This book started out really strong and grabbed my attention right away. However, the further along I got, the more and more I needed to suspend by belief (and I'm not even talking the whole paranormal aspect).

Are you telling me that every single person Julia encounters in Italy, aside from the housekeepers, speak and understand English perfectly? Why is the housekeeper's dialogue written in blatantly terrible English, but no other Italians' dialogue are treated in the same way?

This story was just all over the place. It definitely doesn't have me itching to pick up another Lisa Scottoline book anytime soon.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lisa Scottoline and Grand Central Publishing for offering this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

I have read a lot of Lisa Scottoline novels, but this one is the first Gothic one. I used to read a lot of gothic novels back in the 1970's. This took me right back to that time. She has done an amazing job of creating a hauntingly atmospheric novel of suspense. There are all the elements, a haunted mansion/villa, a foreign land, the faithful yet mysterious caretakers, the hero that might just be too good to be true. Loved this book.
Read it.

An interesting mystery with plenty of suspense, romance, drama, and some paranormal activity. The main character is instantly likable and will have you reading on to find out what will happen to her in the end.

Lisa Scottoline’s The Unraveling of Julia is a breathtakingly emotional and fiercely powerful novel that grabs hold of your heart and refuses to let go. With her signature blend of legal suspense and deeply human storytelling, Scottoline delivers one of her most compelling characters yet in Julia, a woman caught between the trauma of her past and the complexities of her present.

I got the print and audio version of this novel. Here is my feedback from reading the audiobook:
I decided to read the audio version of The Unraveling of Julia. Julia is a few years into married life to Mike, a new lawyer. They live in Philadelphia and are happy. Walking home from dinner after a celebratory evening, Julia suddenly senses danger, just as a mugger tries to grab her purse. As Mike moves in front of her to protect her, the mugger kills him. Julia's adoptive mother died when she was quite young and her father was, at a minimum, not very attentive. The police are getting nowhere with the murder investigation. Her grief has left her prostrated. Her best friend stays in close touch, but she lives far away. And then, Julia finds out that she has inherited a villa, vineyard and large amount of money from a woman she never heard of. She comes to believe this might be someone related to her, possibly her biological grandmother given her age.

Ultimately, Julia decides to go to Tuscany and try to learn about the woman. She turns out to have been a recluse with in a small town that actively disliked her. Julia must consider whether to sell the property, stay in Tuscany, and overall to figure out what to do next in her life. Along the way, she gets assistance from a variety of people such as her benefactors' housekeeper and handyman, a lawyer handling the estate, a real estate agent and eventually, a nice guy who helps her out of a jam near the Uffizi in Florence. However, she experiences nightmares that are terrifying and connected to her benefactor's believe she descends from a famous woman Italian ruler. She believes she is being followed and has no idea why. She has smarts in many ways, but she has become hooked on horoscopes and these things happening to her seem foreshadowed at times. Little by little, she finds evidence that she looks a lot like her benefactor and that there is almost certainly something being kept from her, possibly about her biological family.

Scottoline takes us through a well-plotted mystery and a story of how one woman comes to terms with loss and with finding direction in a world that seems menacing for perfectly good reasons. I loved the writing and the characters, particularly Julia. The Tuscan setting was fun too. The friendship with Julia's childhood friend is great. Maria Marquis did an EXCELLENT job as narrator in this novel.

Inheriting a Tuscan villa during a harrowing time sounds like the perfect setup for intrigue, but of course it’s never that simple. Julia finds herself pulled into a whirlwind journey, grappling not only with the mysteries of the villa but also with unsettling parallels between herself and the reclusive woman who left it to her. As she navigates these emotional and literal landscapes, Julia must confront long buried truths and discover who she really is.

I really enjoyed the atmospheric setting and fast pacing, which kept the story moving briskly. However, the plot felt a bit predictable and lacked the surprise or emotional punch I was hoping for. While it was still a solid read, I’ve enjoyed the author’s previous books more.

Our book club had a blast discussing THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA by Lisa Scottoline this month and appreciated the #gifted review copies from #GalleyMatch and @thebookclubcookbook. We loved the Tuscan setting of the novel and enjoyed talking about this novel full of dastardly deeds, horoscope horrors, Tuscan mysteries, and perhaps a visitor or two from beyond the grave, cast in spooky blue light. Our opinions of the book varied widely, which also contributed to the discussion. Personally? Not a good fit for me. More tell than show, and the whole thing felt as lightweight and melodramatic as a soap opera. However, many in our group felt it was a riveting page-turner.

I want to first thank Grand Central for the advanced galley of this book. I was also able to listen to an early audio copy via Libro FM. I want to lead by saying that I have read many many of Lisa Scottoline’s books and I find her to be an amazing author and storyteller
This book does seem different. It is a psychological thriller, not really a mystery. Definitely not historical fiction not a legal thriller. That being said it has a mystery. It has some legal aspects and it was definitely so intriguing happening in Tuscany Italy, and all of the history involved of that region.
I want to let you know that there is a big amount of astrological science involved in this book and some discussion of a medium. It is not the main focus of the book but all through the story you feel that Julia has a sense of something else going on around her I found it very well done not hard to accept And it added to the story.
I listened to and read along with this book. The audio was very well done. I listened to it in about two days and couldn’t stop listening and reading this book.
This book publishes July 15. I’m giving it 4 to 4 1/2 stars and I highly recommend

I requested a copy of The Unraveling of Julia because it seemed gothic and I LOVE gothic stories. I was lucky enough to get both an ecopy and an audio copy so I went back and forth between reading and listening. The narrator was very good.

I loved the gothic atmosphere and the Italian setting! The mysteries woven through the novel were also engaging and interesting: FMCs husband's murder, FMC's birth parents, why was she left the huge inheritance and house, etc?

What took me out of the moody atmosphere of the book I was hoping for was the insta-love and the propensity to use some mysticism for quick resolutions without really developing those aspects. There were also some characters who were inexplicably horrible, which I prefer to have more explanation for.

For someone who always craves a gothic mystery, this one satisfies like a light snack.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lisa Scottoline, and Grand Central Publishing for the eARC. This was a gripping thriller with just the right touch of paranormal intrigue. I loved the atmospheric setting and was deeply moved by the heartbreaking yet ultimately healing journey the story took. A compelling and emotional read.

Lisa Scottoline is great at writing thrillers, legal dramas, AND historical fiction... and we get a little of all of that in this one, plus a touch of magical realism. I really liked this one, and while it's not a particularly short book, it moves very quickly. There's a gorgeous Italian setting and bits of history, high stakes drama, and how Julia and her life and past are connected to the events happening in Italy becomes a fascinating story.

This book had everything thrown in, so keep your incredulity in check and just read it for what it is, an entertaining book.

Julia has inherited a dilapidated villa after thr brutal murder of her husband. Between meeting an amazing guy, trying to figure out what to do with her villa, a historical mystery, death threats, she has a lot going on and needs to figure it out before its too late.

The audiobook was well done, The pacing of the book was good and the characters interesting enough for me to finish the book. But I have to be honest, there were times when I set this aside.

#netgalley #TheUnravelingofJulia

Headline: Quite a Page-Turner!

Book Review: The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline
Published by Grand Central Publishing, July 15, 2025

★★★★☆ (4.25 Stars! Positive!)

Lisa Scottoline's blockbusters "Loyalty" (2023) and "The Truth About the Devlins" (2024) herald the way for "The Unraveling of Julia" (2025).

"Loyalty", the author's awe-inspiring fictionalized account of the origins of the Mafia in Sicily, a nice complement to the Mario Puzo trilogy for book collectors; and "The Truth about the Devlins", a complex, gripping legal thriller, both Five-Star reads.

Historical fiction.
A legal thriller.
Thereupon, out of the uber-versatile author's atelier, emanates a gothic women's romance fiction marvel that reaches across the Pond, from the City of Brotherly Love to the glamour and allure of "Chiantishire", also known as Tuscany in Northwestern Italy.

// The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline (2025) //

A PHILADELPHIA WEBSITE designer and small business owner loses her husband, a lawyer, to a random mugging in Rittenhouse Park, an event she'd believe her horoscope that day had predicted, that the death of her husband could have been prevented. She has fate in such things. She's an adoptive daughter who'd lost her parents years earlier.

Still in grief, she receives legal notification from estate attorneys in Milan, Lombardi & Palumbo, Studio Legale, that she'd inherited a considerable sum, a villa, and property, with the total bequest amounting to over 3 million euros. Her horoscope said her luck would change that very day, and it was right again.

THE HEIRESS AND THE SEER. She sets off to Italy, takes possession of her Renaissance villa in the fictional province of Chianti in Tuscany and deals with its dilapidated state, its disgruntled staff, discovers unspeakable horrors, finds her Italian roots, meets her biological mom. In the course of which, she encounters a Florentine librarian, Gianluca, a romance which would blossom to dominate much of the rest of the novel.

In a fortuitous twist, Julia gets full retribution for the murder of her husband, Michael, back in Philadelphia.

Even as it all unravels.

Michael's death, in a way, had paved the way for her ascendancy.

----------

Not my cup of tea, but this brilliantly written, gothic women's romance novel is quite the page turner.

Review based on an advance review copy courtesy of Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley.

Julia’s life is crumbling around her after her husband is murdered while she is walking with him. She becomes a shut in- afraid to leave her house until…she receives a letter about an amazing inheritance she has received from someone she has never heard of. Thus the mystery begins and her life is forever changed.
Lisa Scottoline kept me engaged throughout this read with her knack for creating characters that you feel like you know personally. She deftly combines astrological elements, paranormal events, and several mysteries tying them together seamlessly, along with romance to round out the appeal. Julia’s quest to find her birth mother and the history of the Sforza family was very intriguing. I loved the dynamics with the handsome Giancarlo. Although some of the events left me shaking my head as I chuckled it all came together for a very satisfying read.
Having read and been a fan of Lisa Scottoline over the years this book is very different and equally as compelling. Many thanks to Lisa Scottoline, Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this just published book. Four stars.

The book started slowly but gained momentum until I couldn't put it down.
Told in the first person, we follow Julia from the murder of her husband ( not a spoiler, it happens immediately, to her breakdown following it, then off to Florence for a surprise inheritance. as Julia was adopted in Philadelphia, she has no idea why she would inherit a villa in Italy. As we watch Julia unravel, conspiracies abound.
In addition, there is history of the Sforza family, a lot of astrology and maybe even a ghost.
A murder mystery, a romance and a travelogue of Florence and the surrounding country side, Scotteline once again writes an exciting thriller.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is my honest review.

The Unraveling of Julia is a very enjoyable thriller that kept me turning the pages late into the night. I wasn’t expecting the touch of science fiction, but the way it was woven into the plot added a surprising and thought-provoking dimension. The pacing was tight, the characters were compelling, and the tension built steadily throughout. While a few moments stretched believability, the story remained immersive and exciting. A solid and inventive read for fans of thrillers with a speculative twist!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A masterful tale that follows Julia as she tries to move on from the murder of her husband. When she receives a phone call about an inheritance from a person she has never heard of before, she heads to Tuscany to try and find the answers. Once she is there, she realizes her inheritance is in ruin, the land is worth way more than she thought, and weird things keep happening to her.
She meets people who are her new friends, others who act friendly but might not be, and she is experiencing things that she isn’t sure are real or hallucinations. A psychological thriller that will keep you guessing who she can trust, what is real, and who her family is? One person who helps her, tries to help her move on romantically, but she isn’t sure if she is ready. When things take a turn for him, she has a realizations, but it might be too late.
I really enjoyed this book and it kept me guessing who might be behind everything she experienced in her new life. I received an ARC and this is my honest, voluntary review.

So, if you’re an avid reader or watch a lot of thrillers/horror movies/shows you’ll figure this book out pretty quickly…or, at least I did. With that said, it didn’t take away from the story. I generally figure out the twists and turns pretty early on and it’s satisfying when my guesses are validated.

This was my first Lisa Scottoline book so I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into or whether I’d like her writing style. I’m happy to report that I did enjoy her writing style and this won’t be my last book by Lisa at all. It didn’t take away take me a bit to really get into the book, but once we hit the 25% mark and things start getting a bit spooky in Italy, I was hooked. This book has many mysteries that pop up (and are eventually solved) but mainly focus on who killed Julia’s husband and is/was Julia related to Emilia Rossi, the mysterious Tuscan woman that left her entire estate to her after she died (and after Julia’s husband was murdered). There’s also the question of whether Signora Rossi was descended from the House of Sforza-yes, that Sforza family. There’s also the whole supernatural aspect at play (maybe - not spoiling anything for you) and Julia’s obsession with astrology and horoscopes. Like, there are a lot of details and wheels spinning all at the same time that you need to pay attention to…nothing is a coincidence…I enjoyed the creepiness factor and the general feeling of oppressiveness whenever the story took place in and around the villa. I definitely think this would be a great fall/early winter read. Felt a bit weird reading it when it was 95 degrees and all bright and cheerful outside here in Southern California (I’m a mood reader in many ways). This book would make an EXCELLENT movie or miniseries so if Netflix or Hulu or Prime Studios needs some new material and somehow happens upon this review, PLEASE TURN THIS INTO A MOVIE/MINISERIES!

This story is filled with lots of twists and turns. Is Julia losing her mind? When Julia's husband is murdered in front of her, she kind of checks out of life. She is afraid to go out. Then she is notified that she has inherited money, a Tuscan villa and vineyard. Because Julia was adopted, she isn't sure why she would be inheriting from someone she has never met. Is she related to them? When she arrives at the villa, things start happening to her. Is she really losing her mind or is someone gaslighting her? As she starts to investigate her family connections, she finds that someone is following her. So many strange things are happening. She meets a really nice man but feels like she is being disloyal to her husband. In spite of her feelings of guilt, Julia draws closer to the man and then he is nearly killed and in a coma. Is she cursed? Why does this keep happening? Can she figure it out before she completely loses her mind?

I don't believe I've read one of Lisa's books before, so this was a new author (to me). Unfortunately, I just could not get into this story.

Bless my American heart, I had a hard time keeping all of the Italian names straight. I also had a hard time following along with the plot and the main character's dreams and wanting to solve every mystery immediately.

Some of the story was predictable, while other parts were too far-fetched.

I'll definitely try to read other books written by Lisa - I've heard her police procedurals are good.

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an e-copy of THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA to review.

I rate THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA three out of five stars.