The Villa
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins Book Summary
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
"Hawkins weaves an engrossing tale about betrayal, sisterhood, and the power of telling your own story. Captivating!" ––People
"Hawkins is the reigning queen of suspense." ––Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author
The bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs returns with a brilliant new gothic suspense set at an Italian villa with a dark history.
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 by Rachel Hawkins Book Reviews
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Wow! This is the first review I’ve ever written, and I’ve read 1000 books at least. Rachael Hawkins “boat murder” story is unbelievable, and it really caught me off guard. The setting was awesome, I was lulled into the same kind of thinking as the characters in the beginning. What comes next is pretty much indescribable. You’ve got to read this book.
One of the best books I’ve read in some time. Took less than 24 hrs it was that good!!
“Houses Remember” “Does one murder a murder house make?” In this book, there are two points of view in alternating timelines. The present-day story involves two best friends, or frenemies, who grew up together but have grown apart over the years. They are both writers of different genres, and decide to spend the summer together at a villa in Italy to work on their writing. The 1970’s timeline gives me Daisy Jones vibes. A rockstar invites some ‘friends’ to a villa in Italy he rents for the summer to work on an album. Mari, the narrator, is trying to write her first novel, and also keeps a diary of events that summer – which include a famous murder. This is my third book by this author, and in the past, I have felt a lack of connection to her characters. While the characters of The Villa were not particularly loveable, I think I felt more invested in them and their stories. I enjoyed the setting in Italy, the dueling timelines, and the stories within the story. I don’t think this book had quite the shocking twists or thrills of her other novels, but I love a good murder mystery! I was very curious how the two storylines were going to intertwine, and enjoyed the similarities between the two narrators. Although the book was slow to start, I found both stories compelling and finished the last half very quickly. I have some thoughts about the ending, but I think that is consistent with this author! “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” (Publisher blurb) Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the ARC!
Not the best I’ve read but it did entertain so I guess it served it’s purpose
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Rachel Hawkins - The Villa Comments
Rachel Hawkins is the author of Hex Hall, a best-selling trilogy of young adult paranormal romance novels. She is from Dothan, Alabama. She also writes as Erin Sterling. Biography Hawkins was born in Newport News, Virginia, moved to Dothan, Alabama at a young age, graduated from Houston Academy in 1998, and received a degree in English literature from Auburn University in 2002. She began writing her first novel, Hex Hall, while working as an English teacher at Sparkman High School. As of 2021, Hawkins lives with her family in Auburn, Alabama. Bibliography Hex Hall Hex Hall (2010) Demonglass (2011) Spell Bound (2012) School Spirits (2013) Short story: "A Very Hexy Valentine's Day" (2013)Rebel Belle trilogy Rebel Belle (2014) Miss Mayhem (2015) Lady Renegades (2016)Royals Series Prince Charming (2018) (first published as Royals) Her Royal Highness (2019)Short stories "Eyes in the Dark", Defy the Dark, ed. Saundra Mitchell (2013) "The Key", Grim, ed. Christine Johnson (2014)Middle grad....
