book review the villa

Member Login
Library Patron Login
Get a Free Issue of our Ezine! Claim

Summary and Reviews of The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

BookBrowse Review:
Critics' Consensus:
Readers' Rating:
First Published:
Jan 3, 2023, 288 pages
Nov 2023, 304 pages

1960s & '70s
Contemporary
Female Friendships
Strong Women
Books about Books
Publication Information
Write a Review
Buy This Book

About This Book

Book Club Questions

Book Summary

From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins comes a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set at an Italian villa with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

As kids, Emily and Chess were inseparable. But by their 30s, their bond has been strained by the demands of their adult lives. So when Chess suggests a girls trip to Italy, Emily jumps at the chance to reconnect with her best friend. Villa Aestas in Orvieto is a high-end holiday home now, but in 1974, it was known as Villa Rosato, and rented for the summer by a notorious rock star, Noel Gordon. In an attempt to reignite his creative spark, Noel invites up-and-coming musician, Pierce Sheldon to join him, as well as Pierce's girlfriend, Mari, and her stepsister, Lara. But he also sets in motion a chain of events that leads to Mari writing one of the greatest horror novels of all time, Lara composing a platinum album––and ends in Pierce's brutal murder. As Emily digs into the villa's complicated history, she begins to think there might be more to the story of that fateful summer in 1974. That perhaps Pierce's murder wasn't just a tale of sex, drugs, and rock & roll gone wrong, but that something more sinister might have occurred––and that there might be clues hidden in the now-iconic works that Mari and Lara left behind. Yet the closer that Emily gets to the truth, the more tension she feels developing between her and Chess. As secrets from the past come to light, equally dangerous betrayals from the present also emerge––and it begins to look like the villa will claim another victim before the summer ends. 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.

CHAPTER ONE

Somewhere around the time she started calling herself "Chess," I realized I might actually hate my best friend. It was the third name she'd given herself in the nearly twenty years I'd known her. When we'd met in fourth grade, she was just Jessica. Well, "Jessica C.," since there was also "Jessica M.," and "Jessica R.," and then one girl who just got to be Jessica, like she'd claimed the name first, and everyone else just had to fucking deal with it. So I guess it wasn't a surprise that by the time we were sophomores, Jessica C. had turned herself into "JC," which eventually morphed into "Jaycee." That lasted until halfway through college. Sometime between her third and fourth change of major, she became simply, "Jay," holding on to that moniker until ten years ago, right after we both turned twenty-five and she'd finally broken up with that asshole, Lyle. That's when Chess was born. Chess Chandler. I can't deny that it sounds good, and it definitely looks good printed in ...

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

This novel alternates between time lines and perspectives, and includes articles, podcast transcripts, song lyrics, and book excerpts. How did the structure of the novel affect your reading experience and/or help to build suspense?
Discuss the evolution of Mari and Lara's relationship, alongside that of Emily and Chess. What role did men play in their sense of competition with each other? How did their dynamic shift after the men were out of their lives?
How did Pierce's death affect each of the characters in the 1970s story line?
How did Matt's desire for control over Emily manifest? Compare and contrast the ways in which the topic of having children or the loss of a child affected Emily and Matt, as well as ...
"Beyond the Book" articles
Free books to read and review (US only)
Find books by time period, setting & theme
Read-alike suggestions by book and author
Book club discussions
and much more!
Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
More about membership!

Media Reviews

Reader reviews, bookbrowse review.

The Villa is a story of toxic relationships, dangerous secrets and men who underestimate the women in their lives. Rachel Hawkins's latest is a must-read for devotees of psychological thrillers with twisty endings, fans of dual timelines with unique setups and readers who enjoy strong female leads who do whatever it takes to succeed... continued

(Reviewed by Jordan Lynch ).

Write your own review!

Beyond the Book

Female frenemies in literature and reality.

In Rachel Hawkins's novel The Villa , childhood best friends Emily Sheridan and Chess Chandler decide to spend the summer together amid the splendor of Villa Aestas in Italy. Although the two women have fallen a bit out of touch over the years, this summer offers a chance for them to reconnect while combining work and play. But when Emily begins investigating and writing about the villa's bloody history, Chess's behavior changes, and as secrets—both past and present—are uncovered, Emily can't help but wonder if Chess is the friend she claims to be. Although Emily and Chess initially began as friends, their relationship, as evidenced by the novel's opening line, has shifted to something closer to frenemies: ...

Read-Alikes

Genres & Themes

If you liked The Villa, try these:

The Puzzle Box

by Danielle Trussoni

Published 2024

About this book

More by this author

Two sisters. A lost imperial treasure. The world's greatest puzzle master has twenty-four hours to solve the most dangerous mystery of his life ... or die trying, in the new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Puzzle Master , hailed as "thrilling" by David Baldacci.

by Nora Murphy

Published 2023

A gripping debut domestic suspense novel, Nora Murphy's thrilling The Favor explores with compassion and depth what can happen when women pushed to the limit take matters into their own hands.

Books with similar themes

Members Recommend

Libby Lost and Found by Stephanie Booth

Libby Lost and Found is a book for people who don't know who they are without the books they love.

Who Said...

I like a thin book because it will steady a table...

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Solve this clue:

H I O the G

and be entered to win..

The Book Report Network

Bookreporter
ReadingGroupGuides
AuthorsOnTheWeb

Find a Guide

For book groups, what's your book group reading this month, favorite monthly lists & picks, most requested guides of 2023, when no discussion guide available, starting a reading group, running a book group, choosing what to read, tips for book clubs, books about reading groups, coming soon, new in paperback, write to us, frequently asked questions.

Request a Guide

Advertise with Us

Add your guide, you are here:.

About the Book

From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins comes a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set at an Italian villa with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

Villa Aestas in Orvieto is a high-end holiday home now, but in 1974, it was known as Villa Rosato, and rented for the summer by a notorious rock star, Noel Gordon. In an attempt to reignite his creative spark, Noel invites up-and-coming musician Pierce Sheldon to join him, as well as Pierce’s girlfriend, Mari, and her stepsister, Lara. But he also sets in motion a chain of events that leads to Mari writing one of the greatest horror novels of all time, Lara composing a platinum album --- and ends in Pierce’s brutal murder.

As Emily digs into the villa’s complicated history, she begins to think there might be more to the story of that fateful summer in 1974. That perhaps Pierce’s murder wasn’t just a tale of sex, drugs and rock & roll gone wrong, but that something more sinister might have occurred --- and that there might be clues hidden in the now-iconic works that Mari and Lara left behind.

Yet the closer that Emily gets to the truth, the more tension she feels developing between her and Chess. As secrets from the past come to light, equally dangerous betrayals from the present also emerge --- and it begins to look like the villa will claim another victim before the summer ends.

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.