First of all, I love Julia Whelan as a narrator, so that definitely helped keep me interested in this book. I liked the book, but there was more that I didn't love about it, so I'll give this one 3 stars.

I didn't mind the dual POV, but found the 1974 storyline difficult to follow and it ended up confusing me a few times. So many characters and so much happening, along with the snippets of Mari's writing and news articles, confused me to the point that I had to go back and listen to a few parts more than once to understand what was happening, especially in the beginning when just getting to know the characters.

There was so much build up between Emily and Chess, and I kept hoping that Emily would just wake up, pack her bags and leave. She was kind of a sucker when it came to Chess, and I had hoped for a different outcome for their relationship. Although I can see how what happened would keep readers intrigued.

The ending felt a bit rushed and left me with questions, which I don't love. I would be very curious to see what the future would hold for Emily and Chess and their relationship.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this Audio ARC of The Villa by Rachel Hawkins in exchange for my honest review.

This is my favorite book by Hawkins to date! It’s layered like an onion - a story, within a story, within a story, within a story and it’s delicious. If you enjoy a tale with dark secrets, murder, and betrayal, I highly recommend The Villa.

Story #1 - in the 70’s, a group of artistic friends take a trip to an Italian villa to escape and work on their crafts. It’s a scene of drugs, sex, and rock & roll. But the party is over when one of them is murdered.

Story #2 - while staying with her artistic friends in the Villa, Mari is inspired to write a novel; Lilith Rising. It becomes a best selling horror novel and is also made into a film.

Story #3 - Present day - Emily is invited by her best friend Chess, to spend the summer at a villa in Italy. Desperate for a change of scenery and inspiration for the current book she is writing, Emily accepts the invitation. While looking up the villa online, she discovers it is the scene of a gruesome murder from the 70’s. When she discovers the author of Lilith Rising was one of the guests staying there at the time of the murder, she can’t resist reading the copy of Lilith Rising someone has left on a book shelf.

Story #4 - Emily begins to make connections between the villa and Mari’s book. Was the book inspired by her stay with the group of artists? Is there a link between the horror in the book and the murder that took place during their stay? Emily suspects there is and she has finally found the inspiration to break her writer’s block. As she works to reveal the truth, dark secrets of betrayal from her friendship with Chess also begin to surface. Will there be another victim at the villa before summer’s end?

4.25⭐️
Pub Jan 23

This is my fist dip into this authors work. This is described as a Gothic suspense.

Narrated by Julia Whelan, Sheromi Arserio and Kimberley M Wetherell. I think the narrators did a great job keeping the pace and interest levels high, I’m not sure reading it would have captured me as effectively.

Child hood friends and writers Chess and Emily decide to spend time in an Italian Villa to concentrate on their writing. The villa has a history of murder surrounding rock star Noel Gordon and musician friend.

This is a dual time line storyline now and 1974.
The connection is the Villa, but initially the historic thread feels tenuous as Chess and Emily know the history of the murder but don’t seem overly interested when the 1974 time line starts. The stories become increasingly connected.
My favourite thread is the current friendship, but it works well the way that’s it’s interwoven.

The characters aren’t very likeable, but I found the story really drew me in.
I enjoyed the writing style, presenting this book within a book within another book. There’s some nifty twists. I wasn’t sure what the make of the final reveal though, especially knowing that it had been discovered but not revealed earlier on in the book.

I really enjoyed it, it’s one that I recommend.

I finished this audiobook in just about one sitting. I had to rewind to the last two chapters because I was sure I missed something because so many little important details popped up that I didn’t know happened and it seemed sudden and I personally prefer at least a little story to something versus just a “this person is dead now” little tid bit and the reader fills in the entire blank. The narrators were perfect. I love Julia Whelan and all the other narrators worked so well with the characters. I love how cheerfully manipulative Chess is and how their characters corresponded with Mari and Lara.

3.5

I’ll start by saying the narration on this book is really fantastic and I would recommend enjoying it this way.

A story centred around two writer best friends who are working on their books at an infamous Italian villa, known for a murder decades earlier, as time together stirs old competition and resentments and the individual discovery of the Villas history leads to dire consequences.

The premise was really compelling and I really loved the competitive, diabolic relationship between Chess and Emily.

The time line does alternate between past and present and I generally like books written this way, however, it did not have the cohesion to hold my attention long.

Emily in the present was boring and un relatable, while Mari in the past was somewhat more likeable.

Despite the title the atmosphere was majorly lacking, adding some tension to the place would have shot this book up to a new level.

And while the first half of the book does drag, it does begin to push the reader forward to a much more exciting finish line, but I personally would not have continued on if this were not an arc if the first half is this dull, but do keep going because the second half is well executed and the ending is satisfying.

A perfectly fine middle of the road thrill.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advanced copy all opinions are my own.

Out January 3/2023

Could this book be more fun? No, it could not! Rachel Hawkins delivers with a compelling, chilling and somehow very sassy story about two old friends, Emily and Chess, with some issues. Set in an Italian villa with a murderous history, our two main characters-- one a novelist and one an influencer- try to mend some old wounds, but end up creating new ones. Along the way we get a rock n' roll love story from the Seventies, a hidden diary and some great dialogue. The multiple narrators are topnotch and well directed. Very helpful to have different voices as the story switches decades and POV frequently. Just a fun, fun listen.

So.much.yes! This one got me right off the bat! I loved the dual timelines, both storylines, and the main protagonists. I felt for these women and what they went through in their lives. I loved the setting!!!!

This is a clever one!
Hawkins just keeps shining, with each new release. I enjoyed this one.
The story line mixes past, present and new articles to help you put everything together. Characters that you love and hate.

The audiobook was quite the production. There were some extras that really brought this together. I mean having Julia Whelan narrating is an automatic win for me she is my favorite. The others I feel like could have had stronger choices, but now that I’m finished it all fits together very nicely.

Big thanks to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley and Rachel Hawkins for the opportunity to review.

This was a fast and fun read. Part historical fiction, part chick lit, and a dash of psychological thriller thrown in for fun. As you switch between past and present and all of the side articles thrown in, you begin to piece together what really happened- or at least what might have happened in an Italian villa infamously dubbed the murder house. Would make an excellent beach read- too bad it's December and cold :(

“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.”

I enjoyed a lot about this book. I LOVE the cover. I enjoyed the deep (ly flawed) characterization of both Emily and Chess, and their friendship. I enjoyed the location. I enjoyed the dueling timelines, both in that there were two of them, but also, the parallels between the two sets of characters.

I guess I just wanted MORE from this story. I wanted to SOAK in the surroundings, instead of the brief glimpses. I wanted the Villa to be its own character in the novel. Living. Breathing. Maybe pushing you down the stairs.

As for the end, it was fine. It wasn’t a huge leap, considering the trail of breadcrumbs, but I was still interested. I’d be even more interested in checking back in with Emily and Chess in a few decades, where, over dinner, they have a similar scene to Mari and Lara.

6.5/10

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for this twisty ARC.

The audiobook of The Villa - 4 stars
The story 3.5
This is a story with two time periods-1974 and the present day. Emily and Chess, longtime friends and now in their 30's have had very successful careers as writers and reconnect by taking a girls trip to Italy and stay at Villa Aestas in Orvieto, Italy. In 1974 it was rented out by a rock star and a terrible murder takes place. Emily starts to dig into this story and decides to write about it. The events that happen in 1974 are told by Mari, the girlfriend whose boyfriend was murdered. The story moves back and forth between the two time frames and at certain points in the story, a podcast with another POV pops in. It was a little confusing at times. There was really not one character I wanted to root for-none were very likeable.

Julia Whelan who did audiobook did a very good job with all the characters and kept in character almost all the time. At times there was so much going back and forth, I give her credit for keeping the voices pretty straight.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of this title.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

Emily and Chess have been friends for years, although Emily is sometimes uncertain why. Their relationship has been tumultuous at times, so when Chess suggests they spend the summer at an Italian villa working on their respective books, Emily is thrilled. She's fresh off of a nasty divorce and an unexplained illness, and could use the change of scenery to spark inspiration. When they arrive at Villa Aestas, Emily begins to uncover the secrets this place has held for many years before, including the brutal murder of budding musician, Pierce, the summer of 1974. Told from the perspectives of Emily and Mary, Pierce's girlfriend, we're taken through the events of that fateful summer and the unfolding of Emily and Chess's complicated friendship.

I really enjoyed this book! As with all of Rachel Hawkins' books, there's a gothic element to this story that makes it so intriguing. This story was immensely complex, with multiple storylines, timelines, and points of view. As an audiobook, it was great to have the narrators change as the characters did. Both Emily and Mary's stories were suspenseful, atmospheric and surprising. There were a lot of twists I wasn't expecting in both, and I was left guessing until the very end. My only reason for this not being a 5 star is that the ending felt a bit rushed, and left me with some questions, which just isn't my thing. Overall, though, this was another great story by Rachel Hawkins, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!

I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this. It was quite different than I expected but I also think it helped that I really enjoyed the audiobook format and definitely recommended that format for this book! I mean it has Julia Whelan!

Second, don't go into this think it's going to be a fast paced thriller. I wouldn't call this a thriller. I'd call it Women fiction with a side of suspense. It's a story of friendship, betrayal, sex, drugs and rock & roll. It was like Daisy Jones meets Verity (sort of? 😂). I found it entertaining and enjoyed the past/present! Plus the setting was super neat! Overall, I'd def recommend this if you're looking for a good audiobook!

This was a definite slow-burner of a book for me.

Emily (cozy mystery writer, in the middle of a messy divorce) and her long-term best friend Chess (famous self-help book writer) take a 6 week-long trip to Villa Aestas (once known as Villa Rosato) in Orvieto, Italy. The idea of the trip is to help Emily get over her writer's block and her divorce and get back into the swing of writing the latest book in her series.

Villa Rosato was the site of a murder back in 1974, when 5 young musicians and writers spent the summer there. Mari wrote a famous horror novel "Lilith rising" and her step-sister Lara wrote a musical album "Aestas" while visiting the villa along with Mari's musician boyfriend, Pierce, as guests of rock star Noel Gordon, and his friend and drug dealer Johnnie.

The plot is told as snapshots from the two timelines, as Emily finds an old copy of "Lilith rising' and becomes inspired to write a novel based on the 1974's story. Her deep-seated rivalry with Chess is uncovered, and various secrets come to life.

I found it hard to follow the story from the 1970's - the characters seemed flat and I struggled to stay engaged in these parts of the book. The modern-day timeline was much more interesting and eventually took what I felt would be the inevitable turn.

The narrators did a very good job with the book, and to be honest, were the main reason I stayed engaged to the end. They were able to make it obvious which timeline you were listening to.

This was not the best of Hawkins novels for me. A three star read.

This book is definitely the best thing I've read by Rachel Hawkins! Truly, her books just keep getting better and better!
Emily and Chess have been best friends since they were children. Both writers, Chess has gone the self-help route and Emily the cozy mystery route, they have since grown apart. Chess suggests a girls trip to Italy, to stay at the infamous Villa Aestas. Emily jumps at the chance to get away and reconnect with her writing and her bestie.
In 1974, Villa Aestas was known as Villa Rosato and housed a rock star and his guests, another struggling musician, his writer girlfriend, her step-sister and his drug dealer. That summer ended in a horrific murder, but for Mari and Lara, huge success in a horror novel and a platinum-selling album.
Instead of focusing on her cozies, Emily starts digging into the Villa's jaded past and begins to believe there may be more to the story than was told in 1974.
You will absolutely devour this novel!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio file.*

Cozy Mystery author Emily and self-help girl boss guru Chess, have been friends since grade school. After Emily bout of pour health and pending divorce, Chess decides that they both need some time away.
Chess books a villa in Orvieto, a villa that happens to be location of the murder of a musician in the 70’s. The murder is not the only thing to have come from that summer in the 70’s. 2 members of the sex, drugs, rock and roll entourage went on to achieve fame for themselves.

Mari went on to publish “Lilith Rising” and Lara produced the album Aestas, which gained such acclaim that the villa was renamed in it’s honor. Several copies of the book and the album can be found in the villa to this day.
The story is told in 2 timelines, switching back and forth throughout the novel 1 during the 70’s from Mary’s POV and one current day from Emily’s POV. There is also a random podcast episode that is played at one point, for no real reason.

Although Mari’s story is sad, it isn’t entirely fleshed out enough to make a real connection. Emily’s story, while it is supposed to also be sad, felt more whiny than anything. The other characters in the book were not particularly likeable.

Based on the publishers blurb and the title, I expected the villas itself to play more of a role in the story instead of just being where it all happened.

Towards the end of the book, the twists began to emerge and continued on right up to the end. Although marketed as a thriller, this is more of mystery/drama; the pacing was too slow for a thriller and the twists were presented in a rather matter of fact way that seemed to take the punch out of it,

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 rounded up to a 4. It took me a minute to figure out what was happening with all the swapping back & forth in time, plus there was a podcast in the middle that really had me wondering if I had accidentally swapped which app I was in since I was listening to the audiobook. However, this is probably my fault since I listen at 1.8 speed and chapter transitions are very quick at that speed.

Rachel Hawkins always has a great premise for her stories. This was a great twist on the vacation murder mystery.

Looking forward to reading many more of her books in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this novel, The Villa, by Rachel Hawkins and listened to it on audio. The narrators Julia Whelan; Kimberly M. Wetherell; and Shiromi Arserio are fantastic and kept the present day and the 70's completely clear.

Publisher's Blurb: "As kids, Emily and Chess/Jessica 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."

This novel moves back and forth between current time and 1974. There is a full story within a story with completely different characters. I somewhat enjoyed the 1974 rock n roll themed story, but I found it to be very dark and overly dramatic as the side story. I much preferred the current day story of the 2 women besties Emily & Chess. They've been friends since childhood and both of them are successful authors. Chess, now a wellness guru and famous author, has hit it big with her self-help books and leases the high-end Villa Aestas in Orvieto, Italy, for 3 weeks. She invites Emily who she hasn't seen in some time to join her. Emily, depressed, newly divorced and suffering from the pain and anguish of her husband's nastiness and infidelity is, no wonder, suffering from writer's block. Drama is not held back in this novel!

There are continual twists and turns and surprises that keep it really interesting, and I had a hard timing putting it down on a rainy Sunday....so I didn't...and I finished it in one day. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this fun and interesting audio ARC. I hope you enjoy it too.

“She’s inevitable.”

Rachel Hawkins did it again 👏 I’ve been a huge fan since The Wife Upstairs and I think, thriller wise, The Villa became my new fave. It, just like Hawkins, if pure BRILLIANCE.

It really won’t be a surprise why I loved this so much - with it’s focus on Mari, a woman who took the horror world by storm with Lilith Rising, à la Mary Shelley, all the tie ins to Shelley’s own story, and the focus on women and the art they create.

The book was incredibly atmospheric and made me wish I was in Italy, enjoying limoncello and soaking in the inspiration Villa Aestas. I loved both timelines so much and watching how one influenced the other - from Mari going through her normal motions of what would become an infamous summer, to Emily becoming obsessed with Lilith Rising and uncovering what really happened that summer. There’s also another layer of similarity as each woman navigates a complicated relationship with the closest woman in their life.

This was my first time listening to a book narrated by Julia Whelan, and I get the hype guys! Her, Kimberly M. Wetherell, and Shiromi Arserio really brought this story to life.

I loved how everything tied up. It was equal parts satisfying and nefarious. The moment I finished, I wished I could read it again. For me, this book is the epitome of “no thoughts, just vibes”. If you love feminist thrillers, horror, complicated characters and relationships, you NEED this in your life.

If you need me, I’ll be figuring out how I can fit in a read of Frankenstein in soon 🤞

The Villa follows two best friends at different points in their life. Emily is a writer that has been dealing with writer's block when it comes to the series she is contracted to write, she is also dealing with a divorce, and recovering from health issues.

Emily’s best friend Chess is feeling like she is on top of the world. She is also a writer and has made a career in self-help books. She is much more famous than Emily.

The two girls go on a trip to a villa in Italy. The villa is home to a dark past. A murder took place in the villa. Emily uncovers some secrets from the murder and her writer's block dissipates as she writes a new book about the villa.

This book has an excellent idea but it failed to grab me for 80% of the book. Emily is an interesting and well-developed character and I liked learning about her past and where her marriage went wrong. As you learn more about her relationship with Chess I had a hard time understanding why Chess was a constant in Emily’s life.

Part of this book was told through Mary, Mary was in the house during the murder in the 70s. These parts of the story were often interesting and made me want more of the history of the villa rather than the Chess and Emily drama.

The third perspective this story is told through is from a true crime podcast. These were not done often and were really only valuable to the reader by a way of telling a major plot point at the end. Besides that, I did not enjoy these quick segments.

Overall I felt The Villa was mostly me waiting for something to happen. When that something finally does happen I did not find it interesting enough for me to be excited about recommending this book.