The Villa Book Review: A Thriller by Rachel Hawkins

The Villa Book Review

When I first heard of The Villa by Rachel Hawkins, I knew I wanted to read it. Part of that is because I’ve loved all of Rachel’s other thriller releases. And the other part is because The Villa takes place in Italy. I’ve always imagined what it would be like to go on a high-end holiday in Italy. I loved the idea of getting to visit in this new thriller novel.

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins is a 2023 thriller that tells the story of the Villa in two timelines. One part of the story takes place in modern day. And the other part takes place in the 1970’s.

The modern day portion focuses on Emily McCrae and her best friend Chess Chandler, who are visiting the Villa as part vacation/part writer’s retreat. But years back, it was visited by a group of musicians and writers who created now-iconic works in 1974. Each timeline is filled with drama and uncertainty.

I love reading about characters who are writers/creatives, so I knew this story was going to be right up my alley. I also love to read cozy mysteries so I thought it was fun that Emily was a cozy mystery author. Ever since her divorce though, she’s had trouble writing. So maybe a trip to a secluded italian villa with her girlfriend Chess will help to inspire her.

Today in my The Villa book review we’ll be discussing this latest thriller release by Rachel Hawkins.

About Rachel Hawkins

Rachel Hawkins has become one of my favorite authors over the past couple of years. Her thriller novels are unique, gripping, and often keep me reading late into the night because I just have to know what happens next.

But her writing career didn’t start with thrillers. Her first works of fiction began with the young adult series Hex Hall, Rebel Belle, and Royals. But that’s not all. She also publishes The Ex Hex series under the name Erin Sterling. After this, I’m determined to read all of the Rachel Hawkins books.

Her first thriller called The Wife Upstairs was released in 2021. It’s a modern day retelling of Jane Eyre with a very interesting plotline. Her next thriller entitled Reckless Girls came out in 2022. It’s about a woman and her boyfriend, who agree to sail two women to an abandoned island that has an unsavory history.

And then that brings us to The Villa, which is her latest novel and was published in 2023. I wound up really enjoying this book and will tell you all about it below!

What is the novel The Villa about?

The Villa in question is called Villa Aestas, and it’s a gorgeous villa located in Orvieto Italy. Emily agrees to go there with her childhood best friend for a girls trip. It’s not her idea of a perfect vacation but she’s got plenty of things in her live she’s avoiding. A girls trip with Chess may be just what they need to rejuvenate their strained friendship. Although they started out as childhood friends and have been friend their entire life, things haven’t been the same in recent years. It seems the demands of their adult lives have gotten in the way.

But while they are at Villa Aestas, Emily slowly learns about former events that took place at their villa. In the Summer of 1974, it was the home to Noel Gordon, a notorious rock star. But what’s a Summer getaway without some friends along for the ride? He invites musician Pierce Gordon, to come and create with him. And with Pierce comes Mari Godwin (Pierce’s girlfriend who is a writer) and Mari’s step-sister Lara Larchmont (a musician).

It’s an interesting group, and there are definitely some questionable friendships. When the group encounters a tragedy and some dangerous betrayals, their lives change forever.

I loved the Dual Time Periods

The two stories are similar in that each is about a writing retreat of sorts. Mari wound up writing on of the greatest horror novels of all time that Summer. Lara wrote what became a platinum album. But the story of that fateful Summer does not end well. Emily begins to wonder if the chain of events during that summer isn’t that different from her own.

In modern day, Emily has been having trouble writing. She’s had difficulties in her personal life that have made it hard to find her creative spark. As she learns of the villa’s complicated history it inspires her to sit down and get some words on the page. But she’s secretive about what she’s writing. And even though she and Chess are best friends, there’s some competition there.

Little does she know that real life might not end up so different from what she’s read about in the past.

Initial Thoughts

Rachel Hawkins is becoming one of my favorite authors. My first book I read of hers was The Wife Upstairs which I listened to through my Libby app and then I picked Reckless Girls as one of my Book of the Month choices for last year. Her stories just keep popping up to me and I keep enjoying them, so I couldn’t wait to get started on The Villa.

This is a hard book to review without spoiling so I’m going to just share some miscellaneous thoughts. It’s a fun story that is told through two points of view. Our first character is Mari. It’s the Summer of 1974 and she’s come to stay at Villa Rosado with her partner, her stepsister, and two friends. The house is full of tension because it seems like barely any of the characters like each other. As we learn more about Mari Godwick and her group we learn two things:

Some of the members of the group are going to use their time responsibly, to work on their art, music, and writing.

Not everyone is going to survive the Summer.

What I Liked

Fun, huh? And in the second timeline we are introduced to Emily and Chess, two best friends who are staying at the very same villa in Orvieto. They know about the horrendous events that went down at the villa but they don’t think much about it. They have their own concerns to worry about. Both of them are writers and they each have a book on deadline.

I loved all the drama and mystery in this story. Because it’s told through two different perspectives, the real horror of the villa unravels little by little. As a reader, I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. There were certain parts that just didn’t strike me as realistic at all, but the characters were so interesting and their actions at times were definitely not what I expected. I’m really loving the way Rachel Hawkins writes mysteries and I was definitely expecting a final twist after what happened in Reckless Girls. I can say confidently that The Villa did not disappoint.

On goodreads, this is how they recommend the book:

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.

Pretty spooky, huh? I highly recommend this book if you like mysteries. Author Rachel Hawkins puts a lot of care into creating interesting characters which really makes this book stand out. I mentioned earlier that Emily and Chess were kind of on a writer’s retreat. This is because Emily is the author of a cozy mystery series about a character named Petal Bloom. And Chess is a very successful self-help author.

They both spent a lot of their time in the house working on their separate projects. Plus, there was so much talk about wine and cheese. That was really good for my soul to be honest.

Take Note

I really enjoy listening to Rachel Hawkins’ books in audiobook format, and you can listen to The Villa through Audible. It is a Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press. Audiobooks are great because you can dive into a great story while getting other things done. They are my favorite way to pass the time when I am at the gym!

Frequently Asked Questions

​Is The Villa Spicy?

No, The Villa is not a spicy book. It’s a thriller with suspense and mystery, but not romance.

Is The Villa by Rachel Hawkins Scary?

It depends on your definition of scary, but I did not find it scary. And that’s saying something because I get scared very easily! The Villa has a gothic fiction vibe with lots of suspense. There are darker scenes and tragedies that occur, but I did not think they were scary. Just dark.

Thank you

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest The Villa book review. As I mentioned previously, fans of thrillers and Rachel Hawkins will find this book to be an excellent addition to her catalog of books. This book is also perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

I really enjoyed this engrossing tale and think you will too!

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