INSTANTNEWYORKTIMESBESTSELLER!“Hawkinsweavesanengrossingtaleaboutbetrayal,sisterhood,andthepoweroftellingyourownstory.Captivating!“--People“Hawkinsisthereigningqueenofsuspense.“--HeatherGudenkauf,NewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorThebestsellingauthorofTheWifeUpstairsreturnswithabrilliantnewgothicsuspensesetatanItalianvillawithadarkhistory.Askids,EmilyandChesswereinseparable.Butbytheir30s,theirbondhasbeenstrainedbythedemandsoftheiradultlives.SowhenChesssuggestsagirlstriptoItaly,Emilyjumpsatthechancetoreconnectwithherbestfriend.VillaAestasinOrvietoisahigh-endholidayhomenow,butin1974,itwasknownasVillaRosato,andrentedforthesummerbyanotoriousrockstar,NoelGordon.Inanattempttoreignitehiscreativespark,Noelinvitesup-and-comingmusician,PierceSheldontojoinhim,aswellasPierce’sgirlfriend,Mari,andherstepsister,Lara.ButhealsosetsinmotionachainofeventsthatleadstoMariwritingoneofthegreatesthorrornovelsofalltime,Laracomposingaplatinumalbum--andendsinPierce’sbrutalmurder.AsEmilydigsintothevilla’scomplicatedhistory,shebeginstothinktheremightbemoretothestoryofthatfatefulsummerin1974.ThatperhapsPierce’smurderwasn’tjustataleofsex,drugs,androck&rollgonewrong,butthatsomethingmoresinistermighthaveoccurred--andthattheremightbeclueshiddeninthenow-iconicworksthatMariandLaraleftbehind.YetthecloserthatEmilygetstothetruth,themoretensionshefeelsdevelopingbetweenherandChess.Assecretsfromthepastcometolight,equallydangerousbetrayalsfromthepresentalsoemerge--anditbeginstolooklikethevillawillclaimanothervictimbeforethesummerends.InspiredbyFleetwoodMac,theMansonmurders,andtheinfamoussummerPercyandMaryShelleyspentwithLordByronataLakeGenevacastle--thebirthplaceofFrankenstein--TheVillawelcomesyouintoitsdeadlylegacy.
SGIRLFRIEND VILLA CAPTIVATING Mari PEOPLE SISTERHOOD
