"Last Night at Villa Lucia" by Simon McCleave is a compelling thriller set in Tuscany. The beautiful cover and intriguing blurb grabbed my attention, and the story pulled me in further. It was well-written and flowed at a fast pace.

The story revolves around Cerys, the alcoholic owner of Villa Lucia, a vacation getaway in Tuscany. She is trying to escape her past and forget her abusive ex-husband. Her daughter Lowri, an aspiring musician, is staying with her while deciding on her next move. The villa's caretakers, Lucia and her ex-Mafioso husband Lorenzo, add to the complexity of the setting. Guests at the villa include Zoe, Harry, and their son Charlie. When a body is found floating in the pool, the police suspect foul play. The victim was disliked by many, making everyone at the villa a suspect.

I enjoyed the story very much. The narrative alternates between Cerys' first-person perspective and the third-person perspectives of the other characters, incorporating flashbacks that illuminate the present. It deals with themes of alcoholism, toxic and abusive relationships, and controlling men. The characters were well-rounded and fleshed out. I liked some of them and disliked others. I didn't guess the identity of the culprit, so the reveal caught me by surprise.

I was sold on this one from the very first line. Good plotting, judiciously dropped clues, and twists make this a good read. The only thing I didn't like was the use of drugs by the young characters. Other than that, the storyline is easy to follow, and the author provides an excellent sense of setting. This was my first book by the author, but it will not be my last. I recommend it to those who enjoy thriller novels and reading about characters overcoming life struggles. It is the perfect summer read!

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

check in for rest, relaxation, and retribution • rating [4] ⛱️⛱️⛱️⛱️

A family checks into a lush villa in the Tuscan valley, known for its beautiful landscape, vineyards, and rich history. This peaceful summer vacation quickly turns murder mystery when a body is found in the pool. This story dives into the intimate stories of two families and how those stories are brought together in one fateful night. This was a quick read and an enjoyable mystery with a twist. It definitely brought me back to my own travels to the region.

3.75 stars

Last Night at Villa Lucia is a slow-burn thriller, simmering with tension. it plays with time and perspective to create an intensely absorbing mystery with a fantastic cast of supporting characters. Cerys, Lowri and Zoe are great main characters but i especially enjoyed Lucia's chapters. her role as an 'outsider' lends the reader some objectivity - but at the same time, her own shady / complicated past renders her an enigma, keeping us guessing.

McCleave touches on a lot of things in this book - at times, too many things. i felt like we could have done with one less domestic abuse sub-plot. the thing that i felt was relayed best & that stayed with me was Cerys's battle with alcoholism; how insidious it can be, the way that people can come to rely on alcohol. i thought this aspect of the book was brilliantly done, adding to the blurriness of the mystery. the way the story comes together at the end is predictably convenient, but McCleave manages to stick the landing. the book's setting - the titular Villa Lucia, situated in the Tuscan countryside - complements & enhances the drama that unfolds within the pages.

with Last Night at Villa Lucia, McCleave creates an atmosphere that is perfect for the summer. this is a great beach-read. i ran through it in a day, because of how fond i became of all the characters and their lives - and i was pretty happy with it once i was finished.

thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

'Last Night at Villa Lucia' starts with the big bonus of being set in a beautiful, Tuscan villa. Meaning the reader finds themselves surrounded by beautiful scenery and weather. Next we have the characters, formed of two sets of families and they are brilliant in their roles and all bring something to the plot. Finally, we have the body and a murder investigation that will unearth devastating secrets.
I did think the plot for this was quite simple however it was executed well and I read this very quickly as I was absorbed in the plot. Although the plot is simple there are still twists which added some increased excitement to the plot.
This was a very enjoyable, Summer thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advance copy.

Fast-paced thriller that I raced through as I enjoyed all the twists and turns to the exciting end! Stunning setting and multiple suspects enhanced this excellent mystery.

What a riveting book! I loved it! This book kept me turning the pages until I reached the end. I’d definitely recommend it.

First of all I want to thank Storm Publishing, NetGalley and of course Simon McCleave for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was such a fun, fast paced read for me! Everyone is a suspect but who actually did it?!?
I couldn’t put this book down until I had my answers and those are my favorite kind of reads.
I wanted to love the characters a little more than I actually did and I needed a little bit more out of the story itself but I really did have a great time reading this one.

This is a fantastic murder mystery. Cerys owns Villa Lucia in Tuscany after buying out her ex-husband's share. Cerys is an alcoholic and her ex (Nick) was abusive and controlling. Her daughter Lowri is staying with her. Cerys rents out the Villa for holidays while she and Lowri live in the annexe. Zoe, Harry and their son Charlie come to stay. Harry gets murdered and most of the story then revolves around solving the case but mainly through the perspective of all the characters' thoughts and feelings. At the same time, the author shines a spotlight on alcoholism, toxic masculinity and abusive relationships. Both Nick and Harry were controlling and abusive and the impact on the lives of their families is brought to light throughout the case. The plot twist at the end is just "wow"! A thoroughly enjoyable read.
Thanks to Netgally, Storm Publishing and Simon McCleave for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy a good murder mystery and trying to solve the crime before the murderer is revealed. In this book, a man is murdered while on holiday, and there are multiple suspects all with opportunity & motive, so it is an interesting one! There are some twists thrown in to keep you guessing. I couldn't put it down because I wanted to figure out who did it! Finished reading this book in just a couple of days. Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC!

Zoe, her husband Harry and son Charlie set off for a vacation at Villa Lucia in Tuscany. The villa is owned by Cerys, her daughter Lowri is currently staying with her. A breathtaking venue that Zoe believes will provide some time out for her husband who is an executive at a record company.

Zoe wants them to spend time as family, recently Harry has been increasingly stressed which is affecting their marriage and she is also hoping that Harry and Charlie may improve their relationship in this calm setting away from home, at times Harry can be quite volatile and Charlie holds resentments towards him.

They arrive and are immediately taken in with the beautiful surroundings and very impressed with their host Cerys. But one morning not long after they arrive, Harry’s body is found floating in the pool. Soon the villa is a crime scene and the hunt for the murderer is on.
This is a very enjoyable thriller, moves along at a very quick pace and once I started it, I read it in an afternoon. The book keeps you engaged throughout and once again my detective skills were way off as I thought I knew who the culprit was but once again I was wrong. Great ending that was satisfying and tidied things up nicely. This is the first book I have read by this author, but I will now look out for more of his books.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions expressed are my own.

What a fantastic plot! I could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

Following her divorce from Nick, Cerys finds herself the sole owner of Villa Lucia on a hillside near Florence.. Her daughter Lowri has come to stay and new guests have arrived: Zoe, her husband Harry and their son Charlie. Cerys and Zoe quickly form a bond whilst Lowri finds herself attracted to Charlie. But an incident in her past has driven Cerys to alcoholism and worse is to come when one of her guests is found floating dead in the swimming pool. Cue the arrival of Cerys' controlling aggressive ex-husband Nick to worsen the situation, sending Cerys' drinking spiralling out of control. watching on is villa employee Lucia, whose father formally owned the villa, and her ex-Mafioso husband Lorenzo. Lucia is torn between her resentment of Cerys, whom she sees as having stolen her family home, and her desire to do the right thing. The Italian police, for once not typecast as intimidating or stupid, gradually work their way to a solution but is it the right one? The novel has a well-shaped plot and a very satisfying twist at the end. This was a very enjoyable read and I would highly recommend it to fans of writers such as Lucy Foley and Lisa Jewell. I would certainly be keen to read more books by Simon McCleave.

Cerys, who manages a vacation villa in Tuscany, wakes up after heavy drinking to find a body in the pool. With numerous suspects on the property, including guests and staff with secrets, can the police uncover the truth amidst the web of lies?

This fast-paced story kept me hooked with its twists and ended surprisingly but satisfactorily. Despite the characters' flaws, I found them engaging, and the vivid descriptions of Tuscany and the villa added to the appeal.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Cerys is relaxing in her favorite spot at Villa Lucia when she discovers a body floating face down in her pool. The events of last evening suddenly flashed before her. A lovely meal and glasses of wine were ruined by angry words from her ever-watchful daughter, bringing back memories of her painful divorce and drinking problem.
Tragedy soon ends the tranquility of the morning. The police investigation into the murder leaves her in total confusion. She is pounded with questions and struggles to get her story straight. Why can’t she remember?

A woman, Cerys, runs a vacation villa in Tuscany. When a body is found floating face down in the pool, she is recovering from a night of heavy drinking and can't remember what happened. Just about everyone on the property, including her guests and the caretakers, had reason to dislike the victim, and all of them have secrets. Can the police discover the truth when so many close the crime have something to hide?

This was an enjoyable and fast-paced read with many twists and a totally unexpected, but satisfying, ending. I enjoyed getting to know the characters, in spite of their shortcoming, and the descriptions of Tuscany and the villa are well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Ohh this was a rollercoaster of a thriller. There was so many twists and turns I could not put it down once I stated I was gripped. It was full of suspense the story is told from many different perspectives which I definitely think helped build up the suspense. A fantastic summer read which I will be recommending to everyone. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this fantastic thriller.

After her divorce, Cerys has come out of things as the owner of an idyllic villa in Tuscany, but her problematic relationship with alcohol is one of the factors that has led to tension in her relationship with her daughter.

A bitter spat is followed by the discovery of a body in the pool at the property. It turns out to be Harry, who is one of the trio making up a family of visitors at the villa. But who is responsible for his death? And why?

Simon McCleave skillfully keeps you guessing until the very end. This is an engaging mystery and one well worth reading. It gets 3.5 stars.

This book grabbed me from the beginning and took me for a wild ride all the while keeping my interest with twists and turns. Excellent character development with a satisfying ending, I definitely will recommend this book !

Thank you to Simon McCleave, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
Publishes July 26, 2024

This was a fun, fast-paced thriller that I was able to read in a day. I didn't feel like there were many dull moments or unnecessary details. Honestly it had me guessing to the end with all the plot twists and turns. This story takes place at Villa Lucia in beautiful Tuscany and surrounds Cerys, the alcoholic owner of Villia Lucia and her daughter, Lowri, as well as the family who has come to stay (Charlie, Harry, and Zoe). Once Harry is found murdered, everyone is a suspect and you don't know who to trust....not even the housekeeper or the gardener. I'm pretty sure I was suspicious of all the characters, which is evidence of a great plot line and character development. A great murder mystery for the thriller lover in us all!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, there were twists and turns throughout the book, and I raced through it to get to the end. It deals with addiction, toxic masculinity and abusive behaviour but all done in a well written, well thought out story. The ending was very well thought out, and it rounded things off well. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thanks to Storm Publishing for an advance copy.