novelgossip's profile picture

novelgossip 's review for:

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
4.5

This was such an addictive and fun popcorn thriller! I know it’s early for me to be reviewing it but it was entertaining enough that I figured getting it on your radar early would be a good thing. One of the things I’ve come to enjoy the most about this authors books is the way she creates unsettling settings for her books and this was no exception. It flips back and forth between present day when Emily and Chess are vacationing in Italy and then back to the 1970s when Mari spends a summer at the same villa as Emily. I was very drawn to the past timeline because you already know the summer comes to a violent and deadly end but the lead up to the tragedy was so fascinating. The author did a really great job with these two timelines showcasing such similar and parallel experiences but it was still easy to keep things separate in my head. I think I expected a slightly more explosive ending after such a strong lead up but I appreciate what the author was doing and why she made the choices she did. Overall a solid read with a unique edge and very cool throwback vibes.