A new to me author with a thriller of a read. It’s filled with tragedy, mystery & a touch of supernatural. Julia has been through A LOT. And it’s not over. When she finds out she inherited a Tuscan villa, things just get even more intense. I look forward to reading more of this author

I just couldn't get used to the awkward language in the book. Conversations between characters did not seem natural. The premise was solid, but it required huge leaps in logic to arrive at the presented solution.

I have read books by this author before and was really looking forward to another wonderful read. Sadly, (look at the date I'm posting this review vs the release date), I was disappointed, to say the least. The book grabbed my attention immediately, but then it steadily declined from there. Julia, the main character, is simply just not likable. Her behavior doesn't resonate with that of a normal adult woman. She is rightfully scared, after all, she did witness a murder, but her actions, interactions, activities, and judgment just don't pass muster. The story starts pretty fast-paced and then slows to a crawl (for me) with some situations that just would NEVER be real. Her interactions with EVERYONE, including her so-called best friend, are stilted and uneven. She doesn't act like she's ever survived amongst other humans, and this, overall, is the detractor from what might otherwise have been a very good storyline. The ending was satisfying, once I finally got there. I am so happy that I got this as an advanced copy from the publisher and didn't waste money on it. Rethink this choice.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

Julia Pritzker has always known she was adopted, even before her adoptive parents told her. They never wanted to talk about the adoption, and discouraged her from inquiring, so when they both die, she feels somewhat adrift. She is married to the love of her life and they are making a good life, but when he is murdered, she falls apart. She feels somehow she could have saved her husband, if only she had read her horoscope that morning!!

In the midst of a deep depression, she receives a letter from an attorney in Italy advising her she has inherited a villa and vineyard in Tuscany from a woman she has never heard of. Her best friend talks her into traveling there to see the villa and weigh her options. When she arrives she finds the vineyard has not been cared for in years and is a wreck, as is the house. Feeling that she might as well sell it, as she is encouraged to do by a local realtor, she wants some time to explore who this Emilia Rossi was, and could there be clues about her birth parents.

Her depression is not helped by the strange visions she has in the house, most of them frightening, but some leading to even more mysteries. When she meets a librarian and begins to fall in love with him, he is attacked and almost killed on his way to the villa. Then she knows there is something sinister going on, and she may be the next intended victim!

A good read, with descriptions of the Tuscan countryside and cities that made me want to go there!!

I used to count down the days for the next Lisa Scottoline book to be released. I could not wait to dig into whatever twists and turns lay ahead.

However over the past few years, I have been underwhelmed with her books. This one was fine - nothing spectacular. Nothing awesome.

Just fine.

Maybe it's just me. But I may pass on the next one.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity for an advanced copy of this book.

Lisa Scottoline is one of my favorite authors! I was so excited to read The Unraveling of Julia, and it did NOT disappoint! In this book, we meet Julia, a widower who mysteriously inherits a Tuscan villa. Everything is not as it seems, and Julia gets pulled into a mystery that she never would have expected. This book has it all - romance, mystery, and suspense! Highly recommend!

Sadly, I am a little disappointed. I felt like this was sort of all over the place, a little far fetched and very amateurish.

Synopsis: Julia's husband is brutally murdered right in front of her. His killer is in the wind. Julia becomes obsessed with her horoscope and believes that it predicted his murder, if only she would have read it in time. Then, out of the blue, Julia inherits an Italian villa and three million euros from a woman she has never met. Julia was adopted. Could this woman be biologically related? Julia goes to Italy to uncover the truth but then strange things start to happen. Is someone plotting to harm Julia or is she going mad?

I have read quite a few Lisa Scottoline books and have liked almost all of them. This didn't even feel like it came from the same author. It felt like it was written by an amateur and not a seasoned author. It was so outlandish that it made it difficult to engage with the story.

The characters lacked emotion. They felt very juvenile. The dialogue was forced and unnatural. Julia, your main female character, was so unlikeable. She was dry and pessimistic. She jumped to conclusions without any facts. She was flighty. I really just did not like her.

The longer the story went on the more far fetched it became. The speculations made about how events were connected were just too unrealistic. And the farther into the story we got, the more absurd it became. It was one conspiracy after another. Then throw in a little paranormal activity and some psychic woo woo and it just got to be too much. I honestly couldn't wait for it to be over. When it all came together at the end and the "why" for the events were revealed, it was so underwhelming. I felt so let down. The whole story just sort of fizzled out for me.

I feel like an emphasis on character development and character connections would have really helped. I also think a dual timeline with the dual perspective of Julia and Emiia would have also added to the overall storyline.

These are all my personal opinions about how this book sat with me so please don't let it deter you from trying it for yourself. It just didn’t work for me.

Another good one from Lisa Scottoline. What a book!! Scottoline does not disappoint. Her books will keep you engaged.


After Julia's husband is murdered right in front of her Julia becomes reclusive. She orders her groceries delivered. Works from home. She is afraid to go out in case the killer is out there waiting. But when she receives a call about inheriting a lot of money and a villa in Italy what is she suppose to do. She has to go check it out. Of course she doesn't believe it is real. She thinks it may be a setup. But she finds an email she didn't see and it's from the same lawyer. Her best friend talks her into going and seeing what it's all about. If nothing else she can sell the villa and add even more to the large sum she is suppose to receive.

This story takes you from the USA to Italy. There is a lot going on. A lot of intense things. But Julia did really inherit the money and the villa. Julia was adopted and thinks maybe the woman who left all of this too could be her biological grandmother. Who else would leave her such a vast thing. Julia's mother, her adoptive mother, died on her birthday when Julia was only nine/ten. She has lost a lot in her life and wants more than anything to have a family. But things are not all good when she gets to the villa. There are some strange things going on.

Julia believes strongly in the astrological signs. She's seen things before they happen. Or had feelings of bad things beforehand. Even seen or felt good things. She knew something was going to happen the night her husband was killed. She blames herself for not being more careful when she and Mike were out that night. If she had said something maybe he would not have been killed.

Seems Julia has a kind of gift. She can communicate with people on the other side. Even on this side in certain circumstances. She is being followed. Stalked. Drugged. Harassed. And she's scared. When Julia meets a guy and there are sparks she feels guilty. But she also really likes Gianluca. He's a good guy and they seem to make a good team. If she can only let go and give it a chance.

This story takes you on a life altering chase. Julia has to literally fight for her life. She doesn't trust many of the people in Tuscany. Not even the police. With good reason.

Grab this book and sit back for a scary and intense ride. It's very good and will keep you turning the pages. The ending is perfect and all loose ends are tied up nicely. I enjoyed it.

Thank you #GrandCentralPublishing, #HachettAudio/GrandCentralPublishing, for this ARC.

4.5 stars.

A blend of thriller, horror and the supernatural, this story has a little bit of everything! While the story was completely unbelievable, it was interesting and really held my attention.

THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA, Lisa Scottoline’s latest thriller(?) is a genre bending horror, love story and mental health study all rolled into 400 pages.

Web designer, Julia Pritzker has known loss in her life. She lost both of her adoptive parents and then her husband was murdered which may have been predicted by her horoscope. She is at her wits end when a letter arrives telling her that she has inherited a Tuscan vineyard. Wondering if she could possibly find out about her birth parents, she heads to Tuscany. What she finds is a crumbling mansion, a story of a recluse, Emilia Rossi who was convinced that she herself believed she was a descendent of Catarina Sforza, a Renaissance figure. Emilia is meant by Anna Mattia and her husband who are caretakers of the house and vineyard. As Julia tries to research Emilia’s life to see if there is any connection, strange things begin to happen. She continues to have PTSD symptoms regarding her husband, Michael’s murder. Someone is following her. And she meets a man with whom she begins having feelings, but isn’t that a bit too early after Michael’s death? Shouldn’t she still be grieving his loss?

As Julia gets closer to the truth and why a stranger left her this house and Vineyard, she begins seeing parallels between Michael and Gianhluca that were foretold by her belief in astrology and horoscopes. There is much more than an uncanny resemblance between Julia, Emilia and Catarina but forces beyond her control don’t want her to learn the truth. As she fights for her sanity and her very survival, there is danger at every turn.

As always, Lisa Scottoline delivers a fast paced, exciting thrill ride where you are just not sure of the upcoming twists and turns. I could feel the tension rising and my pulse quickening as Julia got closer to the truth. The writing was clear and concise and led to a very enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

Some of the themes seemed forced. The supernatural parts seemed a bit contrived and simple. I was excited about the premise but a bit disappointed in the overall story. The author exclamations were unusual and distracting.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! There was a lot going on for poor Julia - I think anyone would have become unraveled. There is some paranormal and a bit of stretch in the story, but it does all come together nicely in the end.

Julia thinks there's a dark cloud over her head. After losing her adoptive parents and her husband is murdered with no clue who the suspect is or why, she gets news that someone she's never met has left her a large sum of money and property in Tuscany. Could this possibly be someone from her birth family? Figuring there's nothing much else to lose, she goes to Tuscany to hopefully find answers. This was not only a suspenseful thriller but a story of adoption and finding answers.

This book has it all - mystery, suspense, murder, secrets and schemes, scandal, a little romance and a little paranormal happening. Plus - most of it took place in Tuscany! It took me 2 days to read this thriller -I could not put it down!
One night as Julia and her husband are walking home from dinner, a hooded stranger attacks and kills her husband. She is depressed and fearful of leaving her home. Out of the blue, she receives a letter from a lawyer in Milan, who informs her of an inheritance from a woman in Tuscany. The inheritance includes a villa and vineyard, and 3 million Euros. She goes there to see what this is really about and finds a dilapidated villa, with an overgrown vineyard, managed by a husband and wife who wanted to retire and move to be closer to their family.
She meets a realtor who advises her to sell the property and let someone else worry about renovating it The woman who left her the villa was a paranoid recluse who thought she was related to Caterina Sforza. She had murals painted on the ceiling and walls of some rooms which seemed to come to nightmarish life while Julia was there. However, these visions also lead her to some hidden areas of the villa which force Julia to question whether or not she was related to the owner.
Julia meets some people along her journey to find the truth about the villa, and a librarian from Florence helps her investigate the history of the villa until he is run off the road which sends him into a coma. This precipitates the uncovering of a complicated scheme.
I'm not usually a fan of paranormal novels, but this was woven into the story so well. that it intrigued me to keep reading.
I highly recommend this book to book clubs, and to anyone who wants a literary journey to Tuscany.

I loved the setting of this book, who wouldn’t want to inherit an Italian villa, even one that is in disrepair? There were times where I thought that the story was a little too unbelievable or convenient but Scottoline did a good job with bringing the characters back to reality. It was a fun read and ended with almost all unanswered questions answered, and more than that answered in a way that satisfied readers. A good read for anyone who will keep reading for the payoff even if their initial inclination is to stop when elements of the supernatural are introduced

This is a very entertaining thriller with Gothic vibes. A woman on her own, a surprise inheritance, mysterious characters, throwbacks to the past, all set in a Tuscan villa. It has a little bit of horror, a little bit of the supernatural and a whole lot of suspense. I enjoyed Julia's story as she unraveled the mystery of her ancestry.

The Unraveling of Julia takes finding your ancestry to a whole new level!

About Julia ~ She was adopted at birth and had a great mother and father. They were wonderful parents. However, her mother died on her 10th birthday, and her father died of a heart attack her junior year at college. Julia had always known she was adopted. And the older she got, the more it wore on her wanting to fit in, wanting to find out where she belonged. Julia has a solid appreciation of the zodiac and often relies on what her horoscope is for the day. She also has a sixth sense - she senses when something bad is going to happen. Like when she and her husband were about to be attacked. Her story gets worse from there…
Out of nowhere, Julia gets this notification that she is inheriting an Italian villa and millions of dollars from whom she thinks may be a blood relative. So, off we go to Italy! When she gets to the majestic villa she’s flabbergasted as to who the mysterious person is that is willing all of this to her. At the door, she meets the housekeepers, and they get her all settled in. Things are going smoothly until she begins to have vivid dreams and frequently occurring disturbances. Visions, colors, weird things that aren’t really there. She feels like she’s losing her mind. What’s happening? And so it begins, The Unraveling of Julia.

The plot was original and I enjoyed the pacing of this story, even though I predicted that twisty turn. All characters were incredibly well developed.
I liked the way Scottoline showed the closeness of Courtney and Julia’s friendship and what it could endure - it was perfect. I highly recommend The Unraveling of Julia to anyone who enjoys a good psychological thriller which is set in a very gothic atmosphere of an old, creepy Italian villa.

*Notes:
1. I want to know if you read the Italian parts with an accent.
2. Yes, I googled Caterina Sforza!

Special thanks to Lisa Scottoline for writing an incredible book and to the publisher Hatchett Book Group, via NetGalley for the opportunity to read & review. I hope to work with you again in the future.

The Unraveling of Julia is a delicious escape that grips you from the very first page—a captivating blend of suspense, atmosphere, and heart. Set against the hauntingly beautiful backdrop of a crumbling Tuscan villa, the novel delivers both emotional depth and spine-tingling intrigue. When a shocking murder shatters the serenity of Julia’s retreat, she finds herself at the center of a mystery as layered as her own grief. Still reeling from a tragic personal loss, Julia must summon strength she didn’t know she had to confront buried secrets, both within the villa and herself. The story is rich with moody settings, complex characters, and a slow-burning tension that builds to a satisfying and emotional climax. Readers will be swept away by the lush descriptions of Tuscany, the undercurrents of danger, and the poignant journey of a woman rediscovering her resilience. This is more than just a thriller—it's a story about healing, identity, and the courage it takes to unravel the truth.

Great story! I bit of mystery, supernatural, crime, romance, and suspense. This book covered all of the bases for me. It was extremely pleasant reading and I truly enjoyed reading it.

I’m a huge and forever fan of Scottoline. I love her thrillers, her historical fiction and her personality! Her writing voice is one I always enjoy.

That being said, this wasn’t an all time fave. I think the supernatural aspect in the middle lost me a bit. But the beginning and endings were great.

Overall enjoyable and I look forward to her next one!

Thank you to Grand Central and NetGalley for the ARC in the change for an honest review.