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Rachel Hawkins
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Villa Paperback – November 7, 2023

by Rachel Hawkins (Author)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 7,573 ratings
Editors' pick Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
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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.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    320 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    November 7, 2023
  4. Dimensions
    5.3 x 0.85 x 8.2 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1250834597
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1250834591
  7. See all details
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So Long, Chester Wheeler: A Novel
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Unlikely road trip companions form an unexpected bond in an uplifting novel about the past―lost and found―by the New York Times and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author. | Learn more

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  1. “If you want to receive the good things the universe has for you, Em, you can’t have ugly thoughts blocking the path. We have to let go of pain and resentment if we want the gifts we deserve.”
    Highlighted by 559 Kindle readers
  2. How is it that someone can bring out the very best and the very worst of you all at once?
    Highlighted by 484 Kindle readers
  3. People are never just gone, after all. There are always marks, always signs.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Clever and wickedly fun, The Villa is a moody labyrinth of a novel fortified by Hawkins’s evident knowledge of Gothic conventions: missing manuscripts, debauched aristocrats, isolated locales and the like....a spooky, intricate thriller." ―The Washington Post

"A catnip literary premise: It’s a dual-timeline psychological thriller inspired by the birthplace of the novel Frankenstein...all deliciously atmospheric fun." ―The Seattle Times

"Hawkins casts a sharp eye throughout to the way we construct stories about female artists―and the moral ambiguity inherent in creation and fame. The effect lingers like a shadow, or a creature, that endures past the final words. Hawkins manages to achieve the seemingly impossible: A Frankenstein-inspired novel that feels both fresh and unique." ―Kirkus (starred review)

"This story’s finely honed interplay of creative ambition and haunting sadness makes it a step above. Hawkins pokes at the darker aspects of both true crime and self-help, and it works beautifully. Hawkins' star is definitely on the rise after two bestsellers, and this one will propel her further into the stratosphere." ―Booklist (starred review)

"The White Lotus" vibes with a side of moody, gothic suspense elements? We’ll take it." ―TheSkimm

"Equally compelling dual timelines intertwine as The Villa progresses, showcasing Hawkins’ skill at crafting intriguing characters who take the notion of an unreliable narrator to clever new heights. Sly commentary on self-help and true crime mixes nicely with eerie gothic elements in this inventive and provocative tale that explores the dark side of artistic genius and the corrosive effects of unhealthy relationships...Fans of twisty, creepy, layered thrillers will revel in their suspenseful stay at The Villa." ―Bookpage

"Friendship and professional jealousy fuel this nail-biter...Intense characters complement the brisk plot, which shifts smoothly between the present and 1974. Hawkins consistently entertains." ―Publishers Weekly

"In The Villa, Rachel Hawkins brilliantly stitches together past and present, deftly luring readers into a deliciously dark tale filled with twisted secrets, suspect loyalties, and deadly encounters. I tore through this haunting thrill ride at breakneck speed but hated to see it end. Everything about The Villa is pitch-perfect, again proving that Hawkins is the reigning queen of suspense." ―Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Overnight Guest

"Cleverly-narrated via past and present timelines...The Villa teems with sexual tension, festering tempers, and questionable friendships. Hawkins' latest thriller reminds us that no matter what truths we think we've stumbled upon, writers cannot always be trusted―and certainly not the tales they tell." ―Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary

"Rachel Hawkins DELIVERS with The Villa. Slick, twisty, and packed full of pop culture references spanning decades, this book is a perfectly delicious read. I devoured it as fast as I could and wanted to read it again immediately. Buy one for yourself and another for your best friend because you’ll want to talk about it for days." ―Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author of Killers of a Certain Age

About the Author

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.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Griffin; Reprint edition (November 7, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250834597
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250834591
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.3 x 0.85 x 8.2 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 7,573 ratings

About the author

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Rachel Hawkins

Rachel Hawkins

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Rachel Hawkins (www.rachel-hawkins.com) was a high school English teacher before becoming a full-time writer. She lives with her family in Alabama, and is currently at work on the third book in the Hex Hall series. To the best of her knowledge, Rachel is not a witch, though some of her former students may disagree....

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
7,573 global ratings
Didn’t see the twist coming!
4 Stars
Didn’t see the twist coming!
This book landed on my TBR list because it was the February pick for the Live, Laugh, Murder book club. I’d never heard of it, so I didn’t really have any expectations, which is always a good (if not always possible) way to begin a book. I ended up really enjoying it! It’s an easy read with a mix of gothic mystery, thriller tension, and nostalgic vibes that work together to create a unique and enjoyable read.I don’t know that I would classify this book as squarely in the thriller category, although it does revolve around a murder mystery. It also explores difficult relationships and the importance of art and creation as a method of autonomy, especially in women. I will be honest here and say that the relationship between Emily and Chess reminded me so much of an unhealthy relationship I had in my own life until I was in my mid-twenties - it was almost disconcerting. The frenemy dynamic is one that we all relate to (I think) but is rarely communicated about well. This book examined the love/hate relationship that often (but not always) accompanies our oldest friendships. I really enjoyed the author’s acknowledgements in which she promises that none of her real friends were the inspiration for Chess!I also loved the book’s implications on how the influence of art on others is often more powerful than the creation of art itself. It really made me stop and think about how strange it must be for artists/writers/musicians/etc to put their creations in the world only for them to take a whole identity of their own. They began as someone’s very personal, very intimate baby but then grew to have a fanbase who identify with the work in a whole new way. What does that mean for the artist and for the art itself?This book was an easy read and held my attention the entire time, but it never elicited a strong emotional response from me. It’s one that I will be happy to share with others but not request that the hardcopy be returned to me, as it doesn't warrant a rereading in my opinion. I am definitely looking forward to discussing it at book club this month!
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Top reviews from the United States

Holly A.
4.0 out of 5 stars Twisty Thriller
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2024
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Always enjoy Rachel Hawkins books! This one was great and hard to put down. Liked the 70s rock world mixed with current day. Again, twisty ending as always!
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Diana D
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspired and truly engrossing
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2024
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Wow! This is the second of Hawkins's novels I've read, and it was as entertaining and engrossing as The Wife Upstairs. I am in awe, frankly, of how Hawkins can weave such intricate and intriguing new stories out of older and classic tales and historical events - as a fan of those old classics and a writer myself, I find myself envious of her ability to produce "new wine in old skins" or perhaps it's "old wine in new skins"?

I found The Villa addicting; that her main characters are writers and song writers was such a draw for me. And that the 1970s storyline was a weaving together of Mary and Percy Shelley's fateful summer with Lord Byron in 1819 (where Frankenstein was born) and the emotionally-complicated and drug-fogged creation of Fleetwood Mac's arguably greatest album (Rumours) was just brilliant. I liked both modern characters, too, although I'm still not quite sure how much I really trust Chess to be Em's best friend with Em's well being foremost in her mind or heart. But that is kind of real life, I think, and Hawkins gave us an ending that was bittersweet and ambiguous enough to make readers feel just a bit unsettled - across both storylines - which I actually liked. As with The Wife Upstairs, the references to the " source" material were not so blatant as to feel like a gimmick, but certainly present enough for those truly familiar with the foundational stories to get it. The novel works quite well for those readers who don't know the originals, but I'd say the novel is infinitely richer for those readers who understand the connections to the source material (both Mary Shelley and Fleetwood Mac).

I am looking forward to reading her next novel, The Heiress. Rachel Hawkins has become a favorite author.
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Courtney
3.0 out of 5 stars Lukewarm but surprising ending!!
Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2024
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I really did love this book and the twists and turns of the story but I felt that there could've been so much more done with it. I thought there was a small hint towards paranormal ism at the beginning with "houses remember" and talking about those who have experienced things there before. But there was nothing paranormal which is fine but i was hoping it'd be a little creepy. Also the well to hell had opportunity there but didn't really go anywhere. Maybe I just wanted it to be creepy. It had a beautiful Setting and a cool feminist theme.
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Zazzsu
4.0 out of 5 stars Houses remember. Or do they?
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2024
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Two different times, different stories. The connections are interesting. The 1970s rock and roll era had an interesting cast of characters, fitting some stereotypes. The two settings for this group were very well done. The problems in the relationships evolve and could create great things and/or horrible things. The more modern characters had more of a realness to them. There was the long time friendship that can be wonderful and troubling at the same time. The history between the two is well established. The problems are there, but can they survive and solve them? The connections between history and present day aren't obvious, so you might be surprised!
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Tammy
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic gothic suspense and highly entertaining!
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2023
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I really enjoyed The Wife Upstairs and Reckless Girls so of course I had to add this. With blurbs about The Villa being a gothic suspense thriller (set at an Italian villa across two time periods) with sinister acts and long-buried secrets.. and that it is inspired by Percy & Mary Shelley’s infamous visit with Lord Byron at a castle, the Manson murders and Fleetwood Mac. Yes please!

Author Emily Sheridan is behind writing her latest book in a cozy mystery series. She’s suffering from writers block due to ill health and (unfortunately) her series love interest is inspired by her soon to be ex-husband. Their divorce process has been h*** to say the least. Her childhood best friend Chess suggests they spend R+R at an Italian villa together to reconnect. Chess is an author too but they’ve drifted apart after Chess’s big success in writing self-help books. While there, Emily gets caught up investigating the mystery of an infamous 1974 murder that happened in that same villa. She also knows one of the girls (Mari) went on to write a bestselling horror novel, and the other girl (Lana) wrote/performed/released the greatest solo album of that era. How did they become so successful after living through something so gruesome?

Traveling back to the 1974.. we have 19 year old Mari’s POV. Noel Gordon, a notorious rock star, invites Mari’s step-sister Lana to his Italian vacation villa, also taking along Mari and Mari’s musician boyfriend Pierce Sheldon (they’re also introduced to a surprise guest on arrival). Jumping at the opportunity to go, Mari imagines it as an artist retreat where they’ll all be creating together. Unfortunately.. it doesn’t turn out to be that.

Don’t let the sunny vacation destination fool you. This turned into quite the chilling story giving me all the spine tingling sensations that something foreboding from the past was going to present itself.. again.. only now to Emily and Chess. There’s a lot playing out between the two friends with their loving and devoted, yet thorny, complicated relationship.. giving you an uneasy feeling. You know something bad is hanging there on the perimeter.. what it is and when it will happen kept me on the edge of my seat. I was completely engrossed in finding out. There’s much more to this story playing out in both timelines concerning misogyny, tangled web relationships, jealousy, and competition, all intermixed with media throughout the book. And what a shocker of an ending! This is one heck of an entertaining story within a story. Fascinating for sure!!! 4.5 stars — Pub. 1/3/23

Much thanks to the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
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Top reviews from other countries

Courtney Holm
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in Canada on June 11, 2023
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Lived up to the hype
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Lauren
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 7, 2024
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This was the book I needed to read today. I just demolished the whole thing in one sitting. Start to finish. Could not put it down. I don’t even know how to tell anyone what happened in this book, or where to begin a critical review. So, I’m not going to. I’m just going to leave this here and tell you to run and read this book.
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Anna P!
4.0 out of 5 stars Happy twists !
Reviewed in Italy on February 5, 2023
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I was really Mad until page 200ish but I don’t wanna spoil anything. I just loved this a lot! I look forward to read more from Rachel.
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Amazon customer :)
4.0 out of 5 stars Nice one
Reviewed in India on January 26, 2023
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It was really a good one :)
I really liked it !
It was my first book of her's
Keep up the great work Rachel .
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Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Anti-Climactic
Reviewed in Singapore on March 28, 2024
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Really liked the writing style. Loved the book up until 3/4 of the way. The last bit was very anti climactic for me. The premise has enough meat to make a great book but the ending let it down.
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