The bad reviews and the length of the audio deterred me from giving this my best shot. 😭I know the author alone will draw people in tho with her fan base.

The unravelling of Julia
Author Lisa Scottoline
Narrator Maria Marquis
3*
The book starts with the murder of Julia’s husband as he saves her from a bag snatcher, she becomes reclusive and consumed by her grief , she unexpectedly inherits a Tuscan villa and millions of Euros.
Julia goes to Italy to see her property , where things are not as she expects and there are unexplained strange occurrences .
The story follows Julia as she tries to unravel the villas mystery , to discover her birth family and to resolve her husband’s murder.
The book is reasonably entertaining which hints of paranormal as well as the more earthly issues , but there were some things I found too far fetched and felt the characters needed more depth , the mystery is neatly wrapped up at the end.

I think this book was marketed wrong. Unfortunately it didn’t listen as a thriller more like a fiction book. I was very bored though a lot of the book. I liked the narrator for the audiobook, she did a great job reading it. But the overall plot didn’t work for me. Also the weird Batman origin story in the beginning of the book was to much.

3.5/5
Thank you @grandcentralpub @hachetteaudio #partner for the gifted copies of this book!

I’ve read several of Lisa Scottoline’s books over the years and was so excited to get my hands on The Unraveling of Julia. This book is marketed as a psychological thriller, I’d say it leans more paranormal mystery with a sprinkle of thriller and a focus of romance mixed in. It felt very different from her usual work — so kudos to her for trying something new!

There’s a lot happening in this book. I’ll be honest, the instant love angle didn’t totally work for me. It felt a little forced and didn’t have much foundation to start, though it did smooth itself out by the end. That aside, I loved the way Lisa kept me guessing about Julia’s experiences. Is she losing her mind? Are the haunts in the house real? Or is it something else entirely? That constant question mark kept me turning pages.

Also — let’s talk about the setting! Lisa wrote Tuscany so vividly that I was constantly reminded of where I was. It made for a gorgeous, eerie backdrop to the mystery that I really enjoyed.

If you’re a fan of Italian settings, love a familial mystery with paranormal undertones, have enjoyed Lisa Scottoline’s work in the past then make sure to check this out. It’s different, a little wild at times, but an entertaining ride through love, loss, and things that go bump in the night. 🍷🌿✨

Julia husband got murdered in front of her. She is adopted and gets a letter telling her she inherited a villa from someone who she doesn’t know. She goes to the villa hoping to find answers and if the lady is related to her. She finds mysterious things happening. Such a great book

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨✨ (3.75/5)

“Kill him, I can make more.” 😂😂😂

“Grieving heals you.”

The audio narration was excellent for this book. They nailed it on the narrator for sure.

The book itself was giving Nancy Drew & Theresa Caputo.

This was more mystery than thriller although it’s classified as a thriller. It’s also very slow burn. A tad bit longer than I think it needed to be. It felt like it was dragging a bit in the middle. I think the beginning 25% and at like the 70-90% mark it part of the book were my favs and when I was the most invested. I didn’t think it needed to go on for as long as it did.

Memorable moments in the book that will stick with me…

🇮🇹Omg the “pay the fine now” experience I’ve heard of but never realized that was an actual thing. I’d be terrified.

🤕 The abuse / go bag / photos

🤪The clever title (unreliable narrator)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange of an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one! Yes, it wasn’t the most believable, but I’m not looking for something believable all the time. I enjoyed the characters and the setting and the vibes of a haunted house in Italy were unmatched. My only critiques are that I felt there were questions left unanswered and that the love story felt a bit rushed/too quick. The narrator of the audiobook was fantastic!

Fans of bestselling author, Lisa Scottoline will welcome an excellent novel The Unraveling of Julia.Julia Pritzker and her husband, Mike are walking home after a late dinner out, when a man jumps out at them to grab Julia’s purse and knife’s her husband, who dies at the scene. Julia is beside herself and is having a hard time getting over it, when she receives a letter from an attorney in Tuscany informing her that she has inherited a villa and vineyard, as well as a lot of money from Emilia Rossi, a woman she doesn’t know. Julia was adopted, and her adoptive parents are dead; she has always wondered who her birth mother is, and travels to see her estate and hopefully find her birth mother.

Anyone who has read Lisa Scottoline’s novels knows that she is an excellent storyteller, and includes plenty of twists and turns as well as building suspense. This novel is no exception. It is actually gripping and will keep readers on the edge with unexpected scenarios. Scottoline does an excellent job of developing her characters, and Julia, the protagonist, is likeable and readers want her to succeed in her quest for her birth mother, her need to get over her husband’s death (and for the police to solve the murder so that the perpetrator can be punished). There are several supporting characters who are believable and perfect additions to move the story along.

While most of us love to read an actual book or a kindle version, this one has many Italian references, names, and nuances, making it even better when listening to an audio version; the narrator is excellent and everything is pronounced correctly, which sets the scene and makes readers feel they are actually in Tuscany.

All told, this is a fascinating novel and highly recommended. The only thing missing is the recipes for the mouthwatering dishes that are mentioned throughout.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

This was a good one! I wasn't sure what was going on until about 50% of the way in. The audio book was done very well and pulled me in for sure. I finished it in one day.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an advanced copy of the audiobook.

This is my first Lisa Scottoline book. The premise sounded interesting. It was completely cheesy. The narrator didn’t not do it for me at all.

Definitely had to suspend disbelief. I see her books everywhere so I might give her another try.

This is a well-written, entertaining, mystery novel which has paranormal elements and an underlying theme of finding oneself. It is fast paced with a likable, intelligent female protagonist, vividly described settings, heartbreak, intrigue, suspense, romance, twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Ms. Maria Marquis, who has a lovely voice, and did an outstanding job voicing the characters. Many thanks to Hachette Audio/Grand Central Publishing, Ms. Scottoline, and NetGalley, who provided me with an advanced listener copy of this fantastic novel. This is my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The setting was lovely. The characters are interesting. The entire idea of the book was great. I enjoyed the characters and I think the author did a great job.

Been a fan of Lisa Scottoline for a while and this novel does not disappointment although quite different for her in writing style. Julia is in grief after her husband is murdered. She inherits money and an estate in Italy from someone she had never heard of. She decides to go to Italy; perhaps she can link her benefactor to her birth mother. Adopted as a child, she knew nothing about her birth family. But, DNA testing revealed that she was Tuscan. The once stunning estate is run down. The caretakers tell her about the deceased, Emilia Rossi, who claimed to be descended from Caterina Sforza, an important family. And how in her last years, the deceased became a recluse and was perhaps mentally unhinged. Julia is pressured to sell the property by a local realtor, but she decides to stick around and search for a connection between her and Rossi. She meets a librarian who helps her. But strange occurrences abound. She discovers a secret, hidden room. She experiences weird hallucinations and visits a medium. She is being followed. Accidents occur, the caretakers disappear. Julia persists, and finds her heritage and love.This has some mystical as well as family related stories as well as greed. I enjoyed the novel and would rate it 3.5 but am rounding up. Thank you to Net Galley, the author and Grand Central Publishing

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this audio arc. I liked the story. The author created a well written piece. The narration was great! Sometimes the narrators can be too over the top but this was great.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator absolutely nailed it, making the story fly by. As a big fan of Scottoline’s The Truth About the Devlins I jumped in with high hopes and overall I was intrigued from start to finish. The Italian setting was gorgeous and really brought the vineyard and villa to life.
That said, a few twists felt too easy to predict and the supernatural elements didn’t quite work for me. I’m also not the biggest astrology fan so those didn’t hit either. Still, it was a fast, entertaining listen and if you’re looking for something atmospheric with a touch of mystery and a fantastic narrator, this one’s worth a try.

I really liked this author’s other book, but this one was a bit of a letdown. It started off strong with the whole mysterious inheritance and her husband’s death, but it kind of lost steam halfway through. The magical realism vibes didn’t really fit the story, and the ending didn’t totally land for me. It wasn’t a bad read, just not super memorable.

I thought this was okay.
The book started off strong, but I’m not sure what happened about midway that had me starting to lose my interest. By two-thirds of the way through, I felt things slowing for me. I knew I needed to finish in order to see if I was right, but otherwise I didn’t really care what happened at that point, and it was kind of a slog to get to the end. I am glad I finished, but this one won’t really be memorable for me.

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
I’d probably still recommend to others that like atmospheric suspense and mystery/ thrillers, but it’s not one I’d push on others to read.

𝑨 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
I thought the narrator was great, along with the whole audio production. It made it easier to keep listening and finish the book!

Wahoo! A psychological thriller from Lisa Scottoline! Julia witnesses the brutal murder of her husband, and even after 6 months, the police have no leads on the killer. Julia sinks into anxiety and depression and cannot leave her apartment. Suddenly, Julia learns that she has been bequeathed millions of dollars and a Tuscan villa from a woman she has never met. Could this woman be a distant relative? Could she be sending Julia a message from the grave? When Julia begins to investigate, she begins having visions and feels that she is being followed. Could the mysterious inheritance be related to Julia's husband's death?
Lisa Scottoline brilliantly weaves murder mystery with the historical context of the Tuscan countryside. I felt like I was zipping through Florence on a vespa. She even weaves in some magical realism to keep the reader guessing. I could not tell truth from perception and compulsively had to turn the page.
As the book progresses, Julia begins to deal with her grief and learns about herself and her priorities. It was fascinating to see the character have to prioritize during times of chaos. The novel ends with Julia having a much greater sense of self and direction.
I really enjoyed the added context about Renaissance noblewoman Caterina Sforza. She was an influential military leader and a prolific patron of the arts. Reading about Sforza in this book sent me down an internet research black hole, and I loved every minute of it.
The atmospheric writing and historical context creates un-put-down-able suspense. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy psychological thrillers, history, or magical realism.

Rating: 3.0
Mode of Reading: NetGalley Digital ALC, courtesy of Lisa Scottoline and her publishing team at Hachette Audio & Grand Central Publishing, in exchange for my honest review
It's an ARC... When does it Release? This book hits shelves on July 15 and you can preorder it now!
How did I pick this up: I've read Lisa Scottoline's books before, and when I saw a new one by her, I wanted to get my hands on it. I was excited to find an audio version as it seemed like the perfect story to listen to while driving rather than reading with my eyeballs as I needed a new audiobook and thrillers/mysteries are the perfect car-buddy read for me.

Short Yet Sweet Review: I'm really glad I picked this up on audio. Overall, it’s a good mystery that transported me to Tuscany in a way that I’m not sure the physical book would have. Julia is on a quest to learn more about her birth family after the death of her adoptive parents, and the sudden, traumatic death of her husband. When she inherits a Tuscan villa from a mysterious woman, she dives into uncovering the history of Emilia Rossi, Caterina Sforza, and the delusions that plagued a woman she’s never met. There are touches of paranormal and astrology woven into the story, and they definitely match the gothic vibes of the estate. But that’s not all, there’s also romance, conspiracies, poisonings, and murder, which keep the story moving and made me want to keep listening.

Lisa Scottoline really wrote a strong, layered story, but in full honesty, it wasn’t totally my cup of tea. The astrology and paranormal elements weren’t quite what I was expecting, and some of the plot twists felt a little too convenient or far-fetched for my taste. That said, the true standout was narrator Maria Marquis. She truly brought the story to life and transported me to Tuscany. Even when I might have rolled my eyes at the plot, Maria kept me grounded and engaged. That’s a big part of why listening worked better for me; if I had read this with my eyeballs, I might have set it down and taken much longer to finish. Instead, I was transported.

This book kept my attention as adoption is close to my heart. This character had quite an adoption story to unravel and several mysteries to solve regarding her birth mother and family. A trip through Tuscany and surrounds helped make the story enjoyable to experience.

I wondered at one point if I was reading a fantasy story but this is all explained as the tale unfolds. I seemed a little like the author kind of gave up early, but overall I would recommend this ok. Lisa Scotoline is well represented on my book shelf.