending to tie things up in a neat bow and again, it didn’t feel like it could actually happen. On a positive note, I liked the history throughout the novel and the descriptions of Italy, I appreciate that the author was trying something different with this one, but it wasn’t my favorite of her work. I will still recommend to the right reader!

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book!

3.5/5

Thank you @grandcentralpub @hachetteaudio #partner for the gifted copies of this book!

I’ve read several of Lisa Scottoline’s books over the years and was so excited to get my hands on The Unraveling of Julia. This book is marketed as a psychological thriller, I’d say it leans more paranormal mystery with a sprinkle of thriller and a focus of romance mixed in. It felt very different from her usual work — so kudos to her for trying something new!

There’s a lot happening in this book. I’ll be honest, the instant love angle didn’t totally work for me. It felt a little forced and didn’t have much foundation to start, though it did smooth itself out by the end. That aside, I loved the way Lisa kept me guessing about Julia’s experiences. Is she losing her mind? Are the haunts in the house real? Or is it something else entirely? That constant question mark kept me turning pages.

Also — let’s talk about the setting! Lisa wrote Tuscany so vividly that I was constantly reminded of where I was. It made for a gorgeous, eerie backdrop to the mystery that I really enjoyed.

If you’re a fan of Italian settings, love a familial mystery with paranormal undertones, have enjoyed Lisa Scottoline’s work in the past then make sure to check this out. It’s different, a little wild at times, but an entertaining ride through love, loss, and things that go bump in the night. 🍷🌿✨

Julia Pritzker is walking home with her husband Mike late at night when a hooded man tries to steal Julia’s purse. Mike steps in front of Julia and is stabbed by the hooded man and dies in front of her. Julia realizes her horoscope predicted this and she should have paid attention to it. She blames herself and falls into a deep depression, basically afraid to venture out at all as she becomes more and more afraid and anxious. Several months go by and Julia receives a letter from an Italian lawyer informing her of an inheritance. When the lawyer tells her a woman named Emilia Rossi has left her a large amount of money and a villa in Tuscany, Julia decides to travel to Tuscany for answers. Julia does not know this woman’s name at all and wonders if she is somehow related. Julia was adopted as a baby and has never learned anything about her birth mother or family. The villa in Tuscany is in very poor shape and at first Julia thinks she will just sell the property and be done with it, but as time goes on she feels a connection to it. Strange things start happening - Julia is being followed, she is having strange dreams and visions, there are suggestions of her being related to a Renaissance ruler, Caterina Sforza. Julia decides she must find answers, hoping they will lead her to finding out about her birth parents. The book weighs heavily on the astrology and paranormal aspects just a bit too much for my taste. However, I enjoyed the book overall and found it to be suspenseful and engaging. It held my interest and I was rooting for Julia to get her answers. I give the book 4 stars for that reason.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on July 15, 2025.

Scottoline is a favorite author! This novel didn't disappoint. A lush description of an Italinan plot, an mysterious inheritance and characters that you become heavily invested in. Wonderful.

Fans of bestselling author, Lisa Scottoline will welcome an excellent novel The Unraveling of Julia.Julia Pritzker and her husband, Mike are walking home after a late dinner out, when a man jumps out at them to grab Julia’s purse and knife’s her husband, who dies at the scene. Julia is beside herself and is having a hard time getting over it, when she receives a letter from an attorney in Tuscany informing her that she has inherited a villa and vineyard, as well as a lot of money from Emilia Rossi, a woman she doesn’t know. Julia was adopted, and her adoptive parents are dead; she has always wondered who her birth mother is, and travels to see her estate and hopefully find her birth mother.

Anyone who has read Lisa Scottoline’s novels knows that she is an excellent storyteller, and includes plenty of twists and turns as well as building suspense. This novel is no exception. It is actually gripping and will keep readers on the edge with unexpected scenarios. Scottoline does an excellent job of developing her characters, and Julia, the protagonist, is likeable and readers want her to succeed in her quest for her birth mother, her need to get over her husband’s death (and for the police to solve the murder so that the perpetrator can be punished). There are several supporting characters who are believable and perfect additions to move the story along.

While most of us love to read an actual book or a kindle version, this one has many Italian references, names, and nuances, making it even better when listening to an audio version; the narrator is excellent and everything is pronounced correctly, which sets the scene and makes readers feel they are actually in Tuscany.

All told, this is a fascinating novel and highly recommended. The only thing missing is the recipes for the mouthwatering dishes that are mentioned throughout.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy of The Unraveling of Julia in exchange for an honest review.

Having never read anything by Lisa Scottoline, despite our both being "Philadelphia Lawyers," I was expecting to be reading and reviewing a Legal Thriller, but this is far from that, and certainly not a "thriller."

The story begins in Philadelphia with Julia and her husband, Mike, walking home from dinner somewhat late at night. Although she experienced some type of premonition that something bad was going to happen that night, they went out anyway, and, well, they are attacked a block from home and in an attempt to protect his wife, Mike is murdered.

Reeling from the tragedy, Julia becomes almost agoraphobic and a recluse for the next 6 months, when she receives the unexpected news that she has inherited a significant sum of money and a Tuscan Villa from someone she has never heard of. After finally being convinced that this is not a scam, she travels to a small town outside Florence, Italy, to meet with the estate lawyer and visit her inheritance.

As she tries to figure out her good fortune, and also as Julia was adopted, trying to figure out if the deceased is a "bio" relative, strange things keep happening to her, including hallucinations and nightmares, mainly centering on Caterina Sforza, an Italian Noblewoman who died over 600 years ago.

As she tries to make sense of these visions and nightmares, she also believes she is being followed whenever she leaves the Villa. Then while in Florence and being chased through the Uffizi Galleries, she falls into the arms of a handsome stranger, Gianluca. Given her fear of everyone and everything else, this "romance" is nothing short of nonsensical.

The more Julia discovers about her newly acquired villa, the more she is able to find out who she is and tries to track down her "Bio Mother." While on this pursuit the stakes are raised as more bad actors are revealed.

The most "thrilling" part of the book involved the Court room scene after she helps track down the killer of her husband. Everything before this chapter was drivel, involving Astrology, ghosts, Mediums and hallucinogens. The Local color and Florentine history was at least interesting as I am fascinated by the Borgia family era.

Disclaimer, I have never read one of Scottoline's Legal Thrillers, and after slogging through this, I may never.

Julia is grieving her lost adoptive parents and her murdered husband. Then she receives word that she has inherited a villa in Tuscany from someone she doesn't know. She travels to Italy to claim her inheritance with hopes of maybe finding her biological parents as well.
This all sounded very compelling and mysterious so I dived right in reading, forgetting my own advice in countless reviews to read the authors' notes and acknowledgements first! There are videos of locations in the novel and an interactive map of Tuscany posted on the author's website. https://www.scottoline.com. I wish I had checked this out before I read the book, it would have greatly enhanced my appreciation and enjoyment.
I'm very impressed with the amount of research involved with various subjects in the book including astrology, Italian law, wine and the ghost of Duchess Caterina Sforza who was a real person. Throw in a Ferrari, a new love interest and a conspiracy and you have the makings of great gothic storytelling. This was my first book by Lisa Scottoline and I can hardly wait to read more of her very prolific body of work. Brava!

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator absolutely nailed it, making the story fly by. As a big fan of Scottoline’s The Truth About the Devlins I jumped in with high hopes and overall I was intrigued from start to finish. The Italian setting was gorgeous and really brought the vineyard and villa to life.
That said, a few twists felt too easy to predict and the supernatural elements didn’t quite work for me. I’m also not the biggest astrology fan so those didn’t hit either. Still, it was a fast, entertaining listen and if you’re looking for something atmospheric with a touch of mystery and a fantastic narrator, this one’s worth a try.

Ugh--I never want to say anything negative about something Lisa Scottoline wrote because I think she is an amazingly gifted author, but this book was really hard for me to read. I wanted to like the MFC, Juliet, but I just kept finding her annoying. I am a person who likes a touch of magical realism in a novel, but the "medium" stuff Juliet experienced did not feel good or fun. I really liked Bianco, the villa dog, being how one important element of what was super not fun for me at the earlier part of the book--good job, Bianco! I also loved Gianluca and his mission to redeem his city for a visiting American. Very sweet. I was happy that many things tied all together and the ending was satisfying.

So grateful to #NetGalley and #GrandCentralPublishing for an ARC e-copy of this book and I will always love Lisa Scottoline and her love of family.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for my arc in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

I'd love to write out a well-detailed review of my issues with this, but I think I'm more just annoyed that I spent time from my summer break to read this and be disappointed the whole freaking time. I thought it was such a predictable plot, predictable twist, unlikable main character, and nothing going for it except the cool setting.

No thanks.