Hawkins depicts the parallels between Emily and Chess’ relationship and Mari and Lara’s with a quiet brilliance. Complicating their relationship is Mari’s stepsister, Lara, whose ultimate goal - it seems - is to consistently outshine Mari. Mari dates Pierce, a talented up-and-coming English musician whose own desires and passions overshadow Mari’s artistic and creative endeavors. Paralleling Emily and Chess’ friendship and professional rivalry is the backstory of Mari and Lara, two young women caught up in the tangled yarn ball of the 1970s rock star life. Thus, at first, readers may initially think that The Villa is another friendship-gone-wrong murder story, but it’s not. Readers sense Emily’s jealousy, even though Emily’s lack of self-awareness inhibits her from fully admitting it. As Emily navigates a financially brutal divorce and struggles with debilitating writer’s block, Chess’ writing and professional career is one worth envying: endless book deals, Oprah appearances, and financial success that leaves Chess oozing cash and fame. The nuances of Emily and Chess’ lifelong friendship initially draw readers into The Villa’s pages. However, the breathtaking villa where Chess and Emily are spending six glorious weeks holds dark secrets surrounding the summer of 1974 when rock star Noel Gordon, up-and-coming rock star-wannabe Pierce, Pierce’s girlfriend Mari, and Mari’s stepsister Lara embark on what will become a cruel summer for everyone at the villa. The two have been friends since childhood, and when Chess proposes a girls-only trip to Italy, Emily embraces the opportunity to restart her personal and professional life. The novel follows the tumultuous personal and professional life of cozy mystery writer Emily Sheridan and her successful life-coach-of-a-best-friend Chess. Inspired by infamous rock band Fleetwood Mac and historical events like the Manson murders and Lord Byron’s infamous summer at a Lake Geneva castle with Percy and Mary Shelley, Rachel Hawkins’ The Villamay just be 2023’s ultimate gothic novel.

The villa rachel hawkins review