I requested an early copy of this because the plot sounded super interesting. However, after not enjoying this book that much and not enjoying another book by Lisa Scottoline, I think she may just not be an author for me.

There's something about her writing style that doesn't really work with me, and I also found a lot of Julia's actions and decisions to be silly and not make much sense. I wasn't connected with her as a character or how the plot was unfolding. The heavy emphasis on Julia's love for astrology and horoscopes didn't work well for me either since that's also something that seems silly to me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for an early copy in exchange for a review!

Another great book by Lisa Scottoline! Really enjoyed his book! I would call it a paranormal thriller. Julia was adopted as a small child. She’s recently been notified that she inherited a villa in Italy. and a sizable amount of money. Julia travels to Italy intrigued to possibly find out if the inheritance is from a blood relative. Who is Rossi…the woman who gave Julia the villa? She becomes immersed in the Italian culture and finding out more about the woman who left her the villa and the inheritance. She travels to Florence, Tuscany, and Croce to find out more about the villa and her possible bio family. Should she stay in Italy or return to the US? As Julia digs in deeper, the danger does as well! I don’t want to give too much of this book away as it’s better not to give spoilers. This was an engaging thriller. Thank you to net galley and the publisher for an ARC of his book

Most exciting adventure with interesting twists and turns. Family secrets that can no longer be hidden. You will visit Tuscany in your imagination and dream of visiting there yourself someday. Very skilled author will keep you involved in this story!

Thank you Netgalley for an advance copy of this book. I loved the premise of this book...a young widow inherits a Tuscan estate but its all very mysterious. Julia is the main and she is instantly a sympathetic character after the trauma she endures. Then after this tragedy she inherits an estate in Tuscany and several different elements unfold...mystery, romance and even a paranormal element. I enjoyed this character driven story and felt the ending was quite satisfying as well. 4 stars.

I was initially drawn in by the premise of The Unraveling of Julia, and the story started off strong with a promising setup. Unfortunately, as the plot progressed, it didn’t quite connect for me. I’m an avid thriller reader, and while this book had the right ingredients—mystery, tension, and emotional stakes—it never fully delivered the suspense or pacing I look for in the genre.

That said, the writing was solid, and I can see this resonating with readers who enjoy slower-burn, character-driven stories with a psychological edge. It just wasn’t the right fit for me personally, but others may appreciate the nuances that didn’t quite land in my reading experience.

I haven’t missed a single book Lisa Scottoline has written - including all her nofiction books - and there’s. Not a book I can say was disappointing. Although I finished this book - I’m not a fan of it & had a hard time deciding what type of book she was trying to write - there were too many genres going on. Lisa, love your books, pleas go back to your tried and true methods. Thanks for the ARC and for allowing me to write my honest review.

Thank you so much for the advanced copy of The Unraveling of Julia. This is my first Lisa Scottoline read and I was very excited to get copy. Unfortunately this book did not work for me. Julia, who is reeling after the murder of her husband gets a call about a mysterious inheritance from a woman in Italy that she does not know. Is she related to her? She travels to Italy and ends of investigating/learning about the history of the villa. I thought overall that this story was cheesy and honestly didn't flow very well. Too much emphasis on astrology/mediums and the fact that she decided she was in love with the librarian was so rushed and felt not real. Overall, not for me.

The author sets a modern gothic tone in this novel. Julia has had a run of bad luck. She has lost her adoptive parents and then her husband is murdered before her eyes as they walk home from a late night dinner. Julie becomes a recluse but a letter from Italy telling her of an inheritance woos her from her New York apartment. Soon, our reluctant and fearful heroine, sets out an adventure that frightens her but allows her to mature into a self assured women. There are a few twists and turns in this one. At times, moved a bit too slowly for me, but all in all an ok read. Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.

Good story and characters. I enjoyed it but it was nit very memorable or something I would read again. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Definitely didn’t love it, but didn’t fully hate it. Part murder mystery part love story part odd. I don’t have an affinity for astrology and maybe if I did, I would have appreciated this story more. There was just too much going on in this to do any of it really well. As a librarian, I have a very hard time defining the genre of this tale - paranormal romance mystery? Not my favorite for sure by Scottoline.

Intense and thrilling novel with elements of deceit, trickery, and murder. Every page brings more questions of “why” with answers perfectly tied together. An excellent psychological thriller.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 rounded to 4
This is my first Lisa Scottoline novel. Why I haven’t read any of her books I don’t know. This was an intriguing mystery. It has a paranormal vibe going through it and a lot of astrology. I thought the astrology aspect was over the top.
Julia was adopted and gets a letter notifying her that she has inherited a villa in Tuscany from a person she doesn’t know, Emilia Rossi. Her husband was recently murdered right in front of her. Julia was very fearful about leaving her home, she goes to Italy and hopes of finding her biological parents. She discovers a dilapidated.mansion and that Emilia Rossi believed that she was a descendant of Catherine Storza from the Renaissance.
This novel has a lot going on. It had a lot of twists and turns. A real page turner I kept waiting for what is going to happen next. Although I felt the plot was very far-fetched. I would have liked to know more about Catherine Storza.
If you like a mystery filled with astrology and paranormal elements you will love this novel.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy.

This was a fun book I figured I would enjoy it because I tend to always enjoy this author. The paranormal aspect was fun I do feel like it could have been explored a bit more. Overall I really loved it.

I love all things by Lisa Scottoline, this one was a little different than her usual thrillers. The Unraveling of Julia is a psychological thriller set in Italy. Julia is trying to get back to life after witnessing her husbands murder. Unexpectedly she is notified of an extremely large inheritance that includes a villa in Tuscany. She wants to find more out about her biological family but things start taking a very unusual turn. She feels like she is being stalked, is finding out who she is worth the risk?

The Unraveling of Julia is atmospheric mystery. A widow (Julia) mysteriously inherits a Tuscan villa and a sizable amount of money from someone she has never met. She uses this opportunity to escape the grieving of the sudden and recent murder of her husband. While there, questions of who her benefactor is/was begins to unfold into something that has Julia questioning everything. Which, I must say without spoiling any of the plot is a little far fetched and wild. This book is heavy on grief, mystery and the supernatural. For me, it had its moments, but for the most part I was bored and not that invested.

I've read other novels by this author, and this is a departure from her typical genre. This one is a dark psychological Gothic thriller that didn't quite land for me. It felt a bit drawn out, and, honestly, the astrological theme wasn't working. I do, however, applaud the author for venturing out of her element and look forward to her future novels.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a little different than most of this author’s thrillers. This story is a psychological thriller with some astrology involved When Julia goes to Tuscany to inherit a villa in ruins from someone she doesn’t know, she is searching for answers. But some people don’t want her there and they waste no time in trying to remove her.

This may be the second book by Lisa Scottoline I have read. It’s well written and intriguing but I can’t really say it has grabbed me the way other similar books have. It’s good but not my preferred palette.

I loved this book. From the beginning I was drawn into the story. This is a story of a young woman seeking to find her mother after many years. Many twists and turns! Compelling for the reader to find out!! An amazing story! I could not put down!!! I highly recommend!
I was granted an early copy by Net Galley!

2.5⭐️

Murder, a mysterious inheritance, all set with the backdrop of Tuscany. This book had all the makings of a perfect thriller. The first quarter I flew through the chapters.

But as the story progressed, the plot started to feel overloaded. Multiple mysteries unfolded at once, and the overlapping storylines were distracting from one another. It was hard to stay fully invested when everything seemed to be happening all at once.

By the end, the resolution technically made sense, but it felt far too convenient—almost like a quick fix to make everything connect perfectly. While the book delivered moments of real suspense, the end result wasn’t quite right for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.