The Unraveling of Julia is a psychological thriller by #1 bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, published by Grand Central Publishing on July 15, 2025. This 400-page hardcover novel follows Julia Pritzker, a young widow who witnesses her husband's murder on a Philadelphia street and begins to fear her fate is written in the stars when she realizes her horoscope foretold his death.

Julia's life takes an unexpected turn when she inherits a mysterious Tuscan villa, vineyard, and fortune from a total stranger named Emilia Rossi. Traveling to Italy for answers, she discovers that Rossi was a paranoid recluse who believed herself to be a descendant of Caterina Sforza, a powerful Renaissance duchess. Julia is stunned by her uncanny resemblance to both Rossi and Caterina, and soon unearths eerie parallels between their lives, including a shared obsession with astrology.

As Julia suspects she's being followed and experiences disorienting delusions, not even a romantic meeting with a handsome Florentine can ease her troubled mind. When events turn deadly, she finds herself in a harrowing struggle for sanity and survival, racing to uncover her true identity before the mystery unravels her completely.

The novel weaves together themes of grief, adoption, astrology, paranormal activity, Italian Renaissance history, and female empowerment. Set against the backdrop of sun-drenched Tuscany, it features rich Italian cultural details, including cuisine, history, and the legendary story of Caterina Sforza. Critics have praised it as a compelling blend of gothic suspense, romance, and historical intrigue, evoking classic gothic tales by Phyllis A. Whitney and Victoria Holt while showcasing Scottoline's signature page-turning style.