Synopsis
The Villa is a sun-soaked suspense story split between two timelines, both in the same eerie Italian villa. In the present, writers Emily and Chess head to Italy for a working vacation that turns into an unraveling of their relationship and buried secrets. Meanwhile, in the ’70s, the villa hosted a gathering that ended in a shocking murder. As Emily digs into the past, what starts as research becomes an obsession.
This Book is Perfect For:
If your ideal beach read has a little bite (think murder, mystery, friendships on the brink, and a touch of rock-and-roll glamour) The Villa delivers. Fans of Big Little Lies and Daisy Jones & The Six will find plenty to sink their teeth into. It’s perfect for readers who love dual timelines, morally gray characters, and slow-burn suspense that keeps the pages turning.
Review: 4.5/5
Rachel Hawkins has a knack for writing smart, stylish thrillers that don’t sacrifice fun for depth, and The Villa might be her best yet. The novel’s setting is instantly seductive: a grand Italian villa with a dark past, once the backdrop to sex, drugs, and a murder in the ’70s, now hosting two women whose friendship is unravelling.
The dual timeline structure works surprisingly well, with the 1970s storyline channeling classic gothic horror meets Almost Famous. You get wild parties, creative rivalries, and a creeping sense of dread, all wrapped in the fog of memory. Meanwhile, the present-day narrative is fueled by a different kind of tension: one that comes from years of friendship, silent resentments, and the quiet tug-of-war over identity and success.
What sets The Villa apart from other thrillers is how Hawkins uses the backdrop of writing to examine how stories are told, twisted, and weaponized. Emily, struggling with writer’s block and self-worth, begins mining the villa’s past for inspiration, but it’s clear she’s also rewriting the story of her life. It’s a clever metafictional layer that gives the novel more heft than you’d expect.
Still, at its core, The Villa is a stylish, escapist thriller. It doesn’t get bogged down in overly literary detours. It knows what it is and plays to its strengths: atmosphere, interpersonal drama, and a slow build to a satisfying, shadowy conclusion. Don’t be surprised if you devour it in a single sun-drenched sitting…and immediately want to book a ticket to Italy.
