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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
Rating: 2.5 stars
Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!
I was really excited to start this one as I’m always in the mood for a good mystery. But even though the setup was intriguing, I struggled to stay invested in the story. It felt a bit slow for me, and I didn’t find the plot as gripping or suspenseful as I expected. That said, I know this will hit differently for other readers who connect more with the themes and pacing.
The highlight for me was definitely the audiobook performance. Maria Marquis is a fantastic narrator and truly carried the experience. She brought a lot of warmth and personality to the main character and had a great range when it came to differentiating voices. One of my favorite parts of her performance was the Italian accent she used throughout the book—it felt natural and added a richness to the scenes that involved Julie’s family and cultural background. Even when the story wasn’t fully clicking for me, Maria’s voice kept me engaged and made me want to keep listening.
If you’re someone who really appreciates a strong narrator and character-driven narration, this is one to consider picking up on audio. While the plot wasn’t a personal favorite, the performance made it a worthwhile listen.
Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!
I was really excited to start this one as I’m always in the mood for a good mystery. But even though the setup was intriguing, I struggled to stay invested in the story. It felt a bit slow for me, and I didn’t find the plot as gripping or suspenseful as I expected. That said, I know this will hit differently for other readers who connect more with the themes and pacing.
The highlight for me was definitely the audiobook performance. Maria Marquis is a fantastic narrator and truly carried the experience. She brought a lot of warmth and personality to the main character and had a great range when it came to differentiating voices. One of my favorite parts of her performance was the Italian accent she used throughout the book—it felt natural and added a richness to the scenes that involved Julie’s family and cultural background. Even when the story wasn’t fully clicking for me, Maria’s voice kept me engaged and made me want to keep listening.
If you’re someone who really appreciates a strong narrator and character-driven narration, this is one to consider picking up on audio. While the plot wasn’t a personal favorite, the performance made it a worthwhile listen.
adventurous
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
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
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:
No
mysterious
tense
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:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I decided to read the audio version of The Unraveling of Julia. Julia is a few years into married life to Mike, a new lawyer. They live in Philadelphia and are happy. Walking home from dinner after a celebratory evening, Julia suddenly senses danger, just as a mugger tries to grab her purse. As Mike moves in front of her to protect her, the mugger kills him. Julia's adoptive mother died when she was quite young and her father was, at a minimum, not very attentive. The police are getting nowhere with the murder investigation. Her grief has left her prostrated. Her best friend stays in close touch, but she lives far away. And then, Julia finds out that she has inherited a villa, vineyard and large amount of money from a woman she never heard of. She comes to believe this might be someone related to her, possibly her biological grandmother given her age.
Ultimately, Julia decides to go to Tuscany and try to learn about the woman. She turns out to have been a recluse with in a small town that actively disliked her. Julia must consider whether to sell the property, stay in Tuscany, and overall to figure out what to do next in her life. Along the way, she gets assistance from a variety of people such as her benefactors' housekeeper and handyman, a lawyer handling the estate, a real estate agent and eventually, a nice guy who helps her out of a jam near the Uffizi in Florence. However, she experiences nightmares that are terrifying and connected to her benefactor's believe she descends from a famous woman Italian ruler. She believes she is being followed and has no idea why. She has smarts in many ways, but she has become hooked on horoscopes and these things happening to her seem foreshadowed at times. Little by little, she finds evidence that she looks a lot like her benefactor and that there is almost certainly something being kept from her, possibly about her biological family.
Scottoline takes us through a well-plotted mystery and a story of how one woman comes to terms with loss and with finding direction in a world that seems menacing for perfectly good reasons. I loved the writing and the characters, particularly Julia. The Tuscan setting was fun too. The friendship with Julia's childhood friend is great. Maria Marquis did an EXCELLENT job as narrator in this novel.
Julia Pritzker is a believer in the power of the horoscope. After all, it foretold the murder of her beloved husband- or did it? Reeling from this loss and that of her adoptive parents, she becomes reclusive and fearful until a letter comes from a stranger sharing she has inherited a home and vineyard in Tuscany.
Convinced her luck is changing, she flies to Italy to begin investigating what her connection is with her benefactor. Soon, she believes she is being followed and poisoned. Is this more evidence of delusions due to the trauma she has experienced or is this true? This nail-biting thriller is masterfully narrated by Maria Marquis who adds to the atmospheric and tense tone of this novel.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
ALC NetGalley - Hachette Audio
Publication Date: July 15, 2025
This book completely pulled me in from the first chapter. It starts with a devastating loss, then drops Julia into a mysterious inheritance in Tuscany that slowly morphs into something much darker than she ever expected. The pacing was sharp, the atmosphere was lush and unsettling, and the unraveling of Julia’s identity was handled with just the right amount of tension.
I loved how the author blurred the line between legacy and delusion, between who Julia thinks she is and what others are determined to make her believe. The setting was vivid, gorgeous, and eerie all at once. The deeper Julia digs, the more suffocating things become.
It’s a psychological spiral wrapped in family secrets and old-world glamor, with just the right touch of danger.
✨ Unreliable connections, sharp writing, and a few turns I didn’t see coming.
Highly recommend if you enjoy stories that feel like peeling back layers of an inherited lie.
Publication Date: July 15, 2025
This book completely pulled me in from the first chapter. It starts with a devastating loss, then drops Julia into a mysterious inheritance in Tuscany that slowly morphs into something much darker than she ever expected. The pacing was sharp, the atmosphere was lush and unsettling, and the unraveling of Julia’s identity was handled with just the right amount of tension.
I loved how the author blurred the line between legacy and delusion, between who Julia thinks she is and what others are determined to make her believe. The setting was vivid, gorgeous, and eerie all at once. The deeper Julia digs, the more suffocating things become.
It’s a psychological spiral wrapped in family secrets and old-world glamor, with just the right touch of danger.
✨ Unreliable connections, sharp writing, and a few turns I didn’t see coming.
Highly recommend if you enjoy stories that feel like peeling back layers of an inherited lie.