140 reviews for:

The Unraveling of Julia

Lisa Scottoline

3.49 AVERAGE

blackbiracialandbookish's review against another edition

4.0

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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🎧🅰🆄🅳🅸🅾🅱🅾🅾🅺 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆🎧

🎁 Big thanks to partner @hachetteaudio for the gifted ALC. 🎁

✨𝘼𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 | 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘢 by Lisa Scottoline (out July 15, 2025)✨
* 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧: Maria Marquis
*  𝙇𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝: 10 hours, 28 minutes
* 𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: Psychological Thriller || Contemporary Fiction || Crime

👇🏽
👇🏽

𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙑𝙞𝙗𝙚𝙨:
Maria Marquis delivers a strong, engaging performance that really brings Julia’s story to life. Her narration captures the tension and emotion without overdoing it, and the subtle Italian touches add just the right amount of atmosphere.

𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐—Gripping, atmospheric, and hypnotic.

𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧’𝙨 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩:
Lisa Scottoline crafts a gothic psychological thriller that explores the haunting power of fate, identity, and legacy.

𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙚:
As a longtime fan of gothic fiction, I was hooked from the start. Julia’s slow descent into a terrifying Tuscan mystery was gripping. Emilia Rossi’s presence was so compelling, I found myself craving more about her and the strange household around her. The crumbling mansion practically breathed its own secrets. Julia’s unraveling was painful yet deeply human, revealing a strength she didn’t know she had. If you’re adopted or fascinated by hidden family histories, this story will speak to you.

𝙄𝙛 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠, 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙏𝙧𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚:
- 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘜𝘱𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘴 by Lisa Jewell
- 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘛𝘰𝘮 by Victor LaVelle
- 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢 by Isabel Cañas
- 𝘔𝘺 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 by Tananarive Due

𝘽𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙁𝙤𝙧: 
Fans of gothic suspense, psychological thrillers, and stories steeped in family secrets, astrology, and European history. Ideal for listeners who enjoy a slow-burn mystery with a strong female lead.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

QOTD: 𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙮?

🏷 #TheUnravelingOfJulia  #LisaScottoline #MariaMarquis  #PsychologicalSuspense #AudioBookFeature #AudiobookReview #bookstagram  #bookreview #wellreadblackgirl

jetangen's review

5.0

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Julia had a good life in spite of some basic sadness. But then her beloved husband was randomly murdered beside her and there was nothing she could do. She became wrapped too tight in deep sadness and isolated herself despite the best efforts of her BFF. When a totally unexpected inheritance comes to her from a mysterious woman in Tuscany, she gathers herself to go there and find what there is to know. Now things get really convoluted and intense. There is astrology, historical integration, finding the facts of her adoption, and a very current conspiracy. Unputdownable!            
Voice actor Maria Marquis ably demonstrates her skills and abilities of interpreting the author's work.
I requested and received a temporary advanced listener copy from Hachette Audio | Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley.  ***** review
#TheUnravelingofJulia by @lisascottoline narrated by Maria Marquis @soundslikemarquis #NetGalley @hachetteaudio #goodreads #bookbub #storygraph #librarything @barnesandnoble @kobobooks @booksamillion @#bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk @grandcentralpub #atmospheric #eerie #lies #childhoodtrauma #orphanedtwice #adopted #witnessedhusbandmurder #grief #grieving #secrets #inheritance #tuscanvilla #ptsd #psychologicalthriller #astrology #drama #ancestry #mysterious

shesgothernoseinabookagain's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

timb3r_books's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

tayarunsandreads's review against another edition

3.75

fast-paced

books_coffee_oxfordcommas's review against another edition

4.0

emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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The Unraveling of Julia is different than other Scottoline novels, and I really enjoyed it!
This book starts off by pulling the reader in immediately, witnessing the murder of Julia's husband, right in front of her.  In the midst of her grief, she finds out that she inherited a property and money in Italy, so she decides to go.  She's adopted, so she hopes this will give her some insight into her birth family.
The book follows her as she is followed, haunted, and haunted.  It keeps you guessing at what is coming next, and I couldn't put the pieces together in advance, so I always enjoy a good twist.  The book did have a lot of moving pieces - so pay attention - but it was a fun ride!
I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys a thriller and believes in the supernatural.

tinman2's review against another edition

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Didn't connect with the character

itsallaboutbooksandmacarons's review

4.5

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From the rich Italian accents to the suspenseful twists, this story was a real pleasure to experience. The narrator brought warmth and authenticity to each character, making them feel vivid and true. Hearing the Italian phrases spoken so naturally added a special touch, almost like wandering the charming streets of Italy alongside the characters.

The way the narration deepened the atmosphere stood out. Moments of tension felt real and gripping, while the romance was gentle and heartfelt. The paranormal elements slipped in smoothly, adding a quiet sense of mystery without overpowering the story. It’s impressive how all these different moods blended together so effortlessly.

The characters themselves felt layered and relatable, each with their own struggles and strengths. The voice work made it easy to connect with their emotions and journeys, which made the whole story feel more personal.

This story stays with you—not because it shouts, but because it quietly weaves together moments of mystery, romance, and the supernatural in a way that feels both real and a little magical. The Italian setting adds a special flavor that makes the whole experience feel grounded and unique. It’s the kind of story that lingers in your mind long after you’ve finished.

liliumgrey's review

4.0

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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I love Lisa Scottoline’s style of writing. It makes me immersed by the story. The story was not what I expected but I still had a hard time putting it down! 
The ending was so heartbreaking. 😭

maghenreads's review

4.0

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated