
Member Reviews

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.

The premise of this book was intriguing. I liked the idea of a new widow inheriting an Italian villa and heading off across the sea to check it out, but her actions while there just struck me as terribly unbelievable, from the experience in the house itself to all the endless astrology bits and even the new friends she made along the way. The story just didn't ring true. I did enjoy some of the descriptions of sites in Italy.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced reading copy! This was my first Lisa Scottoline novel but it won't be the last.
The Unraveling of Julia follows Julia as she experiences tremendous loss and how she weaponizes her horoscope in her grief. She becomes embroiled in a mystery and I dare say a haunting after inheriting an estate in Italy. We travel along beside her overseas and then through the mystery of her relatives and past.
I thought the writing and the plot was great and I was really intrigued from the beginning. However, as the story moved further and we met more characters, I lost interest very fast. I found myself not wanting to read or my mind wandering. Unfortunately this was not engaging enough for me. I found Julia insufferable and the reliance on the horoscope was repetitive and annoying. For me, the mystery also fell flat.
I'm giving this novel 2 stars because ultimately I think I wasn't the right audience for this one. I think other people will enjoy it and my experience will not keep me from picking up more titles for this author.

This is a very generous 2 stars only because I normally like Lisa Scottoline books. But this was not good - the writing was very YA and unpolished. The story itself was unbelievable and repetitive. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

I have read a couple books by Lisa Scottoline over the years, and have enjoyed them so I was excited to read this one. However, for me, The Unraveling of Julia was okay. I really liked the idea of this story and thought that the paranormal aspect would be a fun twist. Julia was not my favorite character and I just really annoyed with her throughout the book. I love a good twisty story, but this one fell flat at times and tended to drag at times. Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for a digital arc to review.

Sometimes you just need a good thriller.
This is one of those. I thoroughly enjoyed the paranormal element with the thriller aspect. I think it adds depth to the storyline and helps to make it more engaging.
Julia is the star. Her growth from seeing her husband murdered to figuring out who murdered him is ten fold. Talk about a character that goes through it. She goes through a roller coaster of emotions and I really appreciate her strength to keep going despite what the outcomes may be.
The writing overall is strong and engaging. I think the pacing is excellent between action points and I definitely had moments where the pages couldn't turn fast enough. There are many surprises, even the small nuanced ones that connect to the larger picture of who am I and who dun it?
This is great thriller read and I'm super impressed by this author.
Thanks so much to Grand Central Pub for the eARC of this book! It's a great thriller read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read “The Unraveling of Julia” by Lisa Scottoline, with a publication date of July 15, 2025. I have read many novels by Ms. Scottoline, and I must admit I did not enjoy this novel as much as her earlier works.
“The Unraveling of Julia” tells the story of Julia Pritzer, an adoptee facing the tragedies or perceived curses in her life. The convoluted and far-fetched plot features elements of murder, mayhem, and mysteries with an overemphasis on astrology.
At the beginning of the story, Julia, an agoraphobic, fears the outside world because of a tragedy. She inherits money and a Tuscan villa and vineyard from an unknown benefactor, Emilia Rossi. As the story unfolds, Julia leaves home, travels to Tuscany, and attempts to discover why Ms. Rossi left her money. Were they related? Or was she a descendant of Duchess Caterina Sforza, a legendary Renaissance woman? Why was Ms. Rossi a recluse? The author answers these questions by revealing one revelation after another, leading to an implausible conclusion. Unfortunately, many of the revelations lacked impact, and the revelations and discussions of events between characters that could have been powerful were lukewarm.
I must say Julia matures throughout the narrative. The dishes the maid made for Julia and the wine served at the Tuscany villa were visually appealing and savory. Astrology and supernatural events played an important role in Julia’s journey as she embraced/accepted, or rejected her intuitive feelings and visions.
“The Unraveling of Julia” is a fast-paced novel with a tidy conclusion that requires readers to suspend their belief in reality.

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline is a taut, atmospheric mystery that keeps readers questioning what’s real and what’s hidden beneath the surface. With expertly layered twists and a haunting sense of suspense, Scottoline crafts a psychological puzzle that grips you from the first page to the last. It’s a chilling and thought-provoking read that doesn’t let go.

This was definitely a twisty thriller, but I found some areas lagged on and I had a tough time feeling motivated to pick this story up. I enjoy fast paced and captivating thrillers, and this was a bit slower for me.

This was a great distraction when I needed one. It grabs a hold of you and doesn't let go. For a bit, I was afraid it was going to be too "out there" for me, but that passed and I finished it in a matter of hours.

When conspiracies, search of identity and a side of horoscopes collide.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC! Arc meaning Advanced Reader Copy.
Plot follows Julia Pritzker with lots on her plate: dealing with the murder of her husband Mike, seeking her blood family and discovering the dark secrets within an inheritance from someone she’s never met.
Her main two supporters, Gianluca and Courtney were the best back-up she could’ve ever asked for; from providing mental and emotional support to ensuring she had some kind of help against the mysterious people after her.
Scottoline’s description of food made me hungry a few times, and locations were neat. At the end, she mentions how she used real places that she visited which demonstrates the lengths of research she went for in this book.
I liked how after a certain point Julia stops focusing on the horoscopes and consistently takes action and the emotional investment has its eventual payoff for the mysteries she’s trying to uncover. She didn’t start the fight, but she sure as hell would finish it.
There’s a certain character that gives a speech in relation to art and coping with their past, and another character that gives their thoughts about love and the heart which I thought Scottoline did a great job with. Even if that art character is one we meet near the end, they feel already fleshed out and makes you want to see them in action once more.
I’m not too much of a fan about her ‘ability’ even if it’s been foreshadowed throughout. The 3rd act tied any loose ends and questions left. It does feel like both Julia and you, the reader, get closure and a happy ending.
It’s a good thriller, you’ll have to hold onto your disbelief a few times but it works.
This book's publication date is 15th July, 2025.
The readers with an interest in thrillers and mysteries should check this one out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Grand Central Publishing, for this book.
I loved the mystery with a touch of the paranormal built into the storyline.
Julia is a well developed character and the storyline is creatively developed.
The twists and turns were not predictable and the ending was exciting.
The book kept me thoroughly engrossed. I found myself reading on and on to see what would happen next.
Recommend.

This was my first book by this author, so I didn't know what to expect. The writing was all over the place and I found the story a little draggy and boring. Julia was frustrating and I found myself rushing through the pages to finish so I could be done. I've heard this is story is a little "out of the box" for Ms. Scottoline, so I would be willing to try other books of theirs but this one just didn't hit for me.