Julia Pritzker's world shatters after her husband's murder, leaving her trapped in a cocoon of grief and fear. When a mysterious letter arrives offering her an inherited villa in Tuscany, she reluctantly ventures beyond her self-imposed isolation. The narrative attempts to weave together threads of astrology, historical whispers of a Renaissance duchess, and unexplained visions that hint at deeper family connections. While the supernatural elements show potential, they feel more like a young adult exploration of identity than a fully realized thriller. A few other things that took me out of the story: there's a bit of casual poisoning that is never really satisfactorily resolved, Julia's relationship with her best friend is weirdly hot and cold and all over the place, and maybe most bewildering is how this woman, who became a fearful shut-in after her husband's death, suddenly has no reservations about tootling around a foreign country with seemingly impossible ease.

The Unraveling of Julia is a mixed bag for me. I liked the story line - Julia is a young women who recently lost her husband to a brutal murder which she also witnessed. She is processing and navigating life after this moment by becoming a bit of a hermit. Julia learns that she has inherited a large sum of money and a villa in Italy from a women that she does not know. Julia doesn't know how it could be as she is adopted and has no idea who her family is or anything about her lineage. Julia goes to Italy with the push of her BFF Courtney and many things happen that cause Julia to think she is actually completely having a break down. That part was good and super interesting the part I didn't care for was the writing style. I felt like I was actually reading a screen play at times as opposed to a novel and it took away from the story.

Julia receives a letter from an attorney in Italy explaining she has inherited a villa. This comes on the heels of her losing both her parents and her husband being killed in front of her. Devasted, she decides to go to Italy and see what this inherritance is about. She knew of no family in Italy. Upon arriving, events start to turn bizzare. As she tries to unravel the mystery of the inheritance, she realizes she might be a target . She's not sure who to turn for help. I had a little trouble getting into the book, but once in, LOVED it!
Lisa Scottline does not disappoint!

I was excited to read an ARC of Lisa Scottoline’s latest thriller, “The Unraveling of Julia.” It had been awhile since I had read one of her books, but I remembered liking them. I’m not sure what happened with this book, but I disliked it from the first page. The prose was choppy and awkward with an amateur quality to it that made it painful to read. It was hard to believe that it was written by a seasoned author. The poor quality of the writing might have been overcome by an interesting plot, but the book didn’t have that going for it either. Instead it meandered, unable to decide if it was a romance, a thriller, or a gothic tale, and not succeeding at any of these genres.

Regarding the plot, shortly after her fiancee is killed in what appears to be a mugging gone wrong, Julia learns that she inherited a villa in Tuscany and millions of Euros from a woman named Emilia Rossi, a total stranger. Julia knows that she was adopted but she’s not aware of any relations in Italy. When she goes to Tuscany to check out the villa, strange things happen to her, such as being followed in town by suspicious characters as well as nightmarish visions during waking and sleeping hours in the villa. (The visions were reminiscent of those in Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s “Mexican Gothic,” except not as well executed.)

As mentioned previously, I couldn’t get into the book because of the choppy prose. Also I got the feeling that the author’s heart wasn’t in the book as she was writing but instead she was just going through the motions to honor a contractual obligation. In addition, the character was not likable and the actions were not described in a way that would elicit emotion, including the scenes involving the “visions.” Perhaps other readers could overlook the bad prose and meandering plot and find something to like in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me an ARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Julia and Mike are married and living in Philadelphia. While taking a walk one night they are brutally attacked leaving Julia a widow. Bereft Julia withdraws from the world. One day she receives a letter informing her she's inherited property in Italy. Being adopted Julia has no idea who would leave her property. Determined to learn more she travels to Italy. She hopes this trip will provide clues about her lineage band birth mother. Upon arriving Julia meets the property caretakers. And strange things start happening to Julia. she begins to see things that are not there. She is followed by an unknown assailant. A guy she likes gets hurt. The story is told from Julia’s point of view. As the story unfolded I wondered if Julia, was,ecperiencing mental break down. The story moves quickly taking the reader in different directions. This fast-paced story kept me on the edge of my seat until the shocking conclusion. I was rooting for Julia, that she would find the answers she so desperately wanted

I would love to see this book made into a movie. The descriptions of the locales and peoples made everything so clear in my mind, while the storyline certainly kept my attention. I was sorry I didn't begin to read the book until late afternoon because I couldn't finish the book in one sitting. A sweeping storyline that runs from one country to another. Very colorful characters add to the ambiance. Bravo!!

I’m so disappointed I didn’t love this book. The last two books of Lisa’s I’ve not loved. I’m really hoping I can turn it around.

Julia is walking the streets of Philadelphia with her husband, Mike. All of a sudden, he is murdered. She mourns for many months and does not go outside. One day she receives a certified letter that she has received a large inheritance in Tuscany. Assuming this has to be wrong, she investigates it further and finds it is in fact not a joke. She musters up the courage to fly over there and realizes that someone she’s never met with and has no knowledge of, has left her a ton of money and a house.

Who is this person?

The vibe of this felt all wrong. It was a thriller on the streets of Philadelphia and suddenly you were in vineyards in Tuscany with no real knowledge of surroundings. I also heavily disliked the supernatural components of the novel, I am so not into that. Overall something I would not read again.

I have been reading Lisa Scottoline for almost as long as she’s has been writing, and she is an automatic read for me. So I was very excited to receive an ARC of The Unravelling of Julia in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was mainly a thriller, with a bit of paranormal and a bit of a love story. One thing I love about Lisa Scottoline’s writing is how she writes her characters. I always feel like I could be friends with the characters in her books. And I love the humor that is thrown in throughout.

This was a fun read, as always.

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline is a definite page turner. Once you start to read you will not be able to put it down. Inheriting a Tuscan villa vineyard and millions of dollars from an unknown benefactor throws a young widow’s life into a quest for survival. Once Julia arrives to claim her Tuscan villa, her life becomes a quest for family identity, her sanity, and her surviving life threats. The story is full of twists and turns and action packed to the very end. This will make into a great movie!

Surprisingly, this was my first Lisa Scott0line read. I was so stocked to see this on NetGalley as a Read Now arc. I’m not typically a big fan of a supernatural angle, especially in a thriller. The astrology pieces were definitely interesting and the setting was interesting. Overall, I wasn’t as shocked as I had hoped to be.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-copy ◡̈

If you like lots and lots of detail, this book is for you. Two threads run through the book. Looking forward adoptive mother and inheriting a mansion in Italy. The resolve at the end is sparse, considering how much detail was put forth towards the resolution. Fairly entertaining.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

Like many books I've read, I liked this, but I didn't love it. And that's OK. I've read several of the author's other books, so I knew this would be well-written, with good dialogue, and it was. The Italian setting added a substantial element to the novel, and brought the events to life. I was less enamored with the paranormal element to the story, which didn't fit in the narrative as well as it could have.

All in all, a solid read, and Lisa Scottoline fans will be pleased. Will I read more from the author? Yes.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

I love that Scottoline is such a versatile writer in many genres. If there’s a story to be told, she tells it. Julia has a bad feeling as she and her husband walk back to their home in Philly, and it’s justified as a man comes out of nowhere and stabs her husband. Shortly there after she’s approached by a lawyer from Italy, who tells Julie she has inherited a great deal of money and a villa in Tuscany. When she arrives, many people are trying to get her to sell the house in the 40 acres and her life becomes in danger.
The only thing I didn’t like was how quickly she moved onto another man, that bothered me greatly. Other than that, it was a quick read and an enjoyable one.

I have never read a book by this author before, and she has so many books. I’m honestly surprised that I haven’t. So I gave this one a try. The first chapter, wow! Pull me right in. But as I continued reading, it became very clear that this was one of those instances people talk about with the concept of “show me, don’t tell me”. The author was just telling me all kinds of backstory, and telling me what was happening. The writing was not descriptive at all, and honestly felt very rudimentary. I almost felt like I was reading a YA book. The plot seemed very far-fetched, and there was so much reference to horoscope that I was instantly turned off. I read about 10% and decided to put it down. This one’s not for me. I might try this off again in the future, but this book did not work.

Julia was adopted as a baby and always wondered who her birth parents were. Julia inherited a villa in Tuscany and thought this was her answer to where she was from. She goes to Italy and encounters and psychological journey you don't want to miss reading. Amazing book by an amazing author, a five plus book.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley. I really like the authors other books but this one fell a bit flat for me. I thought the premise was interesting but the supernatural elements took me out of it. Also the FMC’s best friend flip flopping on condemning and consigning her behavior was frustrating. The reveal also felt insignificant to the entire story. It’s written like the authors other books which was enjoyable. I still look forward to her other books even if this one wasn’t for me.

Lisa Scottoline had me on the edge of my seat with this one. Part paramormal thriller and part ficton in a Tuscan setting will have me reading my horoscope from now on. Be prepared for this to be your next page turner!

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advance copy of this novel that take place under the bright Tuscan Sun, a Sun that is no match for the darkness that surrounds the main characters, a darkness that might consume her and everything she has known.

My love for reading did not come from the wind. My parents were big readers. My Mom loved fiction with a medical setting, and mysteries My father read just about everything, including whatever I was reading. My Grandparents too were readers. Of course my Irish Grandparents had the hardcover version of Trinity by Leon Uris, an Irish novel that I think they gave out on St. Patrick's Day, as I never saw an Irish household without it. Also my Grandmothers were big fan of gothic romance stories. For the longest time I always thought they were reading the same books. Each cover had a dark house/castle/manor, a woman in a diaphanous dress carrying a candle or lantern and bold text titles. The spookier it seemed the more both my Grandmothers liked them. I guess my love of eldritch horror might be from my maternal side. After reading this novel, I know why these stories were so popular with both of them, and I know they would have loved this. The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline is a tale about a woman haunted by the ghosts of lost ones, horoscopes, past lives, madness, regrets, love, and the beauty and wonder of the unknown.

Julia Pritzker is having a very bad run. Julia has lost her adopted parents, parents who never really shared what they knew of Julia's past. Julia's husband has also been murdered, and the one comfort she has always taken in life, doing her horoscopes, seems to have told her this was going to happen. To add to the strange things going on Julia is informed by letter that she is now owner of a manor and vineyard in Tuscan, Italy, left to her by a woman, Emilia Rossi, she has never met. Julia wonders if Rossi could be a relative, as she knows nothing about her past. Travelling to her new estate, Julia finds that while Rossi and her do look alike, Rossi was dealing with many mental issues, including paranoia and thoughts that she was related to someone in the past. The more Julia investigates the stranger things get. Horoscopes are starting to be more accurate, people seem to be following her, and the cute young man she meets, seems to have a lot that he isn't sharing with her. Things are beginning to spiral for Julia, and she fears that the fates are not only in the stars, but so might the darkness of madness.

I love how many author defy the strictures and structures that people come to expect, and do something different. This is hard for bestselling authors, as agents, publishers booksellers and readers are sometimes very resistant to change. They like comfort books, and for a writer to step out of their comfort zone, they should be appreciated. This has much of what has made Scottoline a bestselling author, the Italian landscape, strong characters and a story that plays fair, but maybe the characters aren't. The added paranormal aspect, the gothic feeling is new, but really adds to the story. Some might frown at horoscopes, and past lives, but this is a gothic story, one that really works. Again Scottoline creates characters that one wants to know more about, and care about what happens to them. The plot moves well, with a few red herrings and characters who might be hiding more than they are telling. Quite a lot of fun.

A little deeper than a beach thriller, with a lot going on story wise, and a bit of sadness, and some madness. The paranormal might freak some readers, but I do feel this adds to the story. Another winner from Scottoline, and I love the fact that after all the books Scottoline has done, Scottoline is not afraid to try something new.

Fantastic psychological thriller with multiple mysteries to solve and tons of twists and turns! I loved this book. I was hooked from the start and couldn’t put it down. Keeps you on your toes and your nose stuck in the pages.