The Villa

A Novel

By: Rachel Hawkins

Narrated by: Julia Whelan, Kimberly M. Wetherell, 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.

©2023 Rachel Hawkins (P)2023 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"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)

"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

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

Gripping & Quick Read

"A houses remember"

The 2 timelines & 2 POV are not only fascinating, but also haunting. This novel felt like the perfect book to start the year! Twists & turns plus a haunting conclusion. highly reccomend

Slow Start, GREAT Ending

I had real trouble getting into this one. I honestly thought about just quitting somewhere around chapter 5. I found it hard to connect with the characters and the plot. It was all very sad emoji and whipped puppy moping.

Once the characters were actually in the Villa though, everything clicked on. It took me longer than a day per chapter to get through the first quarter of the book and then I finished the last three in a single night, unable to turn the story off.

And I have to say I loved the ending as much as I hated the beginning. The resonance of the two story lines and the final resolution just felt intensely satisfying and unexpectedly cathartic.

It is the resonance between the story lines that made it really work for me in the end. And that’s what really took time to set up. The amount of time it took to really feel the “parallels” in the various characters and what was going on in their lives which weren’t as simple or direct enough to make them immediately obvious to me. It just felt like two stories tacked together. Once I felt it was just one story from multiple points of view, there was no turning it off.

Excellent!!!

So so good! Friendship. Love. Scandal. 1970s and today. Great characters and you can never go wrong when Julia Whelan is a narrator!

A breezy listen

This was good, and held my interest. The characters are likable. Chess’s character development was a bit inconsistent and convoluted. The plot moved pretty slow and then came to a rapid closure and I feel like the ending deserved a few more chapters. Overall it was good and enjoyable to listen to.

A good summer read

The Villa started slow but hang in there cause it doesn’t disappoint. The second half is gripping

Impressed

Loved every minute of this book
The twist and turns suspense & Character building and excitement!

Great twist

This book is full of twists a turns. Very easy listen, but compelling enough to keep you engaged. Plus Julia Whelan turns in another phenomenal performance.

Enjoyed every single “page”

I was engaged, interested and entertained every minute. Great narration, easy to follow, great story I’m halfway through another book by Rachel Hawkins and I love that one just as much.

Very Relatable

This was my second Rachel Hawkins novel and I'm hooked. I agree with some of the other reviewers that the beginning lags a bit, but I quickly moved past and it sped up after that. I find Rachel's characters very relatable to people in my life.

I've discovered that Rachel develops characters that are both good and bad. Some, you catch on to right away and others not until the very end and by then you are ready to forgive them for the bad parts.

I think this book would make an amazing movie. Enjoy.

Loved every twist and turn!!

Couldn’t stop listening! The final twist was absolutely unexpected and I am so glad it was suggested for book club!