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 & 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.
THE VILLA
Rachel Hawkins
I enjoy my time reading Rachel Hawkins thrillers. Her writing is thoughtful and quick, and she keeps a great pace to her stories. I just finished her latest book, THE VILLA (which comes out in January), and I liked it a lot.
Let’s talk about it!
THE VILLA stars Emily and Chess. They are childhood best friends. Both writers now, although in different genres, and at different levels of success in their careers and personal relationships.
It’s been harder for Emily. Fresh from separation from her husband and during divorce she is struggling to write her next book and hold onto what is hers. Chess, during success, and with what seems like endless material to pull from, is single and seems to be happy that way.
They meet one day for lunch which spurs an idea in Chess to spend a month in a private Villa in Italy. They can both relax, write, drink wine, and spend some much-needed time together. Emily agrees, and once they arrive the novel unfolds.
There were a few things that I liked about the book and a couple of things I didn’t. Overall, I enjoyed this one and finished it in one sitting. I imagined myself writing at a Villa in Italy and investigating a long-ago mystery.
I liked the writing and author aspects of the book and the idea of a getaway writing trip to Italy. I appreciated the layered interpersonal drama between Emily and Chess and the windy nature of how things progress between the two characters.
There were two POVs in the book and they were unequal to me. I wanted to live in one more than the other. There is a big difference in tone between the two. However, gratefully, you never stay in one POV for long enough to get bothered by it or to get bored. The book quickly moves between POV’s.
This would make an excellent book for someone new to the thriller genre as it was a little predictable. If knowing where a book is going spoils the fun for you, then know going in that the path is well-lit in this one. I appreciated it nonetheless, and it solidifies Hawkins as one of my favorites right now in this niche.
This one comes out on January 3, 2023!
Thanks so much to Netgalley, St. Martins Press, Macmillan Audio, and Libro. Fm for providing advanced copies in exchange for a review!
The Villa…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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