⭐️⭐️ (2 stars)
I usually enjoy Lisa Scottoline’s work, but The Unraveling of Julia just wasn’t for me. Gothic literature and astrology aren’t my cup of tea, and this novel dives headfirst into both.
The story follows Julia Pritzker, a grieving widow who inherits a mysterious Tuscan villa from a stranger. Once she arrives in Italy, strange things start happening—ghostly visions, eerie coincidences, and a possible family link to a Renaissance duchess obsessed with astrology. It sounds intriguing on paper, but the story quickly spirals into something so far-fetched I had trouble suspending disbelief.
Scottoline does a lovely job painting the Tuscan landscape—you can almost feel the sun on the vineyards and hear the church bells echoing through the hills—but the plot feels scattered. Julia’s personal transformation gets lost in a jumble of superstitions, melodrama, and tangled subplots.
If gothic mysteries and horoscopes are your thing, you might have fun with this one. But if, like me, you prefer Scottoline’s sharp legal thrillers or tightly woven suspense, The Unraveling of Julia will probably leave you as confused as Julia herself. For audio lovers, Maria Marquis does a fabulous job narrating.
** Thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing and Hachette Audio for review copies of the eBook and audiobook. Opinions are my own.