My first Lisa Scottoline book... and it was quite the ghostly one. Having not read her work before, I was unsure going in what to expect; however, in the initial chapters, the writing style was super over-exaggerated in that it felt stiff and too detailed. I kept wondering... what's going on here? Ultimately, it settled down enough that I began to realize it was more about setting the scene, an ethereal one with it helped with how the author planned to unravel Julia. The poor woman has been lied to for years, actually most of her life. So as the truth came out about her husband's murder, her own adoption, the weird inheritance from a stranger in Italy, et al... it felt so much more dramatic. In turn, this made the story and the climax all the better. Good plot, tho a little out there. Will read more from the author.

From the rich Italian accents to the suspenseful twists, this story was a real pleasure to experience. The narrator brought warmth and authenticity to each character, making them feel vivid and true. Hearing the Italian phrases spoken so naturally added a special touch, almost like wandering the charming streets of Italy alongside the characters.

The way the narration deepened the atmosphere stood out. Moments of tension felt real and gripping, while the romance was gentle and heartfelt. The paranormal elements slipped in smoothly, adding a quiet sense of mystery without overpowering the story. It’s impressive how all these different moods blended together so effortlessly.

The characters themselves felt layered and relatable, each with their own struggles and strengths. The voice work made it easy to connect with their emotions and journeys, which made the whole story feel more personal.

This story stays with you—not because it shouts, but because it quietly weaves together moments of mystery, romance, and the supernatural in a way that feels both real and a little magical. The Italian setting adds a special flavor that makes the whole experience feel grounded and unique. It’s the kind of story that lingers in your mind long after you’ve finished.

I love everything Lisa Scottoline writes and while this book was good it was not my favorite of hers. I would not classify this as a psychological thriller. To me it’s more of a family drama and not much thriller at all.

Julia loses her husband tragically and is grieving the loss when she receives word that she has inherited a villa in Italy from a woman that she has never heard of. She goes to Italy to try and find out who this woman is and how their lives are intertwined.

Julia has never felt like she belonged. After her husband's murder, she can't leave the house until she receives a letter telling her of an inheritance in Tuscany. Confused about who would leave her a villa and vineyard, but realizing it could lead to finding her birth family, Julia leaves for Italy. Strange things start happening, and people are following her. Can she find who's behind everything, her birth family, and a new love? Quick read.

I’ve read several of Lisa Scottoline’s books over the years and usually really enjoy them, so I was excited to pick up The Villa—and I’m happy to say it delivered.

The Italian setting was a big draw for me (she’s used it in other books, and it always adds something extra), and I really liked the setup of the story: Julia inherits a mysterious villa from someone she’s never heard of, and she sets out to uncover not just the story behind the house, but also the truth about her own past. I loved that there were essentially two mysteries unfolding at once—what’s going on with the villa (possibly haunted?), and how Julia is connected to this unexpected inheritance.

Julia was a great main character. Watching her process grief and move forward felt very real. I’ll admit, the romantic element that pops up not long after her husband’s death seemed a little fast at first, especially considering how devastated she was. But the book does a good job of explaining her emotional state, and it ended up working for me.

One thing I really enjoyed was the hint of the paranormal—mediums, psychic visions, strange happenings—but none of it felt over-the-top. Everything tied back into the plot in a believable way, which made it all the more fun.

The story moved quickly and kept me interested the whole way through. It’s a bit of a departure from Scottoline’s usual tone, but I thought it was a welcome shift. This book had mystery, heart, a little suspense, and just the right touch of the unexpected.

Overall, The Villa was a great read. I’ll always pick up a Lisa Scottoline novel, and this one definitely didn’t disappoint. Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an ARC.

It’s been years since I’ve read one of this authors book and her writing is as engaging as ever. This book was a totally different genre than the ones I read in the past. I became engrossed in this book from page one and remained that way throughout. A grieving widow, an unexpected inheritance, a trip overseas, and a suspenseful mystery combine in a stellar story.

I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.

I really enjoyed the first novel I read by Scottoline (The Truth About the Devlins), so this was a highly anticipated read. Unfortunately, I could tell from the first chapter that I was going to struggle with it and I just can’t pinpoint why. I wasn’t the largest fan of Julia’s, but it’s well written and an interesting plot so I’m racking it up to it’s me, not you.

The Unraveling of Julia
by Lisa Scottoline

I enjoyed this gothic novel, very picturesque and fast paced. I wasn’t a big fan of the astrology or paranormal aspect but the story came together nicely.

The Unraveling of Julia is a psychological thriller set in the beautiful Tuscan countryside and an interesting and somewhat off the beaten track mystery. I have not read Lisa Scottoline before, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I understand from other reviewers that the “paranormal elements” in the book were a turn-off for them. Not so for me. I am comfortable with the idea that there are ways for humans to communicate that fall outside of the normal channels accepted by science. In this case, the ability of the heroine to “see” events and people from the past and future was a big part, both of her being able to solve the mysteries surrounding her and to link her to her family.

What bothered me a bit was that some details were glossed over or introduced and then never referred to again. This is so for Julia’s fascination for astrology. It might have been just a way to introduce readers to the fact that she was open to believing the visions and feelings she was experiencing were true, but it did not ring true for me that once she arrived in Italy, she never once embraced an astrological reason for things that happened. It was not, as is sometimes the case, an attempt by the author to tie strings together that couldn’t be proven any other way.

Readers who love thrillers will find plenty to like in The Unraveling of Julia. There are lots of delicious twists and turns, nefarious characters and mystery.

Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

As a reader of the author's legal thrillers I was introduced to this her first psychological thriller with anticipation. It was a exciting read, both tragic and very much a page turner. The main character is suffering PTSD from her husband's tragic death. She inherited a Tuscan property and promptly moved to Tuscany. With a sorted paranormal history herself she experienced a series of events that are mysterious and almost drive her over the edge.
This was a interesting intense read . A perfect escape read
Thank you for the ARC to the publishers, Net Galley and the author.

What more could you ask for than a mystery/thriller set in the Tuscan countryside? For someone who is pretty good at picking up on foreshadowing, and being able to call an ending halfway through a book, this story had SO many twists and turns I did NOT see coming. If you are looking for a poolside read that just feels like summer, but you're also ready for the summerween vibes, I would definitely add this to your TBR! Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC!

This was an unusual style for LS and I couldn’t quite get into it like some of her other works. I liked the characters well enough but I’m not into astrology much or the paranormal. Might just be me. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

It's a story of murder, lost family, finding your footing in life, when life deals you a bad hand. I did get a little paranormal for me, not my cup of tea. Overall a great read!

This was a good read. I thought that the story was interesting and the characters were relatable. There were times where I felt the writing was really rushed. I think the whole story takes place over the span of a week, and there are some decisions made that our main character makes that are rather rash in the grand scheme of things. Gothic horror is typically a slow burn, but halfway through I think we genre flipped into "thriller"-land. I think if the author had given the story a bit more breathing room this would have easily been 5 stars. In the end I will settle with 3.5 rounded up.

Gothic Suspense Novel Set in Tuscany

I am familiar with Lisa Scottoline’s legal thrillers so I was surprised to see the description of this book. I was curious to see her take on a gothic mystery.

Julia is spiraling after witnessing the murder of her beloved husband. At her lowest point, she learns that she has inherited a fortune along with an ancient castle and vineyard in Tuscany. She was adopted as a young child and has no knowledge of her birth family. Obsessed with astrology, Julia realizes her horoscope is guiding her to Tuscany and answers about her own history. She is shocked to learn she bears an amazing resemblance to her benefactress, Emilia Rossi, and Emilia’s supposed ancestor, Duchess Catarina Sforza. With the help of a handsome librarian Julia explores her history, and confronts the dangers that have beset her since her arrival.

This book is a lot of fun to read. I enjoyed it so much I will probably read it again!

Lisa Scottline knows how to write a dang chilling book! This book just kept me up late each night trying to finish. Loved every page.

This had such a unique premise with astrology, a mysterious inheritance, and ties to a powerful Renaissance woman. I loved the Tuscan setting! But the story didn’t fully land for me. The pacing felt off and the plot dragged a bit. Still, it’s an original take on a psychological thriller, and I think others might connect with it more than I did.

Thank you NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Hachette Audio for the e-arc & ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book started strong. Like the first 5-6 chapters, I was like woah. When Julia got the letter from the lawyer telling her about all the goodies, it looked just like one of those emails I got from my French cousin's Brother, Sister, great aunt twice removed. But that thing led to so much happening. Finding lost loved ones and going nuts.

Julia unraveled and not in a good way for a while. Can't say I wouldn't have done the same. This book was a solid 3-star read.

Suddenly Julia experienced the strangest feeling. That she was coming home. from The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline

Scottoline has a magic pen that creates real page-turners. Her latest, which she labels a ‘psychological thriller’ is no exception. I was hooked. I am not a fan of the Gothic, and this is not high literature, but Scottoline never fails to entertain.

Scottoline takes us to Tuscany, Italy, a land of vineyards and centuries old manors, motorcycles and busy streets. She tempts us with descriptions of glorious local cuisine.

Julia is in grief after her husband is murdered. She inherits money and an estate in Italy from someone she had never heard of. She decides to go to Italy; perhaps she can link her benefactor to her birth mother. Adopted as a child, she knew nothing about her birth family. But, DNA testing revealed that she was Tuscan.
The once stunning estate is run down. The caretakers tell her about the deceased, Emilia Rossi, who claimed to be descended from Caterina Sforza, an important family. And how in her last years, the deceased became a recluse and was perhaps mentally unhinged.

Julia is pressured to sell the property by a local realtor, but she decides to stick around and search for a connection between her and Rossi. She meets a librarian who helps her. But strange occurrences abound. She discovers a secret, hidden room. She experiences weird hallucinations and visits a medium. She is being followed. Accidents occur, the caretakers disappear. But Julia persists, and finds her heritage and love.

What a great summer read! Pure entertainment.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley.

Julia is a young widow, recently made that way by the unexplained, unsolved stabbing murder of her husband on a Philadelphia street. The incident has given her PTSD, made worse by her belief in astrology (and the fact that the horoscope the morning of the murder had warned her about tragedy). Six months later she reads another fateful prediction: “Your luck is going to change today. You are stronger than you know. Trust yourself.” What occurs: a letter from a lawyer in Tuscany arrives, informing Julia that she has inherited an Italian villa with vineyard, from a childless elderly woman, Emilia Rossi (who considered herself a descendant of famed Renaissance noblewoman Caterina Sforza). Julia is an adoptee with no knowledge of her birth family — maybe this inheritance is a clue to her heritage.

There are multiple mysteries to be solved: who was Emilia Rossi? Why did she bequeath her villa (minus all the personal belongings she burned in a bonfire) to Julia? Is this related to Julia’s unknown birth parents? Why are there strange people following her in Italy? Could any of this be related to Mike’s murder?

Lisa Scottoline always creates wonderful main characters and we are quickly invested in Julia’s quest for the truth. Her storytelling is engaging and the story is original and even quirky in spots — with hints of the supernatural and the integration of historical facts. The audiobook is narrated by the very talented Maria Marquis who gives life and versatility to the various characters. I was riveted until the very end! 4.5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Courtney has green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO There’s an interesting description of the effects of the African iboga plant.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Audio and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!