Book Review: The Woman in the Villa

The Woman in the Villa by Helen Cooper

The Woman in the Villa is an atmospheric psychological thriller set at an isolated vineyard in Umbria, Italy among a famous, wine-selling dynasty of a family (it is giving Succession but for wine)

They’ve all gathered together and rented a giant villa to celebrate a special occasion. The protagonist Lola is a woman struggling with her marriage to one of the sons; she dislikes being part of this manipulative family. She’s thinking of leaving her husband for…reasons.

When Lola glimpses a woman in a small villa next door, she becomes curious. After going on a walk, Lola chats and connects (and drinks a lot of wine while telling secrets) with the mysterious woman, Carmen. Yet the next morning, the villa is empty and Carmen has disappeared.

Was Carmen really there, and if so, what was her motivation? Lola begins to question her reality.

Can she trust what she saw and who she met? The whole family will soon come under suspicion during a police investigation. Of course, the secrets are going to run deep in this dramatic family where ethics are often optional.

My Thoughts

If you know me, you know I love a DESTINATION THRILLER! Please take me away to Italy and give me a possibly unreliable character and a messy family, and I am enthralled. The Woman in the Villa was no exception. I devoured this novel in two days, with my interest in the characters and suspense driving me to finish the book quickly. I hate flat characters in a thriller, but all of the main characters were well-developed and the twists were believable without being too predictable.

 I was rooting for Lola, despite her many questionable decisions.

I also recommend Helen Cooper’s other thrillers, especially The Other Guest.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.