The Unraveling of Julia

by Lisa Scottoline Narrated by Maria Marquis

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

This thrilling Gothic mystery infused with astrology and romance makes for a page-turning read. When her husband is brutally murdered, Julia’s life takes an unexpected turn.

A bestselling author crafts a sweeping gothic tale in which, after the shocking death of her husband, a troubled young widow inherits a Tuscan estate from a mysterious benefactor and finds herself thrust into the crosshairs of a dangerous conspiracy.

Lately, Julia Pritzker is beginning to think she's cursed. She's lost her adoptive parents, then her husband is murdered. When she realizes that her horoscope essentially foretold his death, she begins to spiral. She fears her fate is written in the stars, not held in her own hands.

Then a letter arrives out of the blue, informing her that she has inherited a Tuscan villa and vineyard -but her benefactor is a total stranger named Emilia Rossi. Julia has no information about her biological family, so she wonders if Rossi could be a blood relative. Bewildered, she heads to Tuscany for answers.

There, Julia is horrified to discover that Rossi was a paranoid recluse with delusions of grandeur, who believed herself to be a descendent of Duchess Caterina Sforza, a legendary Renaissance ruler. Julia is stunned by her uncanny resemblance to Rossi, and even to Caterina. Then she unearths eerie parallels between them, including an obsession with astrology.

Before long, Julia suspects she's being followed, and strange things begin to happen. Not even a chance meeting with a handsome Florentine can ease her disturbed mind. When events turn deadly, she breaks with reality. Julia's harrowing struggle becomes a search for her identity, a race to save her sanity, and ultimately, a question of her very survival.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A compelling thriller with dashes of romance and excellent twists!”—Karin Slaughter, New York Times and #1 International Bestselling Author

"A page-turning exploration into love, loss, forces larger than ourselves, and the way in which our own pasts and our ancestors' histories resonate into our present, The Unraveling of Julia has all the hallmarks of the very best Lisa Scottoline novels, and yet is also something spectacularly new. I literally could not put down this brilliant, Gothic tale that takes readers into sumptuous Tuscany and Renaissance Italy and has us questioning the past, as we sit on the edge of our seats. This might just be my favorite Lisa Scottoline book yet, and that's saying a lot!"—Marie Benedict, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Queens of Crime

“The latest by Scottoline has it all: a shocking murder, a crumbling Tuscan villa, and a heroine forced to rise above her grief after a tragic loss. Scottoline deftly weaves a touch of astrology through this fast-paced thriller, and the result is a stunning novel that explores the lines between reality and dreams, sanity and madness, and will leave you breathless.”—Fiona Davis, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Stolen Queen

“When adoptee Julia’s husband is brutally murdered in Philadelphia and she inherits an enormous Tuscan villa, she embarks on the most mysterious adventure. Who left her this bequest? This is a thriller as twisted as an Italian road with high-speed car chases, visions, dreams and terrors day and night, a hidden dungeon, a wild vineyard, corrupt cops and a search for identity. Enthralling, intriguing and ridiculously entertaining.”—Liz Nugent, Internationally Bestselling Author

“Lisa Scottoline’s The Unraveling of Julia is a riveting gothic thrill ride through the sun-drenched hills of Tuscany. When an American woman inherits an estate shrouded in secrets, she uncovers not only a hidden legacy but her own destiny. A delicious escape that blends suspense, atmosphere, and heart—this is Scottoline at her finest."—Danielle Trussoni, New York Times Bestselling Author of Puzzle Box

“Pulse-pounding, propulsive, and utterly unputdownable, The Unraveling of Julia is a masterclass in the art of novel writing. With a transportive Italian setting, intricately drawn characters, and historical details brilliantly interwoven, Lisa Scottoline delivers another can’t-miss masterpiece. At once a gripping page-turner and a poignantly rendered study on love, female friendship, and family connection, The Unraveling of Julia reaffirms Scottoline’s status as the undeniable queen of the psychological thriller.”—Kristy Woodson, New York Times Bestselling Author of Beach House Rules

"Lisa Scottoline returns in spectacular fashion with The Unraveling of Julia... her boldest book yet. A scorching, scintillating read that's not to be missed."—BookTrib

“The mystery plot and the Italian idyl both play supporting roles in this fairy tale for grownups.”—Kirkus

“Supernatural and gothic elements are light but suspenseful here, enveloped in the warmth of Tuscan food and new beginnings. Scottoline’s latest (following The Truth about the Devlins) is evocative of the vintage gothic tales of Phyllis A. Whitney and Victoria Holt.”—Booklist

New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis

The latest by Scottoline has it all: a shocking murder, a crumbling Tuscan villa, and a heroine forced to rise above her grief after a tragic loss. Scottoline deftly weaves a touch of astrology through this fast-paced thriller, and the result is a stunning novel that explores the lines between reality and dreams, sanity and madness, and will leave you breathless.”

New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling Karin Slaughter

A compelling thriller with dashes of romance and excellent twists!”

New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict

The Unraveling of Julia has all the hallmarks of the very best Lisa Scottoline novels, and yet is also something spectacularly new. I literally could not put down this brilliant, Gothic tale.”

New York Times bestselling author Danielle Trussoni

A delicious escape that blends suspense, atmosphere, and heart—this is Scottoline at her finest.”

internationally bestselling author Liz Nugent

This is a thriller as twisted as an Italian road with high-speed car chases, visions, dreams and terrors day and night, a hidden dungeon, a wild vineyard, corrupt cops, and a search for identity. Enthralling, intriguing, and ridiculously entertaining.”

New York Times bestselling author Kristy Woodson

A masterclass in the art of novel writing. With a transportive Italian setting, intricately drawn characters, and historical details brilliantly interwoven, Lisa Scottoline delivers another can’t-miss masterpiece.”

Kirkus Reviews

2025-05-16
Scottoline’s latest links her great love of Italy with her long record of female-centered crime fiction.

Julia Pritzker has a presentiment that something terrible is around the corner, but she never imagines just how terrible: When her husband, Philadelphia attorney Mike Shallette, tries to protect her from a man who grabs her designer bag, he gets stabbed to death before her eyes. Julia’s grief becomes laced with guilt when she realizes that her daily horoscope had predicted a calamity she’s now convinced she could have prevented. The news from Italian attorney Massimiliano Lombardi that his late client has left her millions in cash and an estate worth nearly as much again doesn’t comfort her, but it does provide distraction—especially since she’s never heard of Emilia Rossi and has no idea why she’s been chosen as her heir. Since Julia, adopted at an early age by a couple who’ve been dead for years, wonders if Emilia might have been her biological grandmother, she travels to Chianti in hope of recovering some of Emilia’s DNA. Unfortunately, caretakers Anna Mattia Vesta and Piero Fano have burned all of Emilia’s clothing and personal items on her orders, so there’s nothing left to test. Growing convinced that the stars are directing her and that her history is rooted in Emilia’s decrepit house, Julia turns down repeated offers for the property and resolves to secure evidence confirming the relationship between Emilia and her. Now all she has to do is protect herself from the shadowy figures tracking and following her and recover from a series of vivid, hallucinatory nightmares that seem to be the cost of claiming her heritage.

The mystery plot and the Italian idyl both play supporting roles in this fairy tale for grownups.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940193684367
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	07/15/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged

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