Audiobook Narrated by Julia Whelan, Kimberly M. Wetherell, Shiromi Arserio.
Told in two timelines, THE VILLA by Rachel Hawkins tells the story of present-day Emily, a woman struggling with her life and career, seemingly wandering aimlessly through both. And then there’s Mari’s story, an early 70’s tale of sex, drugs, and rock n' roll, reminiscent of Daisy Jones & the Six. The small podcast element seemed to mimic the wildly popular The Morbid Podcast, and fans of that will really enjoy the hosts' banter in this story.
While reading THE VILLA, readers may want. to temper their expectations. Regardless of how it’s marketed, this book doesn’t read like a Mystery/Thriller to me. We know ahead of time who ends up dead, and the events surrounding it aren’t that thrilling. And even with some added twists, the suspense wasn't as strong as I was expecting. Having said that, I enjoyed the heck out of this book! Emily and Mari’s lives were so interesting, and the circumstances each found themselves in made me want to read more. I couldn’t wait to get back to the POV I wasn’t in, and it made this book fly right by.
Similarly to contemporary fiction novels, THE VILLA deals with women's revenge, one of my least favorite themes. But even I must admit that the story was entertaining and gripped me from the beginning. The end was a bit of a letdown, but that didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story. Overall, I think THE VILLA was a great read, and if you enjoyed Daisy Jones & the Six, you can’t go wrong picking it up!
Audiobook Review: This book, narrated by Julia Whelan, Kimberly M. Wetherell, Shiromi Arserio, had a stellar cast. I feel like they added to my enjoyment of the story, and I love how they portrayed the characters. Julia Whelan is always going to be the standout in any cast for me; she seems to embody any character she takes on, and I love her versatility. If you decide to read THE VILLA, I highly suggest you go the audiobook route!
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.
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