The Villa

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

February 2024

4 out of 5

“She had forgotten, as We all do, that beautiful things can contain their own darkness.”

The Villa is a mystery book written about a vacation home that has a past. This book jumps between the past and the present. In the present, it is About two girls who go on vacation to the villa in Italy, to be inspired to write again after one of the girls, recent divorce. The past is about two girls who go on vacation with a rock group consisting of three men to the same Villa to get inspiration for writing songs. Throughout the book, it explains how the two girls from the past come to write one of the most popular books in their time, and create an album that will be listened to for decades. And the two girls in the present day, write a novel that explains the past of the villa and the rock ‘n’ roll group.

“It was one of rock music’s biggest scandals, a dark and lurid tale of sex, drugs and murder involving one of the most famous men in rock, Noel Gordon.”

• Love story

• Mystery

• Dual POV

• Alternative timeline

• Murder

• Love triangle

• Hidden stories

• Secrets

• Writers books/ songs

“Houses remember” “They still walk those halls, and soon so will she. So will others who come after her.”

I read the book and also listened to the audiobook. I absolutely loved how it went back-and-forth between the present day and the past through one of the past girls diary journals. although I have never read a mystery book, I did like how cut me on my toes and wanting to know more throughout the book. I thought the character development was perfect and it was easy to navigate who everybody was.

“People are never just gone, after all. There are always marks, always signs.”