The Villa: A Novel

Written by Rachel Hawkins

Narrated by Julia Whelan, Kimberly M. Wetherell and Shiromi Arserio

"Shiromi Arserio, Julia Whelan, and Kimberly Wetherell are the perfect trio to narrate this thriller about an Italian villa with a haunted past."- AudioFile

From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins comes a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set at an Italian villa with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

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.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Jan 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9781250878984

Rachel Hawkins

Rachel Hawkins is the New York Times bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs, Reckless Girls, The Villa, and The Heiress, as well as multiple books for young readers. Her work has been translated into over a dozen languages. She studied gender and sexuality in Victorian literature at Auburn University and currently lives in Alabama.

Reviews for The Villa

[Toni Snyder · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It was very good! Definitely a good read and listen too

[Jennifer Smith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had a great time with this book. A bit predictable & not perfect, but I was completely enthralled & flew through it.

[Katherine Helmick · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A little slow for my taste but there are some good parts. The story takes a while to unveil itself imo but once it gets there, it is worth it.

[Kisha West · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow didn't see that ending coming. This book had me hooked! There was a point where my frustration for the main character was soo intense I had to take a walk. I didn't think I would enjoy the perspectives 50 years apart but it was perfectly done. Can't wait to read more by this author.

[Debra Lawson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great characters loved the story
Twist and turns keep you guessing

[Shawna · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Emily is an author struggling to finish a book and is newly separated from her husband. Chess is her childhood best friend and a self-help guru. They connect at a long, overdue lunch and decide to take a trip to Italy to get out of their separate slumps.
The Villa in Italy they are going to spend the next six weeks at is called Villa Rosata. It also happens to be the scene of a famous murder. The story from the 70s and the present-day friends visit move back and forth seamlessly. Each story unfolds and intersects when Emily and Cass decide to write a book about the murder.
That's just the beginning. How the stories unfold is fun and shocking and sometimes aggravating. However, it is a great read you will love every minute of.

[Danyelle Drexler · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this slow burn mystery, dual timeline and atmospheric read.

[Heather Herrick Goldsberry · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such s great book!!! Loved the audiobook voices. I want to read more of the authors books!

[Bonnie N Eldon Wurban · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a fabulous book-I’m definitely going to have a book hangover from this one.

[Jennifer Camacho · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Hauntingly beautiful, this book will take you on a Gothic journey with an Italian setting.

[Sandy Benemerito Bailey · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Highly readable and fast-paced interwoven tales of two female friendships / rivalries, spaced 50 years apart. The modern day saga between two best frenemies was offset well by the parallel plot of a sibling rivalry in the 1970’s, where both stories take place in the same haunted villa. This is a psychological thriller vs a horror novel, and while the plots feel predictable at times, I was indeed surprised by revelations late in the book. This was a fast, page-turning read and a good follow up to the author’s Reckless Girls, and I liked the Italian Vila setting m more than the deserted island of the last book. 3.5 stars rounded down.