It was a pleasant surprise reading a "thriller" that, for once, I did not need to wait to the very end of the book to critique, based on the "mandatory" twist(s). This book had a wonderful story line that avoided a dramatic revelation being the point of the story.
Excellent audio.

When best friends decide to spend the summer together in Italy to work on their books, they end up learning much about each other and the history of The Villa, itself. Another great story from Hawkins.

Wow! Fantastic! Because so many have asked, I’m going to start off by saying that this is WAY better than Reckless Girls. The Villa totally exceeded my expectations in every way. When I first read the premise, I thought the plot was going to be convoluted and a bit too dark for my liking, especially seeing how it was inspired by Frankenstein. However, to me, this really felt more like the perfect escape read with suspense that kept me turning the pages.

Synopsis: This story is set in Orvieto, Umbria, Italy and is told in a dual timeline / POV manner. In the present, the story follows Emily, a mystery writer who has been invited to spend the summer in Italy by her best friend Chess, a successful self-help novelist. While Emily is set to focus on the tenth book of her series, this new setting gives her inspiration to research and explore a murder that occurred in 1974 at the villa they are staying at. As Emily searches for clues left behind, the story dives into Mari’s perspective in the past and follows the events that led up to what is known as the Villa Rosato Horror.

What I loved:
-There was such a strong start to the book, and I was immediately invested
-The past and present timelines weaved together seamlessly, and I didn’t favor one narrator over another
-There were snippets of news articles and podcasts that gave you insight into the characters’ rise to fame, personal work and the mystery surrounding the Villa
-How we got to see two authors work through the writing process
-The ending could not have been more perfect

Thanks SMP for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review !! It was impossible to put down. Pub date 1/3/23

3.5 stars. This book was just ok for me... The first half was very slow, and I didn't think there was enough plot action to keep my attention. I kept going because I love Rachel Hawkins and Julia Wahlen (audiobook narrator), but I left the book feeling underwhelmed. I had predicted where the story was going, which didn't leave much room to be surprised or shocked. I am definitely disappointed that Rachel Hawkins hasn't delivered something as stellar as The Wife Upstairs since its publication, though I am open to continuing to give her a try...

Struggling writer and recently divorced, Emily, is invited by her childhood best friend, Chess, to go away for six weeks to an Italian villa. Although Emily and Chess aren’t as close as they once were, Emily needs the break to get away from her divorce struggles and to try to reignite her writing. However this villa has a dark past. Emily immerses herself in learning more about the music royalty who once stayed there and left after a tragic incident. Could the villa’s sordid past be what Emily needs to spark her writing or will the tragic past become the present? I enjoyed how quickly the book had me immersed in the story. I loved the women being authors and the connection that brought them. However, I didn’t walk away liking any character by the end and especially the male characters were just too flawed and cringy. Overall a good mystery/suspense just not my favorite. The audiobook narrator did a great job of fluctuating her voice for the many character storylines and would definitely recommend the audio. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for an honest review.