The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline

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 young widow inherits a mysterious Tuscan estate and finds herself thrust into a dangerous conspiracy—twisty and transportive, this is suspense with a passport.   

"A compelling thriller with excellent twists!” —Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author

One awful night, Julia Pritzker witnesses the murder of her beloved husband during a mugging on a Philadelphia street. Later, while grieving him, she’s suddenly fearful that her fate is written in the stars, not held in her own hands.   

Her luck seems to change when stunning news arrives from Italy, informing her that she’s inherited a fortune, a Tuscan villa, and a vineyard. But she’s mystified by her Italian benefactor, a total stranger named Emilia Rossi. She flies to Tuscany for answers.   

There, Julia learns that Rossi suffered from delusions of grandeur, believing herself to be a descendant of Caterina Sforza, a powerful Renaissance duchess. Julia doubts that is true, but she can’t deny the uncanny resemblance between her, Caterina, and Rossi. She starts to unearth eerie parallels between them—and disturbing secrets.   

Before long, Julia suspects she’s being followed and experiences disorienting delusions of her own. Even meeting a romantic Florentine doesn’t quiet her unease. Then events turn deadly, and Julia finds herself in a harrowing struggle for sanity and survival.      

"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

"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