The first half of The Unraveling of Julia really drew me in - it had strong psychological thriller vibes, and I was intrigued by where the story was going. But unfortunately, the second half unraveled a bit too much for me. The plot started to feel chaotic, with a lot of random elements thrown in that didn’t fully come together.

I also didn’t think the love interest added much to the story; it felt unnecessary and distracted from the main narrative. And while I know some readers may enjoy it, the inclusion of astrology and the whole medium/talking-to-the-dead aspect just wasn’t for me - it took me out of the suspenseful tone I was expecting from a psychological thriller.

Overall, it had potential and started strong, but it lost focus in the second half and didn’t quite stick the landing for me.

I was immediately pulled in by the beginning of this story. Julia’s husband is murdered in front of her and she becomes a hermit afraid to leave her house. When a stranger leaves their villa and millions to Julia, both adopted parents having passed and never having learned about her biological parents, decides to find out if this mystery person is a long lost relative. She travels to Italy where things take twisty turns. What’s real and what’s only in her head?

Sometimes Julia seemed level headed and other times she went a little off the rails, so I feel that the title really delivers on that! I had to remind myself that is the point when I was getting a little frustrated with some of her decisions and the way her thoughts drove her to expect the worst of everyone. I loved how she had her best friend Courtney to talk her down when she was jumping to conclusions in the worst way or relying too much on her horoscope. Breathe, girl! Although, I can see from her past, amongst other things, why she would be ready to expect the worst. There were some trippy parts to this book which I liked that encompassed the “unraveling” of Julia as well. I couldn’t trust any new character introduced which is exactly how I want my thrillers. Like Julia, I also jump to conclusions (though probably not as unhinged) and I’m almost disappointed when they end up being model citizens even though I want a relatively happy ending for the main character. I thoroughly enjoyed the audio of this and the narrator did a great job!

Thank you to Hachette Audio | Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ALC!

This book had a slow start for me, but around the halfway mark, I found myself fully drawn in. Julia is a well-developed protagonist, and I really appreciated how her character evolved over the course of the story. One of the most interesting aspects was the way astrology and horoscopes were woven into the narrative—it added a unique and thoughtful layer to the book. Overall, a rewarding read once it found its rhythm.

Mixed feelings about this book so review is mixed. I think the situation in which someone inherits a fortune, a mansion, a villa, etc. out of the blue is unrealistic and overused - does this really happen? So, immediately, I was skeptical about the book. But this happens to Julia, the protagonist and she gets a chance to “start over” after her husband is murdered. The historical aspect of the connection between the villa and a renaissance duchess is interesting and I also liked the supernatural component to the story. Julia is determined to discover her birth parents and her connection to the elderly woman who left the villa to her and some of her discoveries are interesting and the added romance makes the book more diverse and genre-bending.
While some aspects of this book are creative and interesting, there are more far-fetched and “eye-rolling” elements than anything. Too many cliches such as hidden tunnels in the villa and the reasons behind Julia’s attempted “unraveling” are just too unrealistic. It felt like the author was just throwing in dramatic ideas that messed up the flow of the story. So, I appreciated some of the creativity but overall, couldn’t get past some of the ridiculousness.
I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator was good for the most part. Some of the accents seemed “off” but I’m sure this is a difficult aspect of narrating a novel.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Hachette Audio for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

The Unraveling of Julia starts out feeling like it’s going to be a psychological thriller—Julia’s husband is murdered, she heads to Italy, and the setup feels like it’s building toward something tense. But instead, it shifts into something else entirely. The story ends up focusing more on her digging through family secrets and figuring out her ancestry than any kind of real suspense.

There was just too much going on. Astrology, hallucinations, trauma, romance, grief—it all started to blur together. It felt like the plot couldn’t decide what it wanted to be, and it lost that tightness you expect from a thriller. The romance didn’t work for me at all. It felt completely out of place and didn’t add to the story. If anything, it just pulled focus away from what should’ve been the emotional core.

The setting was beautiful and there were moments I liked, but overall it didn’t hit the mark. Not bad, just not what I expected.

So.... once again, Lisa Scottoline has blown this one right out of the water!!

We OPEN up with a young couple out on the town, when her husband is brutally murdered right in front of her. ** No, this is not a spoiler** it is clearly noted in the books description on Goodreads!! But wow!!! What an opener!
Distraught, the wife is literally falling apart. She has NO family. She was adopted as a baby, and her Mom died when she was very young... and her Dad... well, he was a whole other story.
So, she returns to work (from home), but is having a very hard time. She has one good friend, Courtney, who she keeps in touch with religiously... and she reaches out to her often. And, she seems to keep her on track too.

So, when she gets a call that says it's from ITALY, well, she figures it's a spam call trying to sell her something. When she finds out that she is inheriting something big, well, she just doesn't believe it! So, she does some investigating, and finds out it's for real. And then she starts to wonder... could this be related to her Birth Parents??

And so, off she goes to Florence, Italy to investigate further... (funny thing, we just came back from there a few weeks ago!!) =0
And what a ride it is!!! The place is huge, but in total disrepair... but the more she explores, the more uneasy she begins to feel...

And then, it all just goes OFF THE RAILS!!!

Lots of hidden agendas... Lots of things that should NOT be happening... Feeling like she's being followed... And just when she thinks she might have met a really nice guy.... well, the sh*t hits the fan.... again!

All the 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟✨✨✨✨✨💫💫💫💫💫 for me!!! This one just had it all!!!
And, gave me all the feels!!! And, added just a dusting of supernatural to the mix!!!

#TheUnravelingOfJulia by @LisaScottoline and narrated beautifully by @MariaMarquis.

*** THIS ONE HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED YET!! PLEASE LOOK 👀 FOR IT ON JULY 15, 2025!!! ***

Thanks so much to #NetGalley, #HachetteAudio and #GrandCentralPublishing for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
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Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

A psychological thriller with astrology interwoven. Julia's husband was murdered, she becomes somewhat of a recluse until she gets word that she has inherited an estate in Italy. With the encouragement from her best friend, she decides to visit. There was a touch of paranormal, a very eerie atmospheric setting. Is her new inheritance haunted? This was more of a slow burn, but for me it worked well. This is my first Lisa Scottoline novel, it will definitely not be my last.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Audio for the ALC.

This book was a WILD ride. Absolutely NOTHING is as it seems in this book and has twists you'll NEVER see coming. GO BIRDS.

This is unlike any other Lisa Scottoline book I’ve read. It’s more mystery than thriller, and is heavy on the paranormal and astrology, with a side of creepy Tuscan villa. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did.

I both read the e-book and listened to the audiobook. Maria Marquis is a great narrator.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a solid four-star read—layered, thrilling, and utterly engaging! I absolutely recommend thriller lovers check it out when it releases on July 15th. I was hooked by the mix of grief, secrets, and danger…and I couldn’t stop listening once the twists started rolling in.

Julia is unexpectedly widowed when her husband heroically throws himself in front of a knife-wielding, hooded figure during a late-night stroll. With the trauma still raw and the police offering no answers, Julia understandably becomes afraid to leave the house—especially after dark. Thankfully, her best friend Courtney is there to help her through the stages of grief.

Months later, everything changes when Julia receives shocking news: she’s inherited a luxurious Italian villa and millions of euros…from a woman she’s never heard of. Adopted as a child, Julia is both confused and intrigued—especially since her adoptive parents have passed and she’s desperate to find where she truly belongs. But when she flies first class to Italy, she unwittingly steps into a web of danger and deception that links directly to her past.

I was gifted both the ebook and audiobook—and while both were fantastic, I stand by my belief that a talented voice actor can elevate the suspense to a whole new level. Maria Marquis did a phenomenal job bringing this gripping story to life!

Thank you NetGalley, Lisa Scottoline, Hachette Audio, and Grand Central Publishing for the engrossing early copies in exchange for my honest review!

This was an ARC from NetGalley.com, but the sentiment of this narrated book is all mine.

This book held my attention, and I listened to it in less than a week. It encouraged me to go to the gym so that I could find out what happened next. The storyline itself was exciting and entertaining, and while it was deemed a "psychological thriller," it was just on the exciting side--not the graphic or violent side. There were some parts of this that were a little far-fetched, but for the most part, it was a believable story, with very likable characters. The narrator did a phenomenal job narrating. Her voice was very easy to listen to, and she does a very good Italian accent! I am not sure if it was the author, or if it was the narrator, but throughout the book, she reads, "awwww" and after a while, that gets a little bit annoying! But other than that, it was a great book, held my attention, and it was a quick "read". Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This audiobook offers a captivating listening experience, thanks in large part to its outstanding narrator. Her performance kept me utterly engrossed, consistently pulling me deeper into the story and making me eager to find out what would happen next, even though I struggled with the characters and their development.

Julia, the protagonist, has a strong and unwavering personality, and her resolute nature drives much of the narrative. However, her interactions, particularly with her best friend, Courtney, felt odd at times. While they were presented as close, I couldn’t tell if their bond stemmed from a pre-Mike connection, or if it was merely a byproduct of shared grief after Mike’s death. Their dialogue occasionally came across as snippy and flighty, especially during the scene where the police stop them.

The central mystery revolves around Julia’s inherited Italian villa, her husband's death, and the secrets the villa holds, especially the previous owner, Emilia Rossi. Being set in Italy, I had hoped it would have served as a compelling backdrop but it didn't.

Plot: 3/5
Audio Narrator: 5/5
Characters: 2/5

I listened to the audio narrated by Maria Marquis and very well done. I enjoy Lisa’s writing and of course the Italian setting. This mystery was set in Tuscany, after a young widow inherits a dilapidated villa from a women she has never met. There is a mystery to solve, family secrets to uncover, and unexplained accidents. Perfect summer read. Thank you NetGalley for me free copy.

I was disappointed in Lisa Scottoline's newest book. I have really enjoyed many of her books in the past. This book was too slow moving for me. I felt like the storyline was all over the place and I didn't want to stick with it to figure out what was going on. I hopeful for better books from her in the future!

Thank you @NetGalley and @Grand Central Publishing and @Hatchette Audio for providing me with this pre release audiobook!

I was intrigued by the premise of the main character, Julia, having been freshly widowed and longing to know her biological parents, finding out that she is to inherit an Italian Villa and millions of dollars from a complete stranger. However, I feel like this book could have been summed up just fine if it was 1/3 shorter. I found it hard to get into, slow to get through and the characters were hard to like. It just felt deadpan the whole way through.

Plugged as a thriller, this was more of a family mystery with a paranormal twist. I didn’t completely love the book, but it was enjoyable enough.

Julia is caught in the madness of grief, her beloved husband has been murdered and she’s become reclusive. Julia has also always known she’s adopted but knows nothing of her biological family, so it comes as a huge shock when she receives correspondence relating to an inheritance in Julia’s name, the large sum not only pries Julia outdoors, but all the way to Tuscany.

Dong read this if you’re hungry, my tummy rumbled a lot, there’s lots of food talk and it all sounds delicious. The story has a tendency to run full speed towards being a bit out there and you certainly need to suspend belief.

there were lots of little annoyances like aww and urg being said often. Too often.

The audio narration by Maria Marquis 🎧

Huge thanks to Hachette audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

Lisa Scottoline writes a really great thriller and in The Unraveling of Julia, there is the mystery of what is going on in the villa that Julie inherits but also, how does this tie into the mother who gave her up at birth.
Julie, having just lost her husband to a violent murder whilst he was defending her, is surprised to learn she has inherited a large sum and a villa in Italy. Julie has a ton of questions and the locals are not thrilled to have an American show up and take over the villa. The groundskeeper and cook are sus at best and Julie is immediately convinced she's being followed. Cue a brief tragic love interest, some mild poisoning and hallucinations and TOO MANY questions.
While some of the plot sections were a bit far fetched and the heavy leaning on astrology is a miss for me, it does all come together.
Great narration and pacing throughout the audiobook.

To be published July 15, 2025- Thanks Netgalley for the early ARC.

I love the authors portrayal of strong, intelligent women. The mystery elements were done well and I found the characters engaging.

3.5 stars

This was my first time reading (and listening to) anything by Lisa Scottoline, I was intrigued from the start. Splitting my time between the audiobook and the Kindle edition, both formats worked really well - the narration added an extra layer of intensity, especially during the more suspenseful moments.
The story follows Julia, who's grieving the sudden loss of her husband when she unexpectedly inherits a villa in Italy. Sounds dreamy, right? But of course, it’s not that simple. From the moment Julia arrives the atmosphere shifts, there's a heavy moody vibe with a setting that is vivid and at times spooky.

Things take a turn toward the paranormal pretty quickly, and nothing is quite what it seems. There are some unreliable characters, strange events, and twists that kept me guessing the whole way through. Just when I thought I had things figured out, something else would unravel (pun totally intended).

The Unraveling of Julia is a mix of grief, mystery with just enough supernatural weirdness that keep me wondering what was real. If you're into books with a haunting setting, emotional depth, and plenty of twists, this one’s worth a read.

I’ll be checking out more from Lisa Scottoline after this.

My thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Hachette Audio for advanced copies in exchange for a honest review.

Absolutely loved this!! Storyline and narration was amazing! Only good things to say! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for early arc