Title: The Villa
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Release Date: January 3, 2023
Length: 288 pages
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
****My Review****
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
If you are in the mood for an incredible mystery, in which betrayals, truths, and secrets are closely intertwined, then The Villa by Rachel Hawkins is a story you should not miss.
The imagination and skill of writers are their most powerful weapons. Creating riveting stories, and unusual fictional worlds is not easy at all. Sometimes they simply need a change of environment or some entertainment, just to get over the roadblock that separates them from their next story.
Emily is a skilled writer of cozy mysteries. Unfortunately, the constant pressure is stifling her imagination and she needs a bit of inspiration and a getaway. That’s why she jumps at the chance to spend a few extraordinary days in a luxurious villa in magical Italy. The villa’s dark history serves as an irresistible impetus for her artistic soul. Will Emily manage to uncover all the secrets this place hides?
As Emily begins digging into the past and uncovers new clues, she begins to connect things and uncover secrets that point to foul play in the past. But every newly discovered secret carries a dose of danger. Will Emily manage to uncover the truth before The Villa claims her yet another victim?
The author skilfully takes us on a journey. One moment we are in the past, and the next one in the present. Thus gaining an insight into the lives of the two writers. Mary and Emily – two sets of writers over two timelines.
Their days are filled with writing. However Mary’s productive days were interrupted by the mysterious murder of her boyfriend. Emily, on the other hand, slowly discovers new clues that slowly lead to discovering what happened the night of the murder of Mary’s boyfriend.
The present-day part starts a bit slow and drawn out. But as the story slowly progresses, the tension increases keeping you glued to the pages. As I turned the pages I became truly invested in the story. Moreover, I managed to connect with the characters, who simply come alive in your imagination.
Both characters were greatly developed, layered, and somehow realistic. Furthermore, the parallels between them were quite cleverly inserted throughout the pages. Undoubtedly, certain of their features did not impress me, but a perfect person does not exist, right?
The writing style was just my cup of tea, with a great balance of interactions and descriptions. I especially liked the descriptions of the Italian villa, rich and mysterious enough, and completely suitable for this type of thriller.
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins is laced with enough intrigue and suspense so that readers will persistently turn the pages in the desire to get to the truth as soon as possible. I liked the way these characters managed to resolve the mystery of the earlier timeline. I found the addition of newspaper clippings to be a great addition to the whole story.
Honestly, the ending of The Villa felt kind of rushed. Maybe I just wanted the story to last longer, so it felt like that. Somehow I was missing a little more elaboration in the ending that I was so impatiently waiting for from the beginning.
All in all, a great choice for all thriller fans. The Villa by Rachel Hawkins is a story that at times resembles Verity, but with a mysterious murder and intrigue that will not allow you to put this book down.
Therefore, grab a cup of hot tea, find a comfortable place and enjoy The Villa by Rachel Hawkins. A truly riveting thriller told in dual timelines that fit perfectly and are a great read for these cold, winter days.
I’ve been seeing very mixed reviews for this one, and I can’t decide if I want to pick it up or not.
Definitely… This author managed to impress me with The Wife Upstairs and that’s why I gave this one a go. I really liked the story, though it’s not among my favourite 😊