Julia has witnessed the worst thing anyone has ever imaigined. Her husband Mike, was murdered when a robbering gone wrong. Now six montlater Julia is a recluse that harding leaves her apartment gets a letter stating that she has inherited a villa in Italy. Julia has never heard of the woman Emilia Rossi, that left her the villa plus 3 million euros and out of curiousity she decides to visit Italy and see why she was left the estate. Julia is wondering if somehow Emilia Rossi is her grandmother since Julia was adopted. The more that Julia starts to dig into the lives of Emilia Rossi and her own past puts her in danger of losing her own life. The Unraveling of Juila is a page turning mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for letting me read an advanced copy of this novel.

This is one of those cases where I'm giving the novel a low star rating because of how much I disliked the main character (really, all of the characters). Julia loses her husband to a terrible crime in the opening pages of the novel, but it's hard to be empathetic to her plight, especially when she inherits millions of Euro and an Italian villa just a few pages later. There's no consistency to plot or characterization, and it's very repetitive. Easy pass.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this novel.

A long time fan of Scottoline's books, I was looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, this one fell flat for me. It was slow moving, and wound around too much for my taste. It is a contemporary novel, but with the feel of historical fiction, and for me, it just didn't work.

DNF

This was my first Lisa Scottoline book, so I was really hoping it would work for me, but it didn’t. When I read the description for this book, I thought that the astrology would be a small part of this book in a bigger story, but it wasn’t. Up to the part where I stopped, the whole plot centered are her horoscope and her having a pity party about her husbands death. I know firsthand how challenging losing a loved one can be, but what really shows a persons personality is their ability to bounce back. Julia didn’t seem to have a bounce back in sight. Plus, the whole astrology and “getting a sign from the universe” was really frustrating to me, so I gave up on this one early on. I’m rating it 2 stars because I really do think that this book has potential, but it just wasn’t for me.

Thanks NetGalley for the free ARC! This was my first Lisa Scottoline novel and I found it a bit outrageous. The protagonist’s dreams were so terrifying and bizarre I don’t see how she would not be exceptionally traumatized by that and perhaps institutionalized. I did like the writing style, some parts were relatable and humorous. It was definitely a wild ride, entertaining in a reality tv history channel sort of way.

I don’t remember reading any other books by Lisa Scottoline before this one so I can’t say how other books rate. This was an ok read, I was a bit confused and therefore want able to follow along or stay engaged through the whole story.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: 🕵️‍♂️Thriller
Recommend:⚠️

Unfortunately “The Unraveling of Julia” was not my favorite of Lisa Scottoline mysteries. The premise really felt like something I would have absolutely loved but the addition of supernatural elements really took me out of it and felt like a huge departure from what I was expecting. Which, authors are totally allowed to do! It just wasn’t for me.

The story focus on Julia, who is recently widowed when she received a large inheritance from a distant relative including a huge estate in Italy. When she travels there, she gets involved in a mystery focused around how she’s related to the deceased and why mysterious things keep happening in the house.

***spoilers ahead***

Julia begins experiencing visions she believes are leading her discover mysteries about the house. But, we later learn she’s been slowly drugged by the caretakers of the house. I liked this twist because it meant there wasn’t anything actually supernatural happening. But unfortunately for me, the supernatural returns later on when Julia discovers she’s a medium.

This definitely will not turn me off of Lisa Scottoline mysteries since I’ve her other titles, this was just a miss for me.

Thank for the advanced copy!
This book was just okay for me. I really enjoyed the setting of Tuscany, but, at the same time, didnt really understand it. Really, a murder across the oceans? It had great parts and parts that fell short. All and all, I appreciate the author and her purpose.

“The Unraveling of Julia” is an unforgettable journey that grabbed me from the very first page and never let go. Lisa Scottoline masterfully weaves together mystery, romance, and history in a way that feels both timeless and deeply personal. Julia’s story is one of courage, secrets, and self-discovery—layered with twists that kept me guessing and emotionally invested throughout. It’s rare to find a novel that balances suspense and emotion so well, but this one does it beautifully.

read if you like:
📍 Italy
👯‍♀️ mothers and daughters
👻 paranormal activities

summary:
This one surprised me—in a pretty good way! What starts as a story about a young widow whose husband is murdered on page three quickly unravels into a twisty, layered tale set in the heart of Tuscany. Part crime thriller, part love story, part family drama, it’s a genre-mix up in the best way.

The main character begins experiencing strange visions, which turn out to be psychic flashes connected to her ancestors. But there’s a twist—she’s also being drugged as part of a shady real estate conspiracy. Yes, really. Somehow, it all works. The plot weaves together themes of adoption, the search for birth parents, forgiveness, and mother-daughter relationships, with a backdrop of Italian art and history that adds charm and richness.

It’s definitely a decent thriller! The setting is beautiful, the crime has depth, and the emotional threads give it heart. If you’re into Italy, renaissance history, or multi-layered mysteries, this is worth the read.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy. If this sounds like your cup of tea, check it out when it releases on July 15!

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this advanced reader copy. Sadly, it was not an enjoyable read. Julia is a newlywed who witnesses her husband’s brutal murder. She struggles afterwards, developing an odd obsession with astrology and rarely leaving her apartment. Then, Julia inherits a Tuscan villa. It’s puzzling though because Julia is adopted and has no living relatives. How is she connected to the deceased woman? Could Emilia be a biological relative? She heads off to Italy where things get even more complicated. The villa has caretakers who right away start tending to Julia. She experiences restless sleep, suffering from petrifying dreams. She learns that Emilia was a reclusive loner, and she was very disliked in the town. Julia thinks she’s being followed and she worries about selling the villa before she finds out about her heritage. There is a handsome Italian who is hanging around. Are people targeting Julia? Do we care? This book dragged on and on, and it was a real struggle to finish. It bordered on ridiculous. #books #bookstagram #reading #whatiread #netgalley #bookgram #skipthisone #bookworm #goodreads #kindle

There are scores of outside influences in our world from relationships, therapists and priests. However, Julia found comfort and guidance from the zodiac. It’s too bad she didn’t read it earlier in the day. She could have been warned to save her husband’s life.

It’s easy to get absorbed in this story of deep love and then grief for someone. You only want the best for this young, beautiful girl who lives in Philadelphia. Her horoscope says her luck will change. That’s when she gets a call she has inherited a beautiful Tuscan estate. You can only guess what will happen with perfect timing.

This book has all sorts of surprises as Julia sorts out her next moves. While it’s predictable, it’s also entertaining with the delightful characters and dialogues. Yet one should be open to the stars, mediums and spiritual beliefs. I couldn’t put it down. This would make a great made-for-TV movie.

My thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of July 15, 2025.

As a fan of Lisa Scottoline's previous historical fiction, the unique premise of her latest novel, The Unraveling of Julia drew me in. The story centers on Julia Pritzker, an astrology enthusiast who becomes near reclusive following a devastating personal loss and finds herself with no family to lean on. Amidst her grief, Julia's world is completely upended when she checks her mail and finds an international DHL envelope. Inside is a letter from an international attorney, revealing an utterly unexpected inheritance from a complete stranger, Ms. Emilia Rossi. As an adopted child with no information on her biological parents, this out of the blue Italian inheritance consists of a Tuscan villa, sprawling land, a considerable fortune, and a vineyard Stunned, Julia’s benefactor remains an enigma to her. Struggling with reclusivity, Julia bravely decides she must force herself to travel to Tuscany to get answers, only to discover the inherited villa in a state of significant disrepair. Frustrated by the language barrier and Ms. Rossi’s unhelpful lawyers, she embarks on a determined quest for information, meeting resistance at every turn. There is a lot of astrological reference injected as the villa’s caretakers portray Emilia as a paranoid woman convinced of her “lineage” to Italian royalty to the infamous Caterina Sforza. She also faces pressure to sell the dilapidated property, creating further tension. This is where the plot begins to take a very different path as Julia experiences vivid dreams, night terrors, and unsettling visions of Caterina Sforza, and she awakens with unexplained markings on her arms.There were definitely moments where disbelief creeped in, as this storyline is vastly different from the historical plots I have read by Ms. Scottoline previously. Although the novel boasted a gorgeous Tuscan setting and presented intriguing plot twists within the mysterious villa as Julia investigated potential links to her biological family and the rationale for her inheritance, I had sincerely hoped for deeper exploration of the Italian backdrop, the historical context of Caterina Sforza, and Julia's personal evolution by the final chapter. The ending left me wanting more, but I won’t spoil it for other readers. The Unraveling of Julia may challenge the suspension of disbelief for readers less inclined towards supernatural or astrological concepts. Thank you to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Lisa Scottoline for providing a digital reviewer copy.

Lisa Scottoline has done it again! The Unraveling of Julia is one of her best books yet!
It’s a mystery, a love story, and everything in between.
Her description of the area and it’s history will transport you to Tuscany.
The twist and turns will keep you up late at night and guessing till the end.
The character development is phenomenal.
I will be recommending this book to every customer that walks into my store.

This book was full of mystery. There are a lot of pieces to the storyline. It’s an engaging book. I felt bad for Julia. From the very first page it was quite intense. The writing is great. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this and flew through it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I started out loving this book, but it didn't take long before the horoscope and paranormal began to be too much for me. Someone who enjoys the paranormal will love this book. Just creepy enough and keeps you reading.

A fantastic page turner set in Tuscany! The pacing was great, and the romance was sweet. Some points int he story were a little far-fetched, but I still liked it overall. Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this psychological thriller, my first from bestselling author Lisa Scottoline.
The story starts with a bang. The protagonist, Julia Pritzker, gets an uneasy feeling while strolling home from dinner with her beloved husband, Mike Shallette. Minutes later, a mugger grabs her purse, and when Mike tries to intervene, the attacker fatally stabs him.
Julia falls into a deep depression, and despite constant inquiries to the police, months go by with no leads to her husband's murder.
Then, out of the blue, she receives a letter from a lawyer in Italy, telling her she has inherited several million euros and a villa in Tuscany from a woman named Emilia Rossi, whom she has never heard of. At first, Julia assumes it's a scam, but after talking with the lawyer, she realizes it's not. Since Julia is adopted, she figures Emilia must be connected with her birth family, but no one can tell her anything for sure about Emilia's life or other relatives—and most people swear she was childless.
Nevertheless, Julia travels to Tuscany to visit her villa, mainly with the hope of getting some answers about her birth family. When she arrives, the house is in disrepair and the once-majestic vineyards are now choked with weeds and vines. There is a couple taking care of the property, as well as Rossi's dog, but they can't tell her much. And they believe that Emilia Rossi was crazy. She fancied herself a descendant of the famous Countess Caterina Sforza of Forli and Imola.
Shortly after she arrives, Julia starts having nightmares and hallucinations, some of which include Caterina Sforza. During one of these spells, she uncovers a hidden passageway in the house where it appeared a child had once been imprisoned.
As Julia does more research, she gets the feeling someone is following her. And indeed, there is a massive conspiracy that even extends to her husband's murder. It's a twisty plot, but it seemed too convenient that almost every hunch of Julia's turned out to be true. Also, some of the paranormal elements were hard to swallow.
The author's description of Florence and the Tuscan countryside were superb and gave this book a great sense of place.

Oh Lisa. I love all of your books, but this one was missing that slow burn. I look forward to the next book.
Thank you for the ARC.