I first discovered Lisa Scottoline’s writing with her 2019 novel Someone Knows, a suburban thriller rich with emotion and deeply drawn characters. I remember enjoying it, but for whatever reason, I never picked up another of her books—until now. When her publisher graciously shared a copy of her latest, The Unraveling of Julia, I jumped at the chance to dive back in. Based on my prior experience, I expected another grounded character study woven into a twisty thriller. What I got instead was something altogether different.

If anyone had reason to believe in curses, it’s Julia. Her life has been one tragedy after another—first the loss of her adoptive parents, then the violent murder of her husband, which she witnessed in horror. Since that terrible day, Julia has blamed herself. After all, her horoscope practically foretold his death. If she’d only paid attention, maybe she could have prevented it. Instead, she let fate take its course, and now she’s trapped in what feels like a cursed life.

But everything changes when a mysterious letter arrives. Julia has been named the sole heir to a villa and vineyard in Tuscany, left to her by a woman she’s never heard of, Emilia Rossi. Having never searched for her birth parents, Julia wonders if Rossi could be a relative. With nothing tying her down, she heads to Italy in search of answers.

In Tuscany, Julia finds more than just a crumbling villa. She uncovers eerie parallels between herself, the reclusive Emilia Rossi, and a legendary Renaissance duchess obsessed with astrology. As unsettling events unfold and danger creeps closer, Julia must confront the truth about her identity and whether fate is guiding her... or hunting her.

I went into The Unraveling of Julia expecting a grounded, character-driven thriller. What I got instead was a wild ride of shifting fortunes, psychological suspense, and over-the-top twists. That’s not a complaint. It just wasn’t what I expected. Scottoline clearly has fun with this story, unraveling her heroine both mentally and literally in ways that blur the line between the supernatural and the real. Not every plot thread lands, but that didn’t stop me from racing through the pages. There’s something refreshing about a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s different, yes, but it’s also a whole lot of fun.

I loveeeee Lisa Scottline and she is so back! Her last two books fell flat for me and did not hold my interest, but this was amazing!! I loved it so much and the setting was to die for (LOL).

The Unraveling of Julia is a bit different than past books I've read by Lisa Scottoline. Not that this is bad. I'm sure authors want to try new things, just like anyone else. Past books were more firmly in the mystery camp. The Unraveling of Julia has a mystery at its heart, but it also has some romance, as well as a paranormal element.

The book starts with Julia reeling from the horrific murder of her husband at the hands of a mugger. He dies in her arms, stabbed after trying to protect her, and she is left shattered. Then Julia receives a letter from a lawyer in Italy stating that she has inherited an Italian estate from a woman unknown to Julia. The fact that Julia is adopted makes her believe she may have ties to this mysterious benefactor.

Once Julia gets to Italy, she is stunned to see what all she has inherited. Then mysterious events begin to occur, and Julia begins to feel threatened by a man who seems to be following her.

I enjoyed this story, and although some of the plot lines, like the romance, seemed a little simplistic, it still made for an enjoyable read with a satisfying conclusion. I would rate this a 3.75 and I'm rounding up.

I listened to an audio version and the narrator had a nice voice to listen to and seemed to really nail the Italian accents, which made the listening experience extra enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lisa Scottoline, and Hachette Audio for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Julia’s life feels like it’s falling apart. Barely six months after the tragic loss of her husband, she is notified of a large inheritance, which includes a villa in Tuscany. The problem is that she doesn’t know anyone in Tuscany and can’t imagine where this hugely generous gift would have come from.

In hopes of trying to get to the bottom of it all (and hopefully find out more about her birth family), she travels to Italy, but it would appear the drama is just getting started.

While this book has quite a bit going on (royal connections, car chases, budding romance, real estate deals, supernatural presences and lots of art history), I did enjoy it overall.

Since there was a good bit going on, it might not have been best-suited for audio, but that is entirely a me thing and no fault of the book.

I’d be remise if I didn’t let you know that there is also a presence of domestic abuse, which could be triggering for some, as well as an adoption storyline.

Yet again, this another book that made me want to pack my suitcase… this time dreaming of Tuscan sunsets and charming villas and allll the gelato.

Today seems to be pretty big pub day… anything you’re excited to get your hands on?

I love this author, this story wasn't my favorite but the author still managed to make it interesting and I wanted to finish it.

🎧 Audiobook Review The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline Narrated by Maria Marquis | ALC Gifted by Hachette Audio

This audiobook swept me away into the lush, haunting beauty of Tuscany—one of my favorite places in the world 🌻🇮🇹. Lisa Scottoline's storytelling is vivid and layered, and Maria Marquis's narration? Flawless. Her voice brought Julia’s emotional journey to life in a way that made me feel every beat of suspense and longing.

It’s a deeply absorbing tale of secrets and self-discovery, set in a world where a warm breeze blows through olive groves. I was hooked, immersed, and even found myself lingering in chapters to soak in the atmosphere.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | A gripping listen that’s as much about place as it is about plot. Perfect for anyone with a love for Italy, strong characters, and perfectly narrated audiobooks that pull you in and don’t let go. Maria Marquis' narration was so good that I didn't feel like it was just one narrator, and the different accents? Splendid!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ALC and to Grand Central Publishing for my gifted copy.

3.5 stars, rounded up. Story was entertaining, but too long and convoluted. I feel like it could have been 100 pages shorter without missing any key parts. It was suspenseful, but the twists weren’t as twisty as I expect from a thriller. I also think the romance in it was odd, like it didn’t quite fit. All in all a decent read, but not one I’d go out of my way to recommend.

Narrator was great! Loved all the voices and sounded credible throughout.

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me an advanced audio version of this book.

Lisa Scottoline is who hooked me into reading. I love all of her thriller books. This book was no exception. It was a great listen for anyone who prefers audiobooks. Great narrator. Not confusing to follow. I really enjoyed listening to this book as I have never listened to any of her books before.

It kept my interest, and some moments had my heart racing- that is basically the only thing I ask for from thriller books! I want to feel like I am there in the story and the things are happening to me.

I would reccommend this book for sure!

I had a hard time getting into this one. The main character was a little flat, and it was a bit slow, I think. The concept drew me in, and the astrology angle was interesting, but I just couldn’t really get into it.

Thank you, Net Galley, for the advanced audio of Lisa Scottoline's THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA. I have read all of Lisa's previous novels and this one did not disappoint. This is a suspense novel with a little bit of astrology thrown in for good measure. As indicated by the title this novel is about a character named Julia (Pritzker) and how she responds to the events that occurred in her life. Originally living in Philadelphia, Julia is somewhat at loose ends following the death of her husband so when she is notified of an unexpected inheritance from someone in Italy, Julia takes an open-ended flight to Italy to find out more about this inheritance, the mysterious person who left it to her and find out if this inheritance had anything to do with her birth family. This novel held my attention my beginning to end and I vacillated between wanting to know what was going to happen and not wanting to finish it because it was such a good story that I didn't want it to end.

Grieving the loss of her husband, Julia receives notice that she has inherited a Tuscan villa from a mysterious benefactor. Since she was adopted at a young age, this could be the missing link to discovering more about her biological family, so off she goes to Italy. What she uncovers is a villa in need of work, and an eerie feeling of being followed. Is this her own paranoia or is something more sinister afoot?
This was a twisty story with gothic vibes, it was such a different read from the last book I read by this author but as a huge fan of this type of book, I loved it.

WHAT?! This was so surprisingly unique and refreshing!
I loved the scenery, the historical fiction, generational trauma and secrets!
HATED the "argh" all of the time from the narrator.
I thought this was pleasantly eerie but somehow magical.

The Unraveling of Julia is a spooky ghost story taking place in Italy. The book starts with a murder and leads to Julia moving from the States to Italy, trying to figure out the mystery of her family. With mysterious blue lights, ghosts, car chases, mystery tunnels, and no one who is trustworthy, Julia feels she is losing her mind, but cannot give up the need to find out what is happening around her. This fast paced novel keeps you wondering and guessing the whole time as to what the secret is, and why is it such a secret. I recommend it if you like the mysterious, astrology, and ghost stories.

If a thriller were an Italian dish, the pasta would be the plot filled with twists that stretch to the point of almost breaking but ultimately unravel in both an inexplicable and a believable way. The protein would be the characters who each have add their own flavored and textures that enhance that specific dish. The sauce and/or seasonings would be the atmosphere and irony that brought everything together with the spice being the romance. This book brought all of those elements together into one of the better thrillers I’ve read. This psychological thriller leans on the psychological, driven by the mindset of the characters like those by Alice Feeney. Two aspects of this work that I found especially captivating is the inclusion of captivating quotations that will stop you in your tracks as well as a beautiful motif that extends throughout the book. The two elements that I think could have been rethought are minor. The book mentioned that a knife was a hunting knife with a serrated edge. While I don’t think I’ve ever seen a hunting knife with one, a military-style knife would have one. The only other aspect that I kept thinking is I wish the book were just entitled “The Unraveling” instead of including the name of Julia. I do think it made me focus more on the main character than was necessary. With that said, that could have been the author’s intent. Overall, this thriller far exceeded my expectations, and I would highly recommend giving it a read.
Thank you Hachette Audio and Grand Central Publishing for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Title: The Unraveling of Julia
Author: Lisa Scottoline
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Maria Marques
Publisher: Hachette Audio/Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Psychological Thriller, with some Romance
Pub Date : July 15, 2025
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pages 400

Julia Pritzker’s husband Mike was recently murdered when a would-be robber tried to grab Julia’s designer shoulder bag. Mike tried to protect Julia and got in the way of a knife. The funeral has come and gone but Julia has nightmares and still sees the hooded robber and knife

Julia had lost both her adopted parents – her mother – her best friend died of a brain aneurysm on Julia’s tenth birthday while they were baking. Her father died of heart attack when she was in college. However, he was a changed man after his wife Melanie died.
Now Julia has no family and it is a deep hurt. She believes she must be cursed as her horoscope actually predicted the deaths.
Do not be alarmed but do be aware today
You or a loved one may be in jeopardy

Times goes by but Julia checks her horoscope on StrongSign offer. One day she reads ~
Your luck is going to change today.
You are stronger than you know.
Trust yourself. It is only the beginning.
Sure enough a very strange thing happened. She gets a DHL envelope from Milan, Italy.
It is from an estate lawyer asked her to contact their office as Signora Emilia Rossi left her an inheritance.
At first she thinks it is a scam but remembers the horoscope using the words Luck and Trust. She contacts the office in Italy and is informing her that she has inherited a Tuscan villa and property. Julia has little to no information about her biological family, so perhaps Emilia is a blood relative. Julia heads to Tuscany to find out.

The lawyer doesn’t know Julia’s connection to Emilia but tells her a family investigator can help her. It appears Emilia Rossi did not have children but there is connection to Catherina Sforza, a daughter of to a legendary Renaissance ruler an important historical figure.

Although the villa is in need of a lot of repairs, actually major renovation; many of the ceiling frescos are in good shape. There is one of Duchess Caterina Sforza, and Julia is stunned as she resembles Caterina,

I am a big author, Lisa Scottoline fan -this is my twenty-ninth story. I read and enjoyed the galley however; I do love a good audiobook so was delighted to listen to it as well. Narrator Maria Marquis did a fabulous job in performing the characters. Her Italian accent was ‘spot on’ and made the story even more enjoyable.

My first Scottoline read started back in the 90's with the “Rosoto & Associates “before changing to Rosato & DiNunzio.
Lisa Scottoline continues to be one of my favorite authors. She and her daughter Francesca Serritella have hosted an annual Big Book Club Party at her Pennsylvania farm, for the past twelve years. (I wanna go!!!!)
She and Francesca write a weekly column for the Philadelphia Inquirer entitled <i>”Chick Wit”</i>, a witty take on life from a woman’s perspective. It is also available via their email newsletter.
Lisa graduated magna cum laude in three years from the University of Pennsylvania, with a B.A. in English, and cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she taught Justice and Fiction. She lives in the Philadelphia area with an array of disobedient pets and loves it!
Additionally she is a big fan of the Eagles and Brady Cooper. However, if you follow her you already know THAT!

I have been enjoying Ms. Scottoline’s stories for many years and as Italian (well half but I love to call myself Italian) I love her ‘Acknowledgements’ – she tells us she believes in research and once again traveled to Italy for research. In this case Milan, Florence and visited the places served as settings for this story.
She also stares that she has been writing about family all her life as she believes it is what matters the MOST.

Want to thank NetGalley and Hachette Audio/Grand Central Publishing for granting me this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 15, 2025.

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!

I was really excited to start this one as I’m always in the mood for a good mystery. But even though the setup was intriguing, I struggled to stay invested in the story. It felt a bit slow for me, and I didn’t find the plot as gripping or suspenseful as I expected. That said, I know this will hit differently for other readers who connect more with the themes and pacing.

The highlight for me was definitely the audiobook performance. Maria Marquis is a fantastic narrator and truly carried the experience. She brought a lot of warmth and personality to the main character and had a great range when it came to differentiating voices. One of my favorite parts of her performance was the Italian accent she used throughout the book—it felt natural and added a richness to the scenes that involved Julie’s family and cultural background. Even when the story wasn’t fully clicking for me, Maria’s voice kept me engaged and made me want to keep listening.

If you’re someone who really appreciates a strong narrator and character-driven narration, this is one to consider picking up on audio. While the plot wasn’t a personal favorite, the performance made it a worthwhile listen.

This was a great story!! I really enjoyed it and it has some turns I didn’t expect. However the emphasis on astrology was a bit over the top.

Gothic thriller with supernatural elements.

I should have read the synopsis more closely. A grief stricken widow whose husband was killed in front of her (she had a premonition) inherits a huge Tuscan estate from a woman she's never heard of. Julia goes to Italy to check out the villa and vineyard, both worth millions. Once there, Julia, who was adopted as an infant, begins to suspect that the owner of this estate, Emilia Rossi, must be related to her. While ensconced in the villa and thinking about selling, Julia starts to experience visions, hallucinations, and crazy dreams.

This was a psychological thriller that never quite created any suspense or uneasiness for me especially when the paranormal events escalated and Julia started to believe she had special gifts in connecting with the dead and being guided by them. Most of what Julia did and thought defied credulity and I got bored very quickly. I am not a fan of anything metaphysical, paranormal, otherworldy etc. I do enjoy historical fiction and would definitely have liked more of those details, especially from the Renaissance period. The meet cute and instant romance (her husband had only been dead 6 months) was really off putting and pushed me over the edge. The whole conspiracy set up and explanation also didn't really even make that much sense as being the reason for all the persecution.

I have read most all of this author's legal procedurals and definitely prefer those to this kind of departure. I'm definitely not the intended audience for this type of mystery.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Maria Marquis, did a fine job of voicing the characters but her talent was not enough to overcome what I perceived as shortcomings with the plot and storyline.

The inclusion of astrology & medium capabilities was a unique spin but I will say the middle of the book kind of dragged on. The thing everything up at the very end did kind of drive me nuts. I wanted a major twist that would have left my jaw on the floor, you don’t really get that with this one. It was an enjoyable mystery.

Lisa Scottoline is an that has been recommended to me many times, and while I’ve purchased a number of her books up until now I don’t believe I’d actually ever read one of her books. And now not only did I read The Unraveling of Julia, I also has the opportunity to listen to the audio version as well. I have to say I was hooked from the start. Julie, our heroine, witnesses the death of her husband when a robber stabs hims right in front of her eyes. Some time later she receives a letter from an Italian lawyer informing her she’s inherited a villa in Italy from a women she’s never heard of. When Julie goes over to check things out that’s when the mystery really kicks into high gear. She doesn’t get a warmest reception and digging into the past only offers more questions not answers. Having now finally read one of Scottline’s novel, I can see why her work has been recommended to me so often. I now have quite the backlog to dig into. Now as for the audio version, Maria Marquis does a very good job with the narration. You can’t go wrong reading or listening to this one. I’d like to thank Grand Central Publishing for the eARC, and Hachette Audio for a copy of the audio version.

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