Hello beautiful people! Welcome to a new review! For this review, I get into a first-time read by the author Rachel Hawkins, The Villa. Set in a beautiful Italian villa, we follow two best friends whose competition to be better than the other leads to a luxurious trip turning into a nightmare.
Main Characters:
Emily – Our main present-day perspective, who is struggling to find herself again after a nasty divorce. Now in her 30s, Emily is struggling to continue on her current path as a cozy mystery writer who isn’t very passionate about her books. When her childhood best friend Chess invites her to stay in an Italian villa with her, it seems like the perfect time to find herself again. However, what she finds at the villa is old memories, trauma, and pain, and a mystery that could blow everything up.
Chess – Emily’s childhood best friend, who is now a famous self-help author. While she seems perfect on the surface, things are going on beneath the surface that could expose the real her to the world. A textbook frenemy in a lot of ways.
Mari, Lara, Pierce, and Noel – A group that stayed at the villa Emily and Chess are at in the 70’s. All are struggling artists trying to make a name for themselves, but get swept up in dreams and desires. Their past bleeds into Emily and Chess’s stay, exposing that the history in the walls of the villa lives on much longer than others believe. Honestly, one of the stronger elements of the book. The historical mystery surrounding the villa, the infamous murder, and the people tied to it was what kept me the most engaged.
My Review
While the plot of The Villa is interesting and dynamic, it wasn’t much of a hit for me. This is my first time checking out a Rachel Hawkins story, and I am sure she has others that are much stronger in her playbook. The characters were hard to like, and a bit annoying, and the mystery, while interesting, felt like it dragged on a bit. It wasn’t a super-long book, so I was a bit surprised by how much I felt like it dragged on in areas. Overall, I rated The Villa a 5/10. It wouldn’t be a book that I would recommend unless someone is looking for a softer mystery, but I think the author has some stronger ones and would probably direct people to those a bit more.
When Emily accepts an invitation from her successful best friend Chess to stay at a luxurious Italian villa, it’s supposed to be a chance to reset and reconnect. Emily’s life has been difficult with a nasty divorce and an unexplained illness turning her life upside down. She jumps at the idea of getting away from it all. But the villa has its own infamous history; decades earlier, it was the site of a shocking murder tied to a famous group of creatives. As Emily becomes obsessed with what really happened in the house, she starts digging into old secrets, hidden clues, and the story left behind by the women who lived there before. Meanwhile, tensions between Emily and Chess continue to rise, proving that the past isn’t the only thing haunting the villa.
As mentioned before, this was my first Rachel Hawkins book, and while I didn’t hate it, it definitely didn’t wow me either.
The premise is strong. A glamorous villa with a notorious murder in its past? Immediate interest. And I really liked the idea of uncovering hidden clues in the home and slowly piecing together what happened years ago. The historical mystery was easily the best part for me. Every time the story leaned into the past, I was more engaged. There was intrigue there, actual tension, and enough mystery to keep me wanting answers.
What lost me was the present-day storyline. I had a hard time connecting with Emily and Chess, and honestly, I didn’t really like anyone. Everyone felt selfish, wrapped up in themselves, and more frustrating than fascinating. The frenemy dynamic between Emily and Chess especially got under my skin. Not because it was unrealistic, but because it was the kind of exhausting relationship energy I’d never willingly entertain in real life. The pacing also could’ve been tighter. There were definitely sections that dragged, and if some parts had been condensed, I think the whole book would’ve flowed a lot better.
The plot itself wasn’t bad, it just felt predictable. There were twists and reveals, but not many that truly surprised me. Some moments also leaned a little cheesy, which took away from the darker atmosphere the story was trying to build.
And while I understood the ending, it was still frustrating. It made sense for the story, but it wasn’t especially satisfying. I also felt like there were certain important elements introduced that never really got the attention they deserved. Emily’s illness, for example, felt significant enough that it should’ve had more impact, but it kind of faded into the background.
Overall, not a terrible read, just a middle-of-the-road one for me. Great concept, solid historical mystery, weaker present-day characters, and pacing that needed some tightening.
I’ve heard Rachel Hawkins has stronger books than this, so I’d definitely still be open to trying more from her in the future.
I hope you enjoyed this review. Thank you for checking it out. Feel free to subscribe to the page to be one of the first to know when I release a new review.
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