Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have read three of Rachel Hawkin's most recent releases so I was excited to get my hands on The Villa. Overall, it was an entertaining read. I wouldn't say it was the best book by her, but I still enjoyed the storyline. I liked the two different storylines being told in alternating forms. They tied together nicely towards the end of the book. I found some plot holes and the ending to be rushed and under-explained.

In the end, I would recommend most people to read this and get their own opinions, and am looking forward to future releases from Rachel Hawkins.

Emily jumps at the chance to reconnect with her best friend, Chess, at a villa in Italy. She has had a hard time lately- a surprise divorce, not being able to write the next novel in her popular series, etc and this would be a great escape. While she is there, Emily discovers that the villa has a history of its own- in 1974 it was rented out by a rock star, Noel Gordon. He brings along up-and- coming musician, Pierce, to help rekindle his creative passion. Pierce also brings along his girlfriend, Mari, and Mari's stepsister, Lara. But instead of Noel creating wonderful music that summer, a murder happens. The closer Emily discovers about what happened in 1974, the further divide there is between her and Chess.
I love Rachel Hawkins. She has become my new go to for suspense and mystery. This was as if Fleetwood Mac mixed with a murder mystery and I am all for it.

Another tight paced suspense thriller from Rachel Hawkins.

This story takes place in two different times but with one story as its center. Two friends, Emily and Chess, who were inseparable as kids have grown apart. Chess want to rekindle that friendship and asks Emily on a girls trip to Italy. Together they connect at Villa Aestas. They are both authors now and feel this little Villa is the perfect place for authors to escape. But the past or the Villa has some dark past you can’t escape from.

The Villa just like the girls has a past and dark character of its own. There was a famous murder i. The 70s and the suspense around it draws out the past of these two girls. Sort of face your demons. The characters are really like able and the buildup is exactly what I expected for reading Rachel’s other works. Sadly the ending left me feeling meh like something was missing. And it wasn’t really as dark as I was hoping, or as portrayed. But all in all, I still enjoyed the book.

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. Great juxtaposition between a murder in a house in 1974 and today's guests. Kept me guessing.

"From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins comes a deliciously wicked Gothic suspense, set at an Italian villa with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

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.

As Emily digs into the villa's complicated history, she begins to think there might be more to the story of that fateful summer in 1974. That perhaps Pierce’s murder wasn't just a tale of sex, drugs, and rock and roll gone wrong, but that something more sinister might have occurred - and that there might be clues hidden in the now-iconic works that Mari and Lara left behind.

Yet the closer that Emily gets to the truth, the more tension she feels developing between her and Chess. As secrets from the past come to light, equally dangerous betrayals from the present also emerge– - and it begins to look like the villa will claim another victim before the summer ends.

Inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the infamous summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at a Lake Geneva castle - the birthplace of Frankenstein - The Villa welcomes you into its deadly legacy."

Oh my, isn't it nice when one of THE most anticipated books of the new year is released the first week?

Emily is at a low point in her life. She has health struggles that no doctor can diagnose, and her husband left her and is now trying to claim half of the money she earns from her cozy mystery series since he was the inspiration for one of the characters. But since Emily hasn’t been able to write and is well behind her deadlines, is that really a problem?
Enter her childhood best friend, a newly famous self-help author, who invites Emily to an Italian villa for the summer. Perhaps the invite is too good to be true?
The villa was the site of a 1970s murder, and the book alternates between the current timeline with Emily and Chess and the summer of 1974. I was more invested in the present timeline, but I enjoyed how the villa was the character that joined both together. The twists kept coming, and even when I thought I’d figured it out, I was wrong! If you enjoy quick paced mysteries - and want to dream about spending a summer relaxing at an Italian villa on your friend’s dime - this is a fun read that comes out in the new year. Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sex, drugs, rock and roll, and murder abound in "The Villa" in the 1970s. Fifty years later when modern wellness guru (think Gwyneth Paltrow on steroids) and her childhood best frenemy go to the villa on a relaxing writing retreat they uncover secrets they never could have imagined. I liked the dual timeline aspect of the story as well as the mixed media (there are podcast snippets and excepts from news stories as well). The vibe of this book is definitely more creepy than scary. with loads of clearly flawed characters thrown together in a house that doesn't forget. If you've enjoyed Rachel Hawkins books in the past, you will probably like this one as well! This one didn't particularly stand out to me but I definitely enjoyed both reading it and listening to it on audio.

Emily and Chess go way back, they have known each other for years! They have drifted apart. Chess is a we renowned ‘life coach’ writer while Emily is trying to get one more book completed for her book series while trying to navigate a divorce. Chess invites Emily on a once in a lifetime trip to hopefully bring them closer together. They end up staying at a world renowned villa in Orvieto where the past is still very present.
This Villa hold secrets that Emily soon finds out when she comes across the novel that Mari writes while in the Villa.
Emily and Chess discover things together and separate while enjoying their stay. They have secrets that no one will ever find out about.

This book was not one of my favorites. I didn’t love the back and forth between now and the 70’s I felt like the book really took off about 80% in which was too late for me.

I know many people have said it’s similar to Daisy Jones and the Six which I have not read.

Overall this one fell flat for me

Emily and Chess have been friends since they were kids. Now that they are in their 30's, they are still friends, but they aren't as close as they used to be. 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. The house has a sordid history, hence the name change. In 1974, it was 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. Jumping back to present day:
Once there, Emily begins digging into the villa’s omplicated history. Yet the closer that Emily gets to the truth, the more tension she feels developing between her and Chess. As secrets from the past come to light, equally dangerous betrayals from the present also emerge––and it begins to look like the villa will claim another victim before the summer ends.

The story is told in alternating parts between present day, and 1974, so you are slowly getting the backstory of the house as Emily uncovers more about it. I really didn't find Chess likeable, but she had to play a bit of a villian roll in the book, so that was to be expected. I had a hard time getting a full picture in my mind of Emily - I would have loved for her character to have had a little more depth to her. Emily is going through a messy divorce, and her ex is definitely someone you will love to hate. Overall, the book was good, just not my favorite by this author.

3 1/2 stars.

This book draws you in immediately, and the writing is fantastic, definitely keeps you intrigued. For me, I'm not a big fan of two storylines within one book. So I didn't enjoy the historic bits until about halfway through the book, then it got interesting in both timelines.

I feel bad for Emily. She has a horrible husband who she basically trades in for a horrible best friend. Worst of both worlds, if you ask me.

Something about this book, about the ending, it reminded me of another book, and I can't place it, and it's been driving me crazy all day.

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins is a fun and compulsively readable mystery set in a gorgeous Italian mansion in the 1970s and 2020s. The 1970s story follows, Mari, a young English writer who is in Italy with her musician boyfriend, her stepsister, and her boyfriend's bandmates. The relationships are fluid and free, but not without complications. Their trip to Italy ends in tragedy with one of them being brutally murdered with an infamous trial following it. The 2020s story is about two best friends, Emily and Chess, both successful writers to varying degrees. They decide to spend the summer together at the infamous villa where the murder was committed in 1974, committing to a creative pursuit of their own writing projects.

I really enjoyed the parallels between the sisters and friends from each time period and the mysteries that were teased out in the past and present day. It is frustrating to see how the sisters are overlooked as creators in a house with male rock musicians. Hawkins has a way of writing that makes you want to consume it all in a short time. I listened to the audiobook, which was well-narrated by Julia Whelan, Kimberly M. Wetherell, and Shiromi Arserio. The only downside to the audiobook is that it can get a little confusing as there are excerpts, quotes, and interviews included without setup. I don't believe this would be an issue in the context of reading the physical book/ebook. Recommend if you're looking for something salacious and fast-moving!

Thank you St. Martin's Press / Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing this ebook/audiobook ARC.

I really liked that the gothic story took place in such a beautiful location rather than the typical English country side. I Also really enjoyed figuring out the mystery of what really happened at the villa and the current day MC piecing it together.

I really enjoyed The Villa! I loved the dual timelines, the slight nod to a Fleetwood Mac-ish vibe, the complicated female friendships, and never really knowing what the truth was. This was such a satisfying story because there was no one who was fully good and no one who was fully bad. I wasn’t sure if I wanted any of the characters to be happy but I also didn’t think any of them were villains. This wasn’t a thriller in the way that I maybe thought it would be, it was a fantastic mystery, and just a really enjoyable book. I will definitely be recommending it!

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance reader’s copy.

I've been trying to think what to say about this book, and I'm honestly still not entirely sure what to say. I didn't dislike it, per se, but I didn't really like it, either. All of the men were self-absorbed assholes and I honestly didn't care for the women, either. All in all it felt like there was just too much whining all around too much capitulating on the women's parts. And it really rubbed me the wrong way when at the end of the modern timeline, Em was still bitching about "being stuck with" someone. Like she had no agency in her life. Like she learned nothing. The whole "woe is me" attitude of so many (all?) of the characters was just a bit grating.

I thought both storylines had their interesting parts, including the lost diary entries, and I enjoyed how things kind of weaved back and forth - but for a "wickedly gothic suspense" I was expecting more twists and turns rather than weaving about.

At the end of the day the book just fell a bit flat for me. I don't think I would recommend this book.

MY THOUGHTS
🍋 I enjoyed the dual timelines and POVs throughout the book.
🍋 The plot was interesting, and once the characters got to the villa the book went fast.
🍋 The beginning is pretty slow and boring.
🍋 None of the characters are likable. Even the main character, Mari, wasn’t easy to like. All the other characters are honestly terrible.
🍋 I did not like how Mari and Chess handled their situation towards the end of the book. What they did just seemed so pointless.
🍋 I did enjoy the last 2% of the book with Mari.
🍋 Most of the plot twists were pretty predictable (except for the very end).

Overall, I feel pretty neutral about this book. I would give it 3 stars. There are things that I enjoyed, but also things that irritated me as I was reading.

As someone who doesn’t typically read thrillers, I do actually enjoy Rachel Hawkins’s writing. She writes thrillers that don’t feel like thrillers. This could be good if you are like me, but might be bad if you are someone who does love thrillers..

They say that not every author is your cup of tea and maybe they are right. However; Rachel Hawkins’s latest, The Villa, kept me reading until the end to figure out the mysterious twist.

The Villa is a dual timeline story that tells present day Chess and Emily on vacation at Villa Aestas and past group Noel, Pierce, Mari and Lara as they come up with music inspiration. Emily is invited to the holiday by her on again off again best friend, Chess and decides to attend for writing inspiration. But when Emily delves into what actually happened in 1974 to the other guests of the Villa, she may have gotten more than she bargained for. Digging into clues and reading Mari’s popular manuscript, she feels she may be able to crack the mysterious case.

Flashbacks into Mari’s point of view show that not everything is what it seems. Look behind the drapes of the Villa, stay awhile, and maybe you too will come up with outrageous ideas.

I read The Villa because of talk that there was a huge twist at the end of the story. However; this twist was not something that I didn’t see coming and rather thought was mediocre. Fans of Hawkins’s other novels may appreciate what she does with The Villa however; I am putting her in my book of do not try out again.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this newest book by Rachel Hawkins. Set in Italy with alternating timelines, this story follows Emily & Chess (present) and Mari (1973). Emily and Chess, best friends and writers, are staying in a villa in Italy that was the site of a gruesome murder in the 70s. Mari's timeline outlines the events of that fateful summer when she stayed at the Villa.

A little predictable at times, but a fun read.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have read Rachel Hawkins first book, The Wife Upstairs. It honestly left me a little disappointed. The Villa also let me feeling like I was missing something. I’m not entirely sure what it’s lacking but there was just something else it needed.

This was a well written novel and I would recommend others to read it. This would be a good summer read as most of it takes place in Italy in the summer.

Thank you to #NetGalley and St Martins Press for the for the ARC ebook.
“Inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the infamous summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at a Lake Geneva castle––the birthplace of Frankenstein––The Villa welcomes you into its deadly legacy.”
With a description like the one above, how could this not be a great read?! 1. Unlikeable character 2. Hurried plotlines 3. Unanswered/unresolved plot points
Two best friends, Emily and ‘Chess,’ have lost touch with their separate lives over the years. (I say ‘Chess’ because her name is Jessica, but she has gone by: Jessica, Jessica C, JC, Jayce, and now Chess). Chess is now a best-selling author while Emily is struggling to write the next book in her comfy mystery series and has been recently separated from her husband. When Chess reaches out to pay for a summer trip to a villa in Italy, Emily accepts and thinks it’s just what she needs to escape the hardships of her dissolving marriage and to give her the creative boost for her writing.
The villa in Italy is the site of a murder from 1974. A group of friends and artists, modeled after the group, Fleetwood Mac, spent their summer there with a cavalcade of sex and drugs. It ended in the murder of one of the musicians.
This story is told in two timelines: Emily and Chess (present day) & Mari and Lara (1974). The timelines become parallel and secrets from the past help uncover secrets in the future.
My grievances: 1. Every character in this book was unlikeable. For me, there weren’t any redeeming qualities for anyone – bad decision making, infidelity, pathological lying, and <spoiler> murder. </spoiler> 2. The author spends a lot of time going through unnecessary details about the lives of Emily, Chess, Mari, and Lara, but when the ending “twist” occurs, it is completely glossed over in 1 sentence! Big spoiler! <spoiler> Seriously – they kill Emily’s douchey cheating husband and it’s not even mentioned directly; it’s in a side bar news announcement that is inserted in the prose. </spoiler> 3. Emily has health issues throughout the book. These are never explained, although it is inferred that <spoiler> it is caused by her husband because she feels better when he’s not around. Although, one could also infer that he was poisoning her, and that Chess poisoned her while she was on the phone with him in Italy. I much prefer this latter idea because the idea that she was “allergic” to her husband is ridiculous.” </spoiler> The second plotline of the murder in 1974 did nothing to add to the book, it was simply a plot device for the present-day timeline.
I have enjoyed other books by Rachel Hawkins, but for me, this one just wasn’t it. And the 1974 timeline doesn’t do justice for the greatness that is Fleetwood Mac.

Very predictable, I saw the ending of Chess and Emily's story coming from the beginning. This entire book is basically if Gone Girl had a baby with Verity.
Chess is an absolute garbage best friend and the explanation for Emily's sickness is ridiculous. At least have Matt actually poisoning her or something interesting happening. And the fact we never actually find out where the final pages were hidden is complete rubbish.