I was lucky to receive an advance copy of The Villa by Rachel Hawkins from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinions. I've LOVED all books by Rachel Hawkins so I couldn't wait to sit down and read the newest release. This book has it all = murder, suspense, rock and roll and a crazy lifestyle. You will be guessing until the very end as just when you think you have it all figured out, you will realize you were wrong. Do yourself a big favor and get your hands on a copy of this as soon as you can.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest feedback!

If you’re looking to escape into a book this summer, make sure to put The Villa by Rachel Hawkins on your TBR!

NetGalley technically sent me this ARC last Fall, but I just knew I had to wait to read it over the summer so I could really fall into the book's setting at an Italian villa.

The story begins in 1974 as sisters Mari and Lara take a summer vacation with Mari’s aspiring musician boyfriend, Lara’s most recent fling - a bonafide rockstar, and of course, the rockstar’s drug dealer to keep inventory stocked for them while they’re abroad. This trip is all things sex drugs and rock & roll - any person would be lucky to be there, right? Each person has secret motives for going on this trip and quickly lines are blurred, boundaries are crossed, and someone ends up murdered.

In an alternate timeline, childhood friends Chess and Emily take an Italian trip of their own and end up staying at the exact same villa as the infamous group from the 70s. Chess has recently become mega-famous after being noticed as a wellness guru influencer and best-selling author, while Emily’s life has recently gone down the drain with a mysterious illness, nasty divorce, and stagnant season in her writing career. This week could be the perfect time for them to reconnect, but something’s off between them, and somehow their relationship becomes intertwined with the morbid story from 50 years before.

I loved how the author not only included the two perspectives/timelines, but also told the story through the character’s song lyrics, passages in their books, press articles and interviews, and personal letters from way back. My favorite book from this author is still The Wife Upstairs, but this one is a close second. 3.5 stars rounded up to a 4!

I do love a slow burn and Rachel Hawkins has never let me down. The Villa had me hook, line and sinker with it's music and rock star references. The dual time line keeps you on your toes and things interesting.

Italy, a murder house, music and memories....it's a read in one sitting kind of book. Chess and Mari have multidimensional qualities that are vital to keep me interested. One dimensional characters tend to be lackluster and leave me wanting more character development.

The 70s is an era that is a force to be reckoned with in and of itself. Everything about it makes any book instantly more interesting. From the music, to the fashion, to the scandals, and especially for a book like this - the Manson Murders.

I think it's a given that Rachel Hawkins is one of my favorite, go-to authors and this book was definitely no exception.

Thank you NetGalley!

Loved this book! Hawkins is so skilled at artfully weaving a new fiction story that mirrors and references famous literature and history. Enjoyed this one even more than "Reckless Girls."

The Villa is mystery thriller/crime drama told in alternating time lines that intertwine together. Both stories are set in an Italian villa known for its dark history.

The present timeline follows former BFFs Emily and Chess as they travel to the Villa to focus on their writing & reconnect their friendship. The past timeline follows a group of people in the 70s looking for creative inspiration & a summer filled with sex, drugs and rock & roll.

I sincerely enjoyed this story. I liked the back and forth from both of the timelines and seeing how the two stories intertwined together. Loved all the main characters & seeing their development throughout the novel. I loved that this story is a more simple mystery/thriller taking you along for the ride & focusing more on relationships, rather than a super crazy mystery novel trying to surprise you at every turn. It was simple, yet very engaging. I did not want to put the book down.

I think this is the perfect novel if you need a good pallet cleanser in between books. Its quick, simple and entertaining. While it may not be Rachel Hawkin's best book, it is still a very good one that I would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC digital copy. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

4.5 out of 5 stars and my deepest respect to the author.

LOVED this book!!! Creative, suspenseful, mysterious, chaotic… plus dual timelines! Finished it in three days and now have a slight book hangover LOL.

Highly recommend!

Unfortunately, I chose to DNF this at about 20% finished. It just wasn't grabbing my attention at all. I tried but couldn't find myself wanting to pick it up at all.

This one just didn't do it for me. It was slow and just not what I was used to from Rachel Hawkins. I will continue to read herbooks, this one just wasn't for me.

The Villa is quite the suspense novel, interweaving the infamous past events at the villa with the present time lives of Emily and her friend, Chess. The story from the 1970's really had me intrigued and it was interesting to see the plot develop and unravel to reveal the parallels with the present time plot line. I enjoyed reading The Villa, it is quite the read so I made sure to read it when I had a long weekend to dive into the book. The stepsisters from the 1970's plotline had so many layers to their relationship. That seemed to set the pace and story for the more modern relationship between the best friends. Overall, a good read! Definitely a bit gothic!

This story a slow burn thriller. the book has it all sex drugs and rock and roll. Mari and Emily’s storylines are intriguing and written skillfully. this book offers dual timelines and dual perspectives.

*4.5 stars* Thank you Netgalley for the arc and audio arc! Rachel Hawkins delivers again! I have loved every mystery/thriller from this author and I will continue to support them. Highly recommend.

I don’t love thrillers but the synopsis of this one and hearing it described as Daisy Jones with murder made me interested. I really loved the mixed format- diary entries, emails and news articles and then Emily’s perspective. Like with many thrillers, I didn’t love the ending and pretty much figured out the “twist” about halfway. Overall, a quick if semi predictable thriller. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.

A gothic suspense novel. A villa in Italy with a haunted history makes for an interesting read. will read more from this author. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

I have been hooked on Rachel Hawkins since I read Reckless Girls so I was very excited to read The Villa. I love how much the cover pops and is easily spotted on my shelf.

I normally read through books really fast but I took my time with this one, to take everything in since its a slower paced book. It wasn't as much of a thriller as it was a who done it, but I still really enjoyed it. I also liked that there was two different story lines.

Already looking forward to her next book! Highly recommend!

I tried listening to this one on audio and unfortunately it was a DNF for me. Something about the way it was written just did not excite me, I found myself struggling to pick this one up.

Once again Rachel Hawkins knocks a thriller out of the park. Emily and Chess are best friends who decide to spend a summer in Italy, reconnecting after many years of lost time. But the murder that occured in this villa decades ago seems to haunt Emily, and she becomes obsessed with learning more about the tragic events that occurred where she's sleeping. As she learns more, things between Emily and Chess start to become heated.

Rachel Hawkins is a master at thrillers and once again does rural Italy jsutice. She manages to take a place associated with serenity and relaxation and stage a perfectly excuted murder.

How deep are you willing to let your relationships run?

I have been obsessed with every thriller I’ve read from Rachel, and this one was no different. I flew through it in less than two days and couldn’t help but get hooked from the first chapter or so. The suspense and atmosphere created in The Villa was absolutely amazing, and I kept guessing at what I thought would happen because my brain was spinning with so many theories and ideas. There are two timelines woven in the story, as well as some podcast clips and articles, and they did a great job complementing each other and building the various mysteries. There were truly moments that had me gasping out loud, and I loved how the ending was not at all happy but rather quite sinister for our main character. Once again, Rachel has done a great job getting me hooked on her plots and sometimes unlikeable characters, keeping me tuned in to the storyline and wanting to know what would happen next.

CW for violence, murder, blood, mention of miscarriage, loss of child (in past), cheating, sexual content, emotional/verbal abuse and manipulation, divorce, drowning, mention of suicide.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of The Villa by Rachel Hawkins!

I loved The Villa. I've long been a fan of Rachel Hawkins, and her new book was fantastic. I loved the backdrop, the mystery. Every page you could sense the forbidment. I loved the story, the dialogue, and the background! The Villa is so well written that I could envision the Italian landscape. The story is so good!
The suspense... the mood... this is another great book from Rachel Hawkins!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of The Villa by Rachel Hawkins in exchange for an honest review. The Villa is a slow burn thriller that will keep you turning the page until you're at the end!

As kids, Emily and Chess were inseparable. But by their 30s, their bond has been strained by the demands of their adult lives. So when Chess suggests a girls trip to Italy, Emily jumps at the chance to reconnect with her best friend.

Villa Aestas in Orvieto is a high-end holiday home now, but in 1974, it was known as Villa Rosato, and rented for the summer by a notorious rock star, Noel Gordon. In an attempt to reignite his creative spark, Noel invites up-and-coming musician, Pierce Sheldon to join him, as well as Pierce’s girlfriend, Mari, and her stepsister, Lara. But he also sets in motion a chain of events that leads to Mari writing one of the greatest horror novels of all time, Lara composing a platinum album––and ends in Pierce’s brutal murder.

The Villa will keep you guessing and that twist!? Will leave you wanting more from this author.

This was a great read. Love the duel perspective. Love the history. Love the ending. Definitely recommend.