I really enjoyed The Unraveling of Julia, it really started out dramatic and caught the readers attention immediately. Julia was a little frustrating at times and I was seriously worried about her mental health there for a minute!
I found myself looking forward to reading this book and I was trying to put it all together the whole time. I was 100% not expecting the "conspiracy" to actually be a thing but Lisa Scottoline wrapped it up nicely. The ending was sweet as well.

One evening on their way home, Julia's husband is brutally murdered, and the police have no clues. A year later, Julia inherits 2 million Euros and an Italian villa. She heads off to Italy and take a look and figure out why someone she doesn't know would leave her this inheritance. The villa is dilapidated and apparently the previous owner was crazy. Was this crazy woman Julia's grandmother and, if so, will Julia discover the secret of her biological mother?

There's way too much going on here. The story of Julia's grief and the secrets surrounding her birth mother would have been a great story. Unfortunately, Scottoline throws in all this mystical/supernatural/astrological stuff. There are dreams and ghosts and bright blue lights and a medium (maybe Julia is a medium herself?). I love the descriptions of the villa and the surrounding area. The Tuscan countryside and towns are actually part of the story and really put the reader in the setting. I love the history. The Italian noblewoman Caterina Sforza is a great character. I just think all the mystical stuff was unnecessary.

This was a pretty quick read, and it did keep my interest, just not particularly to my taste. I know Lisa Scottoline is a well respected and popular author, so I'm sure her fans will love this book. For me, it was just MEH.

Hold onto your hat! This thriller starts setting the stage in the first chapter and it will be pages of unexpected surprises. I was riveted by the stunning happenings. At every turn there was another twist. I never did figure out what was happening until the book told me. A sign of a great book and it was!! Highly recommend.

Objectively fine but not good.
Something a 60+ who reads a book per day would enjoy.

The use of astrology as a plot tool was a weak attempt. It could have been interesting to create a stronger link between the popularity of astrology in during the Renaissance and today, possibly through the main character’s interest in art (a facet of the character which was severely lacking).

I disliked how the BFF was used for comedic relief in the last line of several chapters, which disrupted any tension previously built in the chapter. It also left her feeling like a very flat character who did nothing to enrich the plot nor the main character.

Overall, there are too many little plot points happening, sacrificing any depth. I did not feel invested in the outcome and felt little “thrill”.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I usually love Lisa Scottoline books, but I made it to 12% in this book and I am giving up. It is a little ridiculous and doesn't read like a thriller, just a weird character study of a woman obsessed with astrology and predictions about her life. From what I read of other reviews, this nervous, loner character does a complete 180 turn as she goes to Italy, starts a whirlwind romance and is traveling all over. I was expecting a thriller or at the very least a mystery and this book was not that at all, so I'm not interested in continuing. Thank you anyway for the ARC.

Interesting premise and poor Julia she just keeps getting messed with but she ends up solving the mystery and it keeps you guessing about the conclusion. It was a slow build but once it got going man it just sucked you in and the ending just ties everything together really well .
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I'm generally a huge fan of Scottoline. This one was just okay for me.i really loved the original premise, but when the paranormal stuff came in, it made it less good for me.
I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline is a mystery/thriller mixed with paranormal and historical elements. The thriller aspect was engaging and I also liked the historical aspect. It was interesting reading about a historical female Italian figure. The setting was also interesting. I didn't quite enjoy the paranormal aspects and it was a little confusing for me. Overall, not a bad read but not my best of Lisa Scottoline
I got the ARC from Grand Central Publishing via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are mine

If you like a little paranormal mixed in with your fiction, you will love this book. This is about Julia who received a large inheritance from someone she did not know....which led her to Tuscany. The story revolves around Julia trying to find out who left her the inheritance, dealing with her husband's murder and Julia trying to find out who her biological parents may be. The pace was good, made me want to keep reading. The story's ending was satisfying, wrapped it all up nicely. I will be honest though, there were a couple parts along the main character's journey that I felt were a little much but it was minor. Did not take away from the book at all . I definitely recommend!
Comes out July 15th
Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the advanced copy in digital form.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DI9K3rEgWbo/?igsh=bnhvY24zNThlZGp3

Juli’s Fritzker is mourning her husband who was killed protecting her. When she learns that she has inherited a villa and vineyard in Tuscany she has no clue to the identity of her benefactor as she is adopted. She embarks on a journey to claim her inheritance and to discover if this will lead her to her biological family. This is a gothic tale that deals with astrology and survival for Julia as she searches for her identity.

I’m a big fan of Lisa Scottoline and this probably my least favorite book of hers. Sorry, so sorry!

It all begins when Julia’s husband is murdered right in front of her. She then inherits a Tuscan villa from an unknown benefactor…very strange indeed. She travels to Tuscany where strange things start happening. Things that are very hard to explain. This where the story gets really hard to believe…supernatural kind of stuff. Just not my thing.

So much is going on in this book and I found a lot of it quite unbelievable. Disappointed.

This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, it was an incredible page turner that takes place in Italy (a place I am very excited to go visit this summer!!) It takes you on a wild ride with lots of twists and turns. There is some paranormal and astrology thrown in there, I'm not big into "ghosts and horoscopes" but I really enjoyed this book! I was surprised at the negative reviews, if you are looking for a quick, engaging & suspenseful read, I would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the advance copy of this book!

Lisa didn’t again! Another banger of a book! Julia is on a search for answers if you will for her birth family, and a quest to find out if fate is in her hands or really in the stars because her husbands fate was predicted. The twists and turns on this book were absolutely on point like all of Lisa’s books and I was there with a spoon eating it all up !!!

As an avid thriller reader, it isn’t often that I am surprised by the plot of a book, but this book? Wow. The first few chapters gave me whiplash and I had no idea where the story was headed. I was glad to see all the pieces come together in the end, but the book felt rushed and I didn’t feel a connection with the main character.

DNF. So disappointed. I typically love Lisa Scottoline books and I ALWAYS finish my books. But I just couldn’t do it this time. The story started off strong enough, with an attention-grabbing beginning. From there the plot line deteriorated as fast as, main character, Julia’s mental health. I loved the descriptions of Italy and the people there, but there was a huge chunk of paranormal activity that I was not there for. I’ll probably skip to the end to answer the big question- who is Julia related to?
Just couldn’t handle the mental spiral and ghostly activity enough to finish the book.

this was so good! the psychological suspense really got me hooked. I couldn’t wait to see how it all played out

This is different from all the Scottoline novels I have loved. It took me a bit of time to get into it, especially because there’s a bit of horror and the supernatural injected. I did become involved and I really enjoyed the book.

After the horror of seeing her beloved husband murdered in Philadelphia, Julia finds herself heir to a ruined villa and an impressive fortune. It is there that she finds herself having weird experiences, with ghostly figures.

She also meets another man, but as her heart begins to heal, he has a terrible accident.

Ultimately, Scottoline pulls all the threads together and gave me a more than satisfactory sense of closure.

For those of us who are big fans, this is a bit jarring at first, but well worth getting into this compelling Gothic.

Thank you Netgalley for broadening my Scottoline horizons!

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline

Thank you Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for my ARC!

Unfortunately this book could not keep my attention for more than a few lines. I did not finish it.

A gripping, emotionally charged thriller that masterfully explores trauma, justice, and resilience. Lisa Scottoline delivers a powerful story with unforgettable characters and heart-pounding twists. A must-read!

A mysterious murder, a surprise inheritance, and Julia. Oh and Italy, of course!

Julia’s life is literally spinning out of control. After the murder of her husband, Julia is just existing, a shell of who she once was, and starting to become a hermit. Until… a mysterious letter shows up. Julia seemingly inherited a few million euros and a villa?!??!

Julia arrives to uncover mysterious visions, sketchy people following her, feeling connected to places in the most unusual way, finding love when it wasn’t yet right, and the greatest mystery, who was her mother? Each new chapter in her life, she’s running into secrets, danger, tragedy, and why does it feel like someone is trying to kill her? Is Julia unraveling? Or is something more sinister at work here?

I could NOT put this book down. So many twists and turns, curveballs, plot twists, that were all intertwined like a bowl of fresh spaghetti. Scottoline has you questioning Julia’s sanity, and eventually your own.

Wine pairing: Chianti 🍷