Wow! Dark, moody, spooky, and full of twists, art, and messy lives. You always know to expect a twist with Rachel Hawkins, but can never know what to expect with them!

A great book with lots of twists and kept you hooked throughout reading. I was eager to keep picking it back up

I loved this book! I knew to expect surprises from Rachel, because I've read some of her previous books, but she still managed to surprise me! The Villa explores complicated relationships, art, and their intertwinement.

Dark, atmospheric, and layered with secrets—this one had serious moody vacation-gone-wrong vibes. I loved the dual timelines and the slow unraveling of both past and present mysteries, even if it took a while to really get going. Some twists felt a bit predictable, but the writing and setting kept me invested.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 3.5 stars for this stylish, twisty tale of friendship, betrayal, and buried truths. R rating for language and mature themes.

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins is twisty, moody, and full of drama. Think murder, messy friendships, and a spooky old house in Italy. It’s got dual timelines and slow-burn tension that keeps you hooked. Kinda dark, kinda fun.

this was a story of lives moving each into their own destiny that are eventually woven into whole cloth through deception and death. Told in two timelines, each story has it's own history with no connection to the other story. Confused yet? Don't be.
In 1974, the era of drugs, sex and rock and roll would bring a group of talented people together in a villa in Italy. Their story explodes when death steps into their midst and leaves the players divided by their own actions and consequences, but the headlines were never clear on what happened to bring them all to that point.
Now.....two friends who were besties but have drifted as adults will come together for a reunion and a chance to reset their futures. Both writers, the influence of the villa's history will cause expanding ripples that neither could predict.....or could they?
I've read Rachel Hawkins books before and have loved each. Her stories weave what seem to be unrelated events into a whole that always leaves readers wondering how they got here but so gald they did. The buildup to the core story gives clues and small bits of info that leave us to believe we know what's going to happen but nope.....Read her books, you can thank me later.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

The story alternates between dual timelines: 1974 and present day. Really enjoyed this haunted house type thriller!

🏡 In the present, Emily and Chess—lifelong best friends turned distant frenemies—escape to a stunning Italian villa with a dark history. As Emily digs into the villa’s infamous 1970s murder, secrets from both past and present begin to unravel.

🎸 In 1974, the villa was home to sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll… until a summer of artistic passion ended in bloodshed. Inspired by real-life events (hello, Manson murders and Mary Shelley vibes!), this storyline was my favorite—dark, atmospheric, and tragic in all the right ways.

💀 With shifting alliances, hidden betrayals, and an eerie, almost haunted feel, The Villa explores the blurred lines between creativity and destruction, friendship and rivalry, love and obsession.

✨ Verdict: Twisty, unsettling, and unputdownable! If you love books about dark female friendships, gothic mansions, and unraveling mysteries, this one’s for you!

Two best friends (both successful authors) decide to spend their summer at an Italian villa to work on their writing. A murder occurred at the villa decades ago, which then becomes the inspiration for a new book which they both end up fighting over.

This book was fine. I liked it better than the author's previous The Wife Upstairs, but did find the twist at the end to be a blink and you'll miss it.

In 1974, a group of five people—musicians, writers, and one resentful outsider—gather at Villa Rosato in Orvieto. The atmosphere is charged with excess: drinking, drugs, and reckless relationships. While some find creative inspiration in the chaos, it takes a toll on others. One different choice, one shift in events, and perhaps everyone could have made it out unscathed.

Fast forward to the present day, where best friends Emily and Chess arrive at the now-renamed Villa Aestas for a six-week retreat. Decades earlier, a musician was murdered at the villa, adding an eerie weight to its history. Emily, struggling with a mysterious illness and a draining divorce, has lost her creative spark. As the author of a popular cozy mystery series, she’s unable to write while her ex-husband fights for a share of her earnings. Meanwhile, Chess, a wealthy and renowned self-help author, hopes the getaway will help Emily get back on track. However, Chess’s odd behavior raises questions. The villa’s dark past unexpectedly reignites Emily’s passion for writing—not for her existing series, but for something new, something inspired by the villa itself, and aided by echoes of the past.

The novel alternates between two timelines: Mari’s experiences in 1974 and Emily’s in the present. Initially, the 1974 storyline felt unappealing due to its wild rock-and-roll excess, but its restrained portrayal of that era’s recklessness was appreciated. The only reason it remained engaging was Emily’s interest in it. On the other hand, the present-day timeline proved more compelling, especially with Chess’s strange behavior and Emily’s ruthless soon-to-be ex-husband, whose legal maneuvering made him easy to despise.

Writing is central to the novel—whether in the form of books, songs, secrets, or revelations. While the individual elements of the story weren’t all captivating on their own, they came together in a way that made the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Great setting, epic thriller, love this author’s work! It was binge worthy and I could not read fast enough to find out what would happen next! Also loved the dual POV!

This book ticked all the boxes for me: well-developed characters, interesting setting (who doesn't love a book set in Italy AND in the 70s), the writing was good, and overall it was a well thought out book. One aspect of the reveal of the mystery was slightly disappointing, but overall I found the resolution satisfying.

The story follows two sets of characters in two different time periods both staying at the same villa.. Two friends (Emily and Chess) going on a girls trip to rekindle their friendship in the present, and a group of friends who experienced great tragedy in the past, leading to murder, success, and fame. But everything is not as it original seemed to be and as Emily becomes more and more intrigued by the history of the villa she finds out more and more about what may have actually happened and also uncovers some secrets about her friendship with Chess.

Intrigue, betrayal, and taking advantage of another person's tragedy are all underlying themes in this book and the author wove them all together perfectly. For me, this book really brings to mind relaxing on a pool lounger with a big hat, a tall glass of spiked lemonade, actually being in an Italian villa with that kind of almost sepia-filter on everything, and that impending doom feeling in the background added in.

Thank-you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my advanced reader copy.

Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mystery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Vacations gone wrong with a hint of gothic suspense? SIGN ME UP!

The Villa is actually 2 stories for the price of one, and I loved all of them. When self-help influencer Chess (Jess) asks her childhood friend Emily to tag along for a 6 week vacation in Umbria, Emily jumps at the chance. Currently drowning in the drama of her divorce, writer's block and the slow failure of her 9th cozy mystery book, Emily feels that she is at wits end. Chess seems to also have some issues that she is dealing with, but Emily hardly notices as she learns more about the mysteries behind their home for the Summer.

In 1974, we learn, there was a murder that entangled several famous rock stars and authors. Emily begins to write again as she learns about the story. As she gets closer to determining what happened that fateful night, she learns more about her friend then maybe she wanted to know.

The Villa is inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and Percy and Mary Shelley! The gothic vibes will haunt you just as the sunny days warm you. If you love a mystery within a mystery, vacationing with gothic vibes or are just ready for the fiction novel of 2023, The Villa is for you! #TheVilla #RachelHawkins #StMartinsPress

This book masterfully blends past and present, weaving a gothic-tinged mystery full of secrets, betrayal, and literary intrigue. The dual timelines—one following Emily and Chess’s strained friendship, the other unraveling a 1970s rock-and-roll murder—are equally compelling, keeping the tension simmering. Hawkins’ rich, atmospheric writing brings the Italian setting to life, though some twists feel predictable. Still, it’s an addictive, suspenseful read perfect for fans of slow-burn psychological thrillers. I really enjoyed it!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this book!

I really enjoyed this book the thriller theme was definitely there and i would love to read the next one

I honestly don’t have much to say about this one. The only part I enjoyed was the different mixed media. There was interviews, news articles and a random podcast.
The plot was mediocre and I really didn’t enjoy this at all.
Very disappointing.

Rachel Hawkins' The Villa tells the intertwined story of two sisters and two friends, expertly tying together their stories into a twisty tale of suspense. At the center of it all is a beautiful, mysterious villa set in Italy.

In the 1970s, Mari, her sister, and her boyfriend are invited to stay at the villa by a rock star acquaintance, where they are fulled by sex, drugs, and a little rock and roll. Mari is an aspiring writer, and becomes inspired by the villa, writing a deranged tale about another villa.

Emily and Chess are part of the modern day, navigating a strained friendship and what turns out to be numerous secrets. Chess invites Emily to stay at the villa for the summer. There Emily discovers Mari's story, and the choices she makes after that can't be reversed.

I enjoyed this book--I liked the back and forth between the two time periods, and enjoyed seeing how things intertwined. There were several unexpected twists in the book, which I always enjoy. I would recommend this if you enjoy mysteries that are a bit unexpected.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

'The Villa' by Rachel Hawkins is a chilling dual timeline mystery. The twists are surprising and it is a quick enjoyable read.

This wasn't my cup of tea. I found it to be dragging and it really couldn't keep me hooked for such a slow burn. The momentum just wasn't there.

I loved everything about this book. When I first picked it up I was not sure if I would like it but I loved it! The dual timelines, the characters that you don’t know for can trust, the underlying reasons behind everything- all of it makes a great book. It is set in Italy and while Italy is not and part of the book I enjoyed reading the local landscape. A truly thrilling book until the very last page!