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The Unraveling of Julia
An international bestselling author crafts a gothic “thriller with dashes of romance and excellent twists!” (Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author) in which a young widow inherits a Tuscan estate from a mysterious benefactor and finds herself thrust into the crosshairs of a dangerous conspiracy—twisty, transportive, and haunting, this is suspense with a passport.
Lately, Julia Pritzker is beginning to think she’s cursed. She’s lost her adoptive parents, then her husband is murdered. When she realizes that her horoscope essentially foretold his death, she begins to spiral. She fears her fate is written in the stars, not held in her own hands.
Then a letter arrives out of the blue, informing her that she has inherited a Tuscan villa and vineyard—but her benefactor is a total stranger named Emilia Rossi. Julia has no information about her biological family, so she wonders if Rossi could be a blood relative. Bewildered, she heads to Tuscany for answers.
There, Julia is horrified to discover that Rossi was a paranoid recluse, who believed herself to be a descendent of Duchess Caterina Sforza, a legendary Renaissance ruler. Stunned by her uncanny resemblance to Rossi, and even to Caterina, Julia is further unnerved when she unearths eerie parallels between them, including an obsession with astrology.
Before long, Julia suspects she’s being followed, and strange things begin to happen. Not even a chance meeting with a handsome Florentine can ease her troubled mind. When events turn deadly, Julia’s harrowing struggle becomes a search for her identity, a race to save her sanity, and ultimately, a question of her very survival.
Lately, Julia Pritzker is beginning to think she’s cursed. She’s lost her adoptive parents, then her husband is murdered. When she realizes that her horoscope essentially foretold his death, she begins to spiral. She fears her fate is written in the stars, not held in her own hands.
Then a letter arrives out of the blue, informing her that she has inherited a Tuscan villa and vineyard—but her benefactor is a total stranger named Emilia Rossi. Julia has no information about her biological family, so she wonders if Rossi could be a blood relative. Bewildered, she heads to Tuscany for answers.
There, Julia is horrified to discover that Rossi was a paranoid recluse, who believed herself to be a descendent of Duchess Caterina Sforza, a legendary Renaissance ruler. Stunned by her uncanny resemblance to Rossi, and even to Caterina, Julia is further unnerved when she unearths eerie parallels between them, including an obsession with astrology.
Before long, Julia suspects she’s being followed, and strange things begin to happen. Not even a chance meeting with a handsome Florentine can ease her troubled mind. When events turn deadly, Julia’s harrowing struggle becomes a search for her identity, a race to save her sanity, and ultimately, a question of her very survival.
396 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 8, 2025
1592 people are currently reading
62485 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Scottoline
132 books15.5k followersLisa Scottoline is a #1 bestselling and Edgar award-winning author of 33 novels. Her books are book-club favorites, and Lisa and her daughter Francesca Serritella have hosted an annual Big Book Club Party for over a thousand readers at her Pennsylvania farm, for the past twelve years. Lisa has served as President of Mystery Writers of America, and her reviews of fiction and non-fiction have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Philadelphia Inquirer. She also writes a weekly column with her daughter for the Philadelphia Inquirer entitled Chick Wit, a witty take on life from a woman’s perspective, which have been collected in a bestselling series of humorous memoirs. Lisa graduated magna cum laude in three years from the University of Pennsylvania, with a B.A. in English, and cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she taught Justice and Fiction. Lisa has over 30 million copies of her books in print and is published in over 35 countries. She lives in the Philadelphia area with an array of disobedient pets and wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,587 reviews
April 10, 2025
Oh gee, this was an exercise in my new "what not to read" list. It was so slow, repetitive, and downright dumb.
Julia Pritzker, is a bona fide believer in all things woo woo. She latches onto the supernatural, the paranormal, and emotion-based beliefs and explanations. She is the walking encyclopedia of horoscopes and ghosts and things that go bump in the night. Perhaps these out there beliefs could be explained by the stabbing murder of her husband right in front of her.
She becomes a recluse bordering on agoraphobia, but then things change and this woman who is afraid of everything, inherits tons of money from an unknown person in Italy where Julia travels to pick up her money and a very run down Tuscan home.
As if things were not shaky for Julia, she finds herself being followed, falling in love with an Italian librarian, and dragging astrology along for a ride.
This story annoyed me as Julia never feels authentic and the whole book read as a YA story. The writing is sloppy and wandered about with no clear definition of where it was going trying to include so many genres in the telling.
So sad to say along with her book What Happened To The Bennetts, which I also awarded two stars, makes me wonder of this author is just not for me anymore. I was disappointed and let down.
Julia Pritzker, is a bona fide believer in all things woo woo. She latches onto the supernatural, the paranormal, and emotion-based beliefs and explanations. She is the walking encyclopedia of horoscopes and ghosts and things that go bump in the night. Perhaps these out there beliefs could be explained by the stabbing murder of her husband right in front of her.
She becomes a recluse bordering on agoraphobia, but then things change and this woman who is afraid of everything, inherits tons of money from an unknown person in Italy where Julia travels to pick up her money and a very run down Tuscan home.
As if things were not shaky for Julia, she finds herself being followed, falling in love with an Italian librarian, and dragging astrology along for a ride.
This story annoyed me as Julia never feels authentic and the whole book read as a YA story. The writing is sloppy and wandered about with no clear definition of where it was going trying to include so many genres in the telling.
So sad to say along with her book What Happened To The Bennetts, which I also awarded two stars, makes me wonder of this author is just not for me anymore. I was disappointed and let down.
October 7, 2025
Lisa Scottoline is one of my auto-approved thriller authors, and I always enjoy grabbing one of her books, settling into my favorite couch, and devouring her words as the tension escalates, keeping me on the edge of my seat. This time, she takes a different approach, blending paranormal thriller and women’s fiction. The Tuscan setting and the incorporation of astrology immediately drew me in—especially as someone who has spent years studying astrology and dreaming of visiting every Italian city (me: an Aries rising, Scorpio sun, and Sagittarius moon).
Before diving into the plot, I have to say—this book is a page-turner! Two central mysteries drive the story: what’s really happening in the Tuscan villa, and who Julie’s biological family is (not to mention, who killed her husband). Both are executed in an exciting, gripping way, and the pacing is absolutely heart-throbbing. However, I found some of the paranormal elements—despite being explained—over the top, and the way the Italian characters accepted them so easily without seeking a logical explanation had me shaking my head. Maybe it’s a cultural thing—artistic, creative nations tend to be more open-minded about the unexplained. If this story were set in the U.S., Julie would likely have ended up locked in a room wearing a straitjacket, and the ending would have taken a much darker turn.
There’s a lot happening in this book, and while some of the twists felt a little far-fetched, most of the plot holes were filled in, and many of the surprises were well-executed (though some had me rolling my eyes). That said, I always appreciate authors taking risks to create something unique. By the time I finished, I had an irresistible urge to pour myself a glass of Chianti!
Now, let’s talk about the plot: Julie Pritzker, in her mid-thirties, believes she’s cursed after witnessing her husband’s brutal murder—stabbed in the middle of the street by a hooded stranger. The most shocking part? He sacrificed himself to protect her. But why would anyone want to harm Julie? Now paralyzed by fear, she barely leaves her house, struggling to make ends meet, with only her best friend, Courtney, to talk to. Having lost her adoptive family years ago, she’s completely alone in the world. Or is she?
One day, she receives a letter from an Italian lawyer’s office, informing her that she has inherited a villa in Tuscany from a woman named Emilia Rossi—a complete stranger. Could Emilia be the biological grandmother Julie never knew, or is this an elaborate scam?
Intrigued, Julie abandons her reclusive life and flies to Tuscany, only to find the villa in a state of disrepair. As she tries to learn more about Emilia, she’s met with hostility from the townspeople and vague, unhelpful answers from the lawyer. The villa’s caretakers insist Emilia never had children and describe her as a paranoid woman on the verge of a breakdown, convinced she was related to Italian royalty, Caterina Sforza. Meanwhile, a pushy realtor pressures Julie to sell the property, but soon, she begins experiencing strange visions of Caterina and eerie nightmares that leave her with unexplained scratches.
Could the villa be haunted? Is Julie losing her mind, just like Emilia supposedly did? Or is something far more sinister happening behind the villa’s closed doors? On top of it all, she realizes she’s being stalked. The only person willing to help is the charismatic librarian Gianluca, who urges her not to sell the villa and instead uncover the truth about her birth parents. But what if the visions she’s experiencing are trying to warn her? What if she’s in more danger than she realizes? As she gets closer to unraveling the villa’s dark past, she also inches toward the truth about her own origins. And she won’t back down—no matter the cost, even if it means risking her sanity.
Overall: This is a riveting thriller that I mostly enjoyed! The romance had a bit of a Hallmark feel, with some elements of instant and eternal love that didn’t fully work for me. The resolution of the main mystery was mostly satisfying, though parts of the scheme felt a bit exaggerated. However, I’m rounding up my 3.5-star rating to 4 because of the unique concept, intriguing mystery, and strong characterization (even though I don’t always get along with Cancer women!). I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an unputdownable page-turner that will have you searching for flights to Tuscany!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this intriguing paranormal mystery in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Before diving into the plot, I have to say—this book is a page-turner! Two central mysteries drive the story: what’s really happening in the Tuscan villa, and who Julie’s biological family is (not to mention, who killed her husband). Both are executed in an exciting, gripping way, and the pacing is absolutely heart-throbbing. However, I found some of the paranormal elements—despite being explained—over the top, and the way the Italian characters accepted them so easily without seeking a logical explanation had me shaking my head. Maybe it’s a cultural thing—artistic, creative nations tend to be more open-minded about the unexplained. If this story were set in the U.S., Julie would likely have ended up locked in a room wearing a straitjacket, and the ending would have taken a much darker turn.
There’s a lot happening in this book, and while some of the twists felt a little far-fetched, most of the plot holes were filled in, and many of the surprises were well-executed (though some had me rolling my eyes). That said, I always appreciate authors taking risks to create something unique. By the time I finished, I had an irresistible urge to pour myself a glass of Chianti!
Now, let’s talk about the plot: Julie Pritzker, in her mid-thirties, believes she’s cursed after witnessing her husband’s brutal murder—stabbed in the middle of the street by a hooded stranger. The most shocking part? He sacrificed himself to protect her. But why would anyone want to harm Julie? Now paralyzed by fear, she barely leaves her house, struggling to make ends meet, with only her best friend, Courtney, to talk to. Having lost her adoptive family years ago, she’s completely alone in the world. Or is she?
One day, she receives a letter from an Italian lawyer’s office, informing her that she has inherited a villa in Tuscany from a woman named Emilia Rossi—a complete stranger. Could Emilia be the biological grandmother Julie never knew, or is this an elaborate scam?
Intrigued, Julie abandons her reclusive life and flies to Tuscany, only to find the villa in a state of disrepair. As she tries to learn more about Emilia, she’s met with hostility from the townspeople and vague, unhelpful answers from the lawyer. The villa’s caretakers insist Emilia never had children and describe her as a paranoid woman on the verge of a breakdown, convinced she was related to Italian royalty, Caterina Sforza. Meanwhile, a pushy realtor pressures Julie to sell the property, but soon, she begins experiencing strange visions of Caterina and eerie nightmares that leave her with unexplained scratches.
Could the villa be haunted? Is Julie losing her mind, just like Emilia supposedly did? Or is something far more sinister happening behind the villa’s closed doors? On top of it all, she realizes she’s being stalked. The only person willing to help is the charismatic librarian Gianluca, who urges her not to sell the villa and instead uncover the truth about her birth parents. But what if the visions she’s experiencing are trying to warn her? What if she’s in more danger than she realizes? As she gets closer to unraveling the villa’s dark past, she also inches toward the truth about her own origins. And she won’t back down—no matter the cost, even if it means risking her sanity.
Overall: This is a riveting thriller that I mostly enjoyed! The romance had a bit of a Hallmark feel, with some elements of instant and eternal love that didn’t fully work for me. The resolution of the main mystery was mostly satisfying, though parts of the scheme felt a bit exaggerated. However, I’m rounding up my 3.5-star rating to 4 because of the unique concept, intriguing mystery, and strong characterization (even though I don’t always get along with Cancer women!). I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an unputdownable page-turner that will have you searching for flights to Tuscany!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this intriguing paranormal mystery in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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May 18, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up for an intriguing mystery with an over emphasis on astrology. Julia Pritzker is walking home after dinner with her husband when a robber with a knife approaches them. Her husband steps in front of her and the man stabs him and flees. Her husband dies in front of her eyes and she spirals into a deep depression. Months later she receives a letter from Italy informing her that she has inherited a villa and a large amount of money.
She goes to Tuscany, Italy to find out why Emilia Rossi left her this inheritance. She does solve the mystery, but not before some harrowing times. She also finds romance. There's a paranormal element in this book. There is a satisfactory ending tying up all plot lines, including the murder of her husband.
#TheUnravelingofJulia #NetGalley
Thank you Grand Central Publishing for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
Pub Date Jul 15 2025
She goes to Tuscany, Italy to find out why Emilia Rossi left her this inheritance. She does solve the mystery, but not before some harrowing times. She also finds romance. There's a paranormal element in this book. There is a satisfactory ending tying up all plot lines, including the murder of her husband.
#TheUnravelingofJulia #NetGalley
Thank you Grand Central Publishing for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
Pub Date Jul 15 2025
September 18, 2025
Taking a deep dive into astrology, The Unraveling of Julia had a completely different feel from Scottoline’s last novel, What Happened to the Bennetts, which I absolutely loved. A quick, easy read packed full of supernatural elements and generational trauma, I easily connected with the protagonist even if I found some of the topics just a bit too out there and “woo woo” for my personal taste. That being said, the solid pacing, evocative descriptions, emotional depth, and compelling characters had me immersed in the pages from beginning to end. A deftly blended combo of mystery/thriller and women’s fiction with a side helping of the paranormal, it was a page-turner for sure.
All said and done, while it definitely wasn’t my favorite by Scottoline, I still had a blast racing through the pages. With dual mysteries, a sweet romance, and an unreliable narrator central to it all, Julia’s profound journey to discover herself delivered some well-executed twists, even if they were rather predictable at times. But the strong characterizations and vividly drawn setting were what drew me in and kept me hooked until the end. After all, I felt I was right there in Italy alongside of Julia. So despite the fact that the premise was a bit over-the-top, I still found that I couldn’t put it down thanks to its original plot and gothic atmosphere. Ultimately, I suggest giving it a try. I’m definitely glad that I did in the end. Rating of 3.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Lately, Julia Pritzker is beginning to think if she’s cursed. She’s lost her adoptive parents, then her husband is murdered. When she realizes that her horoscope essentially foretold his death, she begins to spiral. She fears her fate is written in the stars, not held in her own hands.
Then a letter arrives out of the blue, informing her that she has inherited a Tuscan villa and vineyard – but her benefactor is a total stranger named Emilia Rossi. Julia has no information about her biological family, so she wonders if Rossi could be a blood relative. Bewildered, she heads to Tuscany for answers.
There, Julia is horrified to discover that Rossi was a paranoid recluse with delusions of grandeur, who believed herself to be a descendent of Duchess Caterina Sforza, a legendary Renaissance ruler. Julia is stunned by her uncanny resemblance to Rossi and even to Caterina, then she unearths eerie parallels between them, including an obsession with astrology.
Before long, Julia suspects she’s being followed, and strange things begin to happen. Not even a chance meeting with a handsome Florentine can ease her disturbed mind. When events turn deadly, she breaks with reality.
Julia’s harrowing struggle becomes a search for her identity, a race to save her sanity, and ultimately, a question of her very survival.
Thank you to Lisa Scottoline, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for my complimentary digital and physical copies. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: July 15, 2025
Content warning: domestic abuse, murder, stalking, gaslighting, mental illness, grief, child abuse, car accident, confinement
All said and done, while it definitely wasn’t my favorite by Scottoline, I still had a blast racing through the pages. With dual mysteries, a sweet romance, and an unreliable narrator central to it all, Julia’s profound journey to discover herself delivered some well-executed twists, even if they were rather predictable at times. But the strong characterizations and vividly drawn setting were what drew me in and kept me hooked until the end. After all, I felt I was right there in Italy alongside of Julia. So despite the fact that the premise was a bit over-the-top, I still found that I couldn’t put it down thanks to its original plot and gothic atmosphere. Ultimately, I suggest giving it a try. I’m definitely glad that I did in the end. Rating of 3.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Lately, Julia Pritzker is beginning to think if she’s cursed. She’s lost her adoptive parents, then her husband is murdered. When she realizes that her horoscope essentially foretold his death, she begins to spiral. She fears her fate is written in the stars, not held in her own hands.
Then a letter arrives out of the blue, informing her that she has inherited a Tuscan villa and vineyard – but her benefactor is a total stranger named Emilia Rossi. Julia has no information about her biological family, so she wonders if Rossi could be a blood relative. Bewildered, she heads to Tuscany for answers.
There, Julia is horrified to discover that Rossi was a paranoid recluse with delusions of grandeur, who believed herself to be a descendent of Duchess Caterina Sforza, a legendary Renaissance ruler. Julia is stunned by her uncanny resemblance to Rossi and even to Caterina, then she unearths eerie parallels between them, including an obsession with astrology.
Before long, Julia suspects she’s being followed, and strange things begin to happen. Not even a chance meeting with a handsome Florentine can ease her disturbed mind. When events turn deadly, she breaks with reality.
Julia’s harrowing struggle becomes a search for her identity, a race to save her sanity, and ultimately, a question of her very survival.
Thank you to Lisa Scottoline, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for my complimentary digital and physical copies. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: July 15, 2025
Content warning: domestic abuse, murder, stalking, gaslighting, mental illness, grief, child abuse, car accident, confinement
June 23, 2025
Julia Pritzker had suffered a lot of loss in the beginning of this book. First, she lost her adoptive parents, then her husband was murdered. She is grieving when she receives a letter informing her that Emilia Rossi has left her a Tuscan Villa in her will! She does not know Emilia Rossi but as she was adopted, she heads to Italy hoping to get some answers.
What she gets is more than she bargained for. Julia learns quite a bit about the woman who left her a villa and as she is coming to terms with everything she is learning, odd things begin to happen. Making things a little easier is meeting a handsome and charming man!
I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a very good job of bringing this book to life. This book had several mysteries going on. Julia wants to know who killed her husband, who is behind the strange and odd things that are happening, and the truth about where she comes from.
From the description I thought I would enjoy this book much more than I did. There were some slow parts which I wanted to move along a bit faster. While I did enjoy this book, I didn't love it. The first part of the book was interesting and piqued my interest. The second half was okay, but I found that I wasn't enjoying it as much as I had the first half of the book. Even though I was getting answers and there were a few twists, this one fell flat at times. I found it a tad odd that Julia fell for another man while still wearing her wedding ring and grieving her husband. Does it happen. Yes, but her love interest seemed a little too good to be true....
This is one where you must suspend some disbelief and just go with the flow of it. At times this book takes a walk into OTT territory, but overall things do come together nicely. This book does have a supernatural element but it is small and worked nicely. This book touches on grief, astrology, and learning about your origins. I did enjoy how the mysteries unfolded and the resolution.
*Buddy Read with Mary Beth. Please read her review of The Unraveling of Julia to get her thoughts on the book!
Thank you to Hachette Audio | Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
What she gets is more than she bargained for. Julia learns quite a bit about the woman who left her a villa and as she is coming to terms with everything she is learning, odd things begin to happen. Making things a little easier is meeting a handsome and charming man!
I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a very good job of bringing this book to life. This book had several mysteries going on. Julia wants to know who killed her husband, who is behind the strange and odd things that are happening, and the truth about where she comes from.
From the description I thought I would enjoy this book much more than I did. There were some slow parts which I wanted to move along a bit faster. While I did enjoy this book, I didn't love it. The first part of the book was interesting and piqued my interest. The second half was okay, but I found that I wasn't enjoying it as much as I had the first half of the book. Even though I was getting answers and there were a few twists, this one fell flat at times. I found it a tad odd that Julia fell for another man while still wearing her wedding ring and grieving her husband. Does it happen. Yes, but her love interest seemed a little too good to be true....
This is one where you must suspend some disbelief and just go with the flow of it. At times this book takes a walk into OTT territory, but overall things do come together nicely. This book does have a supernatural element but it is small and worked nicely. This book touches on grief, astrology, and learning about your origins. I did enjoy how the mysteries unfolded and the resolution.
*Buddy Read with Mary Beth. Please read her review of The Unraveling of Julia to get her thoughts on the book!
Thank you to Hachette Audio | Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
July 4, 2025
My first Lisa Scottoline book... and it was quite the ghostly one. Having not read her work before, I was unsure going in what to expect; however, in the initial chapters, the writing style was super over-exaggerated in that it felt stiff and too detailed. I kept wondering... what's going on here? Ultimately, it settled down enough that I began to realize it was more about setting the scene, an ethereal one with it helped with how the author planned to unravel Julia. The poor woman has been lied to for years, actually most of her life. So as the truth came out about her husband's murder, her own adoption, the weird inheritance from a stranger in Italy, et al... it felt so much more dramatic. In turn, this made the story and the climax all the better. Good plot, tho a little out there. Will read more from the author.
dnf
July 12, 2025DNF
It happens very rarely but, sadly, I had to dnf this audiobook at 50%. The two positives are:
1. the description of the scenery and sites in Italy. I've never been but it sounds awesome.
2. the narrator - Maria Marquis - did an excellent job and although I don't speak or understand Italian, her delivery of Italian phrases sounds authentic to me.
WARNING: Paranormal occurrences.
Thanks to Hachette Audio, via Netgalley, for approving my request to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I'm sorry I didn't enjoy it more. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: July 15, 2025
It happens very rarely but, sadly, I had to dnf this audiobook at 50%. The two positives are:
1. the description of the scenery and sites in Italy. I've never been but it sounds awesome.
2. the narrator - Maria Marquis - did an excellent job and although I don't speak or understand Italian, her delivery of Italian phrases sounds authentic to me.
WARNING: Paranormal occurrences.
Thanks to Hachette Audio, via Netgalley, for approving my request to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I'm sorry I didn't enjoy it more. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: July 15, 2025
May 12, 2025
- dnf ⛈️
2 stars
- my thoughts
this was my first lisa scottoline book, so i was really hoping it would work for me, but it didn’t. when i read the description for this book, i thought that the astrology would be a small part of this book in a bigger story, but it wasn’t. up to the part where i stopped, the whole plot centered are her horoscope and her having a pity party about her husbands death. i know firsthand how challenging losing a loved one can be, but what really shows a persons personality is their ability to bounce back from hard times. julia didn’t seem to have a bounce back in sight. plus, the whole astrology and “getting a sign from the universe” was really frustrating to me, so i gave up on this one early on. i’m rating it 2 stars because i really do think that this book has potential, but it just wasn’t for me.
>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc <3
2 stars
- my thoughts
this was my first lisa scottoline book, so i was really hoping it would work for me, but it didn’t. when i read the description for this book, i thought that the astrology would be a small part of this book in a bigger story, but it wasn’t. up to the part where i stopped, the whole plot centered are her horoscope and her having a pity party about her husbands death. i know firsthand how challenging losing a loved one can be, but what really shows a persons personality is their ability to bounce back from hard times. julia didn’t seem to have a bounce back in sight. plus, the whole astrology and “getting a sign from the universe” was really frustrating to me, so i gave up on this one early on. i’m rating it 2 stars because i really do think that this book has potential, but it just wasn’t for me.
>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc <3
July 7, 2025
This book is very different from anything I have read from Lisa Scottoline and while it was categorized as a thriller I didn’t think it really was. There was a little bit of mystery with some thrills but this was mostly an emotional story about family and discovering who you are and what family is. This book was also heavily about grief which I didn’t quite realize. It was an interesting book, but it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. Julia and her husband were out one night when someone comes to mug her and when her husband defends her he is stabbed and killed. As she tries to put her life back together she gets a strange letter about an inheritance from someone she has never heard of and since she was adopted she wonders if this is a connection to her birth family. I listened to the audiobook and I thought the narrator did a good job. I gave this one 3.5 stars which I rounded up because I did like the excitement of the end (even if it wasn’t particularly twisty or hard to predict).
July 16, 2025
Well that was awful 🫠
May 23, 2025
3.5 rounded to 4
This is my first Lisa Scottoline novel. Why I haven’t read any of her books I don’t know. This was an intriguing mystery. It has a paranormal vibe going through it and a lot of astrology. I thought the astrology aspect was over the top.
Julia was adopted and gets a letter notifying her that she has inherited a villa in Tuscany from a person she doesn’t know, Emilia Rossi. Her husband was recently murdered right in front of her. Julia was very fearful about leaving her home, she goes to Italy and hopes of finding her biological parents. She discovers a dilapidated.mansion and that Emilia Rossi believed that she was a descendant of Catherine Storza from the Renaissance.
This novel has a lot going on. It had a lot of twists and turns. A real page turner I kept waiting for what is going to happen next. Although I felt the plot was very far-fetched. I would have liked to know more about Catherine Storza.
If you like a mystery filled with astrology and paranormal elements you will love this novel.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy.
This is my first Lisa Scottoline novel. Why I haven’t read any of her books I don’t know. This was an intriguing mystery. It has a paranormal vibe going through it and a lot of astrology. I thought the astrology aspect was over the top.
Julia was adopted and gets a letter notifying her that she has inherited a villa in Tuscany from a person she doesn’t know, Emilia Rossi. Her husband was recently murdered right in front of her. Julia was very fearful about leaving her home, she goes to Italy and hopes of finding her biological parents. She discovers a dilapidated.mansion and that Emilia Rossi believed that she was a descendant of Catherine Storza from the Renaissance.
This novel has a lot going on. It had a lot of twists and turns. A real page turner I kept waiting for what is going to happen next. Although I felt the plot was very far-fetched. I would have liked to know more about Catherine Storza.
If you like a mystery filled with astrology and paranormal elements you will love this novel.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy.
July 6, 2025
3.25 stars
"From a #1 international bestselling author, a gothic, suspenseful tale in which a young widow inherits a Tuscan estate from a mysterious benefactor and finds herself thrust into the crosshairs of a dangerous conspiracy—a “compelling thriller with dashes of romance and excellent twists!” (Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author)."
As a longtime Lisa Scottoline fan, I was ecstatic to receive an advance listening copy of The Unraveling of Julia. Julia Pricket is reeling after watching her husband murdered protecting her from a potential purse thief. Her adoptive parents had passed away years earlier, and she has no family left other than her best friend Courtney. When she travels to Tuscany to find out if she is related to her mysterious benefactor, danger seems to be lurking around every corner. She has nightmares at the Villa and feels that she is being followed. During her research, she meets Giancarlo, who seems to be the only one who believes her. Julia feels caught in a rollercoaster of unpredictability and sinister intent at every corner.
The premise of the book is amazing, and Scottoline has her characteristically fleshed out characters. This novel is a departure from what I've come to expect from her novels. There is a strong element of paranormal, astrology, and a somewhat cheesy romance, which are not my personal preference. The written book might be a better way to go with this one, although I do feel that the audio performance was excellent. I think this is a good choice if you want to have a suspenseful beach read that transports you to the Tuscan countryside.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Lisa Scottoline for an advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review. 🎧
"From a #1 international bestselling author, a gothic, suspenseful tale in which a young widow inherits a Tuscan estate from a mysterious benefactor and finds herself thrust into the crosshairs of a dangerous conspiracy—a “compelling thriller with dashes of romance and excellent twists!” (Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author)."
As a longtime Lisa Scottoline fan, I was ecstatic to receive an advance listening copy of The Unraveling of Julia. Julia Pricket is reeling after watching her husband murdered protecting her from a potential purse thief. Her adoptive parents had passed away years earlier, and she has no family left other than her best friend Courtney. When she travels to Tuscany to find out if she is related to her mysterious benefactor, danger seems to be lurking around every corner. She has nightmares at the Villa and feels that she is being followed. During her research, she meets Giancarlo, who seems to be the only one who believes her. Julia feels caught in a rollercoaster of unpredictability and sinister intent at every corner.
The premise of the book is amazing, and Scottoline has her characteristically fleshed out characters. This novel is a departure from what I've come to expect from her novels. There is a strong element of paranormal, astrology, and a somewhat cheesy romance, which are not my personal preference. The written book might be a better way to go with this one, although I do feel that the audio performance was excellent. I think this is a good choice if you want to have a suspenseful beach read that transports you to the Tuscan countryside.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Lisa Scottoline for an advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review. 🎧
August 3, 2025
This was so dumb. Like the dumbest.
I actually cannot believe how bad this book was. I used to love Scottoline but either she has changed her writing entirely or I am a different type of reader than I once was. This is where she and I will part ways permanently.
This book tried so hard to be so many things and in trying to be everything, it became absolutely nothing.
The whole book is dialogue. Cheesy, ridiculous, stupid dialogue. Conversations like this:
Julia: I'm a drama queen.
Courtney: We're a drama club.
And this one:
Courtney: Dinner is served.
Julia: What are we having?
Courtney: Bad guys of course.
Eye roll.
If it wasn't the horrendous dialogue, it was painful one liners like "She learned there was evil in the world and sometimes it wore a tie."
Oh, I'm sorry, is this a book written for 12 year olds?!
I felt zero connection to even one single character and the whole story was wild and contrived. Nothing made sense and every single second of this story was over-the-top coincidences, random visions, insane conclusions made from thin air, and don't even get me started on the romance.
Also, why did the author include the word "argh" at least 6 times?
Shame on me for not quitting on this book immediately, but I will admit to being sucked in at the beginning and feeling like I had to know whodunnit...Gosh I wish I didn't. It was a whole lotta nonsense, nothing more.
I couldn't in good conscience recommend this to anyone I know.
Unless you have ever thought to yourself "Hmmm...I wonder if there is a book out there that has murder, horoscopes, visions, a creepy recluse millionaire, abusive grandmothers, terrifying visions, rogue cops, childhood best friends who talk like 7th graders, an adoption mystery, an abusive mystery man, love at first sight, sexual assault, ghosts, psychadelic drugs, a Renaissance duchess, secret tunnels, conspiracy theories, endless pours of Chianti, an art teacher and some cringey dialogue all set to the beautiful background of a decrepit Tuscan villa," I'd say, skip this one.
Again, I should have DNF this book. That is on me. But I also think when an author is well known, well established and has the amount of published books under her belt that Scottoline does, its not too much to expect better and more.
I actually cannot believe how bad this book was. I used to love Scottoline but either she has changed her writing entirely or I am a different type of reader than I once was. This is where she and I will part ways permanently.
This book tried so hard to be so many things and in trying to be everything, it became absolutely nothing.
The whole book is dialogue. Cheesy, ridiculous, stupid dialogue. Conversations like this:
Julia: I'm a drama queen.
Courtney: We're a drama club.
And this one:
Courtney: Dinner is served.
Julia: What are we having?
Courtney: Bad guys of course.
Eye roll.
If it wasn't the horrendous dialogue, it was painful one liners like "She learned there was evil in the world and sometimes it wore a tie."
Oh, I'm sorry, is this a book written for 12 year olds?!
I felt zero connection to even one single character and the whole story was wild and contrived. Nothing made sense and every single second of this story was over-the-top coincidences, random visions, insane conclusions made from thin air, and don't even get me started on the romance.
Also, why did the author include the word "argh" at least 6 times?
Shame on me for not quitting on this book immediately, but I will admit to being sucked in at the beginning and feeling like I had to know whodunnit...Gosh I wish I didn't. It was a whole lotta nonsense, nothing more.
I couldn't in good conscience recommend this to anyone I know.
Unless you have ever thought to yourself "Hmmm...I wonder if there is a book out there that has murder, horoscopes, visions, a creepy recluse millionaire, abusive grandmothers, terrifying visions, rogue cops, childhood best friends who talk like 7th graders, an adoption mystery, an abusive mystery man, love at first sight, sexual assault, ghosts, psychadelic drugs, a Renaissance duchess, secret tunnels, conspiracy theories, endless pours of Chianti, an art teacher and some cringey dialogue all set to the beautiful background of a decrepit Tuscan villa," I'd say, skip this one.
Again, I should have DNF this book. That is on me. But I also think when an author is well known, well established and has the amount of published books under her belt that Scottoline does, its not too much to expect better and more.
May 15, 2025
I received a free copy of, The Unraveling of Julia, by Lisa Scottoline, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Julia Pritzker, is not having good luck, she lost her adoptive parents, and then her husband is murdered. Julia is shocked to find she has inherited a villa in Italy, but all is not what it seems to be. This was a real good read.
July 14, 2025
Who wouldn't like to find out that they had just inherited three million dollars and a villa and vineyard in Tuscany, Italy!? For Julia Pritzker, the main character in this new book by the ever-popular author Lisa Scottoline, it becomes the possibility of a new start and a steppingstone to healing from grief. There turns out to be a lot going on in this story!
Julia was adopted, but learns that an unknow woman in Italy, who bequeathed Julia her villa, may be her grandmother and she may be related to the Duchess Caterina Sforza from the Renaissance period. A search for her biological mother, her husband's murderer, the mystery surrounding the villa, and a budding new romance leads Julia to Italy on a cat and mouse game filled with conspiracy theories, nightmares, hallucinations, and paranoia. Seeking answers, Julia becomes involved with mediums, psychics, astrology, and paranormal visits by spirits. Did I happen to mention that there is a lot going on in this story?
Unfortunately, there were just too many threads going every which way for my liking. Julia's strange suppositions and conjectures in solving all of the mysteries involved became a little too farfetched for me and were a definite detraction from my ultimately enjoying this book.
My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Julia was adopted, but learns that an unknow woman in Italy, who bequeathed Julia her villa, may be her grandmother and she may be related to the Duchess Caterina Sforza from the Renaissance period. A search for her biological mother, her husband's murderer, the mystery surrounding the villa, and a budding new romance leads Julia to Italy on a cat and mouse game filled with conspiracy theories, nightmares, hallucinations, and paranoia. Seeking answers, Julia becomes involved with mediums, psychics, astrology, and paranormal visits by spirits. Did I happen to mention that there is a lot going on in this story?
Unfortunately, there were just too many threads going every which way for my liking. Julia's strange suppositions and conjectures in solving all of the mysteries involved became a little too farfetched for me and were a definite detraction from my ultimately enjoying this book.
My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
May 31, 2025
3.5 rounded down to 3
This was quite a different book for this author. I did enjoy it, and I liked the paranormal aspects of the book. The characters were fairly well developed. The book did get a little cheesy at times however.
Thank you to Net Galley and Grand Central Publishing for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was quite a different book for this author. I did enjoy it, and I liked the paranormal aspects of the book. The characters were fairly well developed. The book did get a little cheesy at times however.
Thank you to Net Galley and Grand Central Publishing for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 24, 2025
I received a copy for review purposes. All opinions are honest and mine alone.
Did you ever have a premonition that something bad was going to happen and it did? That’s what happened to Julia. It’s fast, horrible and changes her entire life in a single, violent act. That’s how page one of THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA, by Lisa Scottoline begins. Nope, not a spoiler, you can relax.
Well, you won’t relax too much if you read this book. Scottoline is deft at the tension element. After the initial high intensity opening, Julia is 6 months mildly agoraphobic trying to regroup and move on with her life. She’s supported by a best friend, Courtney, (my favorite character), and a little involved therapist. When she receives information that she’s inherited 3 million dollars and an estate in Italy from a complete stranger, Julia is off on a wild adventure that’s full of astrological promptings, danger and tentative romantic possibilities.
There are two main storylines once Julia arrives in Italy: what’s my relationship to the prior owner and who killed my husband. Scottoline weaves them together carefully adding threads to confound and heighten. The cast of characters are interesting but not particularly memorable. I found the decrepit mansion and grounds far more enjoyable and intriguing and I would have liked more time there.
What I didn’t want more of was the astrological aspect. That’s a personal preference but I found that it was too much for the story and became a bit far fetched. I wouldn’t make this an issue save for the fact this book is classified as Crime Thriller and Suspense and the too frequent horoscope reads and medium trope interrupt the story flow.
My actual rating would be 3.5 stars but I’ve rounded up because the book is really well written regardless of the astrology issue and I have a love affair with all things Italy📚
Read and Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks
Did you ever have a premonition that something bad was going to happen and it did? That’s what happened to Julia. It’s fast, horrible and changes her entire life in a single, violent act. That’s how page one of THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA, by Lisa Scottoline begins. Nope, not a spoiler, you can relax.
Well, you won’t relax too much if you read this book. Scottoline is deft at the tension element. After the initial high intensity opening, Julia is 6 months mildly agoraphobic trying to regroup and move on with her life. She’s supported by a best friend, Courtney, (my favorite character), and a little involved therapist. When she receives information that she’s inherited 3 million dollars and an estate in Italy from a complete stranger, Julia is off on a wild adventure that’s full of astrological promptings, danger and tentative romantic possibilities.
There are two main storylines once Julia arrives in Italy: what’s my relationship to the prior owner and who killed my husband. Scottoline weaves them together carefully adding threads to confound and heighten. The cast of characters are interesting but not particularly memorable. I found the decrepit mansion and grounds far more enjoyable and intriguing and I would have liked more time there.
What I didn’t want more of was the astrological aspect. That’s a personal preference but I found that it was too much for the story and became a bit far fetched. I wouldn’t make this an issue save for the fact this book is classified as Crime Thriller and Suspense and the too frequent horoscope reads and medium trope interrupt the story flow.
My actual rating would be 3.5 stars but I’ve rounded up because the book is really well written regardless of the astrology issue and I have a love affair with all things Italy📚
Read and Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks
September 30, 2025
This thriller has a Gothic and haunting vibe. I enjoyed the Tuscan setting. Although some of the twist were a little over the top, it was still an enjoyable listen. The narrators did an excellent job, bringing the story to life, while adding a layer of suspense, emotion, and intensity. Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for my audiobook.
did-not-finish
July 17, 2025I usually enjoy a good minimalist style, but not here. This is my first book from this author but I think I'm turned off of her. I just find her style so flat and without inflection. Also, I just despise the cursed birthday trope. Like, really. "My mom was murdered by an intruder in front of me on my birthday *while we made cake*!!" Egads, that's about as realistic and believable as "My dog was eaten by an allosaurus while we were white water rafting on the *day I became a forest ranger which was also my birthday*!" See? You can create a cursed birthday too!
DNF @ p31
Thank you to the author Lisa Scottoline, publishers Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA. All views are mine.
DNF @ p31
Thank you to the author Lisa Scottoline, publishers Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA. All views are mine.
June 26, 2025
This is a well-written, entertaining, mystery novel which has paranormal elements and an underlying theme of finding oneself. It is fast paced with a likable, intelligent female protagonist, vividly described settings, heartbreak, intrigue, suspense, romance, twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Ms. Maria Marquis, who has a lovely voice, and did an outstanding job voicing the characters. Many thanks to Hachette Audio/Grand Central Publishing, Ms. Scottoline, and NetGalley, who provided me with an advanced listener copy of this fantastic novel. This is my honest opinion.
June 1, 2025
If Eat, Pray, Love took a detour into a murder mystery and got tangled up with horoscopes, Italian ghosts, and generational trauma you’d land somewhere near The Unraveling of Julia. And yes, you’ll want to pack your passport and possibly a therapist.
Julia’s unraveling is not just dramatic, it’s deeply human. She’s grieving, doubting her reality, and questioning who she is. It’s a twisty, devastating tale on what happens when the life you planned turns into something even you don’t recognize.
If you love books that feel like a European vacation with a touch of WTF just happened, The Unraveling of Julia is your next summer read! It’s spooky, self-aware, and surprisingly moving. Think a tarot reading you didn’t expect to cry over.
Also, bonus! It’ll make you want to Google “is past life regression real?” and “affordable villas near Florence.”
The Unraveling of Julia releases July 15th.
Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.
Julia’s unraveling is not just dramatic, it’s deeply human. She’s grieving, doubting her reality, and questioning who she is. It’s a twisty, devastating tale on what happens when the life you planned turns into something even you don’t recognize.
If you love books that feel like a European vacation with a touch of WTF just happened, The Unraveling of Julia is your next summer read! It’s spooky, self-aware, and surprisingly moving. Think a tarot reading you didn’t expect to cry over.
Also, bonus! It’ll make you want to Google “is past life regression real?” and “affordable villas near Florence.”
The Unraveling of Julia releases July 15th.
Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.
July 15, 2025
The Unraveling of Julia(audio) 4⭐️
Julia is grieving her husband’s traumatic death when she learns she inherited a large sum of money and estate in Italy. Interested in possibly learning more about her biological family, she travels to Italy to piece everything together.
This book is includes international travel, adoption, grief, astrology, paranormal activity, and mystery.
Amazing narration, especially with a mix of American and Italian accents. Recently I’ve had a few audiobooks where the narrator was a miss for me. This was refreshing and I played the book every chance I could.
Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio
for this ALC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.
Pub Date Jul 15 2025
Julia is grieving her husband’s traumatic death when she learns she inherited a large sum of money and estate in Italy. Interested in possibly learning more about her biological family, she travels to Italy to piece everything together.
This book is includes international travel, adoption, grief, astrology, paranormal activity, and mystery.
Amazing narration, especially with a mix of American and Italian accents. Recently I’ve had a few audiobooks where the narrator was a miss for me. This was refreshing and I played the book every chance I could.
Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio
for this ALC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.
Pub Date Jul 15 2025
July 21, 2025
Meet Julia, a self-proclaimed astrology lover whose internal monologue is full of words like “gulp,” “aww,” and “arg.”
Most of the characters are highly unlikable, especially Julia’s best friend who is extremely unsupportive of Julia even after her husband is murdered, encouraged her to get back out there and hook up with new people. This character was so bad. Julia herself is not smart and has the emotional intelligence of a walnut. She does eventually find insta-love as soon as she goes to Italy. I’m not even joking when he said “I falling in love with you” I actually laughed out loud because huh???
There are topics that the author clearly knows nothing about but decided to write them anyway. The most annoying one being that Julia “LOVES” astrology but it’s extremely clear the author thinks astrology is just checking your horoscope and that reallllyyy lost me. Not to mention the horrendous representation of mental health and grieving. And drugs. Oh boy. This book was so bad.
ALSO. the audiobook is even worse because the narrator does the worst Italian accent you’ll ever hear. <3
Most of the characters are highly unlikable, especially Julia’s best friend who is extremely unsupportive of Julia even after her husband is murdered, encouraged her to get back out there and hook up with new people. This character was so bad. Julia herself is not smart and has the emotional intelligence of a walnut. She does eventually find insta-love as soon as she goes to Italy. I’m not even joking when he said “I falling in love with you” I actually laughed out loud because huh???
There are topics that the author clearly knows nothing about but decided to write them anyway. The most annoying one being that Julia “LOVES” astrology but it’s extremely clear the author thinks astrology is just checking your horoscope and that reallllyyy lost me. Not to mention the horrendous representation of mental health and grieving. And drugs. Oh boy. This book was so bad.
ALSO. the audiobook is even worse because the narrator does the worst Italian accent you’ll ever hear. <3
July 10, 2025
The Unraveling of Julia starts out feeling like it’s going to be a psychological thriller—Julia’s husband is murdered, she heads to Italy, and the setup feels like it’s building toward something tense. But instead, it shifts into something else entirely. The story ends up focusing more on her digging through family secrets and figuring out her ancestry than any kind of real suspense.
There was just too much going on. Astrology, hallucinations, trauma, romance, grief—it all started to blur together. It felt like the plot couldn’t decide what it wanted to be, and it lost that tightness you expect from a thriller. The romance didn’t work for me at all. It felt completely out of place and didn’t add to the story. If anything, it just pulled focus away from what should’ve been the emotional core.
The setting was beautiful and there were moments I liked, but overall it didn’t hit the mark. Not bad, just not what I expected.
There was just too much going on. Astrology, hallucinations, trauma, romance, grief—it all started to blur together. It felt like the plot couldn’t decide what it wanted to be, and it lost that tightness you expect from a thriller. The romance didn’t work for me at all. It felt completely out of place and didn’t add to the story. If anything, it just pulled focus away from what should’ve been the emotional core.
The setting was beautiful and there were moments I liked, but overall it didn’t hit the mark. Not bad, just not what I expected.
March 15, 2025
I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
This was a great book! Julia’s adopted parents and husband were murdered. What’s scary is her horoscope predicted it. She receives a letter saying she has inherited Tuscan Villa. WHO would have left this to her? She doesn’t recognize the name. Could she be related? She decides to go there to find answers but someone doesn’t want her there. Can she survive to find the answers? You won’t want to miss this book!
This was a great book! Julia’s adopted parents and husband were murdered. What’s scary is her horoscope predicted it. She receives a letter saying she has inherited Tuscan Villa. WHO would have left this to her? She doesn’t recognize the name. Could she be related? She decides to go there to find answers but someone doesn’t want her there. Can she survive to find the answers? You won’t want to miss this book!
June 20, 2025
This was my first ACR book & I must say this was a pretty strong note to start off on.
To sum it up without giving anything away, this book should be a beach read for every thriller lover this summer!
some parts did feel a little rushed but nothing that would keep me from recommending this book to people.
I liked that it took place in Italy, not too many books that I personally read have.
if you like a book that just doesn't stop once it starts, this book is for you!
I think for many people this will be a 24 hour or less read, easily
This was definitely the PERFECT way to start my ARC journey
To sum it up without giving anything away, this book should be a beach read for every thriller lover this summer!
some parts did feel a little rushed but nothing that would keep me from recommending this book to people.
I liked that it took place in Italy, not too many books that I personally read have.
if you like a book that just doesn't stop once it starts, this book is for you!
I think for many people this will be a 24 hour or less read, easily
This was definitely the PERFECT way to start my ARC journey
May 30, 2025
A slow burn of a story, a mystery intermingled with grieving, loss, and new love.
Julia is struggling after losing her husband to a brutal murder during a robbery. She just stays home now and follows astrology signs and daily readings. She needs to know if danger is coming again.
So it's shocking when she gets a phone call out of the blue. A random woman in Tuscany has left a very large amount of money and a villa to her. She has no idea who she is or why she would leave it to her but she's determined to find out. Because, she was adopted and she's since lost both of her adopted parents. She'd love to track down family and see if these new connections could help her with the grieving process of losing her husband.
I liked the beginning of the story and felt really drawn in. It took a few chapters for the story to warm up but I did like it. But about half way, the story slows way down. It mingles into romance and juggling grieving and it really slowed the story way down. It got revving again once an unexpected guest arrived and I liked the turn of events. I did like the conclusion and the last few chapters that really wrapped things up for us, but I do wish the plot had remained a little more focused and hadn't gone in so many different directions. All in all, I liked it!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Julia is struggling after losing her husband to a brutal murder during a robbery. She just stays home now and follows astrology signs and daily readings. She needs to know if danger is coming again.
So it's shocking when she gets a phone call out of the blue. A random woman in Tuscany has left a very large amount of money and a villa to her. She has no idea who she is or why she would leave it to her but she's determined to find out. Because, she was adopted and she's since lost both of her adopted parents. She'd love to track down family and see if these new connections could help her with the grieving process of losing her husband.
I liked the beginning of the story and felt really drawn in. It took a few chapters for the story to warm up but I did like it. But about half way, the story slows way down. It mingles into romance and juggling grieving and it really slowed the story way down. It got revving again once an unexpected guest arrived and I liked the turn of events. I did like the conclusion and the last few chapters that really wrapped things up for us, but I do wish the plot had remained a little more focused and hadn't gone in so many different directions. All in all, I liked it!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
June 18, 2025
This was a bit different from previous books that I have read by Lisa Scottoline but still very entertaining. There was a it of a paranormal element with the creepy run down villa in Italy. I didn’t know what to believe, was it haunted or was Julia losing her mind.. or a bit of both.
Julia witnesses her husbands murder on their way home from dinner one night and her life is turned upside down. She becomes a hermit and never leaves the apartment. That is until about 6 months later she learns that she has inherited a large amount of money and a villa in Italy. She has no idea who this woman that has bequeathed her home to her but is interested to find out. Being adopted, could it be her biological family? she sets of to find out and runs into all kinds of dangers.
I really enjoyed the Italian setting, the food, the language, the people. It is somewhere that I have always wanted to visit. Julia had an unhealthy obsession with horoscopes and that did get a little too much at times. But overall a great mystery that is easy to binge. The narrator was fabulous, her Italian accent was beautiful.
Thanks so much to Hachette Audio for my early copy to listen to. Out on July 15th,
Julia witnesses her husbands murder on their way home from dinner one night and her life is turned upside down. She becomes a hermit and never leaves the apartment. That is until about 6 months later she learns that she has inherited a large amount of money and a villa in Italy. She has no idea who this woman that has bequeathed her home to her but is interested to find out. Being adopted, could it be her biological family? she sets of to find out and runs into all kinds of dangers.
I really enjoyed the Italian setting, the food, the language, the people. It is somewhere that I have always wanted to visit. Julia had an unhealthy obsession with horoscopes and that did get a little too much at times. But overall a great mystery that is easy to binge. The narrator was fabulous, her Italian accent was beautiful.
Thanks so much to Hachette Audio for my early copy to listen to. Out on July 15th,
July 25, 2025
FULL REVIEW WILL BE ON JULY 25.
Julia always studies her horoscope - she knew something bad was going to happen and she also knew something good was going to happen.
The bad thing was her husband was murdered, and the good thing was she inherited a large sum of money and a villa in Tuscany.
THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA has a marvelous setting, but it got a bit too paranormal for me, but not enough to make me stop reading. I wanted to find out why Julia was left this inheritance, why she was being followed and harassed, and if she would find her birth mother since her DNA said she was Italian.
A satisfying ending to another great Lisa Scottoline read. 4/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Julia always studies her horoscope - she knew something bad was going to happen and she also knew something good was going to happen.
The bad thing was her husband was murdered, and the good thing was she inherited a large sum of money and a villa in Tuscany.
THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA has a marvelous setting, but it got a bit too paranormal for me, but not enough to make me stop reading. I wanted to find out why Julia was left this inheritance, why she was being followed and harassed, and if she would find her birth mother since her DNA said she was Italian.
A satisfying ending to another great Lisa Scottoline read. 4/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
August 31, 2025
Fast paced. Interesting plot. I loved the Tuscan setting. The mystery was powerful. Highly recommend.
I was blessed with an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased. I’m looking forward to more by this author.
I was blessed with an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased. I’m looking forward to more by this author.
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