A review by chaptersofchase
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

Thank you, St Martins Press, for the gifted copy of The Villa {partner}

Genre: Mystery
Format: 📖
Pages: 288
Pub Date: 1.3.2023
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆

"All the drugs and the women and the men, all the wild, dark rumors, all of that is both a distraction from and an offshoot of what this man can do."

The Villa was one of my last reads of 2022 - I was trying to save it for the start of the new year, but I couldn't do it because I always enjoy Rachel Hawkins's books. I'm reasonably sure I devoured The Villa in less than 24 hours because it was -17 outside, and why wouldn't I want to get lost in an Italian Villa?

I love Hawkins's vivid descriptions of the Villa's past and present - they brought the whole thing to life and transported me into the book.

I went into the book with little idea as to what to expect; the only thing I saw is that, to one reader, it felt more like historical fiction. It blended historical fiction, mystery, and domestic suspense. The book was more about unraveling the secret from the past while mixing in a bit of domestic tension into the modern-day perspective.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read, and I kept trying to guess at the different twists and turns that might come from the story. While I could imagine one of them, I was thoroughly surprised by the other. I felt like I was helping the MC, Emily, discover the long-hidden secrets of the Villa as she discovered clue after clue.

✌🏼 Dual Perspective (40 years apart, same Villa)
🐌 Slower in the middle
🤬 Chess is just the worst
🔀 Historical Fiction + Mystery + Domestic Suspense
🤩 Started & ended with the same line

I recommend reading The Villa if you enjoyed reading The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins.

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