Wow! I couldn’t put this book down! This is my first book by Lisa Scottoline, but definitely not my last. This story had my heart pounding and not knowing who to trust. Just when I thought I had it figured out something else happened to change my mind. This had everything that makes me love a psychological thriller. Julia was a wonderful main protagonist. I also loved all the other characters and that they all played a part in the plot and not just there for fluff.

When someone is looking for a great thriller, I usually recommend Lisa Scottoline. They are always a rollercoaster read. Her newest book, The Unraveling of Julia, is no exception.

Julia's husband dies in her arms after a mugging goes wrong. She has delved deeper into astrology since her husband's death, since she is convinced that her horoscope that day predicted his murder, and if she had paid more attention, he would still be alive. While still grieving, she learns that she has inherited a villa in Italy along with a good chunk of change. Though she has not left her home since her husband's death, the encouragement of her best friend (and her horoscope) convinces her that she must go to Italy. The mysterious inheritance is just the tip of the iceberg. Is Julia going crazy or is there something more nefarious happening?

Maria Marquis is an excellent narrator. Thrillers can sometimes be difficult to follow as an audiobook due to getting distracted. I have no problem keeping up with the story and the different characters.

This isn't a mystery that you can solve on your own; instead, it is a story where you buckle up and enjoy the ride.

I feel that Scottoline is trying to branch out and dabble in other genres and tropes. She did that with Loyalty, which has a bit of suspense but is solidly historical fiction. The Unraveling of Julia is definitely the thriller that she is known for, but with the inclusion of astrology and possibly some paranormal elements (I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't say more), this story has the feel of a gothic novel. I know Halloween is several months away, but it would be a great novel to put on a list of haunting reads.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Monday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2025/07/the-unraveling-of-julia-by-lisa.html

A great book with many layers of grief, mystery, suspense, romance, and a bit of paranormal.
Discloser: while not heavily on the latter Julia does try to contact loved ones that have passed on, so this is not for people who stay away from paranormal books or if you don't like sci-fi because there may be a couple of scenes that seem unrealistic.
However, it wasn't all about the supernatural. It was a capturing novel of how an adoptive female is widowed and finds herself in the mist of so many mysteries of her past, and present. If you love adventure, international stories, then travel along all the twists and turns in this unique masterpiece.
The narrators were outstanding making it a hard audiobook to put down.

The Unraveling of Julia gives you the full gothic package with haunted pasts, moody Tuscan villas, suspicious locals, and a protagonist who apparently skipped every “stranger danger” lesson ever taught. Julia, bless her heart, is remarkably easy to manipulate. If someone tells her the sky is green, she’s not just believing it, she’s painting her villa ceiling to match.

The atmosphere is lovely. Think candlelit dinners, shadowy corridors, and just enough tension to keep the pages turning. It’s moody, it’s dramatic, and it feels like a soap opera with a passport. If you enjoy watching someone slowly come undone while sipping wine in a centuries-old villa, this checks the box. I don't know if there is such a box, but if you wish there was one then here is your book!

Julia’s gullibility becomes the real mystery. For a character who's supposed to be intelligent and grieving, she accepts every lie, half-truth, and cryptic warning like she’s being paid by the plot twist. Meanwhile, readers with even a modest sense of suspicion will likely guess what’s happening by, oh, chapter four.

And then, just when you’re ready for the big reveal...boom! The motive arrives wearing a trench coat full of overly complicated logic. It's a twist, sure, but it’s the kind that seems designed to stretch believability rather than convince.

Overall, it's a scenic, twisty read that’s entertaining if you don’t mind suspending your disbelief higher than a Tuscan bell tower. Julia may unravel, but the real challenge is untangling the plot’s final explanation without needing a corkboard and string. Still, it’s a decent ride if you like your thrillers with a little melodrama and a lot of “wait, seriously?” moments.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Hachette Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by a favorite, Lisa Scottoline, with the audio wonderfully narrated by Maria Marquis. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Julia is mourning the murder of her husband when she receives notice that she has inherited a Tuscan villa and vineyard. But Julia doesn't know her benefactor, a stranger named Emilia Rossi. Because Julia is adopted, she thinks this could be a link to her past and heads to Italy. But the villa is in shambles and Rossi apparently was a paranoid recluse, although they both apparently shared a fascination with astrology. Before long, Julia also feels paranoid and suspects she's being followed. Is she in danger or is she losing her mind?

I'm a huge fan of Scottoline, although this book seems a bit of a departure from her normal books. It had slight gothic and supernatural vibes in addition to all the astrology mentions, There are multiple mysteries involved and while it seemed like it might veer off, I appreciated how the ending tied up the plots. There's a touch of romance as well and the Italian setting and food descriptions were definitely on point. I alternated between reading and listening for an immersive experience and enjoyed them both!

🌱| Is fate written in the stars… or buried in your bloodline? Atmospheric blend of suspense, ghostly past, and psychological unraveling vs awakening.

➜Gothic Suspense
➜Paranormal Activity
➜Thriller with Romance

The Unraveling Of Julia was so easy to devour. It's propulsive and I couldn't wait to get back to it. Lisa Scottoline is a fantastic writer and she does a great job developing a story.

I definitely enjoyed the audio version, it was very well done.

Mood: Tense, emotional, slightly chaotic
Genre: Domestic Thriller / Psychological Fiction
Pacing: Medium-fast with bursts of whiplash drama
:
Julia’s life is coming apart faster than a discount Botox treatment, and let me tell you—it’s juicy. Lisa Scottoline drops us into a psychological spiral where secrets leak like cheap wine at a family reunion. Julia’s got issues (don’t we all?), but hers come wrapped in trauma, deception, and a delightful serving of “ma’am, this is not how we handle emotions.” It’s intense, addictive, and just unhinged enough to keep you flipping pages like your Kindle owes you money.

Scottoline serves drama with a silver spoon and a side of courtroom thrill. The therapy scenes? Spicy. The marriage dynamic? Girl, run. And that twist? Let’s just say if you enjoy yelling “WHAT?!” at fictional people, you’re in for a treat.

Triggers:
Mental health struggles, domestic conflict, emotional trauma, medical themes

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 – One star off for stressing me out like it was my life unraveling)

Production – the book sounded great, no issues with the audio or narrator. I was able to immerse myself into the story very easily – Maria Marquis did an excellent job with each character – bringing not only their personalities to life, but also in a way that kept you guessing as to their true motives.

The story gave similar vibes to Mexican Gothic and Nightwatching. You couldn’t trust any character, pieces of each mystery (and there are several) led to only more questions. I love when a book is so unpredictable that you almost lose your place on what has been disproven and what is still unsolved. The ending was super satisfying and I wouldn’t mind following this story even more – feels like there is so much more to explore with these characters and the back drop of Tuscany.

Really enjoyed this! Thanks for the ARC!

Julia Pritzker thinks that her life is cursed. She has already lost her adoptive parents and then her husband is murdered. She begins to spiral when she realizes that her horoscope predicted her husband's death.

Then out of the blue she receives a letter informing her that she has inherited a Tuscan villa and vineyard from a benefactor who is a total stranger. So she heads to Tuscany for answers.

Once there strange things are happening and some horrific discoveries are revealed.

3 stars. “The Unraveling of Julia” is a mystery-thriller with a touch of paranormal that puts Scottoline’s unmistakable suspense on full show. A mysterious benefactor wills a large sum of money, a Tuscan villa + vineyard to an unsuspecting woman, Julia Pritzker. She’s an American who’s in her mid-thirties that is coping with the loss of her adoptive parents, and just recently, her husband. With an unknown lineage Julia wonders if this benefactor could possibly be a blood relative?
After arriving in Italy, Julia not only notices her uncanny resemblance to her benefactor, but they shared a strong interest in astrology. Soon enough, strange things begin to occur that turns deadly with Julia looking to find who her birth mother was and why her husband was brutally murdered trying to save her. The ending tied up most questions I had, although there is repetition and the need to suspend belief in places. As Scottoline is a favorite author for me, I’m thinking this must be a one off as I expected to like it more than I did. Pub. 7/15/25

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars! The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline is a haunting and suspenseful journey that transports readers from grief-stricken Pennsylvania to the shadowy elegance of the Tuscan countryside. With gothic undertones, a dash of romance, and a central mystery that ties past and present together, this novel is full of rich atmosphere and intriguing ideas.

Julia Pritzker is a compelling protagonist—a young widow plagued by loss and unraveling certainty. The premise of inheriting a mysterious estate from an unknown woman immediately pulled me in, and the setting is gorgeously described. The villa, the vineyard, and the history tied to Renaissance noblewoman Caterina Sforza all lend the book an eerie and immersive quality. The way astrology, legacy, and identity are woven into the narrative adds a unique, mystical layer that sets this thriller apart.

That said, the pacing is a bit inconsistent. Some sections dragged or felt unnecessarily convoluted, especially in the middle of the story, which occasionally dulled the suspense. Certain plot points required a bit more clarity or development to fully land, and at times I found myself as confused as Julia—but not always in a way that felt intentional.

Still, the final third of the novel picked up nicely with several strong twists, and the romantic subplot, while understated, brought some warmth to the otherwise moody tone. Julia’s journey of self-discovery and survival had me rooting for her by the end.

Overall, this is a solid read for those who enjoy thrillers with a gothic edge, a strong sense of place, and psychological depth. It isn’t perfect, but it’s memorable, and fans of suspenseful stories with historical threads will likely enjoy the ride.

Thanks to NetGalley for an AAC for an honest review. I’ll start by saying I really enjoyed this book, it’s not so much a thriller though. There is some mystery, but more of a finding family story mixed with some romance and mystery. The main character’s husband gets murdered right in beginning and then she gets a call that she has an inheritance from someone she doesn’t know. It was a good story and I enjoyed the narrator as well.

Sometimes you come across a book that leaves you with so many thoughts and emotions. The Unraveling of Julia is one of those books. I cannot even begin to unpack it all in one small review. In fact, for the girl who has never been a member of a book club, I would start one just to have the opportunity to discuss this book.

Set in Italy, in addition to the beautiful countryside, this book is packed full of murder, mystery, scandal, secrets, intrigue, a splash of romance and so much more. It also delves into astrology and some paranormal elements. Admittedly, as I am not a reader of the paranormal genre, when it first popped up, I started to check out a little. But I had wanted so desperately to read this book, so I held on and am soooo glad that I did. As the story progressed, I understood the purpose behind it, and it made much more sense and was kind of cool.

Coming home from dinner one night, Julia’s husband was brutally murdered in front of her. She had lost her adoptive parents and now her husband. Depressed and alone, aside from her best friend Courtney, Julia barely leaves her house anymore. One day she receives a letter from a lawyer in Italy to tell her she has inherited a villa in Tuscany. Could Emilia Rossi, the owner of the villa who Julia has never heard of before hold the key to finding her biological family? Curious, Julia decides to make the trip to Tuscany where she is met with a villa in shambles, an unhelpful lawyer, a pushy realtor and townspeople who are not too thrilled about having an outsider in the mix. With the help of the local librarian, Gianluca, Julia begins to unearth the secrets of the villa and her birth family, but all the while, Julia has an uneasy feeling that she is being watched. Will she be able to find the answers to all her questions, or is there something sinister lurking in the shadows?

After I finished the book, I heard the author talk about the “why” behind this book. I had already felt a connection to the story, but after hearing what she said that connection was even stronger. In some ways, it felt like this book was written specifically for me.

A huge thank you to Hachette Audio for the ALC of this book. The narrator, Maria Marquis, and the production team did an amazing job bringing the characters and story to life! It is one of those books and listens that I will not soon forget. Between the book itself and the audio production, I wish I could give it 10 stars!

A gothic mystery book. 3.75 stars. I listened to this book on audio and the narrator did an amazing job bringing this story to life. Please note, I don't speak Italian, but I think the narrator did great job and sounded authentic speaking Italian to my novice ears.

In regards to the book itself, the FMC goes through some horrific events in the beginning. I don't want to give anything away as everything becomes intertwined. There are so many twists and turns in this book that will keep you hooked; even if there are some parts that drag on or predictable. However, this book was a fun time. I would definitely recommend listening to this one on audio.

Many thanks to Hachette Audio/Grand Central Publishing, Ms. Scottoline, and NetGalley, who provided me with an audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“Death wasn’t necessarily far away, on the distant horizon or at the end of some actuarial table. Sometimes it was right in front of you, in your very next step. Waiting around the corner.”

4.5 stars! This book was WILD. It was totally like going on an adventure. I have loved all of her books that I have read and that streak continues with this one. There does need to be some suspension of belief here due to some of the plot points but overall this was an epic story. And Italy 🇮🇹. Always Italy. ❤️

The audiobook was so good and narrated so well I barely read this book with my eyes. The accents are spot on and so authentic to the Italian culture. It was just fantastic and I highly recommend it!!

“Love is all. Nothing matters more.”

Thank you to Netgalley, Hachette Audio, and Grand Central Publishing for the ALC and ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book is a fun ride! Adopted Julia (recently widowed and has lost her parents) gets a mysterious call from Italy that she has been left millions along with an Italian villa in Tuscany. She swallows her anxiety for a chance to see if this mystery woman may be biologically related to her and heads to Italy. The villa is creepily rundown and odd things begin to happen to Julia. This book has a nice fast pace and I like the incorporation of astrology. I give this book 4 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook for review.

Haunted by tragedy, widow Julia inherits a Tuscan villa from a stranger, awakening a family secret. A deadly mystery unfolds, forcing her to confront her identity and fight for her survival.

This paranormal Gothic mystery is atmospheric and entertaining. The conspiracy aspects aren’t particularly believable, but it’s a fun read nevertheless. The audiobook narration is well done.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

You know that feeling when someone starts describing a dream they had, in excruciating detail, and you’re just nodding politely while internally screaming? That was me reading this book.

Julia’s nightmares, the inherited villa, the vague sense of mystery—I wanted to care. I really did. But the pacing was slow, the dream sequences were heavy, and I never quite found a reason to stay invested. I kept waiting for something to click, but by a third of the way through, I realized I was forcing it. And I don’t believe in hate-reading.

Totally understand why this might work for others—it’s introspective, layered, and clearly building toward something. But for me? I just wasn’t interested enough to stick around and find out what.

Wishing Julia and the villa all the best. I’m tapping out. DNF at 33% - thank you to the publisher for the gifted ebook and audiobook.

An Under the [Sinister] Tuscan Sun psychological thriller where a grief-stricken young American widow inherits a villa and millions in Italy from a total stranger…or are they?
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Note: This review is based on the audiobook ARC production - not the text version

Summary: When first we meet Julia Pritzker, she is drowning in grief, fear, and survivor’s guilt. Her beloved husband saved her life during what seems to be a random act of violence and lost his life in the process. Since her adopted parents have also passed, without her rock-solid best friend, Julia would be completely alone in the world. She’s afraid to even leave her Philadelphia apartment and the zoom therapy sessions aren’t helping.

So when she finds out that a total stranger has left her millions of dollars and a crumbling but extremely valuable Tuscan villa, Julia isn’t sure she has the courage to go over there and see to the inheritance. Through a combination of belief in astrology, however suspect the source, and the encouragement of her friend, she gets brave and heads to Italy. However, her arrival digs up far more questions than answers. Is this benefactor truly a stranger, or a connection to her biological origins? And what does that mean when it appears this benefactor may be both pure evil and certifiably insane? Julia will attempt to find out the truth while feeling that she herself is quite possibly losing her mind.
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Thoughts: Julia tugged at my heart, as she’s both unraveling and being actively unraveled in this story. (Title is destiny.)This is ultimately a tale of blood relations and found families, and how those ties can be the most beautiful things and also cause great pain.

Something which was clear through the whole story was that Julia was often not in a place which made her easy to love. She’d been deeply hurt by the death of her adopted mother and rejection by her adopted father after. Then she lost her husband in an act of violence, leaving her unmoored and afraid. Still, her best friend since middle school refused to stop loving her, even when Julia appeared to be losing her marbles and pushing her away. Refreshingly, her best friend isn’t always the perfect voice of reason, stubbornly stepping in to take over or validating every crazy thing her BFF does. She feels like a real friend who will push back, disagree, drop everything if she can to help, and maintain her own life and love.

Julia’s late-husband is a character told to us via her memory only. A mistake writers often make is having an old love pale in comparison to a new love interest. It’s the “There’s only one soulmate for you so good thing the first person died themselves out of the way.” Scottoline doesn’t fall into that trap, allowing her late-husband to stay the obviously wonderful man he was, unwavering, without letting that take away from her new love.

I’d call this borderline Romantic Suspense, even though its genre is mystery thriller first. There is a secondary romance that ends very happily, leaving us with the knowledge that this broken and tragically hurt woman from the start is going to be better than just okay. They are only together in half the book, so it’s not capital-R Romance, but still is quite satisfying.

Usually I go in assuming that there’s a very concrete non-metaphysical reason for whatever is happening in a book. Without spoiling it, that’s only somewhat true here. While the danger and villains are very concrete, there are essential parts of the story which are with the stars. I think it worked here, in that a magical explanation isn’t dropped in only when it’s convenient for the conflict or conclusion, deux ex machina-style – but fans of zero woo-woo might not be as accommodating.

The plot was exciting enough I finished a very long audiobook in one day, which is a great sign. I’d recommend this one to any reader looking for a journey of emotional recovery with a lot of suspense and tension, along with a satisfying secondary love story.

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Audiobook Narrator: Maria Marquis, excellent narration for a difficult text, as the majority of the secondary characters are Italian, so she needed to navigate actual Italian, broken English/Italian, and several British characters. She seamlessly moved from accent to accent which is no easy feat. Her male voice is also impressive, including the necessary warmth needed for the love interest

Standalone/Series: Standalone

Themes/Tropes: psychological thriller, secondary romance, grief and loss, trauma recovery after violent crime, Italian setting, HEA, finding ones roots, nefarious plots, inheritance

Steam/Spice Level: fade to black, closed door

Setting: Philadelphia, Tuscan region of Italy

BIPOC Characters: yes, secondary character

LGBTQ+ Characters: not as stated on page

Religion: some vague references to Catholicism in Italian culture, Notre Dame grads but much heavier on metaphysical/spiritual influences and astrology

POV: third person, past tense, single point of view (heroine, FMC only)

Cops/LEO: yes, secondary characters in both America and Philadelphia, definitely not copaganda

Does the Dog Die? The sweet Italian dog is put in peril but he’s alive and very happy at the end

Romance-qualified Happily Ever After? Yes! The secondary romance has a lovely HEA.
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Thank you Hachette Audio & Grand Central Publishing for the advanced reader copy of the audiobook. Expected publication date: July 15th, 2025