I quite enjoyed this book which is unusual for me seeing as I normally don't enjoy stories with multiple time lines. I like the author's writing style and it's always fun to read a book within a book, so those were pros; on the con side, a lot of the characters were just plain unlikeable and the plot (including the whole set up to how they all ended up at the Villa seemed implausible. I thought the Villa would have more of a play in the book (Does it remember? Is it evil?) and was disappointed when it didn't. I think the author was trying for a feminist read, but the relationship between all the women seemed sterotypical and not at all empowering. I didn't like the end of the Emily / Chess storyline (I think one of them was more involved in the other's situation than was let on) but I was OK-ish with the resolution to the Mari / Lara storyline. I am still thinking if I liked scenario one or scenario two better, so the fact that this book is still in my head after finishing it must mean something.

I will listen to almost anything Julia Whelan narrates and she was bang on in this narration.. The other narrators were very good, as well..

Interwoven stories all related to "The Villa" of the title. Well executed and unpredictable at times. Satisfying in a thriller/mystery sort of way, with no tidy "happy ending."

Audiobook ARC from the publisher via NetGalley, but the opinions are my own.

Emily has been stuck in a downward spiral in all aspects of her life. Her marriage fell apart, her health isn't great and her book is going no where. So when her best friend from childhood gets in touch with her and rents an Italian villa to help strike some inspiration, she takes the leap and goes. The villa itself holds secrets of the past and Emily is inspired by the rockstar's murder and events leading up to it.
The story is told in past and present, Emily and Chess are there now, but Mary and Laura were there before. While unraveling the secrets of the past, Emily is unraveling the secrets that surround her now.
This is my second book by Rachel Hawkins and I have to say, I was expecting a thriller with the description, but that isn't what I got. I got a domestic drama. I feel like if I went in thinking it was a domestic drama and not a thriller I would have liked it more. There were aspects that could have been taken more into the "thriller" genre but the storyline never went there. I kept waiting for the "other shoe to drop", making up scenarios in my head of where I thought things were going, but unfortunately, they never went anywhere and I was left scratching my head.
The book was well written, and the narration by Julia was done flawlessly, so I would definitely recommend the audio. If you are looking for a domestic drama, this book is absolutely for you. Just don't go into it thinking it will a thriller.
Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillian and Rachel Hawkins for an early copy.

I had originally read the synopsis for this book, however, by the time I was ready to read it, I had forgotten the specifics. I was pretty much going into this blind. I was ready to dive into a twisty, suspenseful thriller full of intrigue and questions. Unfortunately, that isn't what I got.

Often talked about as a thriller, I was disappointed with how slow this book felt. I didn't feel like I was reading a thriller - or book of suspense - until at least the 60% mark. If then, even. I saw a review that stated this felt more like a women's fiction with some suspense thrown in, and that's exactly how I felt while reading this book.

Without giving away too many spoilers, knowing that the Italian villa the two friends were staying in was a previous "murder house," I kept waiting for something big to happen. But what I expected didn't happen until the end of the book, and that event felt like an afterthought to me, leaving me with way too many questions that weren't answered.

I didn't care for the two characters, although I loved the idea of two old friends going to Italy for a vacation together. That is until the betrayal was revealed. Then I was kind of done, personally.

The dual time line of this book was a good addition as it helped to write the backstory of the house more, however, it felt like it was leading to more happening that didn't. I began this book by listening to the audiobook, but I was having trouble getting interested in it. I'm glad I switched over to read the book instead. It was a much easier read for me. This was a short, quick read that you can finish in no time. Overall, I didn't hate this book, I was just disappointed in the events.

4.5, downgraded for selfish reasons....

...I wanted more! This was a really solid read with some predictable Hawkins twists at the end that made it worthwhile! Filled with good whodunit flashbacks, I really enjoyed the interplay of characters and the growth we see. While not a wholly cathartic ending, I did enjoy the neat and realistic bow it put.

Also, kudos to the reader of the audiobook, as they did a great job of telegraphic character emotions and really brought the dialogue to life!

Very well done overall, and it certainly boosts Rachel into my Must Read TBR category!

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Whew! First pick of 2023 and am really THRILLed with it ;-P
I'm new to reading Rachel Hawkins and: I GET IT NOW!
I pride myself on rounding out my tastes as much as possible and I was long overdue for a thriller, THE VILLA delivered in a major way.
Maybe because I had just binged White Lotus season 2 and was hungry for more Italy, more affluent arseholes, more empowered women living outside their societal bounds but, I give this new novel an A+
The audiobook was fantastic--the performances were dynamic and had me riveted!
Now I find myself fully sated and ready for more--my neighbor is going to lend me another Hawkins book, for fans of hers which do you suggest: Reckless Girls or The Wife Upstairs?
Happy 2023 kick off book, LFG!!

Thank you @netgalley and the publisher for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Villa is an interesting suspense mystery with a Gothic touch. Set in dual timelines- 1974 and present, the Villa explores the lives of two step sisters and childhood friends, respectively, who happen to stay in the same villa for their holiday.
The present storyline shows the friendship dynamics of Emily and Chess, both writers. During their stay in the Villa, Emily discovers a book written by Mari, and we get flashbacks from the incidents behind the infamous history of the Villa.

Among the two timelines, Emily and Chess's story was more interesting. Both the characters were mysterious and shady. I was least concerned about the past storyline, it confused me a bit at the beginning. I wasn't invested in any of the characters.

Ironically, towards the end, it was Mari's part that made me like this book. The narration by Julia Whelan is magical. The audiobook is fantastic, all the narrators did a great job. The only thing I felt was unnecessary was the podcast intervention. I would have preferred getting to know the past solely from Emily's investigation. Apart from that, this was a decent thriller.

First off, I would like to thank NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to read and review this book. This book was everything that I thought it would be and then some! While I had some parts figured out fairly early, Ms. Hawkins surprised me with other elements of this novel. I loved the character development and how it was a novel about the book I was reading. You definitely cannot go wrong with this one.

First off, I would like to thank NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to read and review this book. This book was everything that I thought it would be and then some! While I had some parts figured out fairly early, Ms. Hawkins surprised me with other elements of this novel. I loved the character development and how it was a novel about the book I was reading. You definitely cannot go wrong with this one.

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins was a most compelling audiobook. It was told in alternating timelines. Over the years, I have become a big fan of Rachel Hawkins and so I was excited to see that she had written a new thriller. The Villa certainly lived up to my expectations! Rachel Hawkins was able to develop intense and intriguing characters for both time lines within her book. The Villa was well plotted and paced just right. I found it interesting and appealing that Rachel Hawkins had chosen to base the earlier time line of The Villa (1974) on the influences of the music of the 1970’s especially resembling that of Fleetwood Mac and the poetry and literary influences of Mary Shelley, Summer Percy and Lord Byron. Having had spent those years of the early 1970’s at college, I can agree that 1974 was definitely a time known for rock ‘n roll, drug experimentation and sex. The other time line was present day. Rachel Hawkins had chosen to set The Villa in Umbria, Italy at a villa originally called Villa Rosato and later changed to Villa Aestas. The Villa was located in Orvieto, a quiet, beautiful and romantic spot. As I mentioned, I listened to the audiobook that was very well narrated by Julia Whelan, Kimberly M. Wetherell and Shiromi Arserio.

Emily and Chess (Jessica) had grown up together and were best friends all during their younger years, through high school and even through college. Then their lives took different paths. They still remained friends but they tended to get together less and less and their correspondence was in the form of text messages. Both Emily and Chess became authors. Emily wrote cozy mysteries that centered around the character of Petal Bloom. Chess had gotten herself involved in a podcast and she had written a self help book entitled, “Things My Mama Never Taught Me” which became an instant best seller and made Chess a small fortune and very popular. Emily had married the man of her dreams but she learned the hard way that she was very mistaken. She found herself dealing with her divorce, writer’s block and an illness that she was finally recovering from. When Chess called Emily and proposed that they do a girl’s only trip to Italy for the summer so they could reconnect, concentrate on their writing and relax, Emily was all in. A change of venue would do her good she thought until she discovered that Chess had rented the Villa where a murder occurred back in 1974.

In 1974, Rock musician Noel Gordon rented out Villa Rosato in Orvieto for six weeks and invited Pierce Sheldon, an up and coming singer songwriter, along with his current and much younger girlfriend, Mari Godwick and her step sister, Lara Larchmont. Noel was hoping he and Pierce might write songs together. Mari was just sixteen when she met the already married Pierce Sheldon. She had had a good upbringing and came from a family that was quite wealthy. Mari’s mother was an author and had written and published a book. Mari left the comforts of her home and joined Pierce on the road where he was performing. Pierce was talented but had little ambition. Mari and Pierce had had a son together but he had died from a respiratory illness that might have been avoided if they had had the money to consult a doctor and if Pierce had taken it more seriously. Mari never really recovered from the loss of her son. He was always in her conscious thoughts. Then one day, Johnny appeared. He made it no secret that he was attracted to Mari but Mari’s heart belonged to Pierce. Mari began writing that summer. She authored a book which she titled, “ Lilith Rising”. Although the characters were different, the plot of Lilith Rising mirrored the summer at Villa Rosato. Lara, Mari’s stepsister, also proved to be a very talented singer songwriter. Her album, Aestas, was comprised of sad lyrical songs. Both Mari and Lara eventually found fame from their accomplishments. That summer, though, changed the lives of all those that shared the Villa. There were drugs, music and sex. There were arguments and physical and verbal violence. There was a murder. Pierce Sheldon died that summer. Who killed him?

Emily had always been an avid reader. Was it a coincidence that a copy of Lilith Rising was one of her favorite books and that she chose to reread it while she and Chase were at Villa Aestas? Emily’s thoughts began to question the type of books she might want to write. She was tired of Petal Bloom and cozy mysteries. Could she figure out what really happened all those years ago by dissecting Lilith Rising. Suddenly, her motivation came to fruition and she found herself pounding away at her keyboard. She had written more in just a few hours than she had in a very long time. There was one problem, though…Chess! Although Emily was the one with the idea of changing genres to true crime and writing about what really occurred at Villa Aestas in 1974, Chase wanted to coauthor it with Emily. What would Emily decide to do? Emily suspected that Chase was keeping secrets from her. Was she? Why had Chase really invited Emily to join her for the summer at Villa Aestas? What would they discover about the events that led up to the murder in 1974?

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins was suspenseful and even chilling at times. It was twisty, creepy and dark at other times. The Villa was about friendship, betrayal, secrets, strong female artists, jealousy, influences from literature and music and inspiration. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of The Villa and highly recommend it highly. Publication was January 3, 2023.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Villa by Rachel Hawkins through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Villa is my first @ladyhawkins novel, and it immediately made me want to read all of her novels. (I did read and enjoy her first Erin Sterling novel!) This novel is a WILD ride, and I loved it. There is SO MUCH plot: two very different visits to the same Italian villa. The first, in 1974, when a rock star spends the summer there with another musician, his girlfriend, and her stepsister. The artistic products of that summer come from the women: a Tapestry-like album and an epic feminist horror novel. The villa becomes known for the murder that occurs there that summer. In the contemporary visit, two childhood best friends and authors (one of cozy mysteries and one of inspirational self-help) reconnect and write their very different books. At first, the historic storyline wasn't as interesting (perhaps because of its different narrator?), but as the novel progressed, I listened compulsively. The twists! The characters! The pop culture! The plot! I loved it all. Cheers to my first ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read of 2023!

This audiobook has everything that typically adds up to being one of my favorites with an author I enjoy, multiple narrators (including the always great Julia Whelan), and alternating timelines with two compelling storylines, and for the most part I really enjoyed listening to this book. Therefore, it's surprising that I can only give it three stars. However, the main reason I wouldn't rate it higher is due to the ending, which just seemed very abrupt. I won't spoil the it by saying much more, but the events at the end of the book seemed very rushed given their importance. That being said, this is an enjoyable listen with strong narration, interesting storylines that span different time periods, and fascinating characters that kept me interested throughout. I do feel with more pages on the back end it could have made for a truly great read though.

I binged this book and loved it! I was hooked quickly and literally listened to it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. The story is compulsive and really sinks its teeth into you and doesn't left you go until the end. Highly recommend the audiobook for this one too. There is a cast of narrators, Julia Whelan, Kimberly M. Wetherell;, and Shiromi Arserio, which added to the tension and various media within the story. All of the narrators were terrific and I have listened to several Julia Whelan narrations and she never disappoints.
One of the prominent features of this story is the stories within the story, including a podcast that one of the characters listens to while staying in the villa for the summer. The villa is a location where a group of rock musicians from years before were staying and a murder takes place. The story begins when two writer friends decide to stay there for the summer and one of them goes down the historical rabbit hole trying to learn more about the events of the past. As current events start to mimic some of the historical events, things go from good to great.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and recommend it to thriller lovers and highly recommend the audiobook version.
#TheVilla #NetGalley #MacMillanAudio

Rachel Hawkins really does a great job writing about evil backstabbing females. Or does she just make me believe they are? The pretending. The smiles. And what’s really going on here?
Well done and equally frustrating. I just wanted to throw this book across the room at least twice! Which always means great writing.
I was engaged and hanging off the edge of my seat. Dual timelines I just couldn’t get enough I had to find out how both stories ended. I was completely satisfied. I think this is the best novel yet of RH.
And I wanted to give a huge shout out to my favorite narrators, you gals were awesome. You made all of it come to life for me. I was right there! Thank you for that. And if you love audiobooks then you don’t want to miss this one. So good.
Thanks Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this. It's a decent, if fairly predictable thriller but it gave me all of the gothic house vibes. I loved the setting of Orvieto, Italy. It felt very old world Italian and I loved the imagery of the stone buildings and rolling hills. Really, Italy is always a great setting in my opinion.

I listened to the audiobook, and Julia Whelan does a fantastic job with voicing Emily, Honestly, Julia Whelan can do no wrong. She's my favorite audiobook narrator and I don't see that changing any time soon. The other two narrators are wonderful as well and it was easy to keep all the narrators straight because they had such different voices.

I really enjoyed the dual POVs. The juxtaposition between the current timeline and the past timeline in the same villa really added a lot of depth and details to the story line. Also, the addition of news articles and podcasts sections give the reader even more perspective on what is occurred in the past timeline and helped to fill in some of the missing details. There's also a big reveal at the very end that I didn't see coming, and that helped it all come together for me.

Overall, this was highly entertaining and would be a great spring into summer read.

I loved Rachel Hawkins' Rebel Belle series and keep chasing that high with every book of hers I read; I have yet to find one that I've enjoyed as much as those books. This book started out REALLY slowly and never really got any better for me. Several times I considered not finishing it but continued on, hoping it would pick up a little more, and it did but by then I was already too bored to care. The writing is good; it's just the story isn't that great. The characters (all of them, past and present) are just unlikeable.

Narration was well done, no issues,

I will start off by saying I am not the biggest fan of thriller/suspense/mystery. I decided to give this one a try since the cover absolutely caught my eye! I kept waiting for more suspense. I enjoyed Mari's story as well as Emily's. Both were interesting and I enjoyed the dual time lines. I did not feel like there was any shock factor here. I was a little disappointed in the lack of story line.

Emily and Chess have been best friends almost their whole lives. But as they have grown older and their lives have gotten busier, their friendship has been a bit strained. Emily’s life has taken a bad turn with a divorce and her writing has completely halted. She jumps at the chance to spend the summer with Chess in an Italian Villa. But, this villa has a past. It is the home to one of the most famous murders ever.

This villa really stirs up Emily. She starts to investigate and discovers quite a bit of information. And this leads to some issues between her and Chess. And here is where the fun begins! You will have to read this to find out…with all these twists and turns. You will not be sorry!

I enjoyed so much about this novel. The famous people, the murder, the location and Emily and Chess all come together to make a twisted tale. I am still thinking about all the lies and betrayals!


This novel is narrated by a few different narrators. I do love a tag team. And this tag team included Julia Whelan. She is one of my favorites.

Need a murder mystery inspired by real murders…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

“Houses remember.”

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins is an atmospheric, twisty (but not too twisty) story about two writers and friends who travel to Italy for the summer to reconnect and each work on their books. Em writes cozy mysteries and is going through a divorce and Jess “Chess” writs self-help/new agey books. They discover that the villa they are staying in has some history…in the 1970s some other artists/musicians stayed there and it ended as the scene of the brutal murder of a rock star…

Told in two timelines, I really enjoyed this one. From women taking back their power to a book within a book to an ending I thought I saw coming but that surprised me, this is a good one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The Villa left me conflicted, review-wise. I loved the idea of centering on women. Women in horror. Women in music. Women in writing. The two women writers who head off to the Villa once made notorious by a murder that occurred there sounds right up my alley.

The part that made it difficult was that these women remained defined by the men in their lives, even after becoming successful in their own right. Was this a feminist book that missed the target for me or some sort of message that no matter what we do we will still be defined by the men in our lives?

The fact that I’m still thinking about it bumps my rating up a little bit.