I wanted so much to love this book, but 33% of the way in, I was hoping it was almost over. The main character was difficult to connect with, and the way she interacted with the other characters felt aggressive and over the top. Her expecting everyone to just drop what they were doing and investigate based on nothing was annoying and happened more than once throughout the story. While it was a psychological thriller with super natural tendencies woven throughout, each new reveal made it feel too ridiculous for even this type of book. Would not recommend unfortunately.

I'm with Julia's best friend Courtney. I don't believe in ghosts.

Lisa Scottolina's descriptions of Italy weren't enough to make me enjoy this book.

I felt no connection to any of the characters. Once the super natural was incorporated, I lost all hope of enjoying this book.

I gave up at 46%.

This could be the hardest review I've ever written. I love Lisa Scottoline, but in all honesty, I was ready to stop reading this book halfway through, and I probably would have if I didn't feel obligated to review a book that I had gotten from Netgalley as well as the fact that she had written it and I just couldn't believe that she was writing a book that revolved around a character who was so totally wrapped up in her horoscope. I tried to brush it off, but when weirder and weirder things started happening, it was hard for me to keep reading. But the writing was very good and I WAS engrossed in the storyline, so I kept reading. And I am SO glad I did. It ended up being just what you would expect from Lisa Scottoline - suspenseful, twisty, and with a satisfying ending, meaning that all the loose ends were wrapped up at the perfect pace, with perfectly reasonable explanations. When this book comes out in July, I will be going straight to my friends who like her and tell them exactly what I have said here. I would hate for anyone to give up on her or this book just because the kind of people who like her books probably aren't used to reading about where this book seems to be heading - even the title makes it sounds like she is going crazy. This was a great book, and I'm looking forward to seeing what she will write about next!

Having the chance to read an early copy of The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline was an intriguing experience. This psychological thriller, set to release in July 2025, weaves together mystery, self-discovery, and historical intrigue in a way that kept me engaged from start to finish.

The story follows Julia Pritzker, a young widow who has endured devastating losses, including the deaths of her adoptive parents and the murder of her husband. Just as she’s attempting to rebuild her life, an unexpected inheritance changes everything. A woman she has never heard of, Emilia Rossi, leaves her a villa and vineyard in Tuscany. With no knowledge of any biological relatives, Julia embarks on a journey to Italy to uncover the truth behind this mysterious connection.

What she finds only deepens the mystery. Emilia was a reclusive figure who believed she was a descendant of Renaissance-era ruler Duchess Caterina Sforza. As Julia investigates, she begins to see eerie similarities between herself, Emilia, and even Caterina. Their shared physical features and unusual interests—like an obsession with astrology—blur the lines between coincidence and fate. The deeper she digs, the more she feels an unsettling presence following her, leaving her to question whether she’s truly uncovering her past or losing her grip on reality.

Scottoline delivers a gripping blend of historical and psychological suspense, using the stunning backdrop of Tuscany to enhance the novel’s atmosphere. The exploration of ancestry, identity, and fate versus free will adds a compelling depth to the narrative. The slow unraveling of secrets creates a steady tension that makes it difficult to put the book down.

Overall, this novel left a lasting impression. It masterfully balances historical intrigue with the emotional and psychological struggles of its protagonist. Fans of psychological thrillers with rich, layered storytelling will find this book especially compelling.

i kinda felt like this book had a historical, horror, and thriller vibe all in one going on. This is my first book by this author and I love it because of her writing style and the way she depicts the characters in the story. I was hooked the whole time and had no problem staying focused on the story. I will be checking more of this author work.

This book has everything...tragedy, love, intrigue, location, astrology, history and so much more. Julia has a terrible feeling that something bad is going to happen and that night her husband is murdered. Flash forward, she gets a call from an Italian lawyer, informing her that she has inherited a villa outside of Florence. From the moment she sets foot in her villa, things happen at a fast pace. Loved the attention to detail, history, food and so much more.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, it was a pleasure to give my feedback.

Julia, still grieving the loss of her older adoptive parents, finds out she is the recipient of an old Italian villa from a woman she's never heard of. At first she is convinced it is a misunderstanding, but once she arrives in Italy it becomes clear that there's been no mistake, and that perhaps Emilia Rossi knew something Julia didn't.

There are many mysteries to uncover in the old Italian villa, about the proprietress and the family that once lived there. Julia begins almost immediately having vivid visions once she arrives that has her convinced there is a tether somewhere there of Julia's biological family.

Like any good psychological thriller, the lines of reality get a little bit blurry, and almost everything we think we know is constantly in doubt. Who is this woman who left Julia this decrepit property? Did she really have ties to an ancient Italian duchess with a scandalous history? Are either or both of them of any relation to Julia? And why is she feeling so much pressure to sell and leave the past to be buried with the old crone who left it to her?

This book explores something I don't often encounter in books: a spiritual intuition. Astrology, horoscopes, intuition, and even communicating beyond the veil as a medium. I tend to believe there is a spiritual realm of some sort of which we normally do not have access to. I love the idea that sometimes, under the right circumstances, or with the right people, we can connect over that bridge. If you are fully anti-'woo-woo', you will probably not enjoy this book.

While I did really enjoy this story, it didn't really grab me fully under its spell. Theoretically I really enjoy the idea of this book, but I just wasn't able to fully sink in the way I like. It might have been a timing issue, or something about trying to juggle so many theories without knowing up from down for so much of the novel. Was it a good book? Absolutely. Will I continue to read every Lisa Scottoline book I can get my hands on? Also yes. If you're a fan of the ol' psychological thriller, I think you'll find a lot to enjoy about The Unraveling of Julia.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline is a book that will keep you turning pages until the very end. It has suspense, drama, murder, romance, ghosts, and even a conspiracy. I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley.com and I always review every book that I read. I read this one in 2 days! I could not wait to find out how all would turn out. It has scenes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that were familiar to me and also some of the areas in Italy brought back memories. The book is well written. The plot and characters are well developed. You can read the synopsis for yourself, so I won't reiterate it. I will say that I highly recommend it. Enjoy.

This book was amazing with the vivid pictures of Italy! It was so descriptive. There was a lot going on in the book and it was a little hard to pick back up at some points due to the confusion but it did tie up nicely at the end.

Lisa has another hit on her hands. After the stabbing death of her husband, Julia learns she has inherited an estate in Tuscany from an unknow benefactor named Emilia Rossi. Julia believes in horoscopes and takes this as a sign that since she is adopted, this might be a gift from her biological family. She goes to Tuscany only to find the villa in disrepair and that Rossi was a paranoid recluse who believed she was a descendent of Duchess Caterina Sforza, a Renaissance ruler. Then strange things begin to happen. Julia believes she is being followed. She meets a handsome stranger in Florence, but nothing can settle her mind. She must struggle to search for her identity and to figure out if all this is somehow connected to her husband's murder.

Review of Digital Galley Edition

As Julia and Mike are walking home one night, they are attacked by a man attempting to steal Julia’s purse. When Mike tries to protect Julia, their assailant stabs him with the knife he is carrying.

Having lost her adoptive parents and now devastated by her husband’s murder, Julia finds it difficult to leave her home. After all, she was an eyewitness and the murderer knew what she looked like. Punished by feelings of guilt for having carried a designer bag, she is haunted by nightmares.

And then an unexpected surprise . . . Emilia Rossi has left her a significant amount of money as well as a villa, vineyard, and land in Tuscany.

Who is Emilia Rossi? And why has she left her estate to Julia?

=========

With historical perspectives woven into the telling of this tale, the central character [Julia] consistently grapples with her destiny, astrology, and the alignment of the stars. The descriptions of the Tuscan setting are immersive; the plot takes some surprising twists and turns as the unfolding narrative traces Julia’s efforts to find her birth family and her possible connection to Emilia Rossi and Countess Caterina Sforza.

Frustratingly, Julia continually allows her horoscope to dictate her actions; supernatural events add to the building tension in the unfolding story. But for readers who enjoy a bit of history woven into their mysteries, there is much to appreciate in this intriguing mystery.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley
#TheUnravelingofJulia #NetGalley

I have not read any of the other detective type stories by this author and this was certainly very different than Eternal and Loyalty but it was a great read. The ability to pull the reader into the psychedelic occurrences that Julia experiences was so well written. While the plot felt a little flimsy it ultimately made sense although it did seem to unravel very quickly at the end. I enjoyed the characters and the romance and while it isn’t a masterpiece it was a good book. I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley and appreciate the opportunity to read this book.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA by Lisa Scottoline in exchange for my honest review.***

3.5 STARS

Months after Julia witnesses her husband’s murder she receives words that she inherited a villa and several million dollars from a stranger. Though skeptical, she travels to Italy, hoping that her inheritance might be relates to her biological mother. Julia encounters mystery, intrigue and possibly assassins that might be related to her husband’s stabbing. Unless Julia’s losing her mind. Are her visions ghosts or hallucinations? If I encountered Julia, I would worry that the PTSD from seeing her husband’s murder had caused a break with reality. She does a poor job of presenting herself as credible.

THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA requires much suspension of disbelief, but Lisa Scottoline’s writing is so well-researched and well-written overlooking puzzle pieces fitting together too-conveniently. I could barely stop reading for a doctor’s appointment and to sleep. Unputdownable, told with both heart and intrigue, Scottoline fans need to preorder THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA.

I often like Scottoline’s books more the second time around, or when I inevitably listen to the audiobook version. I wouldn’t be surprised if THE UNRAVELING OD JULIA becomes 5 stars in the future.

Lisa Scottoline is magic.

I found Lisa Scottoline a few years ago and have read about a third of her backlist, which is enough to make her an auto-read author for me. With The Unraveling of Julia, she has created an atmospheric page turner that kept me up WAY past my bedtime. If you love a good mystery (partially set in Italy!!), this is for you.

This book is a psychological thriller set in Tuscany. It follows a Julia, a young woman who has lost both adoptive parents and more recently her husband. After receiving a mystery inheritance, she travels to Italy to investigate her benefactor. The book is a quick read and kept me engaged. I thought that the build up was better than the ending which felt like everything wrapped up very neatly. Overall, I would recommend this book as a fun vacation read.

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline
Publishing date - 07/15/25
Rating (5/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Grand Central Publishing , Netgalley , and Lisa for this eARC. I love Lisa Scottoline’s books especially her legal thrillers. I was so excited to receive this eARC.

The Unraveling of Julia is a combination of ghost story, psychological thriller, and historical fiction. The novel follows Julia, a grieving widow from her husband’s murder, as she unexpectedly inherits a villa in Tuscany from a complete stranger. She immediately goes to Tuscany as she wonders who would be so generous. Then she begins to have horrible nightmares and believes she is losing her mind. She doesn’t know who to trust and feels that she is in danger.

Suspenseful at times. Hard to put down at times. Highly recommend this book when it releases on July 15th.

When I see a story by this author I know it’s going to be enjoyable and interesting. That I will become absorbed in the characters and all their drama and woes. This was another one of those stories. I dove in and kept wondering what was going on. Twists and turns, not sure where it’s headed. The concepts and storyline are something you definitely want to check out. Click this and prepare for a read not to be missed.

3.75 rounded up to 4⭐

I have been reading books from Lisa Scottoline for more than a decade. I love her legal thrillers, and when I saw that she'd written a stand alone novel in a different genre I was excited to try it out.

I'm not a believer or follower of astrology, but I still enjoyed this book! It has elements of romance, thriller, and paranormal mystery all wrapped up together.

I think Courtney was my favorite character, and I was kept guessing throughout. I recommend this book for anyone interested in Italy and its history as well!

Thanks to Net Galley for the book to review.

This is a different kind of book for this author and while I appreciate her abilty to venture out, parts of it didn't work for me. Julia witnesses the murder of her husband and is caught up in grief and anxiety, agraophobia. She relies on astrology, the daily prediction type and her intuition, which eventually leads to visions and hallucinations. She gets a large inheritance in Italy and goes there to see if she can find out about her past and finds danger in many forms. I liked the character of Julia and her friendship. The plot wasn't super believable to me and the bad guys too bad. It was a fast read so I stayed involved but it wasn't my favorite of hers

Many of my students like astrology and supernatural storylines so think they will like this, it has a mystery or two and personal growth and is an easy read.