The murder of her husband has left Julia Pritzker mired in grief. Her life seems aimless until she learns that she has been left a villa in Tuscany and several million dollars by Emilia Rossi. Julia has no idea who that is but hopes she is a relative - Julia was adopted and knows nothing about her birth family. In Tuscany, she discovers that the villa is in need of repair and Rossi was possibly mentally ill with unpleasant tendencies who thought she was related to a famous Duchess. Julia begins to hallucinate, believes she is being followed and starts to lose her grip on reality.

The Unraveling of Julia, a psychological thriller, is a mix of mystery, romance, Italian history, abuse, deception and the paranormal. That’s a lot to pack into one book but Lisa Scottoline does it effortlessly. Julia is a such a sympathetic character, the history is intriguing and Tuscany is a fantastic location. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing and Lisa Scottoline for this ARC.

This one had all of the elements of a page turner: mysterious deaths, setting in the Italian countryside, a heroine who is trying to uncover her mysterious family roots, etc. However, ingredients aren't all that's necessary for a great read. It's hard to figure out exactly why The Unraveling of Julia fails to coalesce, but one weakness is most certainly the main character. Julia seems to be a bit flaky and not quite an adult woman, despite being the widow of a murder victim. The astrology/paranormal elements, which drew to read the book, seem a forced and hokey.

Conclusion:A good "airport" read but might not hold your attention otherwise.

Full Disclosure--NetGalley and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

Wow, was this really written by Lisa Scottoline? I have read a number of her books and was looking forward to a new release, but this was quite the departure from previous novels. I actually gave up halfway through.

Having said that, if the reader is into the paranormal and astrology, I’m sure they would love this book: I found the writing to be a bit juvenile, but then I was expecting the old Lisa Scottoline.

I would market this to young adult readers who enjoy more of the sci-fi genre.

Difficult to rate, I gave it 3 stars mainly because it was so not what I was expecting. As a young adult novel it is probably 4 to 4.5

This was a mix of mystery and paranormal with a little romance thrown in. I am not sure that it worked for me.

Julia has suffered tremendous loss in the past year. Her adopted parents died, then her husband is murdered while trying to protect her from a street robber. She has confined herself to her home because she is fearful that the person who killed her husband might be looking for her- although she didn't really see who it is. In the midst of all this sorrow, she discovers that she has inherited a mansion/villa and a lot of money from a person unknown to her in Tuscany. At first she argues that it could not be her, she doesn't know Emilia Rossi. Here is where I started to roll my eyes, because, girl, you were adopted and could be related to anyone!!

Then her horoscope tells her that something good is coming for her. Yes, she reads her horoscopes daily, and plans her life around them. So she goes to Tuscany. As she learns more about the previous owner, Emilia, she is a bit overwhelmed by all that she is learning about her. Then strange things begin to happen in he villa. She soon meets a neighbor who is handsome, kind, etc. etc. He begins to help her with discovering who her birth parents are, the history of Emilia, the ghost hunt. Oh, and the murder of her husband.

There were a lot of things happening in this book, and it did not feel very cohesive. I also felt that Julia was a bit immature, and i lost interest in this story about half way through. However, I persevered. There were a few twists, but they were not that twisty. Everything comes to a neat conclusion.

I found Julia's obsession with astrology and her horoscope a bit redundant and repetitive. I wish the focus had been on the mystery/discovery of who Emilia was, what happened with her, and also the discovery of Julia's parents. I think that might have been a more effective narrative. I do not mind paranormal aspects, but I felt like the book couldn't decide if it was a past/present mystery or a ghost story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline. I wasn't exactly what to expect from this book, having said that I found it an OK read but not a great one. I had trouble connecting with the main character in this book, which is a must for me to fall in love with the story line. Having said that I would still recommend to others, because I realize not everyone enjoys the same style of writing.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and I am leaving my review voluntarily. It is not allowing me to click the actually star rating but I gave it a 3.

What a lot going on in this novel! One mystery concerns the murder of the main character’s husband for no discernible reason. Another mystery is her sudden inheritance of a large sum of money and a villa in Italy. Tangled up in all of this are a lot of horoscope predictions, a zealous real estate broker, a couple of bad guys tailing her, a few horrible nightmares/visions, an enchanting man supporting her, an adoption in her past, and a bestie who can drop everything to fly to Italy. This is a fast moving and enthralling story with a few bumps in the road for me. Some of the powers exhibited by the MC were a little “out there” but were a fun read. All the mysteries are solved with a lot of far out conjecture which seemed a bit unlikely. And the romance connection was great, then faded away rather quickly despite the ending.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC to read and review.

The Unraveling of Julia
Julia and her husband Mike were out one night near their home in Philadelphia when Mike was attacked & killed. Julia was distraught and grief stricken. Weeks later she discovered that she had inherited money and a villa in Italy. She had been adopted and had not knowledge of an Italian relative.
So she traveled to the villa in Tuscany, to find it in disrepair. It had been owned by a wealthy eccentric woman who felt she was descended from royalty. Julia set out to find the connection between her and her benefactor. This led to mysteries and gaslighting from the local people she had trusted.
This book’s themes include astrology, a romance and ESP. The author’s descriptions of Tuscany and Florence will inspire travelers to visit those locations. It was a page turner with a surprise ending.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Unraveling of Julia, by Lisa Scottoline, demonstrates both the author's versatility and willingness to try new genres. I have been a Scottoline fan for decades. Philadelphia is my hometown and Italy is one my favorite places to visit, which make this book's settings perfect. Scottoline returns to familiar themes such as family, friendship, love, and law. While the gothic and supernatural themes were fun, they really did not resonate for me. The main character also often seemed erratic and lacking judgment, not without cause but less likable than she might have been. Although probably inappropriate for this novel's themes and tone, I missed the repartee and humor of Scottoline's earlier work. Overall, while not my favorite Scottoline novel, this was an engaging read that I do recommend. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to read a digital ARC. I t was a pleasure.

The Unraveling of Julia is a genre-blending mystery that starts with tragedy and spirals into a whirlwind of astrology, inheritance, romance, and the supernatural. After witnessing her husband’s murder, Julia Pritzker is plunged into grief, until a surprise letter from Italy reveals she’s inherited a villa from a stranger. What follows is a twisty, emotional journey through Tuscany as Julia uncovers family secrets, solves a mystery, and even finds love again.

The novel is fast-paced and packed with surprises, making it an addictive read. But the execution doesn’t quite match its ambition. The astrology and paranormal elements often felt over-emphasized, pulling focus from the central mystery. Julia herself never quite feels grounded, and the writing sometimes veers into YA territory without the clarity or consistency needed to fully commit to any one genre.

While the ending ties up the major threads (including her husband’s murder), the plot often stretches believability. And readers hoping for more depth on characters like Catherine Storza may leave disappointed.

If you're drawn to genre mashups, atmospheric Italian settings, and stories that mix fate with the fantastical, this one might be for you. Just be ready for a bumpy ride.

I really enjoyed The Unraveling of Julia, a gripping psychological thriller by the acclaimed Lisa Scottoline. The atmospheric cover art sets the tone perfectly, drawing you into a mysterious world right from the start. The story kept me engaged with its twists and turns, and Scottoline’s storytelling prowess shines through. A must-read for thriller fans!

This book is twisty with a lot of surprises along the way. Looking forward to the next book by Lisa Scottoline.

The Unraveling of Julia is a slow-burn, atmospheric thriller that blends grief, identity, and mystery with a touch of the supernatural. This was my first book by Lisa Scottoline, and while I ultimately enjoyed the premise, it took me a while to settle into her writing style.

It wasn’t a favorite for me, but I can see the appeal for readers who enjoy a more introspective, gothic-leaning suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the free e-book in exchange for my honest review.

After her parents, then husband, die, Julia is starting to feel like she is bad luck. But then she gets notice of a large inheritance and villa in Italy she has been left by some woman she has never heard of before. Once Julia travels to Italy to check out the villa and sign paperwork, she starts to have premonitions and begins to question who, or what, is after her.

Liked: I thought the pacing was great and the overlapping storylines was so interesting. This is my third book by this author, and I found it very different from her previous works, but I was intrigued! The supernatural element was different for me, but it was fun.
Disliked: I thought the love storyline was a little cheesy and some of the MC's actions were infuriating and/or bizarre.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I first fell in love with Lisa Scottoline's writing when, years ago, I stumbled upon her Rosato and DiNunzio series. I have loved every single one of her books & this one right here, proves that this author excels in everything she does. This is her first Gothic mystery and wow is is a great one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I devoured this book as will her other fans, new and old.

I was so excited to be approved for this ARC, as I’ve always enjoyed Lisa Scottoline’s books and had high expectations going in.

The story started off strong and full of promise, but unfortunately, it lost momentum for me. While it did eventually pull me back in, it felt a bit too late. There were glimmers of the gripping storytelling I’ve come to expect from this author, but overall, the plot didn’t develop in the way I had hoped.

Compared to her previous works, this one felt slower and less compelling. I’m genuinely disappointed, as I know how powerful her writing can be.

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

I was surprised by the strong supernatural elements in this book, especially since it’s not labeled that way on Goodreads. That aspect didn’t really work for me. While some parts of the story were interesting, overall it felt overstuffed—with Julia’s murdered husband, a mysterious villa, a new romance, multiple threats, her birth mother, and psychic abilities all crammed in. It was just too much.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for a review.

Lisa Scottoline's proves that once again she's one step ahead in the cluttered field of her fellow suspense writers with her modern gothic, The Unraveling of Julia. The story is reminiscent of gothic writers such as Daphne du Maurier and Phyllis A. Whitney with the recently widowed Julia Pritzker finds out that she's inherited a Tuscan Villa from its eccentric owner. Julia has no idea who owned the estate was and why she inherited it. After Julia arrives she learns that she has a deeper connection to the villa's original order and the target of someone who wants to estate for themself. Scottoline nails the gothic by capturing the errieness of the villa and standad characters such as the odd couple who are the villa's caretakers and a handsome local who helps Julia adjust to her new life in Tuscany. Scottoline also captures the sights and smells of Tuscany so well that the reader feel like there themselves. A note to Scottoline's long time readers that she doesn't forget to add a legal aspect to the story with insights into estate law.

The Unraveling of Julia is another successful example of Lisa Scottoline's dive into another subgenre of suspense.

I didn’t realize this book would have so many supernatural elements to it. There is nothing on the Goodreads genres saying supernatural so I was surprised. I didn’t love that aspect of the story. I thought the conversations between the characters were very odd. They talked strangely to each other, very formal and abrupt. I liked some aspects of the story, but overall I thought this was ok. I thought there was a lot going on between Julia’s murdered husband, her villa, her new boyfriend, people trying to kill her, finding her birth mother, discovering she was a psychic. It was too much.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 stars rounded down. Enjoyable. Great pacing. End was a little too tidy.

I started out reading this book, wondering where this would go. Meaning, I thought that the title meant one thing, when it really meant another. Julia started out as one character in my mind and ended up a completely different one.

While The Unraveling Of Julia is a mystical book with a thread of supernatural woven through it, it’s as much NOT about that. It’s about love, grief, friendship and perseverance. Plus, the Italian countryside.

Advanced reader copy provided by Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

This book was..... okay. I've always been a fan of Lisa Scottoline, but this one didn't hit for me. The story seemed to stroll along at a snails pace, and the ending left me very unsatisfied. While I'll definitely check out future works because I've loved some of her works before, I know that this one just wasn't for me.

**Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for sending this book for review. All opinions are my own.**